Chapter Four: Froggy Features
A/N – I just realized that all of my dividers that separate sections didn't get uploaded properly (yayyy) so I've reuploaded the previous chapters along with this one. Hopefully this makes a bit more sense.
Present Day
Draco strolled into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, head held high as usual. He settled gracefully into his seat next to Potter, who had miraculously managed to make it to class early.
Draco made a show of bringing out his ink, quill, textbook, and parchment. He painstakingly cleaned the nib of his favourite eagle feather quill on a soft square of cloth before dipping it into the inkpot.
Anyone watching would assume him to be the ever-devoted student.
What they didn't know, however, was that Draco's enthusiasm didn't stem from the subject. Of course not; the toad made sure that they didn't learn anything useful in this class. Rather, it stemmed from the other activity that had become his habit during these lessons.
Passing notes with Harry Potter.
Draco smiled inwardly at the thought as he pressed his quill to parchment.
Afternoon, Scarhead.
I do hope you're prepared for yet another action-packed DADA lesson. This one's sure to leave us with crucial knowledge of defensive spells.
He furtively slid the note to the dark-skinned wizard beside him, lips twitching when he heard the man's amused scoff.
A moment later, Draco read:
Oh yes. I stayed up all night, too excited to sleep.
Draco glanced over at Potter, whose eyes were full of mirth. Draco noted that it did appear as though the the Gryffindor had been up all night. The shadows on his face were even darker than usual...
At that moment, Umbridge stood up from her desk at the front of the room.
"Good afternoon class," the toad chanted in her high-pitched voice.
"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge," responded the students.
"Today, you will continue your reading. And do remember that one cannot read if one is talking, so please maintain a nice, quiet environment."
She tapped her wand to the board, revealing swoopy cursive that spelled out their assigned pages.
Draco and Potter shared a brief glance of amusement. Exciting class, indeed.
The blond opened his textbook dutifully, then penned a note back to Potter:
Have you ever noticed that when our esteemed professor stands, she's actually shorter than when she sits?
Draco handed the note off covertly, reveling in the tell-tale snort that indicated it had been read.
He secretly savored how it felt to make Potter laugh. He would make dry observations or ask sarcastic questions throughout their lessons, and Potter would always respond the same way: the edges of his eyes would crinkle, he would fold his lips in to keep from smiling openly, then he would exhale a short puff of air through his nose in a delighted snort.
It made Draco's stomach flip pleasantly every time.
Potter slid the parchment back to him:
Does she ever remind you of an oversized toad? Especially when she wears that ghastly black velvet bow. It looks like a large fly she's about to catch on a long sticky tongue.
Draco had to grip the desk hard to keep from laughing. He imagined that he may not have kept his face entirely blank, though, as he caught Potter's satisfied smirk out of the corner of his eye.
I've had the same impression since I first laid eyes on her. The way her mouth sort of goes slack… I bet you 5 galleons that her favourite sweet is Cockroach Clusters.
Potter let a small smile escape before he tucked his lips in again. He took his time responding, and Draco realized that he was sketching again.
It had become something of a tradition for Potter to draw a little cartoon about their conversations, which Draco then animated with a quick charm he'd learned back in third year. The blond covertly extracted his wand from his sleeve in preparation.
Finally, the parchment was slipped back towards him. He read the note first (You're on! I bet it's Fudge Flies!) before he glanced at the drawing.
He smirked. It was cleverly done; Potter's skills were improving. Draco tapped the parchment, making the cartoon Umbridge flick her long tongue at a passing Fudge Fly. She even had a fuzzy pink sweater and black velvet bow perched precariously atop her mop of curly hair. It was a true likeness, even if Potter exaggerated her froggy features a bit. Draco was honestly impressed.
He glanced up at the toad herself. He was slightly startled to see her narrowed eyes trained on Potter, who was obviously pretending to read.
Draco swallowed a rush of loathing for the woman. Dipping his quill, he wrote:
You are being careful, aren't you?
The Gryffindor's eyebrows pulled together.
Yeah, why?
Draco rolled his eyes. The man needed to be more observant.
Because, in case you didn't notice, you're the Fudge Fly she's after, Potter. She'd do anything to catch you and your little study group.
I've got it covered, Malfoy. We found a place to hold our lessons. There's no way she'll catch us.
Draco read the response with a small scoff of disbelief.
It's not just some abandoned classroom, is it Potter? Because she has the prefects checking them thoroughly on a slightly different schedule each day. You really must be cautious.
It was Potter's turn to scoff. He scribbled a reply and slid the parchment halfway between them so Draco could read:
Your concern is touching, Malfoy. Really. And so is your confidence in me. Honestly, you'd think I was some bright-eyed first year!
Draco simply gave Potter a dry look, which Potter returned before pulling the parchment back to himself and adding:
Would it help if you saw the place we meet?
Draco's heart stuttered a bit. Potter really trusted him that much?
He risked a glance to the side, and his pale eyes met green ones. He nodded minutely.
Potter scribbled another note: Tonight, after dinner. 7th floor hallway, by the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy.
Draco nodded again. Suddenly he couldn't wait for the evening to come.
…
Last Year
"Hey, Harry!"
Harry stopped, looking back. His heart gave a lurch when he saw Cedric heading towards him. The group of Hufflepuffs he'd been with were all glaring at Harry, but Cedric ignored them.
The sandy-haired boy took a few steps forward, stopping in front of him.
"Hey, Harry," he said again.
His easy smile quickly spread to Harry too, who responded, "Hey, Cedric."
