--AN: the next chapter is here! I couldn't have done it (at least not this
well) without my wonderful beta-lady Hijja! ( ---Love it? Hate it? Review!--
Draco sat in the Three Broomsticks that night with Pansy, Blaise, Vince, and Greg. The others chattered amiably, but Draco only murmured "Yeah.." every so often. He was staring in the general direction of the fireplace, lost in thought. The rest of his group didn't notice that he was really watching the three Gryffindors seated at a table by the fire. Draco was watching them laugh, compare purchases, and drink hot butterbeer. He was also trying to pretend he had no idea that he sat in the same room as the trio.
Snape enjoys pairing me with Potter for Potions projects, he thought. Sometimes I think he knows my interest in Potter goes further than humiliating him. But not this time, when we have to work with partners outside of the classroom. I could spend some real quality time with Potter for this project. Have I done something to upset Snape? And why would he put Potter with Pansy of all people?
"Draco.. Draco, are you with us? Wake up darling!" Pansy cooed. Draco jerked his head back toward his housemates. "Did your father tell you what happened at the," Pansy lowered her voice " the meeting you missed?"
Draco shook his head. "No, I wasn't aware I'd missed anything. What happened?"
"The Dark Lord gave me a love potion and told me to use it on Potter. I don't know why yet, but Potter's supposed to fall in love with me. I guess I'll get more instructions after I give him the potion." Pansy made a disgusted face. "But, ugh, why Potter? I mean, I suppose it could be worse if I had to go after, say, the Weasel, but Potter's hardly a catch."
So that's why Pansy and Harry were working together for the potions project. It was probably set up specifically for the Dark Lord's plan! Draco couldn't help thinking there was probably an easier way to do all of this. It was getting on his nerves for some reason.
"Pansy, of course you know "why Potter?"! Who else is He interested in killing?" Draco snapped.
"Are you okay, Drake?" asked Vince dumbly. "You don't seem to be having any fun. Want to go terrorize Potter for stealing your girlfriend? That should cheer you up, eh?"
Draco sighed and mumbled something about getting more butterbeer. He slid out of his seat and wandered over to the bar. He leaned against it for a moment, glancing back at the table he had been sitting at. His friends didn't seem to be so worried about him now, they were chortling among themselves as if they had not questioned his happiness just seconds ago. Even Pansy, his girlfriend, didn't seem to be missing him.
Then Draco heard a familiar voice behind him. "Did you remember that Neville's birthday is tomorrow? I haven't bought a gift for him yet." It was the Mudblood. She, Weasley, and Potter were on their way out of the inn. Draco decided that tonight, Potter and company would be more entertaining than his friends.
...
As Hermione led her friends out of the inn and into the chill night air, she was contemplating what in the world Neville would want for his birthday. "You don't suppose he'd like a book, do you?" she asked the boys.
"Well, we know he couldn't break that," said Ron conversationally.
Hermione gave him an annoyed look, and he shut his mouth. "I didn't mean.." he started.
"I know," she confessed.
"We know he's not an athlete, well, at least he doesn't play Quidditch, so sports equipment is out of the question. I'd like to give him something that will last a while, but is easy to handle. But I don't want to insult him either.."
Hermione seemed to be speaking to herself, because she was walking quickly ahead of her companions, as if she knew her destination before she voiced her thoughts. Suddenly, she turned around and faced Harry and Ron.
"I know just the thing! Come with me!" Hermione jogged off and Harry and Ron had no choice but to follow her. ...
Draco slunk after Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He was careful not to let them notice that they were being followed, so he kept himself half a block from wherever the trio stood. Draco was about to trail behind them when Hermione changed direction, but he felt a strong hand grasp his arm. Draco turned around, startled.
"What do you think you're doing out here, young man?" Lucius Malfoy asked his son. "You haven't even noticed me following you!"
Draco looked around nervously, trying to think of an excuse for stalk- watching Potter. "I.. er.. I remembered something you told me once: know your enemy." He gave a tense smile. "My friends were being boring, so I thought I'd take a stroll and get to know Potter a little better." Draco looked into his father's eyes for approval.
"I want you to stay away from Potter. Don't try to make friends with him, do you understand me?" Lucius leaned over Draco. The younger blond nodded. "As long as he doesn't see you, you may continue to observe him. But we don't want Potter to suspect anything out of the ordinary."
"Yes father. It wouldn't do to make him suspicious."
Seeming satisfied, Lucius smiled down at his son. "I must be getting back to your mother now, I forgot to mention I was going out."
Forgot indeed, Draco thought. "I'll see you at Christmas then?" he said loud enough for the passers-by to hear. No sense in making them suspicious, either, he reasoned.
