CH 39

He had taken to haunting the library as much as Hermione had in their previous school years, though she never seemed to be in there when he was, and he was spending a lot of time in the library lately, so he knew that she wasn't there nearly as much as she used to be. He hardly cared though, he didn't have the time to figure out her sudden aversion to the library, though it was likely because he was suddenly spending so much time inside it that she was avoiding coming in here. He hated her for that too, he thought as he once again left his stuff on the table that he was currently occupying and went to find yet another reference textbook on the dusty shelves that were far too high in his opinion. "You really are embarrassing." Said a voice several minutes later, disturbing Harry from his intense perusal of books, trying to find one that would actually help him.

Harry grinned and turned from the shelf to see Draco leaning on the table he had vacated and reading through his homework seriously, frowning at whatever he was reading.

"Is that any way to speak to me? I'm your younger brother." Harry teased.

Draco scoffed at that and then he grimaced at something he had just read as he took the quill that Harry had left on the table, dipped it into the black ink and crossed out something on his parchment.

"This is wrong; I suggest that you read your books more closely."

"I have been, honestly! I'm just so far behind everyone else. Can you help me, please?" "Of course, all you had to do was ask. Now, sit down and pay attention as I generously impart my wisdom onto you."

Harry snorted as he walked back to his table and sat down next to Draco, who started telling him where he'd gone wrong, how and what he needed to do to work out the right answer. With this one-on-one, more concentrated teaching, Harry understood more because he could question Draco as much as he needed to and ask him to go over something if he needed to hear it again and he could have him check over his work for him to make sure that he was handing in the best quality work that he possibly could.

It took hours for him to finish his homework to Draco's level of expectation. Then, when he only had assignments left where he understood more and didn't need any further help, Draco got his own homework out and worked on his own assignments beside him. Draco even asked for his help on Defence Against the Dark Arts, which made Harry feel happier that he'd needed help with Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. He had thoroughly enjoyed teaching the DA, after all, maybe he should have a harder think about his career choices and think seriously about what he wanted to do once he graduated, perhaps being a teacher would suit him better than becoming an Auror.

"Draco, what career do you want?" Harry asked with a frown.

"Hmm?" Draco hummed as he meticulously finished off his sentence. "I was thinking of starting a career in Potions. I want to be a Potions Master, so I'll have to apprentice to a Master for several years first before I can get a proper career and become a potioneer."

Harry smiled. "That seems perfect for you; you've always done well with Potions." "I've had to work at it, but I'm proud of where I am. What do you want to do?"

Harry sighed. "I wanted to be an Auror, but I'm fed up with all of it. I don't want to fight anymore or spend my life catching people and throwing them in prison, putting my life in danger day after day. I was thinking that maybe I could be a teacher. Maybe Defence Against the Dark Arts or Care of Magical Creatures."

"You can't be any worse than Hagrid; you know that absolutely no one is in his classes this year?"

Harry grimaced. "I know, Hagrid isn't speaking to me because of that."

"Good riddance." Draco huffed. "Now, stop procrastinating and help me with this question."

Harry went back to helping Draco and everything was quiet and perfectly fine at their lamp-lit table in one of the numerous study areas dotted around the library. It was peaceful, this sort of interaction with another person. He was doing all of his homework on time, he was doing it to a very high standard and not just doing a half-arsed job and he was actually enjoying it because he was doing it with someone else. Blaise Zabini even found them and joined in on their little study group and he even got Harry to help him with his Defence homework in exchange for help with Astronomy, a subject that he excelled in.

It was a far cry from trying to concentrate in the loud, noisy and busy Gryffindor common room with Hermione berating him every five minutes for not doing his homework sooner and Ron trying to beg off on playing chess or disturbing his thoughts to ask him what he was writing. It was no wonder he'd never truly applied himself to his studies before. He'd never really gotten the opportunity to try before.

"Cosying up with your new pals, hmm?" A scathing voice spat at him from behind as he bent over the table he was sitting at, measuring the length of his parchment.

Harry let go of his homework and turned to look at Ginny, who was furious and puffing up in anger like her mother and brother both did and he sighed.

"It's not like that, Ginny. As I told Ron and Hermione on the train, I had no choice in my adoption. Lucius filed for my custody at the Ministry after it emerged that I was being neglected at home and his application was accepted. I never even knew what was happening until after it had all been done and finalised. I'm finally being taught all the things that I need to know, my father is helping me with my lordships and my mother is helping to teach me spells to help around the home and how to care for children. Draco is my brother now, why wouldn't I be doing my homework with him? I haven't changed all that much, I'm just putting more effort into my school work, why is that such a bad thing?"

"They're Malfoys, Harry! Death Eaters!"

"They aren't." Harry said calmly.

"I saw him at the Ministry! He fought against us! You said yourself that Lucius Malfoy was in the graveyard with you!"

"Hmm…I don't recall ever telling you such a thing." Harry said consideringly. "But, I don't want to lose any of you over this. So I have a family now, I'm being looked after and cared for, why does everyone see that as such a bad thing when it really isn't?"

"We were your family!"

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