Sparks fly
Harry doesn't remember him at all in their first year.
It's a low blow considering he had all these plans where Harry was already in love with him as well. He discards several pages of notes and takes up correspondence with Dora once he's settled in the castle.
She'll know what to do.
–
He makes friends with a muggleborn named Hermione. She's nice and she likes to study which confuses him because she's sitting in the library in red and not blue and he tells her as such, but she just shrugs.
"It was an option actually" she tells him over their potions essay revision "I just don't really care for the color much"
Draco nods "I was originally expected to be in Slytherin" he informs her, as he crosses out a redundant portion of her essay "but because my dad was in Slytherin, mother thought it better if I asked nicely for another house"
Hermione looks confused, until he remembers she wasn't born into the wizarding world and so he tells her about his father's involvement in the war. There's the usual practice instilled in him to inform and educate, taught by his mother to show penance this way. There's also the calm pride of his cousin sitting in the back of his skull telling him to say "but it's not my fault and I shouldn't be held accountable for my father's actions".
"We don't go to see him or anything" he adds "Mother says he's a piss poor father and that he should rot in hell for all eternity"
"Well that's awful Draco"
He shrugs as he hands her back her essay "Shouldn't have been a piss poor father then I guess" she swats at his arm for the language "But Reg, my cousin was a Slytherin and so was my mother so they can't all be bad"
This starts a whole interesting debate whether or not familiar ties have anything to do with which house you get put in. Whether it's something passed through lineage or not, but because Hermione is the first of her family and Draco simply asked to be placed somewhere else, the data is skewed. They contemplate Harry Potter because of this, Gryffindor family line and all that, Draco tries not to think about it too much. They usually have these types of debates on the way to their arithmancy class on Tuesdays.
"Still, you should be in Ravenclaw, you're much smarter than the boot" he whispers conspiratorially as they walk down a corridor.
"Terry Boot" Hermione smacks him "is perfectly fine in the smarts department, you just don't like him because he snores"
He was going to blatantly lie to her but he got distracted by Harry laughing along to something the red headed boy he's with says. He has gotten much taller the last couple months at school, not that Draco was keeping track. He's standing tall and handsome, green eyes dark and lovely, hair all over the place, tie a little crooked. He's lovely.
"He's so terribly handsome, isn't he?" Draco brushes Hermione's shoulder with his.
"Who?" She peers over at the two boys "Oh Draco, not Ron" she frowns "He eats with his mouth full it's disgusting"
"No" Draco gasps "not the redhead"
"Harry?"
"Surely you didn't think I was talking about Ron!" He whispers furiously "His family hates mine for starters"
Hermione giggles and Draco is appalled as she walks faster past the two boys, Draco following behind.
"Hi Harry" Hermione waves as they walk by, Draco watches in fascination as Harry tracks their movements and gives a little wave "Hello Mione" his eyes look at Draco very briefly before going back to chatting with Ron.
"Oh my god. He looked at me"
"Draco he's just a boy get it together"
–
It becomes a normal thing.
They walk to their one class they have together, Hermione says "Hi Harry" he says "Hello Mione" and he looks at Draco for a fraction of a second.
It's lovely.
–
He's not so sure they will get married but at the very least, he's nice to look at. So Draco just admires from afar and laughs at the things Hermione tells him and before he knows it, it's fourth year.
Hermione and Harry become friends and through that so does Draco. It's very tentative. It's small things and Draco likes them well enough, he's still very nice to look at.
It's "Hey Draco, do you mind helping me study for potions?" In which Draco dies on the spot and helps him study with Hermione at the same library table. He gets frustrated on just HOW someone can be so dumb over simple potions and Hermione laughs at him for days afterwards.
It's "Morning Draco" in the hallway as he walks by. In which he thinks about it for weeks and weeks.
It's "Hey mate" sometimes on the quidditch field.
That's the one where he has a meltdown to Luna Lovegood of all people on the couch in the common room. Her presence is calming and they form a small but beautiful friendship where she listens to him talk and he listens to her talk and then he also threatens anyone who tries to steal her stuff. He also says a few choice things that would probably get him in trouble with his mother but he knows Reg would appreciate, so he doesn't feel too bad about it. They later find out that they are cousins somewhere in the circle of what should be their family tree, small world.
Soon it's Draco and Hermione and Luna. Eventually it's Ginny and Neville and Pansy as well. But they come later.
–
Ginny is the newest addition to their group and newest to their unofficial "Potter fan club", population 2. Hermione is still just as annoyed at him over it as she was in 2nd year when the membership count was still just 1, so now it's double annoying for her. Something Draco is very happy about.
The fan club isn't much more than sighing dreamily and gushing over silly things like a "hey Ginny" or "Hello Draco" and they are okay with it.
It eventually just becomes time to talk about boys in their class, eventually Hermione joins in on that because she has an awful lot to say about Ron Weasley (derogatory).
Pansy joins only to bitch about Slytherin boys being grabby and it later becomes a "love interest bitch fest" because quoting Pansy "boys are not nearly as pretty as girls". And they are accepting of all types, thank you very much.
Neville joins because Luna joins. He talks about how much he can't stand Snape and so it counts as boy talk, because unfortunately Snape is a boy. Luna is just there for the vibes.
The thing is they can't call it a fanclub anymore, they just have to deal with the fact that they are friends now. But it's more fun if there is a theme, Pansy agrees.
–
"I'm just saying" Hermione pats the table in front of her, today they are in the Gryffindor common room because it's rude to assume they can't just go where they please since their group is of mixed houses "that he could at least try to understand where I'm coming from"
"I think he's a piece of shit" Pansy looks up from filing her nails, "if he can't understand the simplest of emotions he's not mature enough to date" she shrugs, going back to admire her cuticles.
