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Malfoy was up to something- Harry just knew it. He’d been quieter around Harry when no one was around. It were almost as if he only started fights with Harry for appearances sake now. He’ll walk past malfoy when he’s going to the library and there’s no entourage? Nothing. He’ll walk past malfoy when malfoy is with his friends? Suddenly Harry has to have a joke made about him or an insult thrown his way, it was maddening. Though, Harry wasn’t exactly sure why the change of attitude. Especially with the dementors last year and malfoy’s show of fake fainting whenever he saw Harry. It only added to the list of why the blonde was suspicious. Harry tried to pay attention to his cauldron as Malfoy snickered with the rest of the slimy slitherins behind him. Maybe they would have been at least a bit more subdued with Ron as his partner but he had to take nevil to the nurse leaving Harry at the mercy of the evilly ambitious snakes. If only nevil didn’t somehow inhale powdered fire horn. Come on.., powdered fire horn? It wasn’t even on the list for ingredients they’re even using in class today.“Look there, potter’s glasses are fogging up! Reckon he can’t even make a consumable potion with that vision?”, Malfoy jibbed. Of course all the other slytherins ate up every word and laughed together.
Harry gritted his teeth. Admittedly it was getting increasingly hard to see because of the steam but malfoy didn’t need to point it out. He knew if he responded to the confrontation, Snape would give only a detention if he were lucky and he’d rather not spend any unneeded time with Professor.. Harry shivered thinking about Snape’s cold bat cave.
While imagining about how much he wanted to strangle malfoy he accidentally knocked down a lilac stem. At least it didn’t fall into his simmering ingredient.
Though it made Harry calm down a bit because maybe it was a sign. A sign to pay attention to his potion or he’ll blow himself up, that is.“Oi! Saint potter, just one fan photo? I even have the gallons to pay for it!”, malfoy exaggerated his desperation with outwardly begging movements.Harry tried to ignore it but that just fueled the smirk forming in the corner of Malfoy’s stupid mouth.“I’ll do anything truly! Surely my allowance money could cover the cost for just one quick photo-“Harry knew this was meant to make him mad but it was working. Clenching his fists, Harry weighed out the pros and cons of testing out malfoy’s new hair conditioner, maybe a quick check to see if a heartfelt punch to his face messed up the blond strands or not. Harry stopped his planning when he saw Snape get up from his oak seat. “Is something the problem, Potter?”, Snape spat. Harry quickly relaxed his stance, “no sir”
But of course this wasn’t enough for malfoy.“Obviously nothing is wrong- you see, Saint potter would never raise his temper!”
Harry’s eye twitched from anger.
//////Harry angrily stabbed his potatoes, “I’m this close to hexing a limb off”.Ron offered a chicken leg as a peace offering from next to him, “sorry I wasn’t there to make him back off mate, I would have gave him a mean glare to scare him away”“Like a glare would have worked, I was giving the stink eye the entire time!”, hermione piped.Harry sighed, “thanks hermione but you were across the room, no one saw your stink eye” hermione deflated, “Oh”Ron roughly bit into a bread roll, “Don’t fret it mione, don’t you know how persistent malfoy is? It’s like the git fancies Harry or something. Not much a stink eye would have done there.”Harry’s eyes widened at the word fancies. “Don’t jinx it Ron- if you say that even louder then with my luck, malfoy might actually start liking me! I’d really drop out if that happened, Harry scoffed. Though Harry supposes malfoy was intriguing at a certain angle.. But that was just too crazy. Harry would rather think the dark lord drool worthy than malfoy. Even picturing it left a bad taste in his mouth.“Well Harry- I’ll make sure the slime won’t even get a word through to you next time, He’ll have to get through me.”, Ron said sternly with turkey in his mouth. Harry gave a small laugh, even with how annoying malfoy could be he would always have his friends. “Thanks guys but I can handle him myself”, Harry assured.Ron and hermione gave him a skeptical look as he pretended not to see it.While going back to less aggressively stabbing his potatoes, Harry listened in to what the other Gryffindors were excitedly chattering about. “Is it true they’re choosing the champions from the goblet of fire tomorrow?”, Harry asked.“Percy bragged about being there in place for the minister so I suppose it’s true”, Ron muttered. “I can’t wait to ask them about what they learn at those foreign schools”, hermione excitedly replied.//“Cedric diggory!”Harry watched as the closest hufflepuffs clapped Cedric on the back. The smile they were giving was contagious and Harry found himself grinning too. “Cedric was chosen as the third competitor”, hermione awed.Cedric started talking to some of his new supporters while briskly walking toward where the other champions were.
