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Harry recently has been itching to disappear lately. Not in a way that would worry his friends, no, he was tired of being noticed and he wasn’t going to use a Glamour Charm to get around Diagon Alley. So, this is basically how Harry found himself on a London Bus just riding about looking out the window. It was refreshing to just be around people without the stares and whispers, even though it has been 5 years after the war it seems the only thing that has died down is the request for hugs and autographs. Though going back to Hogwarts for 7th year was a reprieve from the public but a nightmare for the memories that stored there. With a sigh Harry looked around the bus and noticed many people just minding their own business; lost in thoughts and whatever little things they were doing.
Harry noticed a man reading a book with headphones on. He did a double-take because he could have sworn that was Draco Malfoy but then he shook his head, no, it couldn’t be him. He hasn’t seen Malfoy since the trials and even then, he never really thought about him much. He noticed when he wasn’t at Hogwarts but Hermoine looked at him and asked why would he be at the school when public opinion of those on the wrong side of the war was being met with ostracism and hostility. Harry still was of the opinion that those actions will cause another war and instead focused on finishing his studies. He graduated, went to Auror training, and much to the world's shock and dismay didn’t get back together with Ginny and instead focused on his own choices.
Looking once more he couldn’t help but check out the man. He had the same blond hair as Malfoy and from his eyes it was more blue than gray almost as if the ice was melting. It reminded him of the icy gray of Malfoy in fifth year but he did remember that his eyes were more blue during the duel in the Girls Bathroom that led to that unforgivable curse that was used. Harry shook his head and sighed, he had many regrets during the war and one of them was using that curse on him. He took solace that Malfoy lived but still, it was unforgivable in his eyes.
‘War sucks’ Harry thought mentally. The man shifted in his seat and put the book away, he was opening his bag and took out a book on Diagnostic Anatomy and Physiology. His Bag had the name of a University on it. ‘Definitely not Malfoy because I highly doubt that he would be at a Muggle University! Not Pureblood Supremacist Draco Malfoy’ and chuckled. With that in mind he decided that freely ogle the man and check him out. It has been a while since he had flirted with anybody but why not. At the next stop Harry got up and moved to the empty seat near the man.
The man turned to look at Harry and then went back to reading his textbook. He sighed after a minute and took off his headphones and looked at Harry with a curious look.
“’Ello” The man said with an accent, French Harry thought. “How are you?” he softened the accent more to be more understandable which Harry found grateful, listening to Fleur Weasley takes a lot of patience.
“I’m fine. I am sorry to bother you but I noticed you by your hair and well, you just reminded me of somebody. Sorry” Harry chuckled nervously “I mean, I saw you were reading something and then it reminded me of somebody else” The man raised an eyebrow making Harry think it was almost like Malfoy but dismissed it. “What are you reading”
“Oh, Um, Medicine. I am going to University to be a Doctor” The man said with a soft smile “I am in the Doctor program after a fast track through the Undergrad. I had 2 years to finish and I almost didn’t make it but I am in Med School now, 2 years in and 1 more year to go” Harry smiled. It must have been tough to cram everything in two years and then give yourself an aggressive goal to finish in 3. He didn’t know how long it takes to get through Medical School but it sounds like something Hermoine would do. He briefly wondered if Malfoy would do something like that, he didn’t really know him much other than he was a prat, bully, and racist. He really didn’t understand much of him until after the war, after going through Snape’s and Dumbledore’s memories and agreeing that everything isn’t as Black and White as his teenager mind made it out to be. He still didn’t regret turning down his offer of friendship but maybe if Malfoy was less racist maybe he could have offered help in protecting him and his mother from Voldermort and not be forced to take the Mark. Too late now he thought.
“That’s a very impressive!” Harry smiled “What made you decide to be a doctor?” The man smiled sadly.“It was….A number of things.” He said with a shrug that looked very graceful and Harry followed the delicate move. The shirt moved with his body making it look like a second skin and man did he have a nice physique Harry admired. “I didn’t have a very good upbringing and because of that I saw people suffer. I wanted to help people but because of my parents, it wasn’t possible. I vowed to help instead of hinder and so, well, I went into the medical program as soon as I could” Harry nodded in understanding. Malfoy would never do this, he was conceited, arrogant, and selfish. He didn’t care about those he deemed beneath him and only helped those he was loyal too like his House. Harry stopped and shook his head, Pettigrew didn’t show any Loyalty to his house or friends and it cost him his parents. Malfoy was loyal to his friends, family, and House because at least they honored loyalty. It made him wonder what would have happened if there was no war and being a Slytherin just meant more positive things. Well, if it wasn’t for Voldemort it would have been positive and Harry had to accept that it wasn’t the House but the people’s actions. Malfoy may have been a Death Eater and School Yard Bully but he never tortured or killed during the war unlike Harry who had killed and tortured. Only differences were he was on the right side of the war and wasn’t a bully or believed in the Pureblood ideals.
“It’s never too late to change your future” Harry nodded and believed wholeheartedly. It took therapy after 8th Year and introspection through watching memories to see that just because your past was shitty doesn’t mean it can’t be changed.
