How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days

How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days

Chapter Two - Thursday - Day One

You're out on the street lookin' good baby,

Deep down in your heart you know that it ain't right,

No you'll never hear me cryin' you know I cry all the time

~Piece of My Heart, Faith Hill

Draco didn't like it when people called him vain. But, as he stood in front of the mirror at five thirty in the morning combing his hair into a natural look, he had to agree with them. It was not his fault that he liked to look good, and he needed to look good in order for Harry to notice him.

He paused at the slip of the name. It was Potter, he told himself firmly, not Harry, just Potter. Plain irritating Potter!

He returned to combing his hair so that it hung down instead of being gelled back. He also picked out his nicest clothes. He didn't have many muggles clothes, but the ones he did have were of the highest quality. He was dressed in a pair of tight-fitting black pants and a silver silk shirt. He had a thin silver chain around his neck as well. He smiled at himself before checking the time. Five forty-five. He had plenty of time before he had to met Harry.

He smirked as he went to leave the bathroom; he was going to knock Harry's socks off.

He paused as he reached for the door handle.

"God damn it!" he swore. "Its Potter, Potter, POTTER!" And as he walked down towards the Quidditch Pitch he repeated the name over and over. Growling annoyingly as Potter eventually became Harry.

* * *

Harry crept out of the dorm just after six and with broomstick in hand, he headed out of the Gryffindor Tower and down through the castle towards the Quidditch Pitch. It was a warm morning, the sun already shining brightly as it rose over the horizon. Harry hadn't bothered with normal quidditch robes; he was wearing simply a pair of black drawstring cotton trousers and a loose fitting red top. He swung his leg over his Firebolt and kicked off the ground hard.

It wasn't until he had finished a few laps that he realised he was being watched. He stopped abruptly in midair and turned the broom around and stared at the familiar figure that was sitting on the ground, his head bent upwards as he watched Harry.

Growling with anger, Harry dived to the ground and leapt off his broomstick a meter from the ground.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he snarled and the boy lowered his head and his grey eyes met Harry's green ones.

"Good morning," he smiled charmingly in greeting.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Harry repeated.

"I was wanting a breath of fresh air, and I saw you flying. I don't think I've ever told you that I think you are the best Quidditch player I have ever seen play."

"Thanks," Harry sneered.

"No need to be like that." Malfoy stood up and made a big deal of brushing the grass off his clothes. "I actually came down here to see you."

Harry raised his eyebrows at Malfoy and lent against his broomstick. "And why would I want to see you?"

"Who wouldn't want to see me?" Malfoy laughed at his own joke but Harry's icy cold glare shut him up quickly. "Well, um, I need your help."

"So?"

"I know you're a Animagus," Malfoy started, unsure of how to continue, "and um..."

"And what?" Harry spat.

"Wondering if you teach me?"

Harry blinked. "Just fuck off will ya?" He waved a hand at Malfoy; a shooing motion like one would make at an animal. Malfoy felt insulted and he reached for that hand, he gripped it hard around the wrist. "Let go off me," Harry warned, his eyes darkened at he stared at Malfoy.

"Look, Potter, I've never been very good at transfiguration and since I'm taking it next year, I need a little bit of help. I've swallowed my pride to come ask for help. Can't you do the same and help me?"

"Let me go, Malfoy," Harry spoke calmly, "before you regret it."

Malfoy dropped his hand and Harry turned away from him. Malfoy watched as Harry mounted his broom again and kicked off, flying away.

"Shit," he swore loudly as he watched the boy for a few minutes.

When Harry looked down five minutes later, he noticed that Malfoy had disappeared. He let out a breath which he hadn't realised that he had been holding and he shot himself forwards towards the Forbidden Forest, determined to put as much space as he could between him and Malfoy.

* * *

"I'm guessing this morning's meeting, didn't go well?" Pansy asked as she slides into the seat opposite Draco at breakfast a few hours later.

"What morning meeting?" he asked her innocently.

"I saw you talking to Potter. What happened? He shot you down?"

"I was simply testing the water."

