A/N: Apologies for the tardiness, the two of us have both had a lot on our plate, but we hope you still enjoy the new chapter. ~Kas
"No, no, it's this way, down past the painting of the old man with the crying child. You're going to take us right around to the other side of the school at this rate!"
"Hermione, I think I know where I'm going a little better than you do." Honestly, this girl was-
"Here we are, right down this hallway. Come on, then, we're going to be late if you keep holding us up."
"I told you so," he huffed, crossing his arms before immediately brightening as he entered the class. "Blaise! Pans!"
"Over here, Dray!" Pansy was waving them over to some saved seats at once, smile wide and bright. "I knew you two would be taking this class. Theo, Greg, and Vince all signed up for Divination."
"...Did they?" He didn't remember seeing them in there. That could mean trouble. He would have to be very careful about that.
"I'm sure they'll have fun," Hermione waved off, sitting by Blaise and giving a small smile. "Have you started reading the textbook, then? I found that Chapter Five is going to be the most fun for us."
"Really? I was thinking Chapter Seven, myself." Draco only rolled his eyes at the two, sitting beside Pansy.
"How are you?"
"Much better now that you're here," Pansy grinned, cuddling up to his side and leaning against him. "Draaay. I never see you anymore!"
"Pans. You can look over and see me at every meal." The girl whined and near hung off of him, Draco too busy trying not to laugh to really be upset at the action.
"It's not the same, darling. You and Harry need to spend more of your meals with us. We'll even put up with Granger and Weasley if you want to bring them over!"
"I'm sure that some sort of an arrangement could be made," he said with a smile. "Maybe lunches together." Though if they started bringing entire entourages to different tables… Maybe they eat somewhere else?
"I think lunch together sounds wonderful. It'll give me just enough time to get it out of you on why you're not telling me that you and Harry are dating." Oh, dear. "Honestly, Dray, of all the people not to tell."
"Pansy, it… It's not…" This was exactly why Draco and Harry needed to talk. So they at least knew what they were. It wasn't like much would change if they put a label on it, but... It was for reasons like this.
"Come on, I saw you two at his birthday ball. You wouldn't leave each other's sides, you only danced with each other, and then you disappeared at the same time."
"Well yes. Harry got overwhelmed by it all and I went with him to be certain he was alright. And he asked me beforehand if out would be alright to dance together."
"Mm." Pansy stared at him steadily, finally sighing and crossing her arms. "Fine. I'll believe you. For now. How did he like all his presents?"
"He adored each and every one. Even the textbook from Uncle Sev." Draco smiled a bit into the distance. "It is nice to spoil him."
"Something you do remarkably well, darling. I'm surprised he hasn't already changed his last name to Malfoy. You do know all of the wizarding families are aware of what happened?"
"Oh, yes, I saw that nasty article from Skeeter. And I'm really not surprised. His name is one of the few things of his parents he has left."
"You are far too kind, darling," Pansy sighed, patting at Draco's arm. "I'm just glad he's settling in with you all. He was so skittish when we all first met and last year when we left seemed the worst."
"Can you blame him? Last year was awful for the both of us, Pansy. I'm still getting nightmares about it." Silent for a moment, Pansy linked their arms and rested her cheek against his shoulder.
"Yes, well, none of that nasty business this year, I'm afraid. It's going to be normal and boring-"
"Yeah, normal and boring as it gets with Sirius Black on the loose and dementors swarming the castle," Blaise interrupted, grinning at Pansy's nasty look. "We wouldn't know what to do with normal."
"Yes, well. I have a good feeling all this Sirius Black business is nothing to worry ourselves over too terribly," Draco proclaimed. He noticed Hermione's eyes narrow as she seemed to examine him. That probably wouldn't turn out well for him.
"I agree with Draco," Pansy sighed, brushing her skirts out. "We're surrounded by Dementors. Sirius Black isn't getting in here and he's especially not getting anywhere near our dear Harry." Draco opened his mouth to argue that Sirius Black wouldn't hurt Harry before realizing that wasn't common information. With a huff, he simply got his book out and turned to the first chapter.