“Better him than any of the Slytherins”, Ron cheerfully replied.Giving an absent minded nod Harry agreed, “yeah they would get a big head... ”.Harry looked over to the slytherin table to get a glimpse of the certain blonde he was talking about but accidentally made eye contact with Cedric.
Cedric gave him a large grin before being shoved into the champion room by the headmasters of the different schools.
Harry snuggled in between Ron and hermione on the common room couch. “I’m surprised someone didn’t put Harry’s name in the goblet earlier for some evil plot of sorts”, hermione said using a charm to make the fireplace hotter.“I wouldn’t be surprised if that did happen”, Harry agreed enjoying the warmth of the embers.“Do you think This year will be boring without quidditch?”, Ron asked.That’s right- Ron was thinking about joining this year but now he can’t because of the death eater attack in the summer. “It’ll be exciting I think especially with the tournament”, replied hermione.Unsurprisingly Hermione was right. There was the tournament and Harry had a gut feeling something was in stow for this year.——-“Blimey! The first task is dragons- do you think they’ve all gone insane?”, Ron whispered loudly.They were all under the invisibility cloak after visiting Ron’s cool older brother Charlie who deals with dragons.“This is too dangerous for a tournament”, hermione whispered far much quieter than Ron.“Do you think Cedric knows what the first task is?”Hermione hummed, “I heard the hufflepuffs trying to figure it out so I doubt he does” After a pressing moment of stillness Hermione loudly hissed when Ron stepped on her foot“Sorry”, Ron sheepishly apologized. There was another moment of silence as they arrived at the Gryffindor portrait. Ron and hermione left from under the cloak but shuffled their feet awkwardly when they realized Harry didn’t follow their actions.“Uh Harry we’re at the tower, you can come out now”, Ron finally said.Harry clenched the invisibility cloak in his hand, “I’m going to go find Cedric”At Ron’s puzzeled expression he went on, “I don’t think it’s fair how he’s supposed to survive the dragons without even knowing what he’s up against...”. And it was true, Cedric was up against a mythical creature that Harry thought was supposed to be only in fairy tails. It would be unfair to keep this information from Cedric in a way and Harry feared for the hufflepuff.
Ron nodded in agreement before hermione spoke up, “ Of course you should warn him Harry but I thought he was a prefect. It’s cutting close to curfew, Won’t he get mad at your visit? I don’t suppose you can just tell him tomorrow?”Harry inclined his head toward her, “The sooner he hears what the task is the more time he has to prepare. Don’t worry I’ll be quick!”. And with that Harry slipped into the dimly litter corridor off toward the hufflepuff common rooms. Well maybe Harry should have brought his map because he was slightly lost. Why does every house keep their common room secret again? It was especially surprising how secretive all the hufflepuffs were about where they reside..The incoming darkness also didn’t make this whole venture any more enjoyable. Every time Harry heard a creak in the floorboards he mentally blamed it on peeves as to not get spooked into going back to the safety of his dorm.
Just as he turned a sharp corner still jittery from the last creepy noise he heard. Harry harshly collided straight - into- something and he couldn’t quite help the terrified sound that unwillingly escaped. “Potter?”Of course Harry ran into malfoy of all people and his invisibility cloak happened to have fallen off in the harsh collision.Harry looked behind malfoy much to malfoy’s confusion and luckily there was no other following slytherins. It was a perfect time for Harry to test his theory.
