Chapter Text
“What the hell did you do?”
“Me? I told all of you not to bloody touch anything! I don't even know why you thought to bring others! It was a family—”
“Oh! Like family means anything to—”
“Enough! Whatever happened has happened. So, let's figure out what, exactly, has happened and if there's a way to reverse it!”
“Probably best we stay hidden. You got you two covered?”
”Yeah, yeah. Whatever. I think we ended up at Hogwarts. Let's just go see Dumbledore.”
”Oh, bloody fantastic.”
“Is...that...?”
“Oh, we are screwed.”
18-year-old Draco Malfoy grunted as he pushed his long hair out of his face, “Sure. Make everyone see just how much I look like my father.” He sighed and just leaned against the tree, pulling his textbook closer to him.
“Draco!” The blonde nearly dropped his book.
“Granger! For fuck's sake—”
“Why are you out here?”
Draco glared, “I'm allowed outside.”
Hermione rolled her eyes, “That's not what I meant, and you know it.” Draco's grip tightened on his textbook, and Hermione's face softened before sitting next to him, “I told you I'll cut your hair, Draco. We know you don't want reminders of Lucius.”
Draco groaned as hair fell in his face, “It's not the damn hair!” Draco slammed his textbook closed in his lap. “It's...never mind.”
Hermione sighed and stood up, “Come on. Defense is soon, and Harry has been worrying himself silly. He's still not willing to see if The Map still works after we had to rebuild Hogwarts.”
“He doesn't—”
“Draco.”
Draco sighed and stood up, “It's not even that bad.”
Hermione glared, “The Ministry took your wand then demanded that you somehow pass all your NEWTs without said wand to stay out of Azkaban when multiple people, myself and Harry included, spoke on your behalf in your trial. If it can even be called a damn trial.” The two started walking to the castle, “Literally, the only reason anyone was allowed to talk was because Harry's magic was out of control in his anger.”
“I still don't know why you did,” Draco grunted as he pushed his hair out of his face. “I was horrible to you, Weasley, and Harry.”
Hermione deadpanned, ”Draco, you point-blank lied when asked if Harry was Harry when your obsessed arse would have known instantly.” Draco's face turned red, “And then you tried to get your crazy aunt not to torture me before your mother pulled you forcibly away. Not to mention all the prisoners in the Manor have stories of you not only feeding them, but healing them. You're honestly lucky neither one of us grabbed you as we escaped when Bellatrix threatened to Crucio you for letting us escape with your wand.”
“That would have made things worse.”
Hermione shrugged, “But seriously. I'm cutting your hair after dinner. I'll make sure Headmistress McGonagall signs off, so there's no need for a full arsed investigation for cutting bloody hair. Or, I could just skip the hassle and do it the muggle way like I did when Harry, Ron, and I were on the run.”
“...Not that I don't trust you, but no.” Hermione actually laughed, “I'd rather have the written acknowledgement and the ability to have your wand checked.”
“Alright. I have a free period after Care of Magical Creatures. I'll talk to the Headmistress then.”
Draco flinched as a few students glared at him. Hermione scared the actual pee out of them with her own glare, “Seriously, Granger. You don't—”
“Hermione.”
“No. I don't deserve—”
“Draco!” The blonde turned and was suddenly being looked over. “Are you alright? Where the bloody hell were you?”
“Potter. For Merlin's sake,” Draco pushed Harry's worried hands away. “I went outside. It's not against anything.”
“That's not what I'm—” Harry took a deep breath. “I told you to keep my wand on you.”
Draco just rolled his eyes, “Not allowed, Potter. The most anyone was allowed to argue was an in-class wand.”
“How the bloody hell do these stuffy politicians expect you to pass fucking NEWTs with a wand that's not yours?” Ron crossed his arms.
“They don't,” Draco replied easily. “But it kept Mr. Out-Of-Control-Magic here pacified.”
Harry pressed his lips together. “Hermione, has Kingsley made any headway with the Wizengamot?”
“Nope,” Hermione deadpanned. “They're stubborn arses and don't want to give up what little power they have.”
“Give up what power?” Ron snapped. “Lucius Malfoy can rot in jail—no offense, Draco, but literally multiple fucking people have come forward—under Veritaserum, and said if it wasn't for this git—you're still a bloody git, they would be dead or down a limb! Hell, St. Mungo's was willing to sponsor him to get him out of Azkaban after several stories. NEWTs or no NEWTs!”
