I try not to care (but it hurts my feelings)
~•*•~
Harry Potter
~•*•~
Harry Potter wanted nothing more than to experience a normal school year. He came back to Hogwarts for an eighth year along with most of the survivors from the war. Ron, Hermione, Ernie Macmillan, and a few others from Gryffindor. Though there weren't many ravenclaws or hufflepuffs that he knew by name, there were plenty of slytherins. Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zambini, Theodore nott, Lorenzo Berkenshire, Mattheo Riddle, and Draco Malfoy.
Harry had broken up with Ginny at the beginning of the year. She had been all to understanding when he explained that it just didnt feel right. Harry hadn't told her that she felt like a last minute decision to try and have someone care if he was gone
She'd moved on quickly afterward, getting with Luna. They were happy together.
Ron and Hermione had officially gotten together about the same time he broke up with Ginny. They were happy to.
It seemed the only person who wasnt happy was Harry. But he didn't like to think about that.
Instead, he'd thought about how convenient it had been for Headmistress Mcgonagall to room him with Draco Malfoy and no one else when the eighth year dorms had been announced. The house, named the dumbledor house, was temporary and was to be destroyed when the eighth years graduated.
Now, Harry was sprawled out on his bed, procrastinating on his potions homework and trying desperately not to think about the fact the Malfoy was only a few feet away.
A knock came from the door prying Harry from his thoughts.
Harry shot out of his bed to answer it, his knees cracking in the process causing Malfoy to chuckle. Harry rolled his eyes as he opened the door to reveal a smiling Ron weasley.
"Hey Mate," The redhead said in a cheerful voice, "Mione and I are about to head down to the library to study, wanna come?" Harry thought about it for a moment. Recently, he'd felt like he was always intruding on the new couple's time, third wheeling if you will. So he shook his head and made up some excuse about having a headache.
A few minutes past and Harry finally pulled out his book. He'd gotten much better at potions since he no longer had to worry about Voldemort but he still wasn't great. he tried to answer the problem multiple times, failing consistently. It got to the point where he genuinely felt like throwing his text book.
Harry let out a loud groan and flopped back onto his bed, closing his eyes.
"For Merlin's sake, what now, Potter" Malfoy said in annoyance. Harry let out another grunt but didn't respond.
Not a moment later, Harry heard squeaking from the other boy's bed. He opened his eyes to see Malfoy inspecting his homework. Harry shot up and opened his mouth to say something but whatever it was died in his throat when he looked at Malfoy.
Malfoy looked different than he did before the war. His typically slick hair was long and fluffy and it softened his face. He wore two silver necklaces, one with a snake charm and the other with a cursive 'm' that no doubt stood for malfoy. Suddenly, to Harry's horror, he thought that Malfoy looked attractive. Harry quickly shook the thought away.
"take a picture, it'll last longer" Harry was knocked out of his trance by Malfoy's words and his face contorted into a scowl. "shut up Malfoy. What are you even doing?" He questioned. Malfoy just shrugged and climbed onto Harry's bed, book still in his hand.
Harry didnt object. Instead, he studied Malfoy more, mainly his attire. His baggy green hoodie and black sweat pants made him seem so much smaller.
Malfoy hummed as he pulled a green pen from behind his ear. Harry's eyes flicked down to the paper to see what Malfoy was writing, but He couldn't really see it. Malfoy handed him back the paper, said "you're welcome," and trudged back to his bed. Harry glanced at the paper, and the problem was correct.
"Thanks" Harry grumbled, begrudgingly using Malfoy's work as an example. He still wasnt getting it though, so he gave up. Shoving the book to the end of the bed, burying his head in his hands. Malfoy let out scoff and returned to his previous spot on Harry's bed.
Then, Malfoy shifted closer. And Harry did aswell. Their arms were pressed up against eachother, Malfoy was staring at the paper and Harry was staring at Malfoy.
Harry studied the light blush that dusted Malfoys Cheeks, the way he chewed on his bottom lip as he did the problem. The warmth coming off of Malfoy was driving Harry insane. He was, for all intents and purposes, completely entranced.
the Silence that filled the room was comfortable, interrupted only by the sound of pen on paper.
That was until Pansy Parkinson and Theodore Nott burst into the room.
Malfoy jumped away, but Harry was to dumbfounded to follow suit.