“Look malfoy I’m passing by just like you, we’re both probably heading somewhere-”, right as Harry tried to sneak past while giving his somewhat admittedly poor speech malfoy harshly pushed him back into the wall.“What?-”, Harry gasped.Since Harry was still stunned by the fact that he was pushed into a wall by malfoy he wouldn’t ever have had enough time to escape the lean arms as malfoy put each one on the sides of his body. Harry was enclosed but this wasn’t supposed to be happening. Malfoy had no entourage- no friends to back him up. Malfoy was supposed to have just not interacted with him and maybe angrily stomped off for bumping into him but definitely not supposed to do whatever he was doing right now.But Harry was wrong and malfoy was going to use his wand to torture Harry just to let off some steam- and maybe get rid of the evidence by transfiguring his corpse into a dustbin while he was at it. Harry mentally heard Hermione scolding him for entrusting his safety to a theory that malfoy would ignore him. If only he didn’t leave his wand on his bed- really how dumb was he.Harry was brought out of his thoughts as malfoy leaned in closer already intimidating because of his height advantage but Harry wasn’t going to cower, he was a Gryffindor for bloody sake. But oh- malfoy’s scent it was musky and masculine in an elegant way that had hints of smoke probably from potions. It was intoxicating and Harry was confused to why it was so enthralling.“What do you want malfoy?”, Harry angrily hissed and he immediately wanted to congratulate himself with how steady his voice sounded.Malfoy stood still for a moment and Harry started to think he changed his mind about beating Harry up. Which still sounded crazy in his head because no matter how heated their insults were against each other they never threw punches. Or that was until tonight when they crashed together because of Harry’s luck but Harry does suppose that everyone has a limit and he just helped malfoy reach his.“Where are you going?”, malfoy finally voiced. There was no obvious emotion Harry could pinpoint in the slytherin’s face and that made Harry pause. Was malfoy not angry?“somewhere” Harry replied.Malfoys eyes narrowed, “it’s almost curfew”. The blondes breath tickled the unruly strands near Harry’s ear.Harry was honestly expecting to have gotten into a fistfight by now but surprisingly it was just an interrogation. Yet, Malfoy had no right to question where he was going. He had no right to manhandle Harry against a wall. Harry raised an eyebrow, “Why do you even want to know?”Before Malfoy could let out a word, Harry tested how sturdy the arms keeping him in place were by twisting and pushing against the limbs but it seems malfoy was way stronger than he let on. Harry was getting a bit desperate now, “you’re not a prefect, where I’m going is none of your business”Malfoy hummed at that. “I don’t know Potter, I could very well be a prefect next year..”, malfoy humored ignoring everything else Harry said. Though Harry wasn’t paying much attention himself. The close proximity with a knee now edging dangerously close in between Harry’s legs, almost teasing.And they were so close now that Harry could see the silver specks in malfoy’s steel eyes. Every indentation of his lips..Malfoy’s eyes then made it down toward Harry’s own mouth, witnessing when Harry’s breath desperately hitched by a hand firmly finding his hip. Malfoy devilishly smirked by the reaction and then- Harry harshly shoved Malfoy off as he heard footsteps round the corner. Harry didn’t know who was coming but he knew he’s been there long enough. He threw his cloak back on and quietly ran as fast as he could not looking back. “Harry you’re not eating your breakfast.”, hermione pointed out while putting her book down. Ron paused as if he wanted to join the conversation but then smoothed jam on toast deciding that he needed food in him before anything else.“I just didn’t sleep well”, Harry muttered.Hermione frowned,“You didn’t sleep well?
“I bet Cedric didn’t sleep well either now that he knows what he’s facing, the poor bloke”, Ron snorted instantly regretting it when hermione smacked him.“Ronald!”Harry bit his lip while he considered not telling his friends that he skipped out on telling Cedric the details of yesterday.“Actually I didn’t tell Cedric about the dragons”, Harry admitted.A loud clank on the table followed as Ron loosened the grip on his fork, “then where were you mate! You were gone for an hour”“er- I got lost”, Harry sheepishly said whilst picking at his egg,
Harry wasn’t sure if he should tell his friends the whole reason for why he was gone for so long. Harry still had trouble believing it himself. Malfoy pining him against the wall? That sounded like some sort of twisted joke. But the thing is- it did happen. The tension manifested from nowhere as malfoy pressed his body close to harry’s but for now Harry wasn’t going to think about it. Though for the record- Harry did not fancy malfoy. He was just wanted to know why malfoy did the actions that unfolded yesterday- yeah that was all.Hermione sighed as she put down her goblet. “Look at the hufflepuffs, I’m sure Cedric hasn’t figured out what the first task is yet It’s a bit gloomy isn’t it?.” Harry turned toward the badgers and they were in fact the perfect picture of gloomy. It was almost depressing watching the usually high spirited extroverts be this quiet.“I’ll go tell Cedric right now. Before he goes back to his common room.”, Harry ushered himself off his seat completely ignoring Ron’s protest to finish his food first. Much to Harry’s discomfort many of the hufflepuff’s heads turned and watched with curiosity as Harry marched up to Cedric causing the prefect to look away from his porridge.
