Necessity

A/N: I do not own these characters; they are from the wonderful mind of J.K. Rowling. I am so sorry this has taken as long as it has. I've had to be really focused in school recently. I will aim to have one new chapter a month for you guys, but I'm not sure how much free time I will have. I've made the mistake of posting as I write so the next chapter will be delayed. Please read and review. And I am starting something new; I will post the next chapter when I have 5 reviews. Thank you, lovely's. ~C

October, 1998

Harry and Hermione sat silently at the table in the Great Hall. It had been over two weeks since Ron had yelled at them in the common room. Harry had barely touched his steamed carrots or the potatoes scattered across his plate. Hermione was very much the same. The large door opened and Ron walked in quickly followed by Dean, Seamus and Hannah. Hermione smiled at him as he walked by, as she had every other day, but the ginger just kept walking.

"He'll come around." Harry said to her. "He just needs some time to cool off."

Hermione nodded solemnly and piled her potatoes on the rim of her plate.

oOoOoOo

The common room was quiet that evening. Ron hadn't even bothered to finish his game of chess after Harry and Hermione came back from a walk around the castle. He had knocked over his queen and shut himself in his room for the night without a word. Pansy and Hermione had gone straight to their room leaving Harry alone on the window seat.

He stared out at the dark sky. The few stars that were there shone brighter than the sun. He recognized Sirius by the canopy above his bed. Sirius.

He really did miss his godfather. He wondered if any of his friends noticed how sad he was without him. It wasn't as if he could reveal his emotions. He was the savior of the wizarding world, not a sensitive school girl. He was supposed to be happy. But how could he be if everyone who had meant something to him had died?

He stared out the window for hours. It wasn't until the early hours of the morning that he finally let his eyes close.

oOoOoOo

"Okay, Granger." Pansy said from the small bathroom in the corner. "Are you going to tell me what's been going on or do I have to guess?"

Hermione fell onto her bed with a groan. The whole day had been stressful for her. Trying to get her boyfriend, if she could even call him that anymore, to speak had been bad enough without Harry's contribution.

Seamus had barely blinked an eye when the two girls started having these late night conversations. Truthfully, he was happy about it. This whole "Eighth Year" idea had just been a scheme to get some interhouse unity. He knew it, Hermione and Pansy knew it, he was sure Neville knew it. But the others seemed clueless.

"I don't know! I can't seem to get over what Luna said a few weeks ago." Hermione glanced up as Pansy stepped out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. "I mean, it can't be true. I've known him since first year. He would have told me if he-"

"He doesn't tell you everything." Seamus put down his Quidditch magazine and sat on the edge of Pansy's bed. "Trust me; there are a lot of things that a man just needs to keep to himself."

Seamus watched Pansy slide into her pajama shirt.

"We don't need to hear about your supposedly secret wanking, Finnigan." Pansy scoffed. "Do you even know what we're talking about?"

"Not a clue." The Irishman said with a smile. "Care to fill me in?"

Hermione shared a look with Pansy before beckoning Seamus toward her and telling him the whole story.

oOoOoOo

Harry loved early morning walks by himself. He had never gotten to have very many in previous years because people would always find him, or he had work to do, or Quidditch practice to plan. But thankfully, today, he got out of the castle unnoticed and only had to hide once when a group of third year Ravenclaw girls passed. And as the eighth years were not allowed to play Quidditch on the house teams, he didn't have to worry about being bugged by people for trials.

"I could get used to this." He said to himself. A cold breeze blew by, sending his untamed hair in different directions. Harry didn't care though. He found it relaxing.

He walked through a make-shift path that he had found a few years before. The dried grass and leaves beneath his feet crunched with every step he took. He loved the sound of fallen leaves. It reminded him that even the strongest of things have a weakness. He ran the tips of his fingers through the tall grass, only stopping to move a curtain of long branches to the side.

Harry settled himself against the trunk of the large willow tree. He knew that not many people came to this particular tree in fear that it was a brother to the dreaded whomping willow. But he knew better. The branches of the willow fell inches from the ground, blocking out his view of the school. He found it a wonderful place to go to get away.

He had never taken any of his friends to the tree. It just seemed wrong, like it would endanger the tranquility of the place. He had never wanted to take Ginny or Cho there. Harry knew that he had to save the innocence for someone special. He had almost told Hermione, but had decided against it when he realised that she would just go there with Ron for a quick shag. That would only ruin it.

