DON'T PRETEND YOU LOVE ME

CHAPTER 01

HARRY AND DRACO FACE OFF

(This is a slight better version of the original. I have taken out things that i thought could have been better. i have also put in new scenes and dialogue for your enjoyment. After i have done with this revised story. i will continue on the sequel Life After Hogwarts and A stranger and her Sympathy. i hope all of you enjoy this story as mush as i have writing them. please feel free to leave a review and tell me what you think. if you think the changes i made are good or bad. have fun reading - Muggleborn out)

It's Harry's seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The air was hot that Thursday afternoon at Potions class with Professor Snape. As usual, Snape has taken a few points from Gryffindor because of a small number of mistakes from Harry. This time, Harry added too much bat wings on his dream potion that caused it to explode.

BANG!

"Ten points from Gryffindor!" proclaimed Snape.

Harry sat down back to his seat after Snape cleared Harry's cauldron clean.

"Don't worry Harry, it's not that bad, I mean look at Neville" said Ron while patting Harry's back.

Harry turned around and saw Neville's cauldron puffing green smoke and saw Professor Snape towards him with a smirk on his face.

"Well, Mr. Longbottom it seems that six years in my class just isn't enough to scare the stupid out of you," said Snape. "You will stay after class to drink your brew." he added.

Neville's face shot pale as his body seemed bathe itself with sweat. "What if I die?" he pleaded his Professor.

Snape's left brow only raised. "Don't get my hopes up. I hate it when students don't deliver".

"That's so unfair," Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron. "Crabbe and Goyle's potions are way worse, but you don't see him taking points off Slytherin or giving them detention."

Snape turned around and glanced at the hourglass "That would be it for today's lesson!" he announced "Everyone leave their cauldrons at my desk and proceed to live a life filled with disappointment and false hope".

Everyone has left their cauldrons at Snape's desk and made their way out of the classroom except Neville. Walking down the corridor, the class sprinted to their next class.

"I swear! Six years in this dump; you'd think that Snape would finally show some side of humanity. I mean look at us, we're seventh year students and the only thing that grew like us is his hatred for facial hair," Ron vented.

"Maybe he just can't grow a mustache?" said Harry.

Ron snorted "Git".

"Hey, look at the bright side;" said Harry patting Ron on the back "Next class is Defense Against the Dark Arts".

"Yeah, I can't wait to study curses today" said Hermione gleefully.

A few minutes later, they arrived just in time at their next classroom. Entering the room they saw a man with mild pale skin and long blue robe. He was smiling at the three as they approached.

"Hello, you three" their Professor greeted.

Harry reached him first "Hi Lu... I mean Professor Lupin."

"Hello Professor" greeted Hermione and Ron.

Inside the classroom stood the familiar plank stage that Gilderoy Lockheart used for their dueling lessons. The student's excitement grew as they gathered around the stage. Harry, Hermione and Ron stood in front at one side, while Crabbe, Goyle and Draco Malfoy stood behind them. When Lupin finally arrived on the stage, he gazed down for a moment to see Harry and Ron giving him the thumbs up.

Lupin held his wand at ease "Alright everyone. Today, we're going to practice you're counter curses. I sure hope all of you have been practicing your counter jinxes, because if not…you are going to get blasted away. Now, group yourselves in pairs and form a line".

Harry turned to Hermione with a big grin, "Practical magic, I can't stop smiling," said Harry.

Hermione beamed at him and pinched his nose.

"Miss Brown and Miss Patil." Lupin called.

Lavender and Parvati jumped up and down holding each other's arms. The two had a difficult time dueling since most of the boys in the room kept yelling the two to strip. Lupin fixed this problem by stunning Terry Boot.

"Mr. Finnegan and Mr. Thomas"

Dean and Seamus high fived each other. Dean won the duel as he stunned Seamus. The Irish meanwhile ranted that he wasn't ready when he said yelled go.

" and Mr. Goyle!"

Crabbe won by default seeing as he stunned Goyle as he turned his back on him and made his way to the other side of the stage.

"Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger!"

As expected, Hermione won the duel… twice as Ron claimed two out of three was better.

"Harry and Draco, please come up," called Lupin.

Draco who was not paying attention suddenly was surprised at what Lupin told them to do. "Oh sorry, I always yawn when I take interest on what a teacher is trying to make me do".

"Come up the stage, Draco," Lupin urged him.

"Geez, what is it with you forcing me to partner up with Potter? Is this some kind weird gay thing or something?" said Draco.

"Here we go again," Harry muttered to Hermione.

"I'm not gay Draco," said Lupin in a tiny tone of annoyance.

Draco raised his hands "Hey, I'm not judging. Personally, it's not my business what you put up your a— "

Draco was cut off with the sound of the door opening. Neville strode to the crowd without realizing his skin was pale blue, probably because of his potion Snape mad him drink earlier, as he was about to reach them he stopped and gave a loud burp.

Brrrrrrrf!

The sound of the class went in disgust as Neville's skin color turned slowly back to normal. Hermione and Ron waved him over to them.

"Are you okay, Neville? How do you feel?" Hermione said.

"I'm good, thanks for asking,"

"Did he err… touch you in an inappropriate manner?" asked Ron.

