Harry Potter and the Very Bad Influence

Chapter 3

Okie dokes. Chapter 3.

Finding Hermione wasn't hard. She was where she almost always is... the library. She was hunched over a thick book with yellowed pages, books strewn around her on the circular library table. Harry took the chair next to her and cleared his throat, earning a glare from Madam Pince.

"Harry!" Hermione whispered. "Hey, how are you? I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Excuse me, if you're going to be conversing, you need to do it outside the library. Thank you." Madam Pince said from the desk. A few students raised their heads and looked in Harry and Hermione's direction.

"Right. Sorry. Come on, Harry." Hermione took his hand and led him through the library doors and into the hallway. "Anyway, you were saying?"

"Oh, um, I'm great Hermione. I actually wanted to ask a favor of you. I know what the next task is and I need your help. I need to find a way to breathe underwater for an hour. I'm going to see if Neville knows something that could help. You don't have to help if you don't want to but-"

"Harry," Hermione cut him off, "I would love to help. I'll start looking. You go find Neville." She started towards the library again, "OH! And please make sure you're at dinner tonight. You haven't been the last few days and I'm worried. I know you eat but it would be nice to see you." With a wave, she disappeared through the library doors. Right, there was one person down.

The next person Harry was able to find was Neville. He was in the tower, working on his potions essay.

"Neville," Harry nudged the other boy's shoulder. "I have a question for you." Harry looked nervously at his feet. He wasn't comfortable talking to people who weren't Ron, Hermione or Max. He was never really good at that sort of thing.

"Oh, hey Harry. Yeah what is it?" Neville was just as nervous as Harry was, only he was nervous all the time.

"Well, I mean, I know you're great at herbology and I was wanting to know if you knew of a plant of some sort that could help me breathe underwater." Harry studied Neville's face. "For an hour." Neville shook his head slowly.

"Not that I can think of but I can definitely check. Is this for the tournament?" His eyes went wide. "They're really going to make you stay underwater for an hour? Well I suppose they've made you fight dragons... Okay. Yeah. I'll check."

"Okay, thank you so much. I've got one more person I have to ask, I just need all options open you know? I'll uh, I'll see you around, Neville." Harry turned and crossed the common room.

"No problem Harry! Good Luck!" The portrait swung closed and harry sighed in frustration. Now he had to talk to Draco Bloody Malfoy.

Finding said blonde haired git was a lot harder than he thought it would be. Harry was also sure that Draco would never help him after the ferret incident at the beginning of the year. Maybe if he bribed him with something? Money? A free punch to the nose? Harry had no idea how he was even going to ask him once he found him! He'd been trying all day, searching the castle from top to bottom and running scenarios through his mind.

"Hey, Potter!" Man of the hour. Harry sighed dejectedly and turned to face his nemesis.

"Yes?"

"I heard you've been trying to find me. Got a crush have we?" Draco sneered at him. They were on the second floor which was mostly classrooms but Harry still looked around to see if anyone was around.

Yes. Harry's mind answered. Harry shook his head to clear his thoughts. "No. Absolutely not Malfoy. I just wanted to ask you a question." Harry was half tempted to just give up and call it a day. He'd tell Max that Draco had refused to help. But she'd know. She always knew.

"Alright then Potter. Ask away. I'm sure it's got to be important if the Golden Boy is asking ME for help." He laughed.

"I'd like to ask you in private please." Harry looked into Draco's eyes and the blonde must have seen something in them because he ordered his goons to leave them be.

"Alright Potter. You've got your privacy, now what?" Draco was different when he wasn't with his friends. He was still a git but he was more relaxed. Less harsh.

"I need..." Harry sighed, scrubbing a hand over his eyes under his glasses. "I need your help. I want to call a truce." He stuck his hand out. "Please?" Draco stared as his hand as though it would burn him.

"Fine." They shook on it. "What do you need help with?"

"Well, um it's about the tournament." Harry looked up at the taller boy through his bangs, living in a cupboard for twelve years did things to your height.

"Honestly, Potter. I'm not going to kill you. What about the tournament and why do you think I can help you?" Draco was stood with his arms crossed, smug look plastered on his face.

"Well I was wondering if you maybe knew of a way that I could uh breatheunderwaterforanhour...?" Harry rushed the last half of his sentence. Now that he was asking, the question seemed stupid. Why would Draco help him?

"What was that?" Draco frowned.

Harry sighed, preparing himself for the torment that was to come. "I need to be able to breathe underwater for an hour." He stole a glance at Draco's face. The blonde's expression was unreadable.

"Well, I'd have to do a bit of reading but it shouldn't be too hard." Draco nodded his head once. "But what do I get out of it?" He rolled his weight onto one leg. "I mean, how do I know that you're not just messing with me, Potter?"

Harry wracked his brain for something - anything - that he could do for the blonde. "I, uh, well I don't know. Maybe we could hang out sometime? I could get you food from the kitchens anytime you like?" Now that he'd said it, his proposal definitely sounded like a date. He could feel the blush creep onto his face and burn the tips of his ears and nose.

"Sure." The two shook hands once more and went their separate ways. After all, it was Saturday and they had a lot to do before Monday.

That was painful to write. OoOOOkay. Let me know what you think so far! Lots of Love. ~LHH