"Goodbye, old friend." Harry whispered. He pushed the branches aside and began the trip back to the castle.

oOoOoOo

"So, Harry," Seamus said with a smile. "Have you given any thought to what you're going to dress up as for Halloween?"

Harry shook his head and scooped a large spoonful of broccoli onto his plate. He never understood why so many people liked Halloween. To him, it was just an excuse to make a fool of yourself anonymously. He always found it very gender stereotypical. The girls were always in short skirt and dresses with far too much make-up and the boys would wear the tightest shirts they could find to show off their muscles.

"Aren't you going to dress up?" Asked Hannah from across the table. "I love dressing up on Halloween. I feel like I can take on a whole different personality. It's so exciting."

"Obviously." Six heads whipped toward the end of the table. Draco glared back at them.

"And what's that supposed to mean, Malfoy?" Ron said through gritted teeth.

Draco leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on the table. "It's just the most cliché answer." He said evenly. "Isn't it just what everyone wants? To go unnoticed on Halloween so they can shag whomever they desire and not have to regret it the next day."

Harry lifted his head as well, though not in anger like his friends. He listened intently to what the blond said.

"Plus," Draco continued, cutting off the red faced Weasley. "It's extremely sexist. All the women wear tight tops, short skirts and bunny ears. How that is a costume is beyond me. Which is why, I for one will not be dressing up."

With that said Draco got up and left the room as quickly as possible. Most of the table went back to the previous conversation but Harry let his gaze stay trained on the pale blond head disappearing behind the heavy doors.

"I just can't decide what I want to be." Neville said. "What are you going as, Seamus?"

Seamus smirked. "I'm going as the most amazing thing in Scotland." He paused, looked everyone at the table straight in the eye, lingering a little on the few Slytherin's that were still seated, and straightened his shirt.

"Are you going as a Will o' the Wisp?" Luna asked.

"Good guess, Luna," Seamus sighed. "But no. Anyone else want a guess?"

A silence washed over the table and the Irishman laughed. "I'm going as myself, of course!" A groan of annoyance traveled around the students. "Well, it's true! I'm the best piece of action in all of Scotland right now. Girls go wild over me. Hell, even the Slytherin's want some of me. I don't even have to say a word."

Hermione flickered her gaze to Pansy only to see the Slytherin staring back at her with wide eyes.

"Maybe in your dreams, mate." Ron scoffed. "I'm going to find Professor Harris. You know, for the project."

The group waved their goodbyes and parted ways for the last couple of hours before curfew.

oOoOoOo

Harry sat with Delilah against the side of the greenhouse. They always spoke of complete nonsense but the simple conversations always helped Harry escape his own mind and forget of any little squabbles going on between his friends.

"So," Delilah said after an elaborate story about a boy who had vomited in the middle of her divinations class. "What are you and your friends doing for Halloween?"

Harry shrugged. "I think my friends are planning a party. I'll just sit in my room and start on a project that's due."

"Why aren't you going to the party?" She asked.

Harry thought for a moment. He couldn't just tell her the truth. She was so young. He shouldn't worry her with such stories. But he knew he was a terrible liar, even if he was talking to an eleven year old.

"I've had some bad experiences with Halloween." He said opting for the truth. Delilah looked at him with large violet eyes. "It was the night my parents died. I miss them a lot and some days it's difficult to be in their shadow. And I know you probably think my relatives were proud of me and all but, they weren't. They usually never let me go out with my cousin and his friends on Halloween and I was fine with that. But there was one year, when I was ten that they practically threw me out the door. I was actually having fun for once, for a little while anyway." Harry took a shuddered breath. "My cousin and his friends thought that it would be funny to take me into the forest and tie me to one of the trees. They threw rocks at me for what felt like hours then went back to their houses. My aunt and uncle didn't even try to look for me. I guess they were just happy I was finally gone."

Delilah sniffed from beside him and Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry." Harry whispered as Delilah wiped her tears on the sleeve of his shirt.

He didn't notice the footsteps approaching them until he saw the person's shadow. "What did you do this time, Potter?"

Harry didn't bother to turn around. He knew that drawl like the back of his hand. He tightened his arm around Delilah who hadn't noticed their company.

"Why do you always assume it was me, Malfoy?"

Draco smirked. "Because it usually is." His eyes glanced at the small body in Harry's arm. "Who's that, your new girlfriend? Bit young, don't you think?"

"She's not my girlfriend." Harry rolled his eyes. "Why does everyone think that? You know, no one has even bothered enough to ask why I broke up with Ginny. I do have a reason for that. It wasn't just a random thought."

