A/n: Not beta'd.
Warning: N/a.
Draco Malfoy/Harry James Potter. Same 'ole disclaimer as always.
"Heads up," Draco heard someone whisper from behind him and he glanced over to see a few first years stumbling over their feet towards Potter and his friends.
Draco followed their nervous glances and then looked over to Pansy who was watching as well, tilting her head and arching a brow, "what's going on?" She whispered, leaning towards him.
Draco shrugged, crossing his arms against his chest while watching. The three 11 year olds were all nervous glances and red faces when they finally stopped next to Potter. One, a young girl with short brown hair, glanced up at him, "h-hi, Har-Harry."
Potter looked down at the girl, "hello." He answered after a moment, "how are you?" Draco watched Potter shoving his hands in his pockets and then the girl as she flushed a light pink. Potter gave a rather forced smile down at her when she didn't answer before looking away towards Granger, who had been holding out a piece of parchment and waving it at him.
They were waiting to get through to the Great Hall and the cluster of people were moving slowly. Far slower than usual. Potter took the paper from Granger, focusing on it, when the small voice spoke up to him again.
"U-uh," it started, "what's the hold up, right?"
Pansy snorted to herself, but it drew more attention from Potter than the girl talking and he turned towards it. Messy hair in his eyes as he glanced back.
"Yeah, right?" He agreed after a moment before flashing a smile at both Pansy and Draco, the latter still watching the scene in front of him while Pansy let out a short laugh when the girl looked back as well with a little glare. Potter dropped his hand, turning fully to face the two behind him now. "What's up Parkinson, Malfoy?"
"Your adoring fans," Pansy answered, smirking, "look how protective they get." She nodded at the girl.
Potter looked down, chuckling quietly, "ah," he whispered. Draco watched still silent and Potter spoke up again, "how ya been?"
Pansy fell quiet, realizing he wasn't talking to her, while Draco shrugged a shoulder, "wonderful." He answered rather wearily. "Yourself, Potter?"
"Pretty alright," Potter smiled, his eyes gave a flicker to the right glancing at Pansy again, who was checking her nails and ignoring the two. "What's the hold up, amiright?"
Draco chuckled, "I suppose."
"I thought of you the other day," Potter took a step towards them abandoning his fans and friends.
"What about?" Draco asked, finding himself taking a step back when Potter got closer.
"Nothing about you. Of you." He corrected, before offering a wink, "anyway, I was reading." He continued to explain, "came across a story that made me think of you."
"And?"
"Well, it was about a few men. Two of them walked into a bar, the third one ducked." Harry was laughing before he got to the word, 'third' and by the middle of, 'ducked' he was really laughing. He gasped with it, his hair covering his face as his laugh shook through his body and his smile grew wide.
Draco smirked, shaking his head lightly. He'd give anything in the world to see Harry smiling and laughing like that.
Potter pushed his hands through his messy hair, grinning that breathless smile, "not as good as yours Draco, but," he smiled and shoved his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, "I think it at least warranted a smile, c'mon?"
Draco gave him a smile, letting the Malfoy mask fall from his face, "smile granted, Potter."
Then Pansy was reaching out and nudging Draco, as the students started breaking apart for their respective table and her hand slid down his arm to grab his own. Potter's eyes trailed down to their clasped hands and he leaned back, "anyway," Potter said, "enjoy dinner."
Draco quickly let his mask fall back into place, "let me know when you get another?" He said quickly when Potter started to back away, trying to grasp onto something he didn't even realize he wanted, or needed for that matter.
"Yeah," Potter turned back to his friends without another word and followed Granger, who had glanced back over her shoulder with a curious look at Draco. The blonde tried to offer anything to her but it wasn't met as she quickly turned away and Pansy tugged him the opposite direction.