Well, it's been…about two and a half years since I've posted anything. Here's something new for you (but not for me – this one's been in planning mode for close to three years, if not more).

I hope you like it.

(existing fics should be updated in the near future)

Title: Of Bonding and Bickering

Rating: M (for language and future situations)

Pairings: Eventual Draco/Harry (yes, SLASH), eventual Ron/Hermione; others pending

Disclaimer: There is no way in any shape or form that I own Harry Potter. The credit should be given to one J.K. Rowling. The only thing I own is the plot.

Summary: Harry and Ron mess big time up in Potions class, leaving two boys in a very awkward, unwanted situation. They become inseparable, much against their will. Eventual Draco/Harry

Chapter 1: Blasted!

"Stir the potion three times counter-clockwise..."

Snape's drawling voice barely broke through the fog surrounding Harry's sleep-deprived mind. Why had he stayed out so late last night trying out new Quidditch maneuvers? He couldn't even imagine how the rest of the team was feeling right now...

"...should be a deep purple. This signifies the proper mating of flobberworm mucus and shredded oak bark. The potion will thicken gradually from this point on..."

Harry felt a dig in his right shin; Ron made a quick, pointed motion, trying to get his attention. Apparently he had been staring cross-eyed into their empty cauldron. Harry rubbed his eyes and gazed blearily toward the front of the classroom, where Snape was still droning on about the Binding Serum, which was today's project. All Harry had gathered so far was that it is meant to keep things indefinitely stuck together, making it great for repairs; it is basically the magical derivative of super glue. Somewhere in the back of his befuddled mind, he seriously hoped the professor did not call on him to answer in-depth questions; he doubted Snape would be pleased with his lackluster answers. It would be nice to maintain some points for Gryffindor...

"...is complete. Make sure to be extremely careful as you ladle it into your vial; you would not be happy to have any of this touch your skin, if it was done properly, that is." He glanced around the room, his obsidian gaze landing on a few choice students. "You will be graded on consistency, color, and binding strength. The full list of ingredients and directions are on page 343 in your textbook. You have an hour." He smacked a hand onto his desk as the signal to begin. The class jumped into action. There was a universal whisper as textbooks were opened and pages were flipped to the correct number. Several students scurried toward the cabinet to retrieve ingredients. Hubbub broke out almost immediately.

"I was here first!"

"Wait your turn!"

"That was my foot, Malfoy!"

Ron whirled to glare at the offending Slytherin. He opened his mouth to say something highly inappropriate for the classroom setting, but there was a loud throat-clearing from the front of the room. Instead, much against his desire to pummel that smirking face, he took that as a suggestion and gingerly stalked back toward his and Harry's cauldron.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked with a sigh as his partner unceremoniously dumped miscellaneous ingredients on the desk. There was a red blush spreading up Ron's ears, always a sign of anger.

"Malfoy."

Harry didn't need anything more than that. He merely rolled his eyes and leaned his head on his fist. His eyelids were just drooping shut as he felt a hard poke in his ribs. He jumped, looking around quickly. Hermione, seated behind him, shook her head, her mouth stern but her eyes crinkling in the corners. Harry smiled sheepishly before pulling his book toward him.

"Okay," he muttered, running a finger down the list of steps, "I suppose I'll start gathering the flobberworm mucus." He shuddered slightly, but it was a good idea to keep busy so he didn't fall asleep.

"The menial tasks are all you're good for, Potter."

Harry ignored the jibe, though he scowled at the fact that he'd forgotten Draco was seated on his other side. He knew Snape only did that so Harry would be more likely to start something with his prized student, thus losing points and landing himself in detention. He gritted his teeth and reached for the slimy flobberworms, feeling bad for Dean, who was partnered with the git. Ron narrowed his eyes, sitting ramrod straight in his chair, his knuckles white as he began slicing various plants.

After about three-quarters of an hour, Harry was gazing hopelessly at their bubbling potion, willing it to turn purple. At this stage it was meant to be a pale lavender hue, but it wasn't budging from its blue shade. He scratched his head, wondering where they went wrong. "You grabbed all the correct ingredients, right?" he asked Ron. He sighed heavily as his partner began digging through the haphazard pile; it was hard to believe that after five full years of Potions, he still wasn't able to fully recognize all ingredients. If only he had a more helpful professor...

Ron let an obscenity slip, promptly receiving a warning hiss from Hermione. "I grabbed the wrong bark. It's supposed to be oak. I must've done it right after I had my toes crushed. I'm not even sure which one this is...And now that I'm thinking about it, this plant looks off, too..."

"Well, it's too late now," Harry mumbled with a groan. "We might as well continue and hope for the best. Maybe it won't end up being too different from the desired outcome." His tone clearly showed his skepticism. Ron merely shrugged in agreement. Harry picked up their ladle and stirred the potion three times counter-clockwise. The concoction deepened to a blue-green. He was hoping this last stir would do it, but, of course, there was no such luck.

"There's a third of our points gone, at least," Ron stated with a grimace. "Still, no worse than usual, right?" He chuckled as he reached for the ladle to check the consistency, which was meant to equal that of very thick syrup.

