Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, it belongs to JK Rowling, etc etc.
A/N: Okay, this bit is directed to Wolf, who didn't sign in when he reviewed so I couldn't respond. Whether he reads it or not, well, I can only do so much. Anyway. You accused me of trying to redeem Snape and Draco. While it is true I do plan on trying to redeem Draco, I have no intentions of redeeming Snape. There is nothing to redeem. There is no Good-Snape in book 7, as far as I'm concerned. He was always a twat, and will forever be a twat. I agree with what you said. One of the things I really don't like about book 7 is that Harry names his child after Snape, which I find totally ridiculous. No matter how much Snape helped him in the end, he was still, as I said, a complete and utter twat to Harry for his entire life. The entire epilogue was very hard to swallow for me. Back to the point, I don't understand where you got the idea that I was going to redeem Snape. Snape will be Snape throughout my story, no redeeming - no nothing. He will fulfil his function, as spy, and be a dick, as expected, and that's that. Harry and Snape will not form any kind of bond, because that would be stupid, in my opinion. Sorry for the rant people, now let's get on with it. Hope you enjoy the chapter, blah, blah, blah, and my usual spiel. Thank you!
Chapter Nine
Even though Harry severely doubted Voldemort would ever pose a threat to him again, Dumbledore insisted he spend at least two weeks with his Aunt and Uncle. He was forced to agree, though he didn't like it. Better to be safe than sorry.
After those two weeks had passed, he joined Lily at his true home in Grimmauld Place with Sirius and the near permanent housemate Remus Lupin. It was like having a family again. They would eat dinner together, Sirius sitting at the head of the table and serving up the food with idle flicks of his wand, at the same sharing jokes with Lily about all kinds of things. Seeing Lily laugh so much was like heaven to Harry. It wasn't something he was used to, but he could definitely get used to it.
Growing up in a world overrun with Voldemort pretty much sapped all of the fun and happiness out of childhood. Lily had been forced to grow up too fast. So seeing her so happy and carefree was definitely something Harry wanted to see more often. Living here with Sirius seemed to have done it for her. They had obviously bonded during those two weeks he spent at the dreadful Dursleys.
With Remus too, it seemed. After dinner, she would often retire to the library with Remus and force him to teach her something new. He always did, and with a smile. Harry leant against the doorframe and watched them; feeling like his life was finally back on track. Now all he needed was Hermione by his side, holding his hand. Then it would be perfect.
'Back to Hogwarts tomorrow,' Sirius said, announcing his arrival. He stood behind Harry, watching Remus and Lily study with a mirroring smile. 'Looking forward to it?'
'Yeah, I really am,' Harry said.
'Going to snog your lady friend this year?' Sirius teased.
'Sirius,' Harry groaned, 'you just can't leave it alone, can you?'
Sirius had been teasing him about it all summer.
'Come on Harry,' Sirius said, giving him a friendly nudge to the back, 'surely you want to be with her. She is your wife, isn't she?'
'Not yet,' Harry said. 'Besides, she's twelve years old. It feels wrong.'
'I suppose it would,' Sirius said with a laugh. 'Do you still feel attracted to her?'
'Do we have to talk about this?' Harry asked, moving past Sirius and heading down the corridor.
Sirius followed. 'Yeah, I think we do.'
'Why?'
'Because you need to talk about it,' Sirius replied, seriously. Then, with a mischievous smile, he went on, 'And because I love to see you squirm.'
'You would,' Harry said, but with fondness.
Sirius grinned his charming smile. 'So let's talk. Do you feel attracted to your twelve year old wife or not?'
'Must you put it that way?' Harry asked, stopping at the top of the stairs and facing Sirius. Harry's godfather shrugged disarmingly. 'I… I think she's adorable, like I always thought. But it's not the same as I used to feel when I looked at her. Like she was… sexy. Now she's just my cute Hermione, who I still love, more than anything.'
'So you haven't had any, say, inappropriate thoughts about her?'
Harry sighed. 'I still want to hold her. Sometimes… kiss her, but not in a passionate way. I'm very much aware of how wrong my feelings towards her are now. Technically, I'm a thirty-something adult with strong feelings for a twelve year old girl. It's very disconcerting.'
