"...Draco, I'm fine! You really don't need to hold me up like this!" Harry protested with a frown, pushing his hair back weakly. The two had finally reached the Potions Dungeon after a rather lengthy walk due to their bickering and Draco's constant chasing after Harry when the dark haired boy managed to squeeze out of his hold.
The blond boy raised his eyebrows disbelievingly in response. "So you weren't about to collapse halfway here? Right.. Even if you don't want me to, your opinion is irrelevant to me. Stop being so stubborn."
"Says you—"
"At least I know there's a time and place to be more humble-,"Draco snarked back but was interrupted by the door of the Potions Classroom opening without warning.
The eyes of their fellow housemates and the Gryffindor First Years were trained on them, which would have been enough to make even Draco feel unsettled under their curious gazes but the blond boy's voice died in his throat when he met the dark eyes of one Professor Snape.
"Malfoy ... and what do we have here? Mr Potter, our resident... celebrity. Thought it'd be a good idea to influence Mr Malfoy to skip class on the first day, hm?"
Harry pursed his lips, trying to swallow the anxiety bubbling up his throat. "N..No, sir! I just had a bit of a problem—"
"And I helped him. He was feeling ill, Professor,"Draco cut in smoothly. He blinked in surprise, remembering the sick note Quirrell had scribbled out for this very reason.
He dug around in his pocket and pulled the note out , triumphant. "See?"he said , holding it up.
"What does a piece of paper do to prove your point?"
Draco fought the urge to roll his eyes. "It's a sick note written by the Professor from our previous lesson, sir. We had Defence and Harry was ill during the lesson. If he feels worse, I'm meant to take him to the Hospital Wing."
Harry glanced at Draco. He hoped the floor would open up and swallow him whole at this point. This is the second lesson he's ruined and brought attention to himself !
Everyone most likely think him weird or attention seeking if they hadn't at the beginning. He could just imagine it. Harry Potter, The Boy Who Made Everything About Him, That freaky crybaby who couldn't even stomach a new environment , the weirdo weakling who always turns the atmosphere sour. We can't even get through a single lesson with that freak.
Perhaps the Magical World wasn't for him if everything his uncle said would soon be proved true.. The bitter taste at the back of his throat made him want to gag at the thought of Vernon being correct about anything.
Harry's train of thought was interrupted when he heard the Potions professor hum in thought.
Professor Snape stared at the both of them with a frown, searching for the hint of a lie. When he found none, he sighed.
"Potter?"He asked with a less harsher tone.
"Yes, sir?"
"Are you well enough to sit through this lesson? You may leave if you need to."
"Yea, I don't fancy having chunks of throw up on me, y'know," Tracey muttered but not low enough for Hermione and Daphne to miss it.
For the second time that day, Tracey Davis was hit over the head with a thick textbook. Not only by Hermione, but by Daphne as well.
She stifled her yowl when she met Snape's glare , choosing to slink down in her seat and willing the ground to swallow her whole.
The Potions professor opted to not even make a remark, opting to turn his attention back to Harry and Draco.
Harry felt a bit nervous at the man staring at him , his black eyes filled with an intense indiscernible emotion while his face, partly hidden by curtains of inky looking hair betrayed nothing.
After what felt like millennia , a corner of Professor Snape's mouth tilted upwards in a strange manner. "I'm not usually this lenient..."he finally replied. "however it's alright if you lay your head down on a desk. I'll check on you at the end of the lesson. Now both of you do sit down."
Most of the Slytherin First Years (those who grew up magically) gaped when Snape's back turned to write something when Harry and Draco settled down behind Ron and Theo.
Harry who had already laid his head on his jersey (which had been used as a makeshift pillow) was already beginning to drift off.
Draco glanced at him and sighed internally. His "Anti-Potter" strategy wasn't going to plan at all. Why is he so worried about the raven haired boy anyway? He got himself ill , which didn't involve the Malfoy in any way!
Potter is the enemy! Perhaps he made himself ill to draw everyone in and pity him? And Draco felt stupid for allowing himself to feel any concern for the other boy! There's no way in hell he'll be all buddy buddy and kiss his arse just like everyone else Harry's met.
He's not weak like everyone else. He's better and will continue to be better...starting tomorrow.
Draco nodded to himself once more. Once he's not forced to keep an eye on the boy next to him, he'll be able to focus properly on his goal. Soon, everyone'll deviate towards him and he'll be the star he was always meant to be.
***
After Potions
Harry found himself staring into piercing black eyes once more. He wasn't sure what time it was — never mind his location. The dark haired boy did know one thing though.
"I'm going to vomit,"he slurred out.
"Pardon—?"Snaped asked in confusion, standing upright, backing away slowly. He wasn't in the mood to have his clothes decorated with someone's lunch.
Draco, who had remained behind, grabbed a cauldron and manoeuvred Harry into a sitting position so he could place the cauldron in the boy's lap.
Harry promptly threw up in it. The two boys didn't register Snape rummaging around his storage and coming back with a strange assortment of multicoloured vials.
He balanced the box of vials in one hand, using the other to wave his wand, causing a chair to be pulled in front of the retching boy.
