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Firework	By : KusanoSaku Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Draco Views: 29682 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 12
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All rights for the creation of the Harry Potter novels go to J. K. Rowling. I make no money from this piece of fictional writing

Chapter List
- 11
- 12
- 13
Title: Firework

Fandom: Harry Potter

Pairings: LuciusxSeverus, mentions of past/unrequited NarcissaxRegulus, one-sided HarryxDraco?, mentions of TedxAndromeda

Summary: A little AU after the First Task for all his apparent forgiveness of Ron for abandoning him, he's incapable of forgetting. The Triwizard Tournament forced Harry to grow up and changed the way he looked and things as well as what he focused on. Complete AU from the day of the Third Task. Harry doesn't want to participate in the Tournament; he has said he has no wish to win. What happens when he refuses to search for the Triwizard Cup?

A/N: The title is in reference to the song by Katy Perry. If fit the story so well when it came on the radio after I took a dinner break while writing. Prior to that son play this fic had no name. Its just a random story idea that I couldn't shake but it seems to be shaping into a nice storyline.

Chapter 12- to ride the wind

It was Saturday, the day after Draco had dragged Harry to the rooms he was to share with Remus for a while.

Harry yawned, stretched and bit and then tried to curl up with his pillow.

"You're awake. Good. Get up. We're going outside."

"No'm not." Harry muttered disagreeably.

"Don't make me drag you out in your pyjamas."

"Too cold."

"I'll dress you myself then."

Harry let out a moan, "Wouldn't dare."

A laugh sounded.

Harry wondered, exactly how many times in his life he'd heard Draco laugh? He pushed the thought away, hiding his face in his pillow.

"Will so. Now you're going to get up before I have to drag you out of bed."

Harry groggily sat up.

To his surprise and horror, Draco was standing there in his Quidditch kit tossing a snitch with his left hand and clutching a Firebolt in his right.

Harry shook his head, "Uh uh you aren't getting me up in the air."

"It's either you go flying with me or Granger is taking you into the kitchens to convince the house elves they want to be freed like Dobby." Draco said in a tone that was ambiguous as to whether it was a warning or a threat.

Harry groaned, "You're crazy, look what happened last time I flew? You almost killed yourself."

"You're not riding your Firebolt. You're riding mine, with me."

Harry turned beet red, "No way." Since when did Draco have a Firebolt? Had his father replaced his Nimbus 2001?

Draco grinned at him, "You saved me. Now it's my turn to save you."

"Don't need savin'." Harry mumbled.

Draco raised an eyebrow, "Really? I think you do. Now get dressed. I'm stepping out long enough to be polite. I'm ordering breakfast for us so you better hurry. I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Fine! Whatever!" Harry said childishly, as he extricated himself from his bed. "Now get out."

Draco smirked whistling an unfamiliar song as he made his way out of the room.

Harry too lazy to bathe cast a refreshing charm on himself before reluctantly dressing in his Quidditch kit. Slipping in his worn, ancient trainers he made his way to his bedroom door yawning.

"Professor, look who's up?"

"Morning pup."

Harry glanced at them groggily, "Morning for what it's worth."

Remus sighed, "The 'leave me alone, I loath all life including my own attitude' doesn't suit you."

"Just because you taught me for a year doesn't mean you know me." Harry muttered.

"Harry!" Draco snapped, "He's only trying to help."

"Don't need help." Harry grumbled.

Remus sighed, "You do. You're just scared to ask for it. When I walked onto the Hogwarts Express I wanted so badly to have a friend, just one and I would have been happy. Yet I was too shy and had such a low opinion of myself. I was passing carriages and searching for a place when your father called out and asked me to join them. He'd known Sirius and Peter forever. James, your father picked me out of all the other first years to be his friend, me, the disgusting dangerous werewolf. I grew up isolated, my parents both ashamed of me and hyper protective."

"So?"

Draco grabbed Harry's arm, "New rule. If you can't say anything nice you will be quiet. If you say one more self-deprecating or cruel thing I will hex you into silence and as your friend I would certainly rather not have to."

"Whatever."

"Harry!" Draco snapped.

"If we're going let's go before I decide to go back to bed."

"Oh no you won't." Draco said tugging him out the portrait door, "You're going flying."

