Chapter Four - Enemies or Partners?

Disclaimer; All rights belong to J.K. Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter and all credit is completely hers.

Around a week had passed from the Quidditch tryouts and first Quidditch game, and Harry was completely exhausted. He wasn't looking forward to his potions class that morning, but forced himself to get early anyways.

"Get up, Ron, you're going to be late. Slughorn likes all his students there early, come on. " Harry said, shaking Ron until he woke, groaning tiredly but loudly.

"Mmmhpfh, I hate Monday's." Ron murmured, sitting up in his bed.

"It's Potions class. Probably my favorite class of all right now. Beats Snape and Trelawney by a long shot. " Harry said and went to walk out.

"Aren't you going to wait until I'm ready to go to class?" Ron asked, but Harry ignored his question as he walked out their dormitories and down to the common room. Saying a quick good morning to another fellow Gryffindor, he decided to skip breakfast since there was only about six minutes left of it.

Walking into his potions class, Harry plopped in an empty seat. He, Pansy, and another Hufflepuff were the only ones there. Harry didn't send any glares at Pansy, though, not wanting to make the deal obvious to anyone, especially to Hermione.

Soon enough, the entire class came bustling in one by one, and Slughorn coming in exactly five minutes after them.

"Oh, I'm very sorry class! I wasn't expecting to be so late, Professor Dumbledore had to speak to me. " He explained quickly and caught his breath, taking a seat down at his desk.

"Today, " he continued, "You will all be working in assigned partners for a project. You must complete an advanced potion by this Friday, one of you and your partner's choice. Just the directions to the potion is needed. No report or essay. " Slughorn said, pulling out a crumpled parchment from his pocket.

"Erh- this isn't the partner sheet, hold on, " He murmured, reaching into his other pocket. Clearly, something was on his mind today, almost like he had been told by Peeves to piss off.

"I swear, I had it in -.. Maybe it's in my other jacket. I'll be right back, class, just stay quiet. " he said, making his way into the back room. As soon as he left the room, the class turned into a fit of social whispers. The entire room was really a mix of conversations from all students.

"Lavender has been all over Ron, it's disgusting - "

"I swear, I left my Defense Against Dark Arts book back in my other bag-"

"What? How could you do such a thing! He's just a little baby, Neville."

"It wasn't my fault! I'm accident prone!"

"I really don't care for that insufferable know it all-"

Everyone quieted themselves as soon as Slughorn walked back into the room with a much neater piece of parchment.

"Aha! I've found it. Alright, let's get started. Granger, with Thomas. Weasley, you go with Brown. Pansy, stay with Goyle. Crabbe, I suggest you'd work with Zabini.

And Potter, you can work with Malfoy. "Both Harry and Malfoy froze, but a smile came across Pansy's face.

"With Malfoy? Professor, isn't there anyone else-"

"I am not working with Potter. I can work fine by myself-!"

"Silence, Malfoy, and you, too, Potter. " Slughorn said calmly, and an annoyed groan came from Malfoy as he picked up his books, plopping in the stool next to Harry.

"Don't think for one bloody moment I'd ever want work with you. Just keep your mouth shut through the entire thing and we'll be okay. " Draco murmured.

"Shut it, Malfoy. We need to get this done. I already picked out a potion for us, and I know how to do it, too. " Harry said.

Draco narrowed his eyes. "Famous, Saint Potter! Aren't you terrible at potions? " Draco asked with no tone of interest or curiosity in his voice.

"Whatever. These potions books are different, they'll help us. " Harry murmured.

The thing that Draco hated the most was that Harry was always terrible at potions, except this year he magically improved. It made him quite angry, since Potions was the only thing that Draco succeeded at better at than Harry did. Now, he couldn't brag about how much easier it was for Draco to Potter.

Harry flipped his book open to the potion he wanted them to do. Sure enough, his book had all the better ways to complete the potion. Draco eyed his book, but only got a good glance of it since Harry moved it down to his lap.

"What is that, anyways? It doesn't look like my potions textbook. " Draco complained.

Harry groaned to himself, putting his textbook back on to the table. "It was the only book Slughorn had left to borrow. It shows all the better ways and such to create these potions. " Harry said and slid the book towards Draco.

For once, the blonde seemed interested. Picking up the book, he examined the textbook, before tossing it back on the desk. "I won't tell on you, only because you have all the answers. " Draco murmured.

"Thank you, for that. " Harry said rather sarcastically.

"Don't make me change my mind with your sarcasm, Potter. Let's get this bloody finished. " Draco snapped back, but he was rather worried. The writing in Harry's book looked exactly that of his relative, Snape's, and he was completely worried it might have some hints of Snape being a deatheater. Then again, the book was probably around the Marauder's Era, and so there was no possible way it could have anything about a Death Eater in there.

"Snap out of it, Malfoy, we need to focus. " Harry said, but not as snappy as he wanted to to come out like.

Draco shot Harry a look and turned back to his seat, flipping open to the page. Eyes narrowed slightly, he looked over at Harry to say something. Except, when he did, his eyes were now glued to Harry's facial features. Draco never really noticed how Harry had green eyes, either.. Quickly looking away, he cleared his throat and tried his best to speak. "Erh- I, well, -- "

"What is it?" Harry said, looking over at Draco with confusion.

"This potion-- it's uhm.. Too hard. Yes, I'd never be able to get this done, especially with you, during this class period. " Draco finally spat out.

"That's why we have tonight to work on it, Draco. The library will be free until curfew. " Harry said. He could of sworn he saw Draco looked at him out of the corner of his eyes, but he clearly wasn't.

