Disclaimer: The usual…all characters are copyright to j.k rowling.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry entered the great hall for breakfast the next morning, after a more or less peaceful night's sleep. He'd had a dreamless sleep, however, he had still been able to hear voices. He'd heard his parents being killed, but after waking from that dream drenched in sweat at 2am in the morning he'd slept undisturbed, which was definitely a small improvement.
Sitting down next to Hermione, Harry helped himself to some juice and two pieces of toast.
"Morning Harry." Hermione said smiling at him.
"Morning." Harry replied, though it came out slightly muffled due to the fact his mouth was right now filled with toast.
"Where's Ron?" Hermione asked, looking towards the entrance for any sign of the red headed boy.
"He's coming now, said he'd catch me up."
As if on cue, Ron came striding into the hall and took his seat opposite Hermione at the table.
"Morning." He greeted, smiling. The smile was more directed at Hermione then Harry.
At that moment hundreds of owls began entering the hall to deliver the mail and new timetables for everyone. Harry, Hermione and Ron got their new timetables and Hermione also got a copy of the daily prophet. Ron ripped his timetable open before the others had even glanced at theirs. After reading it he groaned loudly.
"I don't believe this, most of our lessons are with the Slytherins!" Ron complained loudly.
Harry and Hermione opened their timetables to see what Ron was talking about.
Harry could see what Ron meant they had, potions, divination, care of magical creatures and defence against the dark arts with the slytherins. Ron was staring at Harry as if waiting for a reaction, but Harry just put his timetable down and sipped some of his orange juice, while Ron looked at him as if he'd gone mad.
"It seems like we have double potions first." Hermione said, still looking at her timetable.
"Great!" Ron said sarcastically. "What more could anyone want, a lesson with the slimy git and his evil students."
+++++++++
The slytherins weren't exactly happy about the fact they had more lessons with the gryfinddors. There were loud complaints erupting all over the table. Draco wasn't particularly amused by the news himself, he sighed and stuffed his timetable in his pocket and continued with his breakfast.
He hadn't slept much at all last night, suffering once again with nightmares of Voldemort, the deatheaters and his father. He'd sat awake most of the night too scared to go back to sleep. Seen as it hadn't looked like he was going back to sleep, Draco had got up early, showered and gelled his hair and came down for breakfast early, hoping to avoid most of the slytherins.
They were all beginning to annoy him greatly, especially Pansy, Crabbe and Goyle. He didn't need Crabbe and Goyle anymore, they were just people his father had wanted him to bother with, more like protection then friends. Pansy seemed to think that him and her were going out especially after the Yule Ball last year. Draco couldn't remember stating the fact himself, but he thought that he'd made it quite clear there was nothing between them, even though she wanted there to be.
He'd chosen a seat at the end of the table today, hoping that none of them would join him. It was his luck they hadn't, he was sitting on is own. He didn't mind that, he didn't have to listen to their mindless chatter. He'd got lots of weird looks from most of the Slytherins, not to mention people on other tables, but he'd just pretended he hadn't noticed.
Finishing his breakfast, Draco pushed his plate away from him and stood up. Looking up the table he seen Pansy staring dewy eyed at him. He shuddered and turned away and quickly exited the hall before she decided to come after him. Much to his relief Crabbe and Goyle also didn't follow him.
+++++++++
Harry raced down the dungeon hallway, praying he wasn't too late for potions. After breakfast him, Ron and Hermione had got their books from they're dorms and had been on their way to the lesson when Harry had realised he'd forgotten his quill. So here he was now, with his quill on his way to the lesson already 5 minutes late. He'd been using his quill last night, but had forgotten to keep it with his books ready for lessons.
Reaching the classroom door, Harry opened it and entered.
"How nice of you to join us, Potter. Ten points from gryfinddor for being late, now sit down." Snape said to Harry, smirking.
Harry glared at him and proceeded to make his way up the class towards the empty desk in front of Ron and Hermione. He was just about to sit down…
"I don't think so, Potter. You can come and join Mr. Malfoy, I think." Snape snarled, indicating the desk where Malfoy was sitting.