"Who's Ginny?" Delilah lifted her head from Harry's shoulder and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes.

"She's my ex-girlfriend."

Delilah pulled back. "Girlfriend?" She questioned. "I always thought you were gay. I've never seen you looking at any girls besides the ones you're friends with and even then it's just friendly."

Harry stared shocked at Delilah. Draco snorted and crouched in front of them.

"So Harry Potter's a poof." He laughed. "The Gryffindor Golden Boy is gay. Can't believe I didn't notice it before. It's so obvious now."

"It's okay, Harry." Delilah said. She patted Harry's shoulder. "My brother's gay. We would talk a lot. He has told me so much more than I ever needed to know."

"I'm not gay." Harry muttered. "Wait, who's your brother?"

"Anthony Goldstein. He told me about when he kissed you a few years ago at a party." Delilah giggled. "He wrote me a letter about how his life goal is completed. Apparently you're a very good kisser."

Delilah ran back into the school with an unheard "Goodbye," leaving a shocked Harry and highly amused Draco sitting on the ground.

"I thought that was just a dream." Harry muttered. He glanced up at Draco, paled and closed his eyes. "You didn't hear that."

Draco's smirk turned into a grin. "Oh, I heard it. There's no way to get out of this one, Potter."

Harry stood up quickly, stumbling when the blood rushed to his head and started at a fast walk down the pathway. He turned around at the end of the path, yelled "I'm not gay," and continued his way toward the dorms.

A few minutes later, Pansy, Hermione and Seamus came out of one of the greenhouses. They paused in front of Draco who hadn't stopped laughing.

"What did you do this time, Draco?" Pansy said with her hands on her hips.

"Why does do you always assume it was me?"

Hermione smiled. "Because it usually is."

oOoOoOo

Harry reluctantly followed Hermione and Pansy through Hogsmeade Village, holding their bags as they ran from store to store. He made the wise choice to wait outside while the girls hurried through the crowd outside Galdrags Wizardwear. He didn't understand why any store would willingly have a buy 1 get 1 free on dresses. It's just setting yourself up for disaster; especially when Pansy has heard about it.

It was almost 20 minutes later when the two exited the shop red faced and laughing. They immediately passed Harry their full bags and headed across the lane to the new and improved Zonko's Joke Shop.

After covering every store in the village, the three slowly made their way to the Three Broomsticks. They greeted Madam Rosemerta with a nod and sat down at a booth in the corner of the room. Harry rubbed his arms where the bags had left an indent.

"Sorry, Potter," Pansy said. "But you did offer."

Harry waved her off and looked out the window. He noticed a bunch of third years with their noses pressed to the glass of Spintwitches likely ogling at a new stock of Quidditch gear. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a familiar face make his way through the hordes of students toward the pub.

"Hermione," Harry nudged the girls arm and nodded at the door. Ginny held the door open for her brother and Seamus and the three sat at a small table at the front. "Go talk to him. I know you miss him."

Hermione stared openly at Ron. "But what if he doesn't miss me?"

Pansy placed a hand on Hermione's shoulder. "There's no way to know if you don't ask." She said. "Go talk to him. I'll come with you if you'd like."

"No." Hermione shook her head. "I have to do this alone."

The chair scraped against the concrete tiles as Hermione stood and slowly walked toward the front of the pub. Pansy moved to sit at Harry's side where they could both see the event that was to happen in front of them. They watched with wide eyes as Hermione inched her way toward the red haired boy only to be disappointed when she swerved toward the pub and started talking to Madam Rosemerta.

"Parkinson," Harry said turning to face the Slytherin. "Why haven't you been nicer to us in the past? You obviously don't hate us."

"That's a good question, Potter." Pansy said glancing back at Hermione who had pushed away from the bar. "But the answer will have to wait. Our little Granger is on the move."

oOoOoOo

"Hi, Ron," Hermione said softly. Ginny hopped to her feet, squishing her in a tight hug and Seamus smiled. "Would you like to join Harry, Pansy and I? We're just at the table over there."

Harry and Pansy smiled and waved at Ron. "Since when did you call her 'Pansy'?" He spat.

Hermione flinched at the venom laced in his voice. "Since she started being nice to us. She's really not bad, Ron. You should give her a chance."

"No. Once a Slytherin, always a Slytherin. Why can't you realize that, Hermione?" Ron was getting angrier by the second. "Wait, I know why. It's because you are just a stupid, gullible mu-"

Hermione slapped her hand over Ron's mouth. "Mudblood. That's what you're going to say, isn't it?"

