There Is A Thin Line Between Hate And Love

Disclaimer: Not mine. Please don‘t sue I don‘t have any money
Pairing: (Eventually) Harry/Draco
Author: Catium
Beta: Moi
Rating: PG
Word Count: 4949
Genre: Romance/ Drama.
Status: In Progress.
Warnings: Language
Summary: What happens when that thin line between hate and love starts to disappear? Starts in the Half Blood Prince then moves on to year 7. The Deathly Hallows never happened.
The Golden Trio and the newest member of the team Draco are going to Hogwarts again. What will happen? Read and find out.

Note: Thanks to the 870 people who have read. I really like that you like my story, and as always special thanks to thrnbrooke for reviewing on regular basis.

There Is A Thin Line Between Hate And Love - Chapter 9. Back To Hogwarts.

It was the 31 of August. Harry and Ron were packing for Hogwarts and were in pretty good spirits.

The day before McGonagall had called Harry to a “mission” meeting and told him that the Necklace had been found and destroyed. It had been discovered in Kreachers lair. He had nicked it and hit it away when they had been cleaning the house two years earlier and throwing almost everything away. So now the only things left to find were something of Rawenclaw’s and Huffelpuff’s before reaching the Snake and then the main goal Voldemort.

Hermione and Ginny walked inside their room.

“Hey guys is Malfoy around?” Hermione asked.

“No” the boys answered in unison and Ron added

“He’s outside doing his usual routine” Ron turned around and pulled the curtains from the window, pointing outside to the backyard. There Draco was with his headphones in his ears, listening to his music, dancing and smoking.

Hermione sighed. “We really gotta tell him soon that we don’t like him smoking and get him to stop. Anyway” She added. “. My and Ginny thinks it’s time that we forgive Draco and even try to become his friends if he wants to. We are ready to forgive him. Are you?”

Harry was silent for a while thinking about Draco’s revelation some weeks ago

“Do I really want to become friends with someone who’s a f..”

“And don’t you two dare to say anything about not wanting to become his friends because he’s gay. It the same as me and Ginny not wanting to be your friends because you’re straight. It’s just stupid. Gay guys do not hit on every guy they see. Just like straight guys don’t hit on every girl! He’s not going to hit on you!”

Harry was silent for a while after Hermione’s argument and then said.

“O.K. yeah. I’m ready to forgive him. I’m not sure about becoming his friend just yet. But I’m willing to forgive him and start at least forming a friendship.”

They looked at Ron who was very silent.

“But only if Ron agrees” Harry added. “We won’t do this if you don’t want to, you’ve taken more shit from him than any of us.”

“I’m not sure I can become his friend right away, plus this gay thing is making me more uncomfortable around him. I’m willing, though, to forgive him and get a truce. But I don’t think we should trust him quite just yet. Let’s see how he gets when we go back to Hogwarts and starts hanging around his mates.” Ron said.

“Ron’s right. He might take a turn to the worse when we return to Hogwarts and he meets his old gang. We do not share any war information with him, yet but we should start forming a friendship with him. Agreed?” Hermione asked.

“Agreed.” Harry, Ron and Ginny said and they all headed downstairs and outside where Draco was still dancing, listening to his music and smoking.

They looked at each other and silently asked who was going to interrupt him while he was dancing. Harry decided to be the brave Gryffindor and do just that.

He walked up to Draco and poked him in the back. Draco jumped around, dropping his cigarette.
¬___________________________________________________________________________
Draco had been completely lost in his own little world of music, dancing and smoking. Then he felt someone poking him in the shoulder. Startled Draco twisted around and dropped his cigarette.

“FUCK!!! Mother’s caught me. She’s finally caught me. I’m a dead man. Mother please!” He was starting to beg, in his head. Upon seeing only Harry with the rest of the quartet behind him Draco calmed himself down and said.

“Damn Potter. You scared the living daylights out of me. I though Mother had caught me smoking.” He said sounding pretty shaken up.

