Chapter Text
6th year was not Draco’s year.
First he becomes a death eater and the next he’s dragged back to Hogwarts like he can’t just drop out already. It’s not like he can complain though, he has a quest to fulfill and he’s already felling the guilt rise in his throat.
The first couple weeks were pretty boring. It was the same people and the same idiots who noticed him acting differently, they just didn’t understand his mission.
Though on the 1st of October Professor Slughorn had the wonderful idea of having people pair up to ‘make bonds while you can’, as if. Draco had his life planned out already if he completed his mission, which he would. For now he had to get a partner.
As he scanned the very few options he had Draco immediately glared at Potter and his gang, okay three people he couldn’t pair up with. Hermione paired up with Macmillan, the Ravenclaws paired up with each other and all of the Slytherin’s he sat with had abandoned Draco, and of course Potter with that Weasley kid leaving one more option, a Hufflepuff. Merlin kill him now.
Draco awkwardly went up to the blonde Hufflepuff, he already looked like he would piss himself if Draco put a hand on him. “Ahem.” He coughed out loud enough for the blonde to hear who tensed and turned to see Draco, the boy had a soft look about him with those wide eyes that looked to be three different colors at the same time.
“Oh, hey…guess we’ll have to pair up?” The Hufflepuff said as he went to reach for his bag. Draco nodded and tried to (and failed) to hide a slight scowl, this kids smile was annoying. “Yeah, just hurry.” He said before the two settled at a desk together.
Draco stared at the Hufflepuff, he had seen him before during his 4th and 5th year but had dismissed his name completely, probably for a reason this one didn’t look too promising. “What’s your name?” Draco asked right as the other boy started to take out his Potion supplies, “Orion, Orion Castor.” He said with a grin, too friendly.
Draco nodded and didn’t bother to say his own name, everyone knew who he was, he was a Malfoy. Orion however seemed to be tripping on himself every few minutes, his cauldron was offset, and his hair. It was too messy, curls and waves sticking out and was that a leaf? Draco couldn’t believe he was stuck with someone so incompetent and messy, as a Potions partner no less.
However he sucked it up and worked along with Orion until class ended. As he packed up his bag however he heard Slughorn speak words that rang in his skull, “Make sure to work on the homework with your partner! I’ll know if you don’t!” Slughorn winked at the students as they left and Draco’s mouth fell open, working together? This was worse than he thought.
Orion though didn’t seem bothered by this and even tugged him to the side by the sleeve once they left. Draco instinctively yanked his arm away, why did Orion have to grab the sleeve where the Dark Mark was. “What is it, Castor?” Draco asked with a scoff as he tugged down his sleeve and glared at the other boy who seemed to be shorter than him, good, easier to intimidate. “Well, um, Professor Slughorn wanted us to work together. So maybe Saturday we could meet?” Orion asked and Draco huffed “Fine, but I’m not doing it because I want to. Where would we even meet?” He replied coldly as he backed up slightly to peer into the classroom with narrowed eyes, maybe something in there could help with his plan…
“I-I was thinking the Greenhouse? I help in there on weekends sometimes, and potions kinda include herbs and plants sometimes so-“ Draco cut him off with a finger in his face, “Okay, okay, don’t tell me your bloody life story!” He rolled his eyes before walking past Orion, “meet you Saturday.”
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6th year was Orions year
This was the year he could have less classes so he could hang out with his friends! Even if half the time they were studying he couldn’t be less bothered as long as they were chilling out together.
Potions was really the only thing Orion sucked at, but now that he had literally Draco Malfoy as his potions partner he would for sure pass. He knew though he had to be careful with the news that he had paired up with Draco, his dorm mate Callum doesn’t have the best relationship with pure-bloods who hate muggle-born like him.
But for now Orion had to focus on that meetup in the Greenhouses.
Once Saturday came Orion was already in the Greenhouse, gloves and apron on as he swapped pots with some ditany, gloves caked in dirt he heard the glass door creak open revealing Draco who was wearing a white button up and some black slacks, clothes definitely not meant for gardening, while Orion was messy and meant for gardening.
“Oh! Hey! Come on in, I just got to…” Orion trailed off as he patted the soil down around the plant before he peeled off his gloves and set them down. Turning to Draco he grinned and spread his arms, “Welcome to the greenhouse!” He exclaimed but Draco didn’t look amused and even scrunched his nose in disgust. Orion tried to keep a smile at seeing Draco’s expression.
