THE NEXT DAY
Harry had slept considerably
better that night; now that Ron and Hermione knew at least some of the truth
about his relationship with Draco and were also prepared make an effort with
him themselves. The first test would be in potions that morning; Harry's nerves
were jangling in anticipation.
Harry, Ron and Hermione
reached the Potions classroom five minutes before the bell rang to signal the
start of the lesson. Draco was sitting alone, away from the other Slytherin's,
staring into space. Harry noticed the dark circles under Draco's eyes and
wondered whether he had slept at all since the night Madam Pomfrey had given
him the sleeping potion.
They took the their seats,
Hermione sat next to Ron and Harry the other side of her, he glanced briefly
over at Draco and smiled, Draco inclined his head in a slight nod to show that
he had noticed without giving himself away.
Snape walked into the
classroom and the room fell silent as he began to take the register. When he
called Draco's name his eyes lingered on him for a few moments before he called
the next name. Once he had finished taking the register he began to explain the
potion they would be making that morning, before putting them into pairs. He
paired Harry with Hermione but Ron was paired with Draco. Ron didn't look
pleased but he remembered his promise to Harry and went to sit next to Draco
without complaint. Draco looked up and caught Harry's eye, accurately reading
his expression, which said that this would be a good time to show Ron that he
was prepared to make an effort to get on.
"Morning Weas.. I mean Ron."
Draco said as Ron sat down, Ron looked at him in surprise. "Oh right yeah,
morning um Draco." Harry almost grinned he could see how difficult both boys
were finding it but at least they were making an effort.
For the next half an hour
Harry was unable to observe how Draco and Ron were getting on because he was so
busy preparing potion ingredients, Hermione was a very demanding partner, she
hated getting less than full marks for any assignment. However, Harry was able
to chance a few glances at Ron and Draco and they seemed to be working
reasonably well together, true they weren't talking much but they weren't
fighting or throwing hexes at each other either which could only be a good
thing.
"You should be ready to test
your potions by now." Snape's voice cut into Harry's thoughts. Hermione nudged
him the ribs, Snape was approaching their cauldron.
"Ah Potter and Miss Granger,
I think you can be the first to demonstrate your potion." They had been brewing
a potion to repair sprains and torn ligaments and Snape waved his wand in
Harry's direction and suddenly Harry's right ankle swelled hugely and Harry
winced in pain before sitting down because his ankle could no longer support
his weight
"If you have brewed your
potion correctly, the sprain should disappear as soon as you have tasted the
potion, if not you will have to stay behind and correct it, won't you boy."
Snape sneered and his eyes glinted maliciously.
Harry scooped a ladleful of
potion into a glass and gulped it down, miraculously the swelling and pain in
his disappeared instantly and he smiled at Hermione gratefully.
Snape cursed under his
breath but moved onto the next cauldron, everyone had managed to brew the
potion successfully even Neville whose round face glowed with pride when his potion
mended the sprain in his wrist.
Finally Snape approached the
cauldron where Ron and Draco were working, Harry held his breath as Ron took a
sip of the potion, to his and Ron's dismay nothing happened. Snape looked
dumbfounded, Draco Malfoy was the best student in the class when it came to
potions. Ron turned to Draco glaring.
"I bet you did this
deliberately didn't you Malfoy?" He thundered, "you knew I would be chosen to
test it on didn't you and you thought you would have a good laugh at my
expense." Ron looked like he was going to hit Draco and Harry stood up ready to
pull him back if needs be. Draco however, was looking just as surprised as
Snape. "No I didn't Ron honest, I didn't." He looked terrified, his grey eyes
suspiciously bright as if they were filling with tears. Harry felt compassion
flooding out of him again. I suppose he wasn't really concentrating, he
thought, I mean he looks terrible and his mother has just been killed.
Ron anger faded a little at
the sight of Draco pale and shaking, looking near to tears, some of the other
Slytherin's started to point and laugh at the sight of Draco Malfoy so shaken
up. Snape seemed to sense the growing atmosphere and passed Ron a ladle filled
with some of Harry and Hermione's potion before dismissing the class. As the
Slytherin's passed Draco's cauldron they jeered at him and Goyle aimed a swift
kick at Draco's ankle. Harry lunged forward but Snape placed a hand on his arm
pulling him away without reproach.
Ron and Hermione both left
the classroom but Harry stayed looking at Draco with concern.
"Draco?" Snape's voice was
gentle. "I think you should go back to your dormitory, you look like you could
do with some sleep, Potter will you escort him." He looked up at Harry, his
expression softer than normal; Harry nodded his assent and took Draco's arm.
Draco got to his feet
shakily and again allowed Harry to steer him to the door. When they reached the
door, Harry had a sudden thought and turned back to Snape. "Professor Snape?"
Snape looked up sharply.
"Yes Potter?" His usual look
was back and he glared at Harry.
