Good Intentions

Chapter 7: Blending

Draco hurried over to Snape's desk as he and Harry re-entered the classroom. "Sorry about that little incident Professor. But you know how it is with people like Potter, as feeble-minded as he is. I thought it better if I didn't disrupt class with Potter and my little disagreement. After all, I would hate to embarrass the Slytherins."

"Very well," Snape approved. "While the two of you were dealing with your 'disagreement' outside of this class, you managed to let your potion ruin. I expect the two of you to start this potion over tonight after dinner."

Draco was shocked. "Detention, Professor?"

"Of course not Mr. Malfoy. I could never give you detention," Draco beamed at this. "However, I do in fact give Potter detentions."

Draco's smile faded. "So, sadly enough given the circumstances, you shall join him. The two of you may take advantage of this time and redo your potion."

Snape then turned to the rest of the class as the bell signaling for class change went off and said, "That will be all for today. You may leave."

With that, Snape strode from the room leaving Draco standing there in a sullen mood.

***

"What do you think that was all about?" Seamus asked Dean, as they were leaving Potions, on their way to Divination.

"What? The thing with Harry and Malfoy, I've no idea. I guess all the tension of them having to be together constantly is finally wearing on their nerves. It was a bit strange though," Dean admitted.

"Yeah, after Harry and Malfoy returned from their 'lovers spat', Harry was looking awfully flustered," Seamus chuckled. "I wonder who won their argument..."

"Lover's spat?" Dean asked cynically.

Seamus waved it off with another chuckle. "It's just an expression. I didn't mean anything by it. I mean, Harry and Malfoy? Yeah right!"

"Oh," Dean said simply. "How long do you think that Dumbledore will make them stay bound together like that?"

"Who knows? Wise man that Dumbledore. He's got a weird way of showing it though. I'm sure he knows exactly what he's doing," Seamus added thoughtfully.

"Yeah," Dean agreed. "He always does."

***

"I can't believe I have to go to Divination with you and the bloody Gryffindors," Draco complained.

"Hey!" Harry exclaimed, punching him playfully on the shoulder. "Those are my friend's you're insulting."

Harry had been very twitchy ever since... well what happened earlier. Draco had been acting like nothing had happened ever since they had re-entered Potions class earlier that day and it was starting to annoy him. Although Draco did seem more cheerful than he usually was, that annoying smug look on his face was firmly intact at the moment.

"Why so smug?" Harry asked Draco, breaking the growing silence as they traipsed up endless flights of stairs.

"Oh, do I have to have a reason to be smug?" Draco asked in feigned curiosity.

"Well..," Harry said, thinking of earlier, and flushing pink.

"Oh, you mean what happened earlier?" Harry nodded. "Yeah, about that, don't ever expect it to happen again."

"What?" Harry asked, taken aback.

"You heard me."

"Well, then why did you do it in the first place?" Harry asked, panicking a bit.

Draco shrugged. "Thought it might be fun." Harry was looking confused. "Obviously though, for me, it wasn't."

***

Harry didn't speak to Draco for the rest of the day. He was furious with him for playing with his emotions like that. All through Divination, he pointedly kept his back turned on Draco and talked with Ron the entire time.

"We've been missing you at Quidditch practice mate. Can't wait until tomorrow when you get to join us. It just hasn't been the same without you," Ron told Harry later on during class.

"Yeah, I can't wait either, I've really missed getting to fly... It feels like it's been ages since I last played Quidditch."

"So," Ron coughed, his eyes going wide as saucers, looking directly at Harry. "What do you think this card means?" He jabbed at one of the cards splayed across the small table.

Professor Trelawney had glided over to their set of poufs in the far back corner where they were usually left alone.

"What?" Harry asked puzzled. Ron's eyes widened further, if that were possible, and nodded his head slightly in the direction of Professor Trelawney. "Oh, err.. well it looks bad indeed. You shouldn't leave the castle for.. err... a couple of days. Looks like you just might be... attacked, that's it.. by a horde of, er, mad flobberworms."

Professor Trelawney started applauding. "Very good, Mr. Potter." It made her look like an overlarge insect that was trying to fly, but having a difficult time at it, unable to leave the ground. She was beaming, her eyes a little misty. "Excellent."

Several poufs away, Lavender and Parvati were sulking, glaring at Harry for taking Professor Trelawney's attention from them. "Professor," Parvati called across the classroom, her hand in the air. "Lavender and I think we've found something."

Harry could hear Draco laughing quietly behind him. Harry, acting like he was stretching, elbowed Draco hard in the stomach. He was pleased to hear an 'oomph' behind him and smiled widely.

"Good one mate," Ron said, slapping Harry on the back in congratulations. "I wonder if she knows Flobberworms don't have teeth.."