“Well if you’re afraid of your mom finding out Malfoy then maybe you should just stop smoking.” Harry said smirking at Draco’s frightened face.

“It easier said than done to quit Potter. Besides it calms me down so all in all it’s better to smoke and stay calm and cool than not to smoke and be a nervous wreck.”

“Ok we can fight about this later” Harry said then added. “Malfoy can we talk?”

“Yeah sure Potter. What is it?” Draco asked sounding calm but his insides twisting to a knot.

“They’ve decided they don’t trust me after all and are going to kick me out. Oh Merlin no please” He thought trying to find an argument strong enough so they wouldn’t kick him out.

“Draco we’ve decided...” Harry began stopping to take a breath and then Draco grabbed him saying.

“Please Potter don’t kick me out. I’m telling the truth I Merlin honestly is. I’m not on His side anymore. I will die if you kick me out. Do you really want to have that on your conscience? I...”

“Malfoy...Malfoy...MALFOY!!!” Harry said a couple of times and then screamed at him. Finally getting through as Draco piped down. “Calm down Malfoy. I was trying to say that we’ve decided that we are going to forgive you for what you’ve done to us in the past and are willing to form a truce. We don’t trust you though. Not yet. But you’re getting there slowly. And if you want we can start to form a friendship. What do you say? Can we let the past be the past and start again? Harry asked holding out his hand for Draco.

Draco stared at the hand given out to him for a second then slowly reached out his hand and locked it with Harry’s shaking it.

“I would really much like that. Draco Malfoy.”

Harry realised that this was literally a new beginning with a reintroduction and everything.

“Harry Potter.” He said

“It is nice to meet you Harry.” Draco said smiling a bit.

At the sight of Draco smiling at him Harry’s heart skipped a beat.

“Man I hope this doesn’t happen every time he smiles at me.” Harry thought. Not wanting to even think about the real reason for this skip of beat. Then saying and smiling at Draco back.

“It’s nice to meet you too. Draco”

After that Draco went and shook hands with Hermione, Ron and Ginny. Doing the same reintroduction with them, calling them by their first names. He called Ron, Ronald though. Adding to him that he would start calling him Ron when he would feel that Ron was comfortable with it.

“All right. That’s understandable.” Ron said.

After that the quartet went in to keep on packing. Draco stayed outside since he had packed all his stuff days before. He started dancing again, a smile spreading out on his face when he thought about Harry’s look when he had smiled at him.

¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬¬
1 of September arrived as usual with chaos as everyone was getting ready to go for another year at Hogwarts.

Eventually everybody was safe and sound on board of the Hogwarts express. The ride was quite uneventful the fantastic five were reduced to four as Ginny left them to go hang out with her friends.

When Ginny left Harry sighed and said

“I always forget during the summer that she doesn’t hang around with us a lot in school.”

Draco spotted Pansy, Grabbe, Goyle and some other of his Slytherin friends but they ignored him and threw nasty glares at him.

“That’s good they’re acting towards me like I’m a traitor just like He told them to do. At least our plan is working perfectly so far.” Draco thought.

The quartet arrived at the Hogsmade train station and made their way towards the horse less wagons. Everyone at the train station, that’s the whole school, were staring at them like they were freaks. But then again it wasn’t a common thing to see the Gryffindor Golden Trio hanging around the Ice Prince of Slytherin.

They heard people whisper as they started at them.

“What are they doing with Malfoy?” “What’s Draco Malfoy doing with the Golden Trio?” “I’m gonna tell me dad about this as soon as I can!” “What’s going on?”

That and many more things they could hear being whispered around them. As more people noticed them and they were exposed to more people Harry could see Draco putting his emotionless mask back on. Then they arrived at one of the wagons and open the door. They saw Neville sitting inside and Harry said.

“Hey ya Neville.”

Neville smiled opening his mouth. But upon seeing Draco his smile fated away and horror came instead and was written all over his face. Draco gave him his famous Malfoy sneer and seeing that took all of Neville¬’s little courage away.

