How to Save a Life

There was very little time for the student body to process their reactions to the two very public ‘outings’ that occurred at breakfast. Blaise and Neville had barely broken apart before the tables were cleared, and the teachers began shooing the stunned students towards their first class.

Harry tried desperately to catch Ron and Hermione’s attention, keen to see their reactions. Draco saw his concern and took hold of his hand with a gentle squeeze. Harry leant in slightly, seeking comfort from the warmth of his boyfriend’s body.

“Well,” Pansy said, breaking the silence. “I’ll bet that was the most interesting breakfast that Hogwarts has seen in some time. I never knew you were such an exhibitionist, Harry.”

Harry smiled shakily; now that the adrenalin was fading, the shock of what he had done was starting to hit home. Draco looked at his boyfriend’s pale face.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I guess it was just a bit of a shock, you know?” There was a definite quaver in his voice, and Draco wasn’t fooled for a moment. He turned to Pansy.

“You guys go on ahead. Harry and I will catch you up.”

Pansy raised an eyebrow in question, but seeing the look on Draco’s face, she nodded and followed on after Blaise and Neville.

Draco unceremoniously tugged Harry in the direction of the nearest door. It was only when the slam of the wood echoed in the darkness, that he realised he had chosen the cleaning cupboard. Never one to waste an opportunity, Draco promptly pulled Harry towards him, wrapping his arms comfortingly around his tense boyfriend.

In the gloomy cupboard, his lips quickly sought out Harry’s, and gave light, teasing kisses. As Draco slid his tongue between Harry’s eagerly parted lips, searching for its counterpart, he could feel the tension flee the other boy’s body.

Harry’s hands buried in Draco’s hair, twining the silken strands between his fingers. A low, needy moan sounded deep in his throat and echoed in Draco’s mouth. Only the vague realisation of where they were kept Draco from ravishing his boyfriend on the spot.

It had been over a week since they had last been this intimate, and the soft whimpers coming from Harry aroused a maelstrom of emotions within the blond.

After several minutes of leisurely snogging, Draco pulled back reluctantly. “Better?” he asked huskily.

Harry leant his forehead against Draco’s. “Much,” he sighed. “I could stay like this all day.”

Draco kissed the tip of his nose. “As tempting as that is, I doubt Filch would be too impressed to find us here.” He took hold of Harry’s hand and pulled him towards the door. “C’mon. We don’t want to be too late for class.”

Once outside in the Entrance Hall, Draco turned to look at his boyfriend and was pleased to see a look of contentment on his face, all worries had been banished for the moment.

“What are you looking so smug about?” Harry teased, smiling lazily.

Draco cupped his chin and traced his kiss-swollen lips with his thumb. “Just admiring my handiwork.”

“Git,” Harry accused affectionately, leaning into the touch.

Draco smiled for a moment before his expression became more serious. “Are you really okay about this?”

“Case of having to be, isn’t it?” Harry responded wryly. Then, noticing Draco’s eyes drift in the direction of his arm, he reached out and clasped the blond’s hand. “I’m fine, honest. Maybe I would have preferred to tell Ron and Hermione first, but it’s actually a relief, to tell the truth.”

He squeezed Draco’s hand gently. “I’m glad that we don’t have to hide anymore.”

~~o0o~~

Lessons that day were an interesting experience. It seemed that most of their classmates, and even some of their professors were entirely thrown by that morning’s revelations.

It wasn’t as bad as Harry had initially feared, and the news of Blaise and Neville’s relationship seemed to have taken the heat off a little.

Throughout the course of the day, he kept shooting discreet glances in Ron and Hermione’s direction, trying desperately to gauge their reactions. He no longer feared rejection based on his sexuality; George’s Christmas revelation had already proved that his friends were no homophobes.

But there was still the obstacle of his choice of partner to overcome, and the fact that he had kept it all a secret from them for months.

Harry was hopeful that their friendship would remain intact. On catching his searching looks, Hermione had responded with small, encouraging smiles, while Ron…well, Ron just looked bewildered. There was such a look of confusion on his friend’s face that Harry had to bite back a laugh. Draco, however, felt no such compunction.

“Don’t look now, but I think Weasley is about to have an aneurysm.”

Harry couldn’t have looked even if he had tried, as Draco currently had him pressed up against the wall outside the Potions classroom, intent on making as many public declarations of their relationship as possible.

