Okay so I've been loving your feedback and it inspired me to churn out another chapter!
Draco's point of view, because its fun!
enjoy! As always comments are welcome and I love to hear your ideas!
Getting to the Great Hall for breakfast was beginning to become a bit of an ordeal for Draco. Once again he had forgotten to set his alarm and had been woken up by Blaise. This time however, the boy in question simply opened the drapes around his bed, and threw a book at him from a safe distance.
A History of Magic was not his favourite book by far, but after being smacked in the stomach by it at seven in the morning, Draco could honestly say that it had dropped down the rungs of books he'd save in a fire.
To say his emergence from bed was coordinated and graceful would be a lie. He had ended up sprawled on the floor, tangled in his duvet and spewing profanities. Blaise looked impressed at some of the words he'd used, even saying that it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard.
Theo, who had been sitting on his bed at the time, started talking about Draco as though he was on some sort of zoo tour, his voice dry and sarcastic. "And here we see the regal Malfoy, in a rare state of dishevelment."
"Very funny Theo… shut up." He grumbled from the floor, kicking his legs out in an attempt to free himself from the blanket. His face was burning and he could feel the bruise starting to form on his butt.
"Startled from its slumber by the attack of its natural enemy… The dreaded book." Theo was speaking in hushed whispers, sharing conspiring looks with Blaise, who was now laughing his arse off.
"OH SOD OFF, the pair of you!" Draco yelled, throwing his pillows at them, after finally freeing his legs. "Keep it up, go on! See if I get you that folder." He stuck his nose in the air haughtily, folding his arms and pouting.
This only caused the two other boys to laugh harder, with Blaise sliding to the floor behind his bed. "Oh. My. God. Draco. Your face mate!" Blaise wheezed between guffaws.
Draco couldn't help it; their laughter was infectious. A very confused Crabbe and Goyle found them five minutes later still giggling, whilst trying to pull on their uniforms. Blaise had started hopping about whilst trying to pull on a sock and Draco had taken the opportunity to shove him over.
They barrelled out of the dorm room, elbowing each other, and ran full pelt to the Great Hall, only slowing down once they reached the main doors. The Slytherin girls all shot them disdainful stares as they entered the hall laughing and shouting like a bunch of rowdy Gryffindors.
"Good morning ladies, ready for an exciting day of learning and bettering ourselves?" He said jauntily, sitting next to Daphne and shooting Pansy a cheeky smile.
"Stop being such a weirdo!" Pansy hissed at him, eyes darting around the table. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Living my best life Pansy." Winking at her he grabbed a slice of toast, and shoved it into his mouth chewing like a washing machine.
Pansy recoiled from where she had leaned over Daphne to talk to him. "Ugh Draco, stop that! It's gross!"
"Wha' Tha' Anshee?" He said through a mouth of food, wiggling his eyebrows at the guys sitting round him. They all started on their own breakfasts with equal gusto, taking great pleasure, it seemed, in outdoing each other on how disgusting they could chew. Draco was having trouble not choking on his food and was snorting crumbs out his nose. God these kids were funny.
Pansy had scrunched up her nose and was leaning as far back from the table as she could. With a disgusted grunt she pushed her breakfast away from her, "I hope you're all happy…" She went to stand but Daphne had grabbed a glass of orange juice, and stood dramatically.
"You think you got skills?" She said ominously "Watch this!" She brought the glass to her lips took a deep sip. Then snorted the juice back into the glass, through her nostril as she held the other one closed.
Silence fell on the Slytherin table as they all stared in shock. Daphne had a huge grin on her face and was smirking triumphantly. She delicately picked up a napkin and blotted her nose, before sitting back down on the bench.
"Holy shit that was awesome!" Came a shout from across the great hall. This set off a chain reaction as people clapped and cheered for Daphne's trick.
"Nice one Greengrass!" "You've got some skills there" "Do you think you can teach me Daphne?"
Draco had slid from the bench and was crying with laughter on the floor. His arms flopping as he lay there, gasping for breath. Pansy's face, oh Merlin he couldn't breathe. She was super pale and looked like she was going into shock. Daphne was taking it all in stride, grinning from ear to ear.
And to think, he'd never had known that his future sister in law could do something like that. He could see it now, Lord and Lady Greengrass sitting at the dinner table when BAM, Daphne pulls out her new trick. Lady Greengrass would have had a fit.
"Daphne," he wheezed, "you are a gift."
After all that excitement at breakfast, Draco could hardly concentrate in his first class, so eager he was to see Hermione and relate his adventures. He practically sprinted down to the greenhouses after the bell and bounced on his feet waiting for her to arrive.
Blaise and the rest of the first year Slytherins arrived at a more leisurely pace. Daphne walked with Pansy, who was watching her friend cautiously, like she was going to pull out another gross or weird talent at the drop of a kneazle.
