Harry Potter and Changing Destinies

Chapter 3

The bright sunlight stretched through Alexis’ room. She stretched and groaned feeling her sore muscles protest at every move. Her morning workouts combined with the martial arts training she had begun with Draco was taxing muscles she didn’t even know she had. Deciding the best way to ease the soreness was an early morning swim she quickly shed her ice blue pajamas and tugged on a violet and silver two piece pulling her long corkscrew curls into a messy bun she grabbed her cover up and slipping it over her head she made her way to her indoor pool not knowing that it was already occupied.

Draco turned under the water letting his strokes take him to the other side of the pool. Swimming had always calmed him down and with the intensive training that Alexis had started him on he needed to relax.

Draco surfaced and sat down on the stone steps thinking about Alexis. She was so different from any girl he had ever met.

Very cool, collected and proper until you pushed a button then she exploded. She was beautiful yes probably the most beautiful girl he had ever seen yet her beauty was so much more than skin deep. He grinned when he did manage to coax a smile out of her she glowed. With the platinum and honey blond streaks throughout her hair and the golden sheen to her skin she shone brighter than the sun. “It’s probably a good thing she didn’t attend Hogwarts or Potter would have some competition for the title of ‘Gryffindor Golden Child’” he thought.

However there was something about Alexis that didn’t ring true. She had said that she had no magic and yet Draco could feel the power that she had, yet it was almost detached from her. That was a question he knew would have to be answered. He was jolted out of his thoughts by a soft chuckle. He looked up and felt his heart stop. Her face was lit up in a laugh, her bright hazel-green eyes seemed to glow and her body was clothed in a beautiful purple and silver two piece swimsuit.

“May I join you?” Alexis asked.

Draco waved her in, “It’s your pool.”

As Alexis climbed in Draco caught a glimpse of something he never would have expected to see.

“Is that a tattoo?”

Alexis smirked, “Which one?” she laughed at the look on Draco’s face.

“You mean yes it is and that you have more then one?”

She climbed out of the pool and turned so her backside was facing Draco. Hooking her fingers in the bottom of her swimsuit she pulled it down until just the tops of her buttocks showed. Located on her lower back was a majestic phoenix with its wings spread and flames around it. She then turned and showed her right hip. There sat a fairy sitting on a crescent moon. Her wings were an ice blue and ice and water dripped from her body.

“Wow,” Draco said.

Alexis slid back into the water. “You like?” she asked giving him a flirty smile.

“Very much. Why do you have them though?”

“The phoenix was my first tattoo. Harry and I went into London after my parents died and I got the tattoo in memory of them. My water fairy I just got a few months ago.” She pushed off the steps, “Race you. Four lengths?”

Draco grinned, “You’re on,” and they swam together racing neither managing to beat the other, playing and having fun. Finally Draco’s stomach reminded him that it was time to eat breakfast.

After they both cleaned up and ate breakfast they went into the living room. Sitting close together yet not touching. The attraction between the two had grown yet neither had acted on it. Draco turned his body so that he was facing Alexis. She also turned to face him bringing their bodies closer together. Draco leaned forward and placed his palm on the side of Alexis’s face. She turned placing a small kiss on Draco’s palm. Draco slid his hand from her face to the nape at her neck bringing her closer. Her eyes fluttered shut as Draco’s mouth covered hers. His free arm wound around her pulling her as close to him as possible. Ali’s hands had just started to go around his neck when they heard a well-known voice to both of them.

“What in the hell is going on in here!”

Alexis jumped out of Draco’s embrace and turned so fast she fell off the couch. As she grabbed the hand in front of her face she broke into a large smile.

“Ash!” she jumped up and threw her arms around Harry’s neck. His arms closed around her automatically, “God, I’ve missed you.”

Harry smiled and whispered in her ear, “Doesn’t look like you did.”

Draco’s eyes narrowed as Potter continued to hold Alexis. Jealously shot through him as Potter turned and whispered into Alexis’s ear. The affection between the two of them was very obvious. A small choked gasp finally caused Harry and Alexis to pull apart. Still keeping his arm firmly around Alexis’s waist he turned to Draco.

