Chapter Text
Mcgonagall's voice was no longer heard over the seas of uncontrollable gossip. Harry desperately tried deciphering what Ron was saying to him. Clearly, no one could hear each other even when sat right next to each other.
"What?—" yelled Harry, coming closer to Ron.
"I'm saying—"
"Silence." called out McGonagall.
Each teacher that sat at the table had the same concerned and uncertain look. They turned towards McGonagall, who was slowly growing impatient. She cleared her throat and shouted 'silence' again.
Fortunately, the riot was tamed. Everyone's gaze was back on Professor McGonagall and nothing but coughs and sniffles were heard.
"Like said, it has been decided that you will be doing your N.E.W.Ts." McGonagall declared. "I give the benefit of the doubt, the war was ruthless, however you still need to make up your minds on your future careers."
"These tests decide what path you take, even if they may be more difficult than the previous years." She walked away from the podium, continuing with her speech. "But I know all of you like the back of my wand, and I know that you'll do well enough."
Everyone turned to look at each other whilst McGonagall walked away and through the door. "You may leave."
"So, that's great." Harry stammered, unsure of what to say.
"I knew it." Hermione nodded.
"You knew?" Ron raised an eyebrow.
"Not necessarily, I just expected that to happen."
"Shouldn't they have told us earlier?" wondered Seamus, who kept his fingers on Dean's hand.
"I mean, they could have." Hermione replied.
Despite how loud the hall was, the group fell silent.
"…So, now can we go to Hogsmeade?" Neville murmured, turning to Harry.
Harry quickly looked out of the window and got up. It was still day. "Sure."
.☆。• *₊°。 ✮°。
Despite how boring the school day was, — dealing with more assigned homework and teachers with little patience for him — Harry was looking forward to the next Potions lesson at the end of the school day, as Professor Slughorn promised to do a practical lesson that day. Since studies on the Alihotsy draught was finished, Harry was excited to concoct a potion more advanced.
He stood patiently, outside of Slughorn's classroom and next to the others who are also waiting to be let in.
"Please, come in." Slughorn opened the door, his smile widening.
Upon walking in the classroom, Harry noticed how much Slughorn prepared the practical. Each of the 4 tables had 3 cauldrons sat up top, the wooden stools neatly tucked under the tables and 3 ceramic bowls —presumably holding the ingredients lavender, crocodile heart and peppermint in each — sat on top of Slughorn's neatly decorated desk. A wave of students gathered around the tables and beside the towering bookshelves, Harry followed the crowd, standing beside the tainted window.
"As I said previously, this lesson will be a practical." Slughorn walked around, glancing at the group of students. "So we will put our knowledge of the Calming drought to the test."
He continued rambling, pacing around the room. "Anyone who was absent previously will have to take a spare book and study it whilst creating the draught."
But no one could hear the voice of Slughorn, as each student were chatting amongst themselves, asking each other if they want to pair up. Harry caught a glimpse of Ron and Hermione, who he assumed would ask each other to work together, but also a glimpse of Malfoy who stood in between Pansy and Blaise.
"However, don't get too giddy." Slughorn paused and waited for the students to stop talking. "I have made up my mind whether you can work with whoever you want, and sadly you won't be able to pick who to work with."
A few groaned, some murmured.
"I thought we would be able to work with whoever we want?" One asked, that being Susan Bones, who clutched a book in her hand.
"I'm sorry, but I have categorized everyone with the same peers of the same skills." explained Slughorn, pulling on his yellow collar. "You will have to get along just for today, if you cannot already."
More moaned and complained. Harry couldn’t help but look at Ron and Hermione, who were slightly disappointed.
Slughorn cleared his throat, walking towards the closest table to the door. He called out names quickly. "Zabini and Granger, the first cauldron."
Shocked, Harry looked back at Ron, who was just as confused as he was. Quickly, Harry made his way through the crowd and towards Ron, who tapped his foot on the floor and furrowed his eyebrows.
"What on earth?" Ron whispered angrily.
"Calm down, Ron." Harry counselled. "I'm sure it's fine."
"It sure doesn't feel like it right now." Ron watched as Hermione stood beside Blaise, fidgeting.
Every student was called out, standing beside their assigned pair.
Eventually, Ron left too.
"Parkinson and Weasley." Slughorn announced and walked towards the 3rd table.
"Well that's just great." Ron sighed and walked towards the 3rd table.
"Good luck." Harry smirked.
"Shove off."
Everything felt like a blur to Harry, who kept his gaze on the floor and his mind bleak. Until everyone was paired up, almost. All but two. Harry and the last student stood waiting, and realised—
In a quick flash, Harry's heartbeat jumped and his eyes widened.
You've got to be kidding. Harry thought to himself.
"Potter and Malfoy." Slughorn tapped on the last desk beside the window.
