Nightmares (HP) (Drarry)

six: forgetful fidgeting

Harry had acquired six weeks of detention in one day, which he thought was a personal best. It had been potions and he was partnered with Draco Malfoy, because Snape hated him more than he liked his godson, apparently.

"Today we will be brewing..." was as far as Harry got before he stopped paying attention. He had been doing that a lot lately, starting a week after the detention with Umbridge. He wondered if the two things were connected. Then he wondered if he should tell anyone teacher about it, because that's gotta be illegal, right? But no, she's a ministery worker, she obviously knows what is and isn't illegal.... He thought about the way she threatened Malfoy, then wondered if she'd done that to other students...

By the time he broke out of his thoughts, Draco Malfoy was glaring at him, muttering about "uselesss potion partners" and "utterly idiotic potter" under his breath. Harry realized he had no idea what they were brewing. He looked up at the board and noticed he couldn't make out what it said, it was all blurry. He almost face palmed. He didn't have his glasses! Duh! He'd been so forgetful since the week after Umbridge's detention, he wondered if that was connected, too. He should really ask Hermione to look into the effects of that type of quill, do they have books at Hogwarts about it?-

No! He jolted himself out of his thoughts before he could completely zone out again. He turned his attention to Malfoy, awkwardly clearing his throat. "Er- what are we working on, again?"

Malfoy sneers at him while he dices beetroots, "Honestly, Potter, were you not paying attention?"

Harry subconsciously rubbed his hand where the words were carved, "Uh, yeah, I just-"

Malfoy's eyes landed on Harry's hand, and he seemed to remember his detention, too. His face softened, then went totally emotionless. "We're making blood replenishing potions. We're on step fifthteen. Don't go zoning out on me again, Potter."

Harry started measuring out ingredients, silently panicking about the amount of time he was out of it. On step fifthteen? He really needed to get his head in the game, but that was just so overly difficult.

Harry reaches over to grab a different sized knife, and his hand briefly touches Malfoy's, who is trying to get the same knife. Malfoy raised and eyebrow and Harry sighs, letting Malfoy take the knife.

They completed the potion, Harry zoning in and out off it half the time, but the potion turned out well nonetheless. Malfoy was a potion's expert, after all. Malfoy didn't comment on Harry's poor performance in class, which was odd. He kept glancing at Harry's hand, which always made Harry think that there was something going on he didn't know about. Yeah, he'd definitely have to ask Hermione about Umbridge's quill. If he remembered, that is.

He kept messing up in his other classes, and Ron and Hermione kept asking what was wrong, but Harry kept forgetting to tell them. It was infuriating, being so incompetent.

That night, he slept well.