Blaise and Theo came to stand next to him as he continued to bounce on his feet. They were eyeing him knowingly, but didn't comment on it, much to his relief. The next class bell was about to go and he could see Sprout pottering about through the glass. Where the hell was Granger? She was going to be late if she kept this up.
The doors slammed open suddenly and the Gryffindor first years came barrelling out of the castle, a mass of uncoordinated bodies. He spotted his favourite one immediately and began waving at her, "Oi, Granger! Hurry up or you'll be late!" He shouted across the lawn.
The bell went off and the Gryffindors suddenly began racing across the grass, coming to a skidding stop just as Sprout opened the door. He didn't get a chance to speak to Hermione until they had been set their task and he had dragged her to a table with him. Neville and Blaise shrugged at each other before joining them again. He noticed out of the corner of his eye, that Theo had joined Potter's table and was obviously regaling them with this mornings antics.
"You seemed to be having a lot of fun at breakfast." Hermione said, glancing over to Potter's table before meeting his eye.
Blaise grinned at Hermione, nodding "It was so beautiful." He said, wiping a fake tear from his eye as Neville laughed quietly next to him.
"Saw that did you? It was hilarious! Who knew Daphne had such a hidden talent. Made my day! That and seeing you of course" He bumped into her genially with his shoulder.
She rolled her eyes at him and snorted a laugh. "Yes we saw that, the Weasley twins looked especially impressed, pretty sure she has a fan club now."
"Do they need badges?" He asked cheekily, "I'm quite good at badges you know…"
She didn't immediately respond instead choosing to ignore the comment, so Draco turned back to his task. He was trimming this small plant, which was made rather tricky by the fact that it tried to wiggle away from his shears every time he brought them close. Neville seemed to be having more luck with his little tree thing, so Draco decided to ask him for assistance.
"Hey Neville, what are you ACK…." Draco gave out a strangled yelp as something cold and squishy splatted against the back of his neck. His whole body seized up as he felt the slimy cold substance slip down his collar in squelchy chunks. He let out a high-pitched whine, as he arched his back to try and get away from it.
Instead of try to help him the rest of his table started cracking up, loud guffaws and snorts came from the two boys opposite him as he wiggled uncomfortably. Hermione was leaning heavily on the table, gasping for breath. Her left glove was filthy and covered with slimy mud, probably the same mud that she had slapped onto his neck.
"GRANGER!" He squealed, reaching back and grabbing the mud before smacking it on Hermione's cheek. She didn't even seem bothered by that, and just kept laughing tears pooling at the corner of her eyes.
All this commotion had drawn the attention of Sprout, who deducted two points from each of them for 'ignoring the plants'. They were told to go wash up at the old porcelain sink in the corner of the Greenhouse. Draco made his way over to the great big tub like sink, keeping his back away from Hermione at all times. She was happily trotting after him, skipping over broken paving stones and dodging dangling vines that tried to grab her hair.
"I'm going to have dirt in my uniform all day, thanks for that Granger." He had thrown his gloves onto the table next to the sink, and was frowning at her. Her whole body was still shaking with repressed laughter, as she stood there watching him. "Laugh it up Granger…"
"Oh come on Draco, you know you deserved it! Plus, what's the point of being kids again if we can't do childish things?"
"There's childish things Hermione and then there is this filth." He said pointing seriously at his neck. "Now," He said looking over her shoulder to check the class, "whip your wand out and sort out this mess."
"Okay, okay!" She laughed, twisting her arm, wand shooting into her palm quickly. "Suppose it's only right I clean up after myself."
"Thank you ahh…" Hermione had grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him awkwardly backwards so she could get a better look. "All that wriggling you did earlier has gotten it all down your back." She unceremoniously stuck her wand into the back of his shirt, hitting him with an exceptionally ticklish scourgify charm.
"Un hand me Minister!" He hissed wiggling against her surprisingly strong hold. What a time to be stuck as an eleven year old.
"Nearly done, no need to be a Flobberworm about It." he couldn't help the squirming; her spell was really ticklish. "There, all done." She released the back of his shirt, turning her wand onto her own face and cleaning the grime off. She was watching him with an amused expression as he straightened his shirt back out, his face burning.
"Who knew you were such a germophobe?" She smirked at him smugly, if he knew what a germophobe was he would probably send back a scathing retort. Instead he opted for a more civil approach.
"Har har." He snorted through his nose at her. "Shall we go back to class Minister? Or is this some scheme of yours to get me on my own?" He paused at her suddenly sheepish grin, his face dropping into a deadpan stare. "You're kidding? You did that on purpose? How did you know Sprout would? You know what I'm not even surprised. What is it?"
