Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters, places et al. are owned by J.K. Rowling
A/N: Sorry for the long wait, but I'm just multitasking life :) Stuck between exams, projects, work, and life, but I managed to get this one done :D You asked for more Malfoy, and so it will be delivered. Thanks for all the reviews, they still give warm fuzzy feelings. Continue :D
Chapter 8
After Harry had dealt with Zabini in the duel, the remaining students weren't exactly eager to go against him. After the incident, Snape made the Slytherins to withdraw entirely, much to their severe displeasure. The rest basically dropped their wands the moment Harry moved his.
So, he 'won', without winning. Not quite what he wanted, but victory was victory, he wasn't complaining too loudly about it.
The rest of the day he spent in complete solitude.
Not only because he didn't encourage people to approach him, but mostly because they seemed to be slightly afraid of him. He had time to brood and to think. Especially about his upcoming detention with Professor Snape...
He took a deep breath before he knocked on the door to the professor's dungeon.
"Come!" he heard through the thick wooden door.
As he went in, he saw Snape sit at his desk, and his worst fear was confirmed. He watched him approach with eagle eyes and smiled maliciously. Something unpleasant was lurking ahead, he just knew it.
"Mr. Potter," his voice dripped with sarcasm, "such a pleasure to have you here tonight. Glad you could squeeze me into your schedule."
"Oh, no problem, professor. I just love our intimate meetings." He smiled crookedly.
"I will get your arrogance out of you, oh yes, I will."
"Well, only time will tell, won't it?"
"Enough, Potter!" he jumped out of his chair. "Now, about your detention. See that old cupboard over there?" He pointed at a very grimy, decrepit cupboard. "It hasn't been cleaned in some time. You'll have the honour," he chuckled and handed him a toothbrush. "Here, your cleaning equipment." Laughing loudly, he sat back and watched him.
Minutes seemed to stretch to hours, and hours to eternity. Harry ignored the sneer and frequent chuckles from Snape as he watched Harry clean the cupboard. When he was nearly done with the cupboard, there was a knock on the door.
"Ah yes," Snape muttered. "Just wait a second," he shouted to the stranger outside his dungeon. "You remember I told you I'll think about a new partner for your potions lessons."
"Yes, Professor?"
"I have thought about it. And despite your despicable actions today, I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. I really love what I teach, even though you may still think differently in your arrogance, and maybe there is a slim chance that you might have the potential for it. So, I have given you a new partner." He turned to the door. "Come!"
The door opened and Harry gasped.
"Potter?" The arrogant voice of Draco Malfoy drawled.
"Malfoy?" he heard himself say incredulously. Both turned to Professor Snape who laughed.
"That alone was worth it, Potter! This is your new partner."
"But Professor! That can't be right!" both boys cried out at the same time.
"Both of you have trouble with your current partners. You either take this chance, or it's your old partner. Take it, or leave it. Now if you want to talk about it, you're welcome. Your detention for tonight is over. We'll see us tomorrow afternoon, Potter. Now off you go, both of you."
This time was different. He had no idea how long they just stood there in silence.
Malfoy had grown a bit over the summer, but Harry was slightly taller. His hair was as impeccable as always. He looked like he always did, except the eyes. They caught his eyes in the duel room before. They were almost...human. Innocent. He was sure, if he stared long enough, he could get lost in them.
"You changed," Malfoy's drawl cut through his mesmerized stare.
"So did you," he answered him.
They kept on staring for a few more seconds.
"Why?" Malfoy asked, and he seemed to be honestly interested.
"Things...happened. What about you?"
"You happened," he coldly answered. His eyes got an icy touch, but them warmed suddenly again.
"It wasn't my fault. Your father-"
"I know. I had time to think. I can't hold you responsible for things that were not in your control..." He sighed. "So, we're now pairing off in potions? Or will you weasel out of it?"
Harry unsuccessfully tried to suppress a chuckle. "No, I won't...weasel out of it. I grew past this animosity. It's not important. Only the future is. I am willing to work with you, despite our less than stellar past."
Malfoy inclined his head slightly then suddenly smiled. Harry was stunned. Malfoy could smile? And it was beautiful... "Only the future counts... I like it..." He extended his hand, like he did all those years back in Madam Malkin's.
This time, Harry took it.
###
Tuesday wasn't going to be his favourite day of the week.
He never has been really fond of Herbology. A fact that wasn't changed by his realisation that he shouldn't be ignoring it just because it wasn't his favourite subject. Oh, he tried. He tried hard. And he managed to understand most of what Professor Sprout was telling the class. Though try as he might, he couldn't find a possible use for sap-spraying fungi. Neville, on the other hand, was so excited he beamed like a light bulb.
History of Magic was worse, by far.
Instead of doing stupid games with Ron – an option he currently didn't have - or just chat with other students, he tried to listen to Professor Binns and take notes.
He nearly failed. The droning voice, the dullness...His eyelids slightly shuddered as he fought with them to keep his eyes open. Thirty minutes into the lesson, he was close to loosing the battle. How he managed to get through he didn't know. Determination? Resistance? Indifference? He was just happy he didn't fall asleep...
