Everything Remains

Chapter 10- The New Normal

The next couple of weeks of classes went by smoothly, surprisingly. Draco began to hang out with the trio more; accompanying them to the library for homework, eating meals with them, and even hanging out in the Gryffindor common room (which yes, caused some whispers and rumors).
Draco was starting to look better. Better than he had in ages. He was actually eating and gaining much-needed weight. He was sleeping somewhat better, getting more and more hours per night the more he tried. He was laughing and smiling, genuinely, for the first time in his life. He was making memories and learning what it is like to just be a normal student. Someone who cares for others, has compassion. Who isn't trying to impress people or do the bidding of a dark lord. The bags under his eyes were much less noticeable. 
Harry was also doing well. Gaining weight, building some muscle with Quidditch, focusing on his studies. His sleep was still rank, nightmares and all, but he was trying. He was feeling much more at ease with the year and by having Draco by his side. At first, it was such a strange dynamic and awkward at best. But Draco was really blooming into the person that he always wanted to be, which was great to see. 

Ron, Hermione, and Harry began to set up the after-class sessions for the younger years, with the help of Professor Galos. Hermione was, of course, excited for the opportunity. Ron was not so enthusiastic, but trudged along. Harry didn't mind; it would be good to be giving out lessons without immediate stress of death. This is something that COULD be useful, but isn't a desperate, immediate need, like the last few years. 

Professor Galos decided to have Harry head up the dueling session, Hermione with Advanced Charms, and Ron with the survival skills. Hermione, with her incredible encyclopedia for a brain, of course had memorized fifty+ spells to help protect them last year. From muggle-aversion charms, to disfigurement, to undetectable charms, she was the reason that the trio could stay hidden successfully for so long while hunting horcruxes. 
Because Ron struggled with the survival part of the year, he was the perfect candidate to teach how to survive in effective, unique ways, that other people may not think of. Ron had to adapt quickly; moving from a well-kept house with 3+ hot meals a day and plenty of sleep to scavenging for dinner, sleeping on cots, and trying not to freeze while keeping watch for death. 
Harry, of course, was going to head up duels. He has been in so many duels, he stopped counting after his second year. Harry is also incredibly adept at using the more 'underrated' spells that have saved his life more times than he can conceptualize.

Professor Galos would float between each session, making sure that it was going well and that they didn't need anything. Some of the sessions overlapped, meaning that the three taught solo most of the time. Other times, they could pair up and share both viewpoints. 
Harry was deep into his fourth session, using the great lawn for ample space to practice. 
Since they were well into October and it was getting a bit nippy, Harry constructed huge, upright torches that they could use as heat. The torches were at least 6 feet high and frayed so that the heat and flames would encase it, providing more warmth to those below. Hagrid happily helped with those, as he was tall enough to set them on fire without scalding anyone. 

Harry erected a large, rectangular platform too for the dueling portion of the sessions. It was very similar to the one he and Draco dueled on second year, but this time, it was red and gold and had Faux on the side. In the previous sessions, Harry and the students had focused on protective and defensive spells, some spells that can give you a huge advantage, and offensive spells. Now, Harry figured they would be ready to put all they've learned together and try out dueling. 
Harry paired up the students in twos, and had them space out. He tried to keep it even with school year and skill, but some of them were really struggling to get some of the charms down. 
Once he was satisfied, Harry pulled up the first pair onto the platform. 
"Before we begin, I will be explaining the rules and how all this works. You can use all the charms that we have practiced in sessions. However, if I see that one of the more hurtful ones, like bombarda, is being used and the one it is being cast at doesn't protect themselves in time, I will cast protego for them. You will still get the points, but we will avoid the Hospital Wing. Understood? The first person from your pair to ten points wins the duel. Every spell that hits counts for one point. If your spell hits a protego that your challenger casts themselves, that doesn't count. Let's get on with it then!"
Harry stepped back down off the platform and onto the grass, right by students. The first pair was a brawny looking 5th year with sandy hair, Greg, and a darker, more mysterious looking 6th year named Valentina. 
The two began the duel, with Greg casting bombarda first thing. Valentina beautifully rolled out of the way, not bothering with protego. When she unrolled and sprang back up, she cast her own bombarda, which would have blasted Greg right on his arse if Harry wasn't there to cast protego. 
Valentina smirked and flicked her dark hair off of her shoulder. "One point to Valentina!"
The duel continued, with Greg trying to rush out heavy offensive spells but struggling to protect himself. Valentina was entirely more calculated; anticipating his moves first and reacting to them, which landed her in the lead 8:3. 
"We only have a few points left, think clearly about what you need to do!" Harry shouted out over the excited onlookers and students. 
Valentina got into a low stance, ready to spring. Greg again attempted to blast her away, but she avoided it again. She hit him with a basic cast and then hit him with depulso, earning her the last two points she needed to win. 