He would need to be more careful with what he said and what he knew this year. Things were already getting all twisted with Hermione knowing about time turners. It wouldn't take much for her to piece together the rest of it all. "So. Ancient Runes," he finally said with a nod.
"I have to admit, I'm looking forward to this class." Oh, well of course Blaise was. "Don't give me that look. You know I like studying languages."
"Yes, I know," Draco sighed. "Ancient Runes are actually incredibly interesting, from what I looked over during the summer."
"It's supposed to be one of the original magical languages. Think how much this will apply to all our other studies!" Hermione was beaming and already flicking through her book, Draco trying not to laugh.
He opened his mouth to get a word in- "Oh, I know," Blaise picked up. "Especially in Charms and in History of Magic! We'll be ages ahead of the others!"
"Oh, I hear it's supposed to be so good when it comes to charmwork, especially with all the older spells."
"I don't think we're getting a word in with those two," Pansy laughed.
"Hmph." Draco felt a bit put out, by that. He was supposed to be the knowledgeable one.
"You can't be that upset," Pansy said, waving her hand about. "It's Granger and Blaise. Really, it was as obvious as you and Harry, dear."
"What- Pansy, what on earth do you mean?"
"Draco." Pansy was looking at him with a pitying look. "They may not quite be together yet, but it's obvious to see they're crushing on each other." Wha- What?!
"What?" Draco hissed to her, shooting Hermione and Blaise small, betrayed looks. How could they not even confide in him over something as important as this!
"Come on, Dray, it's obvious. They're always spending time together and all they do is talk and talk and talk. Plus those looks. Really, I thought you would have seen it first."
"Looks? What looks? I haven't seen any looks!" How could he have been so oblivious to all of this? Surely it wasn't that obvious- Wait. Hadn't Harry joked about Blaise and Hermione liking each other last year? Maybe? Oh, this was just...
"Those looks." What? Hermione and Blaise were just looking at each other with the same look they always had on!
"I don't see anything different about them, Pansy," Draco huffed, crossing his arms. Pansy merely stayed silent, arching her brow in a silent gesture of 'you idiot'. "What? They look the same as always!"
"Oh, Draco." Pansy shook her head, getting her book out. "I suppose we had pay attention. Class looks as if it's ready to start." Hmph. Hermione and Blaise. Crushing on each other! It was absolutely ridiculous! Draco would just tell Harry and get his support and put this whole kerfuffle to rest.
::
"Relax, Ron, Draco's probably just explaining to Hermione about what he saw in her cup, or something. Actually, no, he's probably trying to stop Hermione from killing the new professor. Dont' worry about it."
Alright, Draco. Make something up. "And the crown obviously meant success and riches." Ah, it was so amusing to see Ron clutch at his chest in absolute terror.
"Good, I don't think I want Ron becoming king of Britain," Harry grinned, falling back to walk beside Draco.
"Certainly not," Draco said with a grin. "He already eats like he's one."
"Oi!"
"So," Harry said, lowering his voice. "Have fun in Ancient Runes?"
"Oh, that reminds me," Draco huffed. "Please help me explain to Pansy later that Hermione and Blaise do not have crushes on each other." As expected, Harry leapt to agree with him, only... Only Harry wasn't saying anything. Why wasn't he saying anything? "...Harry. Harry, you agree with me. They can't possibly like each other."
"Oh, boy." Wha- What was that supposed to mean! "Dray, um, they- Well. Oh, jeez, this- This explains a lot. Uh- Okay, so- Right." Harry cleared his throat, rubbing at the back of his neck. "They, uh, they look at each other like we look at each other?"
"...Meaning?" Draco rose an eyebrow at him. "I don't look at you any differently than I look at them."
"Oh, no, you do- You- You really- Jeez, Dray." Harry suddenly looked downtrodden. "I thought I was being pretty obvious about it all. If you didn't want to talk about that then what did you wanna talk about this morning?"
"What- Oh- Uh- Well. Perhaps we should… Wait? Until we have a little more… privacy?"