Draco narrowed his eyes again. "You're kidding me. I am not staying- " and then Draco froze.

"Did you just call me Draco? By my first name?"

Harry's face turned red, and he opened his mouth to speak. Except no words came out. He let out an awkward cough and scratched the back of his neck a bit. "No, no I said Malfoy.. " Harry said and glanced over at Pansy. She was eyeing them every so often.

Before Draco could speak, Harry quickly spoke again. "Actually, yes, yes I did.. I, well-- eh, erh, I think we should - uhm.. never mind."

"Never mind, what? Just tell me, Potter. " Malfoy said, crossing his arms loosely across his chest.

"Let's just cooperate together, for this time. If you just stay nice to me while we're doing this blasted potion, I promise, I'll never bother you again. " Harry said.

"Your presence already bothers me enough, H- I mean, Potter." Draco corrected himself and looked back at his book.

Harry looked up to say something, but he caught himself staring this time. Harry noticed how Draco had his perfect blonde hair, not one piece of it sticking out of place. Then Harry's gaze traveled down to his eyes.

"Your eyes are grey?" Harry blurted, but quickly looked back at his textbook.

Draco eyed Harry a bit, and just nodded, "Yeah.. Doesn't matter.. Let's just get this stupid potion over with. " Draco muttered.

"My book says we should start out with fifteen ashwinder eggs. " Draco continued.

"No, my book corrects that we should start out with sixteen eggs. " Harry said.

Draco simply rolled his eyes, "Sure, I'll listen to your way. Just put the bloody eggs in. "

Harry stood up and reached over to grab the cylinder container of eggs. As he did so, his arm brushed against Draco's shoulder.

To Draco, he felt a wave of electricity course through his body when Harry's elbow brushed against him. He immediately tried to shake away the feeling as Harry sat back down, pouring sixteen ashwinder eggs into the rusted cauldron.

"Now what does your book say this time?" Draco asked.

"We need a wad of giants hair, a sprinkle of dragons blood, a sloths brain, and a vial of clear saber tooth claw." Harry said, "Then we sit and let it wait for ten minutes, give it a stir, and place tarantula's pincers in. Then it'll be done. " Harry explained.

Draco just nodded with an exaggerated sigh. Shuddering at the thought of the giants hair, he picked it up with only two fingers and flung it into the cauldron.

"I'll do the sloths brain, just to keep you 'safe.'" Harry teased him with a soft smile.

"Correction, next is dragons blood, Potter, and I'll be more than 'happy' to do that. " he muttered, putting a few drops of the dragons blood into it.

By the end of class, Harry and Draco were most definitely not finished. They fought over who was the one to put the sloths brain in and who was the one who had to use the enormous spoon to stir it.

"Would you look at that, Potter? We haven't even finished! All because of your bloody, irresponsible arse!" Draco spat and crossed his arms.

"Shut it, and go complain to your father. I have to go to my next class. " Harry said and capped their cauldron.

"Tonight, at five o'clock, meet me at five in the library. We have to finish this, and I'm not waiting all week with this dreading on my mind. I really don't want to stay with you in a library. " Harry continued and slung his bag around his shoulder, exiting the classroom without saying another word.

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"Come on, Draco, just speak to me!" Pansy whined, slouching behind Draco as he walked into the empty common room. It was about an hour before Draco would head off to the library.

Draco didn't say a word as he plopped on the couch, pulling out some homework he wanted to complete.

"Just one word. Hi. Hello. Goodbye. Stay. Pansy. Something. " Pansy whined again, taking a seat down next to Draco.

Draco ignored her again.

"Pleeasssee! Anything! Say one word to me! How come you're only talking to Harry? Is it because of your omens?" Pansy asked.

At that moment, Draco's eyes shot towards her. "My omen, you mean?"

Pansy slapped a hand over her mouth. "Uh, uhm, no, n- h- he's,- yes, yes I meant your omen!" She said unconvincingly.

"You know something. Tell me. " Draco said and grabbed her wrist before she could get up.

Pansy looked at him with worried eyes, and then sighed in annoyance. "You and Harry have the same omens. That you'll both gain something surprising during this school year. " Pansy said.

Draco's eyebrows knitted together, looking over at Pansy like she was some unknown creature. "Impossible. " he spat, sitting back against the couch.

"I swear! I heard it from Weasley, in the halls!" She exclaimed, shaking his arm. "Draco, it means something!" She said excitedly, maybe a bit too excitedly.

"It means nothing. Harry and I-"

Then, Pansy gasped. "Harry! You called him Harry, Draco!" She said, once more excitedly.

Draco's face went completely red. "No- no I didn't, I clearly said 'Potter.' Okay? Stop making a big fuss over this. Professor Trelawney is just a nut. " Draco said.

"Oh my god, Draco- Draco, there has to be something you know, something you feel. It could be anything. Maybe you two are going to become friends. Maybe you two are going to become best friends.. Maybe you two are-"

"Shut it, Pansy. " Draco snapped viciously, and Pansy's face fell into a frown. Blaise came in soon enough, plopping in a seat next to them. Eyeing them a bit suspiciously, he looked over at Draco.

"Can I talk to you, Draco?" Blaise asked, giving a sincere smile to Pansy. Draco rolled his eyes and stood up, walking out into the hall with Blaise.

"You know that I like Pansy, Draco. " Blaise said.

"And?" Draco said, clearly not getting the point.

"You were definitely just flirting with her! Piss off, Draco, okay? I like Pansy. And I don't want her falling for a ferret, either. " he said, before walking back into the common room.

"What an arse, " Draco breathed to himself, but this time walking back in only to get his bag.

Next stop, the library with Potter.

Just wonderful.