Saving Myself || A Drarry Story

XXXIX: Sick

Draco shoved a piece of toast into his mouth, avoiding Theo's questions and Blaise's smirks. He nearly choked when Theo asked if they had taken it farther than kissing in places they could get caught, his eyes gleaming.

"Don't say it like that, " Draco told him thickly, swallowing his toast. "You make it sound bad."

"Oh, come off it, " he said. "It's actually a bit cute how he acts like a prat and scowls at you all the time."

"You know, " Draco started, "you being dropped on your head explains your behaviour."

Theo stuck his tongue out and Draco did as well. Blaise glared at them as Neville came up, shyly shifting on his feet. "Hello, Neville."

"Hi, " he exhaled, his hazel eyes wide. "I was just wondering if you, maybe, wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend. If---if you want to, of course."

Blaise replied quickly, "Sure, why not?"

"Okay, then, " Neville blushed.

"Okay, " Blaise smiled. They looked at each other, Neville blushing and Blaise grinning like an idiot until Neville stepped back, saying, "Okay."

"Jesus, " Draco laughed. Blaise glared at him as he continued, "You have got to be the worst flirt in the world."

"Shut up, " Blaise grumbled.

Theo asked, "Are you and Harry going to Hogsmeade together anytime soon?"

Draco shrugged, saying, "He's nervous about being out. Which is completely okay, but he's making himself sick, thinking about it." He looked over Theo's shoulder and across the Great Hall, disappointed to see that Harry wasn't at his usual spot next to his friends. "I'm sure he's okay."

"Maybe, " Blaise whispered.

"Hopefully, " Theo nodded.

וווווווווווווו×

Harry slunk into his first class of the day, Advanced Potions Making, which was, miraculously, the same class as Draco. His eyelids were heavy and his throat was scratchy, surely a cold. Within the first twenty minutes, he sneezed at least five times, disrupting the new professor. When she said that they would be working in partners and that they were to be decided by her, Harry's dreary spirits lifted slightly. If she paired him with Draco---which she would certainly do---it would give them an excuse to be seen in the public eye as well as retract suspicion.

When she read their names aloud, Harry tried to look surly, a feeble attempt with his sick features. At around lunchtime, Harry's head was pounding furiously.

He swallowed a bit of food, slouching and wondering if he looked as bad as he felt when the Slytherin Quidditch team Captain, Marcus Long, came up to him, a naïve smile playing on his lips. It seemed that his and Harry's hostility was forgotten by him. Must've been the blow to the face, Harry thought to himself, remembering the connection between his fist and Long's face.

"Hello, Harry, " he said, making Harry roll his eyes. "Just making sure you're going to do well this term."

"Why wouldn't I?" Harry asked without the usual hostile bite.

"No reason, Harry, " Long grinned. He insisted to call Harry by his first name, completely oblivious to the fact Harry was furious at the fact he had been cheated from the spot as Quidditch Captain. "Sometimes, things happen."

Harry nodded and coughed, sounding a bit like a dog as he did so. Long asked, "Are you sick?"

"No, " Harry rolled his eyes. "I'm coughing for the pleasure of it."