AN: Wow, has it been two weeks already? Well, here's the next chapter!

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Chapter 10 Teamwork

"Potter! I would have thought that after all these years you would have learned to at least pretend to pay attention!" The abrupt exclamation from Professor Snape ripped Harry from his barely-awake contemplation of the chalk board. He knew that any response would only enrage the Potions Master further, and he honestly didn't have the energy to butt heads with Snape today. So he simply shook his head a little and tried to look at least somewhat attentive. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione give a quick approving nod.

The thing was…it was hard enough to pay attention in Potions on a regular day, never mind following only a half-a-night's worth of sleep where even the half he got was lousy. To top it off, he was still recovering from his argument with Draco as well as trying to deal with the realizations he'd made while pacing the halls of Hogwarts last night. Part of him really wanted to talk to Ron and Hermione about his feelings, but his overall attitude was that he wanted to keep everything that went on between him and Draco as private as possible, at least for the present. He'd rather not see them in another headline anytime soon. Not that he thought his friends would reveal anything he told them, but…stuff happens. Considering how the last headline had come out…better to be safe than sorry.

As the lecture segment of the morning's double Potions came to a conclusion, Snape set the instructions for the potion they were to brew. Harry was surprised to see that they were set to work on the Health of Innocence potion, which was basically the wizarding equivalent of muggle prenatal vitamins. Judging from the look on Snape's face, the choice of this potion was not his own.

Just as the students moved to begin gathering ingredients, Snape declared, "As the goal of brewing this potion is ultimately to administer it to the many pregnant students we look forward to having this term," the look on his face saying he most certainly did not look forward to it, "I will be placing you in pairs in the hopes that some of the more adept students can make up for the ineptitude of their partners." His pointed looks, first at Draco and then at Harry, made it perfectly clear who he deemed adept and who not.

Predictably, Snape paired Harry with Draco, no doubt hoping to inflict as much torment as possible while still managing to end up with a decent potion thanks to Draco's skill. And Harry had to admit, Draco really did excel in Potions due to skill, not only because he was Snape's favorite.

And so as Harry set his things down next to Draco at their work station he stated as calmly as he could, "Maybe you should take the lead on this one. Just tell me what you need me to do." Harry's words had multiple meanings, most of which Draco would hopefully pick up on. He was trying to call a truce without making it obvious to those around them. He was showing that he could understand the value of them working together, and that he could cooperate even when he was not in the lead. He was acknowledging Draco's personal skill with Potions with the dual intent of complement and peace-offering. And if Draco was really paying close attention, he might realize that Harry's words could apply either to making the potion or to their relationship, which was Harry's intention. Basically, he was making an attempt to mend whatever needed mending between them, and letting Draco know the next move was his.

Harry was surprised at the Slytherin-ness of this subtle, multi-layered communication, and marveled at his ability to construct it in the first place. But then, he had had the whole first half of Potions to construct it. He figured he shouldn't have been surprised to see a glow of understanding in Draco's eyes as the blonde turned to face him, but he still was…just a little bit. Draco gave Harry a significant look partnered by a slight nod, before handing him a list and coolly stating, "These are the ingredients we'll need. Gather those while I prepare the cauldron and work area." Harry took the former part of the communication to mean something along the lines of "We'll talk later." So he gave a quick nod and headed off toward the ingredients.

Harry was pleasantly surprised to find that he and Draco managed to work quite well together, barely even needing to speak to fall into time with one another. A few quick, clear words from Draco at the beginning of each step were all it took to move them smoothly from one phase of the potion to the next. Harry caught himself thinking that if Snape taught that way he may actually do decently in Potions.

Just as Draco was completing the final stirs of the potion, Snape announced that there were five minutes left to the class. Upon the final rotation of the stirring rod, their potion turned a pleasant coral color, exactly as it was meant to. Snape was therefore forced to approve of their potion, though he did it as unenthusiastically as possible. Even so, Harry allowed himself a small smile at their success before beginning to clean and pack up.

He exchanged one final look with Draco before heading out of the classroom with Ron and Hermione, and a relatively light heart. Not only had he helped brew a successful potion, but he and Draco had worked together very well, almost seamlessly. The walk to the Great Hall for lunch was silent but content.

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As Harry yawned over his plate for the tenth time since they'd arrived at lunch, he though perhaps he should take up Hermione's suggestion (made after the fifth yawn) that Harry take a nap. After all, they had a free period before that afternoon's Transfiguration class. Originally, Harry had hoped to spend at least the lunch break with his friends before heading off to sleep, but as yawning was proving to be his main contribution to conversation he didn't think there was much sense in waiting.

As he maneuvered his way out of his seat on the bench, he announced a sleepy but happy, "I'll see you guys later." As he headed out of the Great Hall, he didn't notice the small group that rose to follow. He strolled lazily down the halls, too tired to rush even though a bed sounded like heaven at the moment. About halfway to his room, in a hallway that was all but abandoned during lunch, he finally noticed the little rustles, taps, and whispers that indicated he was being followed…by more than one person. Quickly and quietly, he brought his wand to the ready.

Before he had even the slightest chance of using it, however, someone cried, "Expelliarmus!" and Harry's wand flew from his hand. He spun, finding himself facing (of all things) a handful of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs led by Zacharias Smith. Harry decided Smith was the leader because he was the first to speak. "We need to talk, Potter."

