When Ginny had come back from rounds, she�d told Harry that she�d run into Ron and
Pansy and they�d proposed all of them going to The Hog's Head for a bit. With
the war over and security tightened around the school and village of Hogsmeade, it was allowed for seventh years to go out on
weekends until midnight. Harry had agreed that it was a good idea and added
that they should see if anyone else wanted to come along. Ginny had mentioned
Parvati and Theo, and he had added that they should find Hermione to see if she
wanted to join them. He hadn�t even considered Malfoy in the equation.
He was planning a fun evening with his friends after a long week of studying
and stress. One minute he had been walking down the corridor with Ginny,
smiling and laughing at her story of her and Blaise�s rounds that evening. And,
the next he saw red. Hermione, his innocent, sweet friend, was being pinned to
the wall and mauled by the blonde, ferret, death-eater-wannabe.
�Hermione!� Harry called sharply, despite Ginny�s
nails digging into his hand.
He shook off Ginny�s restraining hand and lunged forward. He grabbed Malfoy by
the back of his robes and pulled him back as hard as he could. Then, before the
man could straighten, Harry punched him in the stomach.
�Get off of her!�
�Harry!� both Hermione and Ginny screeched at him, but he didn�t have time to
react before he was thrown back from Draco�s punch to his face.
They both froze when a wand appeared between their panting faces.
�Don�t make me do it,� Ron�s said softly from the side.
�That evil git was mauling our best friend!� Harry
shouted.
Draco sniffed derisively, but before he could comment Hermione shouted back,
�Do I look mauled to you, Harry James Potter?!�
Harry took in her reddened lips, messy hair, and shirt that needed adjusting
and almost said yes. But, he also noted that Draco looked much the same. Harry
had to admit to himself that, as much as he wanted it to be otherwise, they
simply looked like two people who�d had a good snog.
�No, not now,� he conceded.
With a tsk, Hermione moved to Draco�s side. Ron,
Pansy, Theo and Parvati all looked at Harry with varying degrees of
disappointment, and the look on Ginny�s face made Harry wince.
He flexed his sore jaw, �Gin, I��
She stepped back, �Don�t!�
He watched as she shook her head at him and then straightened her shoulders and
looked past him.
�Draco, are you okay?� she asked to Harry�s consternation.
�Yeah,� he answered. �No, tha��
But, whatever he was going to say was stopped by Hermione�s outburst as she
rounded on her best friend.
�What the hell was that?! What were you thinking? WERE you thinking?!� she
shouted at him as she poked her finger repeatedly in his chest.
He stepped back to avoid her finger and ended up against the wall they had
previously been leaning on, �Hermione, I��
�Apologize now, Harry!� she demanded.
�What? No!� he answered; shocked that she would ask that of him.
But, then he saw something he hadn�t seen since the middle of the war.
Hermione�s eyes actually flashed in her anger. But, unlike when it had been
directed at their enemies and he had been almost happy to see it, this time it
was directed at him and it scared him stiff.
�I mean, um, okay, Hermione, no problem. I will,� he placated, his hands raised
in defense.
�Now!� she snarled.
He flicked his eyes in Malfoy�s general direction,
�Sorry.�
�Like you mean it, dammit,� she hissed as she punched
him on the arm.
He flinched and held back a grunt as he fully faced Malfoy and looked into his
face. The smirk and raised eyebrow on the blonde man�s face were almost enough
to make him punch him again. But, one glance at Hermione�s face and he
swallowed his bile, �Sorry, Malfoy.�
Draco nodded once, but continued to smirk as he watched Harry�s pride squashed
under the foot of the tiny witch at his side. That is until Hermione turned her
anger on him.
�Now you!� she demanded.
Harry had the minute pleasure of seeing the smirk fall away as Malfoy looked
down at Hermione. �What? Why?�
�You hit him, too, Draco. Apologize!�
�But, he��
�Now!�
Harry was pretty sure her eyes must have flashed again, when he saw the pale
man grow a bit lighter and his eyes bulge slightly.
