AN: I hope you are still enjoying this fic, thanks for reading. I am sure to update soon. Thanks to my fabulous bets, DancingHorses.
Chapter Nine
Early November was always cold in Scotland; Draco wasn't too bothered by it, as he could just cast a warming charm on his clothes if he needed to. But there was something special about breathing crisp winter air that always made him feel more alive.
His father had responded, disappointed that his son could not play Quidditch, but understanding that sacrifices had to be made for the cause. As if Draco wanted to make sacrifices for that particular cause.
He was in potions class and it was going well for him. His potion was just the correct shade of puce when he bottled it up and walked up with his sample to Professor Snape.
"Well done, Mr. Malfoy," the Professor said. "May I speak to you for a moment?"
Draco glanced over to Harry, who was watching with an encouraging smile. Draco smiled back before replying, "Of course, sir."
Draco followed Professor Snape to his office.
"I have been hearing some rather wild stories about you and Potter," Snape spit the name out, "being friends of some sort. Is this true?"
"It is," Draco said, unsure what else to say. His father had mentioned doubting Snape's loyalty.
"Why? If you needed a Gryffindor friend, couldn't you have picked someone less repugnantly stuck up? Or perhaps there is another reason for your friendship?" Snape sneered.
Forgetting all pretense Draco said, "Professor, I respect your opinion on many things, but you do not know anything about Harry Potter. He is a smart, brave, and caring person, and I do not appreciate your insinuation. I genuinely like Harry, and I am proud to consider him my friend."
"There is no accounting for taste. However, your father mentioned to me at a recent gathering of... like minded individuals, that he was proud of you for weaseling your way into Potter's good graces. Bragging about your Slytherin-ness, I believe."
"Professor, with all due respect, my father has spoken to me in the past about your loyalties, and I am unsure whether I am comfortable continuing this conversation. It is a personal matter which is not relevant to schoolwork or our house. So if there is nothing else?" Draco said, attempting to end the conversation.
"Draco, please. You and Potter couldn't get along if your lives depended on it. Why the ruse? Share your plans with me, and I can help," Snape said, almost sounding seductive.
Draco could see that the professor was trying to play to his ego to get more information. It may have worked too, if Draco wasn't so conscious of the thin ice he was on, trying to maintain Potter's friendship and hide his mutinous ideas about the Dark Lord. He responded, "I do appreciate the offer, Professor, however I am capable of dealing with this friendship on my own. I would however appreciate it if you would leave me to my affairs. I assure you they are being handled properly."
Snape sneered at him. "Get out," He said.
Draco left. He really didn't know where the Potion Master's loyalty lay. Perhaps he was playing both sides against the middle.
It didn't matter anyways, because he was resolved to stand by Potter no matter what. He just hoped it was a long time before his resolve was tested... especially by his father.
The next day at the DA, the group worked on the stunning spell, Stupefy. Most members of the club were able to master this spell quickly. However, this lead to the issue of having to wake people up. If Draco ever took part in a lesson on this spell again, he would be sure to teach Enervate priorto Stupefy. He was sure Harry agreed with him, as there were only four out of the thirty who knew how to wake people up.
After an hour and a half, almost everyone was proficient at the spells, though it seemed that Enervate was a little more difficult for people to grasp. As students were leaving, using Harry's map to make sure the halls were clear, Draco decided he would take a look around the room.
Prefects were always dismissed last, because they had more of an excuse to be walking in the halls this close to curfew. So Draco waited patiently by looking through the various bookshelves the room provided for them. He picked up one entitled "Kings Jinx", about all sorts of interesting hexes and jinxes.
Draco sat down on a nearby comfy couch and began to read about the Leek Jinx. He remembered that in third year, before the Slytherin–Gryffindor Quidditch match, two students had sprouted leeks from their ears. This must have been the jinx used. It was an easy one.
Draco looked at the incantation and wand movement, and figured he would be able to cast it easily. He heard someone approaching and looked up to see that Harry was walking over to him. They smiled at each other, and Harry sat down on the couch next to Draco.
"Reading about something we could teach in the DA?" Harry asked.
Draco closed the book. "Doubtful, unless you happen to be fighting a Death Eater with an irrational fear of leeks."
Harry looked at him like he had lost it, so he explained the Leek Jinx to an amused Harry.
"Why would anyone need that jinx?" Harry laughed.
"Well, you know all the best jinxes are used mostly to embarrass and discomfort the victim. Anything too serious and it's a hex," Draco responded.
Harry nodded at this, and they sat together in silence. Draco wished that Harry was sitting closer to him; he just felt like being near someone today. Suddenly there was a chilly draft in the room, causing the boys to move closer together.
"Where did that come from?" Harry asked with a laugh, as they used each other's body heat to keep warm.
Draco didn't respond, but noticed Harry had a slight blush in his cheeks. He grabbed Harry's hand and said, "Any detentions recently?"
He looked down. "Yeah I had one a last night."
Draco was a little hurt. "Why didn't you let me know? I would have met you like I always do."
"I didn't want to bother you," Harry said in a small voice, still looking down.
"Harry. Look at me. I never minded doing it. We're friends. That's what friends do," Draco said, feeling a little dirty for sounding like a Hufflepuff again.
Harry looked up at him. "You just seemed grumpy, yesterday."
"I'd just had an annoying conversation with Snape. He seems to be able to rain on you even when it's sunny out," Draco said, causing Harry to laugh. "I would have gladly met you to heal you. Now it won't heal as well. It could start to scar."
Harry looked glum, but Draco pulled his wand out and mumbled a few incantations and the blemishes on the back of Harry's hand disappeared. "You're lucky I know so many spells, Potter," Draco said haughtily.
Harry rolled his eyes at him and said thanks. He didn't pull his hand away, however.
"What did Snape want to talk to you about?" Harry asked.
Draco was silent for a moment then said, "You."
"Me?" Harry asked, confused.
"He wanted to know what my intentions towards you were," Draco said.
"What did you say?"
"It's always hard talking to Snape. You know he's a Death Eater, right?" Harry nodded and Draco continued, "Well, my father thinks he may have been too close to Dumbledore for too long, so he isn't sure what side he's on. So when Snape asked me about you, I had no idea if he is asking for my father or Dumbledore. So I hedged my bets and didn't answer. If he reports to Dumbledore, then they'll watch me, or whatever. If he reports to my father or the Dark Lord, they will know that I don't trust him. It's the best I could do."
"Wow, being Slytherin sounds needlessly complicated," Harry said.
"It is. I just want to be your friend, and sometimes I wish the world wasn't stacked against us." Draco sighed dramatically, causing Harry to laugh.
"I wish we didn't have to go. It's getting late," Harry said.
"It is," Draco said, letting go of Harry's hand. He always hated leaving.
They got up and walked over to the door. Draco was about to open it when Harry stopped him. "Hey, do you want to go to Hogsmede with me on Saturday? Well, with Ron and Hermione and me I mean."
Going with Harry sounded good, but add in Weasley and Granger and he wasn't sure. "I don't know, Harry... I'd like to, but..."
"Ron and Hermione will behave if you do." Harry Smirked. "I know they'll like you when they get to know you like I have." Harry was looking hopeful.
Draco wasn't sure how long it had been since he'd stopped being able to easily say no to Harry. "OK, we can go to Hogsmede together, if we must."
Harry smiled and looked very happy. He said, "It's a date." After a moment he blushed and said, "I mean... um..."
Taking pity on him, Draco said, "I know what you meant, Harry."
Harry looked relieved.
As they left, Draco thought that maybe there was more to Harry Potter then he'd thought.