Harry tensed and felt himself fall slightly into a crouch, good preparation for offense or defense. The thing was, though, that while Harry was very powerful in magic, he was a bit small for a man of his age and certainly not the strongest in hand-to-hand combat. A sense of foreboding came over him, and he unconsciously placed a protective hand over his abdomen. "Talk about what?"

Smith fixed Harry with a disgusted glare. "I'm sure you've seen the article about you that was in the Prophet this weekend. And we've all heard the rumors that you are the one who's meant to defeat You-Know-Who. We were just wondering how the hell you're supposed to fight the most powerful dark wizard who's ever lived, and win, when you are pathetic enough to let the likes of Malfoy fuck you."

Harry flinched at the blatant language. "Well, Smith, I really don't think that's any of your business."

"Of course it's my business. It's the business of anyone who is counting on you to defeat You-Know-Who! How is a poncy little bottom supposed to save us? Especially once you're pregnant! How could you do this to us?"

For a moment, Harry simply stared in utter shock and disgust. When he found his voice he unleashed his opinion, though a little voice in the back of his head tried to tell him that an entirely candid response was not the best idea so long as he was without a wand and outnumbered to boot. "How could I do this to you? Excuse me, but the last time I checked my life and my choices were still my own. And I'm pretty sure no one in this gathering other than me has faced Voldemort multiple times and survived. So where do you get off cornering me, disarming me, and lecturing me about my supposed responsibility to save the world! Besides, I don't really give a damn what you think of me! Fuck you!" Harry was so caught up in his fury that he didn't immediately notice that Smith had moved closer to him. He was therefore caught off guard when the Stinging Hex was sent his way, and didn't manage to duck in time.

"What the hell!" he cried after the initial pain had passed. Smith had hit his shoulder. He took in a breath to say more about Smith's idiocy and cowardice, but when he looked up at the multiple wands now pointed straight at him he wisely kept his mouth shut. His eyes flicked from one person to another, looking for a sympathizer, someone who would end this ridiculous…attack. He supposed that was what this was. But no sympathetic eyes were found.

Just as he tensed in preparation to make a run for it, a voice rang through the hall. "What is the meaning of this?" The voice was almost annoyingly smooth, cool, and calm; Harry had never been so happy in his life to hear the voice of Draco Malfoy. Despite the fact that the two of them were technically still outnumbered, Harry began to relax. At that moment he realized that he trusted Draco with his safety and protection. He also finally noticed the placement of his hand, but somehow couldn't bring himself to move it away.

Again, Smith was the one to speak for the group. "We were just having a little chat with Potter about some concerns we had about his current behavior. Allowing you to fuck him, for example."

Draco raised an eyebrow ever so slightly before letting it fall back to its natural place. The movement drew Harry's attention to his eyes, which currently looked cold enough to freeze the sun. Draco took a few steps forward as he spoke. "This chat requires you to threaten Potter with multiple wands after removing his? That hardly seems logical now, does it? Come on, some of you are Ravenclaws…does that make logical sense?" But he didn't wait for an answer before he continued. "Did you stop to think, even for a moment, before setting off on this little mission of yours that Potter could already be carrying a child? That you could be endangering an innocent life?" He took a moment to consider the dumbstruck looks gracing all of the faces in the group before answering his own question. "Of course you didn't. If you had, you would have realized what a stupid idea it was to not only threaten Harry Potter, but also the life he could be carrying. A life that carries the protection of Potter and Malfoy. Not even you could be that stupid. Accio Harry's wand." Draco caught the wand without breaking eye-contact.

Tension hovered in the air for a moment. Suddenly, the bell signaling the end of lunch rang throughout the halls, causing all the members of the militant group to jump. One by one, they began to lower their wands and back away. Smith, determined to have the last word, hissed, "This isn't over," before leaving as well. Upon his departure, Harry released a deep breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, before turning to Draco. "Thanks for the backup. I'm not sure I could've outrun them…I'm exhausted." As if his words and the tired sound of his voice weren't enough to demonstrate the truth, he sagged against the wall. After the events of the past few minutes, the trip the rest of the way to his room seemed a lot longer. He closed his eyes for a moment, intending to gather his energy, and was surprised to feel a strong arm wrapping itself around his waist.

Draco's voice, when it came, was low and soft and close to Harry's ear. "Here, I'll help you to our room." The journey was fairly quick and entirely silent. The warmth emanating from Draco's body was serving to increase Harry's drowsiness, but he fought valiantly to stay awake until he felt Draco ease him through their portrait door and drop him off at the bed. Forgoing all sense of modesty in favor of sleepy comfort, Harry stripped down to his boxers before crawling under the covers. It didn't take long for him to settle in and he began to fall asleep almost instantly. But he was still slightly awake as he heard Draco whisper a spell to soothe the welt from the Stinging Hex. The last thing he heard before he finally drifted off were words spoken in such as way that it felt as if Draco were repeating a phrase that had once comforted him. "Sleep well, for I am watching over you."

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A couple warm-fuzzies this chapter! Plus, I've been planning the scene where Harry gets ambushed and Draco comes to his aid since the beginning stages of the story, so I am very excited to finally share that with you all! Hope you enjoyed it...and next chapter, the results of the pregnancy test!