Changes of Life

Title: Changes of Life
Chapter: 3
Rating: NC17
Pairing: Harry/Draco
A/N: Alright, if you like the Draco bit, sorry then. There’s only a small section of Draco’s summer in this chapter. I just wanted to get a few things about him understood. The story will mainly be in Harry’s “pov”. Getting slowly into plot lines I have for the story. Anyway, like always, hope you enjoy it as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it. And if you don’t, well… um… yeah.

Yes! I have word now for a while! Yay!

And very important note here, I’ve changed Harry’s wardrobe to just dark clothes. Also, ignore the Lucius part… that was a mistake on my part, he’s still in Azkaban.

Oh yes, and thank you to my lovely reviews. Sorry if I havn\'t said that before *can\'t remember*

Disclaimer: same as chapter 1

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The summer had gone by without anything important happening. The only thing would be that Harry got thinner, more oval shaped glasses. Adrian didn’t make an appearance, leaving Harry to wonder what exactly that spell was about. He had, however, gotten used to his new self fully. It wasn’t as exciting anymore, and he couldn’t wait to get back to the school. Maybe something exciting would happen then.

He didn’t see the white creature again. Where it came, why it came, what it was, why it left so early stayed a mystery on Harry’s mind. He looked in his Care of Magical Creatures book and DADA book, but couldn’t find any information on it.

What he *did* find in his DADA book interested him more so now than in the past. The wizard perspective and study of vampires and demons. So Harry did some extra studying.

Of course he still drew. He couldn’t be pulled away from that. That was just something he felt free when doing. Almost like flying. He could get out whatever feelings he was feeling and let it flow onto the paper and take shape.

Now was the day to go back to Hogwarts. He went ahead and grabbed his broom, shrinking all he would bring with him, thinking it would look a little suspicious if he just flew in with wings. He didn’t want to deal with what people would say just yet.

He figured he would have enough with what Ron and Hermione would say about his look and so forth. Sighing, he turned on the cube before sticking that in the bag and putting the bag on the handle to fly off. It was early morning, the sun had not yet risen. He wanted to be at the station early so he could get a compartment to himself until any one went looking for him… if they bothered.

He decided to go in one of his black pants and semi tight black shirt. He kept on his necklace and wristband. He let had let his hair grow out, so now it was about chin length. He no longer cared that it would never lay straight; at least the length helped some.

Finally close enough, Harry landed and walked the rest of the way, singing along to one of the songs from the cube silently.

When Harry arrived at the train, he took off the shrinking spell and loaded them up, including Hedwig’s cage (even though she hadn’t been seen by Harry for some time), before finding a compartment. The only things he had on him now were his cube, sketch pad, pencil, and a few blood lollipops. He took out one of the lollipops and chewed on it a bit, looking out the window, watching students slowly filter in.

Just when Harry was going to look away from the window and start on a drawing, the blond god that haunted his dreams every night since the first night made his entrance. Surprisingly, those grey eyes instantly found his. Both didn’t look away. Neither could. There was surprise that the other was looking at them, and shivers going down each boys\' spine. The good shivers that left you wanting more. There was a strong pull between the two boys. A longing for touch.

Draco could hardly believe the change in Harry. He looked… incredible. “Dark and mysterious” as some would say. A side of Harry that Draco had only fantasized about. How he wanted to claim this darker Harry. He let his eyes drift down to Harry’s lips, which he found were slightly parted.

Harry saw Draco’s eyes drift slightly downward. A flash of curiosity was shown in his eyes before the mask was put up again. He scowled at Harry and continued about getting prepared to go on the train.

Harry wondered for a bit what the curiosity was before he remembered he still had the blood lollipop in his mouth. Could Draco have started any suspicions about what Harry was? And what was with the look that passed between them. Where was the animosity? Sure there was a scowl at the end, but… it seemed so fake compared to what happened before that.

The wizards say vampires can be natural seducers… did Harry just do that without knowing it? Letting out a slight frustrated noise, he went back to his previous idea of drawing something. Every now and then, what he was going to draw wasn’t really on Harry’s mind. Harry would just draw what he felt like. What lines he thought would go where, and see what the picture ended up being. This was one of those times.