"Well as I'm sure you're aware, flying lessons start next week."
Draco had, in fact, forgotten this. "Yes of course." He nodded firmly.
"Right, so in that class you take Neville's rememberall and throw it at the castle…"
"And Harry the great, catches it and becomes the new seeker for Gryffindor, your point being?"
She just continued to stare at him, her face bright and hopeful.
"No, absolutely not." Draco marched straight passed her, back to the class table.
Unfortunately Hermione was not one to be deterred, so for the rest of the day she would pop up with her stupid little pouty face all hopeful and bright looking.
"No." "No way in Hell Granger." "Bugger off Minister!" "I won't do it, you can't make me!"
He thought he had lost her once he was in History of Magic, he had sat down next to Blaise and unloaded his book to have a nap on it. Blaise then turned to him, "Draco, I've got a message for you."
Draco raised his head from the book and looked at Blaise curiously, "what?" he said carefully squinting at the boy.
Blaise clasped his hands together as though praying, stuck his lip out in a pout and started blinking at Draco with a dramatic pleading face.
"Urgh! Tell Granger 'no' when you see her next." He slumped back onto the desk, Blaise chuckling at him.
By the time Astronomy came around, Draco was contemplating just not going and repeating the day. But the thought of what Granger would say made him think that it'd just be safer to go to Astronomy and put up with her pestering.
He and the rest of his class started heading to the astronomy tower at half past eleven, giving him plenty of time to send a quick message to Hermione. He told her he would meet her in the hidden alcove just before class. He also wrote 'NO' in big letters under his note.
It was remarkably easy to fall behind his classmates, not one of them noticed as he slid behind the unicorn tapestry. Turns out, Hermione was right. Leaning against the wall Draco's eyes slid closed and he listened to the footsteps of his classmates as they trekked up the stairs.
It wasn't long before he heard the loud voices of the Gryffindor boys as they passed his hiding spot. He barely even reacted when he heard Hermione's voice say that she just had to grab something quick. Opening one eye he checked his timepiece, quarter to twelve. Theoretically enough time for her to return to Gryffindor tower and be back to class in time.
A few seconds later however, she was standing in front of him smiling happily. "Evening Draco, I take it you got my message?"
He hummed non-committally "I take it you received my answer? Repeatedly."
"I'll owe you a favour, come on…" She was gently shoving him into the wall, he let his body go floppy and he eyed her with exasperation as she shook him.
"Will you shut up if I do it?"
"YES! Oh Draco than…" she began bouncing around in excitement.
"Ah" he interrupted her, "I get to do it my way. Loathe though I am to admit it, Neville is growing on me and I don't want to bully a child."
Hermione's face scrunched up weirdly, before she suddenly pulled him into a violent hug. "Merlin! Granger." He started pulling her off him, "Alright, lets not get carried away, I only said I'd help get Potter onto the Quidditch team. I haven't done it yet… Although," he gave her a contemplative look "I wouldn't be adverse to a reward if I succeed." He smirked at her wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"How about," she said coyly, leaning forward, "I don't turn you into a ferret in front of the whole class?"
"Suits me, yep that sounds good." She was leering at him now, an almost feral grin on her face. Merlin, this witch was a little bit scary. "I agreed to help you Minister, no need to threaten." He quickly checked his timepiece again, holding it in front of her face to distract her.
"We can always discuss the details tomorrow. We have a free period tomorrow morning, I can meet you in the library."
Draco nodded and held out his hand, which she quickly grasped. The clock tower began to chime at midnight, and after a terse few second of waiting the sparks once again danced across their bodies. The second the sparks once again vanished under their skin, Draco and Hermione were pelting it up the remaining stairs towards the top of the Astronomy tower.
They Made it just as the last of the students were exiting the staircase that led to the top of the tower. They slipped in behind them and wandered in as though they had been there the whole time.
After a super fun hour of freezing his arse off and staring at constellations that he already knew by heart, Draco was ready for bed. This whole lack of freedom to do what he wanted thing, was getting old fast. Although he did have to admit, there was a certain draw to not have to worry about everyday living. No one looking at him in fear and revulsion was also pretty nice.
He had developed a habit of not looking at the horrible scar on his arm, but he had caught sight of it a few times since time jumping and it still surprised him that it was clear.
There was no doubt in his mind now; they would not be following the same path as before. And maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.
The first years all trudged sluggishly down the spiral staircase after being dismissed. The Gryffindors has it easy, they didn't have to climb down trillions of stairs to the very bottom of the damn castle. Draco waved half-heartedly in Hermione's direction before beginning his trek to his bed.
