The Boy Who Made the Right Choice

17- A second chance at friends

Cedric slammed the door behind him as he ushered Harry and Draco into the room. "Hang on, hang on, back up now. Exactly what do you mean you had a feeling You-Know-Who was gonna come back to life, and you told no one?!"

Both Harry and Draco were about to answer his question but were cut off by a thundering racket banging on the door from the other side. 

"Great..." Cedric spun on his heel and peeked through the blinds sheltering them from Rita Skeeter and the uproar of photographers and paparazzi on the other side of the glass.

"Don't suppose you know how to apparate yet?" Harry asked as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Cause it'd be really helpful if-"

"Shush!" He was silenced. The seventh year rubbed his temples thoughtfully as he paced, his fingers running stressfully through his brunette, blood-stained hair. 

"Take my hand," he held out his left hand for taking while his other held his wand. Harry took it, and Draco held onto his other. "You might feel like puking."

"What?"

Harry's voice barely escaped his lips as he felt his feet leave the floor once again, and his body felt as if it were being compressed under an invisible pressure. His limbs twisted and his stomach churned, as though he were being crammed into another dimension through the smallest hole possible.

Then his feet touched the floor again. He opened his eyes. He was standing in what must've been Cedric's dorm in the Hufflepuff wing. Seventh years had private dorms? Course they did. He really wasn't surprised. The walls were draped in posters and framed photographs of Cedric and his quidditch team, and his friends, and one that hung in the center of the wall that showed Cedric, Amos and a witch that Harry could only pressume to be his mother.

Harry and Draco sat on the bed while Cedric took the armchair, his face still paler than a ghost. 

"Start talking."

~~~~~

No one had seen either of the three Hogwarts students since they disappeared from the champions' tent down at the maze. It was about 5:00 in the morning when Cedric could finally wrap his head around the full story.

"And you two are dating?" 

"Yes." Harry confirmed. "Believe it or not."

Draco leaned toward Harry and whispered, "I think he'd much rather believe that over the fact that he's just seen You-Know-Who in the flash a few hours ago."

"I would," Cedric said fairly, as if this were just another casual conversation between friends. "But I don't gaslight myself."

"Me neither," Said Draco. "Which is why-"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Cedric!"

"Oh gods..." Cedric rolled his eyes, a look of annoyance portraying on his face as he stood up. "Tell Dumbledore before anyone else." He scooped up a pot of floo powder in his fist and sprinkled it in the fireplace in the small corner of the room, the tiny crackling flames bursting into a rage of green.

Harry only nodded and took Draco's wrist, leading them into the fireplace where they disappeared from the Hufflepuff wing of the castle.

~~~~~

Harry and Draco stepped out into the large, echoey hallwy as the griffin statue behind them spun back into its normal position. 

Dumbledore had said nothing for several minutes after they'd informed him of Voldemort's return. It had almost seemed as though time had stopped for the moment - Dumbledore never froze. The only five words he said to the two boys after a deathly silence was, "Get back to your houses." 

So outside the office they stood, the backs of the hands barely touching eachother. Draco turned to face his boyfriend, scratching the back of his neck thoughtfully.

"Do you think there'll be an anouncement?" Harry asked before he could speak.

"Oh, um..." Draco's fingers ran through the back of his hair. "Probably."

Harry finally turned to face him. "What?"

Their eyes met, and for a second, Draco couldn't do anything back look at Harry's face. You're here. You're safe. Everything's okay.

"I got interrupted earlier, in the tent before the third task." Merlin, this is hard. "I couldn't really say what I was going to say, but especially after the battle with The Dark lord, I think I realized just how much I admire you, Harry." He cupped Harry's jaw in his hand, his thumb tracing delicately over his cheekbone. "I love you."

Harry kissed him instantly. "I love you more."

~~~~~

Draco wanted desperately to just go to bed and forget about everything, and wanting even more for Harry to come with him so they could cuddle up together. The second he stepped foot into the Slytheirn common room, Blaise looked up from the book he was reading at a table and called dramatically, "And the boyfriend of The Boy Who Lived has just entered to room."

Draco shot him an 'are you mental?' look, while the rest of the house just cheered. 

"Uh, Blaise, dude," he walked over to his best friend and sat down in the chair opposing him. "Exactly what has happened in the last five hours?"

"I think I have a right to ask you that, Draco." Blaise responded, grinning. "Been out with Harry since midnight? No one's seen you guys since. Must've had fun."

Draco's eyes suddenly widened, his cheeks flushing a vibrant red. "Mother of Merlin- no!"

"Then what'd you do?" 

"Listen," Draco motioned for him to come closer so he could whisper over the chatter of students around them. "We were right. The Dark Lord is back."

Blaise's eyes widened to the size of moons, but his brows kept straight as he took several deep breaths, looking about the room. "Are we gonna tell everyone?"

"Might as well. Dumbledore's making an anouncement next year, but the news will definitely reach The Daily Prophet first."

Blaise nodded. "And, Draco? Was... was your father there?"

"Yes."

"Come with me." His words weren't rushed, but they sounded automatic.

"What?"

"Look, I dunno what he told you when he saw you there instead of Harry, but Lucius is not going to take it easy on you this summer. Come stay with me."

It took Draco less than a minute to decide. "Okay."

~~~~~

Harry, Ron and Hermione stood atop the stone path leading from the courtyard to the steps, watching as the massive Durmstrang ship disappeared mostly beneath the water of the river, and the six white pegasai flying the Bauxbatons carriage took off to the clear summer skies, disappearing beyond the mountains.

Ron sighed. "D'you think we'll ever have just a quiet year at Hogwarts?"

"Nope," a voice from behind the three of them spoke. "That's what we all love about this place."

The trio turned to see Draco, Pansy and Blaise walking toward them. 

"Harry, mate, I'm all fine that you're dating Malfoy now but do we have to be friends with them?"

"Nah, but try not to, and it's bound to happen eventually." Harry answered, grinning.

Pansy chuckled. "Just like you two."

Draco took Harry's hand in his and squeezed. "Just like us."

(A/N) While I was writing the first few chapters for this fanfic, I had the idea to do a second (and maybe third) one as a sequel, so just let me know if I should do it :)

Thanks!! <3