A.N.- Well, here's the second chapter. Sorry if it gets a little drawn out, but I'm like a toned-down version of Hawthorne. lol (Remember the Scarlet Letter?) This fic is proving very difficult to write, but I hope you guys like it. .
Harry rose the next morning earlier than was normal for the boy. After dressing and gathering his books together, the Boy Who Lived made a quick trip up to the infirmary. He had left after Draco had fallen asleep with the book lying open on his lap. Harry had marked Draco's place, and put the book on the table beside the bed, covered the blond, and made his way to his room, where he lay awake thinking about Draco's situation.
Harry had never known what Narcissa Malfoy was like, but he wondered if she had ever been truly happy with her life. He guessed by the way Draco had spoken that his mother had kept all her sorrows carefully hidden, lest the madman of Malfoy Manor suspect anything he wouldn't like in his world.
Harry's mind began to quiet as he opened the doors to the hospital wing, and was startled when Draco was strolling right toward those very doors. "Am I that gorgeous? So gorgeous it's scary? Or is that how you look every morning?" The blonde chuckled at Harry's expression, which had become one of mock annoyance at the Slytherin's tone. "We gonna stand here and insult each other or are we going to go eat? Honestly, I'm starving."
Draco couldn't say no to that, as his own stomach longed for coffee and food. Quickly and stealthily, the boys rushed down to the Great Hall, where only a small handful of students were eating or just milling around, looking very much like the walking dead, but neither Harry nor Draco cared much. All they cared about was that no one important saw the boys together, acting like friends. After all, they had to keep up their public front, didn't they? No need to shock everyone with the news that Draco Malfoy, and Harry Potter: Enemies Extraordinaire now had an understanding toward one another.
Throughout breakfast, once his friends finally joined him, Harry was asked over and over what had happened to make Draco Malfoy stay out of class for an entire day. The ebony-haired teenager kept avoiding the questions, repeating over and over that he had no right to tell another student's personal business, regardless of who said student was.
Within the first twenty minutes of the miniature inquisition, Hermione wrinkled her nose in disgust, and slammed her books on the table, making everyone stare at her, even the teachers. She really didn't care; she only wanted the gossip mongers to stop pestering her friend. "Look! It is not Harry's, nor is it anyone else's business to know what going on in someone else's life! If you want so much to know what went on, you should get up the balls to ask Malfoy yourself. And when you do that, I will personally laugh when he hexes every one of you!" With that said the girl stood abruptly from the table and stormed out of the hall.
Looking after her, Draco wondered if she knew what had happened, or if she was just intuitive that it was something better left unasked about. Either way, he was thankful for her outburst, as now the noisy Gryffindors were too shocked by the display that they could say nothing, much less follow her advice and ask him. She was right about one thing, though…Draco would certainly hex anyone who dared ask about his situation-even his housemates who might be foolish enough. The wound just hurt far too much to speak of it at that point.
Later that same day, Harry sat in Potions class, watching Snape draw closer, inspecting cauldrons, and berating supposed atrocities. Finally, Snape glanced into Harry's cauldron, almost certain that he was going to dive into a rant at the boy, but was pleasantly surprised when he saw that Potter's work was shoddy, but overall, acceptable; a very big difference from even two days before. 'Have those two been helping one another? No, no that is not possible.'
Harry sat waiting as Snape observed his handiwork, waiting for the usual verbal abuse, and surprised when it did not come. Walking past the table, Snape wore a non translatable expression upon his face. Harry guessed that the professor was just as surprised to find nothing to complain about as Harry himself was.
Looking up, Harry saw Draco staring back at him, a barely visible smirk on his face. Harry could tell that the blonde was impressed that Harry had done well enough to avoid being extensively insulted by the greasy-haired menace. Unfortunately, as soon as he saw it, the smile was gone. Draco had to turn around as his lackeys asked him for help on the assignment.
Harry knew that their truce was still in effect, but only when they were alone were they allowed to speak kindly to one another. Neither boy had said it in those words, but both seemed to understand that keeping up the charade was important if the rest of their school career was to go smoothly. Still, it felt kind of nice that he and Draco no longer hated each other. It startled Harry, but he almost liked the idea that he and the Slytherin could someday be friends-after they graduated, of course.
Ron, feeling very confused, nudged Harry at that moment. The redhead's ears were nearly the color of his hereditary hair, as Snape had yelled at him for one small error that had caused his potion to go in a completely different direction-one slightly more fatal than the Dreamless Draughts they were supposed to be making. "How did I get yelled at and you not? I did pretty much the same thing you did." Harry looked at Ron's notes, and after a few moments, he saw what had happened. "You put the snake eye before the oak root. Usually order doesn't matter, but this one's more delicate. With that, you could possibly have killed a hippogriff."
Ron looked shocked that his friend knew so much about this potion. Normally, Harry knew next to nothing about what they were supposed to be doing. Even Hermione looked as though she couldn't believe her ears. Even she hadn't known what Ron's mistake could have done. Harry quirked a smile, openly amused at his friends' reactions. "You guys act like I can't get things right just once," Harry remarked in mock offense. Hermione still looked as though she had just swallowed a fly and it was stuck in her throat, but she thought of something and her expression changed.
"Harry, have you made more Felix Felicis?" Harry stared at the girl, now truly offended, but trying not to show it. "No, Hermione, I have not made more Felix Felicis. I wouldn't even remember how! Can't I have one day where I don't get Snape yelling at me?" Harry was hurt now that his friends had thought he was truly incapable of making Potions correctly with no one's help but his own. True, Draco had explained the most recent notes to him in a way that Harry finally understood, but he couldn't tell his friends that, nor could he explain any other way that he might have known.
Moments later, the bell rang and students gathered their belongings, and hurried to lunch, breathing a sigh of relief to be out of Snape's presence. Nearly to the stairs, Harry told his friends that he had forgotten something, and that he would meet them at their table. With that, he turned and sprinted back toward the classroom, intent on searching for one person. Peeking into the classroom, Harry saw a blonde head lazily walking out of the door, by himself. Harry surmised that Crabb and Goyle had hurried to the Great Hall to stuff their faces.
Harry took a short breath, and locked eyes with Draco. For a mere second, the blond flinched, but he seemed to remember their truce, and smirked. "Want something, Potter?" Harry shook his head lightly, smiling as he did so. "Nothing, Draco. Just had to tell you thanks." The blonde boy looked slightly confused at this. "What should you thank me for? You're the one who made the potion. I only explained how ingredients work together. All you had to do was remember it."
Harry nodded just a bit, but still felt grateful to the Slytherin. "Well, yea, but still…you told me in a way that I could remember. Snape's never been able to do that. Not once in all these years." Draco smirked at this, but continued walking. "Snape's approach to teaching is a bit rough. But he gets the message through to most. He's just not used to refraining from a good yell." Harry didn't quite understand Draco's meaning, but he shrugged and they ceased speaking as Draco walked ahead of Harry once they got to the Great Hall and joined their respective tables.