twenty three
————
"it sounds like rubbish."
"it's not rubbish!"
"it sounds like stupid muggle rubbish, and you sound absolutely daft." draco groaned, and harry glared at him vehemently, though his stare lacked any real bite.
the two of them were holed up in a dim potions classroom nearly forgotten about in the dungeons. apparently, places like this were the best for potion brewing, which harry supposed gave a logical explanation as to why the late professor snape always kept them locked up in the dark at the bottom of the castle. their project was coming along nicely, although harry had to admit he hadn't done all that much this session.
draco was the real potion master, and while he stirred the brew with pinched brows and concentrated lips set in a thin line, the only thing harry had contributed were chopped up pieces of ingredients and absent minded conversation.
somehow, they ended up talking about muggle contraptions, like vacuums, tvs, and toasters. all of which draco had never heard of and, apparently, thought were stupid.
"toasters are a very useful contraption in the muggle world," he denied, puckering his bottom lip in an annoyed pout. "it's how we make sandwiches and bagels and warm, toasty, buttery bread! muggles don't have magic so they must make do with what they do have!"
"oh yes," draco mumbled sarcastically. "i'm sure muggles are very smart, making those intelligent things with their stupid bloody notches and their loud noises!"
"they are!"
"look, i'm just saying that a little metal box that screams when bread is warm does not sound very pleasant."
harry face palmed. "i told you it doesn't scream."
"it does too! it screams at me!"
draco whipped his head up, and harry couldn't help but snort, as draco looked so offended and so distraught, his soft eyes all soured and angry like an annoyed child's.
he was too cute.
"draco, it doesn't scream at you," harry cooed softly, and draco scrunched up his nose. "it just dings to tell you when it's done."
"that is not a ding."
"it is a ding."
"it's not, it's too loud! like a banshee! how ridiculous."
"how about this? i'll get you a nice, properly working toaster that does not scream, and if you still don't like it, then you win and you get to destroy it."
"i can set the wretched thing on fire?" he turned to harry like a child on christmas.
"...yes...if you want."
"deal." draco nodded, a satisfied smile on his lips.
"okay."
they soon fell back into a comfortable silence, the air still thick with the lingering echoes of soft words and playful smiles. the only sounds were the bubbling potion and the chopping of ingredients.
it was comfortable in a way harry had never thought possible. or at least until draco started swaying, and blinking like his vision wasn't quite right.
it was subtle, and harry almost didn't notice anything was wrong.
that is, until draco moved to get the dandelion root harry had just chopped, and stumbled. harry quickly reached out and caught him, immediately worried.
"draco! what's wrong? do i need to take you to the nurse?" he questioned frantically, worry only growing at the blond's dazed look and blinking eyes.
"i'm- i'm fine, harry," draco tried your dismiss him, letting the boy guide him to a seat. "the fumes from the potion are just making me a bit dizzy is all."
harry jumped into action, opening the door a crack, casting a spell to clear the air, and lastly fetching draco a cool glass of water.
"should i put the dandelion root in now?"
"yes, and then stir counterclockwise four times."
harry heeded draco's instructions carefully, and went back to hovering nervously over the blond once he was done.
"are you sure that's all? you don't need anything else?" he fretted.
"i'm sure," draco said. "i feel loads better already so i can finish the potion now."
he moved to get up, but was stopped by harry's hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him to sit back down.
"no, i think you need a break. you've been doing a lot of the testing work, and to be honest, i'd like a turn. no, no, no," harry noticed draco's expression turn guilty. "you don't have to apologize. potions is your favorite subject, and this project is very exciting. and...i know my track record in potions isn't the best–"
draco laughed. "no, no, you're great at potions harry, really. i think the only that made your 'track record' the way it was was snape."
harry smiled back at him. "okay, okay. anyway, at this rate you'll end up overworking yourself, and no one wants that. besides, i want to help a little more than chopping ingredients, so let me finish this potion, and you can be the chopper boy, 'kay?"
draco pouted, drawing a fond laugh from harry, but nodded reluctantly.
and so harry finished the potion, meticulously following draco's detailed instructions. once it was completely done, he stepped aside and watched the blond murmur a spell. at the wave of his wand, silvery words began to appear in the air above the cauldron, and upon further inspection, harry realized that the words stated exactly what the potion would do if ingested, and the side effects.
"what spell is that?" he asked, amazed. he'd never seen it before, and if such a spell existed, then why wasn't it taught in potions class?
draco looked up from the words and said, oh so casually, "i made it myself."
harry almost choked. "w-what? how? you made it- made it yourself? how does that even– can hermione do that?"
he was perplexed, but amazed. no wonder draco and hermione we're always vying for top student in class. he was unbelievably smart– to create a spell at this age? most people were past forty when they started making spells, and it took them years to complete.
the blond himself gave no response to harry's bewildered rambling. he was fully focused on the text in front of him, grey eyes flitting back and forth and eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
he looked hot.
he didn't realize he was staring until draco turned back to him, beaming excitedly. harry quickly snapped his gaping mouth shut, and felt his own excitement grow at the sight of another's.
"i think this one's gonna work!" his voice was rife with delight and amber elation.
those words, paired with the bright smile draco gave him, made harry's heart glow, and a grin spread across his cheeks.
"what?! really?"
"yeah, its almost there, just missing something!" he turned back to the potion, a little bit of the concentration from earlier returning. he cast another spell to find out the exact recipe, and frantically started scribbling it down.
harry rushed to help, taking over writing while draco read it out. working together, they finished fairly quickly and both slumped down onto the table once they finished.
after a couple minutes of exhausted silence, harry spoke up, returning to an earlier topic.
"you made your own spell?"