'I bet,' Sirius said. 'But you know, it's not really all that wrong. You do have the body of a twelve year old as well, you know. And while your mind is that of a thirty-something male, it doesn't change that fact. Besides, you are, to use your words, technically, married to Hermione. You even have a daughter. So I don't think you should be beating yourself up over this. It's a bit weird, but Merlin do we live in a weird world. Just relax about it. Go with the flow. You have a new life to live now, don't you?'
'Yeah,' Harry said, beginning to walk down the stairs now, 'but I'm still not going to make any moves on her. Not until she knows the truth. I don't want her to feel tricked. She has to trust me.'
'Hey Harry. Hi Emily. How was your summer?'
Harry and Emily smiled in greeting as Neville let himself into the compartment.
'It was brilliant,' "Emily" replied, 'I spent most of it at my Uncles house. He's really funny.'
'Cool,' Neville said, putting his trunk into place and sitting down next to Lily. 'How about you Harry?'
'It was fine,' Harry replied.
'Gee, don't talk his ear off mate,' Ron said, entering the compartment.
'Just had a hard time at my Aunt and Uncles, is all.'
'Ah, well, I'd like you guys to meet my little sis,' Ron said, stepping to the side to reveal Ginny Weasley. 'Guys, this is Ginny. Ginny, this is Emily Tucker, Neville Longbottom and - '
'Harry Potter,' Ginny squeaked, eyes wide with wonder.
'Hey Ginny, excited about your first year at Hogwarts?' Harry asked kindly.
Ginny went scarlet and hid behind Ron with another squeak, which might have actually been a yes.
'Merlin, Ginny, he won't bite,' Ron said, stepping fully into the compartment and sitting down.
With nothing to hide behind, Ginny seemed to shrink into herself. Lily gave her Aunt Ginny an encouraging smile and motioned for her to join them. 'Why don't you come and sit by me?'
'Okay,' Ginny mumbled and did as told.
Harry exchanged a look with Ron. Ron shook his head and shrugged, as if to say, "sorry, she's mental".
About a minute later, Hermione arrived, carrying her trunk behind her. Harry and Neville got up to help her, while Ron sat with barely disguised annoyance. Lily noticed his behaviour with a frown. After storing her trunk, Hermione sat down between Harry and Neville. 'Thanks,' she said.
'No problem,' Harry said. 'Have a good summer?'
'Yeah,' Hermione said, 'it was great. Very relaxing.'
'Good, good,' Harry said, settling back and trying to think of something else to say. Why was it always so hard to talk to her? She was his wife. He'd never had this kind of trouble before.
'What do you think you're doing here?' Ron's voice got every ones attention. 'If you think you're going to join us you're delusional.'
Draco Malfoy stood in the doorway to the compartment. He glowered snidely at Ron. 'Yeah right, like I'd want to join you Weasel.' Draco noticed Ginny sitting next to Lily and he smirked. 'What's this? Another one? Merlin help us.'
Harry glanced between Draco and Ginny, his mind flashing back to his past, their possible future.
'Harry! Come on!' Ron was tugging on his arm, urging him on. 'There isn't anything we can do. He's dead!'
Harry stared down at the body of Remus Lupin, now just another victim of Lord Voldemort's reign of terror. His face was partially transformed into a wolf, but he hadn't been able to make it in time. The rest of his face was a hideous mass of blood and gore. His throat had been torn open and blood soaked his robes.
'Harry,' Ron snapped, turning him around to face him, 'if we don't move now, even more of them will be killed. Come on!'
'Right,' Harry said, clearing the cobwebs, and the tears with a swipe of his hand. 'Let's go.'
They were twenty-four years old and racing into one of Voldemort's most fortified lairs - the island of Azkaban. Through the bars of the stone corridor, the light of the full moon shone in rays. Up ahead, Ron paused at the corner and peered around with his wand drawn. He smiled and ran around the corner with a delighted yell, 'Ginny!'
Harry followed him around. Ginny was limping down the corridor with Neville Longbottom's arm slung over her shoulder. Neville was a mess, covered in blood and scars. One eyes was virtually impossible to see due to the amount of gore and blood around his eye. Later it would be revealed as missing entirely, nothing left but pus covered by the blood, but at the moment they didn't have the time to stand around and inspect the damage.
'How did you get free?' Ron asked, taking Neville from Ginny.
Ginny wasn't in top condition either. 'They ambushed us, took us here to torture us, trying to find out everything they could about the Order. Our members, headquarters, you know.' Ginny grunted and clutched her stomach.
'What's wrong?'
