Hogwarts Rule Number 236

by Mister Jackkkk

Hogwarts Rule Number 236: If the thought of a spell makes me giggle for longer than 15 seconds, I am to assume that I am not allowed to use it.

Hogwarts Rule Number 236: If the thought of a spell makes me giggle for longer than 15 seconds, I am to assume that I am not allowed to use it.

A/N: An 8th year fic

The Golden Trio were studying in the library by Hermione Granger's command. Harry has his face pressed to a book, drool drying on his cheek, Hermione shot him dirty looks, but didn't stir him; and Ron was flicking through a large book of Charms for his essay.

They were supposed to pick a harmless Charm which hadn't been taught in class, perform is on their own and present a small scroll on its effects and successfulness for class the following week. It seemed to be an easy task, but every spell the spell the boys suggested to their friend was shot down.

Hermione had completed the assignment days ago, and refused to help the boys in anyway except to accept or deny any spells they found.

Ron was about to give up when he turned the page – he sat up abruptly, staring intensly at the page and started to giggle.

Hermione and Mrs Pince gave him filthy looks, followed by stern shushes but it only increased the red head's laughter.

'Honestly Ronald,' snapped the girl, glaring across at him, 'whatever you found can't be that funny!' he continued to prove her wrong by slapping the table and holding his stomach.

Harry ripped his face from his book with a snort and stared at his ginger-haired friend with surprise, 'what's up with him?' he asked groggily.

'I don't know,' hissed Hermione, 'he hasn't stopped laughing for a good two minutes – oh Ronald! Give it here!' she extended her arm.

'No!' giggled the boy, 'Merlin – no! – It's my spell,' he wiped tears from his eyes, sighed to contain himself and stood, 'I need to find Malfoy.'

'What – no,' the bushy-haired girl stood suddenly, 'if you giggled like that, there's no way you're using that spell.'

'What is it?' Harry smirked, trying to peek at Ron's spell, but his friend pulled the book away.

'You'll see!' he made a grin to challenge his brothers, 'Also… boys don't giggle 'Mione,' he tucked the book under his arm, slung his bag over his shoulder and headed for the door.

'I swear,' she called after him, Mrs Pince shushing her, 'If that boy is damaged in anyway, I'll report you!' Harry packed his things quickly, ready to follow the Weasley boy, 'And where are you going?'

'To the bathroom,' he lied, grinning he took after Ron, leaving a scowling Hermione behind.

Potter quickly caught up with the youngest Weasley boy, 'what's it do?' he pestered again, but Ron just shook his head.

'You'll see,' he giggled again, 'Oh look! There he is!'

The Gryffindor boys approached the Slytherin, 'What do you want Potty and Weasel-bee?' Malfoy sneered, attempting to get behind Goyle as Ron aimed his wand.

'Bellus Puella!' shouted the freckled boy, a pink light shot from his wand and hit Malfoy.

The pale boy cowered, waiting for something horrid to happen, however the light dispersed ad nothing had happed. Patting himself down, he smirked, 'I didn't know someone's skills in magic could go backwards,' he mocked.

Ron frowned staring at his wand, then down at Harry who shrugged, 'I'll try again.'

'Oh please do,' said the Slytherin, thinking himself invincible, 'I love seeing a load of nothing.'

'Bellus Puella!' Ron shook his wand, the light came and went, and still nothing appeared to happen, 'Bloody hell,' he grumbled, 'it would have been a good spell too…'

Harry patted his friend's shoulder, 'Three times the charm,' he offered and Draco scoffed.

'Bellus Puella!' screamed the ginger with all he could muster and yet again, nothing.

Feeling defeated, the Slytherins laughing, Ron and Harry left, 'Maybe it's too complex,' the raven suggested, trying to get his best mate's hopes up, 'atleast you have something to write your essay about now,' and Ron sighed.

'Would have been better if the spell actually worked though,' he brooded all the way to Gryffindor Tower.

'What morons,' scoffed Draco, 'As if that disgrace of a wizard could ever harm me,' still a little suspicious, the boy looked himself over again. His heart fluttered oddly and a strange warmth filled him, 'Bloody idiot,' he mumbled, eyeing his tingling fingers.

When dinner came around Hermione was still angry with the boys, and especially with Harry, who still hadn't found anything for his Charms task.

'Well the spell didn't do anything,' pouted Ron as he fiddled with his food, 'so get your pants out of a twist.'

'Say,' Harry poked Ron, his eyes across the hall, 'What was that spell supposed to do?'

