A Lesson in Blackmail

Ron and Harry devised a simple but satisfying plan to put the ball back in Draco's court. They got some simple Muggle-style water balloons from Fred and George and filled them with a potion they got from a book of Hermione's that would turn Draco's hair blue.

When they got to potions, they waited by the door until everyone but Draco was there. They had enlisted the help of adulating Colin Creevey to delay him. Piling the water balloons on the edge of the nearly closed door, they listened for his approach.

"I can hear him," whispered Ron. "Shut up!"

The class, always ready for entertainment, obediently hushed and stared at the door.

They could hear, very faintly, the sound of Draco's footsteps approaching fast. Then a voice - "Malfoy, I would like to speak to you for a moment."

"Yes, Professor?"

"Do I need to remind you that as a part of Slytherin house, you have a reputation to uphold? Being late for important classes does not speak well of your discipline."

"No, sir. I'm sorry, sir."

"Very well. It is time for class to begin."

The entire class gasped in horror as the balloons came down on Snape's head. He stood there, livid, his hair turning blue and his face turning red, staring at Harry, who was still standing by the door.

"Come here, Potter."

Gulping, Harry stepped towards Professor Snape.

"You too, Malfoy."

Malfoy hesitantly moved closer.

Snape picked up two unbroken balloons and smashed them over their heads. "Do you two think that's funny? Just because you like each other doesn't mean anyone else likes you! Detention for both of you! For the next week!"

Harry and Draco stared at each other, covered in blue dye. "Did he say we liked each other?" Draco mouthed in confusion. "I think so," Harry mouthed back. The class was filled with speculative murmuring about what they could be mouthing to each other, and about Snape's credibility on matters of romance.

"Oh, this is a mess," moaned Harry, putting his blue head in his hands.

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Snape decided that, since Dumbledore ruled out a week of detentions, the two of them would be best punished by spending detention sitting in a tree in the Dark Forest for a night. The other teachers argued that that wasn't a very good use of anyone's time, but Snape held that in the end, leaving them there might be better for everyone involved. And since it was ultimately Snape's decision, off to the forest they went.

Draco and Harry were delighted to find that they weren't actually expected to sit on a branch. Hagrid built them a rickety-looking but actually stable platform high in an oak tree, and they settled in for the night with some smuggled blankets. The other teachers were less demanding than Snape, and not as afraid of him as the students.

The platform had one edge backed up against the trunk of the tree, so Draco and Harry leaned against it and tried to ignore the awesome sense of vertigo they got from looking down.

"So far, this is better than some detentions I've had," said Harry, remembering his night spent addressing Gilderoy Lockhart's fanmail responses.

"You mean that time first year with You-Know-Who?" said Draco.

"Well, that's not the one I was thinking of, but that was pretty bad too. What I remember most from that detention was you running away like a scared little girl when we saw him."

"Oh, yeah. I was pretty freaked out. I'd still do it. And you would too, and you know it."

"Anybody would, really. Okay, fine, I take back the little girl comment."

"There was a little girl comment? I missed that, you jerk!" Draco swatted Harry upside the head, and Harry just laughed.

"Come on, isn't it all kind of funny?"

"What's fun? Living in a tree with you? I could think of better things to do."

"I mean the look on Snape's face."

Draco laughed. "He's got more interesting hair now, at least. Greasy AND blue."

"Yeah, well, so is yours."

"It's gel, idiot."

"Yeah, I don't care. And you didn't really need to bring it with you." Harry grabbed Draco's gel out of his bag.

"Give it back, Potter. It wouldn't look good on you."

"Wouldn't it?" Harry started to open it.

"Potter! That's expensive!" Draco sighed. "Fine, let me have it and I'll give you some."

Harry laughed as he handed it back. "I didn't really want it."

"Too late now." Draco slopped a palmful of gel onto Harry's head.

"Hey!"

"Hold still."

When Draco was done with it, Harry's hair was blue and spiked. "There, now you're all punk. Hot stuff, Potter." Harry raised an eyebrow. "Figure of speech. Don't get all excited."

"I didn't think it was me getting excited, Malfoy."

"Oh, come on. Everybody wants me," joked Draco.

Suddenly they heard a chirping noise. "What's that?!" they gasped at the same time. Soon the chirping was coming from all sides. Without noticing, they slid closer to one another, holding their wands. They could see small dark-feathered birds flashing between branches everywhere. Some of them were carrying things. They began bringing them toward the boys, and soon every branch and surface in the immediate vicinity was covered in...

"Flowers?" said Harry.

A small bird chirped in acknowledgement.

Draco burst out laughing. "How cute! The birds are trying to make it romantic. I feel bad wasting their efforts so blatantly."

"It's too bad we hate each other."

"I know. Why do we hate each other, anyway?"

"Because I'm the famous Harry Potter, and you're a snobby little brat."

"Yeah right! It's because I am the infamous Draco Malfoy, and you're a know-it-all do-gooder."

"I am not!"

"You are so."

"I'm not that good," Harry pouted.

"You save the world at least once a year," pointed out Draco.

"Not on purpose. And you keep threatening my life."

"Not on purpose."

The birds chattered at them to shut up and appreciate the flowers.

Harry picked one up and smelled it, then threw it at Draco. "Peace? Just for tonight. I'd hate to be blamed for you falling out of a tree."

"Yeah, fine." Draco threw a handful of flowers at Harry.

Harry threw a handful back, and so it went until they were both covered in flowers and the occasional bruise.

At about midnight, a deep moaning sound came from deep in the forest. The boys went still and huddled down on the platform in their blankets, trying not to be noticed. They fell asleep like that, and when they woke, it was early in the morning.

Brushing the flowers off himself, Harry sat up. "Draco! Wake up! The sun's coming up!" he hissed. Draco sat up, his blue hair all a mess. "Gorgeous in the morning, I see," snickered Harry.

"Shut up," he mumbled, brushing his hair into place with his fingers. Turning to look at the sun, he lost his breath.

"It's gorgeous..."

"I told you," said Harry.

"GOOD MORNING!" yelled Hagrid from the ground. "Ready to come down yet?"

They climbed down the ladder slowly, reluctant to leave behind the spectacular view but more than ready to find some comfortable furniture.

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