“For goodness sake, you two. Get a room”

Draco pulled back at this and Harry spotted Pansy’s amused face grinning back at him. He smiled sheepishly. “Hey, Pansy.”

“Not that I don’t appreciate the sight of Draco’s tongue in your mouth, but Potions is about to start.”

Harry turned and spotted Professor Slughorn waiting in the doorway, smiling indulgently in their direction. Harry flushed. “Sorry, Sir.” Draco only smirked and followed his two friends into class.

Professor Slughorn stood at the front of the class, beaming. “Right, now that our two lovebirds have joined us, let’s turn to page ninety six in the text book.”

Harry turned to the section on Pain Relieving Potions, trying to ignore the snickers of his classmates.

He spent most of the lesson trying to build up the courage to speak to Ron and Hermione. Harry had hoped that they would hear about Draco from him, rather that the Daily Prophet, but now that the decision had been taken out of his hands, he felt that he at least owed them an explanation.

Fortunately, his friends seemed to be of a similar mind, and he found Hermione waiting patiently for him after class let out.

“Harry, do you have a minute?”

Harry felt Draco tense at his side. “It’s okay,” he murmured. “You go on; I’ll catch up with you in a bit.” Draco looked at him questioningly, and Harry gave a reassuring nod. The blond shot a brief warning glance at the other Gryffindors before turning and leaving.

Harry smiled tentatively at Hermione and walked over to her, spotting Ron lurking several paces behind her. “Hi,” he said cautiously, wary of the response he would get.

“Protective, isn’t he?” Hermione said with a smile, and a small nod in the direction of a retreating Draco.

Harry couldn’t quite suppress the goofy grin that crossed his face. “Yeah, he is.”

There was an uncomfortable silence then, with neither friend sure exactly of how to begin.

“I’m sorry,” Harry blurted out, when the silence became oppressive.

Hermione looked surprised but let him continue.

“I should have told you. I didn’t want you to find out like that. I was going to tell you last weekend, but…well, you know what happened.” Harry scuffed the toe of his shoe along the ground, not quite able to meet his friend’s gaze, for fear of what he might see there.

“Yes, I remember,” Hermione agreed. “Although, this revelation does put rather a different light on it,” she added thoughtfully.

“I’d like the chance to explain, to both of you,” Harry said earnestly, casting a nervous glance in Ron’s direction.

“Oh, Harry. Of course we will.” She laid her hand on his arm. “Don’t worry about Ron. I think he’s still in shock from seeing you kiss Malfoy.”

Harry nodded. “How about after dinner? But not in the tower, though,” he added quickly. “There are too many people, and I really don’t want to see…”

“Ginny,” Hermione finished for him. “That’s understandable,” she agreed. “We could use Hagrid’s hut. I heard that he’s gone to see Madam Maxime for a few days, so it’ll be empty. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind us using it.”

“Okay, yes. I’ll see you both then. I better get going. I’m supposed to meet Draco in the library.”

“I never thought I’d see you keen to go to the library, Harry. I think I approve of this relationship already,” Hermione couldn’t resist teasing.

Harry shot her a warm grin of relief, before heading off in search of his boyfriend.

He felt infinitely better after that conversation, and the weight of guilt he had felt at deceiving his friends, lightened at last. He was still apprehensive about Ron’s reaction, but knowing that he had Hermione on side was enough to assure him that the redhead would come round eventually.

Harry spent the last period of the day studying in the library with Draco and Pansy. Now that things were finally starting to resolve themselves, he felt able to return his focus back to the work he had neglected for the last week or so.

He tried to avoid thinking about Ginny as much as possible. Besides the anger he felt towards her, there was also this overwhelming sense of confusion. Ginny had a temper, he know that, much like Ron’s. But the spite in her recent behaviour was something new.

Sure, he knew she had been upset that he hadn’t wanted to resume their relationship after the war, but nothing that had happened could explain to him the sheer malice that she was exhibiting towards him.

Harry could sort of see the twisted logic behind, what he now termed as the ‘Polyjuice incident’. But he was baffled by what she had hoped to gain from outing him in the manner she had. He could only assume that it was an action calculated to hurt him. After all, she had to know now that there was no hope of them ever getting back together.

