Outside Our World

By: IcyAurora8

Rating: M

Pairings: Harry/Draco

Genre: Humor/Angst/Fluff/Slash

Summary: Sent to live in the muggle world for a half year, Draco and Harry encounter what they would have never believed possible: A life where the Harry Potter series of books really exists, based on none other than their own lives. How did they not know! New friends, new relationships, comedy and embarrassment enter the lives of the two boys as they adjust to their new secret. Of the Harry/Draco slash variety.

Warning: This is SLASH! In other words, there are male/male relationships. If you don't like, please don't read!

AN: Unfortunately, I do not own anything Harry Potter.

This is the first story I have written for any type of fanfic… so hopefully it is worthy! I would like to thank the person who started a story where the Harry Potter series was real for muggles, and the Hogwarts' students were forced to live in the muggle world. It was an unfinished story, and quite a few years old, but if the person who wrote this is out there, thank you! Ever since I read those few chapters, this idea has been eating me alive! I have yet to be able to find another story that is even near similar, so I decided that I would write the story I would love to read. Thank you again!

And on the final note… this story is pre - HBP. I don't think my story would work very well otherwise.

Chapter 1

Harry Potter sat at the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall, staring off into the space while the sorting took place. Everyone had just arrived at Hogwart's, and Harry and his friends were attending their seventh and final year. The war had ended the spring before, leaving fewer casualties than expected. Thinking back, the conflict really couldn't even be considered a war, but more of a small skirmish. Most of the deaths had been on the Dark side, including the fall of Voldemort himself.

Harry was happy, incredibly so, but that last death was one he refused to talk about. No one, not even Dumbledore, knew how Harry had won. They only observed the boy hero returning from who-knows-where with the Dark Lord's body. The only other proof that the war was finally over was the incredible pain the Dark Mark siphoned into the Death Eater followering his demise, rendering them defenseless and allowing the easy capture of any known members. The rest of the group disbanded not longer after, most not wanting to risk their families and fortunes for a dead madman.

As the sorting finally came to an end, Harry left his thoughts and re-entered reality. Ron had elbowed him to get his attention and Harry turned to him with a huge grin, happy to be with his best friends again. Harry had spent most of his summer locked in his bedroom at the Dursley's, catching up on the studies that he had missed the previous spring. Being able to talk to someone again, and his best friend at that, was a definite plus over the boredom that he had endured for 3 months. The only thing he would miss about his self-imposed isolation would be the lack of stares. He didn't think he would ever become used to being the 'Boy Who Lived.'

Looking to his friend once more, he realized how much Ron had changed over the summer. The red-haired boy now reached a towering six feet three inches. His body finally seemed properly proportioned and with his hair a bit longer - chin length - and bright blue eyes, he certainly had turned into a handsome man (despite the freckles). He was no longer the gangly awkward boy, and Harry felt slightly out of place sitting next to him.

He didn't think of himself as anything special to look at, though unbeknownst to him, most people would disagree with that. Harry had let his hair grow to just past his ears, which in turn covered his slightly fading scar, and his emerald eyes seemed much more brilliant than they had the year before, mostly because the darkness of the war was gone and a brighter future lay at the edge of the horizon. They still held a slight look of sorrow occasionally, but also a deep wisdom, making his face look slightly older than his years. In comparison, his body still looked like that of a seventeen year old. He only stood about five feet eight inches, but his messy hair, which he could never seem to tame, made him seem about two inches taller. His body was lanky but lithe, toned with muscle from his Quidditch playing and he had the grace of a dancer in the air. Not that it helped him dance on the ground any better than he could before; he still had two left feet when it came to rhythm of any kind.

"I can't believe it's all over mate! And we actually have a school to come back to," said Ron, voicing the same topic Harry had just been thinking.

"Yeah, it's weird isn't it? This year is going to feel different, not having a price attached to my head," Harry joked.

Ron laughed. "Well, I suppose if you try hard enough, I'm sure we can get Malfoy to fix that problem for you."

The boys laughed together until Hermione quieted them for Dumbledore's 'welcome back' speech.

The esteemed headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, cleared his throat as he stood up.

"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts. I am most pleased to see all the new faces, along with the returning ones. As usual, you know the Forbidden Forest is just that: forbidden. For your own safety, I would suggest you stay out of it, as quite a few nasty things are lurking in there. Also, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes have been added to the list of items not allowed on grounds, and if you have any questions please see the list posted outside of Caretaker Filchs' door," Dumbledore said, eyes twinkling.

"Finally, there will be a slight change in the seventh years' schedules. Because of the newfound freedom we have, the professors and I believe it would be good for everyone to know a little more about the world we live in. As of now, Muggle Studies is a required class for all those wishing to graduate and all students must pass an exam to gain credit. If you are a seventh year and have already taken the class, please make time to set up an appointment with Professor Maeve to arrange the details of the exam. For all remaining seventh years, you will be dropping one elective and taking Muggle Studies instead. I am sorry for the inconvenience, but nonetheless, please enjoy your year and dig in!" The old headmaster smiled at the students before taking his seat, and with the wave of his hand the tables were filled with the most delectable of foods. It didn't take long for everyone fill their plates and do exactly what the headmaster asked.

