“Aspirin? They relive pain. I think Muggles use it for small headaches – or just aching in general. I’m not pretty sure though,” Luna articulated the word slowly. Draco sighed as he finally got an acceptable answer. He could always ask Harry, if he wanted another insult. Or Harry’s Mudbl – Muggle-born friends, but he doesn’t feel quite comfortable yet.

The door slammed open, followed by a shameless shout, “Six Butter Beers please!” Draco knew there were two people at the entirety of Hogwarts who would do such a thing. Unfortunately, both were his friends. Judging by the feminine sound and familiar cadence, it was Pansy instead of Blaise.

He didn’t bother to turn around. Luna, though, appeared quite fascinated, “Gryffindors and Slytherins. Who would have thought?”

Draco shrugged, “They wanted a double date.”

“Double date? Am I miscounting then?” Luna furrowed her brows. Confused, Draco eyed back. Pansy. Theo. Weasley. Granger. Harry. Draco frowned. The other Weasley. Harry hung his arm around Ginny casually. He leaned down as she told something to him. They both laughed.

Harry had told him “No girlfriends”.

Liar.

Were him and Ginny public? Draco didn’t know. And why would he? They aren’t even friends. He scowled, startling Luna before he mumbled a small apology.

“Are Harry and Ginny together?” He whispered, fearful the others heard him gossip.

“Yeah. They dated a little before. But they realized they were more familial than actually roma– ,” Luna leaned forward, mimicking his whispering tone. She stopped mid-sentence and looked over Draco’s shoulder. She looked almost nervous as she said, “Hello, Harry.”

Draco jerked around. Potter towered over him with an amused smile. His eyes roamed over Draco and glinted in a way that made Draco’s legs weak. Harry’s cheeks were slightly red from the cold outside. His lips frozen to cherry-red, beautifully contemplating his skin.

Bloody Harry eavesdropping-player Potter. Draco turned back to Luna petulantly.

A second later, Harry raised his head with a good-natured smile, “Hey Luna!”

“Why the crowd?” Luna gestured the others, who were settling on one of the largest tables, mumbling apologies and trading seats with the passerby.

Harry still hadn’t moved away from Draco. His body ghosting over Draco’s back, Draco swore he could feel the rise and lows of Harry’s chest when he spoke, “They’re up for Wizard chess! Want to come?”

“Seems fun,” Luna commented, leaving her chair to join their friends.

Harry pulled away. The cold wind hit Draco’s back again. He shivered. His neck tingled at the weird encounter.

“You seem in a daze, Malfoy. Cat got your tongue?” Harry teased, sitting beside Draco. Draco missed out the clear amusement in Harry’s voice as he just hummed solemnly.

It took for than few seconds to realize the teasing tone behind. Draco snapped back, “You wish.”

“Emhm,” Harry smiled. His eyes glinting the certain way like before. The way that anyone would when they saw their baby cat get angry. They would think “how cute” and proceed to pet their angry cats.

Draco felt another heat rose to his neck at the thought.

“How the hell are you so bloody happy, Potter?”

“Just found someone interested in my dating history. What would you think their intentions are?” Draco studied Harry’s poker face. So Harry did notice. Draco’s pulse thickened.

“That they’re trying to find blackmail material,” Draco deadpanned. Harry appeared stunned but he cracked a laugh. Draco relaxed as Harry no longer seemed to be teasing him.

“Let’s go see their chess game,” Harry stood up, “I’m betting Ginny a Galleon that Ron wouldn’t lose more than once.” Draco hummed, lightly grabbing Harry’s wrists as they made their way to their friends. He realized what he was doing halfway and let go of Harry, mumbling an apology. Harry accepted it with a weird strain in his voice.

When they arrived at the bar-stool table, Draco noticed a minimal use of the table for what it meant. Shopping bags filled a half of the top, while a chessboard filled another. Luna and Ron were the only ones drinking Butter Beer, Luna might’ve been on her third pint. Draco worried if she would fill alright after the overdose of butter, sugar, and non-alcohol beer. Apparently, Draco’s worries didn’t include the Weasley as Ron made show to bet, he could down a whole pint in three gulps. The others piled their drinks on a small corner, watching the match with intensity.

“Who’s losing?” Draco sandwiched himself Ron and Harry, earning an ill-intended glare from Ron. Draco noticed with slight satisfaction that Harry’s ears were tinted pink.

“Theo beat Pansy in less than 10 moves, she teamed up with Ginny for round two,” Harry supplied.

Theo, who was just in front Draco, whispered to him, “Count the steps. They’ll surrender after another 15.” This resulted in Theo’s pieces cheering on him, clearly satisfied with his confidence.

Draco snorted, he leaned back, accidentally elbowing Ron in the stomach. Ron mumbled, “Bloody ferret.”

Draco was about to explode with his usual insults. He could already think of at least seven regarding the Weasley’s clothing choices. Harry gently pulled at his sleeves. Draco froze. Then Hermione pinched Ron, quite hardly. The boy yelped, capturing the attention of the table, except Theo and Ginny as he commanded, “Queen to G4”, the queen stood up and smashed the Ginny’s bishop. Ginny scrunched up her nose with disdain.

“The insult is off-limits to you, only Pansy can call him ferret,” Harry added solemnly. Wai- when did that happen?

“Do you really call me a ferret?” Draco turned to Pansy.

She fidgeted in her seat. Theo commanded, “Rook to D3, check.” He glanced up.

“Listen. I can explain,” Pansy voiced, Ginny forked with her horse as Pansy proceeded with her explanation, “You … well, you weren’t supposed to know.”