The irony was, that in her attempt to humiliate him in the eyes of the wizarding public, she had actually done him a favour. By taking the decision out of his hands, she had given him what he most desired; the chance to be open about his relationship, to show everyone just how much Draco meant to him. And, for the most part, the reaction of the rest of the student body seemed to be positive.

Of course, there was some staring, and a few brave souls who pointed at them - which was only to be expected. But amongst his friends, Harry had yet to receive a negative reaction.

~~o0o~~

Harry waited nervously outside the Great Hall after dinner. Draco had offered to come with him when he spoke to Ron and Hermione, but Harry had declined, suspecting that his presence may make things more tense where Ron was concerned.

As he saw his friends approaching, Harry noted that Ron still wore a slightly bemused expression as Hermione pulled him along behind her.

“Hi, Harry. You ready?”

Harry nodded; at least Hermione seemed her usual self. The three friends made their way out of the main doors and across the grounds in silence. Once inside Hagrid’s hut, Hermione took control and seated them around the table.

She cast a quick Cleaning Charm on the dirty surface and then produced three bottles of butterbeer from her bag.

“I asked Winky for them,” she said, by way of explanation.

Harry took a bottle, grateful to have something to occupy his hands. He picked nervously at the label as he tried to work out what to say first. He looked up and met the intense gazes of both his friends.

“I should have told you, I know that.”

“Would’ve been nice if you’d mentioned it. Not like we were best friends or anything.”

“I know, Ron, and I’m sorry. It’s just; it took me a while to accept that I was…”

“Gay?” Hermione offered.

“Yes, gay. All I’d ever wanted was to blend in, be normal, and I thought that after Voldemort, that maybe I could have that. Then, this happened, and it was just another thing to make me stand out, you know?”

Hermione nodded in understanding, but Ron kept his eyes fixed on the table.

“It wasn’t even about that to start with - me and Draco. We were just friends, and then things…well, they changed. Obviously. But we weren’t exactly getting on well at the time, so I didn’t say anything. And then, the longer I left it, the harder it was to say.” Harry paused and took a deep gulp of his drink.

“How long have you known?” Hermione asked, taking advantage of the silence.

“Not long. Just since the end of the summer.”

“And you really had no idea before that?” Harry spotted the familiar glint in his friend’s eyes. It was a look that said a million and one questions would follow if he didn’t head her off.

“No.” He shook his head. “None at all.”

“So you don’t like girls then?” Ron asked, still sounding somewhat confused.

Harry smiled despite himself. “I like girls fine, Ron. Just not in the same way that you do.”

“But you were dating Parkinson, weren’t you?”

“Pansy and I are friends, good friends, but there was never anything romantic between us. It was just easier to let people think what they wanted, cos I wasn’t ready for them to know the real truth.” Harry drained the rest of his butterbeer and sat back in his chair. “So what do you think?” He addressed the question to both of them, but his eyes were fixed on Ron, who squirmed under the intense gaze.

“Well, I won’t say it isn’t a shock, but if it’s what you want-”

“It is,” Harry stated firmly.

“Then I’m okay with it,” Ron said, finally meeting his friend’s gaze.

“You’re not angry?” Harry asked curiously.

“Why would I be angry? I don’t have a problem with you being gay; it’s no big deal.”

With Ron’s words, Harry felt all of his tension drain away. “But you were so pissed off when Draco and I became friends.”

Ron dismissed his words with a wave of his hand. “That’s different.”

“How?” A voice at the back of his mind was screaming at Harry to shut up, to just take his friend’s acceptance and not question it. But he had to know why.

“It just is,” Ron replied stubbornly. “Being someone’s friend is a conscious decision, a choice. But you don’t get to decide who you fall in love with.”

Hermione beamed with pride at her boyfriend’s words. “Well said, Ronald.”

“Love?” Harry squeaked. “Who said anything about love?” This conversation was going in a direction that he wasn’t prepared for.

Ron just grinned back at him. “Harry, mate, I’ve seen the picture. The way you’re looking at Malfoy, it’s like he hung the bloody moon, or something.”

Hermione gave him a sharp dig for his language but Ron ignored it and carried on. “And Malfoy’s as bad. He looks like all his Christmases have come at once.”

Harry flushed slightly. He really wasn’t comfortable talking about this with Ron, of all people. “So you really don’t mind?” he repeated, incredulously.

“Are you happy?” Hermione decided to take a hand in the conversation.

