Rapid footsteps trampled down the corridor behind him. Harry's ear piqued in curiosity, adjusting his bookbag on his shoulder and turning to look over only to get a mouthful of frizzy hair.
"Oomph—!"
"Harry! Ron!" A frantic and out-of-breath Hermione forced out, literally shouting at his face.
Harry stared at her with confusion drawn evident on his face as he gave a sarcastic reply, "He's not here, sorry to disappoint," and winced when a nasty smack landed on the back of his head.
"I'm aware, idiot!" Harry shot her a sheepish smile, hoping for it to calm her temper.
"Then...?" he prompted.
"Ron's in the hospital wing because of Malfoy! And Seamus, too!" said the bushy-haired witch, simple and brief yet explanatory.
"That git—?" "Yes." "—What the hell happened?"
Hermione rolled her eyes and huffed out in a very Granger-fashion she always did whenever she caught her two idiot friends in the middle of an activity that didn't involve a brain and utterly ridiculous, as she so often liked to put it, which was almost every time.
"Something about pranking the latter and stuff, I'm going to question it out of him," Hermione tutted. Harry gulped in apprehension as he numbly felt Hermione's hand latching onto his wrist and rapidly dragging him with her.
Could it be that they failed? His suspicion had yet to be confirmed.
And it did when the Gryffindor duo made their way to the farthest back in the hospital to find a hexed Ronald Weasley lying in bed, exaggerating his pain — he wasn't even injured just...blue, that wasn't a pun, his skin was literally turned blue — when he saw his girlfriend and constantly moaning about a stupid ferret cursing him and Seamus to hell when he saw his best mate.
"Avenge me, mate, you need to—"
"I thought this was a plan to avenge me?"
"Well, we fucked up — you 'kay there, Seam'?"
A groan from the other side of the closed curtains was their reply — the latter had insisted for his curtains shut to prevent further humiliation that was his engorged red nose and wobbly jelly legs, to which Harry was torn between laughing or feeling sorry upon seeing his friend's condition.
Harry suppressed an untimely urge to laugh, not wanting to offend either of them and crossed his hands on his chest instead. "Yeah, I can see that, but how did you fuck— mess up?" Harry inquired, trying to ignore the warning look his female friend directed at him.
"You guys didn't even tell me the plan," he added with a pout.
Ron opened his mouth to speak before a voice from the other side stepped in, "Bloody good plan it was, but not flawless. We snuck into Malfoy's room and—"
"Wait how...?"
"We used your cloak," Ron muttered dejectedly. Harry raised an eyebrow and just as he was about to assure the ever-so guilty-looking ginger, a voice cut in saying, "And your map, too."
Harry nodded slowly, taking in the information. He then shrugged, not minding to share the map, that he, Sirius and Remus had advanced into a more detailed one, with his friends.
"Yeah... Sorry for not asking, mate," Seamus apologised, although sounding more disappointed that the plan didn't play out his way.
"It's fine as long as they're back in one piece," Harry stated confidently before the room suddenly rose in tension and fell quiet.
"...what?" Harry asked nervously.
Ron fidgeted in his bed turning slightly paler regardless of his striking complexion, looking like he rather jumps off the bed and run out of the room despite his mortifying appearance than have to answer.
"About that..."
"About that what?" Harry's heart beat faster the second passed.
Hermione sighed beside them, a hand covering her face as she tiredly murmured, "Mother of Merlin..."
The silence dragged longer, only serving to heighten his agitation before an answer was finally given to his question. "Um... Malfoy might or might've not taken them..." Seamus kindly provided.
The infirmary fell into silence once more, laced in ice-cold tension as everyone anxiously waited for Harry's wrath to break through its barrier and snap.
Tremor trembled beneath his skin as Harry forced his lips shut and smiled thinly at the redhead in front of him who had long hung his head and refused to meet anyone's eye. Harry gripped at the foot of the bed, his chest rising up and down steadily to calm his nerves.
"It's okay..."
"Harry, how could you be so nice—"
"—not! How the hell did you lose 'em? For fuck's sake, this is Malfoy! — what if he...I don't know, destroyed them and owl me the next day for a laugh?" Harry snapped, running his hands through his hair and gripping it in frustration.
Ron flinched but chose not to make a comment, not exactly knowing what to say except for "Sorry," which Harry hadn't taken too well, either.
"Yeah, me either, mate, 'm sorry," Seamus repeated.
Harry seated himself on a stool, his spine curling forward as he was fixed on boring holes into the floor.
Hermione cleared her throat rather awkwardly as an ice-break. "By the way...you haven't finished the whole story yet."
"Oh yeah..." Seamus trailed off, albeit sounding not in the mood for storytime after the outrage he's stomached.
"Do proceed," Hermione calmly told him, voice stern.
"So uh... We snuck into his room, right? And then we, erm...we kinda sprayed the whole place with love potion—"
"Wait, the one that the twins just invented?"
"Yeah," Ron confirmed, speaking for the first time again in the last five minutes. "Wicked."