"What were you two doing?" Pansy said with a smirk.
"Golden Boy over here was struggling with his potions homework." Harry's eyes never left Malfoy as he walked towards the door. He didnt miss the way Malfoy's cheeks turn just a slightly darker shade of pink.
Harry vaguely heard Nott ask Malfoy if he was coming to dinner but he was far to focused on staring at his potions work and seeming uninterested in the conversation. Harry glanced up a final time, catching Malfoy's gaze, who whipped his head around and hurried out the door.
Harry listened to the trio's retreating footsteps disappear before he flopped down onto his back, hand covering his eyes. The only thing on his mind for the rest of the night was how close Malfoy had been and how it had made him feel.
~•*•~
Draco Malfoy
~•*•~
"So, the savior doesnt know how to do potions?" Theo joked as the trio walked down to dinner. Pansy chuckled but Draco just rolled his eyes.
"Y'know, I heard he's got tattoos" Pansy whispered. Draco perked up at that.
"A hell of a lot of piercings too" Blaise chimed in.
"The chosen one has tattoos and piercings?" Draco asked.
"Supposedly, yes. But the rumor was started by some 6th year girl who said they were messing around, so i doubt its true." Lorenzo stated.
As they entered the dining hall, the conversation fizzled out. They found their seats at the Dumbledore table, which was in the middle of the hall. As the silence continued Draco's eyes began to roam around the table, searching for someone he would never admit to looking for. As he glanced around, he never found Pot- the person. Actually he couldn't find any of the golden trio, but no one else seemed to notice their absence. Now that he was thinking about it, Draco rarely saw Potter at dinner since the start of the school year. He was actually unsure if he'd seen him eat at all.
Before Draco knew it, all his friends had finished their plates and were heading to their rooms. Draco looked down at his abandoned plate of half-eaten food and decided to head to bed aswell.
Draco spent the whole walk back trying and failing to keep his mind off of Potter. He really did try not to care what the Golden boy was doing with his time but after years of hyper focusing on him, it was difficult to say the least.
As they entered the common room, decorated in mostly purple but all house color were present, Draco said a halfhearted goodnight to his friends and hurried up the stairs. His pace slowed, however, when he began approaching the door to his dorm. It wasnt that He didnt want to see Potter, though he didn't. Draco was simply trying to figure out if he should bring up Potter's absence at dinner.
As Draco opened the door, He realized he wouldn't have to bring it up at all.
Potter was sprawled out on his bed, hand covering his eyes, in the same clothes he had been in before dinner. His potions homework and glasses were in between his legs.
Draco let out a sigh and walked over to Potter's bed, a smile dancing on his lips.
"Hey," he shoved Potter, "wake up"
After a few more seconds, Draco realized that there was no point in waking him up. Instead, He grabbed his wand and casted a few charms so Potter wouldn't have to wake up to brush his teeth, shower or get changed. Then he moved Potter's book and glasses to the night stand. Finally, Draco grabbed the red quilt at the end of the bed and threw it over Potter.
After he was finished, Draco was overcome with the urge to just look at Potter. Look at the way his hair had grown out since after the war. Look at how relaxed he was as he slept. Look at him.
"Y'know, I heard he's got tattoos" Pansy whispered. Draco perked up at that.
"A hell of a lot of piercings too" Blaise chimed in.
The memory popped into his head, and Draco was suddenly very curious on if the rumors were true. Potter's hair covered his ears now, and Draco had never paid much attention to them anyway. So Draco leaned forward and brushed the hair away from Potter's ear.
At least one of the rumors were true.
Gold jewelry littered the brunette's ear. There were three lobe piercings, a few he didn't know the names of, and one he was 90% sure was called an industrial. The piercings didn't look fresh except for the industrial. Feeling satisfied, Draco walked to his trunk to retrieve his things and get ready for bed.
If you asked Draco why he did what he did that night, he would never had told you, for he didn't know why either.
As Draco got ready for bed, he tried his best to rid his mind of Potter, but soon realized it was a fruitless effort. For years, Potter had been a distraction for the shit show that was his life before and during the war. But now, Potter was just there. Draco didn't need a distraction, but he still couldn't keep his eyes off him. It seemed he would be plagued with thoughts of the chosen one till the day he died.