The torches flickered in the empty classroom, casting dancing shadows across ancient stone walls. Harry paced in front of Draco, his wand twirling between his fingers.
"You're doing it wrong again." Harry stopped and crossed his arms.
Draco lowered his wand, a scowl etched across his pointed features. "Well, if you're such an expert, Potter, enlighten me on my grievous mistakes."
"Focus on your happiest memory. What makes you genuinely happy?"
Draco's eyes flickered to Harry for a split second before darting away. "Beating you at Quidditch."
"That's your problem right there - you need a real memory, not fantasy."
"Oh, stuff it." Draco's pale cheeks flushed pink. "I've beaten you before."
"Once. When I fell off my broom because of Dementors." Harry stepped closer, a smirk playing at his lips. "Which is exactly why you need to learn this spell."
"I don't see why I can't just run away from them like a normal person."
"Because you're a wizard, not a track star." Harry rolled his eyes. "Try again. Think of something that actually makes you happy."
Draco raised his wand, his grip too tight. "Expecto Patronum!" A weak silver wisp sputtered from his wand tip and died.
"You're too tense. Here-" Harry moved behind Draco, reaching around to adjust his wand arm. "Relax your shoulder."
Draco's breath hitched. "I am relaxed."
"Right, and I'm Merlin himself." Harry's fingers brushed against Draco's sleeve. "Your arm's stiffer than a board."
"Maybe because you're breathing down my neck, Potter."
"Would you rather I let you fail miserably on your own?"
"I'd rather you-" Draco spun around, but his foot caught on his own robes. He tumbled forward, crashing into Harry and sending them both sprawling to the floor.
Harry's glasses went askew as Draco landed on top of him, their faces inches apart. "Smooth move, Malfoy."
"Shut up." Draco's face burned crimson. "This is your fault."
"How exactly is your clumsiness my fault?"
"You were... distracting me."
"Distracting you?" Harry's eyebrows shot up. "How?"
"By being insufferably... you."
Neither moved. Harry could count each of Draco's pale eyelashes from this distance.
"Are you planning to get off me anytime soon?" Harry's voice came out softer than intended.
"Maybe I'm comfortable here." Draco's attempt at haughtiness failed spectacularly as his voice cracked.
"Right. Because lying on top of your rival is completely normal."
"When have we ever been normal, Potter?"
A portrait on the wall cleared its throat loudly. Draco scrambled up, straightening his robes with shaking hands.
"Let's... try again." Harry stood, adjusting his glasses. "Think of something that makes you truly happy. Not winning, not showing off - something real."
"Like what?" Draco's voice had lost its usual edge.
Harry scratched his head. "I don't know - puppies? Ice cream? Your father being sent to Azkaban?"
"Potter!" Draco's wand whipped up.
"Kidding! Though your face just now-" Harry ducked as a jinx flew over his head. "See? That made you smile!"
"I'm not smiling, I'm plotting your demise." But the corner of Draco's mouth twitched.
"Come on, there must be something. What about that time Hermione punched you? That made everyone else happy."
"Do you want me to hex you? Because this is how you get hexed." Draco aimed his wand again, but Harry could see him fighting back a grin.
With a sudden determination, Draco closed his eyes, and a faint smile crept across his lips as he declared, "Expecto Patronum!" Silver light burst from his wand, stronger than before. It didn't take shape, but the mist swirled around them both before fading.
"That was better!" Harry beamed. "What did you think about?"
"None of your business, Potter." But Draco's smile remained.
"Come on, you can tell me. Was it the time Snape gave you extra points for breathing?"
"You're impossible." Draco jabbed his wand at Harry's chest. "And if you must know, it wasn't about Snape."
"Then what?"
"If you're so curious..." Draco stepped closer, lowering his voice. "Maybe you should figure it out yourself, Oh Chosen One."
Harry leaned against a desk, arms crossed. "Is this your way of saying I'm your happiest memory, Malfoy?"
"Don't flatter yourself." Draco twirled his wand between long fingers. "Though I must admit, watching you fall off your broom that one time brought me immense joy."
"Funny, because I distinctly remember someone screaming my name in terror when that happened."
"I did not scream." Draco's cheeks flushed. "I was... expressing concern for a fellow student."
"Right. And that's why you sent me chocolate frogs in the hospital wing?"
"Those weren't from me!"
"They had little snake drawings on the card." Harry grinned. "Unless there's another Slytherin who doodles snakes wearing tiny scarves?"
Draco spun away, but not before Harry caught his mortified expression. "That proves nothing. Everyone knows you have a sweet tooth."
"And everyone knows you're terrible at lying." Harry pushed off the desk. "Your left eye twitches."
"It does not!" Draco's hand flew to his face.
"Made you check though."
"I hate you, Potter."
"Sure you do. That's why you're here, letting me teach you advanced magic, standing suspiciously close-"
"I am not standing close!" Draco took a dramatic step backward, tripped over his own feet again, and grabbed Harry's robes to steady himself.
Harry caught him by the elbows. "You were saying?"
"This is harassment." But Draco didn't let go of Harry's robes. "I'm reporting you to McGonagall."
"For what? Teaching you defensive spells or catching you when you fall?"
"For being an insufferable prat who won't stop smirking at me."
"You like my smirk."
"I do not- stop doing that with your face!"
"Doing what?" Harry's smirk widened.
"That!" Draco gestured wildly at Harry's face. "That thing where you look all... Potter-ish."
"Potter-ish?"
"Yes! With your stupid hair and your stupid glasses and your stupid-" Draco's hands were still fisted in Harry's robes, pulling them closer with each word.
"Careful, Malfoy. Someone might think you're about to kiss me."
"As if I'd ever-" Draco's eyes dropped to Harry's mouth. "You'd be lucky if I- I mean-"
A loud BANG echoed through the classroom as Peeves zoomed through the wall, cackling and throwing chalk.
"Ooooh!" The poltergeist did a loop-de-loop. "Potter and Malfoy, sitting in a tree! K-I-S-S-"
"PEEVES!" They jumped apart as if burned.
"Should I tell the whole school?" Peeves grabbed more chalk. "Or just the teachers? Or maybe write it on the walls-"
"Do it and I'll tell the Bloody Baron you've been stealing his chains!" Harry threatened.
Peeves blew a raspberry. "Spoilsport! Fine, keep your secret smooching to yourselves!" He disappeared through the ceiling, his sing-song voice echoing: "Potter and Malfoy, sitting in a tree..."
"Well." Harry brushed chalk dust from his shoulder. "That was..."
"If you breathe a word of this to anyone-"
"Relax, Malfoy. Your reputation for being hopelessly in love with me is safe."
"I am not-" Draco sputtered. "You're the one who-" He jabbed his finger at Harry's chest. "This is all your fault!"
"My fault you can't keep your hands off me?"
"I'm leaving!" Draco stormed toward the door, robes swishing dramatically.
"Same time tomorrow?"
Draco froze at the doorway, his hand on the handle. "You're impossible."
"Is that a yes?"
"I hate you." But Draco's shoulders relaxed slightly.
"Tomorrow then. And maybe wear shoes that won't trip you."
"My shoes are fine!" Draco spun around. "It was your fault for-" He caught Harry's grin and stopped himself. "Tomorrow. But only because I refuse to let you be better at this than me."
He swept out of the room, but not before Harry caught the smile tugging at his lips.
Harry extinguished the torches with a flick of his wand and followed, whistling the tune Peeves had been singing.