New Beginnings

Chapter 23

Harry lay curled up, pulling the sheets up around him as he read and re-read the letter Molly Weasley had sent him.

the one where she acts like his mother, where she acts like he matters to her for more than just money. where she invited him to stay for Christmas and goes on about how much  Ginny misses him. She claimed that with Ron gone Ginny needed as much support as possible.

Harry's not an idiot, he knows that Ginny will be writing to him soon and be subjected to more spells and charms. He wonders how long it will be until they find out about the great hall incident and think he's gone dark.

Angrily he stomps down the dorm stairs and throws her crumpled letter into the fire, possibly the first time he's moved in hours after being separated from draco.

They haven't found Hermione's body yet Harry doesn't need her anymore, he's got the information he wanted -courtesy of Draco- and the weapon he wanted to use on Umbridge.

The only problem was the map. Hermione hasn't managed to finish it, unable to recreate the marauders spellwork, though Harry hated the Potters the knowledge made him sort of proud that they adopted him. Again he wondered if Lily and James had known who his true parents  were or if Dumbledore had once again lied.

However the building Hermione was making a map of was called Grimmauld Place, a Black property Dumbledore used for his previous order. Draco  hypothesized that Hermione was using it as a bargaining tool for when Dumbledore realised she was useless in the long run.  Of course it hadn't been finished and she's lied to her dormmates about what it was, so no one would be looking for it.

Harry had hoped to finish what she's started but the marauders map had been created by three genius's (loathe though he was to admit Potter was smart) and Pettigrew. Something of their calibre was difficult to recreate with only him and Draco doing it. 

He figured she'd written down her progress somewhere but he's have found it when he ransacked the girls dorm. Hopefully he'd be able to rope Remus or Sirius into helping him, on the assumption neither fought against him.

Whilst all this occurred in the bowels of the castle, the rumour mill of Hogwarts turned as no one forgot about Harry running to Draco not even Snape.

Though the students had no clue about the twos friendship  and Slytherins feigned ignorance, the teachers had some idea things had changed as they weren't at each other's throats as much.

Umbridge was still fuming, realizing if she did anything to Harry she would have the wrath of the Malfoy family against her and for once Harry felt safer in her class than outside it.

His moment of madness had caused a massive shift in Gryffindor, some not caring, some hating him and a few (Neville, Dean and Seamus) trying hard to be supportive and be civil to draco. 

Angelina ended up pulling him aside during a quidditch practice, scowling at the two new beaters who were terrible but the only ones who'd tried out.

"Harry, I know you're a great player and you're great honestly." Angelina shifted awkwardly as Harry silently waited for the 'but'. "The thing is, some people on the team feel that your new friendship with Malfoy will comprise the game. So I have to ask if for now, you'll sit off the team. For the rest of the year."