Chapter 3: Step 1

Snape slammed the door after the last student had seated. Storming over to his desk he turned to the class before him.

"Gryffindor team up with a Slytherin now!" Snape eyes flashed as though daring a single student to moan or ignore him.

Sensing the danger the students quickly rose and rushed to pair up. Draco rose from his seat, glancing at Blaize and Pansy who nodded, and understanding. Walking to the back of the room were Harry was watching as the class paired up.

"Fancy pairing Potter?"

Harry eyes turned to Draco, a frown forming as he stood, "Sure Malfoy,"

Sitting down next to Harry, Draco scanned the classroom for his fellow house mates, his smile widened at their partners.

Blaize had paired with Hermione and Pansy with Ron. They both looked turned knowing where to find him. Draco watched as they both returned to their partners and coaxed them into conversation. Turning to his right, Draco watched as Harry folded his arms, looking glumly at the front.

Maybe getting close to Harry wasn't going to be such an easy task.

"Right now that you have successfully completed that simple task you may begin the potion. Today you will be brewing a truth serum; it will take a month to successfully make so I suggest you make friends with your new partner." Here a murderous smile formed on the professor's face. "Hopefully some of you will learn something from your partners. Now begin."

With a flick of his wand the instructions appeared on the board, as he headed off to unlock the supplies cupboard. Malfoy heard Harry gasp once they did.

"199 steps! That's…it's…he's crazy!" Draco couldn't help but laugh at Harry's muttering.

"Shall we begin Partner?" Harry's eyes turned to Malfoy sending a shiver down his back, how he loved those eyes! Draco quickly turned away and took note of the steps and ingredients. Upon finishing the ingredients list Harry snatched it up.

"I'll get the ingredients, get the equipment ready,"

"Oh..." Harry suddenly walked off making Draco's heart drop, watching Harry he noted that both Granger and Weasley had also chosen to get the ingredients.

"She's freaking me out!" Hermione smiled at Ron shaking her head, "no Hermione you don't get it! She's all 'Hi Ron how are you?' and 'So what Quiddich team do you support' it is not natural!"

"O Ron do stop being mellow- dramatic. Blaize seems to be a very polite and charming fellow"

"Charming? Who are you and what have you done with Hermione?"

"Ron!"

"What he's a Slytherin their not charming their evil and sly."

"O do shut up here comes Harry,"

Turning they smiled as Harry stopped next to them, looking down at the piece of parchment he'd brought he began reaching into the store cupboard.

"So…how's it going with Malfoy?"

Harry picked up a bottle, reading the label "It's going alright. I've not hexed him yet, trying to keep it to talking when needing to really."

"Harry do you know what a truce is?"

"Hermione, Harry maybe dense but he's not that dense."

"Oh thanks for the compliment Ron," Harry grinned, glancing up the cupboard Harry turned to Hermione, "Just because we said we'll have a truce doesn't mean I have to make him my best friend Hermione. Sides I haven't exactly told him that we've agreed to it yet."

Picking up his required ingredients Harry turned to go back to his table but was stopped by Hermione, "Tell him we want the truce also Harry Potter. Do you hear me?"

Harry looked at Ron, who returned with a worried look.

Draco watched as the trio talked, Harry was obviously saying something to upset Granger from her dangerous look.

Seeing Harry return Draco quickly turned back to the parchment and looked up only when Harry seated.

"Hey got everything?"

"I got what we need for today's lesson, yes." Harry read the first instruction off the board, stating that the conversation had ended. Sighing Draco picked up some caterpillars and began chopping them finely while Harry measured out the right amount of unicorn blood.

After 20 minutes of silence Draco glanced over at where Blaize was working with Granger, he was shocked to see them laughing and joking. Glancing over at Weasley and Pansy he was even more shocked to see them actually talking.

Returning to his last caterpillar his frowned, why couldn't he get along with Harry as well? Slamming down his knife a little too hard, Draco began to read the next step fully aware Harry was watching him.

"No way! You're joking? Please say you're joking." Hermione shook her head as Blaize continued with his story.

"Sorry granger but he did. My brother ate a whole bucket of worms and slugs."

Adding the copped caterpillars to the potion Blaize glanced over at Draco as he slammed down his knife. Smiling it was typical Draco, he watched Harry look at the knife uneasily and at Draco. Finding it amusing how Harry moved slowly away from the angered teen.

"So Granger? What's a Gryffindor's favoured flower?" Putting on his best smile Blaize waited, confident in his charm.

Frowning Hermione put her knife down and turned fully to face the Slytherin.

"And why would you want to know that?"

"Well I have always wondered about you Gryffindor's, you're a different breed to us Slytherin's."

"Right, just tell your blond friend its white roses." Smiling Hermione returned to her chopping.

His mouth hung open, what had given it away? He'd not mentioned Draco at all.

"Blond? What makes you say that? We were talking about me," Blaize smiled.

"Please. I'm the smartest witch in our year did you really think I didn't notice? Always popping up, the obsessive rivalry and now a sudden truce?"

'Shit.'

"So Ron what's you and your friends favoured chocolate?" Smiling sweetly Pansy battered her eyelashes at the red-head.

"Mines chocolate frog, Herm's not a chocolate lover she's more a cake and Harry…"

"Yeah…" 'God he is so stupid!' Pansy flicked her hair, moving closer.

"Harry he loves this muggle chocolate called…galaxy I think"

"Really, I love chocolate frogs too." Pansy returned to the bottle in front of her, quickly writing down the word 'galaxy' on a spare piece of parchment, looking over at Draco she wasn't surprised he and Potter weren't talking. Looking at the front Pansy frowned at the look Blaize was sending her.

Draco looked down at his watch, there wasn't long till class was going to end.

"Hey, Harry," Harry froze, "What do you say to the truce then?"

"We'll agree to your truce but..."

'A but why is there always a but?' Harry turned to face Draco fully; causing a tingling sensation down the latter's body.

"But if this is a trick or anything like that I swear I will blast you to oblivion. Got it?"

"Not the best way to greet a new friend but sure," Holding out his hand Malfoy smiled at the raven-haired teen.

Taking it Harry smiled back.

'Have I died and gone to heaven he's touching me. Harry Potter is touching me!'

"Pack away!"

Breaking apart the two teens obeyed the order.

"He touched me!" Malfoy knew he must sound like a school girl with a stupid crush but he could still feel Potter touching him.

"Draco he has touched you loads of times."

"Yeah I know but this time it's different! I mean it wasn't in aim to hurt me!"

Rolling their eyes at each other Pansy and Blaize loaded their plates.

"Anyway I found out Potter's favoured chocolate, you could buy it tonight sent it to him tomorrow."

"Great!" Draco could hardly contain his excitement under his Malfoy mask.

"Did you get the flower Blaize?" Pansy looked up from her plate in question. Suddenly Blaize dropped his plate making an enormous crash sound which echoed in the giant hall. A few people turned making Blaize go red and glance at the Gryffindor table where Granger was smiling from.

"Blaize what was that for?"

"You guys I need to tell you something."

"What that you have butter fingers?"

Shaking his head Blaize sent a glare at the rest of the students staring before whispering in Malfoy's ear.

Pansy frowned as Malfoy paled and his breathing became heavy. His eyes widening horror.

"What is it?" Pansy glared at Blaize, who had also turned to look at the Gryffindor table.

"Granger knowns"