Change of Hearts

Change of Hearts

Chapter 3

The four of them walked towards the carriages. Harry opened the door to the nearest one. "After you," he said.

On the way to the castle, he absentmindedly played with the barbell in his mouth.

"Harry," Hermione exclaimed suddenly.

"What?" he asked looking at her, still playing with the barbell.

"What is in your tongue?"

"A barbell."

"You got your tongue pierced too?"

"Yeah."

"So that's what the metal thingy is called?" Draco asked.

"Yeah."

"Interesting."

"I take it you like it?" Harry asked him.

"That I do."

"Now I know you didn't tell us everything," Ron accused.

"You're absolutely right, Ron, we didn't."

"Harry, I'm your best mate."

"And what secrets are you hiding? I know I don't know everything about you."

"Go ahead and tell them, it's not like they wont find out sooner or later," Draco said in Harry's ear, sending a chill down his spine.

He would have responded, but the carriages had pulled to a stop.

"What's going on, Harry?" Hermione asked him once the sorting was finished and conversations had started among the other students.

Harry however shook his head. "Later."

It was the only word he'd said at dinner that night. His thoughts and gaze kept drifting to Draco Malfoy.

*****

Draco looked down the table at the other sixth years. Crabbe and Goyle ignored him, Pansy Parkinson kept sending him wistful glances, and everyone else stuffed their faces when not talking. All of them being raised in wealth as they were would never dare talk with their mouths full of food.

"'Smatter, Malfoy?" Blaise Zabini asked. "You look like you could use a drink."

"Don't worry about it Zabini. Just thinking is all."

Thinking is right. Thinking about the past...

**Flashback**

They all stared at him. He was the last champion to face the dragons, and he had to face the Hungarian Horntail. The beast was huge, needless to say, and dangerous from all angles. Spiked tail that left yard-long gouges in the ground, large mouth full of deadly teeth and fire should she choose to unleash it...

Potter raised his wand.

"Accio Firebolt!" he shouted.

The crowd was still, silent, waiting. What did he want with his broom, Draco had wondered. Was he planning to have the dragon set it on fire so he could use it as a torch?

It would certainly help Draco out in Quidditch. Maybe he'd be able to win for once...

The broom came and Potter swung his leg over it and took off. He looked magnificent, free, calmer than he'd looked in weeks. He had more color in his face now, Draco noticed.

"Great Scott, he can fly!" he distantly heard Bagman shout as they all shrieked or gasped. "Are you watching this, Mr. Krum?"

Potter flew higher, circling. The dragon watched his every movement. So did Draco. He couldn't take his eyes off of the green-eyed wonder. Potter dodged another fire burst as if it were nothing but a Bludger. Bludger? Potter was playing Quidditch!

Her tail clipped his shoulder. Draco winced, not noticing what he was doing anymore. Potter flew like crazy, zooming first one way and then a drastic change for another direction. Draco noticed that he began to tease the dragon. It was subtle, yet it was working.

Potter flew higher, she tried to reach him. Her neck was stretched to its limit but he was still flying higher and higher.

Another burst of fire that Potter again easily dodged.... His lips parted slightly.... She reared, spread her wings.... Potter dived speedily towards the eggs.... He grasped the golden egg.... Speeding off again he held the egg under his uninjured arm.

The crowd cheered louder than they'd done for the previous three champions.

"Look at that!" Bagman roared. "Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!"

Once he'd landed Professor's McGonagall, Moody, and that great oaf, Hagrid rushed to him.

Draco sighed in relief that Potter was safe, though not realizing it at the time...

**End Flashback**

Yes, that had to be the first time he'd had any interest in Harry that had nothing to do the fact that they were rivals. Or at least the first time he could think of.

*****

The three of them stayed behind as the other Gryffindors slowly emptied the cheerful common room.

"So what is it, Harry?" Ron asked as the last dormitory door shut.

"You first," Harry insisted, not really wanting to tell them.

"What do you mean?"

"Look, we've all got secrets. If you really want to know mine, tell me one of yours."

"Harry, that's not--"

"I know you don't think it's fair, Hermione," Harry interrupted, "but it's my decision to tell. If you don't want to, then go to bed."

"You really want to know my secret, Harry?" He nodded. "One of them, sure."

She walked over to him, slowly, seductively, and kissed him.

The kiss took him by surprise. It wasn't chaste or sweet like it had been two years ago, but fierce and passionate.

She pulled away reluctantly for some much needed air. "I think I love your tongue ring, Harry."

Harry laughed. "I don't think you're the only one." He turned to Ron expectantly.

Ron shifted in his seat and turned beet red.

"I...er...Ihaveaboyfriend," he rushed.

They were speechless. "What?" Hermione finally whispered.

"My turn," Harry recovered before another of their fights broke out. He told them everything--well almost everything. He left out the little part about the kiss.

He studied their reactions. Hermione looked both shocked and disappointed, Ron just stared with his mouth hanging open.

