"Harry?"
Hermione's voice broke through Harry's concentration, as he poured over the books in front of him. He merely grunted in an answer, reaching up for another book.
"Harry."
All she received was another grunt.
"Harry, you're in the library. Again."
An affirmative noise.
"Studying?"
Another affirmative noise.
"What are you studying?" Hermione picked up a book and read the cover. She frowned. "Potions huh? Are they all Potions books?"
"Uh-huh."
"You're actually studying for Potions. And taking notes," Hermione sounded giddy with joy. "I thought this was just a phase, but you're actually studying."
"It's not for me," Harry said.
"It's not? But...you've been studying like this for almost two weeks..." Hermione frowned. "If not for our exams, what then?"
"It's for Draco."
"Dra – Malfoy?" Hermione sat down in shock. "What in Merlin's name are you talking about Harry?"
"His father is sick, and Draco's been working himself to the bone to come up with a potion that will help but he's getting nowhere. I want to help." Harry explained not looking up from his note scribbling.
"You want to help Malfoy, help his father." Hermione said flatly, the question sounding more like a statement.
Harry shrugged.
"Huh. Well. Alright...as long as you're learning I suppose. And it's a nice gesture...promoting inter-house relations...good. Good." Hermione had never looked so uncomfortable in her life.
She left Harry to his studying, and left for the Great Hall.
"Do you know what Harry has been doing for the last two weeks?" Hermione said to Ron as she sat down to the eating Weasley.
"Wha?" Ron said, mouth full.
"He's studying. Potions. To help Malfoy." Hermione stated.
Ron nearly choked to death on his food. "He wha – what?"
"I know it's so – hey there's Malfoy. I'm going to go talk to him. See you later Ron." Hermione got up and rushed after the blonde who was leaving the Hall.
"Hey! Malfoy!" she called after him.
Draco sighed, his attention leaving the many books in his arms. "Can I help you Granger?" he said listlessly.
"I was just wondering why Harry has been losing sleep and not eating for the last two weeks because he's studying Potions so hard he can't see straight. For you, I might add." Hermione said accusingly.
"He's what?" Draco's eyes widened. Then he sighed, shaking his head with a hint of a smile on his face. "That idiot. Of course he couldn't just leave it alone. Leave it to me, I'll talk to him."
Before Hermione could respond Draco was off towards the library. Just as Hermione had left him, Harry was still bent over several open text books, scribbling down useful notes from the pages. Draco leaned over him, shaking his head and putting down his books.
"What are you doing Harry?"
Harry jumped slightly at his voice, looking up almost guiltily.
"...Helping...?" he said smiling sheepishly.
Draco sighed and sat down, pulling his notes towards him to look over.
"These are actually useful. Where'd you get these books?"
Harry pointed behind them at the Restricted Section. Draco clicked his tongue.
"Rule-breaker." he smirked. "What would the masses think of their beloved Saviour?"
Harry shrugged. "I figured the kind of thing you'd need would be there."
"Sure sure, get yourself expelled to help me. No bother or anything," Draco said casually, folding up the notes and pushing them back towards Harry. "I do recall us making a deal."
Harry was silent, looking down at his hands. "I just wanted to help."
"You don't have to help everyone." Draco said, leaning his chin on his hand. His eyes softened, and that hint of a smile returned to his face. "But it is endearing, your desire to help everyone you see."
"It is?" Harry looked up. "It's not annoying?"
"Who would think it's annoying?" Draco frowned.
"...My friends."
Draco snorted. "Terrific friends. It gets you in trouble yes, and sometimes it's bad for you. But, the noble intention behind your every action is something you have to admire."
Harry smiled.
"Anyway, if you insist on helping me, then you can help me by doing this research of yours in the classroom with me while I experiment."
Harry smiled wider. "You'll let me help?"
Draco chuckled. "Honestly, you're too cute. Yes, come on, before I change my mind."
Harry had never been so quick to gather his books and get up in his life.
It was slightly unsettling how quickly they fell into the routine. After classes, every day like clockwork, they'd meet in the dungeons, and Harry would pour over textbooks while Draco mixed potion after potion. On some days Draco didn't say a word, only stopping his work to ask Harry to pass him an ingredient. Other days he was chatty as anything, answering all of Harry's inane questions and asking his own to pass the time. And always before Harry knew it, it was night and time for them to head to their respective dorms. He never liked that part, and stayed up most of the night staring at the Map, watching Draco's name as he knew he slept peacefully in the Slytherin dorm. He thought his obsession or whatever, would get less intense if he spoke to Draco more, but the opposite was happening. The more he spent time with the blonde, the more he wanted to spend time with him, and the more he hated leaving him.
Thoughts like these distressed him. The sickening twist he got in his stomach whenever he saw Draco smile, or the way his heart leapted a million miles an hour whenever their hands accidentally touched when handing over a potion ingredient, or the plummeting feeling when it came time to say goodnight. These symptoms weren't normal, surely. He would speak to his friends about this, but they would know for certain who he was talking about, and they barely tolerated his association with Draco as it was.