"But of course, we got caught when we were just aboutta leave."
Hermione butted in, "That's unfortunate," she calmly stated, leaning relaxingly against the wall as she did.
Pause. Ron frowned and so did Harry, a click of a tongue brought their attention to the witch's pointed look. "What? There's no need to be surprised, while I agree that a love potion is perhaps a little over the line in other circumstances, in this case, it is merely well-deserved — you could take a look at Harry if you need a reminder."
Ron stared at his girlfriend, his face in mixed emotions going from surprise to relief to proud in mere seconds.
"Oh, bloody hell, I was worried for nothing." Harry snorted, the comment gaining a relieved laugh from the other side, too. "Me either!" a sob tore into the middle Seamus' laugh, Harry suspected the Irish boy was shedding tears of joy for he was spared from an hour of lecture.
An amused yet accusing look fell upon the ginger's face as he proceeded to crane his neck to face his girlfriend. "You've been spending too much time with Ginny... I'm not complaining, though," he sighed, eyes closing as he leaned back onto his pillow contentedly.
"Oi, mate," Ron later said.
Harry looked up with a questioning eyebrow.
Ron cocked his head, his finger trailing circles on the bedsheet. "Honestly, I don't know why you're still here."
"Excuse me?" Harry deadpanned, the expression on his face matching his flat tone.
"It's Saturday," Ron hinted, to which the obvious implication was only received with confusion. "Yeah, and? ...it's no one's birthday, is it? Or am I forgetting something?" a slight frown of scepticism crossed Harry's features.
"Nah, it's a Hogsmeade weekend, though. You should go, you need a breath of fresh air, after all. I mean, I'd need one, too, if I were to wear bunny ears and—"
"Rabbit."
"Same thing, whatever. My point being, while I do enjoy your company here, don't waste your time in this hoary infirmary—" obtaining a glare from Madame Pomfrey, "—and just take your arse out of here, mate, and buy yourself some..." "Ice cream!" Harry's ears — the extra ones — perked up in excitement, gaining a snort from the redhead and an amused smile from Hermione.
"In this weather?"
"I'm surprised you felt the need to ask that despite constantly breathing the same air as me for seven years," Harry claimed, with a quirk of the corner of his mouth.
"True."
Pause. Yet again.
"So," Harry started. "About my prized possessions..."
Ron blanched visibly, his eyes spontaneously averted their gaze to anywhere but the uncannily calm boy in front of his bed.
"Uh... I'm sure I'll be able to make up a plan and have them back, I promise! Right, Seams'?" Ron expectantly turned his face towards the curtain as if he had the vision to look past it.
All he got in return was a particularly loud snore.
"He said yes."
Harry rolled his eyes, a laugh threatening to break him out of his cool, serious persona.
Hermione let out a sigh. "Don't worry, Harry, you just have fun today, okay? I'll help Ron with the...planning, which could barely be called that had he arranged it with Seamus instead, seeing how their latest shenanigan ended. Pitiful," Hermione spoke comfortingly accompanied with a kind smile, then giving her boyfriend a sharp side-eye glance the very next second, the effect taking place immediately as the ginger-haired boy cowered small in his bed.
"You sure you don't mind me going?"
"Not after seeing how excited you get at the mention of ice cream." Hermione stared blatantly at his bun— rabbit ears to emphasize her statement.
Harry falsely scoffed at the teasing smile on her face. "Bloody hell, knew I shouldn't've said that but fine if you say so. I shall be taking my leave," Harry said in a sing-song voice, rising from his seat.
Flinging his bag onto his shoulder, Harry waved his friends goodbye and turned to walk away.
"Bye, Harry! ...oh, wait! Buy me some chocolate frogs on your way back, yeah? I'm running out of stock." Harry could hear Hermione rolling her eyes at that from feet away and chuckled low in his throat.
"All right, anything else? Perhaps a leave from one of the trees there?" Harry quipped, earning a snicker from his best mate.
"That'll be everything, Haz, now off you go!" Hermione gave him a small wave and smiled beatifically as she bid her friend goodbye, not before shooting a last side-eye glance at her boyfriend regardless.
Harry left and headed towards the exit, laughing to himself when he heard, "You know I'll return the money, 'Mione, I swear!" from the distance.
A green-eyed boy stepped out of a carriage, the untamable tangled mess of a mop he called hair flying in the wind as he was immediately greeted by the chilly weather. He looked around, the door of the carriage closing behind him as he took in the cosy and welcoming atmosphere the tiny village never ceased to give off, and Harry hoped it would stay that way forever.
Harry skipped his way down Hogsmeade, his pink ears bouncing up and down matching his high spirits. Like a curious first year, his head rotated non-stop as he took in with awe the pleasing sceneries of fairy lights hanging from one shop to another, A-boards with discounts and excessive amounts of exclamation mark written on them, and there was live music, too!
Harry let out a content sigh and bent down to toss a galleon into the bag as he stopped in front of the jazz band.
