Chapter Text
Consciousness came back to him slowly.
Draco blinked a few times, shifting a bit on the comfortable bed and slowly opened his eyes, taking in his surroundings. After a few moments, his brain caught up to him, and he registered that he was lying in one of the beds of the schools Hospital Wing.
With Harry Potter sitting by his bedside, wearing an awfully strange expression that Draco couldn't quite place.
He sat up quickly in his bed, startling Potter with his sudden movements, and shifting the soft blankets of his body. Just as he was about to question Potter, on what had happened and why on earth he of all people was sitting by his bed, Madam Pomfrey rushed over with Professor McGonagall in tow, who had a serious expression on her face.
Although the Headmistress often wore such expressions on her face, Draco couldn’t help feeling a bit alarmed. There was already the phenomenon of Potter by his bedside, but now McGonagall was here too. Had something serious happened?
But Draco couldn’t feel any aches or pains in his body, and couldn’t remember anything that had happened earlier, but that could be due to having just woken up. If he wasn't injured, why was he here?
“You’re finally awake dear, how are you feeling?” enquired Madam Pomfrey who was now standing at the foot of his bed.
He tore his gaze away from Potter. Draco blinked at her silently for a moment, before realizing how odd he must look.
“I’m feeling perfectly fine, what happened?” he settled on answering a moment later.
Madam Pomfrey raised an eyebrow at his response. “You don’t remember anything that occurred earlier?"
Draco concentrated for a moment, trying to think back. He last remembered being in Potions class where Slughorn had unfortunately partnered him up with Zacharias Smith, who had spent the lesson making remarks and shooting dirty looks at Draco, instead of following the instructions properly. Of course, Draco had responded with his own snarky comments but had at least ensured their potion came out correctly. He was rather excellent at Potions after all.
“ I was in potions class partnered with Smith” he said, making a face as he said the boy's name. He saw McGonagall give him a disapproving look for this. “ Correct, you were” answered the Professor. She sighed, contemplating for a moment and pursed her lips. “To save time I think you should just be filled in what happened” she continued.
Draco nodded quickly, eager to just find out and get out of here. He listened as McGonagall informed him that Smith had hexed him after the two had gotten into an argument after class. She sternly told him that points had been taken of the two of them for this. It was a type of binding hex that Smith had used which had now resulted in him being bound to-
“Potter!” Draco spat, whipping his head around to where Potter was sitting silently. He looked as irritated as Draco felt. “ So you’re telling me that we are stuck together until the hex wears off?” he complained. McGonagall gave another sharp look. “The curse does not affect Mr. Potter, only you. Mr. Smith must have thought it to be some kind of hilarious prank. It seems that you must stay close to him otherwise you will suffer great pain. That is why you ended up here. You collapsed from the pain after Smith hexed you, and it only calmed down after Harry was close to you” she finished.
Draco groaned, throwing his head back on the pillows. It just had to be Potter of all people, didn’t it? “Your belongings have had to be taken from both of your rooms and moved to a new shared dorm, as you will need to remain together now at all times. Your timetables have also had to be changed so you will be in classes together. Your teachers have all been informed.” McGonagalls expression now turned even more serious, if that was possible. “I understand this predicament is most unfortunate given your history, but I do not want to see any arguing or fighting going on. You must learn to put up with each other” Draco sat back up, nodded reluctantly and saw from the corner of his eye, Potter doing the same, his messy black hair flopping into his eyes. Gods, did that boy ever get a haircut.
McGonagall informed him that Smith was to be properly dealt with by her later, and that any solution to this hex would be looked into. But for now, Draco was bound to Potter. The hex wasn’t suspected to last very long but Draco bitterly thought that time stuck to Potter would feel like an eternity.
Draco was discharged from the hospital wing with no injuries, and the two boys were led by McGonagall to their new shared dorm. As annoyed as Draco was about the whole situation, he could appreciate their new room. It was much bigger than his previous one in the Slytherin dorms with two double sized four poster beds, a joint en suite and a large window boasting a beautiful few of the castle grounds. It was not decorated with the deep greens and silvers of the Slytherin rooms, but it was still quite tasteful.
Unfortunately it was tainted by the fact he would have to share it with Harry Potter.
Ever since the war had ended, and Potter had testified for him in court, Draco had thought a lot about how he now felt about the other boy.
Of course he was still annoyed by him, and it wasn’t as if he now desperately wanted to be friends with Potter, but he was done telling himself that he hated the boy. He was grateful that he had not been sent to Azkaban but hated that he now felt he owed Potter. Over the summer Draco had considered writing him a letter. But after the seventh piece of parchment lay crumpled on his desk, he decided to leave it. What would he even say?
Thank Potter for testifying? Ask for his wand back? Apologize?
Of course, deep down he knew he should have done all of those things, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Potter had enough people worshipping him already and Draco didn’t need his ego being inflated any more. But a small voice in his head reminded him that if he wanted to grow as a person, he would have to apologize sooner rather than later.
But it was still going to be horrid, being forced to be so close to him all of the time. Potter was clearly feeling the same way too.
In the back of his mind he remembered that Potter was not affected by the hex at all and didn't need to be close to Draco. He could have chosen to not stay with Draco, although McGonagall would hardly have allowed it.
Whatever.
He wasn’t going to start thanking him yet. The Golden Boy had enough people praising him as it was.