All in all, it was a totally wasted day. The next detention with Snape didn't lighten his mood one bit. After cleaning that one cupboard, Snape found him another one to clean...
To salvage at least something, he did some extended jogging and did exercises in the gym for Quidditch teams.
His social interaction with his fellow Gryffindors was barely present. Ginny was the only one who still sought him from time to time. But she seemed to have found herself another boyfriend. He wasn't sure, but he certainly was no Gryffindor. She was hardly present in the tower...
He tried to spend as much time as he could in the library, or training. When he went to bed, there were only some 7th years still up and playing wizard's chess. They just looked curiously at him as he strode up to his bed room and went to sleep.
###
The next day held another double potions in store for him. And he had seriously mixed feelings about it. Working with Malfoy... He would have killed himself last year before even contemplating it. Now it just felt strange, funny, new. He didn't fear what might happen. In fact, a part of him looked forward to it. The New Malfoy was intriguing.
When he finally reached the Potions dungeon, he sat down at an empty table and prepared his stuff. The dungeon slowly filled itself with people. Happy looking Slytherins, brooding Gryffindors, and the usual mix of other students.
As most of the students had found their places, Malfoy entered. He could see some sneers from Gryffindors, and some of the Slytherins, especially Malfoy's former 'friends', like Crabbe and Goyle, and, of course, Zabini.
As Malfoy sat down besides him nonchalantly like it was the most normal thing in the universe, the class room fell silent; you could hear the grass grow.
After the initial shock, a storm of whispers and hushed conversations erupted.
"Potter," Malfoy drawled in what could be considered a friendly tone. He still hadn't any experience with Malfoy in normal conversations...
"Malfoy," Harry answered equally polite.
"What the –"he heard Ron shout from behind him.
"Hello Ron," he answered without turning his head. "What's he doing with you?"
"My new partner. I requested a change. I won't suffer from your shortcomings in potions. So sorry..."
The door flew open once again and Professor Snape came crashing through. "I see one of our new teams already found each other. Weasley, why you're still standing there?"
"Uh-"
"Figures... Your new partner will be Ms. Parkinson." He smiled very thinly. "And five points from Gryffindor for your standing around in my class. Now, be seated." "But I can't... I mean Parkinson? I'm supposed –"
"You're supposed to sit down and be silent. It's my decision. You either do as you're told, or leave my class. I'd be crushed if you'd left..." he sneered.
Malfoy snickered beside him.
"But-" He stopped as Hermione kicked him in the shins from her desk. He trudged off to sit down with Pansy Parkinson. She didn't look any happier than Ron.
The warding potion they had to brew was, of course, hideously complex. But he soon found out that Malfoy was incredibly skilled.
They worked in silence for the most part. This whole situation was just too new, and unprecedented.
"Potter," Malfoy suddenly whispered.
"What?" he answered as he dropped the silver into the potion.
"Mind some fun?" he said in a conspiratorial voice.
"What do you have in mind, huh?"
"Just follow my lead."
"Whatever you have planned, it'll only bring more trouble, you know that," Harry whispered. "Well, in case you didn't notice, I have lost some...status, so it doesn't change a thing. And you, on the other side... Let's just say you don't seem to be overly friendly with your house mates, either in recent times."
He thought for it about a second or two. Strangely, Malfoy had a point. He could possibly worsen his image by publicly joining the death Eaters, but short of that...
Malfoy raised his head a little and spoke again, this time so loud it could be heard throughout the dungeon. "Harry, you still remember the library session we had for this afternoon?"
Harry was shocked for a second to hear Malfoy speak his first name. It was simply not done! But from the utterly perplex faces of the other students, and the twinkling in Malfoy's eyes, the others were just as shocked to hear them talk civilly to each other. Suddenly, he found it incredibly funny.
"Oh yes, Draco," he could hear some heavy breaths from the Gryffindor side, "I do. What about it?"
"I'm sorry, but I'm afraid I have to do an essay for Ancient Runes. What about we move it to tomorrow?"
"Oh, sure. It's ok with me." Malfoy seemed to suppress a huge giggle. A disconcerting thought, Malfoy giggling. The chatter among the other students gained some momentum after their little act, only to be stomped by Snape, docking points again from Gryffindor.
After it, they seemed to be thawing up a bit more. He wasn't calling it overly friendly, but he guessed they exchanged more words in a normal conversation than ever before. The strange thing was that Malfoy wasn't as insufferable as all the years prior to this.
And the face of Snape as Harry turned their potion in together with Malfoy was priceless. Of course, their potion was impeccable. Something he never managed before, and he had to admit that he might actually could become good at this.
###
He was still puzzled, stunned, and intrigued about the Potions session when he walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. His thoughts focused on the here and now just in time to hear Professor Ragdanovich shoot a stunning spell at him. He missed Harry by less than an inch when he jumped to the side.
Rubbing his rips from the impact, he got up to see a chuckling Professor.
"Good. Your reflexes are quick!"
