Changed (Drarry)

Chapter 3

The next day, Harry did come back to the shared Common room to study, but he completely ignored Malfoy. Once or twice he was close to saying something, but he stopped himself.

After an hour or so, Ginny walked in. At first, she was a welcome distraction from the piercing eyes of his enemy, but then she recognised Malfoy and drew him into the conversation.

The blonde boy didn't seem to mind much, he didn't talk most of the time, occasionally commenting on either Harry or Ginny.

After that day, Malfoy hung around Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione much more, and sometimes around Luna and Neville too.

And slowly, Harry started to appreciate his company. Malfoy became less and less grim at times, and when Harry and Ron both missed Quidditch tryouts because of a joke Peeves had carried way too far, he honestly seemed sorry.

One day, when both Harry and Malfoy, were doing their homework, Ginny walked in.

For once, she seemed not at all pleased to see Harry, though she greeted him very warmly. She stayed around for a short chat but left rather quickly. Harry found this quite strange, but he forgot about it quite soon.

Much more extraordinary was that in the following week this happened much more often.

Ginny would walk into either the Gryffindor or the shared Common Room, see Harry and greet him without the warmth he knew so well.

The reason for this came soon, and when it came into his sight, it completely shocked Harry.

It was the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year. Ginny had been hit by a bludger in her last training and was forced to remain in the hospital wing, though according to madam Pomfrey it would be her last day there.

Harry had left with Ron and Hermione, and they were exploring Honeydukes when their dreams about sugar quills were rudely interrupted.

'Potter?'

Harry turned around and faced Malfoy, 'Hey Malfoy,' he said, 'are you okay, you look worried.'

Malfoy shrugged, 'I think you'll want to see this.'

Harry turned around to Ron and Hermione, 'I'll be right back.'

He followed Malfoy outside and nearly fainted.

Ginny was there, out of the hospital wing and kissing Dean Thomas. Harry wanted to scream, to break them apart, to curse Dean. But he seemed frozen.

Without uttering a single sound he allowed Malfoy to lead him back inside, where he remained shocked. He couldn't explain what he'd seen to Ron and Hermione, but luckily, they didn't ask him.

Malfoy remained with them for the rest of the day, until they went back to the castle.

'Hey, Potter, could you wait up?'

Harry nodded at Ron and Hermione, who went for the common room.

'Sure,' he said, 'why?'

Malfoy sighed, 'I'm sorry,' he muttered, 'for everything. For being such an arse over the years.'

Harry just stared at him, realising this was not what he'd expected. Draco Malfoy, his old enemy, apologising to him for the years of rivalry.

'It's all right Mal- Draco,' Harry replied, 'You have saved my life, by saying you didn't recognise me, by letting me disarm you, even by staying alive.'

Draco raised his eyebrows, 'I just thought I should say it. And also about just now.'

Harry shrugged, 'Don't worry about it, I'm glad to know.'

The blonde boy in front of him grinned, 'All right then, bye Harry.'

Harry walked after Ron and Hermione, thinking about what had just happened.'

On the Saturday before the Express would leave for a new autumn holiday, Harry still hadn't confronted Ginny. He had completely stopped talking to her, something that annoyed Ron immensely.

'You should treat her with respect!' he'd sometimes shout, 'Blimey, Harry, do you have any idea how much you're hurting her?'

Harry had been planning to talk to her that day, but couldn't until the afternoon, for Ginny was still on the quidditch team, and they finally had their first match of the year, Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw.

Harry, Ron and Hermione were watching from a box near the Ravenclaw hoops, with Neville, Luna and Draco behind them.

Luna had given her roaring lion hat to Neville and had made one with an enormous eagle on it, though she still wore red and gold face paint.

'I'm supporting both,' she'd simply said, and for Harry, who was used to her being extraordinary in the least, that was a good solution.

When the match started, he felt a blow of sadness, for he should have been out on that field too.

Gryffindor played very well though, Ginny and Dean seemed an amazing team. Within thirty minutes, they had scored nearly twenty goals, and Ravenclaw was behind by one hundred and thirty points.

At that point, both seekers seemed to detect the snitch, for they spurted away at the same time, to the goalposts of Ravenclaw.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw Ginny take the quaffle and throw it towards the Ravenclaw seeker, who didn't at all seem to expect it. The big red ball hit his head and knocked him off his broom, just before he could catch the snitch.

Hermione seemed to forget all about the match, she pulled out her wand and pointed it at the falling seeker. 'Aresto momentum!'

He froze in the air and was summoned by Hermione, just as the Gryffindor seeker closed his fingers around the snitch.

The whole stadium seemed to explode, teachers rushed towards the shocked Ravenclaw seeker, Luna forgot there was an eagle on her hat and cheered along with everybody and Ginny and the Gryffindor team flew onto the ground.

The players were surrounded by students, either complimenting them or shouting at Ginny for being a human bludger. But when Harry walked up to her, he was startled.

Dean pulled her close and kissed her, right in front of everyone. The cheering stopped within a second, and everyone looked from Ginny and Dean to Harry, and back.

When they finally broke apart, Ginny caught Harry's eye.

'Harry, I-'

He shrugged and looked away, 'Just go celebrate,' he muttered, before walking back to the castle.