“Hey...guys!” He stuttered. “I...I’ll see you later ok...I...I’m ju...just go..going to g..g...go and find..I lost my wand. Bye.”

Neville ran past them and on the way sent Harry a look like he had betrayed him.

“Well that went well” Hermione commented. “Maybe if you hadn’t sneered at him like this Draco.”

“Well what was I supposed to do Granger?” Draco asked “Smile at him and say hi I know I’ve treated you like shit for years but I’ve decided to become one of the good guys. Wanna be my friend? He would have thought I was possessed”

Hermione turned around to stare at Harry and Ron her expression showing a huge surprise at Draco’s all of sudden turn to the old nasty Malfoy.

Harry was shocked and as he and Ron got into the wagon (Ron’s face was that of “I told you so.”) he turned around and hissed at Draco.

“What the fuck was that Malfoy? What happened with you trying to be nice to everyone so people will accept you as one of the good guys? You can’t act like this anymore. Not if you wanna stay at our side.”

Draco started to open his mouth to snap back at Harry when he realised that he was behaving like the old emotionless bastard Draco again and that of bloody course Harry was right. He couldn’t act like this anymore. This nasty, emotionless, get people afraid to get respect Draco wasn’t the Draco he wanted to be anymore. That was the Draco that his father had taught him to show the world. And that if he ever wanted to change he had to stop being afraid of showing his emotions, of being nice. Being an evil bastard maybe got you respect, like his father had taught him, but everybody hated you behind your back. Being nice could get him real friends, friends that would like him for him, not for the respect and power for being something you’re not, but for being who you are. Why did he have to be afraid of that? He didn’t, he shouldn’t, he couldn’t and wouldn’t anymore. Now it was time to become the real Draco. Not the Draco his father had taught him to be.

“I’m sorry” Draco said quietly. “I’m still not used to this whole “being nice” thing. I’ve told you before I wasn’t raised like this. I was raised to never show emotions...”

“Yeah we know Malfoy” Ron interrupted him. “Malfoy’s are not raised to show their emotions, their true inner self. To anyone. Ever. You said that yourself. Well too bad but you will just have to try and act like a normal person not like a bastard.”

“Will you let me finish. I’m going to tell you a little story all right?” Draco asked and looked at them with pleading eyes.

The trio looked at each other and Harry could see his curiosity reflected in Hermione’s and Ron’s eyes.

“Allright then Draco.” Harry said.

“One day, when I was around 7 I was playing in the yard at the Manor. I fell and hurt my hand. Mother wasn’t at home so I ran to Father. Even though he had never really comforted my when I hurt myself. He would usually just dry my tears and tell me to stop crying...to be a man. But that day mother wasn’t home so I ran to him. When I got there I was crying my eyes out. I showed him my hand and said “Father I hurt my hand”. And no I’ve never ever called him anything but father. Instead of doing what he usually did...” At that Draco stopped and bowed his head like he couldn’t go on.

“Yes?” Harry encouraged him on curious on what would come next.

Draco looked up and Harry saw an unknown fire of anger burning in his eyes. These eyes that usually wouldn’t show any emotions were now full of them.

“He slapped me!” Draco hissed angry. “He slapped me and I was so surprised that I stopped crying. Then he said...

¬Draco was so shocked that his father had slapped him that he stopped crying. He looked up at his father. His father stared down at him his eyes cold as he said.

“Haven’t I told you hundreds of times to stop crying? To be a man? Don’t you understand? You’re going to Hogwarts in four years and you need to learn to stop this disgraceful display of emotions. Showing ones emotions is a weakness. A weakness that your enemies are going to use against you. If you go to Slytherin bearing your emotions on your sleeves like this you are going to be torn to pieces and then thrown out. A disgrace to th name of Malfoy. A Malfoy never shows his emotions You need to learn to wear a mask. To never show your emotions to anyone. Ever! You also need to learn how to find other peoples weaknesses and use it against them. That is the only way you will get respect. Get people afraid of you and you will be respected. You will be powerful. Feared, respected and powerful. I’m going to start teaching you these things. To never show emotions, how to use other people emotions against them. It’s time. Hogwarts is only four years away and you will have to have learned these things to perfection by then. Otherwise... what will happen otherwise Draco?”

