the day we connected // drarry

day 1 - holding hands

Draco rolled his eyes as he caught a glimpse of Harry Potter walking towards him. He had already forgotten on several occasions that the two of them were to get on for their remaining time at Hogwarts. Professor McGonagall had gotten fed up of their constant arguing - even after everything with the Battle of Hogwarts and the end of Voldemort - and had decided to sentence them to behaving like proper adults and 'letting go of this childish feud!'.

Her first move, which she made on only the second week back at Hogwarts, was making Draco and Harry roommates in the eighth-year dorms, which had been specially made for those returning after the war (which was mostly everyone). Harry had wandered into what had been his and Ron's room only to find Draco sprawled across Ron's bed. Draco had bitterly explained the situation, and how he and Ron had swapped beds. Harry had felt a sting of guilt when he realised that Ron was now bunking with Blaise Zabini.

Now it was mid-October, and Professor Flitwick had just instructed the class of Gryffindors and Slytherins to get into pairs. Ron and Hermione had moved to each other so quickly it was like they had been glued hexed. Pansy and Blaise were standing beside each other almost instantly, and Harry had begrudgingly wandered away from Neville and over to Draco, who was standing on the other side of the room.

"Don't look so glum, Potter," said Draco. "Any of the Slytherins would kill to be partner with me."

"I'll happily trade." Harry grimaced.

"And deprive McGonagall of a moment to be smug? No, we're sticking together," he said, taking Harry's hand in his own. There was a murmur, a flash of light, and then an outburst of giggles. Harry and Draco's heads whipped around to the source of the laughter, and saw Blaise pointing his wand in their direction, while Pansy and a number of other Slytherins laughed shrilly.

"What are you guffawing at?" Draco demanded. "Pansy!"

She outstretched a shaking hand at the point where Harry's and Draco's arms connected. Harry gasped and tried to free himself from Draco's grip, but nothing happened. He used his other hand to attempt to pry Draco's hand off of his own, but it was no use. They were stuck, just like Malfoy had said. Pansy's laughter only intensified as Harry tried desperately to separate his hand from Draco's, but his attempts were futile. Eventually, he stopped trying, and looked up to see Draco giving Pansy a very cold look from across the room. Less people were laughing now, as they had seen that Harry and Draco - known sworn enemies - were properly bonded together.

"Malfoy!" Harry yelled, and Draco's head snapped round.

"What?"

"If you hadn't been so bloody sarcastic we wouldn't be stuck like this!" Harry exclaimed.

"Don't try and blame me, Potter - it's our combined fault that we have to be partners all the time anyway!" Draco shot back.

The two growled at each other with their hands intertwined while the rest of the class stared in shock. Professor Flitwick had been trying to attain order in the classroom, but had not been audible over the howling of Pansy's laughter. Finally, when her giggles began to cease, he was heard, and the class stared at him, silent.

"Pay attention! Miss Parkinson! Miss Parkinson, what do you find so amusing? I demand that you tell me this instant!" he squeaked. Pansy looked at Flitwick, smile still wiped across her face.

"Nothing, sir," she said quietly. "Just - something on Weasley's robes..."

He narrowed his eyes at her, and then moved his gaze to Harry and Draco, who were standing towards the middle of the room, clutching the other boy's hand with apparently desperation.

"Potter! Malfoy! I don't care what sort of prank you're trying to pull, but it isn't going to work! Let go of each other's hand at once!" the tiny professor barked.

"Please, sir, we can't," said Harry quietly. "Zabini got us with a sticking charm."

Flitwick stared, and then his expression turned into something that every student in the room instantly recognised as intention.

"Well, boys," he said, half-malevolently. "Though I do indeed know the counter-charm for your dilemma, I also happen to know that Professor McGonagall wants you two to get along especially  well this year."

Harry stared at his professor confusedly, while Draco's eyes widened as it dawned on him what was going on. As a result of this, his palms began to sweat, and Harry let out a roar of disgust.

"EUGH!"

Flitwick stared at Harry, shocked that he had interrupted him. "Mr. Potter?"

"MALFOY, CONTROL THE AMOUNT OF SWEAT YOU PRODUCE, WOULD YOU?" he yelled, wishing more than ever that he could move his hand away.

Flitwick rolled his eyes. "As I was saying - since Professor McGonagall wants so much for you two to get on, I think I'll leave you with this until one of your friends decides to give you the counter-charm." his eyes darted over to Hermione, who was too busy staring at Malfoy and Harry to notice.

After the lesson, Draco and Harry left the classroom, hands clasped together. All through Herbology, their hands were stuck, which made it very difficult to do the exercise that Professor Sprout had planned for the class. Luckily for them, Herbology was the last lesson of the day, and after the bell chimed, they left the greenhouses hand-in-hand, heading for the Great Hall.

When they strode through the great oak front doors of the castle, both Harry and Draco realised at the same moment that they were of different houses. They turned to look at each other simultaneously.

"We're sitting with the Slytherins." said Draco pompously.

"Sod that, we're eating with the Gryffindors!" Harry countered.

"I haven't seen Blaise and Pansy since Charms!" Draco whined.

"Oh, boo-hoo. You'll have to say hi to them later, because we're eating with the Gryffindors!"

"Slytherins!"

"Shut up, Malfoy, Gryffindors!"

"Slytherin, Potter." Malfoy spat.

Harry rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. Not wanting to argue about something so pointless for any longer, he thought of a compromise. "Why don't we eat with the Ravenclaws? We could sit with Luna!"

"Loony Lovegood? You'll have to kill me- OW!" he groaned, putting his free hand on left knee. Harry had just kicked it out of anger for hearing someone call one of his greatest friends a lunatic, something he thought he wouldn't have to deal with; she wouldn't have to deal with, ever again.

"You deserved that." said Harry coolly. He thanked Merlin that they weren't standing in the entrance-way to the Great Hall, and that most, if not all, the other students had already gone inside.

Draco rubbed his knee. "Fine. I suppose I did. I apologise. We can eat with the Gryffindors."

Harry's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't question anything in case Malfoy changed his mind. He led Draco into the Great Hall and over to the long Gryffindor table, down to the middle where Ron and Hermione were sat with Ginny, who stared at their conjoined hands, an eyebrow raised.

"It's a long story." said Draco and Harry together.