Harry yawned and decided it was less exhausting to let Draco have his way.

Draco half led, half dragged him up the stairs from the dungeon and out of the castle towards the Quidditch pitch.

When they reached it, Draco let go of his Firebolt and it righted itself, hovering at his side at the right level to mount.

Draco mounted the broom; sitting a bit farther back then normal and patted black vanished wood, "Get on." His voice soft and inviting but his eyes were hard and commanding.

Reluctantly Harry mounted the broom.

An arm slipped around his waist, a firm body pressed tight to his back and Draco's left hand reached in front of Harry to grip the broom's handle.

"Close your eyes."

Harry did so automatically.

Thighs brushed his as they pushed off.

Cold fall wind whipped their cheeks as they soared.

Harry said quietly, "Don't let me fall."

Warm breath teased his bare neck and ruffled his hair.

"Never." Came the barely audible words.

Eyes closed and held snugly, Harry let out an involuntary sigh of contentment. He was floored, he felt…safe. SAFE! That was impossible. He knew better. He did. So why?

He felt the familiar feeling of a dive. His hands flailing wildly as he tried to find the broom handle to pull them out.

The last time he'd dived it was to save Draco…

They stopped mid- dive and levelled out.

Arms, two of them now were encircling him.

"It's alright. You're safe. I promised remember?"

Harry opened one eye and looked over his shoulder, muttering, "Promises are meant to be broken."

Draco snorted, "Not if they are sincerely given. I haven't saved you yet Harry. I won't let you fall. Do you remember our first match? I was lording over you because I had the newer broom. You had an older model but you had a year's worth of experience on me. Despite having mad Bludger that tried to kill you, you still got the snitch. Merlin Harry, for all my childishness you always seemed more mature, sometimes even aloof to my attacks. Then there was dueling club. I tried everything to make you back down, quit, to scare you. Nothing worked; you got back up and faced me over and over. Why can't you get up now? Tell me that."

Harry turned away, mumbling, "Sometimes one gets tired of picking oneself up."

"Its Weasel…I mean Ron isn't it? He was your first friend ever. That meant everything to you. You dealt with that dragon together, you saved the philosopher's stone together, and you rescued his sister from the Heir's monster."

"We snuck into Slytherin together."

The arms holding him stiffened, "You did what?"

Harry sighed, "It was stupid. You were a Slytherin and always going on about how the Heir was going to purify the school and Mudbloods were going to die. Ron decided, at least I think it was Ron, that you were the Heir because your family had been in Slytherin for ages. We brewed, well 'Mione brewed the Polyjuice Potion. We took cakes from the table and added some sleeping potion to them. Put them out knowing Crabbe and Goyle wouldn't resist them."

Draco groaned, "So it was you two at the staircase playing dumb? I thought it was odd. The voices were all funny and come on one of those idiots wearing glasses?"

"You made a snide comment that you didn't know I could read."

"Then you two tore off like you were running from a lethifold."

Harry shrugged, "The Polyjuice was wearing off."

"Merlin! You mean you actually thought I was attacking students? You thought I would do that? Uncle Sev would have turned me over to Flitch if he knew I used that word. It was forbidden."

Harry blinked, "What?"

"He hates that word. Seeing that he used it on your mother, his best friend who was like a sister. He would have expelled me himself if I'd been the Heir."

"Strange." Harry muttered, "To find he has a heart after all."

"Really?" Draco asked softly, "I've always known he had one. It's strange to find out the Hero of Gryffindor is a broken man."

"Fifteen year old teenage boys aren't men." Harry muttered.

"Shattered boy then. I never wanted to see that."

"Then don't." Harry said stiffly.

"I'd rather teach you how to smile again."

Harry scoffed, "You don't teach someone to smile." Sometimes Draco could be really stupid for someone who spent four years fighting for marks with 'Mione.

His chest hurt, he hated thinking about 'Mione. Was she or wasn't she his friend? She stood by him during the tournament when no one else did. She encouraged him when he wanted to change his options. She didn't laugh at his desire to be a healer rather then an Auror like his father. Hermione even offered to help him catch up in ancient Runes but didn't push when he said no. Hermione pushed them to not break the rules and lectured them about doing their work. Yet despite her protests she still let them read her notes and rewrote their papers. She condoned their cheating, why? He wished she'd forced him to do his own work instead of giving in when Ron bullied her. Was she afraid they'd stop being her friends if she didn't?

