How Are You, Really? (Drarry)

Chapter Three: The Day Where Everything is Sh*t

Draco got up at the crack of dawn and was out of bed before Harry, trying his best to avoid the other boy. It took him longer than usual to get ready as it was a fight just to keep his eyes open. If he hadn't been taught to be presentable at all times, he would probably still be in bed.

He scurried out of the room when he heard Harry stir behind his curtains. Halfway down the stairs to the common room all graduate students shared the yelling began. Draco hesitated on the last step before entering to find Ron and Hermione on opposite ends of the room, apparently having a lover's quarrel. They didn't notice him.

"I'm just saying Hermione -," Ron started, but he was quickly cut off.

"And I'm telling you it doesn't matter what you say! How could you do that to me!? To say that in front of your entire family like that! The way your mother LOOKED at me is enough to make me never come over again."

"It was just a joke!"

Hermione flicked her hand angrily, and a little flock of birds appeared out of nowhere, dive-bombing Ron. "YOU JOKED ABOUT OUR SEX LIFE IN FRONT OF YOUR PARENTS, RONALD! AGAIN!"

"But -," he tried again.

"But nothing! I'm tired of this, Ron! Maybe we need a break."

The room got deathly quiet. Finally, Ron said, "If you're that much better than I am all the time, then maybe we should. And get these damn birds off me."

Hermione waved her hand, and the birds disappeared in little poofs of smoke. "We never should have dated; we've always been better off as friends," she whispered before fleeing the room.

Draco stood there, frozen to the spot as Ron stared after the closed portrait hole. After a minute, he turned on his heel and found Draco staring at him. Ron flushed a deep red before spitting out, "I'm sure you thought that was funny, Death Eater. Get out of my way." He pushed past a stunned Draco on his way up the stairs to his room.

It wasn't a surprise that Draco had been called Death Eater. He knew the word was going to haunt his time at Hogwarts, a deadly reminder of how everyone but a select few saw him. But it was a shock that one of Harry's friends would throw the word around so casually. Draco reminded himself that although he was indifferent to the Weasley's at this point, the bad blood between their families still ran deep.

In reality, Draco was indifferent to almost everything, except perhaps his few remaining friends. And Harry, of course. Harry could still elicit any number of emotions from him, which was both terrifying and electrifying.

Shaking his head to clear it, Draco traipsed downstairs and into the Great Hall. He was the first one there and sat in the corner where he pulled out a book and started reading. He was so engrossed he didn't notice the other students trickling in.

"Yo, Draco, don't tell me you're already studying?" Blaise Zabini asked, plopping down in the empty spot next to him. Draco raised his head.

"You know we're on thin ice, Blaise. I'm not going to get thrown out of here because of bad grades."

Blaise grimaced. "I know, I know. So how was your night with the Golden Boy? Everything you hoped for?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

Draco stared at his friend in horror. "I should have never told you."

"And keep such a juicy secret from me? That this Romeo and Juliet shit was going on right underneath my nose? You'd never. I would have sniffed it out eventually," Blaise grinned in triumph. "So?"

Draco groaned and laid his head on his hands. "He hates me, Blaise, and I don't blame him one bit."

Blaise laid a comforting hand on Draco's back. "He can't hate you all the way; he did save your life."

The thought didn't lift Draco's spirits much. "Only because he's the Chosen One, and it would have looked bad if he'd let me die. I'm sure he regrets it, especially now that he's stuck with me." Draco's gut turned over in agony.

Completely serious, Blaise said, "I don't think he does, Draco. Especially given the fact that he can't stop looking over here."

Draco jerked his head up and met Harry Potter's eyes, who blushed and quickly dropped his gaze. "What was that about?"

Blaise shrugged. "Who knows, but we better get going. Potions class is about to start."

Draco rose and followed his friend to Elite Potions Class, the highest potions the school offered. Even almost late, they were still the only two in the dungeon.

"Maybe we're it?" Blaise asked, sitting down next to Draco. Professor Slughorn hadn't arrived yet.

Someone slid into the classroom behind them, and they turned to find Hermione Granger skid to a stop, her eyes still red from crying. "I'm here!" Her eyes grew wide as she took in the only occupants of the room. Hurridly, she went to the front of the room and sat, her shoulder's hunched.

Draco wasn't surprised the mudblood was in the class, but he was surprised she came alone. Typically both Ron and Harry were glued to her sides. "Maybe the other two didn't have the grades," Zabini whispered to Malfoy.

"Not our problem," Draco shrugged.

Slughorn lumbered into the room, smiling jovially. It fell slightly when he saw Blaise and Draco, but returned in all it's glory when he laid eyes upon Hermione. "My dear girl, I'm so happy you've returned." Hermione blushed under the praise. "But where is your partner in crime?"

"I'm here!" Harry cried, skidding to a halt in the doorway. He strode up the aisle, not even giving Draco and Blaise a cursory glance.

"There he is! The Chosen One! The Boy Who Lived!" Slughorn called out. Harry froze for just a moment before continuing on, slumping into the seat next to Hermione. "This is everyone! It'll be a nice cozy class this year between the four of you. Now, I'm going to take our two best students and divide them up, so the two of you who just barely scraped by can have a more advanced partner. Hermione, you're going to be partnered with Blaise. And Harry, you and Draco will be working together."

Draco could feel himself blushing but couldn't stop himself from raising his gaze to Harry, who was staring at him in abject horror. Today was not going to be a good day.