Lost Memories // Drarry

Chapter 5: Malfoy Will Always Be Evil

"They're quite frankly awful, my boy." Draco frowns. He guesses it does make sense. He hadn't been putting very much if any effort into school lately. "I am assigning you a tutor."

"A tutor?!" Draco startles and looks up at Slughorn. He can't be serious. "But I don't need a tutor!"

"Mr. Malfoy, your grades are abysmal. You require a tutor," Draco mumbles something foul about Slughorn under his breath. "Ah, Harry! Just the student I would like to see." Draco's head snaps up to see a startled Potter.

"Professor! I was hoping to talk to you about something." Potter's eyes dart nervously over to Draco.

"All in due time, my boy. But first, Harry, Mr. Malfoy here requires a tutor. And since you are the best in the class, and quite frankly one of the best students I have ever had, I think you would do best to tutor him."

"What?!" Both boys ask at the same time. And then they look at each other before darting their eyes away.

"I can't work with him! We-we're enemies!"

"Professor, I don't think this is a very good idea."

"Oh, nonsense, boys. I think this pairing will be quite beneficial for both of you. Now out with you. Get to work." Draco scrambles up, grabbing his stuff. Slughorn had made him stay late to talk to him about this. Draco should have just skipped. "Oh, and boys?"

They both look back, Draco is fuming. Potter is frowning.

"Just studying."

Draco grimaces. Like they were going to be doing anything but studying. He hated the Gryffindor. They were not going to be talking or being friendly. It is strictly professional. He can only handle so much of the Chosen One at once. After a while, Draco wants to slam his head on the table, or Potters.

He is so annoying, with his bright, eager green eyes. Potter always has the messiest hair, and it drives Draco mad. Draco's hands are always itching to fix it. If Potter would just put some gel in it or simply comb it in the mornings. Potter is just the worst. Draco despises him.

Draco bumps Potter's shoulder on his way out. Draco is great at potions. It's his favorite subject. But he doesn't have the time or energy to keep his grades up. And now he has to spend extra time with Potter. Just kill him now.

"Hey, Malfoy! Wait up."

"Look, Potter, we are not friends. This unfortunate situation that we have been forced into is not going to make us friends. I don't want to be friends with you." Draco scowls at him.

"Why not?"

"Why not? Because we are enemies, rivals. We despise each other. It's how it's always been." Draco scoffs.

"It doesn't have to be like that. We could settle our differences."

"Settle our differences?" Draco turns to face Potter suddenly rather than continue walking. He startles a bit and shrinks beneath the Draco's gaze. "Are you mad? Are you spelled? We hate each other. Besides, why would you want to be friends with someone like me?" He side-eyes Potter. Draco is genuinely curious.

He probably has some ulterior motive. Potter was probably suspicious of Draco after he saw him sneaking around at The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. Yes, that's why.

Draco puts his guard up. This whole tutoring thing is probably a set up as well. All of it is just to get information on Draco. Draco is sure of it.

***

"I didn't say friends, it's just..." Harry trails off. "Forget it, never mind. It would never work." Then Harry walks off, leaving Malfoy behind.

Harry traipses back to the Gryffindor common room, where he spots Ron and Hermione laughing about something. He plops himself down into an empty armchair.

"How did it go with Professor Slughorn?" Hermione asks. Harry groans. "That bad, huh?"

"No, I didn't even get a chance to talk to him. I walked in, and Malfoy was there." Ron grimaces. "Before I even got a word in, Professor said that I had to tutor Malfoy."

Ron sputters and jumps up from his chair. Harry startles and looks at the ginger. He didn't think it was that big of a deal. "You refused, right? He can't make you do that, you know." Ron says adamantly.

"I protested, but Dumbledore told me to get on Professor Slughorn's good side. So, I couldn't refuse."

"Harry, that is ridiculous! Of course you can refuse! A student can't be pressured into doing something they don't want like that." Hermione says. "I'm sure I read it somewhere..." She trails off, probably thinking of a book.

"You guys, I have to do this. It won't be that bad anyway. Malfoy hasn't bothered us much this year. It seems like he has his own thing going on. I just have to get it over with."

"He is probably plotting a murder," Ron grumbles.

"How are you so chill about this, Harry? Malfoy has bullied us for years." Hermione says, always the voice of reason.

"I just feel like this year is different. Like something has changed. The Slytherins don't bother us anymore. Malfoy never calls us names or anything. Maybe they are finally getting over themselves. Maybe we are turning over a new leaf," Harry says optimistically.

"I hope you are right, Harry. I would hate to see this backfire on you." Hermione says.

"Yeah, besides, Malfoy will always be evil. His father is a death eater. He probably is one too. Just watch out, Harry, don't let him trick you." Ron says, sounding extremely skeptical of Harry's optimism.

Harry nods his head. What they are saying is entirely valid, he has no reason to trust Malfoy or believe that there is good left in him, and yet Harry feels like Malfoy isn't trying to trick him this time. That there aren't any manipulations, and the Slytherins are trying to be better.

Yes, Harry is suspicious of Draco, but he has a nagging feeling that whatever is going on, Draco doesn't want to be a part of it.