A small exasperated sigh came from Malfoy, who trudged towards Harry and the cauldron. The boy dropped his bag on the floor and leaned on the dark stone pillar beside.
"Now that everyone is ready, one of you will come and collect the ingredients." Slughorn smiled politely. "Remember how many of each we need."
Half of the students walked up to the desk, picking out enough lavender, peppermint and pieces of crocodile heart.
"Uhm—" Harry held his hands behind his back.
" 'Uhm' what?" Malfoy mocked.
Harry was unsure if he or Malfoy would walk up to get the ingredients.
"Are you going, or are you going to stand around doing nothing?" Draco crossed his arms, his lips curling.
"I'll go get them." Harry huffed and ambled to the desk. He found himself smiling awkwardly at Slughorn, who waited for Harry to take the ingredients. Just before he left, he found himself next to Hermione.
"Kill me." He whispered to Hermione, who laughed in return.
"Took you long enough." nagged Malfoy, who was carefully examining his nails. "Had a bit of a chat?"
"Who the fuck do you think you are being so rude all of a sudden?" Harry accused, standing beside Malfoy and slamming the ingredients on the table.
"I always was?" he said obliviously.
"Yeah but," Harry whispered, coming closer to him. "Not anymore as such."
"Shush, Potter. "Draco mouthed. "Not the best place to talk."
"Wha?— Ohh… I get it." taunted Harry, who casted aguamenti and heated up the cauldron. "Putting on a show, are we?"
"I said not the best place to talk."
"When you say it like that it makes me wonder that you will talk about it, just somewhere else."
"That's because I will—." He asserted, took the lavender flowers and placed them on the cutting board.
”Is everything okay?” Slughorn asked, turning his head towards the pair.
”Certainly, sir.” Malfoy’s face hadn’t changed at all, his head down and staring at the cutting board.
During the practical, Harry noticed Draco struggling a bit, who cut up the lavender slowly, his hands trembling. Yet, Harry wondered how he had cut it up into the finest blocks of lavender so precisely.
"Not good with knives are we?" Harry teased, slowly mixing the heated water.
"Merlin forbid someone is careful."
Careful.
"Are you seriously still thinking about quidditch practice?" Harry felt offended.
"No…?" Draco looked up and lifted the knife. "Was I?"
"Huh… It just sounded like something you said to me after quidditch practice."
"Right." Draco mumbled, pouring all of the blocks into the cauldron.
Whilst Draco stirred the mixture more, Harry couldn't help but watch Ron struggle to deal with Pansy, who kept nagging him. He then proceeded to watch Slughorn assist other students.
"Next." Malfoy declared, taking the spoon out of the cauldron.
"Oh err—… Is it crocodile heart next or peppermint?" Harry asked, averting his gaze away from Ron.
"It's peppermint." He swipes his hand over the counter, searching for the oil, which Harry was meant to make. Draco stared at the solid peppermint and sighed. "You haven't even made it into oil."
"Sorry, I forgot."
Hoping he could reach the peppermint beside Draco, Harry stretched and grabbed the ingredient successfully. But not as successful as he thought.
Accidentally, Harry's tanned hand brushed over Draco's right arm. Tense, Harry shivered, startling Draco.
"What the—?" He jumped and grabbed his arm, taking a step back. His hair ruffled and his eyes narrowed.
"Sorry, accident."
"Whatever." Draco mumbled under his breath. “It’s fine.”
To avoid awkwardness, Harry attempted to change the subject whilst crushing the peppermints. "Do you think studies on these draughts will be on our N.E.W.Ts?"
"I hope so." Draco began, his tone shifting softly. "They're the easiest part of potions. You just have to remember which ingredient belongs to which draught."
Harry hummed and glanced at Draco, who still stirred the cauldron and continued mixing the peppermint into oil.
"What do you think?" Malfoy muttered.
"Sorry?"
"About N.E.W.Ts, in general."
"Well, we all really don't want to do them, but we have to. I think it just intimidates some people."
"Are you intimidated by them?" This time, Draco sounded genuine. No mockery or sarcasm in his tone.
"Aren't we all?" He laughed nervously.
"Yeah, all exams are like that. It's meant to intimidate you," Malfoy pondered — lost in thought — and muttered; "so you are introduced to the challenge."
"You sound like someone I know—." Harry exclaimed just before a loud clang erupted, echoing, causing both of them to jump.
Heads turned to face the pair and the class fell quiet.
"You fucking idiot—!" Pansy snapped, picking up the cauldron. "How did you manage to mess up this badly?!"
"Language, Parkinson." Professor Slughorn furrowed his brows.
"Well it's not my fault you put peppermint oil in first!" Ron accused, brushing the ash off of his shirt.
"Calm down, both of you." Slughorn walked up to his desk and offered the pair the lost ingredients.