“It took me a year to realize that while in school and France” the man sighed. “After figuring that out I visited my parents and explained what I would and would not be doing. I never realized how so wrong I was about things until I took a bite of humble pie. I had to acknowledge that the things I said and done can not be changed by apologizing but rather through actions and so….well….I volunteered to help with the sick and injured. I donated to charities and I explained what was going on. People do not realize the other side and not saying there is any excuse, its better to understand and agree to disagree than escalating into a civil war” the man shook his head. “There should be no war over status’ whether rich and poor or different skin colors people should be treated with respect and dignity” Harry thoughts circled back to the war. What was the point of the war other than to stop Voldemort? Harry had to ask about it and to learn that Purebloods were worried about losing their traditions and history which when he thought about the other Wizarding Schools in the world, he realized that Hogwarts did not teach much about traditions and history. No wonder there was a huge divide between the students: Those that were raised to learn about the Olde Ways and the Muggleborn/Halfbloods that lived in the Muggle word that were not aware about magic.
“Yea, nobody should be discriminated against because they are different” Harry agreed
“The thing is, they are different but different can help in so many ways” The man said “They have a different perspective and different experiences. I learned a lot about many things but religion is something I cannot stomach. How unfair it is that something so beautiful is considered evil” the man whispered to Harry “I learned pagans were considered evil and were killed for believing in magic” Harry nodded. He could see why there was fear for some of the Purebloods. Muggles considered magic evil, and many were killed, burned, or run out of their homes when targeted. He still did not agree on the way others were treated and thought those Death Eater that did heinous things to be in Azkaban and nothing less. He felt bad for the children of Death Eaters who were not given a chance to learn about other things and started reading up on the topics that children in the Wizarding World learned about. Fascinating stuff really, He had to thank Andromeda for the books and topics.
“Yea, religion was never something I cared about” Harry agreed “I just do not like people being treated unequally”
“You do look like a man that wouldn’t stand for others being mistreated” He smirked and Harry thought he looked very handsome like that. He wondered what he sounded like laughing and with a tingling in his groin what it would sound like in ecstasy. “I like that in a person. I have been around people that were the opposite it made me sick. To be around those that believe in good and not evil gives me hope that one day I will be seen as good too” Harry shook his head.
“I have a feeling that there is good in you and that even though you never got the chance to be good doesn’t mean you never will be” Harry said softly “I learned the hard way that doing good doesn’t mean doing something in the front but being in the background helping is also doing good” Harry momentarily thought of Snape and the fact that even though he was bullied (He winced still at his father and godfather’s role in that) and abandoned he still did right in the end. Dumbledore was a good person but he still made mistakes like putting him in an abusive environment and not allowing him to learn what it meant to be a Wizard. Ron says there is nothing wrong about that but to Harry he had to agree with Hermoine, he needed to learn about the world if he wanted to make it a better place for ALL.
“Thanks” The man sounded relieved. A vibrating sound came from the mans bag and he brought out his cellphone. Harry chuckled thinking of what Malfoy would have said seeing or using one, which he highly doubt would even be near one. “Well, it looks like my stop is coming up” Harry shook himself out and noticed the man typing a message and giving Harry a side look. “It was a pleasure meeting you,” He said.
Harry watched his long fingers gracefully hitting buttons very quickly and then got an idea. “Hey, um. Maybe I can give you my number and we can meet sometime for drinks or something” Harry had no clue where this nervousness came from, for Godricsake he has gotten better at communication and dating. The man looked up surprised before nodding. He opening his bag and took out a notebook and pen quickly scribbling down a note and number before folding it. Before Harry can ask why folding the note the bus came to a stop and the man stood up. The words out of his mouth made Harry pause his opening the note.
“It was nice chatting with you Potter” the man said getting off the bus and heading down the street towards the University. Harry starts and looks at the mans retreating back now thinking it over again. He quickly opens the note and stares at the VERY familiar handwriting and gasps.
Potter, thank you for the conversation. Though I was shocked that you even noticed me and came near me. What I said was true, I am in Muggle University and Yes, I am becoming a doctor. I was in France finishing up my last year of school and during the time I was volunteering and working at hospitals and orphanages as part of my probation at the trials. From there I was under the tutelage of a Doctor and Nurse who urged me to continue on the healing arts. I have been in France completing both Muggle and Healer school and then a Muggle/Wizard University took me on to complete my education. I don’t expect you to do much more than forget you saw me but what I said was true, I learned that who I was as a child and teenager was something I did not want to be as an adult. I have much to learn and much to do to even be considered good but I am hoping this will be a step in the right direction. If you still want to contact me, my number is at the bottom of the note. I would very much like to go out for a drink and maybe learn more about this handsome man of a savior that sat next to me and treated me like a human being. ;)
D. Malfoy
Harry stared at the note and then looked out the window quickly to see Malfoy meeting with a group of students and saying something to them with a smile. The students around him were smiling and laughing and they soon went through the gate into the University, all having the same bag. Harry slumped back in his seat dazed at the turn of events; Malfoy on a muggle bus, using a Muggle phone, being around Muggles, and going to a Muggle/Wizard University. First off he didn’t know that was even possible but second was that Malfoy was changing and growing. He couldn’t say for certain how he felt about all this; was he being sincere? Was he lying? He looked at the note again and then remembered what he said to the ‘man’ about being good. He always thought there had to be some good in Malfoy to not turn him in and throwing him his wand during the war. He looked down at the number on the note. Harry mused that if Dumbledore saw good in Malfoy and Snape is proof that not everything is black and white then he will be more open-minded and not quick to judge, he too has grown and changed.
Harry then looked out the window again and started to smile. This time the decision will be easier without the weight of the war and stupid expectations from everybody. He took out his phone and programed Draco’s number and sent a message. He received a message back confirming that drinks were still a go on both ends. He couldn’t wait to see where this will lead, after all, this new Malfoy was very cute.