"McGonagall is going to kill me." Ron groaned during breakfast. He was eating less than usual and kept looking over to the slytherin table. Blaise caught his eye and pointed at his wristwatch. Ron moaned. "I'm doomed Harry."
Harry grinned into his pumpkin juice. "Just levitate it through the window?" He suggested.
"Blaise said that wouldn't count." Ron looked sadly at his kipper, as if it would be his last.
"You are doomed then." Hermione was pointedly reading her Daily Prophet instead of comforting her boyfriend.
"Better get it over with then." Harry suggested as Blaise winked at him from across the Great Hall. He dragged Ron up and together they left towards the Staffroom. Half a corridor away from their destination, Harry stopped and pretended to tie his shoe.
"Er, you go on." He said to Ron.
Ron sighed. "I'll never underestimate a Slytherin ever again." He dug through his bag to find the dungbomb. He looked around to make sure no one was near and threw it into the open staffroom. Immediately it exploded into a foul-smelling grey cloud that threatened to fill the whole corridor.
"Ronald Wealsey!" Roared Severus Snape out of a nearby portrait. Ron purpled and fled the scene with Harry on his heels. As they rounded the corner, they ran straight into Professor McGonagall.
"What is this retched smell? Explain yourselves boys!" She said to their guilty faces. When both refused to confess, "Detention! And ten points from Gryffindor for acting like overgrown babies!" She shook her head and raised her wand before attacking the cloud that now stretched past the corner.
"Sorry, mate." Ron said to Harry who grimaced. 'Another detention? Better not be cleaning again.'
When they reached the dungeons for potions class, Hermione was already there and shaking her head at them in disapproval. Pansy giggled and Blaise said, "Good one Wealsey!"
"Settle down students! The dungbomb was in the staffroom and not here so no need to disrupt our lesson." The eighth years slowly sat down. Harry sat down at his usual table and realized with a tinge of worry that Malfoy wasn't there yet. "Today you will be brewing the Draught of Merlin, it cures temporary exhaustion of magic, thus it is a very powerful potion and if it is wrongly brewed, can wipe the powers of one who consumes it for several hours. Ingredients are in the cupboard and directions are in your book." Slughorn stepped back to let them begin.
Harry flicked through his book for the right page while watching the door out of the corner of his eyes. Malfoy was rarely late to class, had something happened again? He got up to get the ingredients and when he turned back, Malfoy was setting up his cauldron like nothing was amiss. 'He seems fine.' Harry thought and had to admit that he was quite relieved at the thought.
"Where were you?" Harry asked, hoping he didn't sound too much like Hermione.
"I was on the Floo Network, talking to mother." He cocked his head, "were you worried about me, Potter?"
Harry shrugged nonchalantly. "Let's get started." He measured out the essence of dittany, as Malfoy next to him strained the bubotuber pus with a small smile on his face.
"Not so much Potter! You're too heavy-handed." Strict Malfoy was back, Harry realized with a sigh.
"Sorry." He grudgingly apologized.
"But, er your stirring is much better." Malfoy said.
"Is it really?"
"No." Malfoy grimaced. "I was trying to be nice." He caught Harry's eye and they both chuckled.
"Less laughing and more working please boys!" Slughorn called as he walked past them. Harry noticed that Hermione and Pansy were staring at him, barely suppressing their giggles. 'Hermione, giggling? Then again, two years ago I would have bet my firebolt that I would never become friends with Draco Malfoy. Then again…. are we even friends? Too soon to tell. I suppose friendly ex-enemies who are still waiting for the other to pull out his wand for a jinx.' Harry figured.
Malfoy must have realized that Harry was staring at him because he looked at him thoughtfully and suggested, "I'm working on Slughorn's potions tonight, care to lend, well not a hand because you're a menace at potions, but company?"
Harry met Malfoy after dinner in front of the Great Hall and followed him into the dungeons. Harry was surprised that Malfoy walked past their potion's classroom. They weren't going into the slytherin common room were they? But no, Malfoy led him to a small door he would have otherwise walked past; it was hidden in a niche and surrounded by shadows. Malfoy pulled a small key from his robes and unlocked it. He opened it with the words, "Welcome to my secret cove. Only my closest friends know about this room. So don't be spreading it around Potter, I quite enjoy my solitude occasionally."
