Emerald Met Steel
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, it and all its affiliates belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.
Warnings: This is a gay slash story, so if you are uncomfortable with that, don't read it.
Chapter 1- Equal Pairings
"Today, we will be brewing the Serum of Respite. Now, due to the nature of its preparation," Snape drawled at the 6th year Potions class, "this particular potion must be made in pairs. I will be assigning the pairings so don't waste your time Miss Brown, Miss Patil." He said pointedly, directing the last phrase at the two girls who were grinning at each other in the hopes of being paired. "I will be pairing you according to skill, so each pairing will have a similar level to the rest."
Harry looked exhaustedly at Ron, who knew exactly how he felt; they were tied for the lowest mark in the class, so that meant that one of them would be paired with Hermione, and the other with Malfoy, who were tied for the top mark, the two boys thought disdainfully.
Snape flicked his wand at the black board, and pairings were written out in the professor's barely legible scrawl. Harry and Ron held their breath as they looked to see who would be paired with Malfoy. Weasly-Granger was written on the board and Ron brightened considerably. He looked at a crestfallen Harry sympathetically, but not without some underlying triumph.
Harry groaned as he stood and moved to where Malfoy was sitting. "Well, if it isn't the poster-boy," Draco sneered, dryly.
"Listen, Malfoy, I don't enjoy this anymore than you do, so let's just make the potion and be done with it." Harry said, trying his best not to hex Malfoy into next week.
"Watch what you're doing, Potter!" Draco snapped, as Harry knocked his arm. He had been trying to extract the juice from a Hyserian pod, and harry had just caused him to skewer it all the way through, into the table.
Harry shot Malfoy a faux-apologetic look and went back to stirring the simmering cauldron. The liquid within it was a deep red colour, which reminded Harry, all too much, of blood.
"Potter! You're meant to turn down the flame not up-" Draco was cut off by a sudden BANG! As the contents of their cauldron ignited and burned up, leaving a small lump of brown-red sludge at the bottom.
Students began to cough and wheeze, making various sounds of disgust, the classroom had started to fill with a putrid odour. "What is this?" Snape drawled in his trademark monotone, as he peered into the cauldron. The lump of sludge was releasing fumes which smelt like a rotting carcass. "Twenty points from each of your houses for causing such," Snape sniffed, and his face took on a look of revolution, "unpleasantness, and Iwill be seeing both of you after dinner for a detention."
"But why do I have to go to detention?" Draco protested, "It was Potter who turned up the flame!"
"Enough, Mister Malfoy, you are supposed to be the higher level student, so I see it as equally your fault as Potter's, as you should have ensured he knew the procedure before starting to make the potion." Draco was silenced. "Detention, after dinner." Snape said again, re-enforcing his judgement.
Harry and Draco shot each other glares, and nodded to the professor. Excellent, Draco thought sarcastically, more time with the 'Golden Boy.'
Draco Malfoy strode down the corridor to the Potions dungeon, Damn that Potter! He thought I have better things to do with my time than sit in detention with the Golden Boy.
Harry Potter walked down the corridor to the Potions dungeon. Damn that Malfoy! He thought I have better things to do with my time than sit in detention with that ferret.
Harry walked through the already open door to the Potions room to find Draco already seated at a desk. Harry took a seat at another. Professor Snape walked into the room from the storeroom. "I have decided," Snape drawled, "that the two of you are to make, and perfect, the Serum of Respite, that you managed to turn into something quite opposite. I will be in my office, bring one vile of the perfected serum to me there." He left the room, closing the door behind him.
"Right, Potter." Draco spat. "First we have to collect the ingredients; I'll read them out while you fetch them."
"I am not your servant, Malfoy." Harry retorted, with flaring irritation.
"Yes, Potter, you are, however, useless when it comes to setting up a workspace, and taller than me. So, while I set up the equipment, you get the ingredients, most of which are on higher shelves." Harry walked reluctantly into the storeroom, faintly irked that Malfoy had a point.
Harry was reaching to the highest shelf to retrieve a Boomslang skin, as Draco spoke from below him. "What is taking you so long, Potter?" Startled by Draco's sudden appearance, Harry lost his footing on the step ladder, falling- on top of Draco.
"Watch yourself, Potter" Draco snapped. Harry was about to retort when he realised how he had landed- one leg on either side of Draco, with Draco lying under him. Harry blushed. What? Why do I care? He thought frantically, not moving from his position. As Draco looked up at Harry, heat flooded to his face. Emerald eyes meet steel ones, and stared into each other. His eyes... They both thought, and suddenly with a start, they looked away. Harry moved off Draco and stood up. Draco stood and looked at Harry. "Um," He said very un-Malfoy like, he scolded himself mentally, Malfoys are not flustered. "The cauldrons ready"
"Yeah, I'll be there in a second" Harry said quickly, a bit too quickly. "I just have to get this..." He trailed off. Draco walked back out into the classroom.
They completed the Serum, and, though they knew it was not perfect, took a vile to Professor Snape. "Well, it is the wrong shade of blue." Snape said, eyeing the teardrop shaped vile. "You are dismissed." He finished, sharply, neither boy contesting.
Harry made his way back to the Gryffindor commons, and promptly headed to his dormitory. He lay back on his bed thinking: What was that? Why was I so embarrassed?
Draco strutted into his study. Oh no. He thought, isn't it enough for me to like guys? Why him? He let his head slump onto his desk. Why Harry-Golden Boy- Potter? Draco thumped his head on the wood.