Harry let his eyelids fall, letting himself drift at the moment and hummed along with the song he recognised the band was playing. It was a tune he'd often heard Aunt Petunia singing as he helped her tend the garden. April in Paris, a voice echoed in his head.
He then opened his eyes again, smiling warmly as the singer's eyes met his, looking abashed when she looked questioningly over his rabbit ears. He then turned to head off to his next destination but stopped short he saw the last person he'd wish to encounter on this lovely day was there beside him, seemingly lost in the music. Or so he thought.
"Potter."
"Malfoy," Harry tried to keep most venom out of his voice as he returned the greeting and tried his hardest not to think of yesterday, careful not to ruin his day. Though, he barely managed when his mind made a reminder that the git was currently — because he'd get them back no matter what it takes — in possession of what were his.
"It is nice weather to spend outside today, don't you agree?" Malfoy looked up, an awfully out-of-place smile lighting his face.
"...yes." Harry looked the git over and another time, sceptical.
Malfoy then suddenly turned his head around facing him, emitting a slight jump of surprise out of Harry, especially when that smile wasn't gone even when he's looking at him, if anything it seemed to widen at the sight of him as they locked eyes.
Harry felt every word rushing out of him quickly, leaving him empty with nothing to say as he opened his mouth, desperately trying to get out a reason to free him out of the oddly civil encounter.
The black-haired boy then gave up, deciding to just leave the blond there nevertheless. It was then a hand locked around his wrist.
"Mind if I joined you, Potter?"
Malfoy stared at him as Harry still found it hard to speak. The way the warm yellow lights glinted off his pale, pointy face, his slightly lidded eyes as he looked down the inches he got on him, and that smile... Harry felt his breath catch in his throat as he realised yet again that it was him that Malfoy was directing his smile at.
And again he thought, What the hell is happening?
"W-what...?"
Malfoy merely grinned at his muddled speech, looking slightly drunk. Drunk... Yes, that must be it, but who the hell drinks at eleven in the morning? ...doesn't matter, it makes the most sense, Malfoy clearly isn't in his right state of mind.
Harry looked back at those grey eyes, a smoke liquid of grey swirling in the depths of mercury. Harry caught himself just in time before he looked for a moment too long.
He sighed, "Malfoy, you're drunk."
Malfoy frowned. "What makes you think that, Potter? Do you take me for a nutjob to drink at this hour?" he scoffed and then laughed a rich laugh that, Harry wouldn't care to admit, did odd, funny things to his insides.
It was a very peculiar sight to see Malfoy laugh like that, not that Harry never saw it before, it's just that all the hatred and bitterness weren't tainting the sound as it always did in the past when he saw Harry doing something stupid or failing to do something. Harry, as much as he'd rather spent a day under Snape's tutoring, thought the sound of Malfoy laughing was quite...endearing.
"While I very well know and do admit that you are not so stupid to do such a thing," Malfoy's face lit up at the admission, eliciting a light blush on Harry's face, "It is obvious that you aren't sane either at the moment, Malfoy," Harry finished with a flat tone, eyes pointedly fixed on Malfoy's as if in the way of saying, "That's what's up and you can't tell me otherwise."
Malfoy opened his mouth to reply but soon cut off when Harry used the hand connecting with his own to his advantage as he dragged Malfoy with him back into the direction he just came from.
"Potter. Potter! Where the hell are you taking me?" Malfoy hissed, his normal snarky self slipping back in place but not convincing yet for Harry to leave him in the middle of the street drunk.
"I may not like you, Malfoy, far from that actually, but I won't have you wandering around in such a state. I'm taking you back to Hogwarts," Harry said firmly, almost leaving no place for objection.
Suddenly, Malfoy let go of his hand and while he said, "I'm not drunk, Potter," he instead proved Harry's belief further as he walked away on unsteady feet, almost bumping into other students.
Harry gritted his teeth. "Ugh..." he groaned, knowing very well he couldn't leave Malfoy behind with the risk of getting advantage of, Harry tutted, "You're a nutjob, after all," he muttered to himself before rushing after the tipsy Slytherin that wasn't acting Slytherin at all at the moment.
"Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed having to finally catch up, getting a steady grip on Malfoy, lightly flushing at the feel of the firm bicep underneath his hand.
"What?" Malfoy drawled in a slurred manner.
"Don't go around like that! Where are your friends anyway?"
"Need sometime 'lone."
Harry raised an eyebrow at that. "Whatever, doesn't matter now, I guess, but what does is that I'm going to take you back to Hogwarts, to the hospital wing, to be more precise. I'm not taking the blame if you got robbed, Malfoy." Harry's hand travelled down his arm to grab him by the wrist before Malfoy stopped him.
"No."
"Yes."
"You shan't."
"I will."
Malfoy glared at him, appearing more like a pouty child rather than his usual big-bad-Slytherin-self.
"No," was the closing of their debate for Malfoy quickly turned on his heels with arms across his chest and walked away before Harry could object.
Harry let out a noise of frustration. Why does he have to be so damn hard?
The dark-haired boy took in slow breaths to recompose himself and not ring Malfoy by the neck and next dragged his sorry arse all the way back to the hospital wing by his damn collar.
