Drifting

Chapter 14: O.W.L.s and Firewhisky

"Picture us dancing real close,

In a dark dark corner of a basement party,

Every time I close my eyes,

It's like everyone left but you and me,

In our own little world,

The music is the sun,

The dance floor becomes the sea,

Feels like true paradise to me-" Beyonce Knowles featuring Sean

Paul, Baby Boy.

~*~

Harry and Draco lay side by side in the grass at the edge of the creek. Their OWL results had come before they had left for drivers' ed. in the morning. Harry had gotten Outstandings in Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, and surprisingly Potions. In Astronomy (they had given everyone one of two grades, depending on the number they had right and the number they had done before the incident) and Herbology, he'd gotten an Exceeding Expectations. For Divination he got an Acceptable and in History of Magic he got a Poor. Harry wasn't the least bit surprised by that grade.

Draco had gotten Outstandings on Charms, Herbology, Arithmancy, Potions, and Astronomy. He'd received Exceeding Expectations in Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration. On the Care of Magical Creatures and History of Magic examinations he had gotten Acceptables.

Hermione, not surprisingly, had gotten Outstandings on everything. She had been positively overjoyed when the three school owls had come through the window with their results. Harry and Draco stood there with identical looks of amusement on their faces at the reaction Hermione had when she looked at her scores. Dudley had just come into the room and Hermione had run up to him and swung his hand around in happiness. When she let go, Dudley had given her a horrified look and waddled as fast as he could out of the room.

"Oh, look!" Hermione had said. "They gave us a list of who placed where for each subject!"

Harry topped the year in Defense. Draco topped the list in Potions. Hermione won for Transfiguration and Arithmancy. Lisa Turpin had topped the year for Astronomy. Neville led everyone in Herbology. Blaise Zabini had topped everyone in Charms. Terry Boot had won for History of Magic. Susan Bones scored the highest for Care of Magical Creatures. Lavender won in Divination.

"Good job, Harry," Hermione said when she read his name at the top of the Defense list.

Harry who had already seen the top names said, "good job to both of you. I feel bad for Ron though, he didn't top anything."

Draco frowned. "He got second in Care of Magical Creatures."

"I think I got fourth," Harry said. "Hermione has third."

"You got sixth in Potions," Hermione cut in, trying to pry Harry away from his conversation with Draco.

"Yeah. You got second, good job."

Draco sent her a look that said, Harry's my friend now, so if he doesn't want to talk to you, too bad.

Hermione looked mildly hurt. Since Harry's face was turned away from hers, she knew he hadn't seen her sadness.

"Harry, could I borrow Hedwig?"

Harry turned to her and she quickly masked the pain. He thought he saw it but since it was gone in a flash, he shrugged off the thought as a trick of the light.

"Of course. Want to pester Ron until he tells his score, eh? Or maybe you're just sending a love note..."

Hermione grinned and slapped him playfully on the arm. For a moment, she thought the old Harry was back.

"Something like that," she said, blushing.

Harry was up and down the stairs in a flash. He eased Hedwig off his shoulder and onto Hermione's. He handed her some parchment and a quill as well.

"There you go," he said, before turning back to Draco.

I almost had him back... Hermione thought in dismay.

~*~

"So," Draco started, rolling onto his side to face Harry. "What classes do you think you'll take? Dumbledore said we'd have to take the same ones, and drop a few to make room for the war training he wants us to do."

A thoughtful look came over Harry's face. "Definitely Defense, Transfiguration, and Charms. I'll have to do Potions if I want to have any chance of becoming an Auror. You have to do five, right?" Draco nodded. "Then I'll do Care of Magical Creatures to keep Hagrid happy."

"I'm doing all the same, except Care of Magical Creatures. I'll do Arithmancy instead."

"Hmm. What do you think training's going to be like?"

Draco paused. "I dunno. Probably learning wandless magic, since we all have the ability to do it. Higher lever spell work. Healing spells for quick fixes during a battle. Maybe physical fighting."

Harry grinned. "It seems like you already know what we're doing."

"I have my connections, Harry. But no, I have no clue what we're doing."

