James and Lucius stuck in detention. What ever shall they do?
Disclaimer: Nothing in the Harry Potter world is mine. Not even a single leaf on a tree in the Forbidden Forest. Also, this WILL BE slash, so if you don't care for that, you'd best spend your time elsewhere.
Rated M for later chapters.
It was June, after months of waiting and two weeks of exams, their sixth year at Hogwarts was drawing to a close. Classes were formally over and done with and most of the students were out of doors, swimming in the lake, or playing lazy quidditch over the pitch, but James Potter, prankster extraordinaire was stuck in a pre-NEWT transfiguration class on the hottest day of the summer so far. "Even Mooney wasn't driven enough to take this extra work load" He thought to himself. He sneaked a peak at Lilly Evans, who was two desks away with her red hair cascading over one shoulder as she took notes, deliberately ignoring James. "This is miserable" he concluded. His t-shirt was glued to his skin, his glasses kept following tiny streams of sweat down his nose, and Evans hadn't so much as glanced at him all period. He reached up to ruffle his hair and felt his hand get suddenly hot.
"MR. MALFOY!" Professor McGonagall's voice cracked like a whip through the stagnant air. James and the two other students in the class whipped around to see Lucius Malfoy stowing his wand hurriedly, though not quite quick enough. "What have you done to Potter? Un-do that this instant!" James spun in his seat to look at his reflection, barley visible in the window. Lilly let out a peal of laughter.
"PINK!" he roared. He shook his new locks violently as though their color was merely paint that would slide off. He drew his wand as Professor McGonagall cast a shield charm between him and Lucius.
"Mr. Malfoy, ten points from Slytherin for your disruption. Potter, no drawn wands in my class. Put that away. Detention for you both!"
"Why me too?" demanded James. "That git did this to me! I didn't do anything!"
"Put away that tone too, Potter," Professor McGonagall said sharply.
"I am doubtless that you would have hexed him had you the chance. Detention, 8 o'clock tonight."
"Damn bet," grumbled Lucius Malfoy as he stalked along the transfiguration corridor at 7:50 that evening. He sat down in a circle of light cast by one of the torches. The stone floor was moderately cooler than the heavy air around him and he resisted the urge to press his face to it. He and Narcissa had had tonight planned for weeks and he'd had to break his promise to be there, all because of McNair's betting him that he couldn't dye Potter's hair without getting caught. He'd been only too happy to do it, internally of course. It might have been his only chance to get Potter to notice him before school let out for summer. But, he had lost the bet, and he'd had to put up with Narcissa's shrieking about his being in detention on "THE MOST IMPORTANT NIGHT THIS YEAR!" Though, he thought, pink really is Potter's color. Quite worth the slave labor McGonagall is going to put us through. Plus this puts off the inevitably awkward conversation with Narcissa just that much more. She really was not going to take his rejection of sex with her that well... Not my fault though he sneered. She was just going to have to get over herself. Lucius checked his watch. Two minutes till eight. There was the sound of pounding feet and James burst through a tapestry out of breath just as Professor McGonagall opened her classroom door.
"Follow me," she instructed, ignoring James' wheezing, and set off towards the Great Hall. James staggered after her and Lucius behind him. Potter's face matched his hair, which was still pink, as Remus had not been able to find the counter charm before his detention. He's not too bad looking, all windswept like that. The thought slid into Lucius' mind like a fog and obscured his vision for a moment. "THE HELL DID THAT COME FROM?" he demanded of himself and got no reply. He shook his head to clear it, but the thought remained as he followed James into the hall.
"As you can see, I have here some cleaning supplies from Mr. Filch and express instructions on how to clean the house tables. That is your task for this evening. There has been magical build up from all the food passing through them and things are starting to taste quite off. Since magic is the cause of the problem in the first place, none shall be used to solve it. I'll return in three hours to check your progress." With that, Professor McGonagall turned and departed their presence. House elves' work thought Lucius in disgust. He bent to pick up the list of instructions from the flagstones by the door.
"Ha. These instructions are so simple even you could do it, Potter! Potter?" he turned around to find James gazing at the ceiling which was starry and clear in the summer's night. "What the devil are you staring at?" Lucius demanded. "I want to get out of here."
"Damn can't a bloke look up once in a while?" James snapped and snatched the list from Lucius' hands. Reading it through once, he dropped it to the floor again and picked up two scrub brushes and handed one to Lucius, who took it and made an almost inaudible gasp as his fingers brushed the back of James' hand. James gave him a funny look.