He pursed his lips as he sat down.
"H...Potter, I'm going to need you to drink this,"he instructed, pulling out a vial containing faintly glowing yellow liquid.
"Wh-What's..this?"Harry croaked out, giving the Potions professor a suspicious frown.
"Vomere. It'll help stop the vomiting before I give you anything else."
"Are you allowed to give students medication-? This feels illegal. Aren't you going to ask if I'm allergic or anything at the very least?"
"Drink. It," The professor hissed through gritted teeth. "If you have an allergic reaction and die, I promise I'll take responsibility."
The man raised an eyebrow when Harry's expression didn't change as the boy reluctantly drank the vial's contents.
Harry was shocked when the nauseating feeling went away and the burning in his stomach calmed.
"Magic is wonderful, isn't it?"Professor Snape asked, a slight smirk adorning his face when he saw Harry look far more alert than when he first entered his classroom.
"Ah...yeah, that's very true..."
The professor dug around the box again, producing a liquid that looked like water, albeit tinged pink.
Draco's face scrunched up in disgust when he saw the vial. Harry caught his change in expression and grew worried.
"Why are you making that face-?"he asked, eyeing the potion with uncertainty.
"Straighten your face, you've no one but yourself to blame for the time I gave this to you,"Snape cut in before the blond could reply. "Don't go spouting horror stories, you're going to scare off Potter."
"What do you mean "scare me off"?"
Draco inhaled sharply before Harry could get a reply, frowning as he focused his full attention on the Potions professor. "Horror story? That was a whole violation! I almost died from that repulsive ..thing."
"No you wouldn't have. Besides, instead of making yourself sick you should have gone to the Parkinson's' dinner like you were meant to."
"I don't like Pansy! I rather stick my head in a toilet than spend my night talking to her. Mother was being mean by calling you! She should have let my illness take its course by itself,"the blond grumbled.
"She was only concerned for your health. It's your own fault you received instant karma for lying."
"I don't lie—!"
"Oi- Are you trying to say this thing'll kill me?"Harry interrupted, panicked.
"No. Don't listen to Draco, he's merely exaggerating." When Harry didn't take the potion, Snape rolled his eyes and sighed, mildly irritated. "If this were lethal, do you think Draco would be here , still crying about it to this day?"
"No..."
"Exactly. Now please do take it, unless you want to miss the rest of your first day? I don't have a problem with shipping you off to Madam Pomfrey. See how you like it when she keeps you under her care for a week."
Harry swallowed hard at the prospect of missing even more school work. The odd potion was looking very nice at the moment.
"Fine, I'll take it!"Harry sighed, quickly snatched the vial and popping off the lid.
"Good. Although Draco was right about the taste being unpleasant, so you should close your nose...Ah, never mind..."Snape trailed off, seeing Harry down the potion.
Harry felt like throwing up again. Draco looked like was going to. The blond could already taste the sandwiches he'd eaten earlier at the back of his mouth.
The raven haired boy vowed to never fall ill around the Potions professor if this was going to happen. At least he felt like he'd never been sick in the first place now.
"Better?"Snape asked.
"Loads...Thank you very much, sir!"Harry responded, a bright smile on his face.
Harry noticed the strange emotion in the man's eyes return but decided to store the information for later.
"You're welcome, Potter. Now get out of my class."
***
When the door shut, Snape waved his hand over the cauldron absentmindedly vanishing its contents, staring at the door the two boys had exited.
Talking to the Potter had left him feeling ...strangely empty. He expected to have the boy be a literal carbon copy of his father, judging from the letters his dearest friend had sent him so very long ago.
However from the very moment that boy walked into the Great Hall from the very first time, Severus had only received shock after painful shock from the moment he laid eyes on him.
He looked nothing like James. He couldn't quite place his finger but on it but perhaps other genes were shining through ? He looked like Lily not only with those eyes, but also with the softness to his features and somehow more parts of her managed to live on in Harry . Especially the slight hints of Lily's signature blood red hair he'd seen in Harry's hair — which surprisingly looked neater than James' had. Not by much, though.
The boy's mannerisms during the brief interaction reminded him a lot of Lily whenever they squabbled growing up. He barely caught himself replying in the same way he would have if he were with her.
If she were here with him...
He could only imagine how disappointed she'd be in him for betraying her like he had. He'd already failed at keeping his promise to protect her son. He had not a single clue where the child had been all these years and could only imagine what could have happened to him.
He pursed his lips tightly at the possibility of the boy being placed with Lily's sister of all people. The girl was a pain growing up, what with her resenting magic from "taking Lily away".
She grew from being an absolute pain to a bitter shrew — at least that's what he understood from her fit at Lily's wedding. Perhaps she never changed and never will.
Who knows what would happen if she had power over the thing she's despised for many years?
He could only hope that wasn't the case.
He hated to admit when Minerva was right but he should at least attempt to let go of the grudge he has against his long dead tormentor and give Harry a chance...
He could have a better chance to fulfil his promise to Lily properly..
Severus could only have faith that the Fates wouldn't allow him to fail both her nor Harry this time.
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