Benign

Chapter 5: Classes Begin

The raven and blond haired boys made it to the Great Hall and sat across from Pansy and Blaise at the Slytherin table, in about the same spots they were the night before. Harry smiled at them shyly in greeting, and Draco started going into the story of how Harry had found the gift from Snape and that was why they were late.

"Its strange that he would do something like that isn't it?" Blaise asked him frowning in confusion, once he had finished the story.

Draco thought for moment, before his eyes widened with understanding. "I think I remember him telling me once that he was best friends with Harry's mother when they were children. Maybe he thought that she could be dominant in his personality instead of his father, who its well known he had a rivalry with."

Harry's eyes widened in wonder and hope. "He knew my parents?" He asked before he could stop himself and then a look of fear crossed his face. "Sorry, Aunt Petunia says never to ask questions, especially about my parents."

Pansy's eyes softened and after making sure he was looking at her, spoke softly. "You can ask as many questions as you want, especially about your parents, here. What your aunt says does not hold up while you're at Hogwarts." She paused and at his hopeful expression returning, decided to continue. "And it seems that he did. I'm sure most of the staff here knew them, maybe you could ask them about what they were like later."

Harry gave her a soft, shy smile. "You think so?"

Pansy gave him a similar smile, though it lacked shyness. "I know so. I think they would all love to tell you about your parents."

Draco was smiling through the whole exchange between his friends, though he was even more worried about Harry now, but he grinned hugely at the joy filled expression on Harry's face. Even in the short time he had known him, he knew that the expression didn't grace him often.

"Thank you." Harry managed, though it can out even quieter than normal. He couldn't express how grateful he was to his new friends, and to Professor Snape. He had never thought that he would be given the chance to be happy, that he deserved to be happy. That he deserved things like gifts and friends, and that people could even stand to be around a freak like him, because that was always what his aunt and uncle had always told him. He just hoped with all that he had in him that they wouldn't decide that he wasn't worth it anytime soon and prove his relatives right.

Pansy gave him a small and sincere smile. "You are absolutely welcome." She had to resist the urge to tell him he had no need to thank her, because she had a feeling it wouldn't bode well.

After that, the trios conversation moved on to lighter topics and they each learned a little more about each other (though Harry was doing most of the learning) and they received their timetables from the prefects.

"Looks like we have all the same classes." Draco said with a smile to his three friends.

Harry smiled and then looked at Blaise (who whooped), and Pansy (who just smiled), and motioned for the three of him to follow him out of the Great Hall so they could head to their first class, which was History Of Magic with Professor Binns.

Blaise's usually constant smile turned into a frown as they followed Draco there (because he had the map) and he voiced his concerns. "Every single adult I've spoken too about Hogwarts has said that this is the dullest class. I mean, Binns is a ghost and he's bound to be tired of his job."

Draco shrugged. "Maybe we'll be surprised."

Blaise gave him a look that clearly told him that he doubted it, but he just sighed and dropped it as they walked into the classroom.