Cunning Yet Kind [Draco/Harry]

Chapter Eight

"Don't tell me that."

Draco was at a loss. Sitting in the Great Hall, head resting on his arms, a heavy sigh escaping his lips, he felt like a fool. How dare Potter use him as a last resort and how stupid Draco was to compromise with the Slytherin. Did it hurt? No, of course not. This was Potter he was thinking— talking about. Draco didn't care if the boy threw a snake at him, he still wouldn't care what Potter was to do or say. But for some reason, it still bothered him. He chose to believe it was because he would never be anyone's last resort. An option, a choice.

"It might be the best to get back at him."

Pansy was sitting beside Draco, hand resting on his back as she frowned at him. She was trying to think up ways to get back at Potter, to make a fool out of him the way he had made Draco feel. The option Draco was least happy about, and the one that seemed to be the only one? To pretend to fall in love with Potter. Draco knew that it'd be the only one that would have a chance of working, but the last thing he wanted to do was act as though he loved Potter, let alone like him in the slightest. But, what choice did he have? He didn't want to leave this one-sided.

"How do you even pretend to be in love with someone?" Asked Draco, index finger tracing the line in the wood of the table. Pansy shrugged.

"I guess—"

Slam. Draco's head shot up, grey eyes meeting brown. A book had been slammed down in front of him, obviously to get his attention.

"Hello." Greeted Hermione sourly.

"Hermione, hi." Pansy greeted. "Why so.. flustered?"

"There is a rumor going around that you," She glared at Draco. "and Potter shared a kiss the other day."

"And you neglected to tell me that?!" Pansy exclaimed, taking the comforting hand off Draco's back to hit him in the shoulder. He jumped, smacking her hand away and narrowing his eyes.

"Pansy."

"Did you?" Asked Hermione.

"Oh, you're talking to me now?"

"Answer the question, Malfoy."

Draco knew when Hermione called him by his last name that she was angry, even if she was speaking to him. Draco looked back and forth between his two best friends, rolling his eyes with a groan before he hid his face in his arms again. Hermione gasped as Pansy squealed.

"How was it?!" Pansy asked.

"Pansy!" Hermione exclaimed, shaking her head.

"What?! I want to know!"

"I didn't kiss him back." Draco muttered.

Hermione placed a hand on his elbow, shaking him lightly. "Get out of there, we can't hear you."

Draco reluctantly lifted his head to look at Hermione. "I didn't kiss him back." He repeated. "I don't know how anyone even knows it happened."

"Was it just you and him?"

"Yeah."

"Wait, why were you alone with him?"

"Well," Draco rested his head in his hand, looking at Hermione. "I wasn't, I mean, Ron was there and—" Draco paused, lifting his head up as he stared at his friend.

"What?" She asked.

"Ron was there."

"He wouldn't, Draco! You know that."

Draco shook his head, standing up. "You never know, 'Mione." He walked away from the Ravenclaw table directly towards the Hufflepuff table, Neville Longbottom looking at him curiously.