The waiting students cheered loudly, congratulating Valentina on her win. Greg stalked off the stage, looking red as a tomato and pissed off. 
Harry hopped onto the stage again, "Great duel you two. Now, who can tell me what were some faults about the duel?? Anyone?" 
A small fourth year raised her hand, "Not enough defense?"
"Yes! Greg, you were very ready to deal the offensive spells, which is very well needed, but lacked in the defensive, which caused you to lose a lot of points. Having the power and the instinct to start firing spells is important and will have it's time, but defensive spells will save your life. You will get many, many other chances to send another offensive spell, but if you get hurt, you won't have another chance. Right?" 
The students nodded, thinking about what he said. 

Harry had the next few pairs duel on the platform, one pair at a time. The rest of the pairs did pretty well, having that first duel as an example of what not to do, and what to do. 
Harry was attending from the side, stopping some duels for a few coaching moments. 
He didn't notice the icy-blonde head that creeped up behind him. 
Draco grabbed Harry by the shoulders, spooking him on purpose. 
"GAH, what the bloody hell? Draco, I'm trying to focus here if you couldn't tell." Harry rolled his eyes, but let a small laugh escape his lips. 
"I see that, yes. Your forehead veins are about to pop out of your skin, you're concentrating so hard." Draco laughed at his own joke, pointing one of the veins out. 
"Arse. What are you doing here?" 
"Oh, just was wandering around and heard all this ruckus, so I figured I would stop by. I also have quiet the exciting idea." 
"What? What idea??..."
Once the dueling pair was finished and walked off the platform, Draco hastily lifted himself up onto the stage, commanding everyone's attention. 
"Great job, great job. Everyone give each other a hand." Draco began to clap, with the students mimicking with confused looks on their faces. 
"That was all great fun, but... wouldn't you like to see a duel between two, highly skilled, adults?"
The group of students lit up, excited at the prospect of seeing a real duel. 
"What are you talking about? Get dow-" Harry started to whisper-scream, but Draco ignored him. 
"The last time Harry and I dueled was about six years ago. Well, dueled in a controlled environment. I think it's about time that Harry show you what skills he has. Anyone object??"
"YEAH, I object! Hello??" Harry was shushed.
"Well, let's get Harry up here then, shall we! Harry, Harry, Harry," Draco started a chant, having the students encourage Harry to go through with it.
"You're an arse, you know that?" Harry scowled at Draco before pulling himself up onto the platform, facing his apparent opponent. 

"Oh come on now. All in good fun, for good times sake. Right?" Draco laughed, walking towards the middle of the platform. 
"As long as you don't send a snake on me." Harry rolled up his sleeves, also walking to the middle of the platform. 
Once they met in the middle, they bowed to one another. Draco couldn't help but spit out, "Scared, Potter?"
"You wish." 
Draco smiled so wide, surprised that Harry remembered that about their duel way back when. 
Harry noticed how charming Draco looked when he smiled like that, glad to have been the one to make that smile happen. 
The two walked towards their ends of the dueling platform and raised their wands. 
"Rules?"
"Anything goes, I say." Draco smiled deviously, licking his bottom lip. 
'What has gotten into him?' Harry thought to himself, making sure to watch his movements carefully. 

