Aftermath and Confrontation
„Please kill me now“, Draco groaned at the breakfast table, his head in his hands. He had the worst headache ever, and a feeling he missed some important memory from the party last night. He couldn’t remember the last part of the party nor how he managed to get into his bed.
Sitting next to him, Pansy wasn’t in a better state looking slightly green.
„Too bad, Dray. I would gladly kill you but you are still needed, oh mighty leader of Slytherin“, Blaise sniggered, being in miraculously good shape, and handed both his friend and girlfriend a hangover potion.
Grateful both Slytherins drowned the potion and grimaced at the foul taste. Pansy hastily stuffed her mouth with raspberry jam and Draco balked like a cat. Feeling slightly better – at least the nausea was gone, but the feeling of missing something remained – the blonde let his gaze wonder across the Great Hall. Meeting emerald-green eyes he startled a bit.
Potter was staring intently at Draco and when catching his gaze he flashed the blonde an almost shy smile blushing furiously. Confused, Draco turned to his friends who had seen Potter's smiling, too.
„Why is Potter staring like that? Did you do something last night, Draco?“ Pansy asked hoping for some juicy story. But she was disappointed by the blonde shaking his head. „I have no idea“, he sighed and turned towards the Gryffindor table again.
This time Potter unconsciously licked his lips, freeing them from smears of butter. Draco couldn’t shake the feeling of knowing how those lips tasted. Weird. Staring intently at Harry’s mouth the blonde was shaken out of his reverie by someone clearing his throat.
Startled Draco looked up into the eyes of Theodore Nott. “Theo”, Draco acknowledged the other's presence surprised.
“Draco, can we talk?” Theo asked. “Alone?” he added, looking pointedly to the entrance of the Great Hall when Draco made no sign of movement.
Exchanging glances with his two friends, Draco got up and followed Theo outside. Theo led Draco into an unused classroom and then crowded him against the door.
“Theo, what are you doing?” Draco demanded and arched a finely plucked eyebrow.
“What does it look like, Draco?” Theo chuckled, leaning further into Draco so now the doorhandle was uncomfortably pushing into Draco's back.
The blonde Slytherin huffed. “We broke up months ago! If you wanted to make a move, why wait until now?”
“Well, yes, therein lies the problem, you see. I could except your explanation of wanting to end things because you got engaged. But yesterday you seemed perfectly content throwing yourself at Potter.”
Draco gasped. “I don’t recall doing that.” Though it woud make sense, wouldn’t it? That had to be the missing memory… Oh, how embarrassing. Father would certainly never hear about this. Although Lucius would certainly like hearing about him throwing himself at Potter in detail. Draco shuddered.
Ignoring Draco’s objection Theo continued. “Of course, I’m highly offended that you ditched me with such a lousy excuse when you clearly don’t feel obligated to respect your engagement. And you certainly have lowered your standards. A Gryffindor, really? And not just any Gryffindor! No, you chose the most gryffindorish Gryffindor there is. What would the Dark Lord say if he was to hear about his most trusted follower’s son gallivanting with the enemy?”
Draco tried to hide it but wasn’t sure he could mask all his nerves. If the Dark Lord found out, he and his family were indeed in trouble.
“Or” Theo reached out his hand and trailed his fingers against Draco's cheek, “is this all just a grand scheme from the Dark Lord? You seducing Potter to catch him off guard? You certainly are beautiful enough, you little whore.” Theo led his hands roam over Draco's body.
The blonde stood stiffly and weighed his options. Theo had presented him with a very good explanation why he spent so much time befriending the Gryffindor. But Theo could just as well inquire about it through his father who was also a Death Eater. Also, Draco knew he was more powerful than Theo. If it would come to the worst, he would just enable Theo to speak. So, Draco opted to wait out the situation for now.
Leaning into Theo’s touch, Draco hoped to encourage the other to speak again. Interpreting Draco’s bodily response as confirmation the other Slytherin continued. “Is this also why you’re hanging out with the filthy mudblood?”
Before Theo could even blink, he was spun around and pushed against the door, a wand threatingly pointed at his face.
