Intimately Close

All's Fair in Love and Murder

Harry and Draco took longer getting dressed that morning – not only was it a Saturday, but they could hear shrieks of joy and horror from the other side of the door and were desperate to wait until they were no longer at the harm of getting caught in the crossfire.

"Perhaps," Draco murmured, just as he pulled a shirt on, "we could make it look like you were my target. Then they'll let their guards down, and we take out Justin and Hannah at the same time."

Harry shrugged on an oversized jumper, sleeves hanging below his fingertips, and nodded along with the plan.

"I guess it could work. Here, take mine." He threw the fake wand in Draco's general direction. "We'll sit together on a sofa, then you can sneak it back to me."

Having agreed on the plan, the game quickly began for the boys.

***

It was fair to say that there was little trust when Harry and Draco entered the main room with smiles on their faces.

"None of you will believe this but I, Draco Malfoy, have finally defeated the great Harry Potter," Draco announced, waving two of the little fake wands high for everyone to see.

"That doesn't sound fair," Ron complained, staring at the blond without belief. "How could you trump him?"

"You didn't hear?" Harry asked, feigning disgust. He carefully sat on the end of a sofa, letting Draco sit on the arm with his usual smug expression. "It must have been three in the morning. An idiot decided to take me out before I'd even woken up. Just felt something hit my chest and there he is, grinning like the pompous git he is."

"Oh, you should have seen his face. He looked like he'd gotten a crap-flavoured Bertie Bott's. I must have been laughing loud enough to wake the whole school." He leant back against the back of the sofa, letting the arm holding the wands drop down beside him. He let the correct one slip to sit against Harry's leg, where his fingers carefully wrapped around it.

"I swear, whoever's idea it was to make me his target had a horrible sense of humour."

"Didn't you hear the rules? You could have gone to bed naked for your own safety." Ron exclaimed, waving over towards the door. "Come on, let's go down for breakfast. I'm starving."

If only he had... Draco! Stop thinking of such vile things!

They let everyone trail after him until they had their targets in their sights. As they headed down the stairs, where most people had already finished the first round of attacks, the two boys brought up the back of the pack. It was easy enough.

Harry tapped the wand against Draco's leg, signalling that he was about to aim. They raised their wands in unison as their targets hit the Entrance Hall, firing their spells and hitting them square in the back.

While both were thrown forwards, Hannah managed to regain her footing mid-stumble.

Justin went down like a drunken house elf.

The two boys, along with several passing students, burst into laughter at the sight. Their friends turned and saw the scene that laid behind them – Hermione began a lecture on safety, while Ron and Seamus nearly collapsed laughing. The others had retreated into the Great Hall, grateful for the food and safety from Murder.

Once the standard apologies (forced out of them by Hermione) were over, everyone made their way into the Hall for breakfast.

It was strange how much the new rules – or lack thereof – had changed things. The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were spread across the hall, yet the Slytherins were still isolated near the door.