“Calm down, Weasel,” Draco drawled, crossing his arms. “I fucked up. I'll deal with the consequences.”
“They literally threatened your mother!” Ron yelled. “Even bloody Percy would have bowed to whoever the fuck if someone threatened our mum.”
Draco sighed, but didn't protest as Harry pulled him into a loose hug, “Can we...just go to class? Please? The Professor already doesn't like me.”
“Well, she's not fond of me either,” Harry stated. “Think she blames me for Tonks getting together with Remus.”
“How the fuck is that your fault?” Ron threw his hands up in the air.
“I don't know. Because I'm the godfather of Teddy? I can't read her mind. I also suck at reading people, period.”
“Except in Sixth Year. You were the only person to pick up on Draco being off,” Hermione smirked.
“Fuck you,” Harry and Draco said in unison.
Draco pulled away from Harry, and the green-eyed wizard suddenly took blonde hair in his hands and skillfully pulled it all into a messy bun and stuck his Holly wand in the center to hold it. Draco blinked, “Where the fuck did you learn to do this?”
Harry raised an eyebrow, “How much hair does Delphi have, and do you really think Kreacher would even attempt such nonsense? Your mother was all but begging at one point.”
The four made their way down the hall. “I'm still surprised you're as open as you are with Delphi, mate.” Ron put his hands in his robe pockets, “I mean... she's Bellatrix and Voldemort's kid.”
“And?” Harry rolled his eyes, “She's a baby. Barely younger than I was when my parents were killed. I'm not going to do what Aunt Petunia did. She can't control who her parents are. The best we can do is teach her to be better than her parents.”
“That and she's babbling in Parseltongue, and Potter's the only one who can tell the difference between ba-ba and no. Preferably before she gets pissed off and throws the offending object at us.”
The four entered a classroom, and Ginny was quickly in front of them, “Reid is...pissed. More than usual.” The five turned to the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Lydia Reid. She stood in front of a desk, shifting through papers, grumbling.
“Oh, fantastic. She makes me want to reconsider bloody Auror. Maybe I'll just help Fred and George in the shop,” Ron grumbled before pulling Hermione over to a table in a back corner. “Thanks, Sis.”
Harry nodded at Ginny before intertwining his fingers with Draco's and walking to another empty desk in the other back corner. Ginny returned to her seat beside Neville. Draco glanced at Harry before letting go of his hand to open his textbook. He jumped when Reid magically slammed the door closed. Harry linked their hands again. “Malfoy,” Draco flinched, but looked up at Reid. “What is that in your hair?”
Harry glared at Reid and squeezed Draco's hand, “My wand,” Harry spoke clearly.
Reid glared, “He's not to have a wand, Mr. Potter.”
“He's not allowed his wand,” Hermione spoke in her I-know-I'm-right-try-to-prove-me-wrong voice. “He's even allowed a wand for in-class practicals. As an Auror, I would think you should know this already.” Ron looked absolutely lovestruck at his girlfriend as she glared fire at the woman running the class.
Reid's face went red. Whether it was from embarrassment or anger was anyone's guess, really. “That is by the Professor's digression, Ms. Granger. Why would I allow a known Death Eater,” Draco flinched, and Harry's hair moved as if by a breeze as he squeezed the blonde's hand. “To hold any sort of wand and leave Mr. Potter unable to defend himself?”
Pansy Parkinson scoffed, “Are you blind or do you not read? The whole reason Potter's here for the repeat year is because his magic is lashing out. More than just Accidental Magic. I think Potter is more than protected.”
“Even so,” Harry pulled out The Elder Wand. “I'm not wandless. Despite not wanting to use this, it kept showing up after trying to return it to Dumbledore's grave several times. My Holly wand seems to like Draco just fine.”
Reid gritted her teeth, “Be that as it may, I still don't—”
“How do you expect him to even try for a passing grade?” Ginny leaned back, crossing her arms. “If you were even planning on grading him fairly to begin with. We're not stupid. Nor are we bloody blind. We've watched all the Professors over these few months. The Headmistress already has a list of suspicious Professors that she needs to watch to make sure Draco—and any Slytherin, for that matter—are graded fairly.”
“And yes,” Ron grinned innocently. “You're one of the top on that list.”
