Charming Slytherins
The next day Harry accepted McGonagall’s offer and became Harry Potter Head of Slytherin, a title no one expected him to ever have. He told the headmistress to not go spreading it around until they announce it at the beginning of term but news always seems to travel faster at Hogwarts. Hermione and Ron were the only ones besides Neville to be officially told by Harry, which was met by…reactions to say the least. Hermione was supportive and gave Harry a bunch of things that he could be in order to help the students and to give them all the resources that they would ever need, Ron on the other hand. He was almost disappointed, like ‘how could Harry ever betray his own house’ kind of disappointed. Ron and Harry have become sort of distant since his and Ginny’s divorce even though it was completely mutual and then with Harry becoming a teacher instead of continuing being an Auror with Ron, it usually has just been Hermione and him for afternoon lunches. Hermione said she’d talk to him about it which seemed to be the case a lot these days.
Next for the list of people Harry got to tell was Ginny and James. They both live in a nice flat near the Harpies stadium where Ginny coaches, after everything Harry thought it’d be best if James stayed with Ginny during the school year and he would see him on breaks then vice versa once James started school. She was supportive yet confused on how Harry even qualified for the position, to which he himself didn’t know, these things just kind of happened to him. James couldn’t’ve cared less, he had only just turned 8 yet had the attitude of a moody preteen. He couldn’t blame him since he has two very famous parents that had an equally famous break up, not exactly the friend-making ingredient one needs at this early of an age.
As for everyone else, well that had mainly him and Luna to blame, Him for telling Luna, and Luna for never being able to keep a secret. After that it sorta trickled down the rumor mill and Harry just decided to say nothing else on the matter and just wait out the storm till term starts. That was the plan until a tall spindly angry Slythrin came storming into his office.
“Is this some sort of sick joke!?” Draco yelled while slamming a thick stack of books on Harry's desk.
“I’d take it the news finally reached you” He leaned back in his chair as he braced the earful he’d get out of Draco’s rage.
“What did you expect I’d just hear about it on feast night?” Malfoy scoffed “Right just so you and all your little friends could have a laugh”
“Well I doubt anything could beat your face on our first Halloween feast when there was a troll in the dungeon” He tried to hold back the laughter at the memory. “But I think it was worth a try”
“Head of house for Slytherin, why?” He crossed his arms “what’s your motive?”
“What do you mean ‘my motive’”
“Your motive Potter!” Malfoy pushed “clearly being the Golden Boy of Gryffindor wasn’t enough, so you just had to get your filthy hands upon my house!”
“Well maybe you should’ve applied for the position then!”
Draco rolled his eyes and scoffed some more “Slytherin is a noble house and if you do anything to ruin that-”
“The problem Malfoy is that your house has been ruining its own reputation ever since the first war” Harry objected. “And you know that better than anyone, at least you should”
“So what are you saying Potter?” He was getting more offended by the second, “that every Slytherin is evil and they are getting what they deserve?”
“No! That’s what everyone else is saying!” Harry took a breath to calm himself, “McGonagall wants to change that and quite frankly so do I”
Draco to a steadying breath in return “I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation as you’re wearing that” He gestured down to the knitted Gryffindor quidditch jumper Harry was wearing. He crossed his arms in embarrassment trying to hide it.
“I’m surprised we’re having a conversation at all” He scoffed, Draco responded with a face that looked like he was holding back a vomit.
“You and me both”
“Who told you that by the way?” he asked.
“McGonagall”
Harry nearly chuckled “and how did that conversation go down?”
Draco sighed “Let’s say I almost got detention for…inappropriate language”
Harry couldn’t hold it in any longer and he let out a hardy laugh which led Draco to storm out of his office in an attempt to save some of his pride.
After that confrontation with Malfoy, Harry went along to grab coffee with Hermione and Neville in the teacher’s lounge. As he stumbled in he flopped down on the couch with a large huff, interrupting whatever it was that the two were already talking about. He put his head in his hands as a way to finally release the stress he had been feeling as soon as Malfoy stormed into his office.
“I’d take it Malfoy took it well” Hermione said in her usually sarcastically nice tone, “about you being Head of Slytherin”
“Gee what makes you say that?”
“Well considering that your limbs are still intact and you face is normal” She joked
“I’m sure it’ll be fine once I- once someone reassures him that I’m not planning on moving into his precious dungeons” Harry rolled his eyes at how dramatic the Slytherin could be.
“Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy: Roommates, now that would be something for the papers” Hermione read it out as if it was breaking news projecting across the wizarding world.
“Well” Neville butted in, “Draco actually did tell me that he wasn’t too happy being back down there, something about it being a bit damp”
“Wait” Harry turned to look at Neville with a shocked and confused expression “the two of you talk, you talk to him?!”
“Occasionally”
“Occasionally?” He was flabbergasted at the very thought of them having just normal friendly conversations with one another.
Neville defended, “He needed to talk with me about what he needs for his classes and you know, since I’m in charge of the greenhouses…we sometimes talk” he answered as if it was some normal Tuesday, which for Neville it pretty much was. They’ve actually been talking about doing a few joint lessons but he didn’t dare tell Harry that.
“Well, what’s he like then?” Harry started to quiz Neville.
“Civil, he jokes around sometimes which I always feel bad for being too nervous to laugh at some of them”
“You talked to him just today Harry, how was he then?” Hermione pointedly asked him
“Not civil, that's for sure!”
“Well he seems to be really involved with the school and his lessons, he actually wants to…combine the classes” Neville interrupted. He decided to talk about the interdisciplinary ideas Malfoy had to try to shed some light on the Slytherin. “Which I think is a good idea to show the students how much of an impact plants can affect the potions, normally we just buy them ready to mix”
“That’s actually a pretty good idea” Harry thought aloud
“What if we did that with other classes as well” Hermione started to get her scheming look as she spoke
“Exactly, imagine how easy it would be for the students and the teachers!”
“How do you think he came up with that?” Harry halted his friends nerding out on future lesson plans, because excuse him for wanting to look into a Malfoy wanted to combine magics
“Harry you’re acting like we’re 16 and you can’t believe Draco has a group project with Neville” She rolled her eyes at Harry’s (very justified he might add) suspicions
“Well it’s not like I have much else to go off” Harry huffed “look I know we’re not 16 anymore”
“Thank Merlin for that” Neville sighed
“But I haven’t spoken to him since..back then” He remembered the few conversations they did have, especially the last few ones, him being half dead in a bathroom, him actually being dead and yeah good memories “and it’s not like we talked much then anyways, unless you count insults and hexes” He took another sip of tea that has gone long past cold and took a deep breathe. “But if you guys are saying that he’s changed”
“Harry we’ve all changed since then, even Hogwarts is changing” Neville reassured Harry then laughed “Malfoy is going to find that out quickly once he sees S.Q.U.A.D.” S.Q.U.A.D is the club Harry’s godchild Teddy created with their partner Vicky, it’s for wizards and witches who identified as gay or trans, which not wanting to cause anymore issues for his son at school, Harry has chosen to remain a fly on the wall about it.
“Plus it’s not like we knew much about Malfoy back then anyway” Hermione chimed in “and I haven’t had the urge to punch him in the face lately so that’s something!”
“You should try that” Neville suggested
“What? Punching him in the face?” Harry was shocked but not totally turned off by the idea
“No! I mean talking to him, getting to know him as colleagues”
“You could invite him for tea or even butterbeer in Hogsmeade” Hermione encouraged
Neville slapped his hand down excitedly “Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy spotted together at the Three Broomsticks POSSIBLY having butterbeer!” he waved his hand as he was picturing the headline “What do you think, daily prophet material?”
“I still think Enemies to Roomies would sell better”
“Well I haven’t been in the headlines since I’ve announced me teaching, maybe I should give it a go”
“You won’t have to worry about that, especially once McGonagall announces you being Head of Slytherin at the feast” Neville so kindly reminded Harry
“I hope you’re not planning on wearing that when she does” Hermione looked right at his sweater
“What do you and Malfoy have against this!?” the look Hermione shot back was response enough “No I’m not that dumb”
“Yeah you’re going to need a lot of help” Neville laughed into his mug
“Gee thanks”
“Anyways I gotta get going” Neville said setting down his now empty drink as he took his leave
“Well why don’t you wear that to your butterbeer date with Malfoy” Hermione cheered
“I’m not going on a date with him!” He quickly objected
“At least ask him on how to charm Slytherins I mean he does have a lifetime of experience” She looked exhausted with Harry “Maybe you can even charm him” she mumbled into her mug
“I’m not going to charm Malfoy”
“Make you life easier if ya did”
“Hermione!”