'Broken rib, I think,' she said through ground teeth. 'I'll be fine. Let's just get out of here.'
'How did you get out of the cell?' Harry asked, glancing up and down the corridor.
'They were careless,' she said with pride in her eyes, 'left me with that buffoon Crabbe. I went below the belt and took his wand. Neville was the only one else I could find, so I grabbed him and ran. Or walked as fast as I could with Neville over my shoulder.'
'What about Dean?' Harry continued to question her as they started back the way they had come.
'Dead.'
'Shit,' Harry cursed.
'Harry look out!' Ron suddenly yelled, dragging Neville into one of the many cells aligning the corridor.
Coming down the corridor were four Death Eaters. Draco Malfoy led the charge. Harry barely had time to comprehend his impending doom as the Killing Curse filled the space with green light. He brandished his wand and gave it a savage flick. Several stone blocks ripped free of the wall with a grinding force, effectively blocking the Killing Curse. The stone was blown to smithereens, showering them with tiny bits of rock and creating a gulf of smoke between Harry, Ginny and Draco and the Death Eaters on the other side.
'Go help Ron!' Harry ordered pointing back towards the room Ron had ducked into.
'No, you can't take them by yourself,' Ginny argued, brandishing her stolen wand.
'You can't help me in your condition,' Harry argued back.
'Yes I - '
'Avada Kedavra!' Draco Malfoy called at the same time.
Ginny didn't get to finish her sentence. A flash of green light swam through her, her eyes going blank, mouth slack. Crabbe's stolen wand clattered to the floor.
'Ginny!' Harry yelled as she fell backwards, body lifeless.
Harry didn't have time to check if she was okay - not that he thought there was even a remote chance she would be - as more and more Killing Curses headed his way. He fell flat to the floor and aimed his wand into the smoke. 'Aduro!' The lingering smoke caught fire and flew down the corridor as a giant torrent of flame. Harry quickly got to his feet, grabbed Ginny, and ran to where Ron had taken refuge.
When Ron saw his sister, he lost it. He immediately dropped Neville and charged out into the hall, ready to exact revenge. Harry cursed and gently placed Ginny on the floor by Neville, and then raced after his enraged best friend. The corridor was full of black ash, the walls burnt to a deep black from the intense heat of Harry's spell. There was no sign of the Death Eaters - or Draco Malfoy.
Ron collapsed to his knees, head in his hands.
'I'm so sorry, Ron,' Harry said, gently placing his hand on his best friends shoulder.
Less than a second had passed while the memory of that night burned through Harry's mind. Ginny was looking up at Draco with righteous fury. It was good to see she was still the same old Ginny. 'What's that supposed to mean?' she snapped, eyes all fire.
'What do you think baby Weasel,' Draco drawled, smirking. 'I guess that'd make you a Weaselette.'
'Bugger off Malfoy,' Ron snarled.
'Whatever,' Draco said, stuffing his hands in his pockets and languidly walking away. 'See ya around Weaselette!'
'What a prick,' Ron said.
'Yeah,' Neville said, 'ignore him Ginny.'
'Don't worry,' Ginny said, apparently for a moment forgetting Harry was in the compartment, 'I will.'
The Hogwarts Express sped them to Hogwarts; they sat through the Sorting Ceremony, showing support for Ginny as she joined the Gryffindor table. Harry was only vaguely aware as Luna Lovegood was sorted into Ravenclaw. He had spotted a figure he was not expecting sitting up at the Staff Table.
'Is that Uncle Remus?' Lily asked quietly, with just as much surprise in her voice as he was feeling at that exact moment, leaning over towards Harry and following his gaze.
'Yeah,' Harry said, staring at Lupin, 'it is.' Remus caught his eye and smiled. Harry gave him a quizzical look, but he ignored it and went back to talking with Professor McGonagall.
'What's he doing up there?' Lily asked.
'I think he's our new Defence teacher,' Harry opined.
'What about Professor Mallory?'
'I guess he was only temporary,' Harry said.
'Why didn't Uncle Remus tell us?'
'Probably because all I did last summer was try and convince him to come and teach Defence,' Harry explained, 'but every time he said no. Wonder what changed his mind?'
'Yeah,' Lily echoed the sentiment.
'What are you two whispering about?' Hermione asked, looking between the two of them suspiciously.
'Nothing,' Lily replied quickly.
