𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐓𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑

Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Life Worth Saving

The next day in Potions, Malfoy ignored him and Harry granted him the same courtesy, even when they were placed together as partners by Snape who was so often inclined to place them together when he was in a particularly vindictive mood.

Ron sent Harry a commiserating look, but Harry just shrugged before taking his seat beside Malfoy and getting to work. They brewed the potion in complete silence, Malfoy passing Harry ingredients to cut or smash or grind or pluck while Malfoy stirred or added ingredients to the brew. By the end of the lesson, Snape was most displeased to see that their potion was without flaw and that Harry hadn't created any difficulties for Malfoy.

When they left the dungeons, Ron whinged about having Neville as a partner, and Hermione sent Harry a sideways look. "You and Malfoy seemed to get on well."

Harry only shrugged at the uneasy truce he and Malfoy seemed to have cultivated between them. "He's not bad so long as he doesn't open his mouth."

"Hm," Hermione agreed with a small smile. "So you two have worked out a system?"

Harry started, thinking Hermione might know more than she was letting on, but he quickly realized that was preposterous, and he shook his head casually. "It seems like it."

"Wait..." Ron jumped in when he finally realized neither of them had been listening to him whinge. "You and Malfoy have a system?"

"Not really," Harry replied honestly. "I think we just both know it'll be easier to live in the same castle if we don't speak to one another."

In public, Harry thought. Although, the way things had been going in the Room of Requirement, it might apply to any time.

"Malfoy's still sore about the match then, is he?" Ron grinned. "Nothing else would shut him up."

"I suppose," Harry grinned back. "He always has been a sore loser."

Hermione just rolled her eyes exasperatedly. "I will never understand Quidditch."

"That's what you have me for." Ron grinned, and he wrapped a long arm around her shoulders, nuzzling his face into her neck.

"Ron!" Hermione exclaimed embarrassedly, pushing a hand against his face.

Harry smiled, enjoying Hermione's discomfort at Ron's advances. Although, something about their playful display of affection made him feel a bit bereft. Hermione finally forced Ron off of her with an errant giggle and caught Harry's eye with a questioning look, but Harry just looked away.

However, at dinner in the Great Hall, Harry realized he hadn't quite escaped Hermione's focus.

"So Harry, is there anyone you fancy?"

Harry nearly spat out his mouth full of pumpkin juice, but he managed to swallow it after a momentous struggle that made his eyes water. "What?"

"Hermione!" Ron admonished her, pointing a leg of chicken in her direction as his eyes darted around the table at all the other Gryffindors who were now staring at them in interest. "Would you keep it down?"

"I don't know, mate," Seamus weighed in from his seat on Harry's right with a grin that looked suspiciously like a leer. "I'm a fair bit interested."

Dean leaned over the table from his seat beside Hermione and irritably flicked chunks of potato at Seamus's face. Seamus just wiped his cheek good-naturedly, as if he'd expected it, but Dean did not appear mollified. Neville looked a bit uncomfortable with the exchange from his viewpoint on Hermione's other side. However, everyone else was watching Harry expectantly, including a few first years nearest to their group.