Seven Steps || Drarry

Part 34

Harry was leaning against the wall outside McGonagall's office and straightened up as they came down. "Professor, what are-" he spotted Draco and asked, "Wait, you're already here?"

"Come along, we have a lot to accomplish," McGonagall said, gesturing for him to follow them as she headed down into the dungeons.

"How long were you in her office?" Harry asked.

Draco ignored him.

"Draco-"

McGonagall stopped in front of the Slytherin entrance, "Go collect anything you might need for tonight."

Draco hurried inside and grabbed his brewing case. When he came out, Harry was looking more frustrated than before.

"I could carry that for you?" Harry offered as they walked down the hall.

Draco shifted his brewing case to his far hand.

"Here we are," McGonagall said opening up one of the main brewing rooms just a few doors down from the potions classroom, "Draco, you can finish your calculations and Harry can clean and prepare the room." She turned to one of the brewing tables and stool, transfiguring them into a desk and chair quite similar to the one in her office. She sat, took out a small bag and from it, resized a stack of papers and a quill. She only bothered to look up when she realised neither of them had moved. "Go on, we haven't got all night," she said impatiently.

Harry's brow furrowed.

Draco pulled out a stool and his notes, "We're brewing wolfsbane. The full moon is in a week."

"What? But... you would've done that anyway?" Harry said.

Draco gave him a look and went back to his calculations.

"Oh. So... right," Harry said, his voice fading as he began casting cleaning spells over the room then getting two cauldrons washed and set up the scales. Draco wrote out the new ingredient measures on a piece of parchment as soon as he was certain they were accurate and passed them to Harry so he could begin preparing them. He finished in time to prepare the aconite himself.

Draco poured in the potion base and conjured the flame underneath.

"Can we talk?" Harry asked quietly.

"No," Draco said flatly, watching for the first sign of a simmer.

Harry picked up the first ingredient, handing it to Draco, "What about after we finish?"

The no caught in his throat and he wavered. He wanted-

"Focus on your brewing, gentlemen," McGonagall said without looking up from her own work, "This is detention, not a social call."

"Yes, Professor," Draco said, adding in the first ingredient and adjusting the heat.

Harry sighed and picked up the second ingredient.

They brewed together even better than they had before. Harry brewed the last potion, finishing it ten minutes after Draco's. It was perfect, and Draco didn't tell him. He wanted to.

"Excellent work," McGonagall said, breaking through his thoughts.

Draco nodded as he sealed the last vial and slid it into the shipping box along with the others, reinforcing the cushioning charms out of habit more than necessity.

"Finish cleaning up, and that will be all for tonight, Harry. You can come straight here for tomorrows detention," McGonagall said.

Harry looked from her to Draco, "But what about Draco?"