'Does it matter?' Ron bit angrily into a potato, 'eff di'nff worff.'

Hermione gave him a disgusted look, 'What are you looking at Harry?' she peered over the other students and gasped.

Ron turned slowly, chewing loudly.

There across the hall was Draco Malfoy, but not as he normally was – his normally slicked back hair has been straightened and tucked back behind a ridiculously large hair in. Pansy Parkison stood over him a bit giddy, playing with the pin, trying different styles and Malfoy was smiling.

'It's just gorgeous Draco darling,' she cooed and the boy blushed.

'You truly think so?' he asked her sincerely embarrassed, 'it was a brooch my mother sent me for my birthday, but it looked horrid with the uniform, so of course, I transfigured it,' he touched it vainly and batted his eyelashes.

'Just brilliance,' the girl breathed, it was hard to tell if she was mocking or truly taken by the boy's sudden change of style.

Ron dropped a potato in his lap, 'it worked,' he whispered, and Hermione raised a brow as Ron fell out of his seat, trying to get a better look.

Harry gripped his friend by the shoulder, suppressing his laughter as they approached the Slytherin table.

Upon closer inspection, the hair pin wasn't the only new accessory, instead of wearing his standard robes, Draco had magicked the blacks to a very deep green, which seemed to make his eyes sparkle, though, that could have been the eyeliner.

Malfoy's face dropped, seeing the two-thirds of the Golden Trio before him for the second time that day, 'What,' Draco placed a hand to his waist, 'do you want?' his lips pursed so very slightly.

'You're looking…' began Harry, taking the transformed Malfoy in, 'very pretty…' he finished strangely, and Malfoy blushed.

'These robes…' Ron muttered, 'they look –' he stared Harry in the eyes and back down to the robes again.

'Yes of course,' said Draco smoothing them out, 'It hit me, that Potter's eyes were the perfect colour, to bring out the colour in mine – don't you think so?' he batted his lashes up at them, expecting a compliment.

Ron bit his lip, 'yes of course,' he repeated suppressing a snort.

Malfoy very suddenly grabbed Harry by the chin, pulling him close and inspecting his eyes, he hummed, 'Mmm…. It appears I made them a shade too dark,' he flicked his wrist free of Harry's chin and stared at his robes, disgusted.

'Oh –' choked Ron, 'Oh dear!' Harry grabbed Ron's forearm, pulling him to the side.

'What did you do?' his eyes bulged and Ron snorted.

'I can't –' he strangled out, 'Harr – I – I can't,' he burst out laughing and left.

Malfoy watched Ron, looking very offended, he touched Harry's arm, making the boy jump. 'I wish he would stop making fun of me,' he sniffed, 'I can't remember what I did to him, to deserve his torture!' his eyes become glassy.

Harry whipped his head about trying to find someone to help him, but Pansy had started a conversation with Millicent Bulstrode, 'Er,' he looked down at Malfoy's hand on his arm.

'Ah,' gasped the Slytherin and Harry looked into his distraught face, 'I – I just don't understand,' Malfoy's bottom lip quivered and Harry patted his hand.

'Um… there there,' he tried to calm the boy.

'Where?' the boy sobbed, and hid his face behind his free hand, 'Oh! Don't look at me Potter!' he sniffed, 'I'm hideous when I cry!'

The lion felt smothered, not only was he abandoned in enemy territory, but he had his rival sobbing on his arm, 'er,' he started.

'- I have so much to talk about,' sniffed the blonde, Harry shook his head, 'Oh! You don't want to talk to me?' tears brimmed his eyes.

'Oh, no!' Draco sniffed again, 'I mean – yes – Yes – I'd love to talk with you – it's just –' Potter bit his lip, not sure what he was doing.

'Not here?' suggested Malfoy, looking hopeful and Harry slowly nodded, 'Of course,' the Slytherin gasped, 'I mean, with our past differences – it makes sense.'

Harry was confused, it was only this morning that Draco had purposefully blown up his teacup in Transfiguration, he had thought a good year was needed before one could call something "past differences".

'Come!' said Malfoy, pulling Harry by the elbow, 'I know a lovely little private place we can talk for hours!'

Harry glanced over his shoulder at his best friends, safe away from the water works known as Draco Malfoy, Ron laughing and Hermione scowling, 'What about dinner?'