“Malfoy,” Harry said with a curt nod, “How has your stay been so far?”

Draco sneered his patented Malfoy smirk firmly in place, “Potter. Alexis is the perfect hostess. Training has gone well. She is wonderful at landing blows that you would never see coming.”

He glared at Harry and Alexis and turned to walk out of the room. “Granger,” he acknowledged and left.

“Malfoy,” Hermione said trying to get herself under control.

Harry turned to Alexis, “What was that all about?”

~How Hermione feels, bits of the song: What Am I To You by Norah Jones~

Alexis shook her head, “Not now.” She turned to Hermione and held out her hand a warm smile on her face, “Hi, I’m Alexis VanLint. You must be Hermione.”

Hermione looked at the offered hand and looked into one of the most perfect female faces she had ever seen.

“Yes, I’m Hermione. I’m sorry but Harry has never mentioned you.”

Hurt quickly flashed through Alexis’s eyes at the rebutted hand. She lowered hers and spoke quickly, “He wasn’t supposed to,” she looked at Harry giving him a look that said ‘Help me!’.

Harry spoke up then, “Mione, Ali is the friend that I have told you about.”

“Oh, Harry how long are we staying?” Hermione asked.

“A couple days.”

“Then can you show me a room? I have a headache and would like to rest.”

Harry finally let go of Ali and took Hermione’s hand, “The room next to mine, Ice?”

“Yes Jensen will bring your bags up,” Alexis sat down on her couch and put her head in her hands. Harry took Hermione upstairs to her room.

“Who is she Harry? And how do you have your own room in her house?”

“She is my friend Mione. Dumbledore introduced us after third year. As to why I have my own room here its because I stay here most of every summer,” Harry reached out to pull Hermione in for a hug though Hermione quickly pulled away and opened the door to her room.

“I really don’t feel good Harry I’ll see you later,” with that she turned and walked into the room slamming the door behind her.

Harry stood there for a while just staring at the door. Finally he grabbed his wand and walked quickly to his training room. He had a lot of frustration to work through and the best way to do that would be to kick some butt. ~Song ends~

Alexis walked to Harry’s training room knowing that he would be practicing his spells. Slipping quickly inside she watched in fascination as he threw hex after hex at the computer simulated Death Eaters. Harry turned and seeing her he stopped the simulation and sat down next to her.

“Ice, are you okay?” he asked throwing an arm around her.

“I’m fine Ash,” she said leaning into his embrace.

“What did I walk in on?”

“Our first kiss.”

“Oh man! Ice, I am so sorry.”

“Don’t be. I don’t know why he got so upset with me either.”

“That makes two of us. Mione won’t even talk to me right now.”

“Why not?”

“I have no idea. I need to train some more. Want to watch?”

“Yes.”

“Okay just stay out of the way,” with that Harry started the simulation again. Alexis watched in fascination.

Harry’s cry of, “Ice look out!,” made her look up. To her horror a stray curse was heading towards her. Instinctively she threw her hands in front of her face. Hearing a thud she opened her eyes and saw Harry laying on the ground.

“Ash!” Alexis yelled quickly getting up and running over to him. Harry sat up and rubbed his hand over the back of his head.

“What in the hell was that, Ice?” Harry asked surprised.

“What do you mean?” Alexis asked confused, “I didn’t do anything.”

Harry was amazed. He had always been told that Alexis had no magic other than her ability to see auras yet she had just thrown up a wordless, wandless Protego shield. Something was wrong and Harry knew that they had to get to the bottom of it.

“Ice, you really don’t know what you did, do you?”

“Ash, how many times do I have to tell you I didn’t do anything! I just threw my hands up when you yelled at me.”

“And then you put up a Protego shield.”

“A what?!?”

“A Protego shield. Very complex. And you did it without a wand or saying the spell.”

Alexis’s face drained of color, “How is that possible Harry?” she whispered softly.

Harry wrapped his arms around Alexis. He knew that she was scared. She only called him Harry when she was scared or mad. “I don’t know Ali, but I swear that I am going to find out!”