"Malfoy, wait up!"
The bell rang.
"Ooh, another customer! A lucky day indeed!"
Malfoy walked into, or in Harry's eyes stumbled into, a cafe Harry had never seen before in Hogsmeade. Must be new, Harry thought as he looked around the blue-schemed cafe.
A woman, dressed in a white and blue-themed outfit, took a moment for her eyes to linger curiously over Harry's abnormal appearance, almost failing to stifle a giggle when one of the two fluffy ears folded as its owner looked around with a look of awe on his face.
"A table for two?" she finally asked.
Malfoy looked back, confusion written on his face until he turned around to see Harry behind him. "You're still here!" Malfoy beamed, his lips stretching into a happy smile that Harry almost returned, then turned back to the woman with a vigorous nod.
Not that I want to, Harry grumbled inwardly, eyes narrowing at the drunk, cheerful blond. I hope your father will hear about this.
The lady led them to a table by the window. Malfoy plopped down, causing a lock of blond hair to fall over his eye. He then cocked his head and looked at Harry, taking his eyes from outside of the window. "Potter, are you an idiot? Take a seat."
Harry couldn't answer but nod, his mouth going dry once again, tongue darting out to wet his lips — completely oblivious to the watchful eyes following the movement.
Harry leaned back, willing himself to relax as he watched Malfoy make his order. I guess it's alright as long as I'm here. Harry looked up to the friendly chatting Malfoy and raised his brows. Guess I'm his chaperone now, talk about irony.
"—what about you, sir?" Harry blinked and realised the waitress was talking to him.
"Erm, I..."
"He'll get the same as me."
Harry gave Malfoy a questioning look, to which Malfoy responded with a calm, "Trust me, Potter, I have good taste, unlike some people." The lady smiled proudly and preened upon the indirect compliment.
Harry let out another sigh. "So be it," he said defeatedly.
The lady flashed them one last of her scintillating smiles before going, leaving him alone with Malfoy who was grinning from ear to ear like a Cheshire cat.
"I'm delighted for you to have joined me, Potter. I thought you hated me," Malfoy said, face unnervingly giddy like that of a little child's that was given candy.
"Hate."
"Hate," Malfoy echoed, nodding his head slowly, a flash of hurt cross his face before vanishing the next time Harry blinked.
Harry felt guilty for a second before he pushed it away. Because why should he, really? This was Malfoy, they both hated each other, that's a common fact. And the git didn't know what he's doing or saying anyway, so there's no reason for him to feel guilty. Hell, it's not even guaranteed he'd remember having this conversation with him once he sobered.
"Why so tense, Potter?" Malfoy spoke again after a few moments.
Harry narrowed his eyes. "I'm not."
Malfoy scoffed. "A terrible liar you are."
"At least I'm not so hungry for attention to be desperate enough to climb a tree."
Malfoy frowned before his mouth formed an 'O'. "Oh...that."
Harry rolled his eyes but chose to stay silent, not exactly in the mood for a chat after his supposedly fun trip to Hogsmeade turned into a chaperone session.
"Well, what could I say? Potter's too dense notice my advances." Harry's eyes bulged out of their sockets before goggling at the blond in front of him in bemusement.
"Wait... Ahaha, I forgot you're, Potter! Ah, what do I do now that you know the real reason behind it...so embarrassing..." Harry gaped like a fool, his mind processing if Malfoy had actually meant what he thought it meant. "Are you going to hold it against me, Potter? Because I don't mind holding you against me..."
What the fuck?
"Malfoy, just stop it, will you?" Harry furrowed his eyebrows exasperatedly, almost pleading. "You're drunk, you don't know what you're saying. And you're going to regret it tomorrow—"
"Not going to happen," Malfoy interjected, voice stubborn and lips smiling annoyingly.
"If I was to regret anything, then it's me not taking you out on a date at least once in my life, Potter."
Harry flushed.
"Piss off."
"Gladly, as long as you're the one the one to show me the way out," Malfoy sing-songed, this time half-smirking. At least the picture wasn't as disturbing as when he'd beamed at the sight of him like a bloody traffic light.
Harry harrumphed, growing more and more irritated yet weak at the same time, his stomach twisted funnily as if there was a cage of butterflies inside that had been opened.
"Bloody hell." Harry looked away.
Malfoy started to giggle like mad, in a fashion that couldn't be denied that he's indeed drunk.
Harry shook his head in disbelief, eyeing him again in incredulity. "Just how much did he drink?"
Malfoy sulked, "Hey, I'm here, too, you know!"
Harry shifted his gaze from the window, letting it linger for a few seconds before it eventually landed on the whiny prat.
"Then?"
Malfoy raised a finger. It was Harry's turn to scoff. "That's bullshit if I've ever heard of one."
"It's true, though."
"Oh, I see now. You meant one barrel? That sums it up." Harry snorted.
Malfoy narrowed his eyes. "Whatever, Potter." He leaned back, folding his arms.
"I'm paying."