�Um, okay, Hermione. Okay.� Then his eyes lifted and
he looked into Harry�s face, �Sorry to have punched you after you punched me,
Potter.�
�Draco!�
�What? I did it,� he answered.
She shook her head him and turned to Ginny, �How about we make this a girl�s
night? I don�t think I can take anymore testosterone tonight!�
Ginny nodded and turned to the others, �How about you two gentlemen take these
to jerks and talk to them about what it means to be a grown up? Pansy, Vati,
let�s go.�
Harry started to call her name as she turned and walked towards the doors, but
she stopped and faced them once again.
�Oh, and ten points from Gryffindor because their Head Girl is dating a
hotheaded pain in the ass! And, ten from Slytherin for
fighting in the halls!�
Draco harrumphed. Theo and Ron both sighed. And, Harry stepped forward to say
something to her. Ron stopped him, with a hand on his arm, �Let her go, Harry.�
Harry sighed and looked at Hermione apologetically, �Hermione, I��
�Uh uh.� She said as she walked away from him. It
stung and it wasn�t helped by the twin looks of disdain thrown at him by Pansy
and Parvati before they kissed their boyfriends and hurried after the other
two.
Harry was left standing with two ticked off Slytherins who looked ready to beat
him to a bloody heap, and a best friend who looked ready to join them. He
stepped back a little and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
�Way to go, Potter,� Draco snarled at him.
�Shut it, Malfoy!� he snapped back. �If you hadn�t been��
�Been what? Snogging my
witch? What? Jealous? Sorry, Potter, I don�t swing
that way.�
�Why you�� Harry lunged at him.
Ron and Theo each grabbed one of them to stop them from hurtling at each other
once again. And, they all grunted at the impact as they fell into each other.
�Um, guys?� Greg�s voice interrupted them from the hall on the side.
They turned to see him holding hands with Millicent and staring at them like
they were exotic zoo animals.
Theo was the first to pull back and straighten, �Hello, Greg. Millicent.�
�What�s up?� Millie asked. �You guys about to fight?�
�Not anymore,� Ron answered for them. �Right you two?�
Harry saw Draco nod and did the same as they all stood straight and pulled away
from one another. Greg and Millicent walked closer and then she looked up and
down the hall.
�So, where are all the girls?�
�They went to The Hog's Head for a while,� Theo answered. But, the look he shot
Draco and Harry spoke volumes.
Greg shuffled his feet uncomfortably, but Millicent dropped his hand and
stepped forward.
�So, let me see if I�ve got this. You guys are all here about to knock heads
and the girls are gone. And, the only two with any real issues still are Draco
and Potter. So, I�m guessing Potter finally grew a set and started a fight over
Granger. So, what Draco, did you finally do her?�
Everyone blinked at her uncanny recount of events she hadn�t been there to see
happen, even if she had overshot things a bit.
When no one spoke, she fisted her hands on her hips, �Okay, if none of you have
the balls to say it, I will. Hell, I�m sick and tired of hearing Pansy bitch
about it anyway. Draco, you need to get over yourself. That damn chip on your
shoulder is starting to take the place of your head. Which,
by the way, is stuck up your ass. Granger likes you. A
lot. Be a man and make a move, but don�t dick around with her. The
chick�s got enough self-esteem issues without you adding to it. And, you
Potter, take a page from your own damn book. You keep telling everyone that
will listen, even those that don�t want to, that Blaise needs to grow up and
get over the past, as if that isn�t the pot calling the cauldron black. Draco
was a shit; it�s not new news. Neither is you being a hotheaded ass who jumps to conclusions about every damn thing, Theo being
a geeky ponce, or Weasley being a dumbass. And, you
know what? None of you are the catches you think you are. You should be on your
knees thanking the fates that anyone gives you the time of day. But, all you
can think about is your stupid petty pasts and your egos. Well, get over
yourselves and each other. Potter, grow up! Draco�s not going away and he wants
to be with Granger, Merlin only knows why. Whether you want to admit it or not
he�s changed and you need to accept it. And, you, Draco.