Hermione and Neville turned to him with their eyes narrowed.

"I'm just saying if he did we can sue him," Ron said angrily.

Hermione placed her hand on his shoulder, "Another bad dream?"

"Something like that—hey look," Ron pointed at the stage.

Draco was now face to face with Harry, glaring at one another's opponents. The excitement was rising in the don't see the two most popular men duel everyday. Both Quidditch captains of their own houses, both on the Top Ten Seniors You'd Most Likely Do according to the girls' bathroom, both being stalked by dozens of women and both also couldn't care less.

Cheers were being shown by their own housemates, Slytherins were chanting Draco's name while Gryffindors cheered on their Quidditch captain, someone at the back even yelled 'Kill, kill, kill'. Once again Terry Boot dropped to the floor as Lupin stunned him.

"You can do it Harry" cheered Hermione.

"Keep you're guard up mate" Ron yelled.

"Anytime you two are ready," said Lupin who is now standing beside Neville along the crowd

"Took you long enough to come up here," Harry told Draco.

"Can't really fight Longbottom you know. Bad for my rep." Draco said, "You ready Potty?"

"You know I always am Malfoy,"

"It's going to be that time at fifth year when we kicked your asses in Quidditch,"

"The hell are you talking about? Gryffindor won all six years!"

"I didn't hear you denying that we kicked your asses,"

"What with you and asses?"

"Don't change the subject!"

"I'm not,"

"Yes you are Potter,"

"Are not,"

"Are too,"

"Are not,"

"Are too,'

"Will somebody shoot somebody already!" someone in the crowd shouted.

"He's right Potter, stop stalling,"

"Are not,"

"Are too

"Are not,"

"Are too,"

"Don't make me come up there you two," again someone shouted.

Lupin took out his wand once more, "Come here Terry, I said come here."

"Well do it on three?" said Harry.

"Suit yourself," Draco replied.

"THREE!" both shouted.

Their disarming spells ricocheted off one another. Draco's disarmed Lupin from afar as Harry disarmed one of the Knight statues in the room. Without wasting another second, Harry hurled his wand again.

"EXPELIARMUS!"

Draco was knocked a step back. His wand was spinning up the air but Draco still managed to grab it and return a course of his own, "STUPEFY!"

"PROTEGO!" yelled Harry, his shield charm rebounding the stunning spell to another direction. This hit Terry Boot causing him to go down the fourth time.

The stage was no longer enough for Harry and Draco. They had used the whole parameter of the room as the class scattered in panic. Lupin was knocked down after somebody's disarming spell hit him directly on the forehead. Nothing was heard in the room but hysteria and the voices of Harry and Draco trying to beat each other.

Finally, the two stopped moving. It was a stand off now from here. Draco then pointed his wand towards Ron who was with Hermione tending to Lupin. Harry immediately shot a shield charm around them. But it was all a trick. Draco never had the intention to fire. He capitalized on Harry's unprepared position and mustered a stunning spell with all his strength. This hit Harry square on the chest, causing him to fly backwards and hit the wall.

"Harry!" screamed Hermione.

A fully revived Professor Lupin rushed to Harry, followed closely with Hermione, Ron and the rest of the Gryffindors. Lupin slapped Harry's cheeks mildly, trying to revive him "Harry, Harry, are you alright? Talk to me, c'mon".

Harry's chest was bruised and bleeding, Hermione held Harry's head looking worried. Harry opened his eyes slightly to see Hermione's face on him.

"I can't believe I fell for that one," Harry said jokingly.

"Harry don't try to stand up, you'll hurt yourself" said Lupin.

Ron turned back to Draco and glared at him "YOU EVIL SON OF A..." as he tried to run at Draco, Lupin stepped forward and stopped him.

"Detention, Malfoy," called Lupin sounding upset, "You were only to disarm your opponent. What you did was obviously to mean harm on your opponent,"

Draco did not respond. Instead looked angrier with the sight of Hermione helping Harry to his feet.

"Professor" called Hermione "We really should take him to Madam Pomfrey".

"Ron, help me carry him to the hospital wing" ordered Lupin.

"Yeah, okay," Ron replied.

Lupin and Ron helped each other to carry Harry to the hospital wing while Hermione followed. A few minutes later, Harry was lying unconscious at a hospital bed. Madam Pomfrey had already closed up Harry's wounded chest. It's now wrapped with bandages as can be seen.

Hermione was sitting beside Harry opposite Ron. Madam Pomfrey was about to tell them to get out when Professor Lupin came inside. Lupin examined Harry then faced Madam Pomfrey.

"Is he going to be alright?" asked Lupin softly.

"Yes Professor, he's going to be just fine. I have managed to close up his wound quickly, and I can say that he can leave tomorrow morning but..." she paused for a minute "He is not allowed to practice Quidditch for a while or participate in any actual activities" said Madam Pomfrey.

"Harry's not going to like that news," Ron whispered to Hermione, as the listened secretly.

"I understand," said Lupin, he then turned to Hermione and Ron and smiled "You heard what Madam Pomfrey said you two, he's going to be alright, he will be out tomorrow morning".

Hermione and Ron looked at each other and then they took one more look at Harry then went to their common room.