"No, Potter, I am. A gentleman never lets others—"
"I am a gentleman!"
Malfoy paused. "Well, I guess, if you squint close enough—"
"Prick!"
"That, I have." Malfoy wagged his eyebrows playfully, smugly smirking at the redness of Harry's cheeks.
A giggle saved Harry the chance of replying. The lady had a hand over her mouth, giggles falling from her lips as she watched the scene plays out in front of her.
"I'm paying."
Harry's eyes widened as Malfoy handed her 28 galleons in the speed of light, faster than Harry could say "Shite!" Shite, indeed, there went his chance of paying the bill, something he's used to and would very much like to stay that way.
He sighed. "Not so fast now, are you Potter? That's what you get from infrequent practice."
"Shut up."
"That's not in my skill set."
"I don't care." Harry propped an elbow on the table and rested his chin on his palm, pouting as he stared off the window again, hardly listening to the conversation behind him.
"Mrs Fernsby, what's the special occasion?"
"Pardon?"
"I just paid half the price," a nonchalant voice claimed. Harry could see Malfoy folding his hands on the table as he inched forward and tilted his head from the reflection.
"Ah, that — we have a couple's 50% discount this month! A very good deal, if you ask me."
Harry spluttered indignantly, not believing his ears. He snapped his head around faster than Snape could ever take points from him and stared at the lady as if she was mad.
"We're not—!" Unfortunately for Harry, he was cut off before he could say anything else.
"We're not friends. Yes! Finally, someone could tell! I was starting to get tired of being constantly mistaken!" Malfoy quickly jumped in, foot pressing onto Harry's quite painfully.
"B-but we're really not—"
"I apologise, he's a bit shy."
"Oh, that's alright, I understand. My husband was like that, too. Back then, he..."
Harry slumped in his chair, his surroundings tuning out like a blur of reality as he was left to himself, staring off into space as he tried desperately to hold onto his beliefs, repeating in his head as he tried to calm down his beating hard.
He doesn't know what he's saying. He doesn't know what he's saying.
"Hey, Potter! Potter!" A snap of a finger brought him out of his reverie. Harry's eyes fluttered, instinctively leaning back when he was met with Malfoy's hand inches away from his face.
"Honoured to have you back here in the land of living again, Golden Boy." Malfoy snickered to himself, withdrawing his hand over his thin pink lips. The ring adorning his finger glinted under the light.
And so did his eyes...
Harry shook his head before his thoughts could develop further. His attention was brought to again when he heard the scrape of a chair against the floor.
"Come on, Potter, you're not going to stay here forever, are you? Though, I won't mind staying if it's with—"
"'Kay, okay, let's just leave." Harry quickly got up and snatched Malfoy by the forearm before he could finish his sentence. A lovely shade of pink was already rising into his face, he needn't Malfoy to add more to that.
Unbeknownst to him, Malfoy's face twisted into a large grin behind him, his pale grey eyes fixed to where Harry's hair and neck met all the way outside the cafe.
Harry let go of his hand with a huff, his wide emerald eyes — that took half the space of his face, probably — bored into Draco's discontentedly. To which, Draco only smiled innocently in return — Harry thought innocent and Malfoy weren't a fit to be in the same sentence — and tilted his head to the side.
"No 'Thank you, Malfoy, for being the generous and handsome person you are'? I just paid for your food, where are your manners, Potter?" Malfoy asked expectantly, a twinkle of hope dusting his eyes as he stared into Harry's.
"You wish, but...thanks...Malfoy," Harry drawled slower than Snape ever did, forcing the words out of his mouth with struggle. It felt weird thanking Malfoy when the git never did anything worth thanking for — the opposite, really.
A grin lit up the git's pointy face immediately. "You're welcome!" he said, in a chirpy manner that freaked Harry out. But also, much to his denial, made his heart skip a beat.
Harry rolled his eyes, then cocked his head in a direction before turning around and beginning to walk away, once checking if the near-albino prick was following. And yes, he was. Like a little chick following its mother hen.
As it soon became clear that they wouldn't be visiting any shops but return to Hogwarts, Malfoy frowned unhappily and pulled Harry back by his wrist, the latter almost stumbled back onto his chest in the process, having to catch his balance at the last second.
"Malfoy, what the hell!"
Harry snapped furiously, his head whipping around to meet Malfoy's in frustration. "What do you want now?"
Malfoy glared back at him before his eyes flickered to the left and back with a gleam. He straightened himself and spoke with the highly accent Harry's familiar of. "Ice cream," he said as he pointed at the parlour with his eyes pleading.
That was by far the poshest way Harry had ever heard one speak about ice cream. Hm, Harry's quite impressed of his coherence despite having to have chugged plausibly a bar's whole stock.
Harry nodded yet defeated again and let Malfoy have his way once more and made a promise to himself that this would be their last stop and then that he'd drag the git back to Hogwarts no matter what, he'd even put the git on a full body-bind if needed.
"Potter!" Harry's head snapped up from where it had been staring off in a daze to where he'd heard Malfoy call his name.
