like it's the only thing i'll ever do || drarry

[ two ]

Harry had always sworn Uncle Sev used his talent as a Legilimens against him. There was no other explanation as to how the man managed to find the perfect ways to mess with him.

"For dueling today, I want complete silence," their professor explained from the front of the bare classroom. The desks and chairs had been pushed to either side, leaving plenty of open space. "Nonverbal magic only. In your pairs, one will attempt a jinx and the other will defend in silence. I better not hear anymore complaining about your assigned partners. Carry on."

"I will attack," Malfoy said shortly before turning away and stepping a few paces.

The falsely confident aura Harry had managed to maintain briefly fell as he gulped. His nerves were driving his focus haywire and he wanted to kick himself for it.

Damn you, Hermione.

When Malfoy turned around, Harry was a bit worried about the determined air about him. However, if he was confident about any of his skills, it was his ability to match the prat's energy.

Harry widened his stance and raised his wand. After he came of age, he spent many afternoons dueling against his dad and Sirius and occasionally even his mom (who always won) for some practice. He felt relatively good about his chances of casting a Shield Charm nonverbally.

He held the blonde's calculating gaze, hoping his stare expressed his own challenge. Harry's attention then caught on to the other's hair, which in fact was not gelled back. It hung loose over his pale forehead and curled slightly around his ears, framing his face just the way Harry said he liked it. He scolded himself for losing focus, readying himself for Malfoy's jinx and vowing to block it.

Well, that was until he clocked the mischief hidden in his opponent's beautiful eyes. There really wasn't much time at all between the quick glance Malfoy threw at Uncle Sev on the other side of the room and the blatantly spoken, "Levicorpus."

Harry's body was thrown upside down, his seeker reflexes kicking in as he snatched his falling glasses mid-air. Blood started rushing to his head as he pushed the lenses back onto his face. Malfoy was now much closer. Harry was hanging at nearly the perfect eye-to-eye level. He smiled at the obvious amusement written all over the prat's face.

"Cheater," Harry teased. (Yes, he knew it was teasing now.)

"It's not my fault you weren't paying attention," Malfoy drawled. His lips twitched as if he was trying to hide a smile. Harry stuck his tongue out at him.

"Very mature, Mr. Potter," Uncle Sev deadpanned. The pair looked towards their professor, his own amusement over Harry's dangling state dancing in his eyes. "How has your incompetence been brought to light so quickly?"

"I was distracted, sir." Harry glanced back at the blonde but quickly had to look away for fear of his skin reddening at the pleased smirk on Malfoy's face.

"Distracted," Uncle Sev repeated. A pointedly raised eyebrow said that glance was definitely noticed, and Harry hoped the man could read the pleading in his eyes to keep that information to himself. "Very well. You will continue defending until your focus clears. Hopefully Mr. Malfoy can knock some common sense into you."

"I'll try my hardest, sir," the prat said sincerely.

Before turning away to insult some more students, Uncle Sev flicked his wand towards Harry, who yelped as he fell to the floor.

The snort from his opponent was muffled behind a hand, and Harry couldn't help but smile despite his sore shoulder.

***

Harry was struggling through another terrible excuse for a potion when he fumbled a few of his Billywig stings. With a sigh and a quick Stasis Charm on his cauldron, Harry weaved through tables to the ingredients closet. Right before reaching the door, Theodore Nott pushed it open, laughing.