"Harry are you coming to Hogsmede with us this weekend?" Hermione asked him one morning.
Harry considered the question over his breakfast. "I don't think so. Draco wants to try a few spells I know on one of his potions and I said I'd help him."
"Again with bloody Malfoy!" Ron snapped throwing down his fork. "Harry we're your friends! Not that snake! Can't you see he's only using you to get this potion of his working? The second he gets what he wants he'll stop talking to you! You spend every waking second with him – don't we matter anymore?"
"It's not like that!" Harry said defensively. "You two matter to me just as much, not that you'd even notice I was there half the time you're too busy sucking face. No offence 'Mione. At least Draco actually listens to me when I talk!"
"He's just playing you!" Ron cried angrily. "He's a Slytherin Harry! That's what he does!"
"Not all Slytherins are evil Ron!" Harry raged. "Not all Malfoys either!"
"Can't you see what's he's doing?! He's poisoning you against us!"
"He's not doing anything." Harry said, forcing his voice to be calm. "He's not forcing me to do anything, and I don't see the problem with it."
"You don't see the problem? Just last year he tried to kill us!"
"He saved us!" Harry hissed. "Unless you've forgotten so quickly, we would be dead if Draco hadn't have pretended he didn't know us."
"He does have a point Ron." Hermione said.
"Oh so you're on his side?" Ron shrieked.
"Ron calm down, I'm not on anyone's side." Hermione said calmly. "But I do have to point out that since Harry and Malfoy became...friends...he has seemed a lot more happy. Don't you think?"
"I'm his mate, I'm just trying to save him from the evil git." Ron grumbled. "Malfoy is going to pretend he likes you all he wants. He's learned by now antagonising you only gets him humiliated, so now he's using a new tactic. He's gonna be all buddy-buddy with you to get where he wants to get. Why can't you see that?"
"Because he's changed." Harry said. "He's not like you think Ron, Draco wouldn't do that to me."
"Can you even hear how crazy you sound right now? He's already got you conned and under his spell."
"Drop it Ron!" Harry shouted. "If you think I'm neglecting you then you try and fix it and spend more time with your best mate, not blame me for finding other friends. I'm not going to stop hanging around Draco just because you want me to!"
Making a disgusted noise, Ron got up from the table and stormed away. Thankfully it was early in the morning, and few students were about to hear. Harry sighed, shaking his head and he went back to picking at his food with his fork. Hermione scooted closer to him.
"Harry, can I ask you something?" she asked gently.
Harry wordlessly nodded.
"I might not...approve...of this friendship with Malfoy. But if you believe he's changed, I'll believe you."
Harry looked up. "Thanks Hermione."
Hermione smiled coyly. "I think you should seriously start thinking of what Malfoy means to you."
"What do you mean?" Harry frowned.
"Harry I've seen the way you look at him. I think you need to accept that you're in love."
Harry spluttered, eyes bulging and mouth gaping wide. "I – I'm not in love with him!"
"Okay okay," Hermione said in a tone that suggested she so did not believe him. "Just answer a few questions for me. Does your heart race when he walks passed?"
Harry swallowed. He nodded.
"Does it make you happy to see him smile?"
Another nod.
"Do you hate to say goodbye to him?"
A nod.
"Would you want to defend him against anything upsetting or bad-mouthing him?"
A nod.
"Does he make you happy?"
A final nod.
Hermione smiled and said nothing. Harry wet his lips, swallowing hard.
Was it possible? Was he in love with Draco?
"What's the problem with loving Malfoy? Is it because he's a Slytherin?"
"Of course not. He's not like other Slytherins."
"Then is it his family?"
"I wouldn't want him to be..disowned...but no," Harry said shamefully.
"Is it that he's a boy?"
Harry looked up. "You don't sound disapproving."
"I'm not. I have a cousin like that. It's normal Harry. Think about it, all the girls you've gone out with, have they made you feel like you feel with Malfoy?"
Harry's mouth went dry. He shook his head.
"Well? What do you think?"
"I think...that I'm in love with Draco." Harry murmured.
Hermione smiled reassuringly. "It's nothing to be ashamed of Harry."
"Maybe not but...what if he doesn't feel the same? Is he even like that? What about his family? I know he doesn't believe in pureblood customs anymore but, they'll disown him for sure. How am I supposed to bring this kind of thing up? What if it ruins our friendship?"
Hermione laughed. "Oh Harry you sound like a girl," she said. "Don't worry, don't over think things. If you want him to know, you'll find a way to tell him."
Leaving Harry to his untouched breakfast, Hermione went upstairs to find Ron. Harry sat staring at the table.
"Yeah, easy for you to say Hermione." he sighed. "You don't have to deal with loving a pureblood Slytherin."