"Huh." Harry observed Malfoy, who seemed startled yet concerned. Finally, the peppermint oil was mixed and ready. "Here."
"Oh." He poured the oil gently and mixing the concoction carefully. Pausing, he passed the spoon to Harry, who seemed a bit perplexed. "Do you mind?"
"What?— oh, not at all." Harry grabbed the spoon and continued mixing. Quickly, he glanced back at Draco, who was chopping up the crocodile heart.
Just before they could drop in the last ingredient, Professor Slughorn intervened and looked at their draught.
"How are we doing?" He held his hands, examining their cauldron. "No mishaps?"
"All okay." Harry nodded. However, with how focused Draco was on finishing the draught, Malfoy didn't hear a thing Professor Slughorn said. Harry poked Malfoy with his elbow.
"What?" Draco yelped. "Oh—. Great, sir."
"That's wonderful! I can't wait to see the finished product." Slughorn wobbled to the next pair next pair. "Who knows, it may be worth keeping."
"Wait…" Draco paused. "I thought it wasn't a contest?"
"Change of plans, I guess." Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Ready?"
"Ready." Draco dropped the chopped pieces of crocodile heart into the substance which immediately fizzled upon contact. Staring blankly, the two stood beside each other.
"Is it meant to fizz?" Harry asked, turning towards Malfoy.
"It's like you haven't even studied." Draco teased. "Yes, it is supposed to fizzle."
Once the fizzling stopped, Harry looked down at the cauldron and examined the substance closely. A deep blue colour filled the cauldron, one like the sea at night. How calming.
"Has everyone finished their draught?..." Slughorn mentioned, walking back to his desk. "…apart from them two?"
Finally, everyone had stopped and stood beside their work.
"Good, let's begin." Slughorn stood beside a box in the corner, taking out a small glass vial out of it. He made his way to the front of the classroom. "Anyone who made the best draught deserves to keep it for yourselves in a small vial."
He waved his hand at the students, with which they all formed a circle in front of the bookshelves. Walking around the classroom, he inspected each cauldron perfectly.
"Hmm."
Taking his wand out of his pocket, he casted a few spells, examining each of the mixtures' reactions. Harry had expected Hermione and Blaise's draught to catch Slughorn's eye, but clearly not. A few fizzled more, a few blew bubbles, but once Slughorn approached Harry and Draco's cauldron, he casted the spell. Astounded, he turned to the audience.
"What a beauty. So pristine, yet delicate." Slughorn's eyes were back on the cauldron, gazing at their concoction. "How perfect."
Voices slowly rose from the crowd and when Harry glanced back at Malfoy, he saw him standing up straight and proudly.
"Well I must say, I have made up my mind." Slughorn dipped the vial into the cauldron and took a sample of the Calming draught. "This, is a perfect example that it is best to work with someone of the same skills, even if you can't seem to get along."
A few cheered and some gossiped. Instead of seeing Malfoy standing so tall, he found him slightly flushed and looking down at his shoes.
"Please, may you two come up and take this vial of Calming draught?"
Harry walked up first, with Slughorn giving him the vial to hold and show the crowd. Standing beside him was Malfoy, who had his arms crossed and his head turned away from them.
"Enjoy your peace." Slughorn grinned. A round of applause followed and now the pair stood awkwardly in the middle of the classroom.
"Err— you take it." Harry gave the vial to Malfoy.
"No, you." Draco passed it back and into Harry's hand.
"Uhm—" Harry stammered, unsure of what to say.
"I don't care." He whispered softly just before walking to Blaise and Pansy. "Just keep it, you idiot."
Dumbfounded, Harry stood and glanced around the room to find Hermione’s plotting face.
Watching as Hermione nodded at Blaise and grabbed her cauldron and a bottle out of her bag, Harry followed her and stood beside her table.
"What are you doing?" He asked, leaning on the table beside her.
"Taking what's mine." replied Hermione, opening the bottle.
"Not all yours." Ron mentioned as he walked towards them.
"Blaise is fine with it. You best believe I'm keeping it." Hermione slowly poured the mixture into the bottle. "Who knows when it will be useful."
"Yeah." Harry looked away and at the vial, caressing the glass gently.
Slowly, the trio began to pack away and tidy up their spaces, grabbing their bags and strutting closer to the door.
"How on earth did you two get it so perfect?" Hermione grasped her bag.
"Uh, it's mainly Malfoy's work. Maybe that's why."
"Yeah, but you still made it with him." she said, opening the door. "Didn't know you two could operate so well together."
"With some bickering, of course." Ron added.
"Yeah but, I just expected to much worse to happen." Harry said sheepishly. "It just feels weird when nothing bad happens."
"Well then, cheers to unexpected outcomes." Ron laughed, clanking the vial Harry held in his hand and walking with them down the hallway and towards the stairs.