“Don’t you dare speak of her like that. You know nothing, you piece of shit. Hermione is so much better than you vermin. You don’t even deserve to breathe the same air as her”, Draco hissed, furious. Internally groaning, Draco cursed his temper. If he'd be more patient, maybe he could have persuaded Theo to slowly change his pureblood-supremacy views. But he realized he must be very fond of the muggleborn girl. Draco seldom was so outraged. He only became this way when his closest friends and family were being threatened.
“So, is that it? You really are siding with them, now? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? You should not be leading Slytherin, you’re going to corrupt them!” Theo spat and shoved Draco away, reaching for his wand.
“And that is where you are wrong, Theodore. I’m quite proud, to finally have seen sense! Not everything muggle is bad, they have some really clever inventions. They are humans, just like us. It’s not blood, that makes a person pure or better; it’s their actions and attitude. And I must say, Theo, you’ve got a really bad attitude right now.” Draco shook his head in disappointment.
“What I’m trying to do, is to make sure that the Slytherins are capable enough to survive. And if I can persuade some of them to let go of their prejudice and just stay out of the bloody war, then all the better. We’re all just children, after all.”
Both Slytherins were now circling each other, waiting for the other to initiate the fight. Too focused on their opponent, they didn’t notice the door opening and the tips of ratty trainers flashing briefly before they disappeared again.
Harry had followed Draco out of the Hall, desperate to have a talk with him. All night Harry had thougt of the blonde and their kiss. He needed to know if it had meant something, because to Harry it meant quite a great deal. That night he could finally admit to himself that Hermione was right and he had feelings for the Slytherin.
When he saw Draco leaving with Nott, he felt something in his stomach twist. So naturally, he got up and followed them under his invisibility cloak. At first, he just listened in on the door. But when he heard a scuffle and the foresigns of a beginning fight he entered the room.
“You’ve become soft, Draco. Nobody can stay out of the war. You have to pick a side. Sadly, you have taken the wrong one. But don’t worry, dear, I will take the lead now. When I’m through with you, you will be my obedient little bitch.” Theo smirked and shouted “Imperio!”
Draco elegantly stepped aside, dodging the curse. The battling Slytherins were lost in a blur of red and green flashing lights. Harry wanted to throw himself into the battle but found himself glued to the spot in fascination. Draco Malfoy wasn’t fighting, he was dancing. He twirled and swished, dodging curse after curse all while looking extremely graceful. He moved effortlessly, not even deigning to use magic while Nott became more and more exhausted.
Harry had never seen someone this beautiful in his life. Had Draco always fought like that? In second year, their duel definitely wasn’t so… sexy. When Draco finally made use of his wand to hit Theo with a “Petrificus Totalus”, Harry actually had to suppress a moan.
“You can come out now, Potter”, Draco drawled, lazily approaching Nott's stiff body on the floor.
Shrugging his cloak off, Harry asked frowning “How did you–“ “I could see your shoes, idiot. You’re as subtle as a hippogriff, you know.” Draco interrupted him smirking.
Blushing, Harry made to stand next to Draco. When had the blonde even had the time to check his surroundings during the fight, Harry wondered.
“What are we going to do with him?” Harry asked. “We can’t let him run to Voldemort.”
“Yeah, I think we should erase his memories of yesterday’s party and this morning. Then I’ll let Pansy loose on him. She will teach him some sense, so maybe he won’t become a Death Eater. Pansy can be quite persuasive because she is scary.” Draco shuddered thinking of how angry his best friend would be when he told her of today’s events.
After obliviating Nott and leaving him in the classroom, Harry and Draco made their way to the library to meet up with their friends.
“Draco, listen. About last night…” Harry started but was cut off by a suddenly very flustered blonde.
“Yeah, I’m really sorry, Potter. Honestly, I don’t remember most of that party. From what I gather, I was quite drunk and behaved rather undignified. Let’s just forget whatever happened, alright?”
“Oh. Uhm, yeah. Sure.” Harry’s heart sank. Draco didn’t remember the kiss and clearly didn’t want to talk about what had happened between them. But how could Harry ever forget it? The feeling of kissing Draco was forever printed in his heart.