Back to School (H/D, PG-13)

[sesheta66]

Title: Back to School
Author: sesheta_66
Rating: PG-13
Word Count: 900 (100 x 9 drabbles)
Pairing/Characters: Harry, Draco (pre-slash), Ron, others
Challenge: slythindor100's Double Entendre Monday Fun challenge - Back to school and hd100's challenges of scandal, fathers, summer, denial, end, wand, and new canon free-for-all. Whew! That catches me up on the hd100 prompts!
Warnings: No beta. Please point out any errors you find.
Summary: The war is over. (Any further description would be a spoiler).
Disclaimer: The characters contained herein are not mine. They belong to JK Rowling and her publishers. No money is being made from this fiction, which is presented for entertainment purposes only.



It was the summer and Draco was still in shock about how the end of the war had come about. Potter won, and he was currently in possession of Draco's wand. And, if his words were to be believed, Draco had, for a short time, been the rightful owner of the Elder Wand. It figures! The most powerful wand in the world, and he'd let it slip through his fingers.

Denial was pointless. He and his family had helped Potter, whether by accident or design. Strange, but that didn't bother Draco as much as he might have thought it would.

---

Once his fellow Slytherins' fathers had found out about everything, it had been the Death Eater scandal of the decade. Not only had Lucius inadvertently lost a Horcrux and failed to capture Potter, but Draco had failed to kill Dumbledore, and Narcissa had lied to the Dark Lord about Potter being dead.

For some reason, none of this bothered Narcissa. In fact, she was quite enjoying the family's new status as (almost) upstanding citizens once again.

Lucius, though not especially pleased with the turn of events, had accepted his new position in true Slytherin style, and was posturing once again.

---

Draco, his education having been cut short the year before, as well as having been taught by sadistic Death Eaters, was returning to school in a week. Shocked at first to have received the owl from Hogwarts, Draco had cast it aside. Narcissa had seen it, and insisted that he return.

"Your education is vital to your future, Draco."

"But everyone will --"

"Everyone will know that you didn't kill anyone. They will have heard the stories. They will talk."

"Exactly."

"And you are a Malfoy. You will hold your head high and weather the storm. You have to eventually."

---

Draco had insisted that, as a man, he didn't need his mother to take him to the train station. Besides, he hadn't wanted his mother to witness the torment others were sure to inflict upon him. However, now that he was standing alone on the platform, he thought that he could have used the moral support.

"Oi, Malfoy!" came the familiar voice of Ron Weasley. Straightening his shoulders, Draco braced himself for what was to come. "How was your summer?" the weasel asked.

Shocked, Draco stared in disbelief, jaw hanging open.

"I imagine you're glad to have your family together."

---

"Er … " Draco stammered, not sure if the weasel was being genuine or not.

"Draco!" came Potter's voice as he joined them on the platform. Did he just call me Draco?

"May I have a word?" Potter asked.

"Er … " Draco stammered again. This was not at all the unwelcome greeting he'd been expecting. "Sure."

"First," Potter began, pulling Draco's wand from his pocket. "I believe this belongs to you."

Draco nodded, taking his wand back. It felt good to hold it again. His replacement wasn't nearly as good. Olivander was right about a wand choosing its wizard.

---

"Thanks," Draco said, hoping his meaning was clear. He looked into Potter's eyes and saw no anger, no hatred. "Thanks for everything," Draco repeated, not knowing how else to thank someone for doing everything Potter had done.

He had saved Draco's life twice, and testified that Draco had been forced to choose between his family and the Order. 'There was,' Potter had said, 'no choice.' Draco had been cleared of all charges, as had been Narcissa after Potter testified for her as well. Lucius had received a suspended sentence and was being watched carefully, but at least he was free.

---

It was all thanks to Potter. He had even testified that Lucius had remained passive at the end, and had been acting to save his family as well.

"I'm glad you're coming back to school," Potter said, interrupting Draco's thoughts.

"You are?" Draco asked, surprised.

"Sure," Potter replied with a smile. "Hogwarts wouldn't be the same without you."

Draco smiled back, remembering back to his thoughts during the previous year. He recalled looking over at the Gryffindor table, often feeling uneasy with Potter's absence.

"I know what you mean," he replied. "It was weird not having you around last year."

---

Draco paused, not sure how to say what he was feeling. He opted for honesty. "It'll be great to have you back."

Potter motioned to the train. "Care to sit with us?"

"Thanks," Draco replied, "but I'd like to find a car to myself."

"Okay." Harry smiled again. "But you're welcome to join us."

Draco looked at the weasel who nodded. "Thanks again."

He wasn't able to find a car to himself, so Draco made his way to where Potter was, not yet ready to risk sitting with his fellow Slytherins. Inside were Granger, Longbottom, the she-weasel and Loony Lovegood.

---

Longbottom and the she-weasel stood up, but Potter stopped them. "We've had enough fighting for a lifetime," he said. "I think we should start fresh."

Holding his hand out, Potter smiled at Draco. "I'm Harry. Care to be friends?"

Unable to resist, Draco replied, "You don't want to go around making friends with the wrong sort Harry," not yet taking Harry's hand.

"I think I can tell the wrong sort for myself, thanks." Harry took a step closer to Draco and lifted his hand again, indicating that he was serious. "Friends?"

Draco beamed, taking Harry's hand in his. "Definitely."

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