Morning came around far quicker then Draco would have liked and, as the rest of his dorm mates had a lay in, he got up and headed to the library. He had decided, that the best way to get Potter on the Quidditch team was to chuck stuff at him, preferably in the view of McGonagall or Oliver Wood. Hermione was a little sceptical about this plan of his but she was happy to let him continue with it, as long as he chucked something at Harry during the first flying lesson.
Draco transfigured some rocks into small glass balls, and proceeded to carry them around with him. His first opportunity came at lunch, as Potter came in a bit later than usual, and most of Gryffindor was already seated including Wood.
A quick glance confirmed that McGonagall was already at the teacher's table. Before Harry could get a chance to sit down, Draco stood up and yelled to him.
"Oi! Potter," Harry turned quickly in his direction, and he had garnered the attention of Wood as a plus, "Think fast!" He lobbed the small glass orb just to the right of where Harry was standing. The boy reacted faster the Draco thought possible, spinning in place to pluck the tiny glass object from the air.
"Nice catch Harry!" He yelled saluting the boy, before sitting back down. Hermione was watching the teacher's table to see if McGonagall had been observing. She nodded in confirmation to him, and he felt quite pleased with himself, even if it meant helping the Gryffindor Quidditch team.
"What was that about?" Pansy said from opposite him. She was watching Harry as he sat at his own table; he kept playing with the small glass object.
"Chucked something at Potter during Herbology, those bulb things, anyway he caught it super fast. So I've decided to see how good he is at catching."
"What is the point in that?" She asked, nose wrinkling in confusion.
"Yeah, I don't get it mate…" Blaise said from beside him. Theo nodded in agreement.
"Bit of fun really." He drew one of the glass balls from his pocket and showed it to them. It was slightly golden, but see-through. A twisting green powder floated within the sphere, "see this? Well, If Potter fails to catch it and it shatters… Boom!" He said calmly, splaying his hands dramatically. "Compressed paint bomb" He said with a wink.
"So its like a challenge?" Pansy said slowly, "does Potter know they explode?" She asked narrowing her eyes at Draco's innocent face.
"Haven't got around to telling him yet" he said with a grin, causing laughter from those surrounding him.
Draco managed to catch Potter a few more times that day, usually in the corridors and once at dinner. Harry had started throwing them back whenever he saw Draco, and to be honest he was starting to enjoy the challenge.
Hermione looked remarkably pleased about the whole situation and would laugh happily whenever they met in the corridors for their 'chucking challenge', as he had been referring to it in his head. Other students had begun to notice, and he had overheard them saying that they thought the two first years from opposing houses were kind of adorable.
One more midnight meet-up with Granger and they were moving on to their first lesson with Severus. They had debated on the best way to move forward regarding Snape, and had come to the conclusion that it was imperative the man be barred from their minds. Draco himself was a very powerful occulemens and, as it turned out, Hermione had taken it upon herself to become proficient in this branch of magic too.
He was going to sit with Granger in the class, mainly so that they didn't get frustrated with sub par partners. It would mean that any projects would be done together which would make their lives so much easier. Draco was exceptionally good at Potions and Hermione was also a skilled practitioner, it just made sense to work together. Draco didn't really want to share her either; they only had a few classes together at the moment so it was only fair.
The Great Hall was packed for breakfast and was extremely noisy. He sat on the end of the table with Crabbe, Goyle and Theo as they all quickly shovelled food in their faces. Blaise Had already finished breakfast and was heading back to the common room with the girls. Impatient to be gone, Draco grabbed an extra few slices of toast and made his way out of the hall.
He spotted Granger following behind Potter and Weasley, the latter who looked extremely annoyed. Frowning at that, he continued walking behind them and almost choked on his toast when he overheard Hermione.
"Did you know that you could make a draught of living death? You have to add powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood, it sound simply fascinating!"
Weasley let out an extreme groan of annoyance; apparently Hermione had been doing this for a while.
"And there is this fascinating thing called a bezoar, it's an antidote to most poisons but you find it in the stomach of a goat, which sounds disgusting!"
Another groan from Weasley, along with a long-suffering sigh from Potter, Draco couldn't help but chuckle. The boys didn't notice him laughing, but Hermione sure did. She caught his eye then gazed at the ceiling and shook her hands in a clear 'Merlin give me strength' plea.
He dashed off quickly to his common room, before he burst into laughter then and there. She was trying to help Harry, in her own misguided way. Potter was really lucky to have someone like Hermione as a friend, even if he only thought of her as a nuisance. That'll soon change when exam season comes round, he thought as he got his bag ready.
Blaise came to grab him from their dorm, as everyone was ready to go. He was quite looking forward to working with Snape; he had actually missed his godfather. Despite him being a grumpy old sod…
Wait…
Draco himself was forty… at least in mind…
Snape died at thirty-eight… Which meant he was currently… 31.
Holy shit, he was older than Snape!