studies ❦ drarry

𝘰𝘯𝘦

"I can't believe they're making all the eighth years take a muggle studies class! It's complete rubbish."

Draco and Pansy were sitting in the Slytherin common room, waiting for the first breakfast to begin. It was a year after the war, and all of Hogwarts was repaired. Since an alarming amount of students had missed their previous school year, they were invited back as eighth years to repeat it.

Draco, Pansy and Blaise happened to be the only eighth year Slytherins returning. Draco was free from all charges due to being forced into Voldemort's army, so he was allowed back into the school only on close watch.

Draco, of course, wasn't too happy about this. His mother, Narcissa, was the one who insisted on Draco returning for a final year without disruptions. His father was finally in Azkaban, Voldemort was dead, so what harm could another school year at Hogwarts possibly do?

"Oh Draco, quit complaining!" Pansy groaned, plopping down on the chair across from Draco's couch. "Maybe it will be fun. We get to go to London! And hey, Harry will be there."

Draco picked up one of the decorative pillows from his left, and threw it with much force at Pansy's head. "Shut up, would you?" he sneered. She caught the pillow and laughed.

Draco had a secret, and it wasn't just any small secret. It was ruining  his life.

Draco had becoming rather... fond of Harry over the past couple years. Although Draco would never admit it, he wouldn't hesitate to become Harry's friend if Harry had just forgiven him. Bullying Harry and picking on his friends was the only way to keep it buried down deep inside.

He couldn't tell anyone this, though, it would destroy him. Pansy, however, figured it out quite easily.

"Come on, breakfast is starting!" Pansy said as she stood up. Draco rolled his eyes in protest, but stood up anyways and followed after Pansy towards the Great Hall.

~

Harry, Hermione, and Ron were walking into the Great Hall, talking about the new year and what it might bring. Suddenly, they stopped in their tracks, confused at the sight before them. There was an extra table where a few of the eighth years sat, three of those students being Pansy, Blaise and Draco.

"Are all of the eighth years sitting at one table now?" Ron asked with a puzzled expression.

"It appears so." Hermione said simply. Harry sighed.

Ron rolled his eyes. "We'll have to sit with that slimy git, Malfoy. Should've been locked up with his idiot father."

"Ronald!" Hermione turned to shoot a piercing glare at him. "It appears he's changed since last year, don't you think? Yesterday on the train, he smiled at Harry. When does he ever smile?"

Ron just huffed, and they continued walking to their new table. The table wasn't large at all, considering not many students were returning. There was only around 16 plates sitting on the rectangular oak table.

Since it was basically their only option, the three sat in the seats cross from the Slytherins. As they sat, Draco and Pansy lifted their eyes to look at them. Pansy looked at Draco with a raised eyebrow in question, and Draco shrugged. Pansy turned back towards her plate and kept to herself, not wanting to say any wrong things.

Draco had accidentally been staring at Harry, and he only realized when Harry lifted his green eyes to meet Draco's grey ones.

"Need anything, Malfoy?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

Draco's breath hitched and he looked back to his empty plate. "Sorry, just dozed off." he lied.

The four looked at him, all wearing the same shocked expression. Draco was confused at first, but then mentally cursed at himself when he noticed he had just apologized. Malfoys weren't supposed to say sorry for anything.

"Uh, you're good." Harry assured him, a cautious tone in his voice.

Pansy elbowed Draco in the ribs and he winced in pain, only to be nudged back by Draco softly. They all continued eating in silence -- cautious due to being in each others presence.

~

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all sat together in the new classroom for muggle studies. Shortly after, the rest of the eighth years including Pansy and Draco arrived. The new professor was sitting at her desk with a sweet smile on her face and a cup of hot coffee.

"Hello, eighth years! Welcome to this year's Muggle Studies course. I will be your professor! You can call me Cynthia, Professor Cynthia, it doesn't matter." she said while standing from her seat. "We're all friends here."

She was quite young, she had pinned up blonde hair and fancy grey robes. Her voice was soft and angelic, quite comforting actually. Harry and Ron exchanged glances, then focused back on the teacher.

"As you know, next week, we are beginning this class by spending a week in London! We'll go to museums, learn about muggle history, experience their everyday life. Before then, we will do small lessons in here. No homework. It will be quite the fun class for you guys!" she smiled again, sitting back down at her desk and taking a sip of coffee.

"I will be putting everyone in pairs for the hotel rooms and assignments in London." Students murmured and looked around at their friends. "Although you may not be happy with me on this, I have decided to make all pairs of different houses. Meaning, if you're a Gryffindor, I will not be putting you with another Gryffindor. House unity is an important thing, and one week with a different peer wouldn't hurt." she told the class.

Groans and shuffles were heard throughout the small classroom. Ron threw his head back and let out an angry sigh, and Harry shifted nervously. Hermione sat calmly.

"You'll still get to hangout with your friends while you're there." she insisted. "Since the topic is up, I will announce the pairs now. First we have Miss Beverly and Miss Ashton, Mister Weasley and Mister Zabini, Miss Parkinson and Miss Granger," Ron growled under his breath. Hermione and Pansy held eye contact across the room for a split second, then they both looked back at the desks in front of them.

"Mister Potter and Mister Malfoy."

a/n: omg omg NEW BOOK

how is it so far? first chapter is kind of short and boring but that's how every story starts