Chapter Text
When Draco decided to come back to Hogwarts for the so-called eighth year he expected it to be the worst year of his life. He was worried that he would have to fight off people wanting to hex him or even worse. However the most people did was ignore him, students acted as thought he wasn’t in the room, teachers even passed over his raised hand to questions and such. At first Draco thought it was worse than the hexing or fighting, but as the weeks went by he started to enjoyed the solitude. Most of the returning Slytherins were treated as such but none so thoroughly as him, though Pansy was probably a close second. However as soon as she could she went to the boy-who-lived-again and apologized to him about trying to give him up to Voldermort, explaining that she was scared out of her mind. Potter ever the bigger man forgave her saying he understood and in the end had given himself up so others could survive. As word of her apology and his forgiveness spread the Slytherins were more included into the whole inter-house unity thing, everyone but Draco.
Only one person interacted with Draco and that was Potter himself. Potter always tried dragging Draco into any conversation he was in. Constantly asking his opinion on the news of the day, the weather, his classes, the layout of the eighth year common room, basically anything and everything he could to get Draco to talk. At first Draco scoffed, externally of course, but over time he started to answer, first with grunts before moving on to one word answers, and finally full answers.
The hardest part was sharing a dorm room with Potter, he didn’t know how he was either unlucky or lucky enough to have that happen. Since both boys appeared to suffer from nightmares, they spent a lot of time awake and Potter seemed to feel like talking was the best way to get through the night. At first Draco just listened, but soon was putting in his own two Knuts. Draco told him about life growing up in Malfoy Manor and listened to the life Potter had been forced to grow up in. Both boys awoke the next few days with a better understanding of the other. Draco wouldn’t say they were friends but clearly they weren’t rivals or enemies anymore.
Around Halloween time the rest of the eighth years had grudgingly accepted Draco into their lives. Potter continued to draw him into conversations and Draco had taken to sitting on the sofa nearby Potter and his group if nothing else than to keep him from shouting across the whole of the common room. Draco couldn’t help himself, he had always been drawn to Potter, at first because of his fame, and then by his jealousy, but now that all that was gone he found himself still pulled into the raven haired boys pull.
Christmas time was growing nearer and Draco was glad for the break, he had been working so hard this year, he had noticed that as more of the eighth years included him, so did the rest of the students and even the faculty. Draco was determined to get the best marks he could for his N.E.W.T.s though he wasn’t sure what kind of reception he would have in the working world. When the sign up sheet for those staying in the castle went up Draco was the first to sign up. For a few days he thought he might be the only one to be staying however two days before the break he noticed that on other name had joined his, Harry Potter.
“How was your last class Draco?” Potter asked as Draco flopped down onto the sofa. Potter had told Draco many times to call him ‘Harry’ and had taken to calling him by his first name though Draco had yet to actually offer that comrade.
“Long and dull, Potter.” Draco sighed. “But at least the classes are done and everyone leaves tomorrow.”
“Not everyone.” Potter replied.
“So I saw. Why are you staying?” Draco couldn’t help but ask.
“Why are you?” He countered.
Draco let out another sigh. “Mother has decided to move to France, she always did prefer the Villa to the main Manor, and with my fath…” Draco choked on the word. “With Lucius,” He sneered the word. “In Azkaban, there is no one to go back to. Plus the Manor doesn’t feel like home anymore. I would sell it off but no one would buy that awful house.”
“I know that feeling, the only place that has ever felt like home is here, in Hogwarts, that is why I was so glad that we got to repeat the year. Plus I didn’t want to go back to a lonely house by myself either. I have been trying to remodel and fix up Sirius’s home but it is slow going.” Potter answered.
Draco knew that he was distancing himself from the Weasely family, not because he didn’t love and care about them, but they were still in morning for their son, and with him and Ginny not getting back together it was awkward around them.
“Well Potter, I hate to say it but I’m kind of glad not to have to spend the holidays alone.” Draco said as he stood up and headed to their dorm room.
“Me too Draco, me too.” Potter said from the sofa.