“It’s dragons” Cedric furrowed his eyebrow in confusion before dropping his jaw, “the first task is-““Yes dragons”, Harry finished for him.Besides the worry for his life showing in his eyes, Cedric caught Harry off guard with a firm one arm hug. Engulfed in the hug Harry smelled the inviting warmth of honeybuns and spices. But he couldn’t help but crave the scent of smoke. Harry peeked over cedric’s shoulder to see the sytherins watching including a platinum blonde. When caught staring malfoy immediately looked elsewhere.“Thanks Harry”, Cedric grinned letting go. Harry returned the smile, “No problem”
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While Harry was pretending that nothing happened in that faithful night in the dark corridor, malfoy seemed to be doing the exact same thing. But that was fine because Harry had other things to think about. “We need to study”, Hermione protested, her eyes gleaming with determination.Ron seemed to have blanched at the thought, “but m’ione! We could spend our time doing something worthwhile instead.”This seemed to have been the wrong thing to say as hermione flexed her jaw, “it is a worthwhile way to spend time you brainless troll.”Harry rolled his eyes, teasingly he said, “hermione that must be deathly offensive to all the trolls that do have brains”Successfully lightening the mood hermione giggled, “ I suppose it is”Ron pouted, but the playful banter had its effect, and they all shared a laugh.—Malfoy was at it again.Cedric was so close to first but got injured enough by the dragon to end up with second place, barely beaten by Quidditch player Victor krum. Harry was about to go congratulate him when a certain blond stopped him on his way. “Off to go the talk to that hufflepuff aren’t you? Bet you secretly think you could have done better! Shame on you saint potter”, Malfoy smirked with his groupie behind him, reveling in their sycophantic laughter.Harry was tired of all this Animosity. He mumbled, “I never said I was a saint”This actually caught Malfoy’s interest as he grinned deviously. “Hear that? Saint potter isn’t so clean-cut after all” he shared. Harry was about to respond when Malfoy bumped Into his shoulder to walk past in a way that the blond must have thought was really Cool. While walking past, Harry smelt the same whiff of smoke. Against his will, Harry decided it wasn’t a bad scent.—Harry, Ron, and Hermione decided to get their robes and dress ware from a fancier type of tailor shop that sold a variety of magical attire.At first Harry was against it but he needed an excuse to get ron some new robes because his looked like aunt petunias undergarments. Harry shivered in disgust.Harry also told Ron and Hermione he would pay for their clothing items, but Hermione declined, saying she already received a satin dress hand-sewn by a family friend. Though she was happily there to accompany them on their shopping trip.“I want this one!” Ron exclaimed, pointing to a certain pair of dark red robes, obviously showing his Gryffindor pride. Since the shop was still pretty new, there were only three changing rooms, so the witch worker took the robes from Ron to go set up the changing room. Hermione, ever the practical one, suggested they look for more options while the witch set up the room. Hermione explained that when you walked into the changing room, it automatically spelled the outfit you chose onto you and that’s why the worker needed to prepare it first. "That’s so handy!" Ron said, his eyes gleaming with excitement, much like a child in a candy shop. Hermione shook her head fondly at his enthusiasm.Ron decided he didn't want to try on any other outfits, and the worker directed him to the changing room on the right.Ron happily went in, and now the worker told Harry to go to the left one before she rushed to the back, having been called by her supervisor.“Wait do I go to the one on the left of ron or the one of the far left?”,Harry asked hermione feeling a bit confused.Hermione looked puzzled too, but she reasoned “she must have put it in the middle so you’re beside Ron right?”That sounded logical. Harry nodded before walking into the middle one. Harry felt his clothes change and there was a bit of a drift so maybe there was a hole in the robe? Harry shrugged before walking out of the changing room. Hermiones jaw dropped.“What’s wrong?”, Harry raised an eyebrow in confusion. “Harry your clothes!”That was enough warning for Harry to look down at his attire. Dear god. Harry was in the skimpiest nightdress you could have ever imagined. “What the hell!” blushing furiously.