Ron had always been a bit cruel, his words had edges like a sword but until last year when his name came out of the Goblet of Fire he'd never really felt the brunt of it. Now he'd felt more then his cutting words, he'd felt the power of his fists. It was almost like being pummelled by Dudley but it hurt worse because this was someone he'd once believed was a friend.

He was poked.

"No thinking unhappy thoughts. That's rule two."

"What is it with you and rules. First I can't say anything mean to myself. Now I can't think?" Harry grumbled.

"I'll do whatever it takes to build you back up." Draco said solemnly.

Harry wished Draco was doing this out of love rather then friendship but he didn't believe that was possible. "Whatever." Why did Draco holding him make him felt so happy? He felt the pressure of Draco's prick against his arse, not hard but definitely there. He groaned as he felt himself harden. Oh Hell…

"Harry? What's wrong?

"Nothing! Let's get this over with so I can go to bed." Harry snapped.

"Oh no. You're not going back to bed until it's a reasonable hour for it. No earlier then eight tonight."

"What am I supposed to do for twelve hours then?" Harry scowled.

"Homework. You're going to do the extra readings and write the essays we were assigned. Then you're going to work on the packet I got from Professor Vector. If you do the packets on top of the class work you can probably take your Ancient Runes OWL at the end of the year. That is if you'd like to catch up to Granger and I in Ancient Runes." Draco said flippantly.

Harry snorted, "You're crazy. You really think I can do three years worth of study in one?"

Broad shoulders shrugged, "I think Harry that you can do anything you want to. You want to be a healer? Be a healer. Fight for it. You want to study Ancient Runes? Study hard. You want to fly? Fly! I saw you the first time you rode a broom, your first Quidditch match, your first ride on a hippogriff. You were born to fly. Your skin was meant to be kissed by the wind, hell your hair looks like it got caught in a windstorm anyway."

Those words meant the world to him but thanks refused to come.

The sound of sniffing came from behind him.

"What?" Harry asked viciously, "You think I smell? You weren't about to give me time to bathe earlier."

A soft bit of laughter came from behind his head, "No. You don't smell. You have a unique scent though."

"What would that be?"

"The smell of someone who has ridden the wind. Mixed with the smell of earth after the rain and chocolate."

Harry stiffened; Draco had to be teasing him.

"I'm not kidding, you've got a unique scent."

"Whatever." Harry mumbled.

"That has to be the most pathetic word in the English language." Draco muttered. "You're better then that. Now enough chatter. We're here to fly."

The other arm that was holding him moved, the hand grasping the golden wood of Draco's Firebolt

"Remember…"

Remember what? Harry thought.

Draco held him close as they went into a steep dive only to pull out of it after a few dozen feet.

Then they proceeded to do some loops and other stunt like flying.

Draco laughed and it was musical.

"Tell me Harry. What us the most dangerous move a Seeker can do?

"A Wronki Defense Feint." Harry yelled over the wind.

"Ever wondered what it feels like? I promise to pull out in time."

The dive was steep, not unlike the dive Draco made during their last match.

Draco pulled out fifteen feet from the ground.

Harry was laughing…

XoooooX

Ronald Weasley had been send home the night he attacked Harry. Now two days later it was time for his 'sentencing'.

Congregated in Dumbledore's office, were Lucius Malfoy- representing the Hogwarts Board of Governors, Severus Snape- Head of Slytherin, Minerva McGonagall- Head of Gryffindor and Deputy Headmistress as well as the Heads of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, Flitwick and Sprout respectfully. Ronald, his parents and Remus were present as well.

"I don't see why Remus is here." Dumbledore scoffed.

"He's a family friend who cares about Harry and heard he was attacked." Severus said quickly, "As a former professor he deserves to know how we're going to handle this."

"Fine. Not that I agree he deserves to be here. It is interesting that after chasing him out of Hogwarts you're inviting him back."

Severus snorted, "We're all allowed to make mistakes."

"So Ronald was drinking."