"Well what about the other
Slytherin's, I mean you saw them back there." Harry trailed off, but Snape
seemed to understand, he remained silent for a minute as if considering the
best course of action, finally he spoke.
"Very well, take him to the
hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey will make sure that he is not disturbed." Harry
and Draco left; Harry had his arm around Draco guiding him towards the hospital
wing once more.
Madam Pomfrey sighed as she
saw the two boys approaching, she had been reluctant to let Draco Malfoy leave
the previous day, he hadn't seemed ready to but he had insisted and now he was
back.
Harry practically carried
Draco over to one of the beds and placed him down onto the mattress. Madam
Pomfrey bustled over carrying the bottle of dreamless sleep potion and a large
spoon.
"I told you that you weren't
ready to leave yesterday." She said to Draco reprovingly, Draco bowed his head.
"Do you want me to stay?"
Harry asked. Draco nodded and Harry sat on the edge of his bed watching as
Draco gulped down the potion and settled back against the pillows. Once she was
satisfied that Draco was settled, Madam Pomfrey retreated to her office leaving
Draco and Harry alone again. To Harry's surprise Draco reached for the glass on
his bedside table and spat the potion he had just taken into it. Seeing Harry's startled expression he
smiled.
"I don't want to sleep just
yet Harry, I want to talk to you." Harry didn't say anything.
"I didn't mean to mess up
the potion, I was trying to get on with Ron for your sake, I mean he's not that
bad really, just a bit temperamental and I suppose I did used to try and wind
him up." He looked at Harry and saw that Harry was smiling.
"I know you didn't do it
deliberately and I think Ron does too, he was just angry about the possibility
of missing lunch, plus Ron hates potions." Harry and Draco smiled at each
other.
"Draco, I've got something
to tell you." Harry began but Draco stopped him with his mouth, for a moment
Harry allowed himself to sink into the kiss but all to soon he pulled away.
"No Draco, I really have to
talk you." Draco looked a bit sulky.
"I don't see why, this is
much more fun." He said, kissing Harry's neck.
"Draco, Draco stop!" Harry
tried to sound cross but couldn't because he was enjoying what Draco was doing
too much.
"Look, you've got to listen
to me, we can kiss later I promise." Draco stopped reluctantly and crossed his
arms.
"All right then, if you promise."
"It's about Ginny." Harry
began but Draco interrupted,
"Oh I know all about that."
He said sounding amused.
"You do? How?" Harry's face
was a picture of amazement and confusion, which made him look very cute, in
fact Draco was struggling to stop himself from grabbing him again.
"Yeah, I'm quite observant
you see and I saw you two on Saturday, kissing in the grounds, I must admit
Harry you have fantastic taste." Harry blushed and grinned.
"You don't mind?" Draco
raised his eyebrows.
"Mind! Why should I mind?"
Harry felt slightly hurt that Draco was so cool about the situation, he
realised that he had wanted Draco to pout and get jealous, this total lack of
concern was disconcerting.
Draco sensed Harry's
disappointment at his reaction and grinned inwardly.
"Of course I am mad with
jealously, I mean she's hot! Especially considering that she is related to
Weasley." He added smirking but not unpleasantly, Harry punched Draco playfully
but he was smiling.
"Well actually she said that
she quite fancied you too." He admitted, Draco looked surprised but delighted.
"Oh really, do you think she
would be up for a little threesome?" Harry shrugged.
"Maybe, you never know." He
replied, knowing full well what Ginny's response would be but reluctant to
share her, at least not at first.
Draco seemed to have tired
of talking and had resumed kissing Harry's neck causing Harry to emit a low
moan, which gave Draco a thrill of excitement.
He moved up to kiss Harry's
mouth, feeling not just the thrill of ownership, of conquest but something more
lurking in the very recesses of his heart. Harry was getting under his skin and
he was even managing to plumb the very depths of his soul. He had to know what
Harry was feeling; he broke off the kiss and stared up into Harry's eyes.
Harry looked disappointed
that the kiss had ended; in fact he looked almost bereft. His eyes betrayed a
longing that was ever present when he was in Draco's company but there was
something else there too. Draco couldn't quite read the emotion he was seeing,
was it compassion, was it fondness, or what it something else?
"Why'd you stop?" Harry
asked.
"I just wanted to." Draco
realised that he couldn't say what he was thinking aloud, he and Harry were only
just becoming friends, he could hardly rush into things by admitting that he
was falling for him it might scare him away completely. Plus Draco thought, his
heart sinking, Harry was probably falling for Ginny, he just liked fucking
Draco but Ginny was his soulmate and eventually he would choose her over him
just like Harry's father had chosen his mother over Snape. Maybe Snape was
right, history was repeating itself and Harry would indeed break his heart even
if he didn't mean to. Did that mean he would end up like Snape, bitter and
mean-spirited, afraid to love for fear that he would be hurt again. An audible
groan escaped his lips and Harry looked at him in concern.