"What?" Harry asked as he approached the blond Slytherin who was merrily waving at him from the entrance of the hard-to-miss pink shop.
"Hurry up!" Malfoy impatiently called out. Stressing his pout when Harry maintained his relaxed pace, ever taking his time to cross the street.
It took the dark-haired boy 5 years to finally reach the door. Malfoy's face picked up a delightful expression when seeing the seemingly endless types of ice cream flavour. And so did Harry slowly as he watched subtly — as much as he tried anyway — from beside him.
"Is there a carrot-flavoured?" Harry froze.
Malfoy smirked then laughed, amusedly eyeing the changes of emotions flickering from realisation to embarrassment to anger to speechlessness on Harry's face. "I— Malfoy, you...!"
"Mommy, why does he have rabbit ears— and ooh, a tail!" a little girl exclaimed awestruck, her mum hurriedly slapped her hand away that was pointing at the pink furball peeking out of Harry's jacket on where his rear was located.
Malfoy snickered from beside him, flashing a cheeky wink when he was met with a pair of fuming green eyes.
"I'll get back at you, Malfoy..." Harry hissed, more to himself than Malfoy.
The latter excitedly received his green tea sundae and leaned in. "I don't know, Potter, it was a total failure this morning."
Just you wait, Harry stared up into Malfoy's teasing eyes, hands clenched on his sides as he promised to himself. He then ordered a chocolate ice cream, all of his concern and stress vanishing at once.
The two sat by the window, both indulging themselves in silence and the divine taste of ice cream.
Harry licked a stripe off his chocolate ice cream, completely unaware of the following eyes from across the table as he looked out the window.
"Come on, time to move, Malfoy," Harry said once they had both finished their ice creams. He got up and walked, missing the disappointed look crossing Malfoy's visage.
They walked in complete silence, Malfoy with a constant scowl on his face. Harry was relieved to find the other compliant enough to follow his orders for once, he needn't it harder as it already was.
They walked past a group of friends, couples, all of which wouldn't cease with their weird stares. Harry clicked his tongue annoyed, wishing he had worn his hoodie instead to cover up his freakishness until he was brought out of stupor when a hand grabbed him by the back of his jacket and the next thing he knew he was pushed against a wooden wall.
W-what?
Harry winced, eyes twitching from the impact when his head banged against the wall.
"Oh shite, sorry."
"Malfoy, what the fuck!" he said for what seemed the fourth or fifth time today.
"Do you just go around throwing people to walls? If you're finding this funny, I certainly don't. So hands. Off." Harry bucked against the hands closing around his arms, pinning them in place.
Malfoy breathed in and out, then saying, "Promise me you won't run away," looking between the interlocks of their hands and Harry's face, raising an eyebrow as he waited for an answer.
"Yes," Harry begrudgingly murmured.
"What is that?"
"I said yes, idiot! Now fucking hand off!" Harry seized his chance, shoving Malfoy away from him as his fingers loosened their hold over him.
Malfoy staggered a step back, slightly frowning and recomposed himself, hand dusting off imaginary dust of him.
"So, what is it? I don't have all day, Malfoy," was a straight lie, as a matter of fact, Harry would've had nothing to do had Ron not told him to go to Hogsmeade.
Malfoy sighed. "Well, I hope I won't make a dent in your schedule with this, Potter," he huffed out satirically, hands over his broad chest.
"Go on, then. While I'm listening," Harry gestured, staring back at the blond challengingly, which seemed to be the final push. Who knows if Malfoy's the type to blurt out an embarrassing secret when he's drunk, Harry's unconscious mind supplied before snapping himself out of it.
Malfoy hesitated for the slightest second under his intent scrutiny, Harry had almost missed his confident mask slipping and his curiosity instantly piqued of what it could possibly be to almost make Malfoy look the most nervous he'd ever seen him — which wasn't much, but it's talking a lot seeing it's Malfoy.
"Will you go out on a date with me?"
Harry stood rooted to the ground, eyes widening to the size of tennis balls. "Come again?" There's no way he heard that right—
"Will you go out on a date with me?" Malfoy repeated himself, appearing more relaxed than last time as he inched closer, his height looming over Harry 5' 7.
No. What?
Harry stayed silent, agape, rendered speechless. Though, Malfoy seemed to be having a great time watching himself to have coaxed such a reaction he had been aiming for the past seven years.
Is this a prank?
It then struck him like lightning. Malfoy's room, spray, love potions...
Oh shite.
"Oh, bloody hell..." Harry groaned, head falling into the palm of his hands. Malfoy frowned, clearly it wasn't the answer he had been expecting.
Harry looked up again, suddenly feeling sorry for the git. He's so in for humiliation and loads of brooding for the next days. Harry could feel him, being friends with one Seamus Finnigan and all.
"Oh Malfoy, I'm sorry but you're not yourself right now."