“What’s with all the commotion?”, Ron murmured before walking out of the changing room to drop his jaw too. “Mate what are you wearing??”“I don’t know!”As if things couldn’t get any worse, Harry heard a wolf whistle from outside the shop. The shop had wide, see-through windows, and to his horror, Malfoy was there with Zabini and Nott, cheering the blond on as he made even louder whistles. At least it wasn't all the Slytherins there, but still, Harry felt like he was dying on the spot. He grabbed a random robe from a display and wrapped it around his body for coverage.“Sod off malfoy!”, Ron shouted doing very little to undermine Malfoy’s antics“Your right potter! You aren’t a saint!”, Malfoy gasped with pure joy, relishing the opportunity to embarrass Harry further.Harry felt a bit of his pride crack that day, but he tried to ignore it as he quickly paid for his chosen robes and left the shop, hoping to forget the embarrassing incident./——-Harry was in his invisibility cloak while Ron and hermione were in the common room. He needed some time to walk it off. Merlin, Malfoy was such a prick!As if his life were a joke, he walked straight into a solid build reminiscent of that last stroll he was out on at this time.“Potter, is that really you?” Malfoy asked, genuine surprise in his voice.Harry begrudgingly looked up into malfoy’s soft eyes. The dim lighting having made his blond hair even more luminiscente. "Yes, now leave me alone," Harry bit out, still angry at the events of the day.“Come on potter! I was being being polite that time!”, Malfoy complained.This was beyond strange. “What do you want?”Harry noticed Draco’s eyes flicker with a glint in its steel tone. Harry was confused as Malfoy came closer, backing Harry against the wall, almost reenacting what position they were in last time. "Wouldn’t you like to know, Potter?" he taunted in a tone that held a mix of hatred and something else Harry couldn't quite place. It was lower and took down some of Harry’s defenses. Harry didn’t even realize they were a breath apart from each other. Harry found himself drawn to Malfoy's piercing gaze, and he couldn't look away. Their faces were mere inches apart, and Harry's heart began to race. "Yes, I'd like to know," Harry breathed outIt was like Harry was magnetized to the blonde git, the git who smelled too good and had a firm grasp on Harry’s fallen cloak, it was strangely comforting.In an unbelievable turn of events, Harry found himself leaning in, the next moment Harry did something he never would have even thought to have ever been possible of happening. Harry was kissing Malfoy. The blonde wore a self-satisfied smile, like the cat who got the cream, and Harry couldn't help but notice the hint of a dimple forming on Malfoy's cheek. Who would have thought Malfoy had god-forsaken dimples? Harry made an embarrassing hot noise making malfoy take more of Harry in. It was like Harry was being devoured. Malfoy then took things a step closer somehow and lifted his knee in between Harry’s leg releasing a filthy moan from the gryffndor.Harry pushed malfoy off with a sharp gasp with the blond not looking so much better with his ragged breathing. A string of spit connected their lips. It was gross, disgusting, and Harry was turned on. Scared and unsure of this new development Harry tugged the cloak on and ran off leaving malfoy there.He kept his cloak on in the common room to pass by his friends and go straight into his room.-/—The next morning while eating breakfast Ron swallowed a sausage whole before asking, “what’s up with you mate? Looks like you got no sleep.”Harry simply shrugged and ignored the inquiry.—-Later in potions class, Harry couldn't help but turn around to steal a glance at Malfoy, only to find the blonde already looking back at him. Malfoy's intense gaze held a lock on Harry, a look he had never seen before on the Slytherin's face. Neither one looked away, their eyes locked in a silent battle of will until the class was dismissed.“Wanna give it another go?”, the blonde asked in the middle of the classroom. Harry looked around alarmed before realizing they were the only ones left in the classroom, snape must have left to his bat cave..———-“Your crazy, Malfoy," Potter said with a desperate tone, unaware of the effect his words had on him. Potter’s bright green eyes were blown wide open, betraying his confusion and lingering desire, and it was all too tempting for Draco. He let out a deep sigh.He was going crazy wasn’t he?———/This time around malfoy just pecked a kiss on Harry’s forehead before leaving the potions classroom. Harry felt with his fingers at the warmth left behind on his skin and blushed.