"That is so unfair!" Ron shouted, before shoveling a forkful of food into his mouth.

"It is not unfair; I think it's a rather good idea. More people should know about muggles and how they live," huffed Hermione. The girl had certainly matured over the summer, just like Ron. She had filled out, gaining curves in all of the right places. Her dark hair was longer and the weight helped to hold it in check, and she seemed to have taken to styling it in a braid. She was still a petite girl, but her authority made her seem older than she looked. Underneath though, she was definitely still the same bossy bookworm the boys knew and they loved her for it (Ron secretly more than most people).

Ron glared at the girl while Harry spoke up. "Well, I think it's unfair too. At least all you have to do is take the exam, 'Mione, because you already took the class. Now I'm going to have to drop 'Care of Magical Creatures' just to fit this in. Hagrid is not going to be happy about that." Both boys had already dropped Divination the previous year and Hagrid's class was the only remaining elective for the two.

"He does have a point, you know. As much as I won't miss the blast-ended skrewts, I'll miss Hagrid. On the plus side, I rather like all of my limbs. It just sucks that we are forced to take this class, and we'll probably be stuck in the same class as the Slytherins, not to mention that stupid git Malfoy," Ron said as he ladled another heap of food into his awaiting mouth.

Harry sighed. "Well, I guess it could be worse. At least I don't have to take potions this year. I will finally be free of Snape!" Ron laughed, half-chewed food spilling from his open mouth onto the table.

Hermione glared at the two boys. "Ronald Weasley! That is disgusting!" The girl wrinkled her nose in distaste and the red-haired boy looked at her, slightly confused as to what he had done wrong. "Some people are trying to finish a meal here! And Harry! That is no way to speak about a teacher! He is a great professor, even if he is a little vindictive," she finished.

"Whatever 'Mione," the two boys mumbled together. The brown-haired girl sighed quietly and gave up. It wasn't long before normal conversation resumed, and talk of Quidditch, NEWT's, and their final year at Hogwarts continued to the meal's end.

When everyone had cleared their plates of food, Dumbledore stood and spoke to the crowd once more. "Now that we are finished, if all the first years will please report to the Prefects of your house, they will lead you to your dormitories. Let's have a great year and good night to you all."

Harry and Ron made their way out of the Great Hall as the younger students gathered together to be led out, helped by Hermione, the new Head Girl. Terry Boot from Ravenclaw had been chosen as Head Boy. It seemed a little odd to Harry that Draco Malfoy had not been chosen; after all, he was only second to Hermione in the class.

When they reached Gryffindor Tower, they both realized they did not know the new password. They waited for about five minutes before Hermione came up the stairs with a group of first years.

"You should have waited for the password," she stated as she shook her head gently at the two. "You are both impossible." She turned towards the Fat Lady and said "Bowtruckle."

Ron shivered at the word, because of one particular memory in a certain class called 'Care of Magical Creatures.' Last year they had been tending to some of those creatures and when Ron's bowtruckle got a little feisty and decided to take a rather large chunk out of his finger, then the bridge of his nose. They were lucky Madam Pomfrey was used to incidents of this sort and she fixed the freckled boy right up.

Harry laughed, then said, "At least the password isn't 'Acromantula.'"

Ron's face paled at the thought. "I don't think I would even bother trying to get into the common room. I would just sleep in the hallway. Ugh!"

Hermione giggled at the thought then proceeded to lead the first years through the doorway. Harry and Ron followed the group in at the rear. The two boys took a seat on the couch and decided to play some Exploding Snap while waiting for their friend to return.

It was nearly ten o'clock by the time the young witch came back into the room, looking thoroughly exhausted. The trio chatted for a few moments before deciding to head off to bed.

"Goodnight Hermione," said Harry.

"Goodnight Harry, Ron," the girl yawned to them. Ron shouted his goodnight over his shoulder just as the girl turned and walked up the stairs.

The two boys made their way to the dorm they shared with their other three mates, Neville, Seamus, and Dean. It didn't take long for everyone to catch up on their summers and finally settle down for bed.

"You know Harry, I think this year is going to be different. I really do."

"So do I Ron, so do I."

Little did they know just how different it would be.

Ok… so that was short'n'sweet. I didn't really feel like covering the end of the summer and whatnot, because what would I have had them do? I don't really feel like revealing how Harry killed Voldemort this early in the story, and him sitting at the Dursley's doing nothing but thinking kinda puts a crimp in that idea. A lot of what he thought about over the summer involved the war. So I started this story at the sorting. It just gives enough time to 're-introduce' a few of the well known characters, what they look like, how happy people are to be back, etc etc. It's just showing the grind of things.

I would love to thank my betas… Raven, Chantal, Michelle and Michelle for doing a great job… if it weren't for them… I probably wouldn't have enough guts to actually put this story up on the net. Plus… they call me on all the mistakes I make (which no matter how many times I read it myself… or read it out loud… I never NEVER seem to catch very many of them). Thanks guys J

More (especially the plot line!) will be explained next chapter… keep reading!

Oh yes, please review if you have a chance! I do love them! Just go easy on me... if need be, constructive criticism is good.