Hermione sighs leaning into Draco's space to place her head on his shoulder. Fluffy hair going into his mouth as he lays his head on top of hers.
"Yeah well he isn't the smartest we already know this" Draco adds.
"He also snores really loud" Neville pipes up from the textbook he's reading in front of his face.
"Also he's a redhead"
"Pansy" Ginny laughs "I'm a redhead"
"Yeah so? You're a girl" Pansy smirks "and girls are just naturally prettier" Ginny coos back at her.
Neville nods unhelpfully.
"He's actually really kind" Luna's soft voice joins in "he helped me find my shoes last year no matter how many nargles he had floating around his head"
"He's a good brother even if he's an idiot" Ginny supplies thoughtfully.
Hermione just sighs.
"There there fluff ball" Pansy reaches over to pat her cheek "I'm sure he'll mature in due time"
"Like a gross redheaded wine"
"Draco that's mean" Ginny sputters out a laugh.
He waves her off as he spots a familiar redhead walking over with Harry on his way behind him.
"Shh" Draaco frantically smacks Pansy's arm as she tries to talk to Hermione about all of Ron's shortcomings. She hisses up at him "What?"
He nods towards the two boys coming through the portrait hole and eyes wide, she smacks her hands on the table getting everyone's attention.
"Everyone shut up"
They return to their transfiguration essay as the final two chairs at their table are pushed out and sat on. Didn't even ask to sit. How rude.
"Hey guys" Harry smiles, it's soft and sweet and oh so good looking on him Draco can't look at him directly. It'd be like looking in the sun and he can't go blind just yet he has a test to study for. He just nods back as Harry looks at him and then returns back to staring at his book as Hermione hits his leg with her hand. He ignores her.
"Hello Harry hello Ron" Luna, ever the loveliest of them all smiles up at them "We were just talking about you"
The silence is palpable. Draco sits up straighter and looks at Hermione, she looks back at him and they both turn to look at Luna. Not the loveliest of them anymore, he takes it back. Pansy is trying to hold in her laughter while Neville hides behind his book.
Ginny looks like she's positively glowing.
"Why?" Ron asks, baffled while Harry looks intrigued.
"It's our fanclu-'' Draco sends a silencing charm her way just as Hermione leaps across the table to press her hand to her mouth. A combo attack for the ages. Luna just smiles under Hermione's palm. Ginny snorts.
Draco can feel his cheeks redden and he refuses to meet Harry's eyes as he puts his wand back down on the table. He smiles menacingly at Weasley instead.
"We were talking about how much you snore Weasley" Draco schools himself just enough to slide his eyes over towards the redhead, "Poor Neville can't sleep at night over all the noise"
He leans across the table in a whisper "I could hear you all the way in Ravenclaw tower" he tsks as he sits back "might wanna get that checked out"
Luna nods happily.
"Shut up Malfoy" Ron seethes, standing up from his chair to glower over him. Draco folds his arms over his chest with an eyebrow raised "Or what, Weasley?"
"Or-or-"
Draco finds himself smirking "or you'll stutter at me?" He presses a hand to his chest and flutters his lashes "You really know how to speak to a boy Weasley" he smiles slow and warm, "be careful or I might fall for you"
Ron sits back down red faced. Harry is laughing that beautiful laugh and smiles at Draco, he returns the smile obviously, but he looks over at Luna who is just laughing silently.
"Come on Luna, we have to get back before Filch threatens me with Azkaban again" he does a little flirty wave at Ron and winks at Hermione as he gathers his things.
"Goodbye everyone" he turns back around before he leaves "Good night Ronnie".
He hears Ginny laughing as the door shuts behind him.
He unsilenced Luna in the hallway only for her to giggle and then he starts giggling too.
–
"So, Ron huh?" Draco jumps as he turns to see Harry standing next to the empty chair beside him. The library is quiet today and he stares up at the boy in front of him, wondering how he got so close without him noticing. That boy needs a bell holy shit.
"What?" He has half a scone in his mouth that he stole from lunch, looking very undignified and very confused. He swallows "Ron who?"
Harry smirks as he sits down next to him, leaning his chin in his palm, gazing at Draco. He feels so sweaty. "Your crush?" Harry smirks.
"My what?"
"Your crush" he adds again.
"No yeah heard you the first time" Draco waves his hand in the air "My crush on whom?"
"Ron"
"Ron?"
"Yes"
"Ron Weasley?"
"Yup" Harry pops the p, looking devious as he does it. One eyebrow raised.
"I'm sorry" Draco breathes out "I'm very confused" he starts "why do you think I have a crush on Weasley? He's a redhead!"
Harry laughs low and sweet "Because you were flirting with him yesterday"
"I most certainly was not" Draco presses a hand to his chest in dismay.
"You really were"
"Oh please, god no I was not" Draco huffs, turning back to his textbook, hoping Hermione would hurry up and get here before he says something stupid.
If he just ignores this boy then all will be okay. But that is easier said than done when said boy moves closer and smells like freshly mowed grass and eucalyptus and he's just so warm. Draco needs to focus, so he leans closer to his book.
"So it's true then"
"The bloody fuck it is" Draco rips himself away from his book to glare at Harry, "I do not like Ron, I have barely ever even said two words to the boy and also he is not my type thank you very much".
He gathers his things, keeping his eyes off of Harry as he packs up his bag.
"Tell Hermione I grew tired of this truly abysmal conversation and that I've retired to my common room"
He stalks off in a huff to hear Harry laughing behind him.
He's almost out of the library when he realizes he didn't grab his bag and has to return to a laughing Harry to grab it. He knows his cheeks are warm and he just ducks his head and leaves.
Hermione sits next to him in the common room later and sighs.
"Harry is so oblivious"
"I know" Draco whines into her shoulder.