✍︎︎5✍︎︎

"AH! OH MY MERLIN'S BEARD!"

Harry jumped up. His face was covered with surprise before he quickly rubbed his eyes and threw the covers off his body.

"What, Ron?" Harry said tiredly, he stretched and yawned then grabbing his glasses.

"I JUST SAW DEAN ON TOP OF SEAMUS! They were under the covers luckily but bloody hell guys there's more of here you know! I'm scarred, my eyes hurt!" Ron rambled and rubbed his eyes with the heel of his hand before flopping face down on his bed. He groaned and scrunched up his face, trying to rid his mind of that image.

As if on cue, the couple emerged from behind the curtains of the bed, Dean fixing his shirt. Seamus was red and sweaty with an embarrassed face while Dean was smirking licking his puffed lips. Ron sat up on his bed, giving a glare to the both of them.

"Don't worry. Only my shirt was off, we just thought we'd have a quick snog," Dean said, throwing an arm over Seamus' shoulder. He chuckled as his boyfriend turned completely red and shoved his face in the taller boy's chest.

Harry smiled at his friends then laughed a Ron still as red as his hair with his arms crossed. The ginger started yelling gibberish once Harry turned and walked towards the bathroom. He shook his head laughing, before going to take a shower.

-

"Ugh, why Defence first?" Blaise groaned as he stared at his timetable. The students had just been handed the slips with all their classes and now they were just comparing lessons.

"At least your with Draco, I have History of Magic first," Pansy whined and rolled her eyes. Draco sighed and took a drink out of the goblet beside him.

The doors opened suddenly and in came Harry and Ron, Harry's hair looking like he just had sex. Draco's eye brows raised and he looked back down at his half eaten toast.

"Ew."

"Shut up, Pans," Blaise scrunched his nose at her and looked back at the Weasel. Pansy scoffed and then took a quick glance at Granger. 'Merlin, could they be anymore obvious?' Draco thought before standing and walking out.

Draco sniffed as a few tears brimmed his eyes. Early this morning, he awoke to light tapping on his window and he turned to see a black owl with a letter placed in its beak. Draco grumbled and got up, ripping it out of the bird's mouth.

Draco looked at the handwriting and immediately recognised it - 'Father.' It read:

Dear my dearest son, Before I tell you some news of my imprisonment, you maybe wondering how I've sent you this letter. It was quite easy; I easily convinced the guard with a couple galleons. Continuing on, being in Azkaban is awful and I'm seen as a coward to the rest of the death eaters in here. I've been beaten by them and the guards.

I'm writing this hoping you'll receive it before or on your first day back at Hogwarts. Mainly because the day after I will be given the Dementor's kiss and I will be obliviated. This means that I will eventually pass in the days after.

I know it's something you'd rather hear from your mother but I wanted to tell you myself before she could. I do, or did, care for you and Narcissa because you two were all I had and I miss you more then you know. By siding with the Dark Lord, I thought I was doing what was best for our family but it's now obvious that was not the case.

Draco, I want to apologise. I am sorry for putting you through so much trauma at a young age and I know you may never forgive me but before, what is left of, my happiness is taken away, I didn't want you to hate me. I also sent a letter to your mother and both have charms (made by the guard) that will keep it in this condition for 4 decades.

My son, I am so sorry and I hope you can forgive me or at least understand why I did it. Even though I've never really told you, I hope you know that I love you and you are the most important thing to me. I love you, Dragon.

Yours sincerely, Your father, Lucius Malfoy.

P.S - When you return home, please take care of your mother. I love you both dearly.

Draco let a few tears fall and a sob escape his lips. Tomorrow, his father will basically be gone and it's now in all the papers and a few are begging him to say a few words. Draco was so overwhelmed to the point where he thought he might faint or hyperventilate. He took a deep breath and sat on one the ledges in the hall.

He pulled his robe tighter around him; it was getting so cold. Slight smoke emerged from his lips when he breathed.

Draco swallowed hard as he thought back to his childhood, when his parents were happy and so full of love. Draco was happy then. He had no problems or drama and it was just peaceful. He'd do anything to live like that again.

He looked up; hoping for some sort of sign but nothing. He sighed and stuffed the letter in his robe pocket before stalking down the hall. The obnoxious, snarky façade once again plastered on his face.