"It tasted bitter, I bet." She smiled as she turned round and looked directly over at the Gryffindor table. As if he could sense her gaze, Potter looked up and she waved at him. He gave her a cold look before turning back to Granger.

"Do you have a reason for talking to me?"

"I need to know how my investment is going."

"Investment? I'm an investment?"

"Potter is my investment. You have already failed to get him to talk civilly to you, what are you going to do to change the fact he hates your guts?"

Draco lent across the table and glared at her and whispered. "I thank you to keep you fat arse out of my business. You don't need to talk to me or Potter, until next Saturday, now run along before I curse you."

"With that mannerism, how do you ever get dates?"

"I'll show you."

Draco suddenly stood up and strolled around the Slytherin table and across to where Granger, Weasley and Potter were sitting.

"Excuse me." He announced his arrival and everyone surrounding Potter looked round at him.

"Yes?" Weasley snarled.

"I came to talk to Potter, not you Weasel."

"You have nothing to say that I want to listen to." Potter turned away from Malfoy and touched Granger's arm. "So will you help..."

"POTTER!"

The whole hall looked round to stare at the normally calm and prose man.

"I need to talk to you."

"What is it then?" Potter asked, bored.

"About early, I was serious. Can you, please, help me?"

"After all the shit you have pulled on us over the years, you now expect us to help you?"

"I don't want your help, Weasley, from what I hear, you couldn't even turn yourself into a rat."

Potter's eyes narrowed at the animal reference, he knew who and what Draco was talking about, as did Weasley and Granger.

"I'll think about it if you leave now," Potter said, his eyes gazing angrily at Draco.

"Thank you, I am free tonight." And Draco spun on his heel and walked away.

"What was that all about?" he heard Granger asked and he chuckled slightly as he retook his seat at the Slytherin table.

"Well?"

"I have a date with Potter tonight," Draco informed her cheerfully. "Pancake, Pansy?"

* * *

Potions was not Harry's favourite subject, nor was he extremely good at it, but this one potion he was able to make with his eyes closed.

The dreamless sleep potion. Harry had tried once to call it by its Latin name and had managed to pronounce it so wrong that even he had to laugh at himself.

It was not an overly complicated potion but Snape had discovered a way that when brew in a certain way, it would only work for the person who it was brewed for. It became a good idea after Ron had drunk the potion and had fallen asleep for 36 hours. The potion needed to be strong otherwise it would have no effect on Harry, but it was too strong for another person to drink.

Snape was sitting at his desk, his black eyes casually looking up every few minutes to study what Harry was doing.

Harry was calmly adding the bat wings to the potion when the lab door opened and in strolled Malfoy and Parkinson.

"Is there a problem?" Snape asked as his two students stopped at his desk.

"Pansy would like to hold a party in the Slytherin Common Room this Saturday, for all sixth and seventh year students from all houses. She's too scared to asked permission herself and conned me into doing it for her."

Snape regarded them closely. Harry raised his eyes as he measured out the dragon dust into a careful amount.

"I can't see why not... Potter watch what you are doing!"

Malfoy and Parkinson both looked round at Harry who pulled his wand out and did a smart little cleaning charm on the dragon dust that had missed the container he had been trying to pour it in to.

"Let me go get you a permission form." Snape walked briskly out of his room and Malfoy turned to Harry.

"What are you doing, Potter?"

"What does it look like?" Harry asked back as he added the dragon dust in to the perfectly black liquid in his cauldron. It sprinkled for a moment like stars across the night sky before the dust sank into the potion. Harry counted to five under his breath before he used his wand to stir the potion. Seven stirs to the left and then five to the right.

"You're brewing a potion." Parkinson glided over to the desk that Harry was working out. "But why?"

"Because I wanted too, now fuck off and mind your own business."

"You really should watch your language, Potter." Malfoy joined Parkinson. "That looks like some kind of a sleep potion."

"It is, Malfoy, now leave Potter alone so he can finish and then get out of my sight. You two come over here!"

