Opposites - a Drarry Story

Opposites- Ch. 4

Harry woke up the next morning feeling very well rested. He pulled back the curtain from around his bed and noticed that nobody was left in their dormitory.

"Ron!" Harry yanked Ron's pillow out from under his head in an attempt to wake him up."Bloody hell, Harry!" Ron mumbled groggily, propping himself up on his elbows.

"Get up! We somehow slept past everyone else, everyone's already at breakfast, come on!"

"Blimey," said Ron, tying on his shabby trainers and pulling his robes over his head. "Slept in and feel like I haven't got a wink of sleep."

The two made their way down to the great hall, hoping desperately that they weren't missing breakfast. By the time they reached the hall, most everyone was already scraping their plates clean. Harry and Ron raced to the Gryffindor table just in time to snag seats next to Hermione and Luna and wolfed down a pancake each.

"Goodness, why are you two so late?" Questioned Hermione, who was sipping a tall glass of pumpkin juice.

"Slept." Said Ron, throwing Hermione a slightly unappreciative glance. She smirked and rolled her eyes in response.

As the hundreds of students filed out of the great hall, Harry scanned the crowd of Slytherins for a pair of familiar grey eyes. Although Harry couldn't exactly put his finger on why, ever since he'd returned to Hogwarts he felt the need to keep tabs on Draco. Harry told himself it was because he just couldn't be trusted.

Harry also noticed, arrival at the school this year, that he had been observing an interesting dynamic among the Slytherins. Several of the Slytherin students that he was used to seeing on a daily basis at Hogwarts hadn't returned for eighth year.Almost all of these missing student were members of Malfoy's little entourage, like Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, and even Crabbe and Goyle. Some of the other absent Slytherins were the few that Harry knew to be related to or involved with the Death Eaters. He assumed that they were either too ashamed or terrified to come back after the war, and Ron and Hermione agreed.

If none of the other students with dark involvement dared to show their face at Hogwarts why did Draco, of all people? There was nothing left here for him. Harry could tell by their wary glances and fast walking past him in the hallway that no students, not even his fellow Slytherins wanted anything to do with Malfoy. Harry of all people didn't blame them, but that certainly raised questions as to why for the life of him Draco returned to Hogwarts...

Harry then passed Draco on his back to the common room.

"Think of the devil..." Harry muttered irritatedly to himself, but he didn't allow his eyes to linger long enough for Malfoy to notice him. Another change could be clearly seen; Draco's face was no longer plastered with a cruel smirk, and he no longer carried himself pompously. Maybe it was the absence of his body guard-like friends and their exaggerated laughter at his jokes, but Malfoy seemed smaller in a way, and quieter. An arched brow still hinted at stubborn pride-- and Harry thought he could be imagining it, but it seemed that a slight sadness could be see under Malfoy's haughty features.

-

When Harry and Ron clambered down the staircase to the dungeons, the classroom was empty but for professor Slughorn, who was passing ingredients in front of each place at the tables. He greets Harry enthusiastically and clapped both him and Ron on the back. They wordlessly took seats at a table close to the middle of the room as more people started coming in.

"Ugh, I forgot." Ron groaned as green clad students flooded the room. "We've potions with Slytherin. Again."

Harry huffed in response, although Slytherin stereotypes aside; he wasn't too torn up about it now that most of the real pain-in-the-neck ones had taken themselves out this year.

Harry and Ron were soon joined at the table by Hermione and Neville.

"Alright eighth years lets get seated now!" Slughorn said with an eager smile, gesturing to the last few students who were filing into the room, Malfoy amongst them. His grey eyes swept the room and he took a seat towards the back, next to a fellow Slytherin. Slughorn said a few welcoming words as an introductory to their first lesson and then got on with their assignment.

"Today we are going to brew a rather simple but quite useful potion, by the name of calming draught. This potion soothes the nerves of the drinker and is typically used when one suffers a shock, or an emotional outburst. Its quite harmless if drunken accidentally but if deliberately misused, it can have a powerful drug like effect. Please turn to page 220 of advanced potion making, and I want you to work with a partner."

The room burst into hushed partner-searching, as everyone in the room grabbed friend or negotiated over who should pair up with whom. Harry looked expectantly at Ron, but saw that he was looking pleadingly at Hermione who smiled and nodded.

"Uh uh uh!" Said Slughorn wagging a chubby finger. Everyone looked toward the front of the room. "I will be assigning you partners."

The class simultaneously groaned.

"Oh, don't give me that now-- I know how Gryffindor and Slytherin can be towards each other. I think it's time we all learned to be a little more friendly towards each other, don't you think? now, lets see..."

Slughorn began partnering everyone up, and Harry could tell that he was making sure to mostly put Slytherin and Gryffindor together. They were all trying not to be childish about it, but it was obvious that everyone was hoping for the best.

"Now Mr. Potter, Slughorn said, turning to Harry with an impish twinkle in his eye. "I'm going to put you with Mr. Malfoy. I think the two of you could benefit with a little hands-on potioning together! Lets go, now!"

Harry's stomach dropped. This was the last thing he needed. Grudgingly, he gathered up his books and cauldron and trodded over to the now empty table Draco was at.

-

Authors note: thanks for reading, I hope you've enjoyed this chapter even thought its pretty long! If you like Opposites so far please let me know by voting or leaving a comment😁 more tommorow!!