“Ash you have way to much to do. You can’t put what’s going on with me before that. Now keep practicing. You have to be ready for Voldemort.”

Harry laughed, “I see I’ve rubbed off on you. Mione and Ron still won’t say his name.”

“Well I won’t get started on Ron but if they can’t say Voldemort why don’t they start calling him what Sirius did?”

“Moldyshorts?” Harry asked with a laugh.

“Yep.”

“I had forgotten about that. I think while I’m hunting the ‘you-know-whats’ I’ll use it.” Harry grinned. “Sirius had always had the best ideas”, he thought.

Alexis smiled at the grin on Harry’s face. It warmed her heart to see her beloved friend smiling over Sirius. For to long the light in his eyes had been dimmed. She gave Harry a hug and a kiss on the cheek leaving him to practice.

Walking to her own practice room she turned on her in house stereo system. Flipping through her stores of music she decided on Skillet. The hard, fast beat of Rebirthing filled the room as she began to move her body letting the familiar moves of Tae Kwon Do flow through her.

Draco silently watched Alexis as she moved. She didn’t know that he was hidden in the shadows and he wanted to keep it that way. He listened to the pounding beat of the music enjoying the way that her body moved. He sighed. His feelings towards Alexis were complicated. He really liked her and he thought that she felt the same way yet the obvious affection she had for Potter baffled him. She had said that they were close yet Draco hadn’t believed it until he saw them embrace. When Potter’s arms had closed around Alexis’s waist Draco had seen the look on both their faces. It was a look of total contentment, filled with affection. Draco quietly slipped out of the room colliding with someone. As he put his hand out to help the person get their balance he saw that he had knocked down Hermione.

“I’m sorry,” Draco said, “I didn’t see you there.”

Hermione took the offered hand and stood up. “That’s okay. I wasn’t looking where I was going either.”

They stood looking at each other awkwardly before Hermione spoke, “What are you doing here, Malfoy?”

“Honestly Granger I have no idea. After I failed to kill Dumbledore Severus portkeyed us here.”

Hermione looked shocked, “Why here? Why would Snape send you here? And by the way where are we?”

“Again Granger I have no idea why I am here other than the fact that Potter wants me to train. As to where we are this is Alexis’s house.”

“I know that Malfoy,” Hermione snapped, “But where are we?”

“I’m not sure Granger. All I know is that we are on her private island but don’t ask me where because both her house and island are under the Fidelus charm.”

“Who is she Malfoy?”

“Her name is Alexis VanLint.”

Hermione’s face dropped, “As in the heir to the VanLint fortune? That VanLint? The family that makes you look poor!”

Draco’s quiet ‘yes’ shattered Hermione’s composure. Here she was in the home of the wealthiest teenager in England. Her wealth was so well known that there wasn’t a single person who didn’t know her name, muggle and wizard alike. Not only was she rich but she was very beautiful. Hermione sighed. “How was she to compete with that?” Hermione thought, “she obviously had Harry’s affection. Hermione could see her dreams of having Harry’s go down the drain.” She looked at Malfoy surprised that he looked as miserable as she did.

“You like her don’t you?”

Draco looked sharply at Hermione surprised that she could see his feelings. “Yes I really like her and I could have sworn that she liked me too, but when I saw her jump into Potter’s arms...I don’t know what to think. How long have you been in love with Potter, Granger?”

It was Hermione’s turn to be shocked. How could Draco Malfoy of all people figure out what she had kept hidden for all these years? No one had ever guessed.

“Since our first year but I didn’t realize it until third year when we thought that Sirius Black was after him.” Hermione stopped walking as they entered the garden.

Finding a stone bench she sat down. Draco sat next to her, “Does he know?”

Hermione shook her head, “No, no one knows.”

“Why haven’t you told him?”

“Well I was going to but then he started dating Ginny. He broke up with her after Dumbledore’s funeral but that wasn’t the time. When he was at my house for two weeks, I thought there would be a chance, but then I saw him hug Alexis and it is very obvious that he cares about her. The problem is I know nothing about her at all. He has never talked about her at all. Do you have any idea how long he has known her Malfoy?”