“Yes.” Harry’s answer was emphatic.

“Then that’s all we care about.”

Harry looked from Hermione, to Ron, questioningly, and was relieved when the redhead nodded his agreement.

“I guess this means that Malfoy is going to be around for a while, then?”

“It’s Draco, and yes, a long while.”

Ron shrugged. “I guess I can learn to live with that. I just always thought you’d end up marrying Ginny and become part of the family for real. Of course, if anything goes wrong with you and Malfoy, there’s always George. He’s gay too.”

“Honestly, Ron. Just because they’re both gay, doesn’t automatically mean that Harry would fancy him. Right, Harry?”

Harry flushed a bright red and muttered something entirely unintelligible, guilt written all over his face.

Realising what this meant, Hermione burst out laughing, adding to Harry’s discomfort. It took Ron a little while longer to add two and two together, but by the time he got four, a horrified look spread over his face.

“So, you really don’t like girls,” Ron said finally.

“No, Ron,” Harry replied patiently. “I really don’t.”

“So what was all that about with Ginny last week?”

Harry shifted uncomfortably; this was the part of the conversation that he really wasn’t looking forward to.

“It wasn’t you, was it?” Hermione said shrewdly.

Harry sagged visibly with relief. “No, it really wasn’t.”

“But we saw,” Ron protested.

“It must have been Polyjuice, or something. Draco thinks that it was Wayne Hopkins really.”

Ron opened his mouth, ready to argue this point, but Hermione beat him to it. “It makes sense, when you think about it,” she said thoughtfully, turning to face her boyfriend. “Come on, Ron. Ginny’s obsessed with Harry, even you’ve said so yourself. We know it was definitely here therefore, so who else would she be able to convince to pose as Harry? Don’t you think it was a little odd that he didn’t seem bothered by Ginny supposedly cheating on him?”

“I guess,” Ron replied uncertainly. “But I don’t get what the point was.”

“To break Harry and Pansy up.”

“But they’re not-”

“We know that now,” Hermione interrupted. “But at the time we thought they were together. Just like Ginny did.”

Ron looked at Harry with a stricken expression. “I hit you,” he blurted out.

“Yeah,” Harry said, touching his jaw. “I remember. That’s one hell of a punch you’ve got.”

“Shit! I’m really sorry. I thought…”

“It’s okay, Ron. I’m just glad that we’re okay. We are, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, we’re good. I can’t believe my sister did that.”

“That’s not all she’s done,” Harry muttered darkly.

“What?” Hermione demanded, sitting forward in her chair.

“That picture in the paper. Someone stole that from out of my trunk and sent it to the Prophet.“

“And you think it was Ginny?”

“I can’t prove it, but I’m certain it was.”

Hermione nodded. “I think you’re probably right. Though I can’t imagine what she hoped to gain from it though.”

“Revenge,” Ron muttered. “Mum will have a fit when she hears about this.”

“I think we need to keep an eye on her,” Hermione suggested. “If Ginny really is out for revenge, for whatever perceived slight, then she’ll know soon enough that it has backfired. So she’ll probably try again.”

The three friends looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

~~o0o~~

“Draco! If you don’t sit still, I’m going to bind you to that chair. That’s the second time you’ve made me spill my ink.” Pansy looked up from her work and shot her friend a dark glare.

“You’re the one who insisted that I come with you. I told you I wasn’t in the mood for the library, but would you listen?”

Pansy snapped her book shut with such force that she drew a disapproving glare from Madam Pince. She began bundling her belongings together. “Come on, then. This was clearly a bad idea.”

Draco looked a little startled. “Where to?”

“Somewhere. Anywhere. I’m obviously not going to get any work done tonight. So I may as well give it up as a bad job.”

Pansy hoisted her bag on to her shoulder and stared at Draco expectantly. “Well, come on. I thought you didn’t want to be here?”

Draco scraped his chair back and got to his feet, following his friend towards the exit. Pansy waited for him by the doors, her expression now softened.

“Look, I know you’re worried about Harry, but he’ll be fine.” She linked her arm through his and smiled encouragingly.

Draco didn’t look convinced so Pansy tried again. “Those three have been friends since forever. Granger and Weasley aren’t about to turn their backs on him just because he’s gay.”

“I know that, Pansy. After all, one of the Weasel’s brothers is gay. It’s me.”

