Rivals Not Enemies (Drarry Slowburn)

TO SEE A THESTRAL

A/N: For a bit of preface, I would like to clarify that I am also, in fact, a feral enemies-to-lovers girl. I call myself out in this chapter. I'm WEAK.

Harry ran into Deja as she was exiting from an arched doorway—the charms classroom. She was gleefully holding the gift Draco had given her‭.‬

"Hey‭, ‬Deja‭!‬"‭ ‬Harry greeted‭. He told Hermione and Ron not to wait for him, so they found their seats while he continued speaking with the Hufflepuff girl‭. ‬"Did the owl find your mum alright‭?‬"

She chuckled nervously‭, ‬stating she had only sent it this morning and probably wouldn't hear back from her mom until late‭. ‬Owl mail was tiresome and slow‭. ‬

Though Harry encouraged her not to worry‭, ‬she was still tense‭, ‬concerned about how everything would pan out‭. ‬The owls frightened‭ ‬Ms‭. ‬Delamere‭. At least she still read the letters‭. She'd probably be over the moon to receive a magical device that negated the need for owl post entirely‭.‬

"By the way," Deja giggled, changing the subject, "I forgot to ask you—are you and Draco a couple?"

Harry laughed dryly‭, ‬but not because it was funny‭. ‬It was an awkward type of laugh that usually got him out of uncomfortable conversations‭. ‬
It did not work on Deja‭. ‬

He spoke more forcefully than he would have liked‭, ‬"Absolutely not‭! ‬I'm dating Ginny Weasley‭.‬"

Deja's panic outweighed her disappointment‭, ‬"I guess I heard wrong then‭. ‬Sorry‭, ‬Harry‭!‬"

"Heard‭ ‬wrong‭? ‬Who did you‭ ‬hear‭ ‬it from‭?‬"

"I just heard it from someone who heard it from someone . . . and so on . . . like how all rumors start."  She lowered her head, disappointed in herself. 

Suddenly‭, ‬it made sense—why he felt like everyone had been staring in a manner different than he was used to‭. ‬Rather than being the center of attention and scrutiny‭, ‬he was now regarded as a gestalt—one half of a unit‭. ‬

He was still being gawked at‭, ‬but for a different reason—all because of some rumor‭. ‬Harry pleaded with Deja for clarification‭, ‬"But you‭ ‬believed‭ ‬it‭?‬"

"Well . . . when we met, and I asked if you two were friends, Draco kinda half-smirked and said 'sort of,' so I just put two and two together. I didn't mean to offend you. . ." she said with trepidation.

Harry assured her that he wasn't offended. Even still, he bleated, "Does Draco know about these rumors?"

"Yes. . ." she said, plainly.

Harry hadn't expected that. "And?"

"He thinks they're funny‭, ‬I guess. He laughs when people ask him about them‭ . . . ‬I should've picked up on that and figured they weren't true‭."‭ ‬Deja vacillated from fierceness to embarrassment‭, ‬"But you're‭ ‬always‭ ‬staring at each other‭! ‬Like‭, ‬all the time‭! ‬You can't blame me for wondering‭.‬"‭ ‬

I do not stare at Draco Malfoy‭,‬‭ ‬Harry thought to himself‭, ‬not wanting to accept the fact of the matter‭—the fact that his peers would beg to differ. He sighed, "No‭, ‬but I can blame Draco for not putting a stop to this stupid gossip when he had the chance‭.‬"‭ ‬

Harry stormed off in the opposite direction as Deja tried to call out her apologies‭. ‬Charms class would have to wait‭. ‬

He eventually reached the quiet dungeon corridors—to the place Draco Malfoy led Harry and Ron in their second year‭, ‬under the impression that they were Crabbe and Goyle‭. ‬The Slytherin common room was hidden‭, ‬much like the Chamber of Secrets. This was due to the cunning of Salazar Slytherin‭, of course.