Draco gasped at the question then remembering what his father had told he said.

“Otherwise I will be torn to pieces and then thrown out. A disgrace to the name of Malfoy.”

“And what does a Malfoy never do?”

“A Malfoy never shows his emotions, to anyone. Ever.” Draco said.

“Really good Draco. Now I will just have to talk to your Mother and get her to stop this unnecessary cuddling that she tends to give you all the time.”

His father turned around to leave but then turned to Draco again and said.

“Consider this your first lesson”

Draco took a deep breath.

“His lessons didn’t get any better after that. It took me almost three years to learn to stop crying. But the summer before Hogwarts I finally managed just that. I wouldn’t cry no matter what he said nor did to me. Not even when he hid me with his cane. I graduated from his little school and came here. My father’s perfect little clone... an emotionless mask firmly in place, every trick to get respect and power through fear was ready up my sleeve. So I’m sorry if I don’t become Mr. Nice guy right away. It’s kind of hard forgetting lessons that were beaten into you.”

These last words were spit out with a huge amount of sarcasm. Just then the wagon stopped in front of the castle steps. Draco stood up and got out of the wagon. He then turned around and added.

“I am trying, I really am... just...don’t expect it to happen all in one day. I’m getting there. Telling you this story was a huge step. I wouldn’t even have considered it a month ago.”


The Trio was shocked at the revelation as they were walking up the steps and into the Entrance Hall looking at Draco walking a head of them Hermione said.

“He just keeps surprising us doesn’t he? One crazy revelation after another. Oh Merlin... I feel sorry for him. Can you imagine me feeling sorry for a Malfoy!”

“Yeah...” Harry said as the moved into the Great Hall and took a seat at the Gryffindor table looking over at the Slytherin table were Draco was sitting all alone, far away from his, now, ex friends.

“The Dursleys might have given me less than normal food and made me do a shitload of work but except for Vernon pushing me around sometimes they never lay a hand on me.”

“This was his father doing this to him. His father...he’s supposed to love you not beat you up. And doing it so he will learn to hide his emotions. That’s just sick.” Ron commented looking sick. “These fucking crazy tradition Pureblood bastards.”

“OK Ron you do realise you are getting upset over something that happened to Malfoy?” Hermione asked.

“Yeah I know and...he’s still a person and has been showing us over the last weeks that he has a lot more of emotions than we thought. I wouldn’t have cared a bit if he would still have been acting like the bastard he was but now...DAMN.”

At that moment McGonagall chose to stand up and clear her throat in order to get silence.
“We will talk about this later guys ok? McGonagall is about to speak.” Hermione said hurriedly.

“There is really nothing more to speak off is there?” Harry asked. “This happened to him. What’s done is done we can’t change this.”

“No that’s right” Hermione agreed.

“All right children settle down.” McGonagall said and everyone silent down.

“First of all I would like to welcome you all back to Hogwarts. I hope this school year will bring a lot of new knowledge to all of you.”

“There have been some changes to the staff during the summer. I have been chosen to be the new Head Mistress of Hogwarts taking over after the passing of our dearly beloved Head Master Albus Dumbledore.”

A polite and respectful clapping could be heard throughout the room. Not as a disrespect to Dumbledore but to welcome McGonagall to her new job.

“Thank you all so much. All though I would rather still have my old job. Yes the assistant head mister from now on will be Filius Flitwick our Charms teacher. Now back from the sick leave is Professor Snape the head of Slytherin and our Potions teacher.”