"What's wrong Draco?" Draco shook his head.
"Nothing I'm fine, I was
just thinking about my mother." He blushed at his lie but Harry seemed
satisfied with his answer.
"You probably ought to try
and sleep now, you still have the potion there don't you?" Harry suggested and
Draco found himself agreeing with him despite thinking that the last thing he
wanted to do was sleep.
"Okay, will you stay with
me, you know like last time?"
"Yeah but I might have to
leave before you go to sleep because lunch is almost over and I'll be late for
Charms." Draco sighed but settled back against his pillows to take the potion.
Harry sat by Draco's
bedside, feeling a definite sense of déjà vu as he watched Draco fall asleep
again, before quietly slipping away to his afternoon classes.
Harry arrived in the Charms
classroom about a minute before the bell rang, it was quite a long way away
from the hospital wing and he had run most of the way.
He found Ron and Hermione
waiting for him outside. Ron was looking calmer than he had done before lunch;
Hermione had obviously convinced him that Draco had not intentionally made the
potion incorrectly.
"Where have you been?" They
asked in unison as Harry arrived panting slightly.
"In the hospital wing with
Draco, I took him there after the lesson finished."
"Oh right." Hermione said
raising her eyebrows slightly, Harry coloured slightly and fortunately for him
the bell rang.
The lesson went quite well,
Ron didn't seem too angry with Harry that he had spent all of lunch with Draco;
in fact he kept smiling at Hermione in a conspiratorial manner, which puzzled
Harry greatly.
They were learning about
healing song charms, which were quite difficult to master but Harry seemed to
be getting the hang of them quite well, which is more than could be said for
Neville who was getting redder and redder as tried unsuccessfully to perform
the healing charm on Lavender's arm which had a large bruise on it.
Finally the bell rang to
signal the end of the lesson and everyone filed out, heading out to the grounds
and Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures.
This week they were learning
about Jarvey's, who could speak English but tended to just repeat a rather
limited number of rather rude phrases.
The class found them all
highly amusing, especially when Pansy Parkinson's kept telling her she was 'an
ugly, fat cow' and Goyle's insisted that he smelt like manure. Draco was
missing from the lesson, still asleep in the hospital wing and Harry found his
thoughts drifting to the blonde boy several times during the course of the
lesson.
After the lesson ended, they
wandered back up to the castle, Harry walked beside a chattering Ron and
Hermione but his mind was elsewhere. He wondered whether Draco would be at
dinner and how the other Slytherin's would treat him if he was there.
They entered the Great Hall
and Harry sat down next to Ginny, who smiled warmly at him.
"Good day Harry?" She asked
as he began to help himself to steak and kidney pie.
"Not too bad, I suppose." He
replied noncommittally, he glanced over at the Slytherin table and saw that
Draco was not there yet. 'Maybe he'll eat in the hospital wing?' he thought to
himself as he started to eat his own meal.
Then he remembered he was
sitting next to Ginny, the girl who he had almost had sex with the previous
morning, the only girl he lusted after and cared about as well. He turned to
face her and started to ask her about her day, she talked animatedly about her
highly successful Transfiguration lesson, during which she had successfully
managed to transform a lantern into an armchair, complete with footrest.
Professor McGonagall had been so impressed; she had given Ginny full marks and
awarded Gryffindor 20 points. Harry couldn't help but smile at her obvious
enthusiasm for the subject.
"What are you up to this
evening Harry?" Ginny was looking at him with an expression that made Harry's
knees go weak. "Have you got Quidditch practice?"
"Yeah and I've got rather
nasty History of Magic essay to finish as well." Harry replied looking
dejected.
"I might come and watch,
I've been thinking about trying out for the team, you know only as a reserve."
She said quickly.
"Yeah, you should definitely
tryout, you fly really well I remember from the games we've played over the
summer." Harry flashed a grin at Ginny which she returned blushing a little.
Harry glanced over at the
Slytherin table again and saw that Draco had now arrived; all the other
Slytherin's were ignoring him at the moment, which Harry supposed was better
than being jeered at or kicked. He tried to catch Draco's eye but to no avail,
Draco did not look up from his plate until he had finished eating and then he
left the room immediately.
Harry resisted the urge to
follow him and went to fetch his Firebolt before heading down to the Quidditch
pitch for practice.
Practice went smoothly and
Harry let Ginny have a ride on his Firebolt after they had finished, impressed
with her flying style and enjoying the sight of her soaring above him, her
auburn hair cascading over her shoulders and her face alight with happiness.
They walked back to Gryffindor tower together, Harry slung his arm around Ginny's shoulders, he felt relaxed and comfortable but he couldn't get Draco out of his mind completely, he kept creeping back in.