Harry happily watched Draco eating with the Slytherins in 'his' jumper. He'd been wearing it since Harry had given it back to him. Harry couldn't keep Draco's smile when Harry had admitted how much he liked the jumper out of his head. His stomach fluttered with happiness even just at the memory of it. It was the first time Draco had ever directed a smile like that at him. The only other time was after he cast his first patronus. The Gryffindors had smirked at each other when they noticed the jumper, but nobody said anything. Harry was sure they were talking about him behind his back, but he didn't care. He knew they meant well. He'd been thinking about what Ron had told him but honestly he was too busy worrying about Draco to think of much else. He worried about Draco a fair amount anyway but after they worked together Harry's stomach was crawling. Draco seemed so distant and distracted. He jumped whenever Harry touched him as if he'd forgotten he was in the room. Tension now radiated off the blond. Harry hoped his mum wasn't going downhill. He was sure Draco wasn't telling him something. He was determined to find out.

"You coming to potions or not, mate?" Harry tore his eyes from where they'd been resting, unfocussed, on Draco. Hermione and Ron were standing behind him, waiting.

"Oh. Sorry. Yeah," he answered, embarrassed. He climbed over the bench, tripping slightly, and picked up his bag.

"What's up?" Hermione asked him when they were out of the great hall.

"Does Draco seem different to you?" he asked them. He was aware that he was definitely starting to sound like a broken record with the amount he talked about Draco. He was too worried about him to care.

"No, but maybe it's because he puts on a front with those he isn't comfortable with, so only you can see it. I'm sure he's fine and if there's anything wrong he'll tell you," Hermione told him, leaving no room for Harry's worrying. She was good at that. It was one of the reasons Harry thought she'd make a great mediwizard.

"Thanks, 'Mione."

Xx

"Today we will be testing your ability to improvise. It will test your knowledge of ingredients and how they work together." Harry grumbled. He wasn't good at potions at the best of times. "It may be strange to think that a non-drowsy dreamless sleep potion is useful, but it can be. Today you will choose a potion from the list on the board and change one thing about it. Get into pairs please." Harry immediately looked to Draco with pleading eyes. He rolled his eyes but picked up his books.

"As long as you do what I say, Potter," Draco told him, smirking. Harry hmphed but agreed. It was probably best anyway. "Let's make the cough potion cause drowsiness too. Good for colds and such." Harry nodded and flipped through his textbook to find both potions.

"Well, we need to take fireroot out of the cough potion because it's energising. We should replace it with anise, I think, unless we can find something that doesn't react with marshmallow root."

"Valerian root?" Harry suggested, looking at the ingredients of the calming draught. "It's an optional ingredient." Draco looked surprised.

"Well done, Harry. That'd be perfect." Harry wasn't sure whether to blush with pride or feel insulted at the compliment.

"I'll get the cauldron," he offered instead of doing either.

"Get mine. The one under the sheet, top shelf," Draco called after him. Harry found it easily. He tried to levitate it, but the spell rebounded. Grumbling, he pulled the extremely heavy cauldron off the shelf. He was grateful he'd built up muscle over the months he spent in the tent but despite that his muscles were screaming by the time he made it to their desk. How Draco lifted that thing he didn't know. The Slytherin was a beanpole. Draco smiled wickedly at him when he came back from the ingredients store cupboard.

"Did I forget to tell you only spells I cast work on my cauldron?" Harry glared at him.

"Yes," Harry ground out.

"Sorry." The apology was obviously not meant.

"Yeah. I bet you are."

After five minutes of chopping ingredients in silence, Harry decided to let Draco off the hook.

"How did you learn so much about potions?" he asked.

"Being an only child is boring." Harry hummed. He frowned as he attempted to cut the marshmallow root. "No, Harry. Like this," Draco corrected him. Draco walked behind him and placed his hand over Harry's. He showed him how to crush the root to make the fibres easier to cut. "Crushing also releases some of the oils, making it more potent. Plus, your knife is less likely to slip and cut you." He gripped Harry's hand and carefully chopped the root. He allowed Harry to do the rest on his own and praised him.

"Thanks." He liked Draco teaching him. He was surprisingly patient and explained why he did things. Hermione didn't have the patience.

"Now add the camomile powder. Sprinkle it in because it reacts very quickly, and we want it to be incorporated evenly." Harry gently sprinkled it in and Draco praised him again. For some reason, praise from Draco made him really happy.

"Aren't we missing the honey?" Harry asked, frowning at the ingredients list and the things on the table.

"This potion can be stored for years but as soon as honey is added, it will only last a week." Draco explained.

They managed to make a good potion between them. Draco mainly gave instructions that Harry followed but, in the end, he had learnt more from Draco than he had from either of his teachers.

"Going to take the cauldron back then?" Draco asked Harry.

"Yes." Harry smirked and grabbed Draco's wand before he could pull it away. He replaced it with his own wand and grinned at Draco's open mouth. Draco's wand greeted him warmly, sending happy magic through his hand and up his arm. Draco's wand felt good, but he was unbelievably grateful that his own had been fixed. He never let it out of his sight since he got it back. He trusted Draco with it though, for some reason. He wordlessly levitated the cauldron back to its storage place. Draco was stood in the same pose as Harry left him in.

"Thanks!" Harry said, cheerfully, and swapped their wands back over. Draco frowned.

"You can still use my wand?" Harry shrugged a shoulder.

"Yeah."

"Yours seemed friendly enough," Draco informed him. Harry felt like he should be really jealous but instead he was kind of pleased.

"Good," he smiled.

xx

Part 1 woop!

I'm still struggling mental health wise and thank you so much for your kind considerations. I'm improving though! :D