At those words a lot of people could be heard protesting. One yelled “Sick leave my arse.” And other very brave individual yelled really loudly and clearly “He killed Dumbledore”

“SILENCE!” McGonagall yelled and people went quiet. “That is a lie and a rumour that some sad people made up to draw Professor’s Snape reputation down to the mud. Professor Snape was helping us fight the Death Eaters not the other way around. He got hurt during the fight and had to take a sick leave for the rest of the term.” McGonagall looked at the rest of the staff whom nodded their heads in agreement. Harry noticed that Hagrid looked really angry but was holding back.

“McGonagall has clearly told him about what’s going on. And he has to keep quiet. But it still doesn’t change the truth and Hagrid has always been all about the truth.” Harry thought.

“And now for the yearly introduction of the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. I’m happy to reintroduce Professor Remus Lupin.”

Lupin was now noticed for the first time where he had been sitting in the corner clearly as to be not seen. This announcement got a lot of cheers and especially from the 5’th to 7’th years how remembered him from his earlier teachings.

“And I believe it is now time for the long anticipated sorting.”

Flitwick started reading up the list. One by one little 11 year olds came walking up to the stage to get the Sorting had put on their heads and get sorted into their respected houses. The list dragged on and as McGonagall came to the M’s something unexpected happened.

“Malfoy, Claudia.” He read up and a murmur could be heard throughout the Hall.

“I didn’t know Malfoy had a sister.” Someone could be heard whisper “No one did” Someone else answered.

That murmur got louder when Claudia got up on the stage and everyone saw that she wasn’t only an unexpected Malfoy that no one knew about but also she didn’t look like the Malfoy’s at all. With black hair and brown eyes she didn’t look related to them at all. But her physique said it all. Here walked a true Malfoy despite not looking like them. When Flitwick put the Sorting hat on the head it was silent for a while. A huge surprise in itself since the Malfoy’s were always automatically sorted into Slytherin. That surprise got bigger and the murmurs turned deadly quiet as the hat opened his mouth and yelled. ..

“GRYFFINDOR”

No one applauded for the newest member of Gryffindor, no one welcomed Claudia as she took a seat with her fellow newly sorted Gryffindors.

Harry heard Hermione mutter as she looked closely at Claudia down the table.

“Like I suspected.”

“What did yo...?” He started to ask but Hermione shushed him. “I’ll tell you later she whispered to him.”

Harry looked at Ron but he only raised his shoulders in question.

The next name Flitwick read up made the earlier surprise turn into old news in seconds.

“Draco Malfoy.” The silence exploded in a mass of questions. Everyone’s attention was turned to Draco as he was sitting alone at the Slytherin table. He looked just as surprised as the rest but when McGonagall repeated for Flitwick “Draco Malfoy will you get up here please?” He collected himself and got up walking slowly on the stage. He looked around and saw the attention of the entire school focused on him.

“Well you wanted attention. Now you get it” That bloody voice said meanly.

Draco looked at Flitwick and whispered

“What am I sup....”

“Just sit on the chair lad.” Flitwick answered him “You are getting resorted, it’s for your one good. Trust us.”

Draco sat down on the chair and as the Hat was put on his head and the Hall disappeared from his eyes Draco heard that familiar all knowing voice that had giving him the creeps the first time around by reading his most inner thoughts.

“My, my, my...You again. Oh...oh don’t worry I know what I’m supposed to do. McGonagall made me promise to do this. I thought when she did, how am I supposed to put someone how is 100% Slytherin into another house? But that was then. My, how your view of the world has changed. But that view that you used to believe in is still there somewhere. You don’t want to believe in it anymore but brainwashing someone into opinions and believes like your father did to you tends to stick with you doesn’t it? But you have changed. You are not as self involved as you were, not as full of yourself. In short words not your father’s little clone anymore as you would say it. And you have a sister. That was a little secret that was well hidden the last time. Didn’t even detect it. Didn’t see that coming. And I don’t like surprises. And I just had to sort her into Gryffindor. Not on McGonagall request but because she belonged there. Not a very Malfoy-ish mind she has the little one.”

