Change My Mind

Harry awoke to find that the sun had set, and there was someone occupying the bed next to his. Draco was busy reading a book quietly, paying no attention to the previously sleeping boy near him.

Groggily, Harry tried to ease the tension in the room. “Hello.”

Draco carefully placed a quill bookmark in between his current pages and closed his book. “I see you finally decided to wake up. Didn’t you already nap on the train.”

“My apologies, it’s impossible to sleep on the beds at the Grimmauld place.” Harry groaned and rubbed his eyes, trying to wake himself up more. “May I ask, what are you reading?”

“The Great Gatsby,” Draco answered lightly, glancing at the cover of the book.

“But that’s a muggle book, I thought-“Many people changed after the war, you know. Besides, I was finally allowed to read things like this after my father was taken to Azkaban.” His voice became colder as he finished his sentence, clearly not wanting to relive those memories.

“Oh.”

“It is rather fascinating, actually, have you read it?” He asked. This new Draco startled Harry, he was much less shrill and nagging, and seemed to carry less on his shoulders since his family became more sorted out. It was rather refreshing.

“Uhm, no I haven’t, I don’t read too much,” Harry rubbed the back of his neck, watching curiously as Draco flicked his hand, the lamp in between them turning on since the sun had completely disappeared now.

“I didn’t know you could do free-handed magic,” Harry was surprised by what he had just witnessed.

“I began to teach myself after the war, I was given advice to learning something new, they said it would help,” Draco’s sentences began to trail off as he spoke.

“Who?”

There was no answer.

Finally, after some time, and clearly some hesitation, Malfoy spoke. “My therapist. Well, mind healers therapist, whatever you wish to call it.”

Therapist? Draco Malfoy, Slytherin prince, biggest bully of Hogwarts, had a therapist? It was bizarre.

“You go to therapy?”

“What, got a problem with it?” Draco quickly became defensive, sending a glare in Harry’s direction.

“N-no, I don’t! I just.. I didn’t think you’d do that sort of thing.”

Draco readjusted his posture, trying to lighten his harsh tone from earlier. “Well, the war put a lot on me, I’ve had a lot of time to change my mind.”

Harry scanned the Slytherin for a moment, and caught a glimpse of his right arm. The skin below his wrist has been heavily damaged with what he assumed was magic. Where his dark mark once lie was now damaged and scarred pale skin. Harry shuddered, reminded of how little shock he endured when he discovered Draco was forced to become a Deatheater.

“So I see,” Harry mumbled, standing up for the first time in hours. His legs wobbled and he quickly held onto his bedpost to keep him upright.

He began to unpack his belongings, feeling Draco’s stare upon him. The blonde was a completely new person to Harry, so put together, so calm. It was rather unsettling just how different he was.

“Are they still together?” Draco asked as Harry placed a picture of him, as well as Ron and Hermione, on his bedside table.

“Yeah, actually Ron told me his plan to propose after we finish schooling, I think it might just be big talk but he seems pretty serious about it,” Harry responded, climbing back into his bed.

“I’m surprised, they bickered nonstop whenever they spent their time together at Hogwarts,” The Slytherin chuckled, attending back to his book.

That was true, Ron and Hermione did loathe each at times, but that’s what made their relationship stick. They were so different that they balanced each other out. Harry would never admit to wanting something like that.

“You don’t have your quidditch equipment with you?” Draco blurted out, unable to conceal his curiosity upon noticing the gear was missing. He heard a sigh from the Gryffindor.

“I haven’t ridden on a broom since the war,” Harry mumbled, finishing with the last of his things. He flopped onto his bed with a yawn.

“Why?”

“Refuse to, I just can’t I suppose,” Harry groaned, not wishing to discuss this sensitive conversation. “What about you?”

“I was planning on trying for the team, though I’m hoping to be a chaser instead of a seeker,” Draco replied with a light smile. What the hell? Being a chaser was the last thing Draco would have ever wanted, Harry thought, there was no way he’d pass up the opportunity to be seeker. Especially when he was so good at the task as well, although Harry held his tongue on that observation.

“That’s odd for you, would’ve thought you’d prefer your place in the spotlight,” Harry let out a small chuckle, trying to be playful, yet it still came out rather harsh. Draco inhaled sharply, trying to bite back a few words.

“Once again,” His tone husky and repeating, “The war changed many of us, Potter, I’ll ask that you respect my alterations.”