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Chapter 10: I'm Getting Cross
Harry hoped that the winner's tea would make the gloating stop, but he was so wrong. The tea just enchanted Malfoy's need to tell everyone who would listen about Harry failing at quidditch. And that was happening a lot, ever since Charms had started with both attending. He knew that this was a far cry from their animosity in school, but it was still annoying.
Plus, Neville had found a partner in some Hufflepuff girl he was swooning over, so Harry was currently sitting right next to the git. Every time he sounded as much as interested to whatever Malfoy was saying, he would engage into a new speech of how the mighty had fallen, as if they had sparred rather than just played a sport. "We get it, Malfoy. Please, just help me on the charm work."
Malfoy huffed in his seat and turned Harry's work book to the chapter he was neglecting to read. "We're not even a team, Potter. This is your work. I've already got mine done." He smirked and gave the little animated paper-doll a twirl. "It's easy, I've done it all the time, if you hadn't noticed." Harry scowled and turned back to his work, wondering why he had to gloat on everything. Yes, he noticed, and yes, he knew that it was most likely not hard, but Harry was grumpy and it was nice to have help.
He wondered again why he even bothered to explain himself and tried in vain to focus on the assignment. He eventually charmed the paper into a small bird that tweeted endlessly. He thought it was kind of cute, but the glowering from Harry's left didn't seem to think so. "Make that annoying thing stop! Heavens, can't you do anything, right?" Malfoy screeched and batted at the bird that came at him with a vengeance, personally offended by his remark.
Harry would've been irked if it wasn't for Malfoy's utter terrified look as he moved his desk away from the paper bird. "Why are you even scared of it?" Harry scooped it up into his hands. "It's just a paper bird, Malfoy. I thought you made these things all the time." Malfoy glower returned and he crossed his arms. "I'm not scared." He growled, picking up his own paper doll and had it dance with his pinkie. "Yours is just annoying, just like you." He stuck his tongue out and Harry barked out in laughter, stretching his hands out so that the bird would tweet into Malfoy's face again.
"Enough with the tweeting! You're disturbing your classmates!" Mr. Hazzbury admonished and looked like he wanted to hit Harry with his clipboard on his head. Harry ducked his head and apologized, much to the amusement of Malfoy. As soon as the teacher left, though, Harry sent his bird off into Malfoy's polished button-up, earning him a squeal and had him reaching for his wand. "Potter, you little-"Harry ducked as a hex bounced off him and into the hair of Hannah, the hufflepuff girl whose name he'd just remembered. Neville glared at Malfoy, and Harry just smiled. Malfoy was doing him a favor.
After Neville hurriedly patted the burning hex out of Hannah's hair, they were both issued a detention, much to the chagrin of Malfoy. Colin got a good laugh out of it, and Harry sulked for the rest of class. His torture by Malfoy's hands was not over.
~.~.~.~.
Draco examined his freshly polished nails as Potter sat dusting the bird cages on the other side. The mirror winked at him as he proudly put his nail file in his pocket. "Get over here and do some work, you great poofter." Potter gave him his signature frown and Draco lugged over to grab one of the dusters just to try to dust off Potter's messy hair. Potter swat at him and he scampered back to his side to pout.
"I meant work on the stuff we were given detention on, git." Potter sighed and grabbed Draco's duster to demonstrate the dusting motion on the old cage. Draco scowled. He was a Malfoy, and Malfoy's did not need things explained to them, even if the ministry and Harry Potter seemed to think so. He grabbed it back and went to work on the grubby thing. Potter smirked at him, the expression-stealing bastard. He needed the advantage fast.
"So, Potter. Did you talk to dear Ginerva about Colin?" He gave a knowing smile to the evil-looking scowl on Potter's face. "I thought we weren't talking about that." Draco laughed and threw the duster into the basket. "Who said that? I'm concerned, Potter. All this talk about differing feelings… I can't help but wonder if the problem lies in your interest." Potter just looked downright confused, and Draco wondered if they were ever going to get anywhere. "
"What do you even mean, Malfoy. Just because we're apart doesn't mean we automatically change ourselves." Draco barked out a laugh and now Potter looked scared at what he was going to say next. Oh, Draco loved this feeling. "I wasn't talking about those interests, dear Potter." He took out a stool and sat on it, examining his long legs. "I was talking about your absent interest in women." Potter looked absolutely flabbergasted and Draco knew if this continued he'd have to take pity eventually.
"Women? Malfoy, I'm not a p-poof. I'd think I'd know." His face flushed and he stomped off in the opposite direction. Draco laughed and cocked his head. "Whatever you say, but you wouldn't be the only one, Potter." Draco grinned as Potter's array of emotion showed up chaotically on his face. "What? I'm not even going to ask. But I assure you, I have an interest in women." He growled and nitpicked on his jacket, stealing looks at Draco all the way. Draco smiled and felt a change in conversation was in order. "Ms. McGonagall would be honored to have us have a look at the records and have a 'chat' with her. I figure we'll be gone a while on Saturday." Potter looked relieved at the changed and stood up straighter.
"That's great! I wish I had the mirror to tell Colin- but he'll probably not care anyway." He laughed, reaching for his bottle of water to cap off. "I wonder what he does when he's not in that mirror." He pondered, and took a sip. "I think that is one of the world's many unanswered questions, Potter."