The two looked at each other for a moment before Cedric said, "So, er… have you had any luck with your egg?"
Harry didn't want to admit that he hadn't been able to work out the clue for the Second Task yet. He definitely didn't want to admit that he hadn't even started…
"I'm, uh, working on it," he replied evasively.
Cedric nodded, "Well, I found that… a good bath really helps."
Harry blinked, "A what?"
Chuckling, Cedric repeated, "A bath. You're welcome to use the Prefects' bathroom if you'd like. The password is 'Pine-fresh'. I suggest just… taking your egg in there and having a nice, long soak. Trust me."
He winked.
Harry had to shake himself.
"Why are you helping me?" he asked.
"Well, we're friends, aren't we?"
Harry's heart sank a bit, "Yeah. Yeah, we're friends."
"Besides," Cedric lowered his voice, "I owe you for tipping me off about the dragons. I wouldn't have made it out of there if it weren't for you."
Harry did his best to smile convincingly, "Don't mention it."
With a wave, Cedric returned to his friends.
Harry turned, letting the smile melt away. Cedric was so confusing. There were times when Harry was convinced that he felt something too… but then he'd go and say they were just friends.
Harry sighed.
He had to stop thinking like this. Cedric had gone with Cho to the Yule Ball. For all Harry knew, Cedric was not only straight but also in love with a Ravenclaw! He'd only helped Harry to pay him back for his tip about the dragons in the First Task.
He couldn't fancy someone who only saw him as a friend. No matter how handsome that someone was. No matter how he'd looked in his tailored dress robes, swaying and spinning around a dance floor with the type of grace that Harry could never hope to obtain…
No, no! He was spinning a girl around the dance floor!
Harry groaned. He was hopeless. But he would at least take Cedric up on his offer and use the Prefect bathroom. Maybe it would help…
…
Present Day
Harry leant against the wall on the seventh floor, arms crossed, foot tapping on the stone floor. He checked his wristwatch again. He heaved a sigh.
Finally, he heard footsteps.
He turned towards the tapestry, so that on the off-chance the footsteps didn't belong to Malfoy, he could pretend he was pausing to inspect it.
"What are you doing, Potter?" came a familiar drawl. Harry's heart beat a little faster.
"Waiting for you, you prat," he responded with a cheeky grin.
Malfoy smirked, "Well? Are you going to show me this oh-so-clever meeting place, or are we going to stare at this revolting tapestry all night?"
Harry rolled his eyes, "Just you wait. Stand right there for a moment."
He turned and walked by the blank stretch of wall, thinking about the DA meeting room. Bookshelves with reference texts, small mound of cushions.
Then he whipped around and walked the opposite direction, still picturing the room.
By the time he turned around again, he could sense that Malfoy was about to say something stupid. He held out a fist towards the blond, index finger raised in an attempt to stave off the sarcastic comment.
Malfoy managed to say, "Honestly, Potter, will you-" before he froze.
A door had appeared in the stone wall beside Harry, who simply waved the bewildered man inside with a very self-satisfied smile.
He watched the normally stoic Slytherin gawk at the DA room, taking all of it in. Harry simply stood back, pretending to examine his nails, and waited for the other man to congratulate him on his cleverness.
Okay, so it hadn't been his cleverness - Dobby was the one who had found the room and showed Harry how to use it - but Malfoy didn't need to know that piece of information just yet.
Especially when he looked so dumb-founded.
"How did you do this?" was the only thing he seemed able to say.
"It just… came to me," Harry answered smugly.
"Well, I don't suppose I need to worry about you as much anymore."
Harry laughed, "I suppose not. Honestly, it's a wonder you worry about me at all."
Malfoy's features stiffened slightly, "As I've said many times before: I despise that toad woman, and if I can do anything to thwart her little scheme, I will. So long as it doesn't require me to do anything too drastic."
Harry's heart fell a bit, then he chastised himself. What does it matter if Malfoy worries? It's not as if I care what he thinks.
"So tell me, Potter, what do you lot do here, anyways?" Malfoy asked, obviously trying to change the subject.
Harry responded a bit harsher than was necessary, "We practice actual Defense."
Malfoy raised a blond eyebrow, "Is that right? And who's in charge of this… Dumbledore's Army?"
Harry whipped around; Malfoy was facing away from him, inspecting the parchment they'd all signed at their very first meeting in The Hog's Head.
"Er… I am, actually," Harry shrugged before adding quickly, "The name is sort of a joke. I don't reckon Dumbledore even knows what we do here."
"I see…" Malfoy drawled. He continued staring at the parchment. He turned his head to the side rather awkwardly for a moment, and Harry guessed that he was reading Luna's name, which she had written upside down. Harry felt a small trickle of fear settle in his stomach that grew the longer Malfoy looked at the parchment. Was he memorizing the names so he could report back to Umbridge? Had this whole friendship between them, or whatever it was, been a trap?
"Well," said the blond, turning back to face Harry, "Show me what you've got."
"I - what?" Harry asked.
"You heard me, Potter," Malfoy drawled, a growing smirk making him look nothing short of mischievous, "You teach all of these people Defense; show me what you've got."
He extracted his wand and stepped towards the center of the room, squaring off with Harry, who just stood there dumbly.
Malfoy's smirk grew even further, "Scared, Potter?"
Harry grinned, finally catching his cue.
"You wish."
A/N – Sorry for the long break everyone! I really had planned on updating much more regularly, but life had different plans. Still, I had so much fun writing this chapter! Please let me know what you think of it. And thank you so much to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed so far!