Chapter 17

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HARRY POV

Time flies when you're... Being hunted by a mass murderer and still trying to live an ordinary life. Not that my life is particularly ordinary. Suddenly I had been back at Hogwarts for three months. And, in spite of how insane the last two years of my life have been, I've never felt so relieved for a holiday.

In just over twelve weeks, we've had many incredible Defence Against the Dark Arts lessons with Lupin (and one foul one with Snape), an eventful Care of Magical Creatures lesson with Hagrid (in which Draco, being the stupid prat that he was, managed to get his arm slashed open by Buckbeak), two Quidditch matches (one of which left me without a broomstick), and a mass murderer breaking into Gryffindor Tower on Halloween. So not much.

"Still haven't found a decent broom?" Draco asked, lazily putting his feet up on the table in the library.
I shrugged. "Haven't really been looking."
"Why not? You can't keep riding that crappy thing."
"The outcome of the match is determined by the quality of the player, not the broom," I said wisely, and Draco snorted.
"Did Woody tell you that?" He mocked, and I felt my cheeks go red. His eyebrows shot up. "He did! What an idiot. He's useless with words as well as Quidditch."

I ignored him. I was used to trash talk from Draco. Being friends AND rivalling Seekers meant we had spent many nights in the Astronomy tower mocking the opposing team, parading our wins in each other's faces and generally stripping each other of all of our pride.

"You need to eat more," Draco said suddenly. "You look skinny. Is it the Dementors? Are they making you feel ill?"
"No! And what do you mean 'skinny'?" I asked, walking up the aisle. I hadn't told him much about the Sirius Black situation, so he had no reason to know that I was otherwise occupied.
"You look like you would snap in half if you got hit by a Bludger in the right place."
"Says who?"
"Says me," he replied simply.
"Are you concerned about me?" I mocked.

Draco stayed silent, his cheeks going slightly pink. I hid my grin by turning to a bookshelf, before feigning shock. "Draco Malfoy is CONCERNED about another human being? What's going on? Have we been invaded?"
He chucked a book at me, his lips turning upwards. "Bugger off." He stayed silent for a minute, and then said, "on second thoughts, stay skinny and weak, so that you get beaten in all of your matches and we can win the cup."
"Draco's back!" I laughed, and he rolled his eyes.

"Silence! This is a library!" Madam Pince hissed, and I jumped backwards when I turned to find her eagle-like face inches from my own. Draco disguised his laugh with a cough as she glared at me, and she briefly looked at him before shuffling off around the bookshelves.

Draco and I glanced at each other and burst into silent laughter, tears rolling down our cheeks with the effort of being quiet.

"What are you two laughing about?" Hermione asked, coming around the corner with a pile of books the size of Hagrid.
"Nothing," we said simultaneously as she sat down. Ron joined her soon after, scowling when he saw Draco.

"Do we HAVE to study with him?" He snarled, slamming his book on the table.
"I relish your company too, Weasley," Draco drawled, and I fought a smile.
"You don't have to talk to him, Ronald," Hermione snapped, smiling at Draco. Ron stared at her, open-mouthed, before turning to his book and working in angry silence. Draco scribbled something on a piece of parchment and slid it over to me.

You can practically see the steam coming out of his ears.

I tried not to laugh, pushing the piece of paper back to him and shaking my head.

"Why did you want to meet here?" Hermione asked. "I thought you two were kind of trying to keep your friendship secret."
"How many people do you know who study here over LUNCH? Other than yourself..." Draco asked teasingly. "If someone comes in, I'm mocking you guys. Simple."

"Ok," Hermione agreed, "but why do you need me?"
Draco rummaged in his bag and pulled out a piece of parchment with a sentence written on it. "I'm guessing you've finished Snape's essay?"
Hermione raised an eyebrow. "The one that's due this afternoon?"
"Stuff happened." Draco waved his hand dismissively. "Will you help me get it done?"
"I could've helped you with that..." I muttered, and Draco looked at me sympathetically.
"Harry, honey," he smirked, "what's a Bezoar?"

I stayed silent, cursing myself. I should know this; Snape humiliated me in first year when I didn't know the answer.

"Since when did you do homework anyway?" I changed the subject to wipe the smirk off of Draco's face.
His pale cheeks became a light shade of pink as he shrugged. "Since the summer..." He looked awkwardly at the parchment while I grinned proudly at him. When I sat back down, I was stunned to see a wide grin on Hermione's face, but it disappeared as soon as she saw me looking.

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DRACO POV

"You're staying for Christmas?" Blaise asked, collapsing on my bed.
I nodded. "I've got a lot of work to do, and-"
"Shut up," he snorted. "You never do work, you just want to spend some time with Potter."
"Keep your voice down!" I hissed, but luckily there was no one else in the dormitory. "Are you staying?" He shook his head, sitting up and pulling his socks on.
"Nah, the parents are taking me to Norway..." He sighed.
"At least you're guaranteed some snow?" I snorted, knowing full well Blaise hated any kind of cold weather.
"Haha. Let's go for breakfast."

Almost as soon as we got downstairs, Snape began to walk down the table, taking the names of everyone who wanted a seat on the Hogwarts Express. I glanced briefly at the Gryffindor table, just as McGonagall reached Harry, Ron and Hermione. All three shook their heads, and I grinned. This was going to be an amazing Christmas.

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A/N - Hey guys! I updated more quickly this time, are you proud? I am :') I'm trying really hard to keep going with this, because I can't wait to get some Drarry action in there! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, happy reading! :-)

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