"Ri- Right, that'd probably be best." Harry cleared his throat again. "They do, though, you know. At least, I know Blaise likes Hermione. I'm not sure if Hermione knows it yet, though."
"How could I have not noticed?" Draco frowned, glancing over to Hermione and Ron, the two caught up in some argument or other. "It's always been-" Before he could reveal anything else, Draco quickly cut himself off.
"It's always been what?" Harry frowned, nudging at Draco. "Hey, is it a future thing? Dray, tell me. What is it? Is it about who Hermione ends up with? I bet that's it. You were too surprised at Blaise liking her. Who is it?"
"Harry," Draco finally huffed. "You know I shouldn't tell you." Harry only blinked up at him, finally shifting closer and linking their arms together. Draco turned his head away, even as he walked closer to Harry. "I'm still not telling you."
"That's fine." Oh? Harry was suddenly a lot softer and quieter, small smile on his face as he relaxed against Draco. "Think you're gonna like Ancient Runes, then?" Draco smiled over at Harry, tilting his head so that their heads bumped together gently.
"I already know that I do. I took it last time." Laughing, Harry beamed.
"Then you won't have too much trouble. Hey, what's Hagrid's lessons gonna be like in Care of Magical Creatures?"
"Terrifying," he huffed. "He brings in giant beasts, probably twenty feet tall, and they all breath fire and try to eat you and claw at you all at the same time!" Instead of scared, Harry only looked excited and right, Harry Potter. Idiot thrill seeker. "I swear, and you complain about facing death, every year."
"Well, yeah, but I mean those creatures sound exciting. Plus, I mean, I trust Hagrid to keep us safe. Not so much the mad man still out for my life."
"Harry. Fine. You can go have fun petting the ferocious, man-eating monsters, but I will stay far away, thank you very much."
"It's okay, Dray," Harry grinned, leaning up to kiss at Draco's cheek. "I'll protect you." Draco felt his face heat to what felt like boiling as he only let out a sound similar to 'eep' before he quickly walked ahead of the rest of them.
"Right. You're definitely not dating," Hermione called after him, Draco hearing a wild laugh from Harry, the traitor.
"Shut up," he cried back at her, his voice traitorously high and squeaky.
"This is going to be a great school year, don't you think, 'Mione?"
"The best, yet."
"I have to agree with you two."
Ugh. Meddlesome trio.
It didn't take long for Draco to get down to Hagrid's cabin the way he was hurrying ahead of them. The close he got, the more he was starting to remember his own first Care of Magical Creatures class, and the slower his pace became. Maybe he could feign injury before class and run? He finally came to a stop just at the bottom of the hill, warily looking at the hut. Perhaps... Perhaps he could sneak off? There would be enough students, it would be easy enough.
Yes. Yes, sneaking off would be the best- "Dray?" Oh, Harry had caught up. "Hey, Dray, you okay?"
"Oh. Um. Actually, Harry, I think I'm coming down with something. I may need to go back up to the castle."
"Uh huh." Harry raised an eyebrow, not looking one bit believing of his story. Damn. Harry used to be a lot more gullible. "Wanna try the truth?"
"I…" Draco startled when the door of the cabin swung open. Hagrid was coming out with Fang jumping about at his heels, grin wide and proud on his face. He also had a dead polecat hanging off his shoulder.
"Oh, boy," Harry mumbled beside him. "That- You were joking about the twenty foot beasts, right?"
"Ah, mostly. I hope so, at least." Draco stepped behind Harry, holding his hand tightly and lacing their fingers together.
"Dray?" Harry frowned, holding his hand back just as tightly as the rest of the class started arriving. "Hey, is something going to happen today? Something we need to prevent? Just tell me what to do, okay."
"I, ah… I'll just stay back here, if that's alright." Draco looked away from Harry staring down at the ground. It wasn't- What had happened his fault. It would be best if he just stayed out of the way as much as possible.
"Okay. We'll just stay at the back today. How's that sound?"