Minerva's face looked pinched, "He stole it from his of age brothers."

Severus snapped, "He was drunk. Which is unseemly behaviour for a prefect as is his assault of Harry and discriminatory manners regarding Harry's possible sexual orientation."

Albus' eyes twinkled, "I believe Harry insulted Ron's home first."

Minerva scoffed, "I interviewed most of my House, Harry said that just because some people called The Burrow a barn didn't make it one."

Dumbledore waved his hand dismissively, "It's clear the House would support Harry. Whatever the reason I believe a two-week suspension will suffice."

Severus was horrified, "Two weeks? Are you,"

Lucius grabbed his arm.

Severus swallowed the rest of his protest, "I must insist that he be dismissed as a prefect. I strenuously objected to it when I heard he was chosen and this proves I was right that he is not and will never be the right person for authority."

Lucius nodded, "You took away Annie's Head Girl position because you felt breaking a betrothal contract and eloping would set a bad example. I believe that Ronald's assault of Harry Potter is a more heinous crime."

Dumbledore scoffed, "Don't pretend to care for Harry. Don't act is if I don't know that you attempted to magically assault a twelve-year old boy."

Lucius' eyes narrowed, "I never would have actually hurt him. My behaviour was wrong. I was acting out like a child who had a toy taken. Severus is letting himself care for Lily's child. He refused to let himself feel anything for the boy. It was destroying him, I could see it but I dare not bring it up. I'll fight for Potter if that's what he wants."

"I don't approve of being run rough shod over by the Board of Governors." Dumbledore said coldly.

Lucius glared, "Then you should be looking out for your students. Did the students who were here during the Opening of Chamber of Secrets receive any means of dealing with the trauma? No. How about after the riot? No. Now we have a murder of a popular student before most of the students. They can't focus on their studies and they have nightmares. The Board of Governors is willing to pay for the Mind Healers."

Arthur glared, "The Opening of the Chamber of Secrets was your fault."

Lucius shrugged, "Perhaps, perhaps not. That's not the issue. The issue is, the assault on Harry by your youngest son. Surely you don't condone it."

The fireplace was alit with green flames and Ted stepped through, "Sorry I'm late."

Dumbledore glared, "Who are you?"

"Ted Tonks. I'm a Mind Healer. I am attached to the Janus Thickey ward at St. Mungos. I was asked to review a dream orb that contained dreams from Mr. Potter's nap. If half of those things happened to him we have a very troubled boy who needs help."

"Why are you here?"

"To give my findings on Harry."

"You have no right to speak with a students without the permission of his guardians."

"Legally his guardian should be Sirius Black, his godfather. However, that is an impossibility due to his status as an escaped prisoner. I would be willing to state that any guardian blood or otherwise who refuse to allow a child in their care proper care following a traumatic event is negligence bordering on the abusive." Ted said hotly, "As such I refuse to acknowledge the Dursleys' guardianship."

"You're dangerously overstepping your authority as a Healer." Dumbledore said sharply.

Ted snorted, "Don't try to intimidate me Dumbledore. I'm Bonded to a Slytherin. They invented intimidation. I was requested by a member of your staff not only to look into Harry's issues but also to help organize a team of Mind Healers to help counsel your students. I accepted. Why Headmaster did you not approach me?"

"It's up to the parents to see to such things."

Severus scoffed, "What if the parents were dead? I came home to find my parents dead the summer of Sixth Year. I know you had knowledge of it because Mr. Evans wrote you to tell you that I was staying with him. Yet not one staff member mentioned anything. I was still treated with the same chilly distain by Slughorn who continued to try to destroy my potions."

Dumbledore shrugged, "IF the Evans were taking responsibility for you then they should have insisted that you see someone. I don't see why any of that is my responsibility."

Severus said bitterly, "Even Muggles have someone on staff for students to confide in or receive psychologist healing from. I thought we were supposed to be more intelligent then they are."

"I've decided that I will allow his perfect badge to be taken away. However to avoid drastically injuring his marks he will be assigned homework and suspended for two weeks. It is up to his instructors to decide how he will make up the work."

Severus was furious, "He assaulted another student, a friend. You think that assault is only worth a two-week suspension, the loss of his prefect badge and he is allowed make up work? Albus are you out of your mind?"