Just when Harry was starting to make out what it was, he heard the door open. He glanced up to see who entered before going back to the drawing, paying no mind to Ron or Hermione.

“Harry? Is that you?” Ron asked, looking over his friend. The look just… seemed unlike something Harry would do. Of course Ron would still want to be there for Harry, but he just wasn’t expecting this. And that letter didn’t help either.

Getting no answer, Hermione joined in. “Harry?”

“You didn’t send me anything over the summer.” Harry said, still drawing, and not looking up.

“We were going to.” Ron replied, narrowing his eyes a bit.

“Well then, why didn’t you?” Harry asked, still not looking up, though his hand stopped the drawing.

“You of all people should know why.” Ron replied, a little anger in his voice.

Hermione sighed. “I don’t even know why we bothered. Harry, when you’re ready to talk…” Hermione left the rest of the sentence unsaid and left with Ron.

This only left Harry more confused and angered. “What the hell was that?!” He asked to no one, loudly. He then just sighed and was going to get back to finishing his drawing when he heard a locking sound.

He looked around. He couldn’t *see* anyone else here… then a voice spoke. “Quite a few things are going to happen this year.” Though it didn’t seem to be speaking what one normally spoke. He had heard this type of talk before.

At that thought, a snake slithered out from under one of the seats. “Hello, Harry.”

“Who are you?” Harry asked, looking down at the all black snake, which seemed to shimmer red under the light.

“You are to name me. My former name is of no concern. I am a present from Adrian.” The snake answered.

“Figures it would be *him*.” Harry muttered.

“Yes… he is the mysterious one. Leaving unanswered questions. But it’s all for the better. He knows what he must do and what must be done by everyone else. The trust you put in him is not put to waste. Now, about my name?”

“I’m not very familiar with-” Harry stopped short with the sudden urge to name it a certain name. “How about Tiamut?”

“That would be fine.” The snake answered. “But I must leave you now. I will come back, but there are things that must be done, and that must happen. Be prepared for changes.”

Harry sighed. Once again he was left confused. He just shook his head to forget it and set to drawing again.

***

The trip to Hogwarts was nothing more than listening to his music and drawing. No one came to Harry’s compartment, and he even rode the carriage by himself. Not really by choice, mind you.

Harry contemplated just not going to the feast at all. As much as it annoyed him, he was getting used to being alone. He was seriously reassessing Hermione and Ron. After all, what friends wouldn’t write? And what was with them on the train? They, along with the others he trusted, had broken a very important promise. If they didn’t, Harry wouldn’t have been at Vernon’s house the entire summer, and he would not have gotten abused or starved. Perhaps it was time to start a new. Fully, not just with appearances. Maybe it was time to get new friends.

He sat in any seat on the Gryffindor table, not really caring where. He conjured up a drink, which filled his goblet. He was about to take a sip when he was interrupted by Seamus. “Harry? Is that you?”

Harry looked up at him. “Hm. First person to talk to me. Yeah.”

“What happened to you this summer?” Seamus asked in shock. Seeing Harry’s glare, he explained himself. “No, not in a bad way.” He looked over Harry again. “I like it.” He took a seat across from Harry. “I just wonder what made up your mind to change.”

“Just a bunch of crap,” was Harry’s response.

“Yeah, shit happens, that’s life.” Seamus agreed. He thought for a bit before a small smile lit his eyes. “Anyway, I know we aren’t really friends. Amiable, yeah, but really we don’t know much about each other. With the obvious out of the way, I find this new you intriguing. If you’ll let me…”

“Friends, hm? Well, I could use a new group. Not quite sure of the ‘friendship’ status with Ron and Hermione anymore…” Harry said.

“Taking a guess, they didn’t really like the change? Even if I’m wrong, if someone won’t accept you for being yourself, they’re not really your friend. Hard as that may be for some people to accept.”

“Yeah,” Harry replied. Seeing more people file in as was likely to be the main crowd, Harry took a big gulp of his drink.

