Title: Somewhere in the Middle
Author: Bryar Rose
Written at: 4. December, 2006
Archived: Pairings: HP/DM, implied RW/HG and LM/NM
Genre: Romance
Rating: R
Warnings: WIP, SLASH, HBP non-compliance, PS/CoS/PoA/OotP spoilers
Time line: Seventh Year Hogwarts
Length: Long, will be 20 chapters
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or else I'd be rich in England, hob knobbing with the gorgeous Tom Felton. Sequel to Petunia Potter's Time Changes Everything (Story ID 3159146) so several plot elements are not mine.
A/N: Cookies to anyone who reviews?
Betas: Petunia Potter
Chapter 1 - The End of 6th Year
Professor Flitwick walked up and down the aisles passing parchments back to the students. Hermione glanced over her own graded paper, shaking her head in disappointment. Looking over her shoulder, Harry could see O written in the professor's neat scrawl.
"You got an O, Hermione, what's wrong?" he asked looking at his own E. It was better than he expected to do actually.
"I really think my phrasing on the second foot was all off. I wanted to revise it again, but I didn't have enough time."
"Honestly! 'Mione, you revised it 5 times before you handed it in. 5 TIMES. Who in their right mind would do that?" Ron stuffed his own A paper in his book as he opened to page 187 as was written on the board.
"Well, maybe with a few revisions on your own paper, Ronald, you would have gotten an E like Harry," Ron merely shrugged and started reading. "I should have proofread your paper Harry, your theory on the abuse of the Temporal Portkey and gambling was a good one."
Just then, a whine wailed from the back of the room as Professor Flitwick waddled up to the front of the room and climbed upon his pile of books – "An A? I got a lousy A? I demand you reevaluate this Professor," yelled Malfoy as he marched up to the front of the class and slammed the parchment on the pile of books beside the pile Flitwick was standing on. It almost made the make-shift pedestal topple over.
Straightening his glasses, Flitwick merely replied, "While the paper devoted to your future sex appeal may be riveting to the Slytherin female population, Mr. Malfoy, it is not appropriate for a parchment in my class, much less an essay for the Temporal Portkey Experiment. Maybe next time you will take your assignments more seriously. Now, if you will please take your paper, and your seat," he said motioning to the paper. Draco looked dumbstruck, but nonetheless took his paper and walked numbly to the back of the room and sat down, his face devoid of expression, "we will finish out the year with page 187 of your textbook. Please read the article on '50 Unusual Charms to Foil Your Foe'. We will discuss once everyone is finished."
"Out of my way, Potter," Malfoy sneered as he and his two goons pushed Harry out of the Charms doorway and headed for the Great Hall for lunch.
"Geez, what's his issue?" Hermione stated.
"Maybe his future was in Azkaban and someone forgot to Obliviate him. Who really cares? It's lunch!" Ron nearly skipped his way down the hall.
Hermione looked back at Harry who picked a dropped book off the floor. Malfoy must have dropped it when he shoved Harry out of the way. "You seem a little glum today."
Harry shrugged, "I'm glad the years done; means no more classes…"
"But, it means you have to go back to the Dursley's." Hermione sighed. "We'll work out something Harry."
Harry smiled, but knew it was an empty promise. As long as Voldemort was around, he'd have to stay with Petunia for protection. It was logical, but it didn't mean he had to like it.
That night was chaos in the Common Rooms as everyone got ready to leave.
The rest of the year had gone by quite uneventfully for Harry. Sixth years kept trying to figure out clues as to what they saw, where they had been, and what their futures were like. Harry was curious, but it didn't seem to eat him up as much as the others. It seemed almost as if he knew things would work out. It was most likely due to Dumbledore's words in the beginning. "I went 13 years into the future and everyone in your class is alive and well at that time." He would live another 13 years a least. Either Voldemort was yet to be defeated (which was unlikely with how quickly the Order was moving), or Harry had defeated him, fulfilling the prophecy. Maybe then he could have a normal life…
It was now the end of June and they would be leaving on the Hogwarts Express tomorrow. Harry looked at his bed, piled high with books and cauldrons and parchments, extra robes and clothes. He had promised Hermione that he was packed and felt a little bad about the lie. He threw his charms book and notebook on the bed, swept everything into the trunk, and then carefully placed his more prized possessions on top.
The book Malfoy had dropped lay in the trunk, forgotten.