Chapter 6
The first meeting wasn’t super crowded. In fact, the room had about four people total, including Harry himself and Draco.
Ms. Burke and Ms. Foster were the only members who’d shown up, and Harry got the distinct feeling they were laughing at him.
“Professor Potter,” Draco drawls slowly, “Did you advertise for the club?”
“Erm, no?” Harry asked looking up from where the only two members stood.
“So how exactly would students know to come?” Draco was notably exasperated.
“Word of mouth?” He directs his attention to the girls who had taken to whispering to each other, “So ladies, Dra- Professor Malfoy has brought it to my attention that no one knows how to get here, whos ready to make some posters?”
***
Over the next hour or so, Harry does his best to help with the posters but it quickly becomes apparent Draco is far more suited to assist them with the art portion.
As it turns out Harry's art wasn’t much better than his handwriting, in his eagerness to help he ended up conjuring more paint than anyone could ever need and vanishing messes seconds after they were created.
Mostly he hovers over Draco’s shoulder waiting for a request.
“How do we feel about cards?” Draco proposes, “A student could subtly pick it up from a supporting teacher's classroom?”
“Do you still know how to do what you did with the Potter Stinks buttons?” Harry questions, causing Draco to flush.
“Did what?” Victoria asks, a smug grin making its way across her face.
Harry grins, “In fourth year Draco made these badges-”
Draco attempts to cut him off by covering his mouth but to no avail, he manages to speak around his hand and tell the full story to the girls in front of them.
At the end he says, “Draco was quite brilliant for being such a raging di-”
Draco clears his throat and finishes the sentence for him, “Jerk, I was quite the jerk.”
“Yeah that,” Harry agrees with a wink, the girls laugh at them.
“And yes I still remember the charm.”
“Well, could you charm the cards to look like normal business cards when they press them?” Harry asks, conjuring card stock and cutting them into little rectangles.
“That took hours,” Draco remembers, recalling staying up all night to master the charm and then applying it to all of the buttons, “I’m not sure I have that kind of time anymore.”
“Aw, I’m flattered Draco,” Harry holds his hand to his chest, “You did all that just for me?”
By the time Draco had finished sputtering, Harry had already moved on, “Well that’s fine we have little disciples now don’t we, what do you think girls?”
“We don’t mind, but maybe we should get a few members first,” Rosemund suggests, “We can implement them after we finish getting at least a few members.”
“Great we’ll put a few posters up and then we’ll say meeting adjourned?” Harry asks helping separate the posters into two piles giving the only two members a pile and casting a levitation charm on the other stack, “Find places with high foot traffic and use a sticking charm to stick it to the wall, we know the sticking charm yes?”
Once he goes over the sticking charm making both girls role their eyes he ushers them out.
The group splits into two, Draco trusted at least Rosemund to keep her girlfriend in check, sending the girls off on their own before venturing off with Harry.
Some of the paintings were thrilled to see the posters, others not so much notably Serriphina Whisperglen, who usually is content to send reserved glares at any student she deems unworthy.
Apparently, gay people deserve more than a mere glare. Harry ends up arguing with the painting.
“Stop being a raging bigot,” He says firmly.
“Stop being a raging homo.” She screeches.
The usual pretentious silver roses that surround her bear their teeth.
“Don’t think I don’t know how to silence a portrait you barmy witch, Walburga Black is permantly stuck to my walls.”
A small crowd of students gather around them.
“How dare you compare me to Walburga,” She says shrilly, “That witch had the composure of a wailing bitch.”
“Proffesor Potter, I do think we are gathering a crowd,” Draco finally interrupts pointedly.
Harry casts a silencing charm on the portrait and spitefully puts six posters around her painting.
Students crowd around the posters to see what Harry was arguing so admimently about, ignoring the silent objections made by the angry portrait.
Draco manages to drag Harry up to the next area and Sir Cadogan is invested in listening to Harry complain about Serriphina.
Draco once again has to interrupt to actually ask to put up the posters, “Sir Cadogan do you mind if we put up a few posters.”
"Indeed, my valiant compatriots, count on me to contribute to your gallant endeavor to topple the notorious Mrs. Serriphina. She's been quite the despicable character, as history would attest."
“Thanks,”
***
When they finally finish Harry slumps on Dracos couch toeing off his shoes and sighing deeply.
Draco rolls his eyes a waves the shoes to their place by the door.
Taking a seat beside him, Draco watches as Harry adjusts in a way that makes it seem like he's slowly melting, until his head finds a comfortable resting place in Draco's lap.
Draco tenses for a moment before bringing his hands to rest in Harrys hair, it doesn’t take long for him to start twisting gentle braids into Harrys hair.
Draco almost wasn’t surprised to hear someone to knock on his door, he only sighed and waved his wand to let them in.
“Professor Potter,” They shouted in a panic, “Otis got his hand stuck in a-”
The student speaking pauses taking in the sight in front of her before one of the students behind her slaps her in the back of the head, taking over the conversation.
“Otis got his hand stuck in a transfigured gargoyles mouth.”
“How on earth did he manage that?” Draco asks, baffled.
Harry groans starting to sit up but not before muttering so quietly Dracos sure that he was the only one that heard, “Fucking Gryffindors.”
“Someone dared him.” The first girl said, “He said its jaw was clenching tighter when we left.”
Harry didn’t bother putting his shoes on just rushes out of the room sprinting up the stairs. Draco follows in a sprint.
“Who conjured the thing?” Harry askes as he takes a turn sharply.
“I don’t know it, was some fourth year practicing.” The girl seemed rather panicked.
“And who dared him?” Harry threw the first set of doors open.
“Mason,”
Harry bursts into the Gryffindor common room talking lowly to Otis who seemed mostly unphased by the whole situation despite his arm turning purple.
Mason was apoligizing fervently.
“Alright Otis, tell it to stop biting you,” Harry said after he moved his arm slowly over the gargoyle.
“Stop biting me you stupid pile of rocks,” The gargoyle opened its mouth mechanically and Draco waved his wand, making it disappear with a poof.
Harry takes a deep breath in an obvious effort to collect himself.
“What in Merlins name made you guys think that was a good idea, Otis could’ve lost a hand.”
Otis clearly sensed the incoming rant and asked, “Sir may I go to Maddem Pomfrey,”
“No you can wait,” Harry said sternly.
Draco watched as Harry lectured his house for being ‘Blundering idiots’. The students looked genuinely terrified as the cabinet doors rattle intensely.
Harry turns his attention to the fourth year who had transfigured it in the first place. They had gone to bed but come back down like the majority of the students when they heard the commotion.
“It was irresponsible of you to leave something so dangerous out.” Harry adonmished while the cabnits continued to rattle.
Draco places a hand on Harrys shoulder, and Harry looks over the faces of the students, he sighs, “Fifteen points from Gryffindor for reckless actions.”
Harry turned on his heel and stalked out.
Draco decided to address the group, “Ottis come with me, Professor Potter and I will take you to Madam Pomfrey,”
“Yes sir.”