Partners in Crime
It was supposed to be a simple project—Researching a magical creature and presenting it to the class. Nothing too hard. Nothing too out of the ordinary. But somehow, with Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter paired together, it had turned into a recipe for chaos.
The class had been divided into groups, and Harry had tried to look uninterested as Professor Flitwick called out names, pairing him with Draco for the project. Normally, the two of them would have squabbled over something as simple as who got to turn the page in a book. But today, it seemed that the universe had conspired to make them partners, and it was clear from the start that no one was ready for what came next.
As Harry and Draco made their way to their corner of the classroom, it didn’t take long for the whispers to begin. The air practically crackled with energy, as if the entire class knew something had shifted. Something no one was prepared for.
“So, Potter,” Draco began, his voice dripping with that smooth, teasing tone that had become all too familiar. “What do you think of the Flobberworm? Do you think it would appreciate a bit more… attention than the average creature?”
Harry raised an eyebrow, fighting the smile that tugged at his lips. “I’m sure you’d know all about giving attention, Malfoy,” he shot back, his voice low and slightly amused. “Though, I’ve heard you prefer something a little… more active than a Flobberworm.”
The class seemed to freeze at the sound of Harry’s words, and Draco’s eyes twinkled with mischief. “Oh, Potter,” Draco replied, his voice syrupy sweet, “I do like to be active. It’s just a matter of the right position for the job.” He shot Harry a glance, his lips curling into that dangerously seductive smirk that could make anyone weak in the knees. “Don’t you think?”
Blaise, sitting nearby, let out an audible cough, clearly trying not to choke on whatever he’d been sipping. “Merlin’s beard,” he muttered, glancing at Theo, who looked equally stunned. “Are they—?”
Pansy, who had been gossiping with Millicent across the room, suddenly perked up. “I swear, they’re trying to make us all die of embarrassment,” she whispered loudly, though it was clearly meant for Draco and Harry’s ears. “I mean, really—couldn’t they be a little less obvious?”
“Are you saying you don’t think I’m obvious, Pansy?” Draco’s voice floated over, cutting her off mid-sentence. His gaze met hers, completely unbothered. “Because, darling, I could be a lot worse if you wanted me to be.”
Pansy looked scandalized but mostly amused, her eyes flicking from Draco to Harry as if waiting for them to collapse into giggles. But the two of them were entirely composed, leaning over their project and pretending to examine their notes with the utmost seriousness.
Harry suppressed a grin as Draco casually leaned closer to him, his shoulder brushing Harry’s as he spoke in a voice just loud enough to be overheard. “You know, Potter,” Draco began, his voice dangerously quiet, “I’m very skilled when it comes to handling creatures—if you need any help, I’m more than happy to lend a hand. Or a wand.”
Harry’s lips twitched, but he quickly schooled his expression, trying to keep his voice casual. “I’m sure you are, Malfoy,” he said, leaning in so their faces were almost touching. “But I think I’ve got this under control. Besides, I’m not the one who gets easily distracted by the details.”
Draco’s eyes flashed, a mischievous glint dancing across his features as he tilted his head slightly. “Is that what you think?” he said, voice silky as he caught Harry’s wrist under the table, giving it a small squeeze. “Because, Potter, I’m very good at focus. I just need the right motivation.”
At this, the entire room seemed to pause. Even Flitwick looked up from his desk, eyes narrowing suspiciously at the two of them. Everyone had clearly heard it, and now the class was filled with a mixture of snickers, stifled laughs, and a few outright gasping students.
“You two are really something,” Theo Nott muttered under his breath, glancing over at Blaise, who was shaking his head in disbelief. “How do they even do that?”
“Honestly, I’m kind of impressed,” Blaise whispered back. “I thought Potter would be too straight-laced for this.”
“Well, look at him now,” Pansy said, smirking. “Clearly, Malfoy’s showing him how it’s done.”
Meanwhile, Draco had leaned in even closer to Harry, his breath warm against Harry’s ear. “What do you say, Potter?” he whispered, barely audible to anyone else. “Think you’re ready for the real challenge?”
Harry’s heart skipped at the teasing in Draco’s voice, and he could feel his resolve beginning to crack. He cleared his throat, doing his best to maintain some semblance of composure, but Draco was determined to break him, in more ways than one.
“I think I’ll manage,” Harry replied, eyes darting around to make sure the class hadn’t heard anything too incriminating. “Just don’t get too carried away, Malfoy. I might need some space to actually finish the project.”
Draco chuckled darkly, pulling back just slightly to look Harry up and down with an almost evaluative gaze. “Oh, Potter,” he said, clearly relishing the moment. “You’re so much more fun when you’re resisting.”
“You’re a menace,” Harry muttered, but the small smile tugging at his lips betrayed him. He had been caught—again.
Just as Flitwick came by, looking over their work, Harry knew it was going to be impossible to get through this class without the entire room assuming something more than just their magical project was going on. He shot Draco a sidelong glance as Flitwick asked them what they’d researched, and Draco only offered a sweet, completely innocent smile.
“We’ve learned quite a bit, Professor,” Draco said smoothly, giving Harry a quick, meaningful glance. “I’d say this creature’s quite flexible in its habits, don’t you agree, Potter?”
And there it was—another moment that sent the entire room into a snickering frenzy.
Flitwick didn’t even bat an eye. “Yes, well, flexibility is key when working with magical creatures,” he said dryly. “Just be sure you don’t overdo it.” He gave Harry and Draco one last look before walking away, though it was clear that Flitwick had caught on to their antics.
As the class continued, Draco leaned back in his seat, an air of smug satisfaction settling over him. He looked at Harry, who was still trying to keep his composure despite the burning flush on his face.
“You’re all mine, Potter,” Draco said with a grin, voice low enough to make Harry’s pulse spike. “Just admit it.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Harry muttered, rolling his eyes but secretly very aware of just how true that had become.
And just like that, their project wasn’t the only thing that had the class talking.