“Merlin, you’re covered in grime.” Draco pointed out, his finger pointing at the mess on Orion’s apron and shoes before putting his hands in his slacks, “whatever, let’s just get to work.” With a dismissive wave of his hand he went up to an empty desk and cleared it off a bit before he got an apron and got ready to work. Orion went up behind him and had to go on his tippy toes to be able to see Draco set up the stuff needed for their studying. Cauldron, fire, ingredients, the works.
Orion clapped his hands together as he fitted himself next to Draco who grimaced and moved to the side a bit before they went to work.
Turns out making potions without much instruction was difficult.
Orion tried to follow along with Draco’s instructions but they were vague and mostly ended up with Draco doing all the work, which Orion didn’t mind much, he sucked at potions anyways.
However right as they were packing up the greenhouse door opened and a commotion was heard.
“No, Callum, I’m sure he’s fine-“ it was Adrian; another one of Orions friends who turned out to be in Slytherin, his hair black and messy as usual with the awful green undertones mixing well with the greenery around. Then Callum came in, shorter than Adrian and a bit chubby he walked in with a purpose as he adjusted his glasses with a huff. “I need to make sure!” He interjected cutting Adrian off before he saw Orion and Draco.
His face paled.
Orion immediately spoke up, putting his hands out and hopping in front of Draco, “Callum! Don’t worry, we were just doing some potion homework, you know how much I suck at them…” Draco meanwhile stared at the three, his eyes lingering on Adrian before they narrowed, Adrian’s eyes did the same.
“Orion, you could’ve came to me for that.” Callum replied pointing an accusatory finger at Orion who deflated slightly at the stern tone Callum used. “But Professor Slughorn had the class pair up. He was the last one lef-“ Callum cut Orion off, “I don’t care! I could’ve helped you and said I was-I was him!” The accusatory finger was now pointed at Draco who sneered.
“Castor’s right, there was no one else.” Draco pointed out, his glare very much pointed at Callum. Orion panicked, he had hoped that Callum would’ve found out some other time not now!! Adrian being there too only made it worse, Orion felt himself stuttering on his words before Adrian stepped between the two of them, he was good at solving stuff like this.
“Tranquilo, idiotos” Adrian said his accent rough yet calming as he pulled the two blondes close by their shoulders, “They probably paired up, Callum, get over it.” Though even after he said that Adrian leaned in and whispered into Callum’s ear that Orion obviously heard. “Don’t worry…Malfoy isn’t the nicest, I’m just protecting him.” To which Orion let out a scoff, “I heard that!”
The three laughed before Draco coughed passive aggressively looking annoyed in their presence “I should get going as to…not interrupt you three.” His nose scrunched up in what looked like disgust (Orion hoped not), before he turned on his heel and walked out with his things.
“What a prick!” Was the first thing Callum said once Draco was out of ear shot “I know right? I gotta share a house with the guy!” Adrian rolled his eyes before Orion frowned but didn’t say anything, he couldn’t stop his friends from hating the Malfoy’s. They were completely in the right, thought Orion felt bad for Draco, he had potential. That thought echoed in his head. Potential.
Later in his dorm, Orion chewed on the end of a pencil Callum lended to him. Homework, it was going great. Even as he thought that papers were strewn all over the side of his bed, scrabbled in that messy handwriting that was definitely Orion’s. Meanwhile Connor, Orion and Callum’s other dorm mate, was doing the same but his had more neat handwriting some in a Portuguese which Orion was getting the hang of alright.
“Connor…what-what is the main c…component of making a shield charm-?” Orion said shakily, but while he spoke he signed out the words, even with one of his dorm mates being deaf he still was working on his sign language.
Connor understood and signed back easily “Look at page 187, it’s there.” Orion nodded and did as Connor signed, before Connor tapped Orions shoulder having a slightly mischievous grin on before he signed once more “Adrian told me something.” Orion felt his heart stop slightly and he tilted his head to the side before Connor continued “you and Malfoy fucking work together now?” Connor grinned ear to ear as he signed, Orion sighed and leaned against the side of his bed.
“It’s nothing.” He signed but Connor gave him a look that said ‘really?’. Orion rolled his eyes and tapped his fingers on his knee before he signed, “trust me, if it was serious I’d-.” Orion paused realizing he messed up slightly on his signing but laughed it off, so did Connor.