Malfoy stared at him as if he'd sprouted a second head. He fervently opposed, "I've had about enough, Potter, you and your stupid, inaccurate, accusations — I'm not drunk! Tell you what, Potter, I've gone as far as to act drunk, because your dumbarse keeps insisting that I am when I'm not! I'm perfectly sober, thank you very much — what arsehole would drink in broad daylight anyway! So yes, I've indeed been tricking you this whole time — sur-fucking-prise, Potter! It was ridiculous, playing along, thinking, 'Oh, maybe I'd get a chance to interact with Potter without hexes involvement whatsoever!' But goddamn, haven't you proven to be stupider than I initially thought!"
Harry raised a hand for a word but was right away pushed down by Malfoy as he went on.
"You think a drunk person who, according to you, drank a whole goddamn barrel could hold up an intelligible conversation! For the first fucking time, Potter, use your tiny brain of yours if not now!"
Harry was stumped, his heart pumping blood faster than ever as he processed what Malfoy just rented. The two turned a blind eye at the pairs of eyes following them from across the street.
Harry's eyes snapped back into Malfoys. While it rather made sense what Malfoy just spouted, even so! He didn't know about the love potion, for Merlin's sake! That's the only reasonable explanation for his blatant, awkward advances towards Harry, his damn arch-nemesis for crying out loud!
"Malfoy, sorry to break it out to you, but you're under a love potion," he set it straight and clear.
Malfoy gave him the look again, the one that said he was the most thick-headed species ever to have inhabited the Earth.
The frown on Malfoy's face then diminished, a groan escaping his lips — Harry pretended that the sound did nothing to his insides — when he comprehended what Harry was informing him of. He then muttered something that suspiciously sounded like, "So, that's what those bastards were up to."
Harry merely raised an eyebrow, not having to expect this kind of reaction but the typical outrageous one instead.
"Salazar... Bollocks..." Malfoy swore under his breath, a hand over his eyes. Harry's eyes inadvertently trailed up Malfoy's throat onto the bobbing of his Adam's apple.
Malfoy puffed out a breath, facing Harry once again with a look on his face. "You see, Potter, I could guarantee you I'm not under any influence of a love potion nor am I drunk or mental. Imeant what I said and do wish for you to go out with me."
"But—"
Malfoy cut him off again before he could finish anything. "Did you know, Potter that love potions of any kind do not affect those who already harboured feelings towards that person in the first place? Hm, but I guess not since you never paid attention in class."
Malfoy watched in satisfaction as it became crystal clear for the green-eyed boy, his smaller frame stilling before his as it hit him like a fucking truck.
"You get it now, do you Potter?"
Harry didn't answer — couldn't — not that he needed to anyway, his face alone was already a sight. Malfoy smirked.
"So? What's your answer?" Malfoy urged.
Harry stayed silent, not a single syllable could come out of him at the moment. This was too much to take in—!
MalfoylikesmeMalfoylikesmeMalfoylikesme...
"I don't know, Potter, I might even return your precious possessions." Harry snapped his head, taking the bait.
That fueled in Malfoy's ego, it turned out, as he pretended to move to inspect his immaculate nails.
"I might," Malfoy pressed further, chuckling deep — Harry had to ignore the slight buckle of his leg at the rich sound.
After a few moments of further contemplations and lack of response, Malfoy tapped his foot impatiently. "So? Just say no if you don't want to, fuck! Don't embarrass me more as it is, Merlin!"
Harry bit the inside of his cheek.
"I'm giving you five seconds, Potter."
Harry spluttered. "W-wait wha—?"
"Five."
No, no wait!
"Four."
Fuck, what should I say?!
"Three."
Should I say yes? But this is Malfoy! Do I even—
"Two."
—like Malfoy? And Ron — what about him? He's gonna be pissed if I—
"One.'
You know what? Fuck it.
"Well, this turned out to be a great day, thanks for being in it, Potter. Now goodbye—"
"Yes!" Harry yelled out, startling Malfoy along with a few others who stopped to look over.
Malfoy blinked.
And then again. Until a bright grin stretched his lips, revealing two rows of perfect white teeth that Harry was certain he could count every tooth he had.
Draco smiled at him, reaching his grey eyes as they were now crescent moon shapes and sparkled more than they had this afternoon. And Harry felt he had made the right decision. That he couldn't be more sure now that he'd seen the reaction to such a simple word from him.
"I knew you'd say that."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Of course, you did, you insufferable git."
"I could be your insufferable git."
Harry blushed. "Stop with the cheap lines, Malfoy. You don't have to pretend anymore now that I know the truth."
"But I'm not pretending. Perhaps you have turned me into a sap, after all. I suggest you take responsibilities, Potter, otherwise..."
"Your father will hear about this?"
"No!"
Harry laughed. A pink tinge dusted Malfoy's high cheekbones as he scoffed despite his own lips lifting into a sheepish smile.
"So..." Harry shifted from foot to foot. "Were you serious about returning my stuff?"
Malfoy scoffed again. "That's all you care about? I knew I shouldn't have made that bargain."
"Hey, I never said that! While I more than anything wish to have them back, I still...want to go out with you, as weird as the prospect is — I still can't believe any of this, to be frank," Harry admitted.