Potter�s her friend and he ain�t going anywhere
either. You want to get in Granger�s knickers, you
need to accept that they�re guarded by Potter and Weasley. That means you need
to learn to make nice with them or you lose your shot.�
Everyone just stood staring at her in shock and in the extended silence she got
angry.
�You�re all wankers!� she growled. �Come on, Greg, let�s go get you that drink at Madam Puddifoot's.�
Greg�s face reddened, but he nodded and followed her down the hall away from
the others.
Theo finally broke the silence to mutter, �I�m not a geek.�
�But, you are a bit of a ponce,� Draco laughed a
little.
�Well, that�s better than being a shit,� Theo retorted, but not angrily.
�Or, a dumbass,� Ron mumbled irritably. �I�m not stupid, you know.�
Draco crossed his arms and laughed a little more, �No, you aren�t Weasley, you
just act like it.�
�That�s rich coming from Mr. Chip on his shoulder,� Ron rejoined.
They all turned to Harry and saw that he didn�t share their little bit of
mirth. Draco sighed and relaxed his arms.
�Look, Potter, Millie did get at least one thing right in her little tirade.
Hermione and I are going to see each other, whether you like it or not.�
Harry grunted and stuffed his hands in his pockets to keep from pulling his
wand and hexing Draco into a pile of bat poop.
Ron, who was not happy to have had his night out with his girlfriend cancelled
due to Harry�s anger issues, looked at Draco, �I just want her happy and she seems
to be.� Then, he turned to Theo, �Come on, Theo; let�s go get some butterbeer in the all-common room.�
Harry sputtered at Ron�s retreating back, but didn�t know what he would have
said if he called him back, so he didn�t. Then, he turned to see Draco laugh at
him and head in the opposite direction towards the dungeons. Left standing
alone, Harry frowned and moved to stand near the tall windows as he tried to
understand the last fifteen minutes of his life.
�What the hell happened?� he asked out loud.
�Well, it seems you�ve finally achieved complete idiocy, as you seem to be
talking to a window pane.�
Harry looked into the reflection of the window and saw Professor Snape sneering
at him from a few feet away. He didn�t move; he didn�t make a sound as he
stared at the reflection of the man who he�d felt so many things for most of
his school life. For the majority of the time he�d known Severus Snape he had
feared him and suspected him of being pure evil. Each time the man had been
proven innocent, Harry had stamped down his shame or forgiveness because of the
hawk-nosed man�s abrasive personality. Later when the greasy-haired, bat-like
man had killed the former headmaster, Harry had known hatred the likes of which
rivaled his feelings for only Tom Riddle himself. He�d dreamt of dismembering
his potions teacher slowly and painfully for his betrayal. And, he�d felt fully
justified for every mean thought he�d ever had of the traitor.
But, then, in the midst of the war, at a time when he wanted nothing more than
to see the awful Death Eater pay for every crime he�d committed, he�d seen the
memories of a young man whose life had been torturous and never his own. He�d
seen the miserable loneliness of the child; the painful, unrequited love for
Harry�s own mother, and the abuse at the hands of his father. Harry had learned
that things had rarely been what they�d seemed. And, while the feelings of
betrayal lingered, he no longer felt the hatred he�d once carried around like a
banner.
He wondered what life would have been like had his mother returned Snape�s
affections. Would he even be there? Would the war have turned out differently?
Would Snape have become a nicer person? Would they have learned to lean on and
trust one another?
�Not bloody likely, Mr. Potter!� his potion�s teacher interrupted his thoughts.
He�d forgotten the man was a skilled legilimens and
had apparently been hearing his every thought.