"Shocked to be actually doing work for a change Malfoy?" he asked, and before giving him a chance to answer, James dumped the contents of one of the buckets over the Hufflepuff table. It washed down in waves and coated it in a glowing blue layer.
"List says just scrub until it quits glowing," Lucius said.
"I know that," snapped James. "I can read." He marched up the hall to the far end of the table and began scrubbing. Lucius felt an odd smarting in his chest as he stepped to the edge of the table and began working.
Three quarters of an hour later, the two boys met in the middle of the Hufflepuff table with their scrub brushes in hand. James' hair had faded to deep pink rather than bright pink as its normal black began to show through.
"What's eating you, Malfoy?" James asked as they paused in their work. Lucius flopped on the bench, his arms aching.
"Nothing that concerns you Potter!" he spat. Lie he thought.
"I was only trying to be friendly!" James chewed the inside of his lip angrily and, what Lucius thought to be, a bit unsurely.
"My apologies." Lucius said, quieter. "I'm just worried about Narcissa. She and I had, um, an arrangement this evening"
"Most unfortunate, old chap," said James, imitating Lucius' high minded tones and receiving a scowl from the other. "Well, considering other options beyond that and this by way of night time activities, there are certainly better ones."
"I'll say," Lucius agreed his grey eyes on James' brown ones. James' jaw fell slightly slack and Lucius stood, blushing to dump the next bucket over the Gryffindor table. James gave his head a small shake, concerned that the word attractive had just crossed his mind about Malfoy, of all people.
"Lilly" he thought forcefully. "I am in love with LILLY."
"A bookish girl who won't give you the time of day" said a small voice in his head.
"But he's a BLOKE" James nearly shouted aloud.
"and a damn good looking one at that," the voice replied as James watched Lucius roll up his shirt sleeves to continue work.
"Come on Potter," he yelled, though not unkindly, "I am not going to do this all myself!"
After searching unsuccessfully for a retort "C-coming" James called and grabbed up his brush again.
When Professor McGonagall returned at eleven, both boys' arms ached and they had only just finished the Gryffindor table, though what can only be called smiles graced both of their faces.
"I would assume you now regret the various spells that you have casually casted at meal times, Mr. Potter? They do make for difficult removal." Professor McGonagall said by way of greeting with the shade of a smile.
"I bloody well do!" James said kneading his biceps.
"Language Potter. 5 points from Gryffindor." she said, almost perfunctorily, "As you failed to finish your task, you will be required to return tomorrow night to complete it. Same time. You are both free to go." James scowled and stalked out of the hall still rubbing his arms. Lucius nodded curtly to Professor McGonagall and hurried after James, catching him in by the marble staircase. James had paused, seeming to be checking the hour glasses filled with jewels. He turned at the sound of Lucius' footfalls
"That wasn't horrendous, eh?" James said, stretching and still massaging his arm.
"There are certainly things I would have rather done, but no, it was not horrible." Lucius replied and James grinned.
"If I had to make any observations, Malfoy, I'd say that I've grown on you" James declared with a cackle. Lucius wrinkled his nose but stepped closer.
"L-let me do t-that," Lucius said, putting his hand hesitantly on James' upper arm and starting to work his fingers gently into the tissue. James relaxed a little under his touch and closed his eyes lazily.
"Mmm that feels good," he muttered. "I bet Narcissa just loves this."
"She doesn't like to be 'handled', to use her words," Lucius replied.
"You should get yourself a new girl, mate." James commented. "To be frank, she sounds like a bit of a bitch."
"She's alright," Lucius said, with a bite of defensiveness in his voice. "She just prefers things to remain proper between us. She has her family's reputation riding on her shoulders and Bellatrix does nothing to help her."
"I have no doubt," murmured James as Lucius switched arms and continued massaging.
"She's not exactly what I myself am looking for, but I am sure she will be the perfect bride." Lucius stated stonily. James' eyes snapped open and he stared at Lucius.
"You're going to m-marry her?" he stuttered.
"Of course. Don't be a dolt." Lucius replied and to his shock James yanked his arm out of his grasp.
"You need to get your priorities in order." James said harshly. "Cause to me, it sounds like you would be right miserable if you married her. Think about it Malfoy." He turned and began making his way up the marble staircase, somewhat slowly, but Lucius stayed glued to his spot in front of the hour glasses. "They would kill me if I went after what I was looking for!" he almost shouted after James, and found himself in that same instant, realizing it was true, because the thing he was looking for was now well on its way back to Gryffindor tower.
Authors Note: Cliff hanger? Maybe a little! This is my first time writing these two, and I am unafraid of criticism so tell me what you think but PLEASE not anonymously. THANK YOU :-)