Draco Malfoy and the Gryffindor Chaser

Chapter Four: The Firebolt

You went down the stairs and arrived into the common room, the heat of the flames in the fire pit filling the air. You headed towards Harry, sat in the couch, apparently trapped in a book. You frowned as you thought recognizing your potion manual: "A sudden interest in potions? What did you do to your book though?" It was all dirty and darkened.

He lifted his chin as he heard you and suddenly closed it. He looked like he didn't want to clarify and eyed your clothes: you were wearing your Quidditch outfit and tightened your belt as you stopped in front of him. He jumped on the occasion as he guessed what you were about to do: "You're sure it's not too early to go back on a broomstick? Do-"

You cut him and tapped his shoulder: "Hermione, get out of this body." He puffed.

"Honestly, it's shiny outside and I'm sick of staying here right now. Plus yesterday's Potions class tensed me. I know we've got a class in the early afternoon, but."

He hummed. "Do you want me to accompany you?"

You took a breath: "No, I think... It's better if I'm alone. You know, to reconnect."

More to not getting ashamed if you miserably fell.

"Right."

You turned and made three steps, but got back: "Oh, uh, do you know where my broom is?"

He raised his eyebrows and hissed: "Well, it... broke during your fall."

Oh.

"But you can borrow one in the changing room." He got up: "You've already eaten?"

You raised an eyebrow: in your haze, you forgot that it would be rather good to eat. He guessed it and both decided to go down to the Great Hall together. The book he discreetly hid in his cape didn't go unnoticed by you, and you asked him about it once you passed the portrait of the Fat Lady.

You noticed he wasn't at ease to talk about it, but started to explain nonetheless: "At the start of the year when Snape asked us to take a manual at the back of the class, it was the last one by the time I reached for the shelf." You hummed, as you weren't surprised; the little you saw it, it seemed all old and dirty, pages swollen by the humidity of the dungeons. "At first, I was pissed because there were plenty of inscriptions in it, I swear to you I could barely read the instructions. I had no choice but follow what was written on the printings." A sparkle lit in his eyes: "And I was quite right. y/n, I never succeeded that much in this class. You should see Snape and Hermione's faces in front of my perfect potions."

Both of you passed the huge doors and sat at the Gryffindor's table. Once you served yourself, Harry turned his face left and right; no one seemed to pay attention to you and he got the Potions manual out. He placed it in front of you, in a way no one behind nor in front would see it. You puffed at his carefulness. He motioned you to approach and whispered a "Look."

You went on your knees on the bench and bent above the book. You opened it; here and there were written short paragraphs in a small, tight handwriting. Even drawings had been added. If you didn't know what it was, you couldn't have had linked it to your clean, new manual, with its inscriptions well organised. He mimicked your position and bent above it too, the top of his head barely touching yours. "See? This is the ticket to the best mark possible at the Potions exam." You didn't lift your eyes from it and asked: "Does anyone know about it?" He shook his head no.

A high-pitched screeching sound made both of you sit straight, bumping your heads into each other: both huffed and scrubbed at your hair. At the Slytherin table behind Harry, Draco was observing the scene, clutching at his fork. You didn't notice it though as you eyed above you; two black great horned owls entered the room, a long package in their claws. Hedwig was the first to reach for you as she dropped today's Daily Prophet in front of Harry, picking at his hand for a reward. He was about to make a remark about who could possibly receive a that huge gift, but got quickly cut as the owls answered his wondering by dropping it right in front of you, making plates and glasses jump under the thud. The birds left in elegant wings beatings after stealing pieces of bread from you and one of Harry's sausages, what led Hedwig to angrily fly after them towards the ceiling. "What are you waiting for to open it?"