art credit (unknown)
If there was one thing Draco was tired of, it was damned Potter and his ability to make everyone talk about him. Even the sodding Slytherins were talking about him so much Draco had to leave the room. It wasn't that he didn't like a good discussion about the git-who-lived, he did, it was just everyone was always so...wrong!
Potter was a bloody celebrity and yet, he still found himself correcting students and newspapers, alike.
It started...
Well Draco wasn't sure when it had started, just that it had. For the most part, no one noticed. And if they did, they didn't let on to Draco that it was something odd.
Potter was walking across the courtyard whistling a tune with a huge grin and a bounce in his step. Obviously this led to Slytherin scrutiny, as it should.
"Potter looks too cheerful today," said Millicent as she chewed her thumb nail down to the quick. She was sitting on the sill of one of the windows in the wall that formed the brick yard.
"Well, maybe it's his birthday. He has the right to be happy on his birthday," responded Daphne's little sister Astoria with a glimmer in her eye as she perched herself beside Draco on the bench. He rolled his eyes as he continued to thumb through his arithmancy book.
He had only wanted company as he studied. Pansy, Blaise and Daphne would talk too much. Vince and Greg took their weekend breaks in the Great Hall. The only people who he figured wouldn't annoy him seemed to be doing just that.
"No," he stated clearly uninterested as he finally found the chapter he should be studying.
"No? No what?" asked Millicent. Honestly, thought Draco. She's as daft as Crabbe and Goyle.
"No, it's not Potter's birthday."
"So why is he so damn thrilled to be strolling through the castle?" she asked in challenge as though the young Malfoy knew something she didn't.
"No idea," he started with a shrug. "But his birthday is July 31st. So it couldn't possibly be that." He turned the page once more, never looking up.
"What?" asked Astoria in confused awe. Draco finally looked up confused as well.
"What?" He looked at her with his head tilted slightly, waiting for a response. When he didn't receive one he rolled his eyes and went back to skimming through the chapter. Nothing else was said.
A week later Draco was on his way to class with Blaise, Pansy, Millicent and Daphne. On their way through the courtyard, they passed two Gryffindors. He had barely recognized Potter since he was walking with Longbottom instead of the other pieces of his little golden trio. The only reason he had turned around to double check was because the bumbling oaf said Potter's name.
"-been trying to figure it out all morning. I was going to look for Hermione later and ask her." He nervously dug around in his pocket. "Oh yeah, here you go Harry. It's some gum my gran sent. It's strawberry flavored."
"Actually, Nev-" Harry started and Draco turned away and started muttering under his breath.
"Potter's allergic to strawberries, Longbottom. Merlin..."
"Not again," sighed Millicent as Blaise placed a hand to his own forehead before rubbing at his temples. Draco turned and they all shook their heads wearily, but followed as he made his way back to a blushing Potter trying and failing to tell Longbottom no.
"Naughty little Schlongbottom. Trying to kill the-boy-who-lived, are you? Never would've guessed it," Draco drawled as he rolled his shoulders back to relax them a bit and loosen his robes.
"W-what are you talking about, Malfoy?" asked Neville equal parts astounded, angry and confused.
"Potter's allergic to strawberries. The plant, the fruit, the essence, the flavoring. I've had enough potion lessons with him to know better than to let him touch the bloody things if I want a good grade."
Longbotton looked both scared and surprised. He apologized to Potter and they began to head in the opposite direction of where the Slytherins were supposed to go.
The Golden Boy gave Draco a small smile of thanks over his shoulder and he was monumentally confused as he turned back to his fellow Slytherins and continued their trek to class.
Draco was tired of hearing people talk about Harry sodding Potter. They were wrong more often than right, but he sat in the common room and calmly corrected them if they misspoke. After that smile, he felt like he owed it to the git. At least so someone wouldn't kill him off accidentally.
~~~<~>~~~
heyyy futher muckers
based on this lil headcannon prompt thing-a-ma-bob
lemme know whatcha think
i learned the error of my ways
theres gonna be 50 one shots
not just 45
you lucky bastards
-- angel janeé xoxo 💋