'Nothing important,' Harry corrected. 'We just know our new Defence teacher.'
'Oh,' Hermione said thoughtfully, looking up at Lupin, 'who is he?'
'A family friend,' Harry said. 'His name is Remus Lupin. He was friends with my parents and is friends with my Godfather Sirius.'
'I see,' Hermione said.
'He any good?' Ron asked.
'He's amazing,' Harry said. 'Just you wait.'
'How do you know that?' Hermione asked.
'Well, I just meant that he really knows his stuff,' Harry back-pedalled, 'I'm sure he'll be great.'
'Oh.'
After that, the welcoming feast came to a quick close. Harry and the rest of the gang were soon curled up in their beds, all of them fast falling asleep, some of them looking forward to tomorrow more than others. The only member of Gryffindor still awake was Draco Malfoy, who was lying on his back in the Gryffindor common room, staring at the ceiling and trying to get comfy on the couch. With a sigh, he rolled onto his side and closed his eyes, willing sleep to come.
Harry was awoken before everyone else, something in his blood making him rise earlier than he normally would. He got dressed and wandered down into the common room. Draco was not on the couch, nor had he been on his bunk. With some confusion, Harry donned the Invisibility Cloak, checked his watch, and set off. It was roughly five-thirty in the morning. Where was Draco Malfoy?
Harry explored most of the Hogwarts Castle, but found no sign of Malfoy. He was wandering down the seventh floor corridor, thinking Draco might have returned to the Gryffindor common room by now, when he saw the silver and green speck flying through the sky above the Quidditch pitch. With dawning realisation, Harry turned around and headed down to the pitch.
As he passed by the locker rooms, he found the door to the Slytherin locker room open.Harry turned around With a shake of his head, Harry continued, and stood at the base of the stands to watch Malfoy fly. Finally, Draco seemed to notice his one audience member, and flew down to land in front of Harry.
'What do you want Potter?'
'Don't you have your own broomstick?' Harry asked, gesturing to the open door.
'No,' Draco said sharply.
'Oh,' Harry said, 'well, I was just watching you fly. You looked pretty good up there.'
'Think I care what you think?' Draco asked spitefully.
'No, I know you don't care,' Harry said. 'I just wanted to let you know.'
'Whatever,' Draco said dismissively, moving to brush past Harry. Harry caught his arm. 'Do you mind?'
'You looked happy, you know,' Harry said.
'What?'
'I said you looked happy - flying,' Harry repeated.
'So?'
'So maybe you should think about trying out for the team,' Harry said, 'might make your time in Gryffindor a little bit more bearable.'
'You think I want to be on the stinking Gryffindor team?' Draco gave a mirthless laugh. 'Yeah, right, whatever you want to believe Potter. Now let go of my arm.'
'Why are you so set on sticking to your roots?' Harry asked.
'I'm not,' Draco said.
Harry gestured to the green and silver Quidditch robes he was wearing. 'Oh?'
'It's better than wearing gold and scarlet,' Draco drawled.
'So you don't care about Slytherin anymore?' Harry asked, not looking convinced.
'I…' Draco sighed. 'I'm still a Slytherin, but… I don't give a crap about those "friends" who rejected me just because that stupid hat put me in your lame house.'
'There's nothing wrong with being a Slytherin,' Harry said. 'It's those Slytherin's loyal to wizards like Voldemort that get to me. Wizards like your father.'
'My father disowned me,' Draco said, unable to hide the hurt, 'does it look like I care about him?'
'But he raised you, didn't he?' Harry said. 'Trained you in his image. To believe in what he believes, right? Pureblood supremacy?'
'So what?'
'So,' Harry said, 'it's a load of bullshit.'
Draco smirked. 'Oh, that supposed to mean something? Potter used a bad word; you must be a bad ass, right?'
'No,' Harry said, 'I'm just passionate about some things. Idiotic pureblood supremacy is one of them.'
'And I care what you think because…?'
'Because those same people who can't understand that just because you're in Gryffindor doesn't mean you're any less a Slytherin than them,' Harry began, 'they are the same people who believe in pureblood supremacy. People like your father and your former friends and their fathers. It's a cult Malfoy. They brainwashed you since birth to believe in their crap. Think about it, that's all I'm asking.'
Draco regarded him in silence as Harry walked off.
'Oh,' Harry said, turning to face him once again, 'and try out for Gryffindor team. They could use you as a Seeker.'