"I'm not going to expel him for a dispute with another boy that got out of hand." Albus said as pleasantly as if he were discussing the weather.

"Just like when Sirius tried to kill me, you're going to brush over the issue." Severus said bitterly.

"That was just a school boy prank."

Remus was incensed, "School boy prank? I could have killed Severus! He sent a boy into the den of a werewolf knowing I would either kill him or make him like myself. He turned me into a weapon!"

Albus shook his head, "You're making too much of something that happened years ago."

"If I'd killed Severus," Remus protested.

"You didn't." Albus said brightly.

"I could have! Then the Ministry would have put me down. It would have mattered that I had no memory of it or that Severus should not have been there, all that would have mattered was that I would have killed someone." Remus said sharply, "You're a fool Albus Dumbledore, all Sirius got was a proverbial slap on the wrist. If I remember correctly Severus was punished more then Sirius which was wrong."

Dumbledore tilted his head quizzically, "Why? Sirius Black wasn't out of bed during curfew."

"Sirius deliberately sent Severus into the den of a werewolf during a full moon at the very moment that it was the most dangerous. If it weren't for James trying to protect his girlfriend's oldest friend I would have Severus' blood on my hands."

Dumbledore shrugged.

Which Lucius, Severus and Remus were currently interpreting as 'no great loss' and that infuriated them."

Molly cleared her throat, "I thought we were discussing Ronald."

"That arrogant git had it coming. Insulting my house, the one we let him come to. Dumbest move ever. Now he'd rather spend time with a pompous arrogant git like that poncy ferret." Ron snarled.

Molly shook him, "That's enough. You aren't helping yourself."

"Not like it matters. I taught Potter a lesson."

"What lesson?" his father asked.

"That I won't be ignored and that someone doesn't worship the ground he walks on or believes he's infallible. If he thinks he can just ditch me and follow around that pampered princling Malfoy hoping to get stuffed he's crazy." Ron laughed a bit maniacally, "No friend of mine is going to be bent. He's going to Bond to a nice girl whether he wants to or not. He's not going to have a relationship with a guy much less one with Malfoy."

Severus was horrified, "You're going to let him come back? Are you insane? He doesn't sound the least bit sorry."

Lucius glared at the tall Gryffindor, "You've got no right to be deciding who can be with whom. That's the kind of outmoded mindset that ruining us as a culture."

"What would you know? You're bonded to some rich bitch."

Molly stared at her son in mortification, "Ronald Bilius Weasley you apologize this instant."

Ron snorted, "Apologize? To a Death Eater?"

"I reputed the Dark Lord and I never followed him willingly."

"That's a load of rot." Ron said scornfully.

Lucius sneered, "Really? Then explain why I turned the Dark Lord over to the Ministry?"

"Because you're a coward who can't keep his word and abandons persons you swore loyalty to." Ron threw back.

Molly reached up to smack the back of his head, "Ronald Bilius Weasley! I did not raise you to speak to your elders in this manner."

Ron grumbled, "It's true! He's a coward."

"Peace, peace." Dumbledore said boredly, "I made my decision. Ronald will give up his prefect badge and have a two-weeks suspension."

McGonagall added, "I expect he will be writing an apology letter to Potter."

Ron scoffed, "Me? Write an apology to Harry? He's a poof! Gryffindor would be better without him. With your precious 'dark lord' imprisoned, what need do we have of the great and mighty Boy Who Lived?"

"Ron! Harry is a member of this family!"

"No he's not! He's an orphan. An unwanted, starved and beaten orphan."

Molly was shaking with anger, "You stop those lies immediately."

Ted sighed, "Mrs. Weasley, I'm afraid there might be some truth to his words. We have suspicions that his Muggle relations might be…mistreating him. We shall be making inquires."

Molly turned to Dumbledore; "You told me that Harry being locked in his room with bars on the window was all hogwash! You said Fred and George were exaggerating and up to tricks! Did you call my sons liars?"

"I have someone keeping an eye on the Dursleys and I have had no reports about Harry being locked in his room with bars on the window." Dumbledore said pleasantly.

Severus snorted, "Somehow Albus, I find I don't believe you."

"Severus, you owe me."