"How are you supposed to help him get over you?" Hermione asked after a long silence.

"I don't know," Harry answered shaking his head. "But I've got to. No one else can really."

"Maybe you should date him," Ron suggested.

"Why, so he can go on double dates with you?" Hermione asked bitterly. She gasped and brought her hands to her mouth in shock. "I'm sorry. Ron, I am so sorry. I didn't mean that."

"Then what did you mean?" Ron asked standing. He was bright red again, though this time it had nothing to do with embarrassment. He was furious.

"Stop it, both of you," Harry intervened.

Ron broke eye contact with her and stormed upstairs. Harry didn't blame him in the slightest.

Hermione sat in the chair he'd been sitting in and stared into the fire. "I don't know why I said that," she said quietly.

"Then why did you?"

"I don't know, I wasn't thinking."

"Could it be partly due to the reason you kissed me?"

She blushed. "Yeah, but maybe he's right."

"He's supposed to get over me, Hermione. Not fall in love with me."

"He already is, Harry. Don't you see? You need to break his heart. People don't get over the things they love, they move past the things that hurt them. Right now Malfoy's heart is safe. Once it's broken, it needs to be healed. Healing makes people move on."

"I can't do that, Hermione! I can't get into a relationship with him with the intention of breaking his heart! That's not like me at all!"

"Sometimes we have to do what we don't want to, Harry."

"I know that, Hermione, believe me, I know. Probably better than you. And if we do date, what if things work out? That could get him killed. That I cant do. I can't be responsible for his death. I'll not have another person's blood on my hands."

"You don't have blood on your hands, Harry!"

"Yes I do!" Harry shouted. "Sirius wouldn't have died if it weren't for me."

She gaped at him. "Is that what you think? That you're responsible for Sirius's death? Merlin's beard, Harry, why?"

"Because he wouldn't have gone there if I hadn't."

"You didn't know any better! Kreacher said Sirius wasn't home. Bellatrix killed him, Harry, not you. Not you." She paused, clearly thinking. "And if that's how you feel, then don't help Malfoy."

"You want me to turn my back on him?" he practically yelled.

"No! But he needs to get over being gay too. Maybe he doesn't need you. Maybe he needs Pansy."

"What are you saying?"

"Everyone in the school knows Pansy is in love with Malfoy. She'd gladly help him."

"How? By jumping into his pants?"

"Yes."

*****

Draco sat alone in the deserted Slytherin common room with his nose in his potions book.

"Draco, can I talk to you?"

Draco jumped. When did Pansy show up?

He put his book down and shrugged. "Sure."

She sat down in the chair opposite him. "I heard you talking to Harry Potter on the train today," she said jumping to the point. "Do you really think he can help you?"

"Why do you care so much?"

"I have been in love with you since first year, Draco Malfoy. I want to help you."

Draco looked at her doubtfully. "How can you help me?"

"Easily. You need to stop being gay, so what better way than a girl?"

"How many times do I need to tell you that I am not interested in you, Pansy? I don't even want to stop being gay."

"But--"

"Believe me, I know what's at stake here."

"Sometimes we have to do what we don't want to. You would do well to remember the last time you defied your father."

Draco pulled on the collar of his finely tailored shirt exposing a broad scar on his chest.

"How can I forget?"

His father had cut Draco's chest with a cursed dagger, making the wound not only hurt more, but make it bigger and take longer to heal--and no magic could do it. All because of an argument in which Draco had called Lord Voldemort a failure and a "sorry waste of power". Needless to say, Lucius didn't take his son's view of his master too well.

Pansy had been the one to care for him, that summer two years previous. She rushed to his side, not letting anyone, save his mother and her house elf, near him.

That was when she told him that she loved him. It hurt him, that she loved him. He'd already realized the truth about himself and hadn't told anyone, not even his mother. He could never love her the way she did him, so in his fever he pretended not to hear her.

Everyone knew now. Even his father.

Perhaps that was the reason he hated Draco's sexuality. With the Parkinson family as an ally, their side would be even stronger.

But Draco didn't want that side. At the end of his last year at Hogwarts, his father planned to force him to become a Death Eater.

"Serve the Dark Lord or die, Draco,"

He would rather die.

Draco knew he may never have to choose. If his father killed him now, well, it would only be an earlier trip to the grave.... He almost longed for it...wished for it....

But maybe, just maybe Pansy had a point. It could all be just an act, as long as his father believed it. And the whole school believed...

But what about Harry?

Harry had promised to help. Harry had set aside five years of taunting and tormenting in fifteen minuets, just because he, Draco Malfoy, had asked for his help.

What would the resident Golden Boy do if Draco said nevermind? Would the hero turn his back on him again?

It's what I'd do, he thought. But then again, Harry is not me. He's completely opposite of me...

"I'll consider it, Pansy," he said and got up from his chair and headed to bed.