"Of course, son. I'll see you then," Lucius replied, and pulled out his wand to Disapparate to Malfoy Manor.
Draco sat in the Three Broomsticks that night with Pansy, Blaise, Vince, and Greg. The others chattered amiably, but Draco only murmured "Yeah.." every so often. He was staring in the general direction of the fireplace, lost in thought. The rest of his group didn't notice that he was really watching the three Gryffindors seated at a table by the fire. Draco was watching them laugh, compare purchases, and drink hot butterbeer. He was also trying to pretend he had no idea that he sat in the same room as the trio.
Snape enjoys pairing me with Potter for Potions projects, he thought. Sometimes I think he knows my interest in Potter goes further than humiliating him. But not this time, when we have to work with partners outside of the classroom. I could spend some real quality time with Potter for this project. Have I done something to upset Snape? And why would he put Potter with Pansy of all people?
"Draco.. Draco, are you with us? Wake up darling!" Pansy cooed. Draco jerked his head back toward his housemates. "Did your father tell you what happened at the," Pansy lowered her voice " the meeting you missed?"
Draco shook his head. "No, I wasn't aware I'd missed anything. What happened?"
"The Dark Lord gave me a love potion and told me to use it on Potter. I don't know why yet, but Potter's supposed to fall in love with me. I guess I'll get more instructions after I give him the potion." Pansy made a disgusted face. "But, ugh, why Potter? I mean, I suppose it could be worse if I had to go after, say, the Weasel, but Potter's hardly a catch."
So that's why Pansy and Harry were working together for the potions project. It was probably set up specifically for the Dark Lord's plan! Draco couldn't help thinking there was probably an easier way to do all of this. It was getting on his nerves for some reason.
"Pansy, of course you know "why Potter?"! Who else is He interested in killing?" Draco snapped.
"Are you okay, Drake?" asked Vince dumbly. "You don't seem to be having any fun. Want to go terrorize Potter for stealing your girlfriend? That should cheer you up, eh?"
Draco sighed and mumbled something about getting more butterbeer. He slid out of his seat and wandered over to the bar. He leaned against it for a moment, glancing back at the table he had been sitting at. His friends didn't seem to be so worried about him now, they were chortling among themselves as if they had not questioned his happiness just seconds ago. Even Pansy, his girlfriend, didn't seem to be missing him.
Then Draco heard a familiar voice behind him. "Did you remember that Neville's birthday is tomorrow? I haven't bought a gift for him yet." It was the Mudblood. She, Weasley, and Potter were on their way out of the inn. Draco decided that tonight, Potter and company would be more entertaining than his friends.
...
As Hermione led her friends out of the inn and into the chill night air, she was contemplating what in the world Neville would want for his birthday. "You don't suppose he'd like a book, do you?" she asked the boys.
"Well, we know he couldn't break that," said Ron conversationally.
Hermione gave him an annoyed look, and he shut his mouth. "I didn't mean.." he started.
"I know," she confessed.
"We know he's not an athlete, well, at least he doesn't play Quidditch, so sports equipment is out of the question. I'd like to give him something that will last a while, but is easy to handle. But I don't want to insult him either.."
Hermione seemed to be speaking to herself, because she was walking quickly ahead of her companions, as if she knew her destination before she voiced her thoughts. Suddenly, she turned around and faced Harry and Ron.
"I know just the thing! Come with me!" Hermione jogged off and Harry and Ron had no choice but to follow her. ...
Draco slunk after Harry, Ron, and Hermione. He was careful not to let them notice that they were being followed, so he kept himself half a block from wherever the trio stood. Draco was about to trail behind them when Hermione changed direction, but he felt a strong hand grasp his arm. Draco turned around, startled.
"What do you think you're doing out here, young man?" Lucius Malfoy asked his son. "You haven't even noticed me following you!"
Draco looked around nervously, trying to think of an excuse for stalk- watching Potter. "I.. er.. I remembered something you told me once: know your enemy." He gave a tense smile. "My friends were being boring, so I thought I'd take a stroll and get to know Potter a little better." Draco looked into his father's eyes for approval.
"I want you to stay away from Potter. Don't try to make friends with him, do you understand me?" Lucius leaned over Draco. The younger blond nodded. "As long as he doesn't see you, you may continue to observe him. But we don't want Potter to suspect anything out of the ordinary."
"Yes father. It wouldn't do to make him suspicious."
Seeming satisfied, Lucius smiled down at his son. "I must be getting back to your mother now, I forgot to mention I was going out."
Forgot indeed, Draco thought. "I'll see you at Christmas then?" he said loud enough for the passers-by to hear. No sense in making them suspicious, either, he reasoned.
"Of course, son. I'll see you then," Lucius replied, and pulled out his wand to Disapparate to Malfoy Manor.