The Hat went quiet for a bit and Draco could feel as someone was looking for something in his head.

“Ah yes and now I understand why. A little secret indeed your little sister is. But don’t worry that will be our little secret. Now I thing we’ve kept them waiting long enough. Well then better put you in...”

“GRYFFINDOR!” the Hat yelled the last word and everything was turned to total chaos. Half of Gryffindor stood up and started yelling nasty things at both Draco and McGonagall. The Slytherins soon joined in and from them words like “Blood traitor” and “Mud-Blood lover” could be heard. Then just to join in the Rawenclaff’s and Huffelpuff’s started yelling too. The chaos went on for a bit. Then McGonagall after screaming herself half hoarse used a spell that got everyone to shut up.

“Some of you were screaming that you wanted an explanation for this. But I do not need to explain my actions to you. I will lower the spell and expect you to stay silent. Draco go... have a seat at your table.”

The silence lingered as McGonagall took the spell off but the stares, dumbstruck Draco got while going and taking a seat at the Gryffindor table wearing his Slytherin clothes said more than thousand words. The stares didn’t turn any nicer when he went and took a seat next to Harry and opposite Ron and Hermione. The feast began but was a lot less cheerier than usual because of the surprise sorting. Draco didn’t eat at all. And had to keep dodging the death glares from his “fellow” Gryffindors.

During the end of feast as the students were getting ready to go McGonagall called

“Mr. Malfoy, Mr.Potter, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger. Will you please come to my office.

The once trio looked at each other and then made their way to the office. They were let in without a password but McGonagall wasn’t there straight away as they got in, so they settled in waiting for her.

Draco looked around the office only being there once before thinking

“Merlin she hasn’t changed a thing.”Then he looked at the wall behind the desk and saw the painting of Dumbledore fast asleep and paled visibly.

“You OK?” Harry whispered.

“Yeah...I’m fine.” Draco replied and the McGonagall came in. Immediately the quartet started demanding an explanation on this weird sorting.

“What was that about?” Ron asked

“Why did you resort me? I don’t want to be in Gryffindor.” Draco said

“The the others are going to beat him up, the name Malfoy is probably the most hated one in Gryffindor tower.” Harry said.

“You had a really good reason for this didn’t you?” Hermione asked

“Yes I did Miss Granger.” McGonagall said. “You might be in danger in Slytherin if you are found out as a traitor. Before we found out, you have been found out, you might be dead or injured. We won’t risk it. That’s why you have been resorted into Gryffindor so Harry, Ron and Hermione can keep an eye on you.”

“What do you mean?” Harry asked.

“Despite the plan being solid so far Draco might be found out any second. Then he will be killed no questions asked by his former friends. Voldemort will want him dead right away. That is why you three will not leave him alone when you are outside Gryffindor tower or when you are in Gryffindor tower. Just don’t leave him alone. At least one of you has to be with him at all time. Except for the obvious like during showers. But if he needs to go to the bathroom during classes you have to go with him. He might get attacked in the hallway or just at any time. That’s why from now on at least one of you has to stay at his side at all times.

“I don’t need a babysitter,” Draco argued “I can take care of myself.”

“I think this is a good idea Professor” Hermione agreed.

“Draco’s right he can handle himself” Ron agreed with Draco for the first time. Harry stayed silent.

“You will not be able to defend yourself against three or four people Draco at least when it will be an unexpected attack.”

“I will just expect it then” Draco argued on

“Sooner or later you will let your guard down and then they might strike.”

Draco opened his mouth to argue more but McGonagall said firmly

“This is my final word in this matter. If I see Draco alone at any time I will draw points from you. You’re dismissed.”

The quartet went downstairs and started walking towards Gryffindor tower.

Draco finally broke the silence and said “Well I guess we’re stuck with each other. Wherever we like it or not. “

TBC

Reviews are love.