Draco cast the first spell, "REDUCTO", watching the blast fly straight to Harry. Harry dipped down to dodge it, and spun around to cast his own "Expelliarmus!". Draco cast protego, then laughed. "Should have known, it's your favorite!" Draco cast "aguamenti", which launched a spray of water at Harry. Harry dodged that too, casting "petrificus totalis". 
Their duel went back and forth, back and forth for awhile. Both of them being skilled and versed in heavy dueling situations, it seemed like it would go on forever. Until, Draco cracked a joke and distracted Harry, leaving him opportunity to cast 'incarcerus', which hit Harry straight on and wrapped him up in ropes. 
"That's BULLOCKS, Draco! You distracted me!" Harry tried to wiggle out of the bindings, but couldn't. 
Draco grabbed the end of one of the bindings and twisted it up, causing Harry's body to twist around with it, getting him closer and closer to Draco. Draco was having a great time, laughing and twisting away as Harry attempted to break free. Eventually, Draco had twisted the bindings enough to the point that Harry was face to face with Draco. So close, that he could feel Draco's breath on his face. The two didn't say anything, just looked into each other's eyes for a few minutes. Draco's eyes dipped down to Harry's mouth, which made him gulp. Harry's heart was beating faster; it felt like it could pop out of his chest.
One of the students in the crowd coughed loudly, snapping Harry and Draco back into reality. 
Draco undid the spell. 
"See, that's why you have to be on your game. Don't get distracted, or it could be over for you." Harry said, turning back into the teacher. 
"Okay, well, that's enough for today. I'll see you all next week. You're dismissed."

Harry watched as the students left, fidgeting with his hands, unsure what to think about what just happened. Why did he react that way to being close to Draco? It's not like they don't sit close at lunch or at the library. 'Well, that usually doesn't entail looking into his eyes for several minutes either.' 
Harry started to clean up the space, disassembling the platform. His mind was lost in thought, he didn't even notice Draco still standing there. 
"Um. Do you need help?" Draco asked, biting his lip. 
"Oh, urm, could you douse out the torches with water?" 
"Sure.." Draco turned and did as he was asked, making sure all the flames were out before starting on the next one. 
Harry didn't like the tension that had formed between them. 'I'm sure I'm making things up in my head. Get it together.'
Once they were both done, Harry attempted to act like normal. 
"So, uh, thanks for making the session interesting. I never expected you to show up, let alone be part-professor for the day." 
"No problem. Thought I would spice things up a bit. Where are you headed?"
"Urm, I think to study with Hermione. We have that transfiguration test coming up soon."
"Oh, alright. Well, goodbye for now." 

Draco and Harry walked back into the castle and parted ways. 

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Draco's POV:

Dueling with Harry was not something I ever expected to do again. But, the opportunity presented itself so well, how could I not? 
Flinging spells back and forth, laughing, having a good time. With Harry of all people. If anyone asked me if I could see this happening five months ago, I would tell you you were bat-shit crazy. 
I really like the sound of his laugh. Especially the one that he lets loose ever so often. The one where he fully lets go. It's a deep, cheerful laugh that makes me happy. 

Being face to face with him again, saying those fateful words like we did all that time ago, felt surreal. I gazed into his green eyes; deep and emerald. His floppy black hair. There was something about the intensity of his dueling face that made my heart flop. 

But gods, seeing and hearing him laugh like that was like a cure. A cure to my sadness, my self-hatred, my loneliness. Anytime I get a chance, I'm going to try and hear that song again. 

I'm not quite sure what came over me. But I was so tempted to do something to get him close to me again. I remembered the spell that binds people with strips of fabric, rope, whatever it chooses. I just used it. Finding that he was pretty much at my mercy, and that I could get him over to me, made my heart start pounding. 

I've known for awhile that I have feelings for Harry. I think I knew it all those years ago, when I first laid eyes on him. But I never considered it. 
Fear from being thrown out of the house, fear of allowing myself to be loved, fear of everything that could go wrong. Fear, fear, FEAR. It has dominated and ruined my life up until this point. But Harry was helping me see that fear doesn't have to be the end. Fear can be the starting point. 

I don't know if he has feeling things towards me. Sometimes, I'll catch him staring at me across the room. Or choosing me as a partner in class instead of Ron. When I got him close to me tonight, I could have sworn that his heart was beating fast too. It's like I could hear it thumping through his chest. 

But, I'm not about to ruin a good thing. I don't want our brand new friendship to be tarnished, and lose everything that we have worked towards. I will just continue to ignore my feelings. What's another eight years? 

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