Second Best
Malfoy's always fancied Harry. He hides it well, and chooses who he tells very carefully.
He thinks Harry's straight
He's in for a surprise.
(p.s – Voldemort was defeated in 5th year in this story)
Tuesday morning brought about the first double Potions lesson that the Gryffindors weren't dreading. Harry, Ron and Hermione were first there. Hermione had about 50 sheets of parchment in her arms.
"Are you going to tell us why you've got all that?" Ron asked.
"No. it's a surprise. Besides, Harry already knows."
"WHAT!"
"And we'll be leaving halfway through the lesson hopefully."
"WHAT!"
"Oh will you now?" they all jumped. Kass was stood right behind them. Harry wondered whether this would become a regular thing – jumping because Kass kept appearing out of nowhere. "Why is that?"
"Well…we were wondering if we could…go round all the classes and get the students who wanted to, to sign this." Hermione held out the first sheet of parchment and handed it to Kass. Bold red letters appeared on the top:
Petition to let Professor Velty (Kass) stay on as permanent Potions Master.
Name:
Signature:
Comment(s):
It went on like that over the 50 pages.
"If we can get 500 students and two teachers to sign…"
"It's a nice idea but I'm not fully qualified yet."
"Well…when will you be?"
"In a few weeks time."
"Snape could sit in on your lessons! You know…offer constructive criticism and stuff…"
"I don't think you'll get 500…"
"I've already got 175. Just from Gryffindor last night." Hermione held up the second page, grinning as over 35 signatures appeared on it. Kass sighed. "We'll come back at lunch to catch up on the work we've missed!" Kass smiled.
"Well…alright then. Go on now if you want."
"Thanks." Hermione said, grinning. She took the first piece of parchment back and hurried off, Harry following quickly. Ron just rolled his eyes and frowned.
At lunch that day, Harry and Hermione met up with Ron, looking pleased with themselves.
"Where were you third lesson?" Ron asked, raising a brow.
"We went to Transfiguration and asked McGonagall if we could keep doing the petition."
"And Hermione gave up even more lunch. Which is why we're late." Harry said. "We've got ten sheets of Potions work and five from McGonagall. Classwork and homework."
"How many signatures did you get?" Harry grinned.
"739." Everyone in the school who isn't a Slytherin. Even some Slytherins signed after we promised not to tell anyone else from Slytherin. Want to make it a nice round number?" Harry held out the last piece of parchment. Ron sighed, taking it and getting a quill out. He wrote:
Name: Ron Weasely
Signature: (a very scruffy signature)
Comment(s): Snape is a git
Harry laughed at the comment. Hermione looked disapprovingly at Ron.
"Well…we got McGonagall and Hagrid to sign as well. And Flitwick. Dumbledore'll have to say yes." Hermione said. "And, Harry will be talking to him since Dumbledore likes him."
"Not before the game?" Ron asked, looking wary. Looks of confusion, dawning, and guilt crossed over Harry and Hermione's faces. They'd both totally forgotten about the Qudditch game – Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff.
"Well…it's better to get it over and done with…it won't take very long…"
"I'll be back for the game. I promise."
Harry rushed towards Dumbledore's office, the petition in his bag. He was going over what he was going to say to the headmaster in his mind.
Draco was walking just as quickly from the opposite direction. He was in his own world, weighing out the pros and cons of telling Harry.
Well, when two objects move very quickly towards each other….there's bound to be a collision.
Harry and Draco both ended up on the floor, Draco on top of Harry as he was walking faster.
"What the…Malfoy get off me!" Draco only just heard what Harry said. His eyes were clouded over and he was thanking every god he'd ever thought existed.
"No…I quite like where I am thanks." Draco said, sneering. Harry snorted. Then he suddenly thought of something.
"Oh I bet you do Malfoy." He purred. Draco frowned at the tone Harry was using. Then, without warning, Harry leaned up and kissed Draco ever so lightly. This caught Draco by total surprise, and Harry used this to push the Slytherin off of him and run off, laughing.
Draco stayed in a pile on the floor, eyes wide, lips parted.
"What…just happened?"
Draco practically launched himself at Blaise, pulling him so hard backwards by his arm that the surprised Slytherin fell backwards off his chair.
"Draco what the hell!" he cried out. But Draco kept pulling him all the way up to the dorm room with a strength that Blaise had never seen before. At first, Blaise thought Draco was furious. But then he saw a biggest smile he'd ever seen on Draco's face. He frowned.
Draco finally stopped pulling him along the floor when he reached his bed. He hopped up onto it and sat cross legged, beaming down at Blaise.
"Guess what just happened!" Blaise got up, stopped to dust himself off, then sat on the bed opposite, trying to look uninterested. But this was the happiest Draco had ever been, and it was hard trying not to care.
"What?"
"I just ran straight into Harry and…"
"If you're gonna ask me if you smell like him again…"
"NO! You don't understand! He kissed me!" Blaise froze.
"He what?" Draco grinned. Something he never did – along with beaming, smiling, and being happy in general. "What happened then?"
"Well…he pushed me off him and ran off…but that's not the point..."
"Draco…I think you'd better start again."
"So you see Professor, most everyone wants Sn…professor Snape to move over and let Kass take over." Dumbledore read through the hundreds of signatures on the petition. The comments ranged from 'Kass is a breath of fresh air to the very boring subject that is Potions' to 'I learnt a lot more because I wasn't afraid to breathe.' He chuckled at the last comment 'Snape is a git'
"Well there are over the number of signatures needed here. And the approvals of three staff members…I'll discuss it with the other members of staff, and the school governors. But Harry, don't you think you're being a bit rash? Kass has only taught you once…"
"And I learnt a lot. Plus Snape will be back soon. Kass has great teaching methods. She lets students have the space they need to explore their own ideas whilst keeping them working. You never know when she'll pop in and check up on you." Harry smiled. Most of that, Hermione had told him to say. "And we all get along with her. You learn more with a teacher you like."
"Well…you have a very good argument here. I'll certainly see what I can do."
"Uh…Draco, if he ran off laughing I don't think he was being serious about it."
"But…he could have just punched me. Or sat there swearing and shouting…but he didn't." Draco was now looking quite dejected.
"Which is why you now have something you can start a conversation about. But don't expect miracles Draco. If you really think Potter's worth it, you'll have to work on him."
"I will."