“What’s you?”

“I’m the reason they’ll turn against him. They might not mind that their best friend is a shirt-lifter, but d’you really think that they’ll be okay with him dating an ex Death Eater? And a Malfoy at that?”

“Draco, the only Death Eater in your family was your father, so I sincerely hope that’s not true.”

“Don’t be obtuse. You know what I meant.”

Pansy nodded slowly. “I do, but I don’t like you talking about yourself that way. You know Harry doesn’t care about any of that stuff. Do you actually think he’ll turn his back on you just because Weasley spits his dummy out?”

Draco shook his head emphatically. “No. I know he wouldn’t do that. I know that if the Weasel forces him the chose, that he’ll lose. But it will hurt Harry and I don’t want that. The last thing he needs right now is more stress.”

Pansy shook her head again. “Granger’s not stupid. A blind man could see how much in love you two are. She’s not going to try to come between that. And Weasley, well, he might bluster a bit, but at the end of the day, he’ll do what his girlfriend says. Granger clearly wears the trousers in that relationship.”

Draco shrugged. “I guess. I’m just worried that they’ll put some kind of guilt trip on him over the She-Weasel. You know what a sucker for a sob story Harry is.”

“I wouldn’t worry about that. Ginny Weasley has well and truly burnt her bridges where Harry is concerned.” Pansy paused here as they reached the common room entrance. “It’s only natural for you to worry, but you can’t wrap him up in cotton wool. Harry’s going to have to learn new coping mechanisms, but he won’t be able to do that if you try and shelter him.”

The door to the common room appeared and the two friends entered. Eschewing the gathering of their friends round the fire, Draco led the way into his unoccupied dormitory. He flopped down onto the bed with a sigh and then patted the mattress at the side of him invitingly.

Pansy sank down next to him and promptly found Draco’s head in her lap. He took hold of her hand and placed it on his head, in a none-too-subtle hint.

“So,” he began, as Pansy’s fingers feathered through his hair. “If I can’t worry about Harry, can I at least worry about you?”

Pansy chuckled. “Would it stop you if I said no?”

“Not in the slightest. But it’s only polite to ask first.”

Pansy ruffled his hair affectionately. “Arse,” she murmured.

“When have you got to see that Psych Healer?” Draco asked, his tone suddenly serious.

“Monday. I have to see him just after Harry does.”

“Do you think it’ll help?”

“Well, it can’t hurt.”

“I should hope not, but that wasn’t what I asked,” Draco retorted sharply.

Pansy let out a sigh and her hand ceased its movements. “I honestly don’t know. Madam Pomfrey says he has an excellent reputation; he’s the best there is. But the thing is, with this sort of treatment, they can only help you as much as they are allowed to. You have to want to be helped.”

“Harry does, though, doesn’t he?” Draco asked quickly, his voice showing a hint of uncertainty.

“Yes,” Pansy said firmly. “He wants to get well, and that’s half the battle.”

“What about you?” Draco questioned, butting his head gently against her hand, a non-verbal request for the resumption of petting.

“Demanding creature,” she teased lightly, brushing the golden strands back off his face. “I want it too,” she added softly.

“Good.” Draco’s eyelids fluttered shut and he burrowed deeper into Pansy’s lap.

“Why don’t you get into bed? I don’t imagine you’ve had much sleep the last couple of nights. And I know that Harry said he was stopping up in Gryffindor tonight.”

Draco rolled onto his back, cracked one sleepy eye open and looked up at his friend. “Want to sleep over?” he asked, a rare moment of vulnerability showing.

Pansy pressed a quick kiss to his forehead. “Sure.” She smiled and eased off the bed. “Let me just go and get changed.”

“Make sure you put something decent on, Parkinson. I’ve seen some of those outfits that you call nightclothes. Just you remember that I’m taken, and therefore immune to your feminine wiles.”

“Oh,” Pansy said, an innocent look on her face. “So this isn’t one of those naked sleepovers then?”

“You wish, Parkinson,” Draco returned, but the door had already closed behind Pansy, almost masking the sound of her laughter.

~~o0o~~

Harry woke early that morning and found he felt better than he had in a long time. Not even the memory of the previous day’s Daily Prophet‘s headlines could dampen his good mood.