"That does sound much better." Hagrid led them over to the fenced area, and the two - of course - ended up at the front. But it was fine. Hagrid would pick Harry, and Harry would make friends with the giant bird, and Draco would stay far away.
"Good on ya, you two! Here, why don't come here, Draco." What. "Just come up nice and slow and give 'im a bow."
"I... Um..." Draco turned his head away and gave a weak cough. Maybe somebody would save him? Except no one was jumping up to sacrifice themselves to a bunch of hippogriffs and Harry was shifting uncomfortably beside him and looking torn between stepping forward and stepping back. Finally - finally - Harry took a breath and pushed him forward. Draco squeaked as he stumbled forward, shooting Harry a hurt look before turning back around. When the hippogryph caught sight of him, Draco felt rooted to the spot.
"Easy does it, Draco." Yes, that was all well and nice for Hagrid to say, the twelve-foot half-giant! "Just take a nice, easy bow and make eye contact - don't blink too much, though. They never trust those who blink too much."
"Neither do I," Draco huffed. He took a deep breath and slid into a low bow, looking up at the beast. There was a long stretch of time where fierce, golden eyes caught on his, the creature fluffing his wings, stomping his talons against the ground and- And slowly dropping into a bow. Draco's eyes widened as he slowly rose to stand up straight again, the hippogryph mimicking him and clacking its beak.
"Well done, Draco, well done!" Hagrid was beaming, looking extremely proud that his class was doing so well. He really was a good teacher. "Right, I think he'll let you pet him now. C'mon, come closer."
"Oh. Um… Alright." Draco slowly walked closer, glancing to Hagrid for guidance. The man was keeping a firm hand on the hippogriff's neck, gesturing for Draco to come around to the side.
"There we are, just stroke him right through the feathers here- Careful not to stroke up, he won't like that. There you are, simple as can be!"
"...Oh. They're softer than I thought." Buckbeak - yes, that was right, that was the name - was softer than Draco would have assumed by just looking. Buckbeak was looking at him every now and then, seeming to not much care, but curious nonetheless.
"Right, I think he'll let you ride 'im now."
"Pardon me." He must have misheard hagrid, it sounded like he said he was going to ride the giant bird.
"Oh, it's easy as can be. Just get you up here." Sputtering and yelping, Draco was 'helped' onto the back of the bloody beast, Hagrid grinning. "Right, just hold on tight, now, but don't pull out any of his feathers. He won't thank you for that!" With that, Hagrid was slapping Buckbeak into motion.
"Hag- Hagri- Hagrid!" Draco quickly wrapped his arms around Buckbeak's neck, shaking and holding onto the beast as it took off into the air. It was- This was nothing like a broom! This was- Buckbeak was rising into the air rapidly and Draco knew that if he fell off he wouldn't be catching himself like he might have been able to if he was flying in a sensible manner. "Please," Draco pleaded. "Please, please don't drop me. I take back every awful word I've said, I take back every curse I ever dealt out, please."
The horrible, awful, brute of a beast had no care for his pleas, only climbing high and drifting out over the lake and okay, that was good, Draco could at least not die if he fell into the lake. That was… Oh, wow. Being inside or so near to Hogwarts, he so rarely got to see the entire building at once, but this… It felt like he was a first year again, riding the boats to a castle of wonder. His breath was caught in his throat as Buckbeak rose higher and higher, Draco seeing the castle at it's proudest and he… He was going to keep it this way. Hogwarts would never be broken like it had been in his seventh year. She would never surrender. Draco would promise it- He promised it.
Buckbeak began to glide back down to the little clearing, landing with hardly a sound. Draco slowly slid off his back, grinning widely. "Can I go again?" That got a booming laugh out of Hagrid, Draco managing to grin even more before he had to scramble to not fall to the ground from where some idiot had just tackled- Oh, it was his idiot. "I'm alright," Draco said with a beaming smile at Harry. "That was fun. You should try it."
"Maybe." Harry was pressing against him and patting him down, tilting him this way and that. "Are you sure you're okay? That was really high- Oh, Dray, I'm sorry, I thought you just needed a push or something I didn't think- Are you alright!"