Harry turned to face him, �Stop that!�
�Five points from Gryffindor for disrespecting a teacher,� Snape hissed.
Harry�s face reddened in anger, but the dark man before him continued, his
voice low but without its normal derision, �How dare you speculate about MY
life! You�re just a rash, foolhardy, proud, ego-driven child, just like your
father.� Then, he took a breath to calm himself
further and continued, �But, you are also a loyal, brave, strong young man
whose eyes have seen too much suffering in their time. You will never
understand me, you foolish boy. Don�t try! You will never truly know the things
I�ve done or why. But, I will allow you this. When all one is isn�t good
enough, and all one knows is proven wrong, a person will cling to whatever or
whoever shows them approval, even if that approval comes at the cost to their
very soul. Add this to your list of unending, useless questions, Potter. What
might a little understanding have changed?�
With that, Snape turned and strode away, his robes billowing around him,
leaving Harry to stare in silence after him. He heard the man mutter to
himself, �Old Fool and his new beginnings! Some will never let go of the past!�
as he turned the corner.
Harry turned back to the window feeling the same shame he�d fought against all
summer creep up again as he thought on Snape�s words. Had he ever been fair to
the man? Had he even once given him the benefit of the doubt? Even when
Hermione had pointed out to him time and again that Snape was on their side,
had he, Harry, ever given quarter? Did he even try to believe there could be
good in him? Would a little understanding on his part have made things any
different? Would Snape have looked at him differently? Would they have been
friends now if Harry had� Friends?
Hell, no. But, maybe more friendly. Should he approach
the prickly wizard and thank him for his role in the war? Maybe if he did, it
would open the door to finding out more about his mother; what she had been
like as a young girl. Was it too late now? Had he lost the chance? Should he go
to Snape and apologize?
Harry sighed heavily as he turned to go back to the Gryffindor tower talking to
himself as he walked, �Well, Gin, that little chat may not have been what you
had in mind, but at least it happened. It�s a start, I guess. But, he�s still
an ass. I mean, seriously, what was that about my eyes? Was it a compliment? The Severus Snape version of an olive branch? A backhanded,
slapping olive branch, but one nonetheless?�
xxxxx
�But, what started it?� Parvati asked once again,
her voice tinged in exasperation, as it was the fourth time she�d asked.
The trip to The Hog�s Head had been completed in near silence as Hermione and
Ginny each silently fumed, and Parvati and Pansy tried to figure out quietly
between them what could have happened to start everything. Then when they
arrived at bar and took a table in the back corner, Aberforth
Dumbledore noticed them and bustled over to say hello and catch up on things.
His actions during the war and Rita Skeeter�s
tell-all book had changed him and his establishment. Where before he and his
bar had been a dirty, scary, and unapproachable, the slight fame he received
from the book, as well as for helping Harry, Ron and Hermione had turned him
around completely. It had started with him revamping the bar to make it
brighter, cleaner and more inviting. He�d also taken to shaving and making
himself more like the man he had been when he and his brother were younger.
The reemergence of Albus into his life had been the final spark to light his
previously dark life and he had turned into the complete opposite of his former
self. Post-war Aberforth was a talkative, attentive
barkeep, dependable friend and neighborhood busybody. Things had changed so
much that The Hog�s Head was almost an unofficial auror
headquarters, as well as the place to go to for the latest gossip in the
wizarding world.
As such, it had taken the four of them almost half an hour to get the man to
leave the table, so they could talk. And, the moment he�d gone to get their
drinks Hermione had launched into her list of frustrations with Harry, Draco
and Blaise, and Ginny had chimed in accordingly. Unfortunately, this left Pansy
and Parvati still not knowing what had caused the most recent fisticuffs.
Finally, Ginny answered, �Harry saw them kissing and lost it!�
�Ah!� Parvati exclaimed, her face a mix of understanding and curiosity.
