Thanks to ScandinavianTrash and an anon for reviewing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Hetalia.

IceLux: Helping Each Other Out

Emil was in the library, hunched over a book. Exams were coming up, and there was one subject he was having trouble with, and which he absolutely needed to pass.

He was startled when the book was yanked away, and he was about to yell at the one responsible, only to shrink back when he saw Henri van Riet, a Slytherin student in his year.

Henri smirked, examining the book.

"Having trouble with Potions?" Henri taunted. "Never thought I'd see the day when a Ravenclaw failed a subject."

"I haven't failed it!" Emil exclaimed.

"Yet," Henri said. "And you should really be more quiet in the library."

Emil blushed, and glared at the other.

"What do you want?" Emil demanded at last.

"You suck at Potions," Henri said.

"Oh, shut up."

"Let me finish. You suck at Potions, where I excel. But, you're very good at Transfiguration…"

Emil arched an eyebrow, suddenly intrigued.

"Here's the deal," Henri said. "You help me with my Transfiguration, and I help you with your Potions."

"And what if I don't?" Emil asked.

Henri shrugged.

"Have fun explaining why you're the only Ravenclaw to ever fail a subject," Henri said. "Your brother was in Ravenclaw too, right? How disappointed do you think he will be?"

Emil gritted his teeth. This was both a proposition and blackmail. Something that only a Slytherin could come up with.

"Fine," Emil said. "I'll… help you. But then you have to help me in return."

Henri smirked.

"Great," he said. "Meet me after dinner in the Room of Requirement."

Emil glared as Henri put the book down on the opposite side of the table before retreating. He was actually not surprised that the Slytherin knew about the Room of Requirement.

Wait… what shape would the room take?

Emil looked around. He was somewhat surprised and relieved to see that the room had assumed Snape's classroom. Of course, it helped that Snape himself wasn't there.

Henri was working at a cauldron, and he looked up when Emil entered.

"What exactly will we be doing?" Emil asked, placing his bag nearby.

"We'll focus on preparation first," Henri said. "I'm going to see if you know how to prepare your cauldron right, and then we'll focus on ingredients."

Emil frowned.

"That's first year stuff," he said.

"Well, sometimes you need to go back in order to advance," Henri sighed. "I thought a Ravenclaw would know about it."

Emil blushed.

"Shut up," he said.

For the next month, the two had been helping each other out in secret. Neither of them wanted to let anyone else know of the deal they had struck. Or the growing friendship.

The two tended to insult each other when they were in public, but when they were in the Room of Requirement they were a lot more civil, and a lot friendlier.

Emil had learned that Henri wasn't as pompous as he pretended to be. He was mostly like that because of his Housemates. And Henri had learned that beneath Emil's icy exterior burned a flame.

The two thought nothing of their growing friendship, at least until they had done the Draconifors spell, which Henri in particular found difficult.

"You did it," Emil said, staring at the small dragon.

"I did," Henri said, relieved laughter bubbling from his lips.

Emil smiled as well, at least until Henri suddenly engulfed him in a hug. His face burned as his mind realised what was happening with his body.

"W-what are you doing?" Emil asked.

Henri suddenly pushed him away, his face red. He looked towards the dragon he had created and coughed nervously.

"We never speak of this again," Henri said.

"Agreed," Emil said.

But that didn't mean that they couldn't think of it again. Which they did. Every night.

Everyone was on the Hogwarts Express, on their way home. Emil was with his Ravenclaw friends, and Henri with his Slytherin friends.

It was by pure coincidence that the two had gone to stretch their legs. Or at least, that's what they claimed. The hallway was empty when they found each other.

"Steilson," Henri said by way of greeting.

"Van Riet," Emil said.

They didn't say anything else, but passed each other. Emil felt Henri sneak something into his pocket and quickly pulled it out.

It was a folded piece of parchment, and Emil realised that it was a note. And when he opened the note…

"Bastard," Emil whispered, his face growing red.

I was asked for an IceLux in a Hogwarts AU. I could have expanded upon it, but this chapter was written after I had completed the 11-page PortIre chapter, so I had little to no desire to have another long chapter.

And I'll leave whatever was written in the note to your imagination.