The two fell into a comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

"My birthday's in two days," Draco said, tired of the quietness.

Harry sat up. "Really? I'll have to get you a present."

"You don't have to. My mum's already getting me a Firebolt to match yours and there's not anything else I want."

Harry lay back down, staring up at the clouds. He tried to think of things that Draco would possibly want.

"Do you have any books on Seekers or their moves?"

Draco shook his head.

"Good."

Harry knew he'd have to get to Quality Quidditch Supplies within the next day. He wondered if he could get his Aunt to drive him since he wouldn't have his license for another fourteen days. He, Dudley, and Draco were all taking the test August second, since their birthdays had all passed at that point. Piers and Hermione were taking theirs in September. Hermione would be leaving Hogwarts for it.

"Harry, Malfoy, time to come in!" Hermione yelled to them.

Harry stood up first, brushing the grass off his shorts. Then he held out a hand to Draco, who took it to hoist himself up. They set off towards the door.

~*~

"Thanks for driving me Aunt Petunia," Harry said.

It was Tuesday afternoon, the day before Draco's birthday. Harry had asked his Aunt before dinner if she could take him in to London. She had agreed, saying she needed to get away from the house.

"Really, it's not a problem."

Harry reached over to turn the radio up but Petunia grabbed his hand.

"I want to ask you something. I overheard you and Draco talking about 'special training'. During the First War, I remember Lily, James, and Alice and Frank Longbottom had special training. What exactly are you going to be doing?"

Harry looked quizzically at his Aunt, wondering how she had overheard his and Draco's conversation in the backseat of her car. He shrugged.

"We don't know what we're going to be doing yet. Dumbledore didn't say. Draco said that it's probably going to be training to fight and win the war. Possibly some healing spells, too. Why?"

"You're going to need contacts. Lily made James get them too, his glasses were always falling off or getting lost after he got knocked to the floor."

"My dad had contacts?" Harry said in wonder. "I didn't know he had anything that was Muggle."

Petunia smiled sadly. "There's a lot you don't know about James, Harry. You would have loved him very much, your mum too."

Harry felt a lump building in his throat. Tears gathered at the edge of his eye, threatening to fall.

Don't cry. Do anything but cry. Don't cry... he chanted silently, praying it would work. To some extent it did. He wasn't crying outright but a few tears fell.

He barely noticed Petunia park the car and unbuckle herself. He looked up only when he felt a pair of arms around him. Petunia was hugging him tight.

"I shouldn't have mentioned it," she said. "I'm sorry."

Harry shook his head. "I shouldn't keep crying about people I hardly knew. Let's just go."

Petunia nodded in reply. She released him and opened the car door, stepping onto the concrete of the parking complex they were in. Since they were on the fourth floor they'd have to walk down a few flights of stairs. Petunia waited patiently for Harry to come out of the car. When he didn't however, she went to investigate.

His door was slightly ajar. A small picture was in his hands. It was worn and the right upper corner had been creased many times. Petunia recognized that picture. It was of James, Lily, Sirius, and herself. She had found it and had been storing it in the glove compartment of her car. Whenever she'd get too lonely, she'd get the picture out. It was her habit to crease the right upper corner. She wondered how Harry had found it. Petunia had always kept the picture well hidden from everyone. She assumed it had fallen out when she had gone to retrieve her sunglasses from the compartment.

Harry looked up at her. Petunia was a little surprised to find that there wasn't a single tear on his face.

"It's a nice picture," was all he said.

~*~

Draco rang the Dursley's doorbell the next morning. Harry greeted him with a smile and drew a wrapped gift from behind his back.

"I thought I told you not to get me anything," Draco said, trying to be stern even though it was the first time he had ever gotten a birthday present from a friend and he was ready to burst with joy.

Harry shrugged. "It's not like I follow the rules."

Draco tore the rest of the wrapping paper off and a book was revealed. Draco scowled slightly until he read the cover of it.

It was titled Legendary and Upcoming Seekers. Each Seeker had his or her own page. Draco eyes scanned through it and widened when he came to the last few names.

