Seven Steps || Drarry

Part 41

Draco got used to Harry just appearing beside him during the day; sitting beside Draco in class, saying hello, and they'd even had a few conversations. Harry's tone was always polite and slightly distant, which Draco mirrored in turn. He was starting to feel like they were professional acquaintances. It seemed to be working.

Draco now received very few glares and far more curious looks. Occasionally, someone might actually talk to him like he was a person. It shouldn't have felt as shocking as it was and yet-

When he came back to school to finish his NEWTs, he had expected the worst. Instead, he was simply treated like he didn't exist. It had chaffed a bit, he never liked being ignored, but it was better than hostility and violence. But now. Now people saw him again, and it was a bit like having been underwater too long, coming up gasping, cold, bewildered and uncertain if he was really alright.

He was starting to think he might be.

"This table," Pansy said, stopping at the largest unoccupied table in the library.

It was practically in the centre of the room. Draco sighed, "Can we just go to one of the small study tables in the back? The nice ones by the windows that look out over the forest-"

"No," Pansy said, dropping herself into a chair and pulling out her books, "I need your help on the transfiguration paper."

Draco slowly pulled out the chair next to Pansy and sat with as much resignation as possible, "Since when do you care about transfiguration? I thought the only NEWT you cared about was charms and you were going to wing the rest of them."

"Transfiguration could be useful for running the shop, and Jenna n' Melanie are bril at it," Pansy said opening her textbook, "I need to be able to do hair and makeup if they're sick or on break or whatever. They're learning how to do nails, so it's only fair."

"How much research have you done?" Draco asked, taking out his own books.

Pansy gave him a, what do you think? look.

Draco sighed, "One of the first papers we were assigned this year was on casting permanent texture alteration, now we're working on transfiguring finer, more delicate and realistic textures, fur, feathers, scales, velvet, delicate weaves. So the same books we referenced then would be a good start."

"What books did you use then? I just reworded your paper." Pansy said, with no shame whatsoever.

"Did you fail? McGonagall must have noticed," Draco said.

"No. I moved some bits around, dumbed it down a bit, and she knows we study together. I didn't get good marks, but I never do. If no one expects much out of you they don't bother looking too closely," Pansy said, shrugging one shoulder.

Draco opened his mouth and hesitated.

"I know," Pansy said, "It's a bad habit, but in my defence, I thought I'd be married to you or some other rich fuck until I was fourteen and didn't really think there was much point in trying too hard. You certainly didn't help things, practically holding Greg and Vince's hands to get them through our classes, it was easier to use your notes than do the work myself."

"Don't blame me for your being lazy," Draco said.

"I can and I will," Pansy said, "and don't call me stupid."

"I said lazy, not stupid. You're certainly not stupid. And as far as being a manipulative bitch, you're the cleverest person I know," Draco said.

Pansy thought about it and nodded to herself, "I shall take that as a compliment."

"I meant it as one," Draco said.

The corners of Pansy's eyes crinkled with amusement even as she frowned at him. "Starting now I'm going to put in some effort, with transfiguration at least."