Title: The Forbidden Friendship
Team: Caerphilly Catapults
Position: Chaser 1
Round: QL Daily Prophet Expelliarmus Competition
Prompt: Periculum– [colour] red
Additional Prompts used: N/A
Word count: 754
Betas: Dora, Bea
A/N Draco's POV in that memorable detention in the Forbidden Forest in their first year. Some minor course language.
Draco, together with Longbottom and Fang, took the right-hand path deeper into the forest, while Potter, Granger and that oaf, Hagrid, took the left-hand path. Draco was not impressed that he was stuck with Longbottom. He kept whimpering like a frightened dog at every shadow, every movement of the trees in the wind had him jumping and at every splash of unicorn blood they spotted on the path or amongst the trees, he would gasp dramatically. After the third time, Draco was mightily pissed.
"Knock it off, Longbottom," he snapped.
"Are…aren't you sc…scared, Mal…Malfoy?" Longbottom stuttered.
"No," Draco scoffed, sounding a lot braver than he felt. "Of course I'm not scared. I'm not a pathetic cry-baby like you."
Draco was scared but he was not going to let Longbottom know that. It wasn't helping that Longbottom kept jumping in fright at every movement or rustle of leaves. How he wished he was with anyone else. Well actually, on second thoughts, he really didn't want to be stuck with the Mudblood Granger. Not that Longbottom was much better. He didn't want to imagine what Greg or Vinnie or Pansy would say if they found out he got stuck with Longbottom. It was only marginally better than the horror they would feel if he had been stuck with the Mudblood alone. It might try to talk to him. The wind rustled the leaves once more and Longbottom jumped backwards, crushing Draco's foot.
"Watch what you're doing you clumsy idiot!" Draco sneered.
Yup, Draco would much rather be with Potter than Longbottom. Even if Potter's rejection of him as a friend still stung his ego, somewhat. If they were alone in the forest on this detention, he could pretend like they were friends who had gotten into trouble together and got detention. Potter had to make a better friend than Greg and Vinnie. At least he would be sure to understand jokes and probably their homework better than those two. He never understood why Father was so insistent on Draco being friends with them. Draco looked up and could see Mars, shining brightly in the sky tonight, distinguishable from the stars by the warm red tint to it, compared with the cold white light of the surrounding stars.
An idea struck Draco about how he might be able to ditch Longbottom. He felt sure Hagrid would never let Granger be on her own without an adult, so if he could frighten Longbottom into setting off some red sparks, then they would either get to continue as a group of four, or he might get paired with Potter. He didn't think Potter would be jumping out of his skin at every little noise. Neville was ahead of him in the path so Draco quietly snuck up behind Neville, grabbed him and shouted "boo!" As expected, Neville jumped about a foot in the air, screamed and said, "Periculum" and red sparks shot out of his wand into the sky. The red sparks hung in the air above them, casting an eerie red-glow on the nearby trees, making them both look flushed. Draco was beside himself with laughter, as Neville rounded on him.
"That's not funny, Malfoy," he said, trying to sound indignant, but failing miserably in Draco's opinion. "The others will think we're in trouble now."
"If it's not funny, Longbottom, then why am I laughing?" Draco continued to laugh.
It wasn't long before they heard the unmistakable sound of Hagrid crashing through the undergrowth towards them.
"Wha's happened?" he said, as the red glow vanished with the sparks.
"Malfoy, sneaked up behind me and grabbed me for a joke," Neville told Hagrid. "I panicked, sorry, and I sent up the red sparks."
"Yer wha'?" Hagrid rounded on Draco and he looked livid. "We're in here ter do a job and you're foolin' around? We'll be lucky ter find anythin' now,'' Hagrid growled. "Follow me."
With that Hagrid stomped back through the undergrowth and Draco, Longbottom and Fang hurried to keep up with his enormous strides.
After several minutes they came back to where Potter and Granger were waiting for Hagrid and he told them what had happened before announcing that they were changing groups. Draco tried not to look too pleased, when Hagrid announced that he would be paired with Potter. Potter didn't exactly look thrilled that he was stuck with Draco. Draco was ecstatic, not that he showed it of course, to be with Potter as they set off into the heart of the forest with Fang.