Diana Holmes: Salem Academy Thunder team (America)

Draco Malfoy: Hogwarts Slytherin house team (England)

Gina Mikaels: Salem Academy Lightning team (America)

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Gryffindor house team (England)

Kelly Wilson: Beauxbatons Merlin house team (France)

Andy Zuman: Aurora Academy Huron team (Canada)

Draco flipped through the book to the fourth to last page. He saw a picture of himself holding the Snitch triumphantly in a game that he won against Ravenclaw. Under it was a biography.

Draco Thomas Malfoy,

Draco Malfoy has been Seeking for the Slytherin Quidditch team at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since his second year (1992). He showed much talent for his position at a young age while attending Quidditch camps.

Draco was born on July 21st, 1981. He has spent most of his life living in Malfoy Manor with his father and mother. His father was a notorious Death Eater and was killed in Azkaban. It was reported that Draco and his mother had moved but no one is quite sure to where.

We hope that someday we will see Draco playing professionally.

Draco looked up in awe.

"I can't believe I'm in a book!"

Harry laughed. "Another thing you'll get used to once you become a famous Seeker."

Draco flipped two pages forward to read Harry's page.

Harry James Potter,

Harry Potter has been Seeking for the Gryffindor Quidditch team at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry since his first year (1991). He showed great talent for his position since he first got on a broom, chasing Draco Malfoy in his first year. It has been reported that he is the youngest Seeker in over a century. When Dolores Umbridge gave Harry a lifetime ban from Quidditch in his fifth year, Ginny Weasley took his spot.

Harry was born July 31st, 1981. After his parents' tragic deaths and his defeat of the Dark Lord, Harry was sent to live with his only relatives, his Muggle aunt and uncle. He returns to their home every summer but is known to leave as soon as he can to rejoin his friends.

It has been rumored that Harry will become an Auror but we hope that he will change his mind and decide to Seek professionally.

Draco closed the book. He looked up at Harry.

"Thank you, it's great. Er, what happened to your glasses?"

Harry grinned. "You're welcome. I figured you would like it."

"Your glasses?"

Harry pulled them out of his pocket.

"I don't need them anymore. I got contacts last night when Aunt Petunia took me to get your present."

Draco looked confused. He didn't know much of anything that was Muggle.

"They're prescription lenses that take the place of the glasses. Here, look at one."

Harry reached up to his eye and got the contact out. He balanced it on his finger and Draco came next to him to look.

"Cool."

Just then Hermione came in and gasped.

"Harry, what happened to your glasses?"

Harry and Draco burst into laughter as Harry went to go find a mirror so he could put the contact back in.

~*~

"Why are you coming with me?" Draco asked.

He and Harry were walking along the road to Draco's house. It was 5:00 and they had gotten back from drivers ed. about an hour ago. Draco had been telling Harry stories from his birthday parties in the past and the two had lost track of time.

"I felt like it."

Draco shrugged. Over the last few weeks he picked up on the fact that Harry did a lot of things with no real reason.

When they reached the house, Draco stuck his key in the lock and opened the door. Inside everything was dark. Draco flipped the light switch.

"Surprise!"

Blaise and Ginny jumped out from behind the couch. Blaise came around it and hugged Draco, planting a large kiss on his lips. Draco was sure he was blushing the color of Ginny's hair.

Next came Ginny when Blaise had pulled back. She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. Before she pulled away, she whispered a quick message.

"You should thank Harry for this. It was his idea."

When Ginny had moved on to Harry, Draco was sure he was blushing even more. It wasn't every day that the two hottest girls that you've ever seen hug you and kiss you.

Draco turned to Harry and saw that he was trying to explain what contacts were to both Ginny and Blaise. Harry glanced up at him and gave him a small smile.

"Shoo," he said. "Go back to the star of the party."

Blaise sauntered back over to Draco. Ginny followed after giving Harry one last kiss. They each took one of his hands and pulled him to the space they had cleared in the center of the room.

"Harry, turn the music on, will you?" Blaise asked.

Harry nodded. Soon there was loud music pumping through the house. Blaise and Ginny started dancing, moving their bodies next to Draco. Within a few minutes, it was like they were in a club.