It was a small, simple room with green slytherin wall hangings and an ancient chandelier dangling from the ceiling. The only furniture inside was a worktable, a stool, a tall bookshelf along one wall and a cauldron. Malfoy went to the bookshelf to consult a book while Harry settled down on the stool by the table.
"You spend your free time alone brewing potions?" He asked while Malfoy joined him at the table and pulled various ingredients out of his schoolbag.
"No, this room is just a disguise; in reality I roast muggle children over a spit or whatever you gryffindors expect from us evil slytherins." Malfoy lit the fire under the cauldron and set to measuring out ingredients. "Now pay attention, Potter."
Harry leaned in and studied Malfoy, er, making the potion. He had seldom seen him so calm. He was done all too soon for Harry's taste.
"Done. Alright now it's your turn."
Harry looked at him questionably.
"Didn't I explain it thoroughly enough, even for you?"
Harry ignored the insult. He hadn't even realized Malfoy had been talking to him. Harry supposed he'd been a tad distracted. "Er…." He got down from his stool and took Malfoy's place in front of the cauldron. "Right." He picked up a chunk of seaweed and tossed it into the cauldron. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Malfoy flinch. Next he chucked in ten eel eyes, Malfoy winced, Harry consulted the book, and stirred. When he measured out the essence of rat spleen, he was a tad too enthusiastic and spilled half the bottle on the table. Malfoy sighed and vanished the excess. Harry could visibly see the insults forming on his tongue.
He purposefully grabbed the pepper dispenser. Immediately Malfoy's hand closed around his wrist. "That comes last."
"Of course." Harry said cheerfully while dumping in far too much peppermint juice. Malfoy closed his eyes and silently shook his head. 'How long until he cracks?' Harry wondered with a slightly evil grin.
He tossed in a handful of garlic and looked at Malfoy, who simply stared back placidly. Harry frowned and picked up the pepper, Malfoy nodded. Harry cranked the dispenser. The potion turned black…the one Malfoy had finished before him was a fiery red.
Malfoy got off the stool and vanished the black mess. "Again, Potter. And this time be a little more careful."
Harry remade the potion three more times, with Malfoy staring over his shoulder, until finally it reached his high standards.
"Good. But if you had just listened to me the first time, we would have been done an hour ago." Harry rolled his eyes and Malfoy pretended not to notice as he filled the potion into little bottles that he corked and sealed with his wand. When they were finally finished they had twenty-four little bottles to deliver.
As they walked to the hospital wing, they passed by the Great Hall where a small crowd had gathered. Curiously, they moved nearer. A boy was standing on a table and holding court.
"They're still among us and it's up to us to punish them and make them pay for their crimes!" The boy seemed vaguely familiar to Harry as he screamed at the crowd. Half the crowd seemed to agree with him and jeered while the other half just shook their heads and muttered to each other.
"Let's go." Harry said quietly and tugged on Malfoy's arm. He had a feeling these were members of the newly formed anti-death eater club and it might not be particularly good timing for them to see Malfoy at the moment. Malfoy nodded and both disappeared as the tensions in the Great Hall rose and the shouting grew louder.
Neither spoke as they climbed the many staircases to the Hospital Wing.
"Ah boys, you're bringing me some potions?" Madam Pomfrey greeted them with a smile.
"We've made twenty-four pepperup potions, Madam." Draco handed over his bag.
"And good timing, there seems to be a flu going around. Well it is that time of year." Madam Pomfrey sighed as they walked to the cabinet to organize the potions. "Oh dear, I seem to be low on everything." Harry himself had never seen the cabinet so empty before either. "Draco, and you too Harry, would you be so kind to help me some more?"
"Of course." Draco smiled at her. Together they made a list of what was needed. Harry watched the list get longer and longer. Lots of extra work for Malfoy but he hadn't stopped smiling.
"I should have the dreamless sleep finished by tomorrow but the skele gro needs a week so I hope Potter comes to you if he falls from his broom next." Malfoy nudged Harry lightly but smiled and Harry knew it wasn't an insult to him.
"Thank you boys." Madam Pomfrey positively beamed at them as they left the Hospital Wing.
