professor? ( ✓ )

chapter twenty-one

Harry jumped as he heard a loud banging sound on the doorway to his office one Friday after classes had ended for the day. He glanced at Draco, who he'd been previously preoccupied with and gulped before readjusting his robes, and stared at the door.

"You need to hide." Harry explained, running a hand through his even messier hair. They'd been in a heavy make-out session, one that had sprung as a surprise when grading parchment proved to be far too boring.

"Where? How the hell doesn't this room have a closet?" Draco asked, pacing and also attempting to make himself look presentable. Someone knocked loudly against the door again, and he stared at Harry - alarm written all over his face.

Harry, however, had an idea. He grabbed the blond by the shoulder and shoved him into a corner of the room before scurrying towards his desk and pulling a sheer-looking cloak from one of its drawers. He threw it towards the Slytherin alumnus, who caught it easily, and frowned.

"Yes, because a tall professor standing in a corner with a cloak on is totally inconspicuous." He rolled his eyes and placed the cloak over his shoulders, mouth opening in shock as his body disappeared. "You have an invisibility cloak, Potter?"

"Potter, really? Merlin Draco, just put it over your head!" Harry fretted, rushing towards the door and unlocking it, moving to open it as the blond slipped it over his head. He was surprised to find Charles Byerley, the fifth year Ravenclaw student under serious watch to be standing on the other side. "May I help you?"

"Professor, oh I thought your office was empty! Why was it locked? Anyways, I really, really need to talk to you!" The brown-haired boy rushed, and Harry eyed him carefully.

"Come in, Mr. Byerley." They walked into the room and Charles glanced at the papers strewn about on the desk questionably before taking a seat, wringing his hands together.

"Sir, I was cornered the other day. By Rita Skeeter." The student began, and Harry frowned, also taking a seat, gesturing for him to continue. "Listen, I have no idea what's going on between you and Malfoy, and I really don't care anymore. I'm sorry for spilling Veritaserum in his drink. But, that woman is terrifying, and she's out to expose the two of you."

"Why does she care so much?" Harry mumbled before leaning back and casually looked to the left, where Draco was still hidden in the corner - as far as he knew at least.

"She wanted me to report to her with any information I found out about you two." Charles said, and Harry rose his eyebrow at him.

"Have you been?"

"There's been nothing for me to tell, but she's threatened me, sir. There must be something you can do! I'm afraid I'll wake up without eyes one day if I don't listen to her." Harry began shifting through his papers, attempting to make his desk look neater, and Charles smirked. "A bit messy, aren't you?"

"Listen, Mr. Byerley. Regarding Professor Malfoy and I, it is nobody's business. You can tell Rita I said that. And if she continues to threaten you, please inform me or Malfoy, as I'm sure he'll become aware very soon. Thank you for informing me, though. For your honesty, I'll award you five points to Ravenclaw. Have a good rest of your day." The professor shooed off the student, and then leaned against the door when it was closed, sighing. Draco came out from under the cloak and held it, inspecting it with interest.

"How exactly did you ever come across such a device, Potter? It's spectacular!" The blond asked, covering his arm and watched as it disappeared from sight.

"Stop calling me Potter, Malfoy." Harry rolled his eyes, grabbing the cloak from his hands and folding it. "It was my father's."

"Don't call me Malfoy then, Harold." The blond teased, walking toward the green-eyed wizard as he put away the cloak and cleaned up his desk.