Harry curled up in a chair in the corner of the room. He didn't dance and he didn't want to. He didn't care if Ginny danced that way with Draco. He just wanted Draco to have fun.

Harry had found that he was more of an observer than a doer. At parties he liked to watch the others more than party with them. He liked seeing them all happy; it made him happy too.

Draco stepped away from the two girls and came over to Harry.

"Why don't you get up and dance?" he asked.

"Watching is better. Anyway, I can't dance."

Draco shook his head. "No one just watches at my birthday parties. They get in on the action. Honestly, I think Ginny would much rather try out her moves on you then on me."

Harry didn't move. "I can't dance," he said again.

"So I'll teach you."

Harry hesitated. He knew he would make a fool of himself.

"C'mon. You'll need to be able to dance for your party too," Draco prodded.

"I've never had a birthday party in my life," Harry said sadly. "I just get presents in the middle of the night."

Draco looked taken aback. Harry had never told him that he hadn't had parties.

"Have you ever had a party for anything?"

"Besides parties after Quidditch games and the Yule Ball, well, no."

Draco felt genuinely sorry for Harry. There was still so much he didn't know about the other boy. He had no clue what his childhood had been like. It must have been bad if he never had a party. All I knew was that his aunt and uncle hated him.

"Well come on then, Harry. I'm going to teach you how to dance. You're going to have a birthday party this year whether you like it or not. I'll make sure of it."

Harry smiled and stood up, allowing Draco to pull him back to the girls.

"We have an emergency, girls," Draco said.

The two girls stopped dancing immediately.

"Is something wrong?" said Blaise.

"Did something happen?" Ginny asked.

"It's more of a something that never happened," Draco said.

Blaise and Ginny looked confused.

"What has Harry never had in his life?"

"A Voldemort-less life?" Blaise guessed.

"No - well that too - but no. It happens on July 31st."

"A birthday party!" Ginny exclaimed. "We've tried to do it in the past, we really have. Dumbledore would never let him come until it was August though."

"Right. Now, if his birthday party is going to have music, what does he need to learn?"

Blaise smiled. "My area of expertise; dancing."

Draco nodded. "So we are going to teach him."

~*~

Harry steered Ginny out of Draco's house a few hours later. Narcissa had come down earlier with a bottle of Firewhisky. She said that on her sweet sixteen she and her friends had gotten to drink Firewhisky. It was a tradition in her family.

Blaise and Draco drank until they were so drunk Harry was sure they were going to start shagging on the couch. Harry had drunk a few glasses. He found that it wasn't that easy for him to get drunk. Ginny had drank quite a few more glasses than Harry had, though not as many as Blaise and Draco. Still, it had been enough to make her giggle constantly at nonsense things and sway on her feet.

Ginny had latched herself onto his arm. Her head rested on Harry's shoulder.

"You are never drinking Firewhisky again," Harry snapped.

Ginny started giggling. Harry groaned.

"You're really cute when you're angry," she said, slurring the words slightly. "Draco's cuter though."

Harry stopped dead in his tracks. She doesn't mean it. She's just drunk.

"Would you rather date him than me?" the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop him.

Ginny began to giggle again. "Of course, silly."

Harry didn't move. "Are you going to go back to him?"

"I think I will."

She skipped off back to Draco's house, barely noticing Harry running away from her. She let herself in, stumbling through the hall to where Narcissa was standing, cleaning up the food.

"Oh dear, you're drunk too. What about Harry?"

"Harry...he's...oh no..."

Realization of what she had just told him registered in her brain. She hadn't meant a single word of it. She knew Draco was cute but she loved Harry with all her heart.

"You said something you didn't mean, didn't you?" Narcissa asked. "It happens to the best of us. Soberus. There you go. I suppose you should go fix things between you and Harry."

Ginny nodded. "Thank you."

She rushed out the door and began sprinting to Harry's house. She blew through the door and brushed past Petunia, running up the stairs to Harry's room. She threw open the door and stopped when she saw Harry.

A pair of green eyes stared at her, looking more lost and hurt then ever. A knife was being slowly drawn across his skin.

~~**~~