"Thanks, Professor, but this won't be popular as a wake-up exercise..."
"But it should be!" He laughed. "Anyway, take a seat, we'll be beginning soon."
He tested three more students before the class started. Hermione was the only one to escape his spell.
"I see some of you still are unprepared... You have, you absolutely have to realise how utterly important it is to be prepared!" He scanned the class, and some students seemed to have reddened a bit. "But now, let's talk about one important part of Defense. Protection spells," his voice got this slight teaching-style. "I've seen you work your magic on Monday." Most of the class just moaned. "Yes, I know, for some of you it didn't work out as you thought it would," he chuckled at Zabini, "but it was helpful to assess you. Next Monday, I plan on testing your rough strength, and set up special courses for those of you who are lacking, either in practise or determination."
The looks on the faces showed that not everyone was looking forward to it. Harry beamed, though. It would be fun. Like last time. He winked at Zabini.
"Now, all of you know the Protego spell. It is a useful one, simple, yet efficient. But in some cases, there are other, more specialized shielding spells. For instance..."
###
After lunch, and a not quite boring class of Charms, he went into the library to read up on some of the spells Ragdanovich told them about. He already knew most of them, but some were too obscure for him to know. His library time was only interrupted by detention with Snape, again.
In the end, he stayed far longer than he planned to. He was basically the last one in the library as he was ushered out.
"Potter!" He whipped around as he heard a voice call his name from the shadows of a small corridor as he was on his way to the Gryffindor tower.
"Yes?" he asked into the darkness, his wand at the ready. He sighed heavily as Zabini stepped out of the shadows.
"For a word, Potter," Zabini's voice held a hint of steel. Quite unusual for him.
"Do you ever learn?" Potter sighed again. "Haven't I told you, quite drastically so, that I didn't want to have to do anything with you? Wasn't Monday enough for you?"
"You humiliated me! And made fun of me. And now you're hanging around with Malfoy, of all people. I tell you, this has to stop."
"I warned you last time. Don't cross me again. I think this will be a final warning..."
" Tenebra!" Harry's voice ran out. The corridor around them was instantly drowned in darkness so black, it was almost tangible. It flowed around Harry, from him, making him look like he just stepped out of the nothingness around them and was part of it. His eyes almost glowed in the darkness.
Zabini looked around confused, and shocked, fear in his eyes. But he hadn't had time to come to terms with this new situation.
Harry stepped closer. "Asphyxio!" Zabini wanted to say something, but nothing came out of his mouth. His eyes widened in shock, and his hands grabbed his throat.
"Now, Zabini," he smiled very, very wickedly, "I think I have your full attention. No worries, my friend, you'll be able to breath again. If I wish it so." Zabini slumped to the ground, gasping like a fish without water. "This is really my last word. Don't cross me again. Don't irritate me. And don't try to bully me again. You will regret it. Do you understand? I have other things to do than teach you how to behave."
Zabini just nodded vigorously. Harry flicked his wand in a complicated way. "Now, if you think about telling anyone about this, hear this. I modified your memory a bit. Quite useful, actually. Whenever you want to tell someone about our...meeting, you will suffer pain. The longer you think about it, the longer the pain. Funny, isn't it?"
Zabini nodded again, even more vigorously. "Well then, I think I'll leave for bed now. A pity to waste a good night's sleep..." He laughed.
He flicked his wand again, and the darkness vanished, replaced by the corridor. As he walked away, he could hear Zabini breathing fast and heavy, and then some feet shuffling to get away from him as fast as possible.
He wasn't that far gone, when he heard a voice, again, calling his name.
"Zabini, I told you-"he turned around and stopped dead in his tracks.
"Malfoy?" His eyes were levelling on Malfoy. "Is there a convention of Slytherins here I missed?"
"Don't shoot me!" he said. "I just witnessed some of your...incident with Zabini. He kept track of you, and when he left tonight from the Slytherin dungeon, I followed him. Got to know what he's up to after all..."
"You did now..." He played with his wand. "Why shouldn't I you to be silent about this?" "Because you're still a Gryffindor," Malfoy smirked. "I doubt you'd do it."
"You'd be surprised what I do these days."
"Oh, I certainly would. But rest assured, I won't be telling anyone."
"Why wouldn't you run to Snape?" he simply asked.
"For one, I don't mind what you did to Zabini. He deserves it. And secondly, you're more useful for me alive than rotting away in Azkaban."
"Useful? Azkaban?"
"Don't play innocent on me. You know full well that the spells you performed were...dark. I know it, I'm a Malfoy. Not Unforgiveables, but certainly nothing you tell the Ministry about, either. And in case you haven't noticed, I have my own plans. Just as you. We might be able to...help us."
"What do you want from me?"
"Oh, nothing. But if I ask you for a favour, recall this and consider it."
"Sounds reasonable I guess. We have an agreement of sorts then." Harry just calculated Malfoy. He was different, true. But different enough to trust him? He wasn't sure, but when he looked into these grey oceans he called eyes...
When they separated, he had a fuzzy feeling in his stomach. Something he couldn't quite describe...