Walking the Halls

Chapter 10

"Maybe you should play this year, Dray," Harry says.

Draco shakes his head. "I don't play Quidditch," he says. He doesn't, not anymore.

Crabbe screams. The flames swallow his body.

He sighs. "Alright," he says.

He smiles. "I like watching you play," he says. He's not even sure he ever liked playing Quidditch. He just wanted to make Harry angry and make his father proud. He only succeeded in one part of that. He's also not observant enough for it.

He hugs me. "Thanks again for the broom," he says.

Draco pats his back. Harry seems to like hugs. "Of course. I want you to have fun this year," he says.

He steps back. "I'll have fun if you're with me," he says.

"Har-"

"I meant in general. I won't force you to do anything you don't want to," he says.

Draco smiles. "Okay," he says.

They leave the hall and go to the potions classroom. Hermione and Ron walk behind them.

"Want to work together?" Harry asks.

"Sure. Don't mess it up," he says.

They sit together at one of the tables. Hermione and Ron sit beside them.

"Do you have to go to detention tonight?" he asks.

He nods. "Every night," he says, "Writing letters to obsessed fans of that git." He scowls.

Draco laughs.

He frowns. "You're mean. They made me go to Lockhart," he says, "Lockhart."

"You've mentioned. Not the worst detention you could have to do though. We went to the Forest last year and saw a unicorn die," he says. Bile bites into his throat. He swallows it down.

"I would rather go to the Forest or polish the medals and trophies. I'm used to that but responding to fan letters is annoying and narcissistic," he says.

"What do you mean you're 'used to that'?" he asks. 

He shrugs.

"Okay, okay. I would prefer the Lockhart stuff but whatever," Draco says, "Just copy his signature and get it done."

He groans. "You would," he says.

"Let's get started," he says. 

He plops his head onto the table. "Fine." He pulls his copy of the Wiggenweld potion recipe out.

Draco goes to the supply closet and get Flobberworm Mucus, Lovage, Scurvy Grass, and Sneezewort. He goes back to the cauldron. Harry has half the water heating already. He adds the Scurvy Grass then the Lovage then stir. They leave it for a moment, and he adds the Flobberworm Mucus and the other half of the water. Draco casts the Confundus Charm and bottles it for grading. 

"You're done early," Snape says. Draco sets the potion bottle on his desk. 

"I guess a bit. I just know the recipe well," he says. He made it a lot in school its useful and easy. 

He turns back to his papers. 

"Do not let Potter have any of the potions," he says. 

Draco laughs and turns back to the tables. He sits at his cauldron with Harry. He bottles the excess potion and spells it to his bedside table. 

"Why do we have so much homework already?" Harry asks. He sits in the library with his head on a table.

"Well, I think it's to torture you," Draco says. He writes on his parchment.