“Let me guess, alcoholic?” Seamus asked, motioning towards Harry’s goblet with a small smile.

“Good guess. Yeah, it is. Learned the conjuring spell for it during the summer, along with a few other things. I just didn’t think I would be this nervous.”

Seamus fell silent, just smiling, not really having anything to say in response. He searched the incoming crowd for a couple people. Particularly one person. He caught the eye of the brunette and gave him a look before glancing at Harry. The brunette caught his glance and made a small smile himself, leaving the Great Hall.

Already some people were giving Harry weird looks and he figured this would be common for most the students. What he didn’t figure was for each and every person to ignore him or avoid him.

“Well, that was just weird. I expected at least someone to talk to you.” Seamus said.

“Yeah. Where’s Dean? I thought you two were best friends.”

“We were, but had a falling out about something.” Seamus seemed thoughtful for a bit more. “Hey, Harry, what do you say we just ditch the feast? I know a place where I and a few friends eat and hang out at.”

“Yeah, sure. It doesn’t seem like the Great Hall has anything for us anyway.” Harry replied. He didn’t want to be the center of everyone’s stares this first night back, and was willing to try a lot more new things.

***

Draco stopped walking. “Blaise, Harry’s in the room.”

“Are you sure?” Blaise asked, kind of knowing he would be in there, but pretending he didn’t know. Seeing Draco’s nod, he continued. “Seamus must have brought him. Promise not to run away and you can wait out here a bit.”

Draco nodded and Blaise entered the room. Draco took a deep breath. What was he going to do? This wasn’t just some passing in the halls or in class. He would be in the room with him… just him and two other people. His friends, and the one he’d pretended to hate. Could he really do this? He’d… have to. He realized this and just took another deep breath.

Both Seamus and Harry looked to who walked in. Harry narrowed his eyes, not sure if Blaise was going to start anything with him or not. Seamus, however, smiled. He looked the brunette up and down and back again, licking his lips at seeing him again. Being closer to him than what catching his eye in the Great Hall was. The summer was hell trying to get through without his boyfriend, and now… god, did he want him right now.

Blaise didn’t take in Harry’s appearance yet, as he was just staring at the Irish boy. Seeing his boyfriend lick his lips, with that look in his eyes… the only thing keeping him from claiming the boy again was the reminder that Harry was in the room and Draco was hopefully waiting just outside the room. His eyes finally drifted to look over the rave-haired boy. “Potter.” He said, shocked by the power that seemed to radiate off Harry. His aura was a dark red now. Strange, it used to be green… “You’ve changed.” He stated.

“Yeah.” Harry said, opting to not talk much until he was more comfortable as to what was happening.

“Well then.” Blaise said before leaving. Not being glared at was a sign that Draco wouldn’t get hurt by coming into the room.

A few seconds later, Blaise came back in, Draco followed behind him. Draco looked at Harry almost immediately, taking in his appearance. His full appearance, rather than just his upper body that the window of the train showed. A sudden jolt of his veela instinct made him want to straddle the only boy he’d ever love and snog the hell out of him, but he forced himself not to. He straightened his posture and followed with saying “Potter” in a tone that held no emotions. Formalities shown in the rich, pureblood act that was drilled into him since childhood.

“Malfoy.” Harry replied, crossing his arms as if to say ‘I’m sitting here, and I’m not going to move.’ Though he had to fight himself not to stare at the blond with anything more than indifference. He didn’t know if the look that passed between them at the train was just a fluke or not (even though it seemed too strong to be something like that).

Draco glared at him. “In case you didn’t know, Potter, this place is reserved.”

^Fine. He wants to be that way?^ Harry thought. “I figured as much, but considering Seamus invited me, and it’s clear he’s part of the ‘reserved’ group…”

“Draco, don’t you think it’s time to drop the act towards him?” Seamus spoke up.

Draco paused. He wanted to, he really did… but it was better this way, wasn’t it? He didn’t want to force Harry into anything. He highly doubted Harry would choose him, even if he *did* drop the act. So he just crossed his arms in defiance. “Why should I?”

