Close Enough

Ch 4 Back at Hogwarts

Draco walked into the Great Hall still chattering away with Blaise and Pansy. Now having an at least tentative plan formed after the long train ride to Hogsmead station they were on to more fun things to talk about, such as this being their last year at school and how excited they were for that fact. Sitting down towards the end of the Slytherin house table the trio of friends only became quiet once the headmaster stood to begin the sorting.
“Welcome all! I am grateful that you are all back here at Hogwarts for yet another great year. I am also glad to inform you that students will no longer be sorted into houses...” the hall suddenly became alive with chatter. “Please, please, everyone.” Slowly the noise level died down again. “Thank you. Now as I was saying. It has been a whole year since the war has been over, yet the school is still divided by houses, I feel this isn’t right and am putting a stop to it today. All students will be grouped together with three others and placed in a suite style room. The selection will be done at random, and the houses will be mixed. Now let’s eat!” and with that Dumbledore sat down and began an animated conversation with Professor Snape.
“Well that explains why we didn’t hear anyone calling for the first years; they aren’t being separated by sorting. But I don’t see them either.” Blaise commented looking around the hall. Not seeing them turned out to be a lie, he just hadn’t noticed until Draco pointed to a 5th and much smaller table on the other side of the hall from them.
“They are over there Blaise. I guess they thought if they all sat together then they would bond or something.” Draco stated flatly eyeing the much younger students. Shifting his gaze to the Gryffindor table with a small smile to himself, Draco searched for his intended. It only took a moment to find him; he sat in the same seat for the last half of 6th year, all the way down at the end closest to the doors, facing the Slytherin table, alone. The only difference was this time his hair hid his face as he bent over the notebook in front of him, plate pushed away and ignored. Draco scowled at this, ‘did he eat anything? I can’t tell.’ Squinting slightly toward the boy, ‘I should have looked sooner.’ Draco decided he just missed Harry eating, and went back to eating himself.
As the desserts appeared on the tables, the heads of house came bustling around the tables handing each student an envelope and instructing them to open them when the headmaster told them to. Due to being distracted by the desserts most people just put theirs on the table and went back to eating, some looked at it in a slightly confused manner, and one Harry Potter didn’t even acknowledge that there was an envelope set down near him. When the desserts too had disappeared and the chatter was becoming suitablely loud it seemed to the headmaster it was time to speak again so he rose from his seat at the head table.
“A few more notices before we depart for the evening I think. As always the forbidden forest is off limits to students, as is Hogsmead for all those under 3rd year. The list of banned items is now upwards of 1000 loud, smelly, dangerous, fun yet deadly things. The complete list is found on Mr. Filchs door if you should want to check it to see if anything you have acquired over the summer has fallen into one of those categories.
We are starting something new this year. All seventh years are no longer required to wear school robes. They may wear any clothing of their choosing as long as it is decent, decency is up to the faculty and staff to determine so still be mindful that this is a school and don’t abuse this privilege and get it taken away from everyone.
Now would everyone please pick up your envelope? Inside you will find your dorm assignment, its location, password, and the names of your room mates. All of your things will already be there when you arrive so there is no need to worry. I do believe that is all, good night. And have an enjoyable school year!!!” and with that the headmaster sat, again striking up a conversation with Professor Snape.

Draco looked down at the envelope in his hands, shrugged one elegant shoulder and opened it. A Cheshire grin spread across his face when he read the contents:

Mr. Draco Malfoy:
The Green Room
Behind the portrait of the snake fields near the dungeons
Freedom
Blaise Zambini, Harry Potter, Justin Flinch Fletchley


Not only did he get to be roomed with someone who was his best friend, but he got to share a room with his intended. This would make it so much easier to get to know Harry and get on his good side to win him over. Looking up at Blaise, Draco smiled again. “Well roomy, let’s get going then.” And stood his eyes falling on the now vacated spot where Harry Potter once sat at the Gryffindor table. Draco frowned slightly, but then remembered that Harry would be rooming with him so he would have plenty of time to observe him.

Draco waved Blaise off when he said that he was going to walk Pansy to her new common room saying that he would meet him back in their room when he got there. Blaise smiled and took Pansy’s hand walking her in the opposite direction of the dungeons and Draco turned toward the stairs leading down into the familiar cool dampness. Spotting the portrait no more than halfway down the hall he smiled to himself walking up to it murmuring, “freedom…” as he got close to it. The frame swung open to allow him entrance. Walking into the room he saw a fireplace, two tables, two sofas, and two chairs spread over an actually rather large looking common room. The room was beautifully done in shades of green with accents of gray and black. Draco chuckled to himself about how very slytherin the room looked for being a mixed house room. Walking down a short hallway to the left there were three doors. One lead to the bathroom this much Draco knew and guessed on the first try which one that would be. Looking in he saw a few stalls and sinks and another door. The door being open invited him to take in site that was the bathroom; all done in the cleanest white with chrome accents everywhere. There was a large glassed in shower, what could only be classified a pool instead of a bathtub, and a nice sized sink that could only be described as a vanity. Draco laughed thinking about the fact that he was probably the only one who would use it.
Upon exiting the bathroom he looked at the two doors across the hall and sighed, becoming slightly afraid that he was going to have to deal with the knowledge that Harry was just one room away. But when he looked at the door there was a small silver plaque in the center of the door reading:
Green Room
DM
HP

Inside Draco jumped for joy. He was going to get to be in the same room as his intended, to be able to spend alone time with him! If Draco wasn’t a Malfoy he probably would have danced around the hall and giggled. But he is a Malfoy, and so he merely let a small smile play at his lips as he pushed the door open.

The sight before him made his stomach knot. Harry sat cross-legged on his bed, back pressed up against the headboard, already changed for bed into lounge pants and a deep emerald t-shirt. Harry’s hair was falling in his face again as he looked down at the book in his lap, not the notebook from before Draco noticed, but an actual book. A smile pulled more forcefully at his lips now, a book would give them something to talk about, somewhere to start a civil conversation.

“Hey Potter. Looks like it’s you and me this year.” Draco stated as he began walking slowly across the room toward his bed only a few feet from Harry’s own. “What are you reading?” Harry looked up at Draco through his hair and seemed to be considering his answer.
“Malfoy. Yes it appears that the Headmaster has confined us to the same living space.” Harry said in a soft flat tone before looking back at his book.
Draco approached the side of Harry’s bed looking down at the boy in polite curiosity, “What are you reading?” he asked again taking the opportunity to enjoy being this close to his mate breathing in deeply. Harry now looked up at Draco seeming to consider him again narrowing his eyes a little after doing this for a few moments he spoke.
“Potions. Sev loaned it to me and he expects it back by first class, so I need to finish it before then.” Taking in the slightly surprised look on Draco’s face at the casual reference to the ever hated potions master, Harry looked back at his book. “Can you move, please. You’re in my light.” He added softly. Draco still fairly confused and slightly overwhelmed by scent in the room moved away. “Thanks.” Draco didn’t say anything as he slowly left the room.
‘Sev? He called him Sev?’ he felt so confused. ‘And they are on terms in which Severus would loan him a book for the whole summer? Even I don’t get that and I’m his godson!’ Draco began to walk quickly towards the potions master’s private chambers feeling the need to have answers.