-

"So I'm in defence alone?" Harry pouted and his flopped to his sides. Hermione nodded sadly and walked the opposite way down the hall, hand in hand with Ron.

"Feeling lonely, Potter?"

"Go away, Malfoy." Harry sneered back.

"I thought you would have girls dropping to their knees for you... or maybe you're gay or-"

"Shut up! Cant you just stick your nose in someone else's shit for once?" Harry snapped and stormed off towards defence. He rolled his eyes and pulled the strap of his satchel a bit hander.

Harry pushed open the door, calming down slightly before going to sit in a seat next to some Hufflepuff boy, his name was Jake or Josh maybe.

Soon the room was filled with chatting students and a female professor entered the room from the office. She walked gracefully down the stairs. She was a very beautiful woman; thin body, chiselled bone structure, blue eyes, light brown hair, short and dressed in a dark blue trench coat with slim, black trousers and a light blue jumper with a collared shirt underneath.

"Hello class," she grinned, she had a perfect smile too and Harry could already tell a few boys were drooling at her, "My name is Cordelia Alatar but you may call me Professor Alatar."

She smirked before pulling off her coat and laying it on her chair. The professor pulled her wand from her trousers before ordering everyone to stand at the back of the classroom.

Professor Alatar moved the desks to one side of the room then told us the separate on to two sides of the room - Harry stood on the right side.

"So, I know that most of you fought in the war but this is advanced defence against the dark arts so you future Aurors better be good," she then turned to face Harry and his face grew red slightly, "I'm looking at you, Mr Potter."

Harry heard a quiet snort from further down the line and everyone else must've heard it too.

"Ah, Mr Malfoy. Something funny?"

"No, sorry Miss." He smirked, stifling his laughter.

"Alright," she bit her lip before smiling as a great idea appeared in her mind, "Mr Malfoy and Mr Potter, I'll use you two as a demonstration."

Harry rolled his eyes but stepped into the centre of the room, facing Draco.

"Today, we are using basic duelling spells so please follow the rules boys," she smiled sarcastically and moved to the side.

"Scared, Potter?"

"You wish."

They both smiled like old friends remembering a joke together. Harry giggled quietly and Draco stared at him, weirdly with a smile and pink cheeks.

They stepped further away from each other before readying their wands. The Professor counted down from three before both boys turned and sent their spells.

"Silencio!"

"Rictusempra!"

The spells hit each other and Harry started laughing from the tickling charm. When he was done laughing, which was only a few seconds, students were giggling and Harry blushed in embarrassment. He looked over to see Draco trying to speak: he seemed kind of angry which made Harry laugh a bit more.

"Alright alright you two, stop flirting with these silly spells," The professor smiled and winked at Harry, making him turn completely red. She said the counter spell to Draco's 'silencio.'

"-VER WOULD I FLIRT WITH HIM!"

Draco realised how loud he was shouting before quickly shut up, mumbling a quick sorry before they both went back to their places. Students were still giggling at the two.

"Alright!" Professor Alatar said, successfully silencing the class. "So we know what we're doing now. Your desk mate is your partner for today but at the end of the lesson I will be pairing you up for a project." She spoke loudly, the mention of a project earned a groan from most of the class, "Oh shush, you have two weeks to do it and it's really easy."

-

"...Josh and Theodora, Sandy and Micheal, Bartholomew and Marie, Harry and Draco..."

The list went on for another minute before the professor explain it was due on Friday and dismissed the class.

"Potter, meet me in library after dinner and we'll find the books we need," Draco said behind him, which startled him slightly.

"Oh okay y-yeah," Harry smiled small and then slung his bag over his shoulder and left.

-

"What about this?"

"No. Merlin,you are so stupid."

"Hey! I'm not! I just don't spend as much time in libraries as you and Hermione."

Draco rolled his eyes while checking the back of one of the books. The two were roaming up and down the aisles, searching for the right books.

"This one!" Harry jumped at Draco with a book in his hand.

"For once you actually got it right," Draco pulled the book from Harry's smaller ones and went over to the table.

"Can we establish something?"

"Sure," Harry said, in a confused tone.

"After this project, we're never again speaking to one another," Draco sneered. He turned to see Harry looking at his shoes sadly.

Harry didn't know why it made hims sad but it did. Maybe he was hoping to make peace everyone this years, even the slytherins. Harry sighed and nodded.