"For what? For giving me a job I was more then qualified to do?"

"For allowing you to join the Order…" Albus said haughtily.

Severus scoffed, "If you mean turn me into a spy, I was a spy from the time I took this thrice damned Mark. I know where James kept his records of my intelligence. I could prove myself innocent of any crime. He knew of everything I told the Dark Lord regarding you and Hogwarts. We even planned what sort of information to pass on. I told him what I learn from the few meetings I attended. I did promise to brew for the Death Eaters healing potions, though I claimed I couldn't get away with veritaserum or poison delivers. Thus I would not be indirectly responsible for murders. Every potioneer has a signature and surely my brewing could be traced so I was careful. If I thought anyone besides James in the Ministry were trustworthy I would have approached them. I turned to you and what folly? You didn't lift a finger to help them…James and Lily were murdered, the woman I loved like a sister was murdered while still carrying her second child. Harry was nearly killed and you sent him to PETUNIA? Were you out of your mind? She hated magic, thinks we're all freaks. She beats and starves Harry, treats him worse then a house elf for he slept in a cupboard. If I hadn't been nigh prostate with grief over the deaths of Lily, James and their daughter I would have protested. I would have asked to take him in…"

Lucius squeezed Severus' shoulder, "Calm down. Yelling at the Headmaster will change nothing."

Remus clearly wondered exactly how complacent in James and Lily's deaths Albus Dumbledore was. How much of a hand did he have in Sirius' imprisonment?

Lucius while clearly not pleased with Dumbledore's verdict turned to the Weasleys, "That is a far more gracious punishment then you deserve. Had you been a Slytherin you would have been expelled."

"I would have been cheered." Ron sneered.

Molly dragged him towards the floo, "You're lucky. Very lucky."

"Did nothin' wrong." Ron muttered.

"Be quiet you." Arthur said glaring at him

"I say that justice has not been done." Severus said sharply. "I hold you responsible Albus for any further mischief that boy does to Harry."

Dumbledore waved a dismissive hand, "Oh be quiet. He'll have learned his lesson. I'm sure of it. Its just boys being boys, they'll make up and be best for friends once more."

Ted snorted, "Harry will never trust Ronald Weasley again. He has betrayed him yet again. He trusts no one."

"Harry plays the innocent poor me and Ron plays the defiant 'I did nothing' character. It's all pretence and smoke. Don't pay it much heed." Dumbledore said turning back to his correspondence.

Severus stormed off, Lucius, Ted and Remus at his heels.

XoooooX

Draco landed; waiting in the centre of the centre of the pitch was a Malfoy elf.

There was a thick wool blanket; at its centre seated on a square of leather was a silver brazier with fire blazing. There were silver platters with fluffy biscuits, sausages and eggs. There was also a silver butter dish, a steaming silver pitcher, Malfoy china and silver ware.

Draco smirked, "Hungry?"

Harry's face filled with astonishment, "A winter picnic? On the pitch?"

XoooooX

Harry swallowed; did Draco know how romantic that was? He slid off the broom, eyes to the ground and mumbling, "Thanks."

Merlin and heaven help him, he wanted to throw himself at Draco and hug him for this…

XoooooX

Draco was surprised, one moment Harry was almost giddy with excitement and the next he was melancholy once more. "Is something wrong Harry?"

The teen in a Gryffindor Seeker kit shook his head, "It's fine…"

Draco sat patting the blanket, moving to dish up a place for Harry. Knowing he couldn't eat much, he gave him a little of everything before handing it to him. Grinning he poured him a cup of chocolate, "This should warm you up."

Shyly Harry began to eat, a moan escaped his lips everything tasted so good.

Quietly they proceeded to eat their picnic breakfast.

XoooooX

Severus stormed into his office, throwing himself into his chair and proceeded to hit his desk in frustration.

The door to his office opened and then shut.

Severus looked up to see that Remus was seething and Lucius was annoyed.

"Justice! Somehow I think that Dumbledore has forgotten the meaning of the word. I wish I could have succeeded in having him replaced three years ago."

"Your plan had holes, I told you from the being Lucius that it would not only fail but backfire. You chose not to listen to me." Severus glared.