Harry yawned as they left the Hospital Wing. He checked his watch; it was already 21.30. "Are you really going to spend your night brewing potions?"
Malfoy shrugged but nodded.
Harry sighed, "I'll try to help."
"You don't have to."
"I know."
They stopped by the potion ingredients storage room to pick up the new ingredients. With two baskets each of ingredients they returned to the small room and Malfoy transfigured a book into a couch. "In case one of us needs a nap." He took another book from the bookshelf and flipped through it. When he found the page for skele gro he studied it while frowning.
"This is a very complicated potion. If you want to go, it's fine."
"No, I can stay." Harry moved closer to Malfoy to read the directions.
"Alright, you prepare the ingredients and I'll brew, ok?"
Harry nodded.
"First I need ten drops of essence of dittany. And please be careful Potter."
"Good, now ten rat tails."
"Ugh! I drank this in my second year?!"
Malfoy chuckled. "Good thing you didn't know what was in it then."
The potion was more difficult than the Draught of Merlin; it required the finest ingredients to be added at exact times and to be heated in intervals to specific temperatures. While Harry grew nervous at the difficulty of the potion, Malfoy stayed calm and handled with a steady hand. To control the temperature he used his wand and constantly consulted his wristwatch.
Harry and Malfoy worked closely together, for once without arguing. Harry had to admit that working this way made potions seem not enjoyable exactly but less horrible than with Snape breathing down his neck. Malfoy was strict but fair and as long as Harry was more careful than usual, Malfoy would nod approvingly.
When they were finally finished, Harry was sweating slightly and could barely stifle his yawns. Small wonder, it was already past 1 in the morning.
"Now this needs to sit for two days before we continue it." Malfoy carefully ladled the potion into a glass jar, which he sealed and placed on top of the bookshelf.
"That doesn't look like much." Harry said.
"No, it will only be enough for one bottle." Malfoy said while cleaning the cauldron with his wand. Harry yawned again. "You can take a nap or go upstairs if you wish Potter. I don't want to keep you here against your will."
"You're not." Harry said while settling on the couch. It was beige with words written on it and seemed old. It was also a bit hard but comfortable enough for a book. Sideways he observed Malfoy measuring out ingredients and starting the next potion. Quite calm he fell asleep.
When Harry awoke a few hours later found himself staring at a dark dungeon ceiling. The chandelier seemed as bright as the sun to him. He turned on his side and saw Malfoy standing in front of the cauldron. It seemed like he hadn't even slept.
After he had stretched, Harry got up and walked towards Malfoy. He barely looked up from his work. "Did you have a good nap?"
"Surprisingly yes."
"Books are more comfortable than many realize." Malfoy remarked while counting lavender sprigs.
"Is this for dreamless sleep?"
"Yes." Malfoy brushed the hair from his eyes. He looked tired. On the top of the bookshelf and in a basket by the worktable were new potion bottles neatly lined up and labeled.
"I think it's your turn for a nap." Harry said gently. "It's an easy potion, we made it in fourth year. I think I can handle this one by myself."
Malfoy looked at him carefully. "Ok." He said simply and handed the sitting rod to Harry. "If something happens, wake me." And he settled onto the couch that Harry had vacated not too long ago.
Harry consulted the book, yawned once more and gathered the rest of his concentration together to finish the potion. After another half an hour, a pale luminescent liquid shimmered in the cauldron. Harry sighed out deeply; he had done it.
Harry rummaged around the worktable until he found several empty bottles which he labeled and carefully filled with the potion. He placed them to the others and stretched again. There were still ingredients left and empty bottles. He was tired, obviously the nap hadn't been long enough, but decided to continue. He stretched once more and cleaned out the cauldron.
When Harry finished the next batch of dreamless sleep he checked his watch, it was 4.37. Too early to go up to breakfast and too late to go up to his warm bed. Harry glanced over to Malfoy who was fast asleep on the couch; he had his robes draped over him as a blanket and his shoes neatly next to the couch. Harry pointed his wand at the couch and extended it. Malfoy stirred slightly but didn't wake up. Harry kicked off his shoes and settled next to Malfoy who sighed in his sleep. Harry attempted to make himself comfortable without waking Malfoy. Malfoy's steady breathing and the exhaustion from late night potion brewing lured him into a deep sleep.