Draco stared at him. A grin broke out on his face, chuckles flowing out of his lips. Those pink cupid bow lips...
Harry shook himself out of it quickly before he could be caught staring. Although he suspected it was too late when he caught sight of impish grey eyes eyeing him closely. Harry fake coughed, averting his eyes to the ground, not looking up when he heard Draco clearing his throat.
"Fine."
Harry's eyebrows shot up to his hairline.
"You mean it?" Harry looked up, full of hope. Lips twitching in anticipation.
"Of course, I do. It's unbecoming of a Malfoy to back down from their promises," Draco determined, despite the light rose hues on his face.
The smile on his lips broadened at the affirmation. Harry's form shook at resisting the sudden urge to lunge forward and engulf the taller Slytherin in a hug. "Thanks, Malfoy..."
"...for returning me the things you've stolen from me," he added.
Draco snorted. "Yeah, yeah, whatever, Potter. I'll inform you of our rendezvous in the coming days."
"See you later, Potter." Draco waved his hand and turned, strutting like the supermodel he was, his cloak billowed in a fashion near that of Snape's. Harry suspected the blond had been practicing and giggled at the image his mind conjured.
Just then, an idea came to light and Harry hurried to catch up with Draco.
But of course, he had to trip over a stray tree branch laying oh-so conveniently on the middle of the fucking street to catch the latter's attention. What luck.
Harry fell flat on the ground with a loud thud. Draco stopped in his tracks as a series of gasps erupted around him as people watched something behind him. He arched a perfect brow, looking over his shoulder only to snort and cackle uncontrollably.
Harry was still on the ground, wishing he could stay there forever with his red face kissing the cold, hard pavement. "Ow..." The humiliation hit more, however, regardless of his protesting knees.
Sounds of footsteps halted right in front of him, Harry wished the earth would open and swallow him. He'd had about enough of humiliation these three days.
"Potter, need a hand?"
"No, why would I, the ground here taste amazing."
A loud chuckle filled his ears and Harry thought maybe this wasn't so bad, after all. He'd fall ten times over to hear that laughter.
Harry yelped when a hand grasped the back of his jacket, hoisting him up to his feet.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Don't embarrass me the next time by falling like this, though Potter? I have a reputation to maintain."
Harry snickered. "Well, I supposed, I need to find a new way, then," Harry offered a frisky grin that gained an eye-roll from the other.
Just as the blond was about to turn and go, Harry yelled, "Wait!" getting a questioning look from him.
"What now, Potter?" Draco said with a vexed tone, pretending to not enjoy the attention Harry was finally giving him — It appeared that asking him out on a date was more effective than climbing a tree, the thought brought a triumphant smirk to his face.
"W-well, I had, erm, errands — sort of? — to do, that I haven't done yet... And I was, uh, wondering if..." Harry's eyebrows grew closer and closer at the knowing smirk broadening on Draco's face as he kept on stuttering.
Draco raised an eyebrow despite getting his point, though it worked to encourage Harry's dimming Gryffindor boldness.
"If...you can accompany me? Just maybe?" Harry fidgeted, looking down nervously, half of his pinked face burrowed in the Gryffindor scarf he's wearing.
Draco was caught in a trance, eyes appraising the picture the oblivious e=green-eyed boy was creating before he noticed how anxious the other grew over time.
He sighed, "Hm, do I want to, Potter?" pretending to consider it.
"How the hell do I know! That's why I asked, you prat," Harry pouted, annoyed, yet his chest felt all warm now that their insults had grown into a banter. It made Harry wonder if things could've been like this if they weren't so fixed into making each other miserable.
Draco chuckled. "Of course, Potter, if I get to treat you sweets, that is."
Harry blushed, his interest piqued at the idea. "What if I decided I want to buy the whole store?"
Draco deadpanned. "Potter, in case you haven't realised, I'm rich — though I would say in the most humble and polite way, of course."
Harry burst into laughter.
"Well, then, if you're certain... Come on, let's get going."
The two then decided that it was their first date and did everything to make the best out of it. And Harry was definite that he never went on a better date than this, the thought of spending it with Malfoy, too, out of all people, made his stomach all giddy.
Harry and Draco were later found walking back hand in hand, going separate ways in the entrance hall, much to everyone's surprise — Harry was glad for the new reason of their gawking, for once, instead of the product of his potions 'accident. Harry returned rushing to the hospital to find that his friends weren't there anymore and made a run towards the Gryffindor Tower as fast as his legs could carry him.
The portrait slid open to reveal a dishevelled Harry, out of breath as he covered half of the common room with fast strides and plopped himself on a couch beside Ron and Hermione. Both of whom sent weird, amused looks his way as he tried to catch his breath.
Harry gulped down water from a mug on the table, ignoring the look of dismay on Dean's face as he did, and turned to his best friends, feeling more refreshed than he had in a while.
"You guys won't believe this."
Lavender and Parvati won a lot that evening.
— The end —
Note(s):
Thanks for reading, have a nice day!^^