Ron shook off Hermione's hand. "I was going to say 'muggle-born'. But if you want me to resort to Slytherin lows then, yes, Hermione, you're a stupid, gullible, Mudblood girl and that's all that you'll ever be."

Hermione's lip started to tremble and she ran from the pub, closely followed by Harry and Pansy.

Ginny turned to her brother. "That was a bit much, Ron."

"You went too far, mate." Seamus said getting up from the table. "She didn't deserve that."

The two left the pub and started running after the trio before them, leaving Ron in the booth all alone.

oOoOoOo

Seamus sat with Harry on the floor outside their room listening to the choked sobs coming from inside. "I suppose she didn't tell you what he said to her?" Seamus asked.

"No. She didn't."

The door opened. "You guys can come in now." The boys followed Pansy into the room; Seamus going to his bed, Pansy to hers and Harry sitting on the side of Hermione's.

Harry smoothed her bushy hair away from her tear streaked cheeks. Before he could say a word, Hermione had flung herself into his lap and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck. They sat like that for a while, Hermione crying and Harry lightly rocking her. It wasn't until early in the morning before either of them fell asleep.

oOoOoOo

Eighth year students:

Greatest Halloween party ever!

Where: Room of Requirement

When: 9 o'clock Saturday Oct. 31st

Wear your costumes!

oOoOoOo

It was three days until the Halloween party. Hermione and Pansy had gone out to Hogsmeade for the past two days leaving Harry and Seamus at the castle. Both boys had stayed busy working on their projects for McGonagall. Harry was almost a quarter the way through his project; it wasn't easy to get a set time with the Headmistress.

In their down time, Seamus and Neville had coaxed Harry into heading down to Hogsmeade to buy a costume for the party. After trying on several different outfits ranging from a lion to a Chippendale, Seamus and Neville had finally decided on the perfect costume for him.

oOoOoOo

The day of the Halloween party was hectic. The common room was covered in pieces of different costumes, hair accessories were littered on the floor, and muggle face paints stained the furniture. Seamus, Harry, Pansy and Hermione stayed in the semi-safety of their dorm room with a silencing charm on the door to drown out the chaos down the hall.

Hermione and Pansy were sitting on the counter of the small bathroom with curlers in their hair and makeup scattered around them.

"You know, Parkinson," Seamus yelled. "I always thought that you would be the kind of person to insist to use magic for everything. I guess I was wrong."

Pansy huffed and rolled her eyes. "I could use magic but I find that these muggle things work better."

Harry chuckled and looked at his reflection in the mirror. Though he still didn't like the idea of Halloween, he didn't think he looked too bad. His hair had been slicked back (with some difficulty) and charmed a dull silver. His face was covered in grey face paint done by Pansy a few hours earlier. He had a form fitting metallic grey shirt and matching bottoms. His shoes were charmed to match the outfit.

"I'd say me and Neville made a wise choice, eh, mate?" Seamus said as he coloured the last part of his hair to mimic the Irish flag.

Harry nodded. He walked into the bathroom standing between the giggling girls. They refused to tell what they were going as but he guessed that was just a girl thing. Pansy already had dark black circles around her eyes and lips to match. Hermione, on the other hand, had let her hair down already letting it fall down her back in soft waves. She already had a tight, dark purple top on that showed far too much cleavage.

"Tinman, Harry?" Hermione said giving him a once over in the mirror. "It looks good on you. I wonder if you'll find someone to fill your heart tonight."

Pansy glanced at the two. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It's from a film in the muggle world, The Wizard of Oz." Hermione said with a smile. "The Tinman needs to find the wizard to get a heart, the lion need the wizard to give him courage, the scarecrow needs a brain and Dorothy, the main character, needs to go back home."

"Well I have some answers for them." Pansy said. "The tinman is alive therefor he already has a heart, the lion needs to grow a pair, the scarecrow already has a brain if he's able to do anything, and that Dory girl must know how to apparate or fly a broom."

Hermione chuckled and shook her head. Harry just smiled. He left the girls to themselves and joined Seamus again. The Irishman was completely nude save his pants and an Irish flag wrapped like a toga.

"Merlin, Seamus!" Harry yelped.

Seamus smirked at the blushing boy. "Liking what you see?" Harry turned to his bed scratching his neck. "You okay there, mate? You look like a tomato under all that makeup."

