𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚝 (𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚢)

Chapter 2

"You made a bet with Malfoy?" Ron asked, bemused. "How'd you get him to come around?"

Hermione shrugged, "I didn't. It was his idea. In the heat of the moment, i agreed."

Ron snorted, shaking his head. It sounded like rubbish to him, but it was Hermione. She seemed solemn about this, and he had his boundaries. He respected her ultimately after what happened with Lupin and Sirius. Although he was delirious at the time, only doing his best to keep away from Peters stained teeth and stench, he remembers how Hermione protected them. She was brave enough to do the unthinkable.

"S'pose Pansy is indeed lesbian, then what?" Ron asked, "Not going to ask her out, are you?"

Hermione pivoted on her heel, and used her free hand to smack the back of Ron's head, as he muttered "bloody hell".

"Course not!" She gasped, "I'll take things slow. As I always do."

"Not a faulty plan, but I didn't know you fancied Parkinson." Said a voice behind them, suddenly squeezing in between them. Hermiones eyes widened in horror, Ron gave her a reassured look.

Harry was wearing a thick parka, his red scarf dangling from his neck. His oversized robe stuck out underneath, sweeping the floor.

"Just how long have you been eavesdropping, mate?" Hermione shuffled away from them, letting their bodies have more freedom.

"Saw you hit Ron, decided to see why. Though, I get it now." Harry hummed, breathing into his hands. The cold air wept the tears from their eyes, and made their faces parched.

"Y-yeah." Hermione said, clearing her throat. "Have you got anyone to go to the Yule ball with?"

Whether Draco made his move on Harry yet was unknown, but asking him to the yule ball would be a decent start. It was in the summer after third year, Harry wrote Hermione and Ron a letter, informing them of his bisexuality. Of course, they accepted him.

"Unfortunately, no. Cho just got asked by Cedric, and the Patil twins bailed on Ron and I." Harry said, sucking in a breath.

Ron furrowed his brows, "How come I'm just hearing this?" Harry shrugged, shoving his gloved fingers into his pockets.

"About Parkinson, you really going to ask her?" Harry asked, looking puzzled. "Not that you guys hate each other, but you've never really.. gotten on the same page."

Placing the fakest grin she could muster, Hermione offered Harry a laugh, "Some things may surprise you, am I right Ron?

"Whatever floats your boat, 'Mione." Harry returned a softer smile, revealing his pearly white teeth.

Ron, who suddenly wondered who Draco had to play with, was caught off guard by Hermione pulling the two into a group hug. He nodded frantically, though Hermiones face was buried between the two boys necks.

"Thanks guys. I need your support for this, as much as I need ideas."

--- 𓅓---

Harry found it difficult to focus in the Dark arts that day. Almost as if a pair of eyes were glued to the back of his head, trailing across his body. It creeped the hell out of him, as he knew only Slytherin boys filled the seats in the back.

Maybe it's just Blaise, who seems friendly enough. Even Goyle could just be ready to send an enchanted spit ball.

Whatever the case, Harry ignored the gaze, and jotted down Snape's notes. Snape looked furious, as Gryffindors hadn't learned their lesson, and continued chatting. The Professor didn't mind deducting points, as long as it shut the students up momentarily.

"-and that precisely is what an animagus is." He summed up, turning on his heel to face the class. His eyes landed on Harry's, but trailed back behind him.

Harry had to grab his reflective quill, a gift from Hagrid to neaten his hair up in class, and looked at whoever took the seat behind him that day. To say he was surprised would be an understatement.

Malfoy?

"Mr Malfoy.. Just why exactly are you staring at Potter like he's the last meal on earth?" His voice was slow, yet taunting. The mirror revealed Malfoy's flushed face, which he chewed on his lip to subside the humiliation.

"I-"

"Minus 10 points from Slytherin for lack of attention in class. If this continues, Professor Dumbledore would be delighted to be accompanied by you. In his office." He hissed, turning back to his board. "Again, the process of tuning into an animagus is quite long and tedious, and won't always work. There are very few animagus in the world, and most are deceased."

Harry struggled to focus, as he dropped his quill, and leaned into his palm. His elbow slid gently on the desk, but he couldn't care less.

The second challenge for the tournament was arriving soon, and he feels unprepared. Sure, Cedric assisted him, as a kind person would do so. Yet, a key detail was missing, and Mermaids were not enough. There was something more to the picture, that was clouded by excessive thinking.

What a long day it has been..

--- 𓅓---

"Hey, Potter." Harry jolted as he felt someone shove his shoulder, bruising his sensitive skin. He eyed who did it, scowling as he did so.

"You seem keen on not leaving me alone, Malfoy." Harry said, pulling his bag over his shoulder. Classes were dismissed and he wanted nothing more than to nap in the safety of his dormitory. "Staring at me at class, really?"

Draco licked his lips, "I wasn't the one using a mirror, creepy bastard."

The two boys were now exiting the classroom, throwing childish, unmistakably flirty remarks. To anyone else, these two were just passive aggressive males diving into young love.

"What're you going to do next, ask me to the Yule Ball?" Harry smirked, teasingly. He didn't mind these insults, and thoroughly enjoyed back and forth firing back at the boy.

Draco's eyebrows shot up. "You make it sound like you'd like that."

"Hell no. I'm just affable." Harry joked, shaking his head. He wore a comfortable smile, that began to ache his cheeks a bit.

This must've been the first time the two shared a normal conversation, even if it wasn't quite "normal", it made the cut!

"Well, the offer stands, Potter." Draco said, speeding up his pace. His long legs strutted amongst the hall, his fists balled up by his sides.

"Exactly what offer?" Harry tilted his head, stopping in his tracks. Malfoy was far ahead, but managed to hear it anyway.

"Yule Ball, of course. Though, it seems your date ditched you." Hiding a devilish smirk from Harry, he said, "Wouldn't want to attend alone."

Malfoy was far off by now, and Harry stood in the middle of the hall, hands swinging by his sides as he stood, pale as a ghost. Had Malfoy just.. asked me to the dance?

Feeling flushed, Harry quietly pushed past other students, getting to his dorm. He swung the portrait door open, ignored Neville trying to make small talk, and fled to the couch. He couldn't recall when he last felt this odd buzz, and his faint blush on his face. It was a strange, new feeling. Something he would pay for, just to feel the filtering butterflies in his stomach.

He wasn't the only one who paid. He wasn't aware of the great deal Malfoy had to pay the Patil twins to ditch Harry. And it was going to stay that way.