"Harry," he laughed, running a hand through the teens curls and kissing his cheek. "I already told you I'm alright." Draco watched as Buckbeak shoved his beak at Harry's head, the teen making a choked sound in the back of his throat and spinning around before staring with wide eyes. A moment passed and Harry cooed.
"Oh, you're beautiful." Harry dropped into a bow, waiting to Buckbeak to return it before darting forward and combing a hand through his feathers, Hagrid laughing yet again.
"Atta boy, Harry!"
"He's not so bad," Draco told him with a grin, petting Buckbeak as well. That had been a rush. He should go again.
"Well, what are you all waiting for," Hagrid boomed. "Find a partner and let's see how you all get along!" Apparently seeing Draco sacrificed had made the rest of the class warm up to hippogriffs rather quickly, Draco watching them all find a creature to bow or curtsey to. Longbottom was running away from his already. Draco couldn't help a laugh as he bounded over to Longbottom.
"It's really not as bad as you think it is. Trust me. You just give it a right proper bow, like your grandmother taught you." Although Longbottom gave him a look as if he was the crazy one, he nodded and went back to try again, Draco beaming when he managed to do it correctly. "There, you see? Not so bad- Oh, Pansy! You've gotten so much better!"
"You're scaring people more than you usually do," Blaise commented, moving to stand beside him. "Nice to know the only thing needed to improve your attitude is to have a hippogriff almost drop you."
"It was fun, you should try it, Blaise! You'd enjoy it! Freedom, the wind in your hair. Things you like!"
"That'd be you and Potter," Blaise snorted, shaking his head. "Honestly, he was ready to grab a broom and fly up after you when you wanted to be let down. Never seen him that scared before, actually."
"Oh, he was probably just being dramatic. It wasn't nearly that bad!"
"Draco dear, have you seen your hair?"
"No. Why?"
"Pansy, no, you'll know what he'll do-" Harry's strange behavior was 'too late,' Draco supposed, as Pansy was pulling out her compact mirror and holding it up for Draco. Draco frowned, looking into the compact mirror. When he caught sight of his hair, he promptly screeched.
"Harry James Potter!" Looking up, Draco let out an even shriller sound when he saw the damn brat was running away. "You get back here! Coward! You come and fix this right now!"
"Aw, look how cute he is when he's afraid," Pansy cooed, watching Harry weave his way between the others of the class and hide behind Hagrid. The coward. "I bet you could probably get him begging for you, darling."
Draco was ready to yell some more before he paused and looked back at Pansy. "What do you suggest?"
"Well, we have a few options available to us, really. I'd usually suggest shutting him out and ignoring him for an hour at least, but not only do I think you can't last that long, but ignoring him for even fifteen minutes is probably enough to break his spirit. We'll have to try to guilt him another way."
Draco slowly smirked at her. "I have an idea." With that, he was turning away from Harry, but not before shooting him a hurt glance.
"Oh, that's dreadful," Pansy murmured, giving him a nod to let him know that Harry had doubled back and was now, probably very cautiously, approaching.
"Dray?"
"What," Draco huffed, arms crossed firmly on his chest. He was going to make Harry crawl on hands and knees.
"Oh, Dray." At least, that was the plan, but then Harry's arms were wrapping around his waist and the younger was resting his forehead against the center of his back and Draco could hear that smile. "You're always so dramatic."
"Harry," Draco whined at him. "You know I take good care of my hair! Now look at it! It's worse than when I roll out of bed, and it's tangled all to hell, and- And-"
"And I think it makes you look great," Harry laughed, only letting him go long enough to slip around so they were now face-to-face. "It makes you look very dashing. Reminds me what it looks like after we play a game of Quidditch. And Dray, if you can turn my hair into this, then you can fix yours in a flash."
"Harry, my hair never gets this bad! Do you realize what all I'm going to have to do to it to get it right, again? It's going to take ages! I'm going to need another shower!"
