Drarry

Chapter 5

Thank you all for your lovely comments! They're so sweet; sorry that I can't reply to them all as it takes too long, but know that I read every single one. If anyone has any constructive criticism for me, feel free to direct message me or comment. This one is quite short, but it felt right to end where it did. 

Draco's POV

Draco felt deeply unsettled. However, he would not and could not let this get to him. His eyes flew to the ceiling of the green house and studied the blue expanse above his head; absorbing the immeasurable largeness of the sky. This always made him feel better. It made him feel grounded. Bringing his eyes back down, they settled on the plant in front of him. It was a peculiar looking shrub, with a long, spindly blue stem that, in spite of its feeble looking frame, was supporting an abundance of thick, lush emerald leaves that split off into bright, gold flowers.

His mind briefly wandered to the deep emerald of Harry's eyes and how even these leaves couldn't match that unique shade.

Pushing that thought away hastily, Draco realised that in order for this to work he would really have to throw himself into this role.

Plucking one of the golden flowers from the shrub, Draco leant across his table where Pansy stood, her brow furrowed in concentration as she studied the plant. He lightly pushed her dull brown locks aside and rested the flower on her ear. Her head snapped up in surprise, and her fingers went to the flower, her cheeks flushing with appreciation. Draco smiled at her. He could grow to like her. She wasn't unattractive with her hazel eyes and longish, straight brown hair; her features were small and delicate and many of the other boys in Slytherin were known to have crushes on her. She would do.

"What the hell are you doing, Mr. Malfoy?" Miss Sprout yelled, rushing over hurriedly and whacking the flower from Pansy's hair. "Those flowers contain poisonous pollen! Clearly you have not been studying the plant and too busy flirting. Write me a four thousand word essay on 'blue root yellow stone flowers'- their uses and, most importantly, their dangers."

Draco's face burnt red and, instinctively, his eyes fell on Harry's. Hermione, Ron and Neville were all sniggering, Hermione's stupid hands covering her stupid, know-it-all gob. Yet Harry's eyes were filled with sympathy. Sympathy and... Draco could only describe the other emotion swirling in the green depths of his eyes- jealousy? Yes, something burned in Harry's eyes as they fell on Pansy's.

"Hermione, please take Pansy to the nurse. She may have an ear infection by this time tomorrow unless it's checked within the hour. Harry, please partner with Draco as your partner and his will most likely not be back until the end of the lesson," Miss Sprout ordered shortly, her face still steaming with frustration. She tutted once more and muttered something about "insolence" under her breath before returning to discuss the shrub with Neville.

Harry's POV

Suddenly filled with anxiety, Harry slowly made his way over to Draco, throwing him a fleeting grin. Seeing Draco touch Pansy so gently and tucking that flower behind her ear with that small, delicate smile on his face had filled him with such uneasiness that part of him wanted to throw a plant pot at Pansy. Harry had been right earlier, when mulling his thoughts over. Draco did just want a friendship.

"So, I guess we're meant to be trying to work out how this plant might be advantageous when planted by the lake," Harry mumbled, avoiding Draco's eyes. This wasn't hard, Draco seemed determined to also keep his eyes locked on the plant.

Once recognising this, Harry allowed his eyes to drift up to Draco. His chest filled with affection at the sight of Draco's embarrassment clearly smeared over his carefully sculptured face. His ivory complexion was disturbed by a swirl of faint pink, his eyelids drooped low and his teeth were gnawing on his plump, bottom lip. Draco so rarely wore his feelings so freely and openly that Harry felt a sense of honour in catching a glimpse before the façade locked down once again and his lip curled into a sneer and his chin jutted upwards arrogantly.

"Yes, I guess so, Potter," Draco snarled, reaching over and snatching up Harry's notes that he had already copied off Hermione earlier. "This will help for that stupid essay, thanks."

Harry felt immediately hurt. For some reason he'd allowed himself to think that they would be at least friends now. Yet they were back to this, spitting out each other's last names as if they were spitting out the venom of snake.

There was no other way for Harry to deal with this hurt than to spit the venom right back. Ripping the sheets from Draco's grip, Harry growled, "I need these, Malfoy."

Draco rolled his eyes and snorted. "Very mature, Potter."

Rage gripped Harry as if Devil's Snare had curled up his sides and entwined its arms around Harry's frame. Taking a deep breath, Harry tossed them back at Draco. "Actually, you definitely need them more than I do." And with that, Harry marched out of herbology.