He was woken up by someone shaking him, forcing him out of his dreams. He sat up to look at Hermione. Harry gazed his surroundings, finding out that he was sitting down in the common room and a table was right in front of him, where his half written scroll lied. Harry scowled at it. What was the point of trying anymore? No matter how much effort he put into Snape's essays, he always got D's. The man was as biased as a politician. The only reason Hermione got Acceptable on all her papers was because even Snape knew he would get called out on it if he gave her anything lower.
Hermione didn't care to fight Snape, taking the grades and still putting in all her effort in every essay.
"Are you quite finished sleeping? You know Potions is our first class, so this is due in just a few hours. Look Harry! This is nowhere near two scrolls!"
She pulled up the scroll and hovered it in front of Harry's face. The wizard removed his glasses just long enough to rub his eyes. He was saved by Ron coming up, followed by his older twin brothers. Fred and George beamed at Harry.
"Tests getting to you?" asked Fred.
"Just scribble it down. You'll get the same grade anyway," advised George.
"I know."
At this, Hermione stared at Harry in shock. Her appalled look made it seemed like Harry just said every witch and wizard had the right to run over house elves with Muggle cars.
"Harry, you don't mean that. You really want Snape to get mad?"
"He's mad anyway, Hermione," Ron argued.
Harry smiled at the Weasleys' support.
"He doesn't read my work anyway. I'll probably just do that."
"Of course. You can go and fail," Hermione glared.
Ron took her hand and led her away, clearly wanting to be alone. Harry watched them leave, silently longing for a relationship himself. Most of his friends knew about his crush on his Slytherin rival, yet Malfoy himself never knew. Harry couldn't stand him ever finding out. Malfoy would no doubt just ridicule him and break his heart.
Fred and George leaned over toward Harry, sandwiching him to keep him in place. Their smirks gave Harry an uneasy feeling.
"Would you really do it?" asked Fred. Harry arched an eyebrow.
"Scribble on the script? Sure."
"Bet you won't. Bet you're too scared."
Ah, it seemed they wanted to test Harry's courage. Harry supposed he suffered from these essays enough so he might as well make a game out of it.
"Sure. How much?"
"Two Galleons," the twins proposed in unison.
Another quirk of the brow from Harry. That may be pocket change for him but he didn't think the Weasleys had that kind of money.
"Really?"
"Course. Unless you're scared. We dare you to write a stupid essay. If Snape catches on, we win."
"Deal," Harry agreed.
George held up a finger.
"But it has to be something really stupid."
"I'm sure I can-"
"Like your Drarry fics."
Harry shot out of his seat, his head nearly hitting Fred, who ducked just in time. He stared at their grinning faces in horror, his face flushed red. George snickered.
"Surprised? We didn't mean to pry-" he started.
"But once we found them. We couldn't stop reading them," Fred continued.
"And Harry came up to Draco, his glasses soaked from fresh rain," quoted George.
"Stop," Harry warned.
"Draco looked deeply into his misty green eyes."
"I'm warning you."
"And they kissed!" the twins exclaimed.
"Shut up! That desk was locked."
"Was," Fred said.
Harry took in several deep breaths. Now he knew how Filch felt whenever these two got into his stuff. Not even Ron and Hermione knew about those fics. And why did they call them Drarry fanfics? He didn't know George and Fred even knew what fanfics were.
They both laughed at how red Harry's face was. Harry tried to glare but it failed to reach the scariness level he was going for.
"Aww. Little Harry is embarrassed."
"Shut up, you two."
Fred decided to strike.
"So, will you do it?"
Harry fell silent. The twins leaned over, expecting an answer.
"Well. I don't know."
"Scaredy-cat."
"Wuss."
"Pixie toes."
"Even Lockhart would do it."
"Okay okay! I'll do it. But I promise you, Snape won't act any differently because he won't know what's written. You better kiss those Galleons goodbye."
"You did what?" Hermione's mouth fell open.
Ron, too, was flabbergasted, forgetting all about eating his chicken. Harry looked in Draco's direction. He did it so often that he didn't even think about it. Draco was laughing with his croonies, for once his laughter without malice. This told Harry that he wasn't laughing at anyone's expense. It was quite an angelic sight on someone who Harry knew was anything but.
His friends' worries ignited his own. What if Snape actually did read his essay and pointed it out to the whole class? What would Draco say to him?
"Yes. Your brothers forced me, Ron."