"Dray, you shower every morning and night, I doubt that's much of a change." Ugh! Why was he making it so hard to be upset! "You'll be fine, Dray." Harry kissed his cheek, a hand coming up to work through his hair. "'Sides, I like you looking messy." Oh. Oh dear. He felt Harry's cool fingers rest against his cheek. Why were his fingers so cold? "Makes you look more approachable. Less…" Harry lowered his voice, smile softening. "Less like the Prince of Slytherin you were when I met you."
"Oh." Of course. Of course! What else could his sweet little Harry possibly mean? "Well. Ahem. That doesn't mean anything, I'm still upset at you!" Harry only laughed, finally letting him go and snatching the little compact from a stunned Pansy's hand before holding it open to him. His hair - while not as perfect as it usually was - no longer looked as awful. "That doesn't change anything, you sacrificed me! You didn't stand up for me! What happened to 'I'll protect you?'"
"Do you honestly think I would have pushed you to go up there if there was any real danger?" Ah. He had almost forgotten that while this was Harry, it was also Harry Potter. This was the boy who had brought down the very world to keep those he loved safe. Draco only gave a harumph, arms tightly crossed as he turned his head away. It was still the principle of the thing. Harry had betrayed him! "Alright, alright. Yes, I've utterly betrayed you and everything we stood for. What's it going to cost me to fix it, then?"
"That's not for me to figure out." Hmph. Just- Hmph! Honestly, if Harry thought his forgiveness was going to be so easily won-
"Alright." Alright? "I suppose you'd rather not have me around since you're so mad." Harry sighed, turning on his heel and heading back over towards Buckbeak.
"Well- Well good! Fine! That's right, you stay over there, far from me!"
"Oh, well done, darling." Pansy's tone was acidic. "Truly, you've taught him a lesson." Draco pouted at her, a bit defeated.
"What just happened?"
"You lost," Blaise said simply, patting at his back. "Kid's gonna control you when we get older."
"What- No. I- I don't lose. I always win!"
"Not when you go up against Harry Potter, you don't." Oh- Oh, the irony of those words. Draco only huffed, continuing to pout. He stayed that way throughout the remainder of the class - which wasn't very long. It was kind of funny to see everyone struggle with their textbooks, Hagrid telling them what pages to read if they wanted to know more before sending them off on their way. Harry, he noticed, always smiled when he caught his gaze before going back to what he was doing, not seeming to realize that Draco was still pouting and Harry should be paying attention.
Draco grabbed his things and stormed up the hill, not sparing a look back at any of them. He still needed to go to Arithmancy. Getting into the halls and shuddering as the cool air hit him, Draco didn't get very far before Harry was in front of him and Merlin how was this boy so fast- "Oh, honestly, Dray." With that, Harry was wrapping him up in a hug, kissing at the skin under his ear and holding him so close. "How much begging am I going to have to be doing, then?"
Draco shivered for an entirely different reason before he wrapped his arms around Harry. "I was hoping for at least a little begging." Harry wasn't supposed to give him the silent treatment.
"Sorry, but that tends to encourage you." Oh, there was no need to sound so amused. "Okay, how about this. If you forgive me, I'll answer any question you want to ask. The stuff I haven't told you about me yet."
"What about you don't I already know?" In lieu of an answer, Harry only shifted a bit closer, arms tightening around him. "Oh... Alright, alright."
"Next time I promise if I push you towards a hippogriff I'll be right behind you," Harry smiled, pulling back and tugging at the chain around Draco's neck. "C'mon, then, ask me a question. I mean, there has to be something you want to know about me that you don't yet."
"...What made you give me a chance? You weren't exactly the most trusting student of the year, when we met. Why me?" Because that was something he had been curious about for a while, now.
"I…" Harry pulled back, looking contemplative as he looked at Draco. "I don't know, really. I mean, when we met you were just another student- I mean, yeah, you were the only one to not treat me like Harry Potter at /first/, but there were others, after that. I... Ah, that was it." Harry looked into his eyes and smiled. "You reminded me of myself."
Draco jerked back a bit, giving Harry a curious frown. "I reminded you of yourself? What's that mean?" For some reason that made Harry laugh, the teen moving to lace their fingers together.