"Another one of those times it would have been prudent to listen to you." Lucius aid jovially.

"If it had been a Slytherin who attacked Harry like that they would have been expelled immediately. Which is why I warned them to stay away from him. Just because he's Harry's former friend he gets special consideration. " Severus scowled.

"A two week suspension? Loss of his prefect status? That will hurt his future." Remus said annoyed.

"He was still lacking in remorse for his actions. He believed he had the right to attack Harry." Ted said thoughtfully, "How has he changed since you taught him? Or began teaching him in your case Severus."

Severus sighed, "I rarely pay attention to anyone if they can't brew. I'm not good with kids."

Lucius snorted, "No, you're a perfectionist and afraid of getting close to your students. You crave connection. That's why contrary to your protests you're so close to Annie and I, because out of our entire House we were the only ones to truly treat you are one of us. Lily didn't judge you by your parents, she befriended you, she stood by you and loved you."

Severus hated being predictable, "Huh."

"I thought he was skilled, lazy but skilled. Something like Sirius. Sirius never really put effort into anything." Remus sighed, "Until hearing them both rage about Harry being possibly bent did I realize how much they had in common."

Lucius frowned, "Aren't they related somehow?"

"Not closely. James and Sirius were more closely related; James' mother was the sister of Sirius' grandmother. Yet Ron is a Black through his grandmother Cedrella, ironically it was Sirius' mother who disowned Cedrella. There began the belief that Septimus was a bloodtraitor."

"You don't think that they suffer from the madness that occurs amoung the Blacks, do you?" Ted asked curious.

Lucius shrugged, "Madness occurs due to too much inbreeding. Sirius was Black on both sides, while Ronald and Bellatrix are Black on only one side. I believe that Ronald's great grandfather Arcturus and Sirius' great grandfathers Cygnus and Sirius were brothers."

"Interesting considering the vast age difference between them." Ted said thoughtfully.

"If Ron lays a hand on Harry again I won't be responsible for how it is handled." Remus growled.

"You really think he'll attack Harry again?" Lucius asked as he moved to stand behind Severus' chair.

"It was not dealt with properly, he feels no remorse and is vocal about forcing Harry to live life his way. That itself bodes great ill." Ted said sitting in a chair across from Severus.

"The only question is, how brutal that attack will be and who else will be injured." Severus said glaring at the desk.

XoooooX

Draco sighed; Harry was quiet, too quiet. He always worried when the Gryffindor disappeared into himself. "Are you alright? Did I do something wrong?"

Harry barely looked up, "No. Nothing. It's probably the nicest thing anyone's done for me. What do you want in return?"

Draco blinked, "I thought Friends did things for each other without expecting anything in return…"

Harry sighed, "I though Slytherins didn't do anything without some kind of reward."

Draco reached out to touch Harry's cheek, "I got to hear you laugh. That was the greatest reward. Besides, that was the first time I've ridden my Firebolt. I got to share the experience."

Harry stared at him, "You're kidding."

"No. I was ridding an older model until father gave me this." Draco patted the Firebolt, "I think it was to help me get over seeing you hurt. I don't know."

"Oh…."

Draco shrugged, "Who cares why I have one. I have a Firebolt and so do you. Some time we'll have to fly together and see who can get the most of it. I've flow Nimbus 2000 to Nimbus 2001, you still beat me. Even Firebolt against my Nimbus. You beat me with a weaker broom and then with a better broom, we've never flown on equal brooms…"

Harry shrugged, "I'm still not rejoining the team."

Draco smirked, "They've still got you down as their primary seeker. They aren't taking you off the roster."

Harry blinked, "But I quit…"

"I never made that challenge in earnest therefore you can't use it to quit. You aren't a quitter or a coward so you'll rejoin the team. You love flying. It's the only time you feel free. Your opponent doesn't matter, it you the wind and the snitch. Winning isn't as important as capturing the snitch. Taking the snitch doesn't always guarantee a win. It's more about pride. How far you can push yourself."

XoooooX

Harry hated how Draco knew all that. How he loved to fly…using it against him. He stormed off. Whatever game Draco was playing, he wanted no part of it.

What do you think? Outstanding? Exceeds Expectations? Acceptable? Poor? Dreadful? Troll?
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Firework