He and Draco were getting back on track, and Ron and Hermione had proved surprisingly accepting of his relationship. The only blot on the horizon was Ginny. But Harry was determined to let it go. By remaining angry, or seeking vengeance, he was giving Ginny and her actions an importance that they did not deserve.

Those who were important to him knew the truth now, and that was all that mattered. It was sad that it had come to this, but Harry wasn’t going to allow her any further power over his life.

Seeing that his roommates were still sleeping peacefully, he slipped out of bed quietly, gathered up his towel, and headed into the bathroom.

As the jets of hot water washed the suds from his body, Harry couldn’t help but examine the fading scars on his forearm. He no longer wore his Glamour to hide the evidence of his problem. Psych Healer Mallory had told him that this was an important step in his recovery; he had to face up to what he had done.

After only one session, Harry was already feeling infinitely better about the issues that haunted him. As difficult as it had been for him to open up and talk to a complete stranger about his past, once he had gotten over that initial hurdle, the words had just seemed to flow.

The sounds of his roommates moving around pulled Harry from his reverie. He shut off the water, roughly towelled himself dry and then returned to his dorm. After quickly dressing and exchanging pleasantries with his friends, he headed off downstairs to the common room.

Ron and Hermione were already up and waiting form him on one of the large, squashy sofas. They got to their feet upon seeing him approach.

“Blimey, mate,” Ron grumbled. “I thought you were never coming down.”

Harry looked at his watch. “It’s barely seven thirty.”

Ron shot his girlfriend a baleful glare. “I know. Only someone has me scheduled in for half an hour of NEWT revision before breakfast. And now, I’m starving.”

“Honestly, Ron,” Hermione huffed.

Harry couldn’t help but grin as they made their way down to the Great Hall together; it felt almost like old times.

They passed Ginny on the way and Harry couldn’t help but feel pleased at her confused and angry expression, as she saw the united front the three of them presented. There could not have been clearer proof that her plot had failed, than Ron’s acceptance of both Harry’s sexuality, and his relationship.

Apparently, Ginny had underestimated her brother. Harry would have felt smug about this, had it not been for the little voice reminding him that he had, too.


~~o0o~~


Draco had been out of bed at the crack of dawn, much to Pansy’s chagrin. He found it impossible to remain in bed, when all he could do was worry about Harry, and his friends’ reactions.

He spent his entire shower plotting the various, unpleasant hexes that he would use on the Weasel if he had upset Harry further.

Once dressed, Draco paced restlessly across the common room, his eyes flicking repeatedly to his watch. Finally, he gave in and headed off alone towards the Great Hall.

With the exception of a few overzealous Ravenclaws, Draco found the Great Hall empty. Instead of assuming his usual place at the Slytherin table, he camped out in the Entrance Hall, determined to catch up with Harry.

Fortunately, he didn’t have to wait long, as Harry appeared minutes later, accompanied by his friends. As he watched them cross the Hall, Draco wasn’t sure what to feel. His emotions ran the gamut from sheer happiness at the relaxed look on Harry’s face, to overwhelming jealousy at the sign of the Golden Trio reunited once more.

Draco shook his head and mentally chastised himself for that last emotion. Pull yourself together, Draco. Harry loves you. There’s no need to feel jealous.

“Granger. Weasley,” he acknowledged neutrally as the group reached him. He turned to face Harry, his expression suddenly warmer. “Are you okay?” He didn’t want to ask, not in front of the other two, but Draco couldn’t take not knowing for a moment longer.

Harry leant in and gave him a quick peck. “Yes, I’m fine. More than fine, actually.”

As if to further confirm this, Hermione cleared her throat. “Why don’t you join us for breakfast, Draco? See what the world looks like from the other side of the Great Hall.”

Draco really wanted to say no. A Malfoy at the Gryffindor table was unthinkable. But Granger, Hermione, was clearly making an effort. And even Weasley nodded his agreement; something Draco knew had to be killing the redhead inside. As if that wasn’t enough, there was such a hopeful expression on Harry’s face that Draco found he no longer wanted to refuse.

“Thank you, Hermione,” he replied carefully. “I’d be delighted.”

The look on Pansy’s face when she entered the Hall and spied Draco was priceless. But the expression of shock quickly morphed into one of approval, and soon her and Blaise were heading across the room and squeezing themselves in amongst the Gryffindors.