"Well, you were lonely- Dray, you were so lonely. I remember you would always shut people out and you were probably busy planning how to change things, but no one could get through to you. You were lonely, everyone was too scared to talk to you, you were hiding a horrible past, everyone seemed to have these expectations that you just kept shattering, and whenever you saw friends laughing together you looked so sad…" Harry's smile went soft. "You were like me."
Draco could feel his heart shattering as he stared at Harry, the fragments reforming with him at the center. This... Harry, who had gone through so much more than any of them, except perhaps Draco, had. Harry, who so easily could have been another Voldemort, but instead used his pain to fuel his love. "Harry, I-"
"There you are." Oh, bloody hell. "We're going to be late if you don't hurry it up, Draco, and I am not spending a whole extra hour wasting my time because you were being so- So yourselves."
Draco smiled back at Harry. "I'll tell you later."
"I'm counting on it." Harry gave one last grin before letting Draco's hands go. "Right, I'll see you two at lunch- You know, couldn't you just go through the first two classes and then rewind and go through Runes and Arithmancy next?"
Draco paused, thinking it over before looking at Hermione. "He has a point. Then we don't have to wait so long to eat."
"Yes, I was rather thinking the same," Hermione sighed, crossing her arms. "I still can't believe you told him, but it is a good idea. Less trips through time, as well."
"I didn't tell him. He figured it out himself." Draco figured he could afford to look pretty proud of that, too.
"We'll do the full wind backs from now on, but for right now we're going to be late to Arithmancy. You can be boyfriends later, but right first and foremost we are all students!"
"Hermione," Draco huffed, but didn't say anything else, only dragging her to a secluded corner and winding the time turners back. It was still such a strange feeling. It- It wasn't as all-consuming as the time twister had been, but it was still… It was like going against a current. It was only an hour, so it was rather mild, but each trip had Draco remembering the time twister and how for a second (an eternity?) it felt like it had been tearing him apart. Draco didn't even realize Hermione was calling his name until a hand was placed on his shoulder, startling him out of his thoughts. "...What?"
"I said we're going to be late." Hermione was frowning, though, gently steering him along. "Are you alright, Draco? You were a little distant the first time we went back, too."
"Right. Right, sorry. Just thinking to myself, a bit. Arithmancy, yes? I've heard it's a bit difficult."
"I haven't heard much about it, honestly," Hermione frowned. "In Ancient Runes Blaise was saying he didn't sign up for it because the subject matter was so complicated. It's often considered a prerequisite to Alchemy, as well."
"Considered, but you can still easily take Alchemy and pass with flying colors," Draco told her as they walked together.
"Did one of your parents take Alchemy, then?" Hermione was tucking her necklace under her robes and out of sight, ruffling around to make sure she had the right book.
"Oh, ah…" Believable not-lie. "Actually, Severus has told me all about it since I was little. He teaches it."
"Oh! That's right, he does." Hermione frowned as if she had just realized something. "Hm. Maybe… Yes, well, what does he have to say about Arithmancy?"
"Oh, well, he always suggested I take it, but warned that it was difficult. That's all, really. He's not an Arithmancer."
"We're going to be in for a very interesting year, then," Hermione sighed, finally digging the right book out. "You heard how your other friends in Slytherin are taking Divination, right? Do you think that will cause any problems about them finding out about us being in two places at once?"
"I don't really know. Between Blaise and Pansy, and Vince, Greg, and Theo, I'm the only common thread. They were never really friends with each other."
"Really? I suppose the way you talk about them I always thought they were all close friends," Hermione said, shaking her head. "That just helps us, then. I think if we do as Harry suggested our time turner days will be easier, though."
"I think so, too." Draco smiled, thinking about everything Harry always did for Draco. And he never asked anything in return, besides perhaps his company. He should do something for him.
"Mm. Death omens in tea cups, daring flights on a Hippogriff, and suspicious friends. It's turning out to be an interesting year already, isn't it?"
"Indeed- Wait." Suspicious friends. "What?"