Let Me Love You // DRARRY

Chapter Twelve - Talking

"Right Malfoy, since this is going to be the first time properly teaching in this class, I think I should do introductions. No offense but you aren't the friendliest of people at first glance and without Osborne students might feel more.. intimidated." Malfoy simply nodded, he knew that many were still felt greatly threatened by him, some even thought that he was still a Death Eater and was trying to bring down Hogwarts. "But once start that class I'll try and get them to talk to you, then, hopefully, soon enough they won't be as scared as you."

Over the weekend Harry and Malfoy had reached a peculiar limbo somewhere between friends and acquaintances. Due them both having few people to talk to sharing private quarters and going to the same Professors for a few hours to get taught privately they had spent hours on end just talking. And when skies darkened and night started to draw in Malfoy would share his seemingly endless supply of fire-whisky. Meaning that they had reached somewhere past simple civility. 

However, old habits remained strong and they both still referred to each other as "Malfoy" and "Potter". Every time Harry thought that he had managed to get Malfoy to open up, and possibly see what his outburst was weeks earlier in the Senior Dorms Library-saying strange things about his experiences a death eater-he would slightly distance himself again, becoming cold and sticking with minimal responses. 

Although the two had spent countless hours talking in the two days of the weekend, they hadn't touched on the subject of what had gone down between Harry and Osborne. Every time Harry sensed Malfoy steering them both on to related topics that could eventually lead to what happened a couple of nights prior, Harry would try and lead the conversation back on to more comfortable ground. Malfoy soon gave up on that tactic though, realising that Harry's Gryffindor stubbornness would mean that he would only open up when he was ready.

It also transpired that Malfoy knew absolutely nothing about what had happened with Harry and Osborne, it being obvious that McGonagall thought it better for himself to tell everyone who had to know about the events that had unfolded. This was a blessing and a curse; Harry felt like he had more control over the entire situation, but was also dreading the moment when he had to reveal to Malfoy of his rendezvous into near homosexual sex.

Malfoy and Harry stood in silence for a couple of minutes, both think over their plan for how to approach the new situation of teaching, before a steady stream of students started to flow into the classroom. A mixture between mixture and excitement was etched into every single fifth year's face, wondering how the new teaching duo would operate. Everyone trusted McGonagall's judgement, but how would two polar opposite people ever  co-operate efficiently.

When everyone had settled into their seats Harry looked over the students, the first Monday class was the same as the last Friday class, some students-like Daisy were looking at him, hanging on to every word. Some, like Chantelle, were scowling at both men. "Right, hello everyone. As you heard a couple of days ago, from now on me and Professor Malfoy will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts." Unblinking eyes stared back at Harry. "As this was one of the classes both of us were in, helping Professor Osborne, we can start straight away."

Harry looked at Malfoy, giving him a weak smile of support the blond then stepped forward. "So, what can people tell me about counter-jinxes?"

*

"You actually did okay today Malfoy, I think everyone in the classes we've taught today are now slightly less convinced you want to kill us all." Harry half-joked, but both men knew that that was probably true for some of the more suspicious students, who stared at Malfoy's arm-which was always covered up-as if the mark which brandished him was whispering underneath the robe.

"Why do you sound so surprised Potter? Maybe I just reserve my bad side for Gryffindor's." Harry snorted, realising that there might also be some truth behind what Malfoy said, before calming himself for what he was about to say.