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“Hey Malfoy!” Harry called as he and Draco passed each other on the fourth floor corridor. Ron and Hermione just rolled their eyes and kept walking.
Malfoy waved off his friends, crossed his arms over his chest, popped one bony hip, and glared at Harry as though he was hoping his gaze could kill.
“What do you want, Potter?” Draco finally drawled, complete with a massive eye roll.
“Hermione told me that you’re taking Muggle Studies this year. You’re obviously up to something. What is it? Planning to convince everyone to kill Muggles instead of studying them? What are you up to, Malfoy?”
Malfoy delivered another giant eye roll and Harry rolled his eyes right back.
“Well? You know I’m not going to drop this, Malfoy so you might as well tell me.”
Malfoy’s face twitched as he appeared to deliberate, but his mask fell back into place as he came to a decision.
“If you must know,” Malfoy began, his cheeks pinking, “My mother insisted I take it. She said it would make a good impression on my parole officer. But I’m obviously going to fail at that too. I’m so far behind, I’ll be lucky to get a D on my NEWTs. You can go ahead and gloat now, Potter.”
Harry couldn’t believe that Malfoy had just revealed a weakness to him. It was so unlike the old Malfoy that Harry almost wondered if he’d imagined the whole thing.
“I…I could help you,” Harry found himself saying. “I mean, I grew up with Muggles so…if you wanted…I mean…” Harry mumbled and then trailed off. He felt his face heating and closed his eyes for a moment hoping Malfoy wouldn’t be able to tell.
“No one does anything for free, Potter. What would I owe you then? Because if you expect me to kiss the ground you walk on like the rest of your loyal subjects, you can keep dreaming.”
“No! No. I don’t…it’s not…I mean…Oh! What if you help me with Potions? We could trade tutoring?” Harry knew his face must be quite red at this point, but he soldiered on. “Yeah. Come on, Malfoy. What do you say?”
Malfoy worried his lip between his teeth and pushed a stray lock of hair behind his ear.
“Fine. Deal.” Malfoy finally responded with a single sharp nod.
Harry stuck out his hand, and after a moment’s hesitation, Malfoy shook it. Harry beamed at him, he couldn’t help it. Malfoy smiled back. It seemed he couldn’t help it either.