Neville beamed, almost as broadly as Harry, when Blaise slid in next to him. Draco noticed a flicker of something cross over Weasleys face at the sudden influx of Slytherins, but it was quickly suppressed. Draco found himself in the uncomfortable position of almost admiring the redhead’s self-control in a situation, that had the roles been reversed, Draco wasn’t sure he could have managed.

Conversation was a little stilted to begin with, but Draco soon engaged Hermione in an involved discussion of their latest Arithmancy homework.

Ron looked from them, to Harry, and grimaced. “Malfoy’s like a male Hermione. We‘re dating geeks,” he said, in horrified tones.

Harry looked at the two heads, one blond and one frizzy, that were currently bent over the large book that Hermione had produced from Merlin only knew where. He turned back to face Ron, smiling warmly.

“I know. But look at it this way, at least now they’ll talk to each other about that stuff, instead of expecting us to care, and getting mad when we don’t.”

Ron’s expression lightened at this, seeing for the first time a positive outcome of Harry’s relationship with Malfoy.

At this point, Pansy accosted Draco’s attention with a sharp nudge. He looked in the direction of her furtive nod, and found himself watching Ginny Weasley, sat at the Hufflepuff table, a smoking red envelope flailing about on the surface in front of her.

As most of the school knew Molly Weasley’s Howlers of old, a small exclusion zone had opened up around the nervous-looking redhead. Even Wayne Hopkins, her supposed boyfriend, had scooted a short distance away from her.

With a defiant glare at those nearest to her, Ginny reached out and snatched up the missive.

The eyes of those around him were now fixed on the Hufflepuff table also, and Draco noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that Weasley had already stuffed his fingers into his ears, whilst suppressing a faint shudder.

Mrs Weasley’s voice filled the Great Hall with a deafening roar, and even Ginny’s defiance quailed before her mother’s wrath.

“GINERVA WEASLEY! HOW DARE YOU BEHAVE IN SUCH A DESPICABLE MANNER TO HARRY? AFTER EVERYTHING HE HAD DONE FOR YOU, FOR THIS FAMILY.”

Harry squirmed uncomfortably in his seat at this, and the remainder of the school were torn between watching the unfolding drama at the usually quiet Hufflepuff table, and craning their necks in Harry’s direction to watch his reactions.

“I DIDN’T RAISE YOU TO BEHAVE IN SUCH AN UNDERHANDED AND DECEITFUL WAY. I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE ASHAMED OF A CHILD OF MINE BEFORE. AND YOUR FATHER IS MORTIFIED.”

There was a pause here and a few foolish people removed their fingers, leaving their ears unprotected. Ron, however, knew better; his mother was simply gathering her breath for the next outburst.

“IF I HEAR THAT YOU HAVE SO MUCH AS LOOKED AT ANYONE IN THE WRONG WAY FOR THE REMAINDER OF YOUR TIME AT HOGWARTS, THEN YOU’LL BE COMING STRAIGHT HOME. I WON’T HAVE YOU SHOWING UP OUR FAMILY IN THIS WAY.”

Draco couldn’t restrain the smug look that spread over his face as he watched a wave of humiliation consume the She-Weasel. He glanced over at Pansy and saw that she was similarly enjoying the spectacle.

“YOU ARE IN A WORLD OF TROUBLE YOUNG LADY!”

Draco could have sworn that there was still a ringing in his ears, long after Molly Weasley’s strident tones had ceased shaking Hogwarts to its foundations.

The Howler, now spent, burst into flames until their was nothing left to tell of it’s existence, except for a small pile of ashes, and several cases of temporary deafness.

The whole school watched eagerly as Ginny stood up shakily and exited the Great Hall, with as much dignity as she could muster. Which, under the circumstances, was not very much.

Hermione watched with a satisfied smile on her face, Harry looked desperately uncomfortable, Ron removed his fingers from his ears and resumed eating, and Pansy and Draco exchanged glances.

It had certainly been a good way to start the day, Draco acknowledged to himself. There was nothing like the humiliation of ones enemies to get the day off to a good start.

But, after everything that the She- Weasel had put both Harry and Pansy through, it was nowhere near enough.

But, if nothing else, then the last week had shown Draco where his priorities lay. Harry was what mattered. Not that he had any intention of letting Ginny Weasley off without exacting revenge at its Slytherin best, but it could wait - for now.