Sighing Harry made his way back down the class to where Malfoy was sitting on his own. He could always count on Snape to make life hell for him. Dropping his bag on the floor, Harry pulled out everything he needed, shooting Snape a glare in the process and sat down next to Malfoy.
Draco glanced at Harry and gave him a nod of acknowledgement. He wasn't particularly happy about sitting next to Potter, but things could be worse. It could have been Pansy, or one of his ex cronies. Potter shot Draco a puzzled look before turning back to Snape.
"As I was saying before we were disturbed," Snape started, giving Harry a sharp glance. "During today's lesson we are going to be talking about different switching potions. We may be trying some of these switching potions during the next few lessons, and I will be asking for demonstrations and expecting results. Is that clear?"
There were a couple of 'yes sirs' but other than that there was just grumbling.
"You can all stay in the pairs you're in for these next few experiments, but today we shall only be taking notes."
And with that he began talking about all the different switching spells while all the class scribbled down relevant points, their quills working furiously.
Harry was glad when the end of the lesson came; his arm was aching from taking all these notes.
"By next lesson I want you and your partner to research an emotion switching spell which only lasts for 5 minutes. I will be expecting you to make this potion with the correct results next lesson. Dismissed." Snape told them.
After taking note of the homework, Harry crammed his books and everything else into his bag and exited the classroom after Ron and Hermione. They were already deep in conversation, well Hermione was, she was talking about the potion they were going to have to perform and Ron was staring at her, listening intently. Harry sighed to himself, wondering if they even knew he existed.
"Potter, do you think I could have a word?"
Harry turned round to see Draco Malfoy behind them. Harry was shocked that Malfoy wanted to speak to him, actually speak to him rather than insult him about something or other. Hermione and Ron also stopped talking and turned round and stared at Malfoy.
"Sod off, Malfoy." Ron said.
"I wasn't talking to you, Weasley." Draco drawled.
"I'll catch you up." Harry said, turning to Ron and Hermione.
"You can't actually be serious about talking to him after everything that's happened." Ron said not bothering to keep his voice down.
"Come on, Ron." Hermione said grabbing his arm and pulling him away, Ron gave Malfoy a furious glare before allowing himself to be dragged away.
After they'd left Harry turned round to face the blonde Slytherin.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Harry asked.
"I was wondering what you'd say to a truce, Potter." Seeing the look on Harry's face Draco continued. "Seen as we're going to have to work together on this potion, plus I can't be bothered to go out of my way to insult you anymore. It's getting tiring."
Harry eyed Draco suspiciously.
"It is tiring, Malfoy. It's also pointless. I don't understand why you've decided to call a truce though, what's in it for you?"
"Let's just say I've done some growing up over the holiday. So what do you say, Potter, truce? Draco replied, offering his hand.
Draco hoped Harry didn't reject his offer again. It was only due to the fact that Potter had rejected him in the first place that he'd gone out of his way to annoy him. He could see Harry considering the option carefully in his head.
"Ok, Malfoy. Truce." Harry said shaking his hand.
Harry wasn't sure but he could have sworn Malfoy half smiled. He was beginning to wonder already if he'd made the right decision. What if this was part of some kind of plan?
"Don't worry, Potter. I haven't got any hidden motives for this." Malfoy said seeing the worried look on Harry's face.
"I'll take your word for it, Malfoy." Harry said smiling. He couldn't believe he actually trusted Malfoy. He didn't understand it; he just felt he could trust him for some strange reason.
"Come on then Potter. We don't want to be late for divination." Malfoy said, before walking off down the corridor. Harry fell into step beside him and they walked the rest of the way to the lesson in a comfortable silence, each with his own thoughts.
+++++++++
Entering the divination classroom, Harry was quickly intoxicated with the fumes of incense and began to cough. The room was as usual stifling hot. Harry made his way to the back of the classroom and took a seat next to Ron. Malfoy sat down on a table with Crabbe and Goyle.
"Welcome back to Divination." Professor Trelawney's voice echoed around the room, before she appeared in front of the fireplace. Her magnified eyes, peered at them all through her glasses.
"Today, my dears, we are going to do some more practice with the crystal ball." She said indicating the crystal balls in the centre of the round tables.