But only Parkinson moved, Malfoy continued to watch as Harry placed his wand down and then picked up a sharp ritual knife. He placed the tip of his left hand middle finger against the tip of the blade and dug it in; three drops of blood fell into the potion before Harry removed his hand from over the cauldron.

Harry reached for his wand, to perform a healing charm when he felt a gentle pressure on his cut finger. He glanced at Malfoy who had just preformed the charm. His skin was looking paler than before.

"I don't like the sight of blood," he confessed with a whisper as he caught Harry's strange look.

"MALFOY!" Snape snapped and he turned and hurried across the room.

Harry lifted his hand up to inspect the finger and shrugged. He turned back to the potion and watched the black turn crimson and then green before returning to black.

He gave a nod and removed it from the heat, and sat back to let it cool.

Snape had finished whatever he had been doing with Malfoy and Parkinson.

"Malfoy?" Harry suddenly called out, unsure what had made him.

"What?"

"I'll met you at eight tonight, in the Entrance Hall, don't be late."

Snape looked puzzled at Harry's words and Parkinson glared at the raven-haired boy. Malfoy just gave the smallest of smiles.

"Fine," he replied before walking out, Parkinson followed.

"And why, Potter, will you be meeting Malfoy tonight?"

"He wants to learn Animagus and I said I would teach him."

Snape snorted as he checked the potion to make sure Harry hadn't made a mistake.

"This potion is fine, bottle it and leave."

Harry did as instructed and left, his head still swimming as to why he just so readily agreed to meeting Malfoy tonight.

* * *

Draco tapped his foot impatiently as he glanced down at his watch. It was eight minutes past eight and Potter still wasn't there. He silently cursed the boy but still stood waiting. Potter's comment about not being late resounded in his head as he stood there, his foot tapping the seconds that passed.

"What are you doing here, Draco?" Pansy strolled innocently passed and he glared at her as she stood to face him.

"Go away, Pansy," Draco sighed wearily, the girl seemed to have become his shadow, and everywhere he had gone today, she had followed.

"Of course, I forgot." She gave an evil smirk. "You are meeting Potter tonight, I am correct, yes?" She looked down at her own watch and gave a small tut. "Looks like he's late. Better hope he hasn't stood you up."

"Potter isn't like you."

"Good damn thing too, if I was like her I'd be ugly."

"Oh look, its Potty the Hero."

Draco watched as the boy strolled down the grand staircase, his robes blowing backwards, giving the sense of great power. His green eyes burned at Pansy.

"I don't recall saying I would teach her."

"She was just leaving," Draco barked, his hand gripped the girl's upper arm. "Weren't you?"

"If you say so." Pansy shrugged. "Have fun." And she walked off towards the Slytherin Common Room.

"I don't recall saying I would teach you either."

"Then why are we here, Potter?"

Potter studied Draco for a second before he gave a small sharp nod.

"Come on then." He nodded again in the direction of the castle doors and Draco led the way.

Side by side the two of them strolled together towards the lake.

"Potter..."

"Shut up for a second, Malfoy," Potter snapped and he stopped abruptly. "Before I even say yes, I want to lay down a few ground rules."

"Lay them." Draco shrugged. What was it with everyone suddenly that he had to obey rules?

"Firstly, my name is Harry, use it. Secondly, insult my friends or me ever again and I'll bitch slap you into next week. Thirdly, why me?"

"Why you? Why you what?"

"Don't be thick, why did you choose me to teach you?" Potter titled his head to the side and gazed at Draco as if he was trying to figure him out.

"You're the best."

"Hermione's the best."

"Yeah, but Granger's a..." Draco screwed his nose up in an adorably cute way as he forced himself not to say 'mudblood'. "Granger helped me with the Oxford thing, I thought it wasn't fair to ask her for another favour."

"You are bull shitting me," Potter spat.

"What? You want the truth?"

"That is the idea," Potter snarled.

"Don't get the wrong idea, Potter, if this was a trick by my Father I wouldn't be involved in it."

"Don't like your Daddy so much now that he's seen as a traitor to the whole wizardry world?"

"Fuck off, Potter, we're here for you to teach me to become an Animagus, not talk about my father."