Harry took a deep breath. "If the girls are ready, can we leave soon?"

Seamus caught Hermione's eye as she walked out of the bathroom. She smiled and pulled Harry off the bed.

Pansy led the group out of the room dressed as a panda with a low cut white top, black short skirt and round ears on the top of her head. Hermione followed as a stereotypical muggle witch keeping a strong hold on Harry's hand. Seamus closed the door behind them.

oOoOoOo

The party was only 15 minutes in and Harry already had a headache so bad he couldn't tell if it was his head pounding or the music. He debated whether or not to leave early but was distracted from his thoughts when Draco and Blaise came in carrying bottles of firewhisky and some muggle alcohols. Harry dove for the rum that had just been set down at a long table at the back of the room. He noticed Seamus grab three bottles of vodka before falling onto a small couch with Pansy and Hermione. Harry smiled and slumped into a chair in the corner.

Around him, people were already on their way to getting drunk. Hannah and Neville were dancing wildly without a care in the world. A few feet away from them, Harry saw Neville's red faced grin as Luna laughed and kissed his cheek. He saw Ron and Dean leaning against the drink table, each with a bottle of firewhisky.

"Want another?" Harry glanced at the full bottle in front of his face and took it, giving the person his empty bottle. The figure knelt in front of him. "You look like you need it."

Harry took a large gulp of the rum, wincing as it burned his throat. He ran his thumb along the rim of the bottle and nodded thanks. His eyes connected with the cold grey in front of him.

"Enjoying the party, Malfoy?" Harry said, almost yelling over the music.

Draco tilted his head. "What?"

"I said," Harry raised his voice even more. "Are you enjoying the party?"

Draco shrugged his shoulders in defeat. The music was just too loud to talk over. He stood up, stumbling a bit as he got his footing, and took Harry's hand. He pushed through the crowded dance floor and out the doors.

"Here," Draco said taking another swig of his drink. "We can talk without having to yell. So what were you trying to say before?"

Harry looked down at their still clasped hands though didn't try to shake his loose. It felt good somehow. The way Draco's fingers linked through him own so easily. It was comforting to him. How the blonds skin felt so soft against his own. To have a hand to hold was such a simple thing, but it meant so much to him. But he knew it couldn't last.

"Malfoy," Draco unconsciously tightened his hand. "You're hurting my fingers."

Draco's eyes widened and he pulled his hand away.

"Sorry 'bout that." He mumbled. Harry couldn't help but laugh. "What the bloody hell are you so giddy about?"

"It's just," Harry said between giggles. "I never thought I would hear a Malfoy apologize and for holding my hand no less."

Draco ducked his head to hide his blush. He began to get irritated when the brunette boy wouldn't stop laughing.

"You're drunk. Aren't you, Potter?" Draco said getting an immediate nod from Harry. "Bloody lightweight. Let's get you back to your room then."

Harry flung his arm around Draco's shoulders, the blond doing likewise around the other's waist. It didn't take long for the two to get back into the common room and get the giggling boy to his bed. What was difficult, though, was trying to untangle Harry's arms from their vice-like grip behind Draco's neck.

"Potter, I swear to Merlin, if you don't let go of me right now I'm going to-"

Harry pulled Draco on top of him and connected their lips. Draco tried, not very hard, to push him away but only resulted in deepening the kiss. He gave up and kissed him back. Harry ran his fingertips up the blond's neck and tangled his hands in the silky hair. Draco licked Harry's bottom lip and sucked it into his mouth. Draco relaxed into Harry's touch. One hand still tangled in the fine hair, the other drawing patterns down Draco's side.

Neither boy heard the footsteps approaching the door or the shocked gasps or even the high pitched squeal. All life around them drowned out until Pansy started talking.

"I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!" She yelled jumping up and down. "I told him in sixth year that he was gay! But did he believe me? No! But now he can't deny it! Congratulations, Darling!"

Draco froze and rolled off the frustrated boy. He felt his face and neck start to burn and got up cautiously with his head down.

"Not a word." Draco said shortly and left.

"Well," Seamus said. "I guess Luna was right."

Hermione and Pansy nodded. Seamus yawned and quickly retired to his bed, Pansy doing the same all while muttering "I knew it," under her breath. Hermione sat on the edge of Harry's bed, pulling his shirt off and tucking him into bed, knowing that he was so close to passing out completely. He did just that when his head hit the pillow. As Hermione got herself ready for bed, she swore she heard a soft sigh from the bed by the window.