Reid gapped in outrage, “You can't—he's a Death Eater!”
“And he's dating Harry Potter,” Blaise Zabini deadpanned. “Before this year even started. Do you really think The Savior of The Wizarding World would date someone openly if he were what he was bloody fighting against?”
“People change,” Neville stated calmly, before glaring. “And sometimes, they're thrown forcibly into a pit of lava or have their mother killed by her own goddamn sister.”
“Oh! So now Death Eaters can change? Name one Death Eater that changed sides and didn't just lie through the First War's Trials!”
Harry leaned into Draco, whispering into his ear before standing up. He walked down the little aisle between the desks, “Regulus Arcturus Black. Yes, he joined the Death Eaters willingly. He believed in what Voldemort taught. However, he rebelled. He discovered one of Voldemort's horcruxes, created a perfect duplicate of the item, and died getting it away from Voldemort without his knowledge. Without him, I never would have discovered the other horcruxes.”
Reid spluttered, “T-that's just—”
“Severus Snape,” Harry continued, moving down the aisle. “Again, willingly joined. However, realized everything was far worse than he thought. Became Dumbledore's spy and protected me for seven years! Six within Hogwarts and one where he could while we were on the run.”
“Headmaster Snape also lessened the Carrows' torture of us where he was able, without throwing suspicion on himself,” Ginny leaned back in her seat. “First through Third Years were constantly in the Slytherin Common Room for treatments because Madame Pomfrey was forbidden from healing certain wounds.”
Reid was visibly shaking, “Was the report of Parkinson giving Potter up fake then?”
“Oh, no, I did,” Pansy looked at her nails. “But with Potter there, having absolutely no clue, and acting purely on emotion, it was obvious that Headmistress McGonagall would go into Mother Lioness Mode. We knew she would send all of us Slytherins to our Common Room. She believed it was to protect us, but we had to return without getting noticed. First through Third Years were injured and scared down there.”
Harry stopped just in front of Reid, “And, just in case you decide to go off on Slytherins next, Narcissa Malfoy looked at the Legilimency using Voldemort in the eyes and lied to his goddamn face. She saved my arse and was willing to die for it.”
“You can't—” Reid was cut off as the door swung open. “Headmistress!”
Minerva stood in the doorway with her arms crossed, “I do hope you remember there are surveillance charms and spells in every classroom, Professor.” Reid paled and gulped, “Mr. Potter, may I ask that you take over for this one class while I have a long discussion with Professor Reid. I believe you have adequate experience with your Fifth Year Class that I know nothing about.”
Harry smirked, “Of course, Headmistress, but I make no promises on staying on her lesson plan as I was to be taught as well.”
“Of course. Professor Reid, my office. Now,” Lydia Reid walked defeated out of the classroom. “Enjoy your lesson, students!” Minerva closed the door.
Harry took a deep breath and walked back over to his desk, and grabbed The Elder Wand. He pressed a kiss to Draco's cheek before walking back up front, “Alright.” Harry waved his wand with a mumbled spell. His stag Patronus walked down the aisle. Harry smirked, “I know we have a small handful here that can, but how about the rest of you learn to cast this?”
“Uh, we tried in Third Year when the whole school was overrun with Dementors,” Blaise stated. “It's not that bloody easy, Potter. You need a happy memory.”
Harry shook his head, “A memory is helpful. It helps you already know the feeling you need to cast it. But a memory is not required. Do you honestly think with all the shite I've been through that any memory would be happy enough?” Several students glanced at each other, “You already know what will make you happiest. Whether it's happened already and is an actual memory or is something you've yet to even admit to yourself is another matter. Focus on your happiness and push that feeling through, and you complete the spell.”
“Wait... seriously?” Pansy was gaping slightly. “It doesn't have to be real?”
“Nope.”
Several students stood up, and desks were moved away. Ginny, Neville, Hermione, and Ron started helping and showing their own Patronus. Harry returned to Draco, who was just looking down at the desk, “You okay?” Harry sat beside Draco. Draco didn't answer, and Harry pulled him into a hug, “Calm yourself. You have plenty of time, and then I'll help you with your Patronus, okay? There's no rush. We still have a full hour and twenty minutes of class time.”
Draco gripped Harry's robes. “Thank you.” Harry nuzzled Draco's hair before looking at the class.