Just like Brothers

Chapter 28

"Where the bloody hell have you been?" Ron roared as Harry sat down for Potions.

Harry stared at the redhead, anger boiling in his veins.

"Talking to me now are we?" He said turning away to talk to Hermione.

Ron grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back around. "You were in the dorm when we went to bed, you were gone when I woke up. You didn't show up to Herbology or Transfiguration so where were you?"

"Bugger off, Ron, it's none of your business." Harry snarled, shoving the hand off his shoulder.

"Something happened to you this summer. I'm so bloody sick of the secrets! This is ridiculous." Ron slammed his books into his bag and stormed out of the chamber.
      
Harry rolled his eyes, "What did I miss today?" He asked turning to Hermione.

"Nothing really. But honestly Harry, are we really just going to ignore that you disappeared for half the day? Where were you." Hermione asked.

"It really doesn't matter Hermione," Harry said starting to get annoyed.

"I hate to admit it but Ronald's right. Although his way of expressing it is not. Something happened to you this summer, you're not the same, Harry. What's so important that you have to hide it from your best friends? You can trust me, Harry." She gently put her hand on his upper arm.

"Leave it, Hermione. I'm fine, better then fine, actually, I'm happy. That's all you need to know." Harry said, offering her a small smile. He rarely ever got mad at the brunette no matter how hard she pried. She was like his sister, he knew she would always have his back. He wished he could tell her what had happened and why he'd been different but he just couldn't bring himself to admit it. He was scared of her reaction, he wasn't ready for Ron and Hermione to know yet.

     
>•<

Draco mindlessly brushed his teeth, not ready to face the day. Harry had left the dorm a short while earlier for Potions but the 3rd year Slytherins had a free period.

As he was combing his hair he was thinking of possible scenarios that he would face upon being alone in the room with Blaise.

He had known Blaise for ages, he knew the boy often didn't let his true opinion show, he rarely ever voiced his emotions and when he did, it was solely to the people he trusted.

Draco knew that the fact that he now lived with the Gryffindor Golden boy came as a shock to his roommate, hell it was probably the last thing he was expecting.

But alas it was the truth and Draco had to face him sooner or later, now that Harry had left, there was nothing shielding the boys from the heavy tension.

Draco sighed in exasperation but opened the door to the washroom and returned to their chambers.
      
"What in the name of Merlin's arse Malfoy!" Blaise shouted throwing his scarf at the blond.
     
"It's not that big of a deal." Draco defended.
     
"Bloody hell! You're living with Harry Potter. Like you're actually living with him! That is a huge deal!" Blaise threw his hands up. "We're you planning on ever telling me this or we're you just going to keep it a secret? Merlin, mate, what happened this summer?"
     
Draco rolled his eyes, "this is a bit of an overreaction. Yes, I'm living with Potter, neither of us have anywhere else to go so there's not much to do about it. Besides he's not as bad as I once believed. You two would get on well if you got to know one another." Draco tried to steer the conversation away from the summer's events that brought him to Snape's household. He wasn't ready to have the conversation of what happened to his parents with Blaise.
    
"It's been 2 days since holiday and I already want to jump off the astronomy tower." Blaise complained, collapsing back onto his bed. He shot Draco a side-eyed glare, "I still haven't forgiven you for leaving me alone with Parkinson at the ball. It was the worst night of my life."

Draco laughed. Glad that the awkward conversation had ceased. "Sorry mate."

>•<

Harry, have you seen today's post?" Hermione passed Harry a copy of the Daily Prophet as he buttered his toast. He nearly threw the knife as he read the header.

MALFOY SCANDAL; LORD MALFOY LIFETIME IN AZKABAN, LADY MALFOY LIFETIME IN ST. MUNGOS
more details, see page 7

Harry tore to page 7, on the page was a picture of Draco and himself pushing their trolleys at King's Cross Station.

Harry swore under his breath, they weren't careful enough, thankfully the picture just showed them walking through the station.

They may just be able to claim they were merely at the same place at the same time. However it just got worse when Harry began to read the article.

Silence from the Malfoy family is explained! After the ominous disappearance of the Malfoy family last summer we finally have answers. Lucius Malfoy, highly respectable member of the Wizarding community and regular contributor to Ministry funds has been sentenced to live in Azkaban prison due to the use of the Cruciatus Curse on August 3rd. Lady Malfoy is confirmed to be admitted into the Janus Thickey Ward for irrevocable spell damage at St. Mungo's hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. It is rumored that she has been tortured to insanity by her husband however information on what happened is scarce and unconfirmed. As for the heir to the Malfoy estate, Draco Lucius Malfoy is believed to be living with his Godfather, Severus Snape, for the time being. The young Malfoy was spotted walking with Harry Potter Sunday morning leading some to believe that these two boys have become unlikely friends? Is there more to this story? How does Harry Potter fit into the Malfoy's debacle? Has our beloved golden boy gone dark? More information coming soon.

When Harry finished the article, written by Rita Skeeter, he immediately looked over to the Slytherin table. He locked eyes with Draco who looked sick to his stomach.

Now everyone will know that Draco's family had fallen apart. The blond's worst fears had been realized.
      
Harry broke the eye contact and handed the paper back to Hermione.
      
"Tough break for Malfoy." He sighed. "But Lucius Malfoy deserves to rot in jail."

Hermione nodded her head in agreement, "yeah, nobody deserves to be alone though, imagine living with Snape full time." She shuddered.

Harry snorted, "yeah, I can imagine."

She gave him a weird glance but he just shrugged and took a sip of his pumpkin juice.

"Why were you with Malfoy?" Hermione asked suddenly as she reread the article.

"We were just both heading to the train. We didn't talk or anything." Harry tried to seem emotionless, Hermione was good at reading him, too good.

"You're lying." Hermione said flatly. She stared at him.

Harry was panicking, he didn't know what to respond with. Over Hermione's shoulder, Neville was wide eyed staring at Harry.

"Uhm, hey Harry, I've got a question about something, can we go discuss it for a moment." Neville said, getting up from his seat.

"Sure, yeah, of course Neville," Harry exhaled a breath of relief. He got up and followed Neville out of the hall.

"Thank you," he said, turning to face Neville. "Merlin, Hermione's going to find out."

"Why haven't you told her yet?" Neville inquired.

"I'm not sure, I just don't feel ready to right now." Harry sighed, "I hate keeping it from her."

Hermione frowned from behind the pillar. This situation was getting weirder and weirder. What in the name of Merlin was Harry hiding and why did Neville find out before her?

Her mind was racing, she was dying to find out the cause of Harry's personality shift over the summer but it was just getting more complicated. She felt like she was invading his privacy listening to their conversation but she did it out of concern for her friend.