Pansy surprised them all by laughing, �Finally.�
�Huh?!� Ginny asked in surprise.
�What I meant was,� Pansy answered, �it�s about time for things to come to a
head. They were going to fight it out at some point anyway. It�s what boys do.
The two of them have been holding back for years.�
Parvati nodded, �True. But, I�m surprised Ron wasn�t in the mix.�
Pansy shook her head after taking a sip of her drink, �Nah, he wouldn�t be,
would he? I mean, he and Draco have always shouted, insulted each other and
fought. They got their aggression out when they were upset about it. And, this
year, they�� her eyes flicked to Hermione�s for a moment before she continued
with a slight blush, ��they seem to have come to an understanding. But, Harry
always held it in and Draco always held back with him.�
�But, why do I have to be the catalyst?� Hermione sighed as she put her drink
down.
Parvati answered, �Probably because they have nothing really left to fight
over, but they still need to get it out.�
Hermione huffed and took another sip of her drink as she muttered, �Boys are
stupid!�
Ginny nodded around her glass and when she put it down added, �And hotheaded! I
mean, what is wrong with him?!�
�Which one?� Parvati joked.
�Harry,� Ginny answered seriously. �Why can�t he really let go of all this
anger he carries around? And, why is it so focused on Draco?�
Hermione swallowed her bite of chicken wing and sighed heavily, �Because he
can�t let loose on the people he�s really angry with.�
�What? Who?� Ginny and Pansy both asked, as Parvati
tried to around her bite of hamburger.
Hermione looked thoughtful as she lowered her voice and answered, �I would
think Professors Snape and Dumbledore. I mean, he hasn�t really talked to
either since they came back. I know I still have issues with some of the things
Professor Dumbledore put us through last year when he could have just told us
or Harry that� well, I can only imagine what Harry is keeping inside every
class. And, it can�t help that he knows the truth of Professor Snape�s past
with his mother, but the man still treats him like dirt.�
Ginny pushed her food away dejectedly and took a long pull from her drink. �Am
I being too hard on him? I keep pushing him and fighting with him and stuff. Am
I making it worse, do you think? I�I asked him to go talk to Professor Snape.�
Pansy shook her head, �No, Gin. You�re doing fine. You�re treating him like
he�s a person, not a hero or demi-god. He needs you
to balance out all the others out there.�
�And, as for the Snape thing,� Parvati added, �Harry just needs to learn to be more understanding sometimes, and not jump to conclusions
about people. I mean, I�ve heard Harry complain about him and suspect him of
stuff since we were little.�
Hermione shook her head, �No. I mean, yes, Harry could learn to be more
understanding, BUT Professor Snape did always act suspiciously. And, he was
mean to us, plain and simple. He treated Harry like the disgusting goo at the
bottom of an overused cauldron from the start. He was the adult. Harry was an
11 year old scare child who was hated by Professor Snape at first sight. And,
he didn�t give a reason until just last year; and that was only when he thought
he was dying. There were legitimate reasons for Harry to be suspicious of Professor
Snape each time... just as he had real ones to distrust Draco back then. The
only difference is Draco was a scared child then, too.�
Parvati nodded her agreement and added, �And, that Draco has since apologized
and tried to change.�
Ginny sighed, �I�m sorry, but I don�t much feel like a girl�s night anymore. I
think I�m going to head back and make sure he�s okay. See if he wants to talk.�
The others nodded their understanding and Pansy offered to go back with her.
She wanted to spend more time with Ron anyway. Hermione said she would go, but
Parvati said she would stay with her, so she could at least finish her food.
When the other two had left, Hermione noticed the sparkle in her friend�s eye
and warily asked what that look was for all of a sudden.
�Now that the drama�s over, at least for the time being, it�s time for you to
spill!� Parvati giggled.
�Spill what?�
�You finally kissed the oh-so-hot, Draco Malfoy! How was it?