“Please call me Draco. And yes I do know. Alexis told me that Dumbledore introduced them after third year.”

Draco and Hermione continued to talk in the garden unaware of the two sets of eyes staring jealously at them.

Lunch and dinner were tense affairs as all four teenagers avoided looking and talking to each other. The silence in the dining room was so thick that you could cut it with a knife to beat that cliché to death. Finally Alexis stood up, “Well this has been fun but I am going to bed. Jensen?”

“Yes, My Lady?” Jensen Alexis’s most faithful servant asked.

“Could you please make sure that my guests are taken care of? I have a headache.”

“Yes, of course My Lady.”

“If you will excuse me then,” with that Alexis walked gracefully out of the room.

“Jensen?” Draco asked.

“Yes, Mr. Malfoy?”

“Why do you call her My Lady?”

“Because she is Mr. Malfoy. She is Lady Alexis VanLint. When her father died she inherited his title.”

“What title Jensen?” Hermione asked, “I thought only sons could inherit?”

“No, Miss Granger. The VanLint title is passed down from the heir to the first born son, however if there is no son the first born daughter becomes the next Lord or Lady. However when she marries her husband will also be Lord VanLint.”

Hermione looked at Harry who had remained very quiet during the conversation with Jensen. “Did you know Harry?”

Harry stood, “Yes Mione I did. Now if you will excuse me I think I will go to bed also,” and with this he quickly left the room.

“Did you know Draco?”

“No Hermione I didn’t but I should have. I’ve met her father before. I just didn’t realize that she would have inherited his title along with his fortune.” They walked together up the stairs to their rooms. Seeing Alexis’s room open they both stopped. What they saw crushed them both.

Alexis lay on her bed staring into Harry’s face, Harry being him was on his side laying on the bed. Harry’s head was propped on his hand. Their faces were very close together. Draco looked at Hermione in horror. They both quickly went into their own rooms not wanting to see anymore.

“I’ve missed laying here talking to you after a long day Ash.”

“Me too Ice. Talking to you on my mirror isn’t the same.”

“No it isn’t. So what’s going on with Hermione?”

“We are just friends Ice? Besides I like Ginny.”

Alexis scoffed, “Sure you do Ash. That’s why every time I talk to you, you talk about Hermione Granger and not Ginny Weasley.”

Harry getting slightly defensive, “Yes, I do Ice. Hell I want to marry her.”

Ice shook her head, “Ash, tell me truthfully do you want to marry Ginny or do you want to marry her because Mrs. Weasley says it would be a good thing?”

Harry fell silent, struck dumb with anger and confusion. ~Song Fake It by Seether~

Ali spoke calmly but with a bit of snark, “You don’t always have to do what others want of you. You make your own destiny.”

Harry finally finding words, “How dare you imply I roll over for others! I don’t damnit!”

Ali stands up looking down at an angry Harry, “What about you taking a class that you said was bloody boring and had no fucking meaning just because Ron wanted to? How come you blindly trusted Dumbledore when you had doubts? Why didn’t you question him way before fifth year? Answer, you let others decide for you!”

Harry jumping off the bed to stand on the other side of the bed, “Damn it Ice I do not! I have my own mind, I can make my own decisions! Dumbledore was a good man even if I think he was a bloody dumbass for not telling me anything. So what if I listen, go along with my friends. The last time I didn’t Sirius died, remember!”

While Harry screamed Ali could feel an unexplainable wind stirring around him and things began to shake and fly as the wind picked up with his growing anger. Which he didn’t seem to notice at all. She found herself slowly walking to the doorway of her room saying his nickname a few times, “Ash..Ash!”

Finally scared out of her mind knowing that magic could be used in Harry’s training room only and only there. So, seeing things flying as well as Harry in the middle of a tornado wind without noticing had her screaming as loud as she could, “Harry!”

Harry hearing Ali’s voice came out of nowhere as if far away, blinked and looked at the doorway as pictures and drawers and anything else fell to the floor with a crash. He looked over at her seeing her scared face rushing over and said, “What’s wrong Ice?”

Ali taking a shaking breath, “Oh nothing just you redecorating my room without hands. Ash, your magic just flared and so did your aura.”