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Draco and his friends rode towards another year at Hogwarts, his mind was filled to the brim with many conflicting things. The absence of Voldemort, the Dark Lord whose shadow loomed large over the world for so long, should have brought relief. But instead, it left an unsettling void within him. For Voldemort to be gone just like that, Draco almost couldn’t believe it himself.Draco leaned against the window of the Hogwarts Express, his silverly steel eyes fixed on the passing scenery. No matter how nice it was, The familiar sights failed to calm the storm raging within his chest. Voldemort's sudden demise, if one could call it that, left him grappling with emotions he couldn't quite comprehend.Draco had been ease dropping on his parents hushed whispers to each other in the courtyard , snippets of conversations that shook his world with each passing word, apparently Voldemort was in a fetus like vessel being cared for by an older death eater. Well Voldemort should have never trusted someone who never had children to take care of his small self. The irony of Voldemort's unexpected demise under Pettigrew's careless watch was not lost on Draco. He couldn't shake off the slight bitterness that gnawed at him, mingled with a sense of relief he dared not acknowledge.But amidst the turmoil, there was another thought dawning on him, one that he had been avoiding for far too long. Harry Potter. The name echoed in his mind like a haunting melody, stirring feelings he couldn’t not acknowledge. For years, he had harbored resentment towards potter, fueled by the prejudices instilled in him since childhood. ‘Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the thorn in my side, the symbol of everything I was taught to despise.’Yet, as draco reflected on their encounters, he couldn't deny the grudging respect that had begun to seep into his consciousness. Potter's courage, his unwavering determination in the face of danger, his loyalty to his friends – they were traits he found hard to dismiss, even harder to admit admiring. And now, with Voldemort's absence casting a new light on their world, He found himself questioning everything he had been taught about the blood superiority of his family's lineage.
The train rattled on, oblivious to the inner turmoil consuming him. He knew he couldn't continue living in denial, clinging to the prejudices ingrained in him. Voldemort's demise, however bizarre and anticlimactic, served as a wake-up call, urging him to confront the truths he had long ignored.As the Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade station, draco resolved to embrace this newfound uncertainty, to explore his beliefs and prejudices. And perhaps, in doing so, he would finally understand the enigma that was Harry Potter – a boy whose presence in draco’s life seemed destined to challenge everything he thought he knew.Only the closest death eaters knew of voldemort’s death but Draco made sure their children knew too. It was a step into the darkness.Not knowing what to expect from telling them but after, they somehow got even closer with this loss of leadership. Before Draco knew it they had a true friendship that wasn’t based purely on fear or wealth. A bond had been formed and with that Draco knew he could tell them what was in his mind.It smelt of blooming flowers as Draco sat on the terrace of his family's manor, his thoughts consumed by a singular presence. Despite the late hour, sleep eluded him, his mind tangled in a web of uncertainty.The summer night draped lazily over him as he lounged surrounded by the comforting presence of his closest friends - Pansy, Blaise, Daphne and Theodore. Yet, despite the relaxed atmosphere, Draco's mind buzzed with a nervous energy, a secret itching to escape his lips. Draco finally admitted the truth to himself - he might like Potter romantically.He cleared his throat, drawing the attention of his friends who regarded him with curious expressions. "So," Draco began, his voice casual yet tinged with an unmistakable hint of anticipation, "you know how we've been talking about Potter lately?"Pansy raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at the corners of her lips. "Oh, do tell, Draco. Is there something you'd like to share with the class?"Theodore rolled his eyes and tousled his hair, “potter this potter that, what are do you have to complain about potter this time.”Draco chuckled, a nervous energy bubbling beneath the surface. "Well, you wouldn't guess what I found out," he replied, his tone light yet tinged with a hint of mischief.Blaise leaned forward, his