Rarely Pure and Never Simple

Chapter 2

A/N: Hey guys! So here's the second chapter. If you're still with me after the first chapter, thanks for reading this story :) Now enjoy!
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Summary of this chapter:
In which schemes are concocted, Slytherins are manipulative, flirting is attempted, and conversations are awkward.
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Notes:
If anyone was thinking that anything about this story would be slow-paced or their relationship would be in any way gradual, I'm sorry to have to tell you that that shit is just not my tempo. Just a heads-up for you lovelies.
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"I don't know, Draco," Pansy mused to his left as the three of them strolled down a wide corridor. "I don't know if I've seen Potter stare at you at all these past three days. And he seems to have given up following you."

"You don't know most things in this world, Pansy," Draco sniffed, refusing to even entertain the idea that she was wrong. Potter was in love with him. It had been plain as day in the library. "I know he's in love with me. You didn't see the way he was staring at me! He just kept—looking. At my mouth."

"Maybe he was thinking about punching it," she suggested, earning a glare from the blond. "He's definitely done it before you know."

"Yes, which is why I know what he looks like when he wants to do something violent to me. That was not a violent look he was giving me."

"So what are you going to do with the information?" Blaise wondered curiously. "I'm not saying I believe you, mind, but if it is true, well...there are so many options available for you to exploit such a thing."

"Exploit?" Draco asked, feeling bemused by the word. What did Blaise mean by exploit?

"Yes," he said slowly, sounding amazed that he even needed to explain such a thing to Draco. "If Potter is crushing on you, use it! Take advantage of it! Do your Slytherin ancestors proud by using the information to your benefit!"

"What do you mean?" Draco felt his forehead wrinkle in confusion. "Like, blackmail him with it or something?"

"If that's the route you would like to take," Blaise shrugged. "Mostly, though, I was thinking that you could use this to earn back your reputation."

"What do you mean?" Draco stopped in his tracks, staring at Blaise oddly. "How would I earn back my reputation? You think I should spread rumors around the school about him crushing on me?"

"No, Draco, that's not what I meant," Blaise sighed. "Something like that wouldn't even work, especially if people heard it from any of us. Nobody is ever going to believe anyone but Potter himself about something like that. Buuut—" he paused to offer the blond another one of his trademark evil grins, "imagine if you were able to seduce him into getting your reputation back. You make him think you return his feelings, he starts being seen with you in public, everyone decides that maybe you're not such a horrid soulless git after all if Harry Potter thinks you're worthy enough to date, and bam! You have your good social standing back. And by extension, the social standing of Pansy and me as well."

Draco narrowed his eyes. "You're just trying to whore me out for your own personal gain."

Blaise raised one dark eyebrow. "And your point?"

"Tosser," Draco muttered.

"Look, Draco, I'm not saying you have to shag him," Blaise said gently. "Potter's a Gryffindor, yes? Some sort of straight-out-of-the-pages-of-a-romance-novel level of gentleman, right? I think we all know how stupidly high his annoying morals are; I'm sure he's the type of sad fool who would want to wait to be physically intimate. If he's in love with you, I'm sure what's he's really focusing on are the kisses and the chance to hold your hand in public. You can sacrifice a few kisses with another bloke if it gets people to stop sending you cursed hate mail, can't you?"