'Oh, the elves will find us!' And they pair were out the double doors, and on the way to Draco's private place.

o~O~o~O~o~O~o

'- and I'm terribly sorry about last year – y'know, with the trying to kill you thing – I was angry, you stole my wand –' Dracn continued yabbering and Harry ran his fingers through his hair a bit frustrated. It was well past curfew now, but Malfoy didn't seem to care, 'it was very kind of you not to tell anyone I tried to kill you actually, I didn't think I ever really had the heart to – that isn't saying that I want to kill you now of course-'

The lion stared at the snake, wondering when he would shut up and set him free, he sighed.

'Look –' the Slytherin stopped talking, offended that he was interrupted, 'I get it, okay? You don't understand why I saved you when you did all those awful things – can we just say I need my head checked and leave it at that?'

Draco's jaw dropped, he curled his finger in his hair, 'of course not! Don't you realise what you did?' the smaller boy came up into Harry's face, 'I was a horrid, horrid person to you! And I've continued to be! I don't know why I tease – I guess old habits die hard – but –'

The Gryffindor sighed as Draco went on again, 'I mean, I've just been jealous of you all these years, and mildly attracted, I must admit, but you had everything! And-'

'Wait,' the boy legend's eyes bulged, 'What was that last bit?'

'You had everything –'

'Not that.'

'I was jealous?'

'After!'

'Mildly attracted?' Draco raised an eyebrow.

'Yes! Wait – what?' harry blushed, 'are you shitting me?'

'Why would I shit you?' the blonde gasped.

'What do you mean by mildly?' Harry leant foreward, happy to able to finally join a proper conversation.

'Oh, well, it''s complicated – or confusing, I don't know,' he looked away.

'Just spit it out Malfoy,' growled Harry.

'Sorry!' sniffed Draco, 'No need to yell – well it's like this, I mean you're not the most handsome boy in school, but I feel drawn to you, I've had a few fantasies about you,' he giggled, 'oh, but it's not like I'm in love with you or anything, so don't worry, I just wondered if you were a good shag and –' The smaller boy suddenly went cross eyed and collapsed to the floor.

'Malfoy?' Harry rushed to his side, 'what happened? You okay?'

The boy groaned, sitting up with Potter's support and looking in need of a good strong Pepper-Up potion, 'Where am I?' he looked about the room a little lost.

'Room of Requirement.'

Concerned green eyes met puzzled grey and Draco scrambled away from Harry, 'What have you done to me?' he accused.

'Nothing, you just collapsed, I think the spell has worn –'

'SPELL!?' Malfoy clutched his chest, 'What spell?'

'The one Ron cast on –'

'When did that happen?!' he looked about the charred room, 'what did he do? What happened?' he pulled the pin from his hair, shrieked and threw it to the floor like it was a dirty, great spider.

'Sit down'

'I'll do no such thing!'

'Malfoy –'

'Get away!'

'Mal – listen-!'

'I want out!'

'Will you just-'

'Where's the door?!'

'DRACO!' the snake panted heavily, watching Harry as if he would transform into a monster and eat him whole, 'I'll take you to the hospital wing, I seriously think you need something to calm-'

'I am calm!' he yelped, Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, and Malfoy blushed, 'Just take me to the dungeons… you'll explain everything along the way.'

o~O~o~O~o~O~o

The boys stopped in front of the brick wall concealing the Slytherin Dorms, 'then you said you wondered if I was a good shag.'

'I did not!' Harry gave Draco a pointed stare.

'Then you collapsed, and here we are,' Malfoy looked at his feet.

'Right… okay,' he whispered, 'well, it's needless to say that you won't breathe a word of this.'

'No one will know,' Harry raised his hands.

'It was the spell.'

'Just a spell,' the boys fidgeted.

Draco glanced up at Harry, he felt the blush on his face will remain permanent, and he sniffed loudly. Very quickly, he leant up on his toes and pecked Harry on the cheek. The Boy-Who-Lived very politely acted as if nothing happened.

'That…. No one will know of either,' said the blonde.

'Of course,' agreed the raven, 'I'll see you in class Malfoy.'

'Right,' they fidgeted again, and Harry stared down at Malfoy.

The corner of Harry's lip twitched, and he leant down to place his on kiss to Draco's cheek, lingering a little longer than Malfoy had, 'goodnight,' he whispered, then very quickly took off down the hall.

Draco Malfoy touched his fingers gingerly to his cheek, blush deepening further, 'Stupid git!' he shouted after Harry.

'Great Prat,' echoed back to him and the snake smiled, turning his back and entered the dorms.