"That's not true, Harry," Hermione said, quick to defend her boyfriend and his family, "You didn't have to accept the dare. What if Snape gets mad?"
Harry sighed. Ron gave him a hug of comfort. Harry heard Hermione giggle.
"What?" Harry asked.
Hermione looked at him with a smile.
"Oh, nothing."
Well, that was an odd change of mood. Must be women hormones, Harry decided.
An hour later, Harry braced himself when Snape came in the room. Harry was holding Hermione's hand for comfort underneath the desk, squeezing it a little too hard.
"Ouch. Harry," she whispered.
Snape was walking toward his podium. He seemed to be in an ill mood but when had he never been? Maybe Harry was worrying for nothing. Maybe-
Then Snape turned, revealing eyes dead like he just witness a tragedy greater than the sinking of the Titanic. Harry was so screwed.
"Is something the matter, Professor?" asked Malfoy.
Snape said nothing. There was a long, uncomfortable silence until Hermione dared to break it.
"Um…good morning, Professor-"
"What's so good about it, Granger? I have just read the worst thing of all time," Snape wasn't blinking his eyes.
Harry and Ron looked at each other and Harry gulped. Draco stared at his favorite professor.
"Sir, do you mean the essays?"
"That wasn't an essay! It was the result of someone's sick mind. I was so sick to my stomach that I didn't read anyone else's work and gave the rest of the class O's."
Great. Harry sunk into his chair in shame. Because of his stupidity, everyone but him got Outstanding. Not only that, but Snape was about to reveal him in front of the entire class.
Draco caught Harry's eye, so Harry quickly look away. He could feign coolness for a few more seconds.
"Whose was it?" Neville asked, clearly worried that it was his.
"Not yours, if that's what you're worried about. I just…what the hell did I read. Just..no. Just no."
"Come on, please tell us, Professor," Goyle urged.
Snape opened his mouth. Harry turned to Hermione and whispered.
"If you could just use that unforgivable death curse on me now, that'd be-"
"Silence, Potter!" Snape snapped, "I don't need you whispering in my class. Fine! I'll tell everyone. But just because I want you all to be miserable too. The essay was actually a story of this bizarre romance."
Harry closed his eyes and braced himself.
"Between myself and Professor McGonagall. Just what the hell were you smoking, Crabbe?" he demanded the boy harshly.
Said pudgy boy was blushing. He laughed and put a hand to the back of his head.
"Oh. I guess I accidentally submitted my fanfic."
"Merlin, Crabbe. You're stupid," Draco scolded.
Harry blinked. He wasn't sure he heard right. Snape handed him his paper, telling him this would be his last easy O.
"It's not like I ever read your work anyway," he muttered before handing Ron his and walking away.
Harry looked at his friends.
"Does the Wizarding world have fanfics too?"
"Of course," Hermione said like it was obvious, "Honestly, Harry. You should know that fanfiction is everywhere."
"Blimey man. You should read mine that pairs your godfather and Lupin," Ron said.
"What?" Harry asked but Hermione interrupted, distracting him from Ron's possible (disturbing) explanation.
"You're not the only one who writes fanfics."
Harry turned to her. She blushed and looked away.
"Not that I do, mind you."
After class, a relieved Harry was clutching his paper to his chest. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God. Thank God. That was the scariest moment of his life and he had dreams about a naked Voldemort. He sighed happily.
Ron and Hermione went off on their own. Harry was suddenly pulled back and facing Draco. He blushed.
"What do you want, Malfoy?"
"You know. You were looking pretty flustered in class, Potter."
"That's none of your business."
Draco's expression was unreadable. He sighed.
"Look. I'm telling you that Weasley is with Granger."
Harry paused.
"I know that."
The remark seemed to surprise Draco. Why? He should realize that Harry would know if his friends were in a relationship. Draco suddenly glared.
"Then why did you and Weasley hug at lunch? Granger saw me and wouldn't stop laughing. I know there's something going on-"
"Hermione saw you doing what exactly?"
"Glaring, Potter," Malfoy said simply.
Twice today Harry found himself speechless.
"What?"
"I was glaring. Because I thought you were with Weasley. I wanted you to like me."
Without warning, Harry was kissed. It was so quick that Draco pulled away like he was touching fire, gathering his papers into his bag.
"You and me, Potter. Just give it a thought, won't you?"
Draco left. It was only when he was out of sight that Harry realized that Malfoy accidentally grabbed his paper by mistake.
Well, it looked like Harry wouldn't have to admit his feelings now. He would be found out soon enough.