Harry smiled. "Well let's not be the one who tells her then, eh?"

Ron grinned.

***

Detention that night was absolute hell, to say the least. Harry had still managed to not say one word to Draco since before Divination.

Draco kept shooting him furtive glances the whole time they were working on their potion. He finally gave in.

"Look Harry, about what I said earlier..." Draco tried. He had absolutely no idea how to say what he was thinking.

"I think you made it pretty clear earlier with what you said. And you know what? I completely understand. Don't look at me like that, I really do."

"No, you see, that's the problem," Draco tried again.

"I told you, you don't have to explain yourself."

Draco banged his fist down on the table. "Damn it all, Harry! Will you keep quiet for a second, I'm trying to say something."

Harry crossed his arms over his chest. "So say it."

Draco heaved a sigh and closed his eyes for a minute, trying to collect his thoughts.

Harry studied him closely for that minute. For that one minute, Draco was just a normal teenage boy. He didn't have that cold mask that of any type of the malice or sneer that was usually fixed on his face when he looked at Harry in public. He looked very innocent and almost fragile, and Harry suddenly felt very sorry for him, though he wasn't sure why. Maybe it was because he thought he had to keep up that mask all day long, and how hard it must be, day after day..

Draco finally spoke. "Earlier during Potions, when you asked me why I acted different around you in public than I did when it was just the two of us, I didn't know what to say. So I showed you instead." Draco smiled wryly. "Or at least part of the reason."

Harry started to say something but Draco help up a hand and stopped him. "Let me finish, then you can say what you want, ok?" Harry nodded in agreement.

"Then you started mentioning various things that would stop us from publicly being friends, and it made me mad because you were right. There isn't anything major in the way, well, except me being a stubborn prat," Draco grinned. "If you ever tell anyone I called myself that, I'll personally see to it that your body is buried in bits and pieces across all seven continents."

"Right," Harry grinned. "I'll keep that in mind."

"Now, Draco said, clearing his throat. "If you ever make me be that sentimental again Potter, I might have to hex you."

"I'd like to see you try." Draco just laughed. "You do realize that our potion is ruined again."

"Damn. What am I going to do with you Potter?" Draco asked, smirking.

"Well, I have an idea." Harry said, grinning wickedly at Draco.

***

"You wanted to see me Albus?"

"Ah yes Sirius, have a seat will you?"

Sirius tentatively sat down. He could tell from Dumbledore's tone of voice that he was up to something. From Sirius' past experiences, that twinkle in Dumbledore's eye was usually a bad thing.

"Now, I'm sure you're curious as to the reason I've brought you here."

"Wouldn't happen to be that you missed my clever comments or the fact that you've finally admitted to yourself that Snape needs a lesson or two and I'm the man to do it?"

"Afraid not," Dumbledore said smiling.

"Damn. You always spoil my fun," Sirius said grinning wickedly. "Ok, on a more serious note. Not that I'm not happy to see you, but why am I here?"

"Something's come up," Dumbledore said, un-sticking a lemon drop from its wrapper.

"Oh?"

***

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed as he made his way to the Quidditch Pitch that night for his weekly practice. She ran up to him, nearly bowling him over trying to give him a hug.

Ron clapped him on the back. "It's good to see ya back mate." Then his grin turned lopsided. "What are we waiting for? Let's practice!"

Harry grinned lopsidedly. He kicked off into the sky and was free once again...

***

The blood was pounding in Harry's ears by the time the first couple of goals had been scored. He'd forgotten how much he truly loved to fly. Halfway through practice he noticed Draco go and sit under the same tree he had the previous week.

"Harry, watch out," Seamus yelled. He and Dean were the Beaters for the team that year. Seamus had just hit a bludger and it was heading straight for Harry.

Harry tore his eyes from where Draco was sitting and turned to look, but it was too late. The bludger hit him hard in the chest, knocking him off of his broom.

Draco watched in slow motion from where he was sitting as Harry fell through the air. He ran out to where Harry lay motionless on the ground, faster than he realized his feet could carry him.

"Oh Harry..." Draco breathed, lifting Harry's limp upper body and cradling it against his chest.

"You," he barked at Seamus, "Run and tell Pomfrey what happened. I'll bring him as fast as I can."

Clearly too shaken about Harry's fall to realize he was being ordered around by Draco Malfoy, he sprinted up the slopes to the castle without a backwards glance.

"Ron," Draco said. "Help me lift Harry." Ron nodded and hurriedly helped Draco with Harry's limp form.

"Mobilircorpus," Draco said, making Harry's body weightless.

"Hurry," Ron urged, jogging up to the castle. "We've got to get him to Madam Pomfrey."

He was too worried about his best mate to wonder or even think about the obviously emotional reactions of his, and formerly Harry's, arch-nemesis.

***