“You know why.” Seamus answered, giving him a look.

“And you know why I don’t want to.” Draco retaliated.

Seamus sighed and Blaise decided to talk to Draco alone. He grabbed the blond by his arm and walked him to a back room, pushing him inside. “I’ll take care of him.” He said before entering the room after Draco.

“Draco, stop being insecure about this part of your life. This is the only thing you’re insecure about. You have no proof he won’t want you if you act like yourself. You haven’t even given it a try.” Blaise started, once again diving into his lecture mode.

Meanwhile, Seamus decided to talk to Harry. “So… willing to put the past behind you and give it a try? They’re not that bad. Draco should start acting better when they come back, I swear it.”

“He’s putting on an act? Why? To keep his dad from disapproving?” Harry asked, trying his best not to show that he was confused, and maybe just a little hopeful.

“Not really. You’d have to ask him, though. I can’t tell you.” Seamus answered.

\"Okay.” Harry said before pausing a bit to think. “I am willing to try it. I said I needed change, and you said they’re not that bad, so...” ^And I’ve been having dreams about the blond Slytherin, so I’m curious and hopeful as to where our relationship may go.^ He added silently, kind of excited to see what the *true* Draco is like.

It was then that Draco and Blaise came back into the room. “You’ve changed, Potter.” Draco started, the usual venom from his voice gone. He paused. “I’m… sorry.” He got a little nervous at what he was going to do next. “What do you say we put the past behind us?” Draco held out his hand.

Harry looked at the hand, then back to Draco’s face. “No tricks?”

\"No tricks.” Draco confirmed. ^Please take my hand. Don’t reject me again…^

Harry held in the gasp at seeing the sincerity in the grey eyes. Never had he seen them hold that look before. Nodding slightly, he grasped Draco’s hand. “We’ll start anew.”

The warmth that overtook them was sudden and surprising. It started with their fingertips, and then worked its way throughout their entire body.

Fighting off the urge to pull Harry closer, Draco parted their hands and took a step back.

Harry felt a sudden need to take Draco’s hand again. To touch him in anyway possible just to feel that warmth again. But part of him was asking what he was doing. Could Draco be trusted? After all that’s happened?

Harry looked to Seamus as if to make sure it was actually him that was friends with the two Slytherins.

“What?” Seamus asked.

“Just trying to make sure this is all happening.”

“Is it too much for you?” Draco asked. “Because I can always go back to the insults.”

“If you do that, I’d have to go back to you know what.” Blaise replied before Harry got a chance to.

“Oh dear gods, no.” Draco groaned, remembering the lectures Blaise gave him at least once a week (and just a few minutes ago) about how he shouldn’t put the mask on in front of Harry. How his veela instincts would come out like a bomb. As if Blaise knew. Right. This was too much. It was bound to happen, but maybe not. Doesn’t matter now. Draco looked at Seamus. “This is your entire fault, you know.”

Seamus smiled widely. “I know.” He mentioned before sharing a look with Blaise.

Harry silently sighed and decided to at least give it a try. He wouldn’t hold his breath or anything unless it was proven to him this would work. So much has been happening in the past months, year, whatever. But that was life, or so he supposed. “What was that? Right there, that look. Did you two plan this?”

“Maybe” Seamus and Blaise answered together, each showing a mischievous smile.

Gathering his courage, Harry looked at Draco. “Are they always like that?”

“Well when they’re not-“ Receiving a look from Seamus, he could tell the Irish boy did not want his relationship with Blaise our yet. “I mean yeah. Usually.”

“We always kid around. When in public, we still act a certain way to each other. It’s sort of became a game to us.” Seamus told Harry.

Harry thought about that before smiling slightly to himself. Maybe they could plan out a skit type thing sometime. Could be fun.

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A/N: Alright! I will post an \'outside of the plots\' mini scene before posting up the next chapter, as the next chapter has some more work to go through as of yet. You can\'t believe how happy I was to get word working ^_^ Reviews are *well* appreciated.