"What you fear most may indeed happen this year." She said turning to Draco before turning back to the class and continuing. Lavender and Pavarti were hanging onto her every word, as usual and gasped at what she said to Malfoy. Draco, however, just stared back at her, smirking, as if this news had not affected him.
"You may use your books if you need help to interpret anything, I will also help you." Professor Trelawney finished, her gaze landing on Harry. She gave him the look that she saved especially for him, one of pity.
Turning away, muttering darkly, Harry pulled one of the crystal balls towards him and began looking into it.
"So what did Malfoy want?" Ron asked.
Before Harry had chance to answer, Professor Trelawney came over to their desk to see how they were doing. Seeing the look on her face Harry gritted his teeth. He wondered what death plan she had for him this year? It was getting rather boring now.
She bent down and peered into his crystal ball, making the odd comment to herself, which Harry couldn't catch. She gasped suddenly and lowered herself back into a chair, the whole class turned round to see what was happening.
"I see pain, suffering and guilt but worst of all death. Yes, death, my dears, has once again risen to claim one of us."
Harry yawned as loudly and as obviously as he could, stretching his arms at the same time. This earned him disapproving looks from most of the class and an amused look from Malfoy. Ron catching Harry's eye turned away and sniggered.
"This is no laughing matter, you'd think people could at least take things like this seriously." Professor Trelawney said giving Harry and Ron an annoyed look.
"Well considering this is around the 10th time I've been predicted to be dead, what do you expect?" Harry said loudly, annoyed.
"Some of us are obviously not mature enough to accept what we see in our future." Professor Trelawney stated with nods from her faithful followers.
Harry glared at her, furious. How dare she tell him he was not mature? After what he'd gone through the last few years he'd had to grow up pretty fast. Pushing his crystal ball away from him, Harry stared out of the open window, ignoring the annoyed and pitying glances he was getting from most of the class.
Draco couldn't think of one lesson he hated more then this one. Trelawney, had loved to delight the class with the sights she had seen in his teacup or what she had read from his star sign, it usually always had something to do with the dark mark and anything else relating to Voldemort. He'd never taken her seriously, who wouldn't think he was associated with the deatheaters? He was in Slytherin, his father was a deatheater, his last name was Malfoy, so it didn't take much to come to the conclusion. She was an old fraud as far as he was concerned.
It seemed that Professor Trelawney loved to delight in other's misfortune, especially Harry's by the looks of it. At least Potter hadn't taken her seriously. Draco hoped she didn't come and look in his crystal ball as well, that would just be great. Luckily, she was busy entertaining some of the girls in the front, including Pansy, which meant she probably wouldn't bother him this lesson. After all she'd had her fun, he thought glancing at Harry, who was staring blankly out of the window.
And he'd thought Potter's life was perfect, things were definitely changing. He couldn't believe he'd actually called a truce with Potter either, it had just been one of those spur of the moment impulses. Draco wasn't particularly used to these impulses, but he was glad he had acted on it. He didn't want to go out of his way to get at Potter this year, and Potter looked like he could do without it as well. Weasley and Granger would probably have a lot to say when they found out, he almost laughed when he thought of Weasley's reaction.
"I think that will be all for today." Professor Trelawney said, retiring to a seat by the fire and staring off into space.
Everyone began packing their books away, ready for lunch. Stuffing everything is his bag as quickly as possible Draco exited the classroom with Crabbe and Goyle in tow. Couldn't they take a hint and leave him alone? How had he survived being trailed by these mindless louts for the past few years? Breaking into a run, Draco lost them on his way to the great hall and happily took his seat at the end of the table, where he would sit alone to enjoy his lunch without being disturbed.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
A/N – You may have noticed the chapters are taking longer to be uploaded, that is because they are much longer and take longer to write. So bear with me I'm not abandoning the story or anything.
I made up the potions, are there switching potions? I couldn't think of anything else, seemed like the best idea, this way I might be able to tie it in with the storyline, which I'm developing as I go along.
Thanks once again to all who have reviewed, and I now have a beta reader so there may be some slight changes here and there.
Hope you enjoyed this chapter!