interest piqued. "Go on, Draco. Don't leave us hanging."Draco glanced around at his friends, his heart pounding in his chest. This was it, the moment he had been building up to, yet now that it was here, he found himself Sat uncomfortably."I mean, it's not exactly something I've ever thought much about before," Draco admitted, his gaze fixed on the moonlit sky above. "But then again, stranger things have happened, right?"At his friends exasperated looks he finally smirked nervously “potter isn’t half bad you know”They looked at each other in confusion before it clicked and he saw the emotions flash through their minds one by one. Theodore's eyes widened, his expression a mix of shock and amusement. "Potter? Really?"Pansy's lips curved into a mischievous grin after picking her jaw off the ground. "Well, well, Draco Malfoy, who would've thought?"Their reactions were more than Draco had anticipated, and he found himself bombarded with questions and teasing remarks. Yet, amidst the chaos, there was an underlying sense of support and acceptance that warmed his heart.At one point Draco could have sworn he heard Blaise mutter “was not expecting this”As his friends joked, “who knew little Draco had grown up” and “it was pinning this whole time” Draco felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Their light-hearted banter made him forget the insanity of his confession, replacing it with a sense of humor and normalcy.Under the moonlit sky, surrounded by the laughter of his friends, Draco realized that he was not alone in his journey of self discovery or fancying a dim witted gryfndorr . And with their unwavering support by his side, he knew that whatever the future held, he would face it with courage and cunning./—Draco he settled into his dorm and un packed his necessities. Besides him Blaise gave him a knowing look but he ignored it.“So when are you making a move”, Blaise chuckled from behind a too large grin when this wasn’t a laughing matter.Draco sighed, “I don’t even know if he swings that way and there’s too much history between us..”Blaise grinned harder “more like you being an arse”The blond let out a groan and slumped into his bed lost on what to do.Blaise must have took this as a joke because he let out a laugh. “Draco this just means from now on your going to have to take opportunities”He looked up at that, “opportunities?”Blaise nodded his head “opportunities like when you’re with potter. If there’s a moment where you could make it romantic then make it romantic”Draco abandoned his bed and made it to a chair before collapsing in it, “I’m just going to take it slow, maybe insult him less” Theodore strode confidently into the dimly lit Slytherin common room, his dark robes billowing behind him. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on his two friends, Draco and Blaise, seated on a plush sofa near the fireplace, engaged in hushed conversation.As Theodore approached, he couldn't help but overhear Blaise's almost somewhat earnest tone, offering Draco what appeared to be love advice. Intrigued, Theodore slowed his pace, curious to hear more."And remember, Draco, confidence is key," Blaise was saying, his voice low but filled with conviction. "You've got to show Potter that you're not afraid to make the first move."Draco smirked, though a hint of uncertainty lingered in his silver eyes. "But what if he thinks it’s a prank?" he questioned with apprehension.Before Blaise could respond, Theodore cleared his throat, announcing his presence and effectively interrupting their conversation. "Ahem. Am I interrupting something?" he asked, his lips quirking into a sly grin as he approached the sofa.Draco and Blaise exchanged a knowing glance before Blaise replied with a knowing smile, "Not at all, Theo. Just... discussing tactics for the upcoming Quidditch match."Theodore raised an eyebrow, skepticism evident in his expression. "Quidditch match, huh? Well, it sounded more like a discussion on matters of the heart to me," he teased, unable to resist a playful jab.Blaise chuckled, his eyes filled with amusement. "Looks like our secret's out, Draco," he remarked with a smirk.Draco rolled his eyes, but a faint blush tinted his cheeks as he shot a playful glare at them both. "Idiot there’s not even quidditch this year," he muttered, though there was a hint of humor in his voice.Theodore grinned unapologetically, settling into an armchair opposite Draco and Blaise. "Anytime, Draco. Now, do tell, what's this about you and Potter?" he prompted, his curiosity piqued.As the three friends settled into conversation, the time passed faster than he thought.