His love for Potions I ✔

Chapter 39: Time before the Tournament

"So," Harry said, sitting down next to Fred and George, "I think I just got Snape's permission to put my stuff on your order forms, as long as I don't admit it's mine and he never has to admit it's funny."

The excited chorus was wonderful, and candy that made you foam at the mouth with soap was added to the 'yes, absolutely' list.

#

"Hermione," Harry said, highly intimidated by her huge pile of books neatly cutting her table off from the rest of the library, "Want to go visit the kitchens with me?"

"You knew about this?"

"I make candy there," Harry said, piously avoiding any mention of testing candy on House Elves, and ignoring Hermione's doubtful look.

"Look, you can do a survey," Harry suggested. "That's scientific, doing a survey. Maybe some House Elves really are happy, even if they aren't all happy. That way you'll have data to back you up when everyone's arguing."

Harry was somewhat alarmed by the light he sparked in her eyes.

#

Even Hagrid was adding to their workload. The Blast-Ended Skrewts were growing at a remarkable pace given that nobody had yet discovered what they ate. Hagrid was delighted, and as part of their "project," suggested that they come down to his hut on alternate evenings to observe the skrewts and make notes on their extraordinary behavior.

"I will not," said Draco Malfoy flatly when Hagrid had proposed this with the air of Father Christmas pulling an extra-large toy out of his sack. "I see enough of these foul things during lessons, thanks."

Hagrid's smile faded off his face.

"Yeh'll do wha' yer told," he growled, "or I'll be takin' a leaf outta Professor Moody's book....I hear yeh made a good ferret, Malfoy."

The Gryffindors roared with laughter. Malfoy flushed with anger, but apparently the memory of Moody's punishment was still sufficiently painful to stop him from retorting.

Harry, who knew Malfoy had been involved in some weird way in rescuing Buckbeak last year, caught him after the lesson, but Malfoy just glared at him.

"Don't talk to me, Potter. I'm having enough trouble rescuing my dignity without being associated with you."

"Maybe if you cared a little less about your dignity you'd be less easy to bait!" Harry yelled after him, which appeared to just make Malfoy's shoulders twitch. Malfoy had been going around without his minions constantly right behind him lately, which Harry found very weird, and Harry had heard that the Slytherin version of the Defense lesson on the Imperius had been pretty embarrassing for some people, naming no names, who could turn into a cat under the influence and do a little dance.

Still, if Malfoy wanted to be left alone, Harry was happy not to deal with him. He had enough problems with his Divination homework.

#

Harry was going about his day very peacefully a week or so later when a small white cat popped out of hiding from behind a statue. Harry glared at it. The cat shimmered into Draco Malfoy. He was smiling, which was never a good sign.

"What do you want, Draco?"

"Harry, is that any way to talk to a classmate?"

"I liked you better when you were making insinuations about my family."

"I can do that as well, if you like. How are your muggles?"

"...forget I said anything. What do you want, Draco?"