I Solemnly Swear I'm Unintentionally Up to No Good

Chapter Seven

7| New Old Faces

Harry was quickly becoming uncomfortable at his newfound routine with Malfoy. Over the last few days, they'd got into a few... squabbles. All of which extending their lovely detentions together. But honestly Harry's fists were itching for another; Anything was better than this strange acquaintanceship. 

They were just working. In the same room. Sitting on the ground, on opposite sides of a small table. 

Sometimes there was some conversing here and there: Would you pass the quill?  Or: Do we have a box labeled 'Potion Books?'  And: Maybe we should just combine the miscellaneous books and papers into the same box.

Then there was just simple silence as they emptied and reorganized box and box. Draco swore they were multiplying. Not that he was in any rush. They had detention for the next two full weeks thanks to Potter's short fuse. So far they were stuck in this room for 2 hours a day after classes. But who knew what they'd be doing after it was up to "McGonagall's standards." Draco was content with this. 

Harry was absolutely restless. He'd found a little golden ball, not too much bigger than a standard size snitch. It had little gears and other movable pieces almost reminding him of a muggle Rubik's cube. Not being very accomplished in puzzles, Harry took to just tossing it around. 

Yes, it was annoying Draco. But he'd taken to ignoring Potter altogether. It was for the best. 

He threw it up, then caught it with a small thud  as it hit the palm of his hand. 

Toss. Thud. Toss. Thud. Toss. Thud.

Draco's eyes snapped close. 

Toss. Thud. Toss. Thud. 

"Do you even know what that thing is?" he burst. 

"I dunno."

Shooting a glare, Draco asserted, "Probably best not to play with it then."

His eyes narrowed, but nothing was said in return. 

Toss. Thud.

"Oi, knock it off."

Toss. Thud. Toss—

Draco lunged across the table, snatching the toy in the air. 

Harry's eyes widened. He grabbed at Malfoy's arm, still up in the air, yanking him over the table. Crashing on top of him, the two had a childish scuffle on the ground. Wrestling each other for the orb. Not that the robes were helping, getting tangled as they were. These were the times Harry most missed his wand. 

In a desperate swat, he knocked it out of Malfoy's hand. It flew back behind his head, rolling across the floor. Immediately, Harry began to crawl over him, reaching for it. Malfoy, just where he left him on the ground, dragged him back by one of his legs. Cursing, he attempted to shake free—that or kick Malfoy good in the stomach. Either way he was close enough to grab the ball. 

"Oi!" Harry shouted. In the struggling, Malfoy's attempt to keep him constrained was about to result in the pulling down of his trousers. Tightening his grip on the object, he felt a little click as a piece snapped into place. The metal started to warm in his hand. He blinked. 

They were falling. 

Before anything else, Harry singularly registered the breath torn away from his body by sheer force. After that, with some gasping, he felt the damp fall ground under his cheek, some dirt sticking to his skin as he lifted his head.