s e r p e n t {a drarry fic}

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Song: Numb by Linkin Park (slowed)

I hope you enjoy this story!

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Harry sat silently on the Hogwarts Express alongside his two best mates, Hermione and Ron, and his half girlfriend, Ginny.

His relationship with Ginny was.. complicated, to say at the least. Since the war, Harry had been distancing himself from her, and avoiding her affection at all costs. They were pretty much over; Harry just couldn't bring himself to officially break up with her.

Everyone had been a little torn since the war, considering all of the losses each teen had to take. Harry, however, seemed to take the largest toll on the war aftermath. He had hardly said more than a total of 50 words that entire summer.

He was practically losing hope on his life until a certain professors owl swooped into his living quarters and delivered him an invitation back to Hogwarts.

The former 7th years whose final education had been rudely interrupted by the dark lord had an opportunity to return to the school as new "8th years" to complete their N.E.W.Ts. The school could have just completely repeated the entire year, but that would set Hogwarts off for at least a decade.

Not knowing what to expect, Harry agreed anyways once he discovered Ron and Hermione would be returning as well.

Now they sat on the Hogwarts Express, preparing for the next year of difficult tasks for the 8th time.

—

"Greetings, students. Welcome back to our 2nd-8th years, and friendly welcomes to our 1st years." A middle aged woman with a Scottish accent, other known as Headmistress McGonagall begun.

"As many of you may know, last year was a very traumatic experience for all of us. Because many students were out, and the school year was interrupted, we will have a few returning students who have come to make up their 7th years as 8th year students. This is the first time Hogwarts has ever had 8th year students, so we are hoping for the best this year. We will begin 1st year sorting soon, but first I request that all of our 8th years meet me out in the hall." McGonagall announced.

It was quite strange to be sat in the Great Hall on the first evening of school without Dumbledore kindly smiling at his students and Snape glaring coldly at the Gryffindors. All sense of normality for Harry left the moment Dumbledore fell down that tower. He'd be lying to himself by saying he wasn't scared to have a year at Hogwarts without his beloved mentor.

The Golden Trio made their way out into the hall with McGonagall, where they were met with a handful of other students who returned.

Harry's eyes scanned the small crowd, scouting for any familiar faces. His deep green orbs filtered out a few of their older allies and friends, such as Neville, Seamus, and Dean

"Good evening, 8th years." The woman said with a warm smile. "I understand how strange this all must be, so I want to go over a few things before we begin the sorting and the feast."

Harry's eyes continued to search for awhile, completely cancelling out McGonagalls voice. He could swear he saw the bleach blonde head of none other than a git by the name of Draco Malfoy, but he couldn't be so sure. Judging by his below average height, Harry could hardly see anyone more than 10 feet ahead of him anyways. Cursed tall people.

"As 8th years, you will not be part of the houses. You will be separated into dorms of two, and before you ask, no you cannot choose your dorm mate. There will be a large common room with about 20 dorms, which is plenty to cover the 34 of you. Your name will be listed on a door, so as soon as you enter the common room I'd advise you go look for yours. As far as Great Hall seating, we will soon after tonight be removing the four tables and replacing them with multiple tables as a sign of house unity. You no longer have to sit with your houses; you may sit with whomever you please within any year and any house. Is all of this clear?" McGonagall glanced around, searching for any hands raised in question. The students nodded in confirmation, and the headmistress smiled. "Good. Come along now, the first years are waiting."

—

The sorting went about as boring as it usually is. Gryffindor table was more silent that it had ever been before, and the feast was downright miserable. Harry wasn't sure if he would be able to even eat at all this year. All he could think about were the lifeless bodies of witches and wizards that were on these same floors less than 4 months ago.

After what felt like the longest, most awkward hour of his life, the feast finally concluded and McGonagall came to take the 8th years to their new dorms.

—

"Firebird." The professor spoke to the portrait at the entrance of the common room.

The woman in the portrait reminded Harry much of the fat lady at gryffindor tower. She seemed nice, but had a fair amount of sass and didn't seem to enjoy her new job very much.

After hesitating for a moment, the portrait rolled her eyes and allowed the students through.

Harry silently gaped to himself when he saw how beautifully decorated the place was. The common room was large and open, with color schemes of each house in every corner. On each side were 10 doors to dorm rooms, beautifully decorated with the flags of the respective house(s) that the dorm mates possessed. Their names were carved onto their house's flag in a metallic gold stitching.

"Welcome to the Unity common room. Here is will you will spend your remaining time at Hogwarts. I want you guys to take this night to get settled in and comfortable. Remember, classes start at 9 am. Goodnight students." McGonagall spoke calmly, exiting the common room.

Harry wandered around the area, glancing at each door desperately searching for his name. He came to a halt when he found his Gryffindor flag carved with the initials "H. Potter".

He looked at the other flag that sat on his door. Without even looking at the name, he already knew this year would be a mess for him. He was going to be living with a Slytherin for an entire year.

"Please not Malfoy, please not Malfoy.." he pleaded to merlin, glancing up to read the name of said Slytherin.

The initials read, "D. Malfoy". Harry inwardly groaned in both annoyance and panic. Great, he thought, he was going to be spending the rest of the year in a dorm with his sworn enemy.

Though, Harry can't recall the last time they had even thrown genuine insults at eachother. Or even spoken to eachother, for that matter.

Malfoy refused to identify him at the manor, so Harry saved him from the fire in the room of requirement. Then, Malfoy's mother, Narcissa, lied to Voldemort, telling him that Harry was dead. To repay her acts, he spoke at her and her sons trial and saved them from going to Azkaban.

It was a constant pattern of helping eachother, but they never really spoke. Maybe if they could keep that whole "non speaking" thing going for the rest of the year, hopefully it won't be so bad. Right?

—

Harry hesitantly entered his dorm, thankful to see Malfoy hadn't arrived yet. He set his things down on the bed closest to the window.

As quickly as he could, he unpacked his robes and other clothes into his wardrobe, hoping to make it out before Malfoy came in.

Just as Harry was reaching for the door handle to leave, Draco opened the door and hit Harry smack in the face with it.

"Fancy seeing you here, Potter. I was hoping you would decide not to come back." Malfoy spoke, an unpleasant look on his face.

So much for that no talking idea.

Instead of picking a fight, Harry simply rolled his eyes and pushed past the boy.

—

The sneer on Draco's face immediately disappeared the moment Potter closed the door, and was soon replaced with emptiness. Why was he still trying to be the brat he was before the war? He doesn't even have a reputation anymore, let alone one to hold up. Nor does he have to live up to Slytherin's standards anymore. Apparently insulting Potter every time he saw him had just became a habit.

Draco tried to still hate the boy, but every time he had seen Potter since the war, all he felt was guilt. Harry had saved him, even after all the shit Draco did to the poor bloke throughout their earlier years.

Trying to clear his head, Malfoy unpacked his belongings and collapsed onto his bed with a long sigh, before hesitantly drifting into a nightmare filled sleep.