The beginning
Malfoy meets Harry’s eyes across the great hall. He gives his signature scowl and turns his gaze away. That small interaction made Harry’s stomach turn. The reaction surprises Harry. He has only felt this way about Cho before. ‘Maybe I’m getting sick’ Harry thinks.
“Fuck he’s annoying, Draco says to Blaise “Who?” “Potter” “Can’t you let it rest? If ou keep this going people will think you have a different kind of obsession on him” Said Blaise. “Shut up idiot” Draco retorted.
Hogwarts got covered in a blanket of snow over the next week. The Gryffindors were slowly making their way across the grounds towards the greenhouses for herbology. The class was covering Mandrakes today, Neville was ecstatic, babbling Harry, Ron and Hermione’s ears off about their different uses and properties. Harry didn’t hear a word. He was still thinking about Malfoy’s look the other day. There was something different about him lately. He had been glaring over at Harry a lot more lately. What could he be planning?
“What’s up?” “What?” “What’s going on?” Ron asked Harry. “What do you mean?” “You didn’t answer when Sprout asked you that question about the leaves” “I wouldn’t have known the answer anyway” “What were you thinking about” ”Malfoy’s planning something” Harry said without preamble. Ron looked exasperated. “What now?”. Even Ron, who had before been quick to jump into Harry’s conspiracies, was questioning. “You’re always thinking Malfoy’s up to something” “He’s been acting odd lately, staring at me across the hall every mealtime” “Maybe you just want him to look at you” Chimed in Dean “I always wanted to think Seamus was looking at me before we got together” “Hell no, Dean” Harry snapped “I don’t want to shag Malfoy thanks” “How do you notice that Malfoy’s been acting weird, then” Asked Hermione. “I don’t know. I just do.” “You pay way too much attention to him, mate” Harry ignored this and went back to his plant.
Harry started keeping a close eye on Malfoy, well a closer eye. This time he took care to be more discreet to avoid Ron and Hermione’s attention. Harry kept dashing into toilets on breaks to find and follow Malfoy’s every movement on the Marauder’s map. After locating him. he would often alter his route to lessons to “accidentally” run into Malfoy. Though Harry could stalk Malfoy this way, he kept arriving to his classes late. “Late again mr. Potter” “Sorry professor McGonagall” ”Meet me after class” McGonagall said briskly.
“Two days?” Ron exclaimed. “How do you get two days detention just for being late a few times? Why have you been late so much anyway” “Upset stomach” Harry lied. He didn’t want his friends to know his plans just yet. Harry’s homework had been piling up again with quidditch practice almost every night. Now he would have two nights when he wouldn’t have time to catch up because of detention. He would have to start skipping breakfast again.
“I’m starving” Harry said to Hermione sitting next to her in the charms classroom. “Why didn’t you come to breakfast?” She asked. “Had to do the essay for Bins” “Why couldn’t you just do it tonight?” “I’ve got the second detention.” Hermione looked pityingly at Harry. “Just try to be on time for lessons”
McGonagall had made Harry organize a new order of books for the library. “Mister Malfoy will be joining you tonight” Said McGonagall pointing to the side of her office where Malfoy was sitting. ‘Oh god no’ Harry thought. The evening was going to be long. “I have a meeting to get to. Potter, please tell Malfoy what to do " "But professor couldn’t you…” “No I can not, mr. Malfoy. Get to it”
“Okay so we have to sort these alphabetically. A-E in this box, F-J in that one etc.” Harry said, pointing to different boxes with the letters written on the sides. “So easy even you can’t mess it up, Malfoy” “Fuck off Potter.
The boys sorted books in silence for a while until Malfoy decided he had to say something.
“Are you following me?” “I’m not here by choice” “No, in the corridors” “Why the hell would I follow you? I try to avoid you if anything” Harry lied. “Oh” Draco sounded almost disappointed.
“He’s not following me.“ Draco said to Pansy when he finally got back to the common room after detention. “How do you know?” “Asked him” “When?” Malfoy told Pansy all about the detention. “Are you sure you’re not following him?” “How could I. I’m going to bed.” “20 galleon says Draco likes Potter” Pansy says to Blaise. “No way, he hates Potter. I’ll take those odds”