"I'm not teaching you anything, until you tell me why I have to teach you?"

Draco stared at the boy in annoyance. "Can't you just accept the fact I need your help?"

"Helping a Malfoy comes with a price."

Draco stared at Potter who stared calmly back. He still didn't understand why he had asked Draco to met him and he sure as hell wasn't going to teach Draco anything without a proper reason.

"Why don't you just answer the question?" Potter sighed, "It's simple enough for you."

"I told you, you are the best."

"That's not good enough." Potter turned and began to stroll away, leaving Draco standing alone by the edge of the lake.

"HARRY!"

Potter froze. Although he had demanded that Draco call him by his first name, he was shocked to actually hear Draco use it. He turned slowly on the spot and masked his shocked expression behind one of indifference.

"I... um... wanted you to teach me because I don't want to leave school with us hating each other."

Potter took a step forwards, recalling Granger's words, "Its not like I am dating him, plus I don't really wanna leave Hogwarts hating him."

"Ok, Draco, I guess I can help you."

"Thank you," Draco sighed in relief.

"Lets go inside, before we get caught being where we are not meant to be."

* * *

"Where you been, boy?" Ron asked as Harry slide into a spare armchair by the Gryffindor Fireplace.

"Helping someone out," Harry replied, closing his eyes. It was amazing how much teaching someone could tire you out. It was nearly half eleven and he had only just left Malfoy and the library.

"Hermione went out looking for you. She didn't want you to get into trouble."

Harry waved away Ron's words. "I was in the library."

Harry had been teaching Malfoy the theory behind Animagus, just like McGonagall had done to him. He had agreed to meeting Malfoy the next day in the library again so they could finish the theory.

"Who were you in there with?"

"No one." Harry smirked as Ron's mouth dropped open. He wasn't planning on telling his friends that he was giving Draco Malfoy private lessons.

"You were on a date!" Ron blabbered out and the other Gryffindor Seventh years who were still in the common room looked round.

"What?!" Lavender and Parvati gasped before leaping from their seats and raced to Harry's chair.

"Who was Harry on a date with?" Seamus asked, casually pulling up a chair to Ron's side.

"I wasn't on a date with anyone!" Harry protested but his fellow Gryffindors didn't seem to want to listen.

"Is she pretty?" Parvati asked.

"Is she a Gryffindor?" Lavender asked.

"Did she put out?" Seamus asked, almost too eagerly.

"Guys leave him alone!" Ron pushed Seamus away and turned to Harry. "Is she a he?"

"WHAT?!" Harry yelled and he gave a jerk at the suggestion.

"I'll take that as a yes."

"You... you..."

"Harry's gay!" Seamus laughed.

"I am not!" Harry protested.

"There is nothing wrong with liking the same sex, Harry."

"Oh, did you say he had been in the library, Ron?"

"Yes."

"I saw Neville in there early, maybe he was with Harry."

"Is it Neville?"

"Is what me?" Neville appeared with Hermione through the porthole.

"Who Harry was snogging in the library," Parvati said in the tone that she thought Neville was being completely thick.

"No, sorry, he's not my type."

"So, who were you snogging in the library?" Parvati pounced onto Harry's lap. "Please, please, please tell me?!"

"I was not snogging anyone in the library!" Harry yelled pushing Parvati off his lap and everyone backed off.

"Hey, its bedtime," Hermione said briskly, "or it'll be detention."

Harry shot Hermione a grateful look as Seamus, Lavender and Parvati made their way up to the dorms. Neville, looking confused, followed.

"Well?" Ron asked Harry when it was just the three of them remaining in the common room.

"Ron, I can assure you that I wasn't snogging anyone."

"You can tell us," Ron plead.

"I'm telling you the truth."

"Come on, Ron, I mean it, you two in bed now, or I will put you in detention."

"It's the last week of school! You can't put us in detention."

"Would you like to see me try?" Hermione asked her boyfriend.

"No."

"Come on, Ron." Harry stood up. "Good night Hermione."

"Night." She pressed a quick kiss against Ron's lips. "Night."

"Sleep well."