"You never get anything right, do you?" Draco muttered under his breath, turning to sneer at the Gryffindor duo, apparently having listened in on their conversation. "I mean, it seems that you two can't even read." His eyes had taken in the bubbling mess in their cauldron. Harry spun around, not even noticing as his elbow bumped the cauldron. "It doesn't come as a surprise, though. I'm just wondering who you had to suck off so you could make it into the sixth year..."

Harry jumped to his feet, momentarily cringing as his right hip collided with the table. He knew he was just rising to the bait, but he was too tired at the moment to play nice. "Malfoy, you're a fucking child. Couldn't you grow up, just a little?" Draco bared his teeth and stood, his narrowed gray eyes level with Harry's bright green.

"Harry..." Ron's voice held a frantic note. Harry ignored him. Ron wouldn't have any of it. "Oy!"

Harry spun just in time to see their small cauldron totter dangerously before tipping in his direction. He leapt backwards, feeling a vague sense of satisfaction as Draco yelped in pain when his foot came down, hard, on the other boy's. Panic quickly overtook him as the dark blue potion splashed to the floor and pooled at their feet. He was just getting ready to breathe a sigh of relief before he realized he was beginning to feel an odd sensation. It took him a second to notice that the liquid was eating away the bottom of his shoes. The choked noise behind him verified that it was happening to Draco as well. He bent down to peel off his shoes, one of which was quickly becoming stuck to the Slytherin's, but he wasn't fast enough. The potion ate all the way through before he untied the first set of laces. Then, just as the liquid came into contact with his flesh, he had the oddest feeling of all.

It was as if he was...floating apart...

There was a loud bang and the classroom filled with a thick gray smoke. Coughing harshly, everyone found seats quickly and tried not to move, unable to see inches in front of their faces. Snape barked a spell and the smoke began clearing. Clean air caused it to disperse and rush out of the dungeon room.

"Everyone quiet!" he snapped as he moved from behind his desk toward the disaster area. The babbling that broke out only seconds before ceased. He waved his wand and the potion disappeared. "Weasley, there is a reason for these lectures. There should have been no error. But seeing as how you two never listen..." Ron crossed his arms and held his lips firmly shut. Snape's baleful glare then fell on Draco, who was lying unconscious on the floor, covered in soot and scorch marks. "And will someone please escort these two to the hospital wi-?" Just as he was turning away, Snape stopped, suddenly realizing that something was very wrong.

There was only one figure lying on the floor.

"Where's Potter?"

Confusion filled the faces of many of the students as they peered over and took in the odd scene. Yet no one answered.

"Did anyone feel him brush past them? Did he leave the room?" he asked sharply. The room still remained dead silent. "Finnigan, go check the corridor." Seamus, who was closest to the door, leapt out of his chair and out into the hall. They heard him shout Harry's name a few times, but there was no response. He came back a few moments later, shaking his head.

"We'll find him," Snape said, masking his feelings of foreboding and confusion. "Meanwhile, please take Mr. Malfoy up to Madam Pomfrey." He motioned toward Ron and Dean, the two closest to the inert boy. They pulled out their wands and levitated the Slytherin, then began making their way towards the door.

"Nothing else better happen to him on the way there," Snape called after them as they ambled down the corridor toward the stairs, his voice holding a note of warning.

"Damn..." Ron whispered as he quickly flicked his wand, moving Draco a hairsbreadth around a suit of armor.

"There was a Potions mishap," Dean informed the nurse as she held the door to the hospital wing open for them, raising an eyebrow at Draco's less-than-perfect state.

"Put him on that bed over there," she said with a sigh, pointing randomly. "I will go retrieve my wand to do a full analysis. Please watch over him for a moment."

Ron and Dean lowered their wands, causing Draco to thump down rather hard. Ron held back a chuckle as the Slytherin bounced slightly, images of a white ferret filling his mind. He straightened his face as Madam Pomfrey walked back up.

"Now what happened?" she asked as she handed Ron a vial of potion to hold and waved her wand over Draco, chanting spells under her breath.

"Well, Harry and I were having trouble with our potion. We didn't exactly...do it right...and it ended up being knocked over. It made contact with Malfoy and Harry, but..." He trailed off, unsure how to continue.

Madam Pomfrey stilled her wand movements and looked curiously at Ron. "Then where is Mr. Potter? Surely he must be in the same state?"

"We...don't know..."

Her eyebrows knit together in a frown, but before she could inquire further, Draco began glowing with colored light from her spell. She turned to investigate the damage. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she looked him up and down. Then she gasped.

"What on Earth?" She leaned in closer to Draco, as if she couldn't believe what she saw. Ron looked down, wondering what was going on. "Why...?" The nurse seemed baffled, unable to complete her own question. Ron's skin tingled, and he shivered, not liking the tone of her voice. She raised her wand and repeated the spell, but nothing changed. Her face fell. "What is going on? This is strange. I must get the headmas-"

She cut off quickly as Draco began twitching. He limbs began moving, but with jerky movements, as if he was in the midst of a fit. His eyes flew open.

Ron backed away a step as the unfocused eyes settled on him. He steeled himself, ready for insults that were sure to fly at any second. But something seemed different...Was it just the light?

"...Ron?" the boy croaked. Why would he call him that? And it didn't really even sound like... He looked harder into the bleary eyes. They weren't gray.

They were green.

Ron's fingers went limp; he vaguely registered the sound of shattering glass as the vial hit the floor.

"Harry?"

End of Chapter 1

To be continued...