Harry who had grabbed her arms out of fear for her shoved her away from him with a huff and said while he walked away, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. It’s not possible!”

When he reached his room he slammed the door and fell into his bed. After pressing the on button to his radio letting the ‘muggle radio station’ play a song he really liked. Letting the pounding beat consume him as he silently fumed at Ali’s gall.

All Harry could think was, “How dare she think I only want to be with Ginny because Mrs. Weasley says. For a friend she’s not acting like one. Hermione’s a better friend than her.”

This thought got him to thinking of everything he and Hermione had been through. Showing her trust that he could do what he had to, be his own person. Such as in third year when she had trusted him to protect her from falling off Buckbeak’s back, to save himself and Sirius during what they referred to as the timeturner adventure with a patronus. Such as in fourth year she believed in him to survive each trial he faced. She believed in him to when he couldn’t, she stood by him even if they disagreed. That was a friend. ~Song ends~

As he thought this another thought came into his mind. Tomorrow was his birthday. He would be 17 and the next day was Bill and Fleur’s wedding. With this running through his mind he stood, walked to his desk, and wrote a short note for Ice. Once, this was done he walked through the connecting door to Hermione’s room. Seeing she hadn’t unpacked, he walked to her sleeping form in the bed and sat on the edge lightly shaking her and saying her name softly to wake her.

Hermione’s eyes fluttered open and as she wiped her eyes of sleep Harry smiled thinking, “She’s cute when she sleeps or wakes. Either way she’s beautiful.”

As this thought crossed his mind his body froze, “Whoa, where the Hell did that come from?”

As Harry say frozen Hermione’s began to clear from her sleepy daze. She could tell Harry had something on his mind that was bothering him and even though she was hurt and angry at him, she found herself leaning to touch his arm to comfort him.

She softly spoke, “Harry, what’s wrong? Did you have a dream? Was it Voldemort?”

Harry came to out of his daze when Hermione touched his arm, he smiled his only for Hermione’s eyes goofy happy grin saying, “No, no nothing like that. I just wanted to tell you we need to leave for Ron’s in the morning early.”

Hermione’s eyes softened in relief and then she sighed, “Okay. Harry tomorrow’s your birthday, you’ll be 17 won’t you?”

Harry smirking, “Yep, we’ll apparate there.”

Hermione smiling impishly, “But don’t you want to enjoy your birthday instead of working to get ready for Bill’s wedding?”

Harry laughed softly, “I don’t know a better way celebrating my birthday and forget everything for a while than to spend it with my friends and family. The Weasleys, Ron, Remus, Tonks, the Order,…you. That’s the best birthday present ever.”

Hermione with a teary smile, “Okay, we’ll go in the morning.”

With this Harry hugged her tightly, kissed her on the top of her head, and wished her a goodnight. Then he walked back to his room and went to bed. He never saw the surprised look on Hermione’s face. As she laid back in bed she kept thinking of every time she had hugged or kissed Harry. She had been the one to instigate it. He’d never hugged her unless it was to protect her from something. Such as when he had grabbed her and pulled her behind a tree holding onto her to protect her from Professor Lupin…no, no Remus not Professor when he was going through his monthly change into a werewolf in third year. Then again in fifth year during the Department of Mysteries fight, when he pulled her with him to save her. Or again when he pulled her behind him when Grawp, Hagrid’s half-brother giant, took a swing at her or when he covered her body with his when the Centaurs attacked them after they tricked Umbridge into following them. Lastly, he never kissed her, she’d always kissed him first. It may have been on the head but it was a kiss none the less. With these thoughts running through her head she fell asleep with a bright smile.

The next day, which was really only a few hours later Harry awoke Hermione, waited for her to dress in jeans and a t-shirt, told her to hold onto him and a picture of the Burrow’s front yard in her head. So, she wrapped her arms around his waist, put her head under his chin and pictured the Burrow. Next thing she knew she felt the usual being sucked through a small tube sensation of apparation. When it stopped she opened her eyes and stepped away from Harry looking around her to see the Burrow’s front yard.