Draco gaped as a little giggle sounded across the table. Luna sipped on her Butter Beer innocently.

“Unbelievable,” Draco huffed under his breath, as his friends’ attentions returned to the game. Harry chuckled slightly beside him.

Theo beat Ginny and Pansy in more than fifteen steps. When he checkmates, Ginny was, quite literally, fuming, like her remaining pieces. Pansy pounced on Theo’s back to strangle him while Ginny cheered her on.

A few minutes later, Ginny left with some of her other friends. Luna also disappeared, saying she couldn’t stop drinking if she stayed. Draco stared at the five empty pints in horror and respect.

Theo held Pansy in a piggyback ride. After Pansy realized she couldn’t strangle him and that she wanted to get down, Theo refused to let go of her. The two fought as Harry and Ron started the next match. Draco moved beside Ron to take better view of the match.

Ron took the black side with fake courtesy. The game started as Harry moved one of his pawns. Draco hadn’t minded the match itself. He never liked Wizard Chess. Maybe because Theo beat him five times in one night. It ended as Draco teamed up with their whole dorm, they narrowly won against Theo.

Draco looked at the boy opposite of him. The glasses fogged up as Harry huffed a warm breath to his hands, attempting to warm them. The green pupils still shined through though. Draco’s eyes wandered up, Harry’s brows furrowed as Ron moved another piece, threatening the white horse with a rook. Draco reached for his necklace, feeling the cold metal of the snake.

Harry tilted his head in surprise when Hermione started, “Bishop to H5”, it drew out a sword, stabbing the rook’s tower. She grinned at Ron while Harry’s mouth hung open with realization. Unconsciously, Draco wetted his lips.

“Mione, you are not allowed to help,” Ron whined.

“It would only be fair, considering Theo just beat Ginny and Pansy,” Hermione reasoned. Draco felt she was just pulling his leg.

“But they’re bad. You guys aren’t,” Ron stated.

“I’ll tell that to Pansy.”

“Ginny would love to hear this,” Draco and Harry threatened, almost in sync. Ron stared with horror.

“Let Draco team with you,” Harry suggested. Hermione nodded with encouragement. Harry’s eyes met with Draco’s. The Slytherin knew the other was put to no good.

Reluctantly, he joined Ron, “I should let you know Theo won me at least five times in one night.” Draco watched with amusement as Ron grumbled, but moved a little to the side reluctantly, giving Draco space.

Ron and Draco won eventually. Draco barely helped though. If anything, the black chess pieces complained with garbled sounds every time he suggested an idea. The black Queen stomped on her crown, when Draco proposed to sacrifice their Queen. Theo, who still had Pansy hanging on him a koala, returned to the next game as Hermione went opposite of him.

Draco’s eyes wandered away from the board to the packages beside them. The familiar packaging suggested it was from Pip’s parlor. Draco loved that store more than he would admit. The group must’ve gone there before Three Broomsticks.

“You guys, mind if I look at this pile?” Draco asked the group, receiving multiple grunts. He took that as a yes.

Tree-flavored crackers. Eww. Must be Weasley. Beside the crackers, they were another two bags. One had a dark green box the size of a book. Behind the box’s glass, two silver necklaces were laid neatly. Draco eyed the design in disgust. Who would put Muggle cars, mushrooms, and a golden snitch on one necklace? All the while these designs changed their colors like a panicked chameleon. Draco glanced at Pansy and gestured the two bags, “Are these yours?”

Pansy’s head poked out from behind Theo’s shoulders, “Yeah, feel free to look.”

Draco opened the box, underneath the first layer of necklaces were two bracelets. He cursed and flinched his hand back as the emerald blob fish on one bracelet oozed slime the moment he touched it. It wailed an alarm, not loud, merely annoyingly high-pitched. The alarm quieted down after few seconds.

Draco shifted his attention away from the large bag. He reached for the smaller bag. They were Pansy’s so it’d be okay to pry.

The smaller box had a red wrapping. He opened and reached for the bracelet inside. It had a deformed golden Lion, but it looked more normal than the other things Pansy bought. He traced over the words, “Fortune favors the bold”. Neat. He put the bracelet back. Halfway, the Lion’s eyes suddenly turned ruby red. Draco watched in disaster as it soared, aiming for his necklace like a magnet. Draco pulled lightly, the Lion hissed at him, hugging the Snake. The Snake’s eyes shined Slytherin green as it wrapped its tail around the Lion, sultrily. The gold and silver paired beautifully. Draco pulled at the bracelet again. He reached tried to pry the Lion away. It bit on his fingers.

“Um, Pansy, are these a pair? Your bracelet just stuck to my necklace,” Draco pointed at his neck. Earning a quiet roar from the Lion.

Pansy finally jumped down Theo and examined Draco’s necklace. Draco fidgeted nervously when she made a particular face. The last time he saw her doing this was when she and Blaise planned on giving every Slytherin boy a love letter, signed by Draco, on Valentines. It ended when Draco accidentally found a closet filled with red envelopes and pink paper.

“Weird,” she commented before leaving him. Draco was about to protest when she dragged Harry back, saying, “This is your responsibility.”

Draco short-circuited, he will murder Pansy, friend or not. Harry spluttered, “Wha-What?”

Pansy smirked at the pair before she added, “The bracelet, it’s Harry’s. You two should go back to Pip Parlor and ask them about it.”

“Bloody Salazar I hate you,” Draco whispered to Pansy.

“You love me,” Pansy whispered back, grinning widely as Draco followed Harry outside.