School Exchange (Drarry) ✓

Chapter 1

Harry tried not to roll his eyes too hard while Ron continued to babble about how pretty the blonde Beauxbaton girl was. Hermione was pouting none too subtly, 'accidentally' smashing her foot into Ron's toes one too many times. The poor redhead was absolutely oblivious to the fact that she may have a crush on her. Harry had been rooting for them since the start of third year, but from the looks of it, his favourite couple wouldn't be taking off for at least another 3 years.

"Mate, look at her! She's gorgeous isn't she?" Ron grinned, whacking Harry's arm repeatedly. "Blonde, tall, slim..."

"Mm..."

"Oi mate. Mate, are you even listening?" He asked, nudging him in the ribs, much harder than his previous attempts. "Look, she's beautiful."

"And now, may we invite the wonderful students from Durmstrang Institute!" Dumbledore's voice roared above Ron's complaints. The door burst open once again, this time with much more majestic music than Beauxbatons entrance. 2 neat rows of students march in, clad in red. They swung long staffs around, thumping the ground with the ends to the beat of the music, in perfect sync with each other. The dragon and phoenix made out of fire flew above their heads before exploding in fireworks.

Yet, Harry's eyes were transfixed upon the youngest boy in the group, probably not much older than himself, at the back of the line. He was pale and lean, unlike the rest of the students which were more tanned and bulky with muscles. Perhaps the contrast in skin tone was brought out more by their robes, along with his white-blonde hair that framed his face perfectly.

"Blonde, eh?" Ron nudged Harry's suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows.

"What?" Harry feigned ignorance, peeling his eyes off the boy and deciding to glare at his knees instead.

"You're bloody blushing." He laughed, clutching his stomach so to keep his loud guffaws in. Harry doesn't know what to do but to give an apologetic smile to those who were now staring at them, and then averting his gaze back to that gorgeous Durmstrang student.

"It's okay, I won't tell." Ron whispered. Harry sighed, unsure whether or not to feel relieved. Now that the Durmstrang students were also seated, Dumbledore got all Hogwarts students to rise and sing the school song, which made Harry even more embarrassed. He glanced a couple times at the boy, who was laughing with his group of friends. Viktor Krum had his arm around his shoulders, in an intimate embrace.

Oh, they're a couple. Harry thought, the balloon in his chest suddenly deflating. Ron pat his back good-naturedly, mumbling 'you'll find a better one'.

***

The next day, lessons resumed as usual. Harry was already dreading it since the first lesson was double potions, as if a gloomy morning couldn't get any worse. Lo and behold, the Durmstrang boy was sitting in the classroom, reading a book that Harry couldn't tell what was from 3 rows behind. Sitting in the first row, no less, the seats that everyone avoided like plague during potions lessons.

"Mr. Potter, how kind of you to grace us with your presence this morning." Snape drawled with a sneer. They weren't even the last ones to enter the classroom, he wasn't sure what his problem was. "And shouldn't you all feel ashamed, that a foreign student is the first to come to class with the textbook already opened to the correct page?" Snape narrowed his eyes at Neville, who was busy fumbling for his quill. "And some people don't even have their stationary on the table."

"5 points from Gryffindor for being ill-prepared." He said, flicking his wand gently and the words on the board became visible. "You will be revising your third year work, a basic confusing concoction. And after that, I expect an 8 inch essay on the effects and functions of shrivelfig, due by next week." Behind him, Pansy Parkinson groaned loudly. "Get moving." He snapped, swishing his cloak while he turned to face Harry.