Chapter Text
Cover Art by @septemberseventeen on Instagram
"I dare you... to kiss Blaise."
"So creative, Theo. Ten points to Slytherin." Rolling his eyes, Draco leaned over and planted a quick kiss straight on Blaise’s mouth.
Wiping it away with the back of his hand, Blaise drawled, "We all know he only asked for that for his own enjoyment."
The three Slytherins were lounging in wingback chairs in the common room. A faint pattern shimmered across the ceiling, painted by the dying embers of the fire. The rooms had started to grow bitterly cold in the evenings, it was November in Scotland, after all.
"Why are we playing these stupid games anyway, Nott? Aren’t we a bit old for dares?" Draco huffed from his chair, swirling his tumbler of Firewhisky.
"Because, you old grump, you’ve been absolutely miserable for months. Don’t scowl at me for trying to get some life back into you."
Theo was right, naturally. He always saw straight through Draco, not that it was difficult. His mood had been atrocious since they’d returned for their mandatory, Ministry-instructed eighth year at Hogwarts. Two months into the term and he was already counting down the days until he could leave, claim his inheritance, and fly to the furthest corner of the world. Away from Hogwarts. Away from the ghosts, the pain, the scars that would never heal.
"Well, a war tends to have that effect, Theo. Being branded and used by a megalomaniac as a pawn in his war can sometimes turn you into a bit of a bummer."
Blaise kicked his legs over the arm of his chair, lounging like he owned the place. "Hey, we said no depressing war talk tonight. Back to the game." He glanced up at the ceiling, clearly trying to think of a good one. "I dare you to sleep with Pansy!"
"Been there, done that, literally got the T-shirt," Draco sighed, unimpressed.
"I dare you to sleep with the redhead. What’s her name, Blaise? From Gryffindor. Hermione’s bestie?"
Blaise scoffed. "Yeah, right. He’s got about as much chance as sleeping with Granger herself. For one, Ginny Weasley still growls at him and calls him ‘ferret’ whenever he’s within fifty feet. And for two, if anyone’s sleeping with that little pocket rocket, it’s me."
Theo rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "Possessive little shit."
A small ember sparked to life in Draco’s stomach at the mention of Granger’s name. All year, she’d been quiet, reserved. Her hand barely shooting up to answer questions at all. He hated to admit it, but she’d started drawing his attention more than he liked to admit.
He could vaguely hear Theo and Blaise talking, but his mind was elsewhere, following the strange flicker that came with hearing Granger’s name and the faint pulse of something alive stirring inside him.
Dating Granger? he mused. That would make the rest of the year interesting. The Ministry hadn’t stipulated that he had to do well at school, only that he had to attend. Any thoughts of ditching early had been dashed when they’d told him, “Failure to complete the school year will result in all inheritance being donated to worthy charities.” He could practically hear Kingsley Shacklebolt droning on, fuelling his nightmares and chaining him to this hellhole.
His judgment at the Wizengamot had been swift. One good word from the Boy Wonder and the Golden Girl herself had left Draco almost a free man. Their oh so kind words meant he’d escaped Azkaban and kept his wealth. He might have been grateful, if not for the constant feeling that he’d cheated death and something worse was waiting to collect.
"There’s also the Greengrass girls," Theo continued with a grin. "They could be a fun challenge for you..." But Draco barely heard him. His thoughts swirled, Theo’s voice fading into background noise.
He knew deep down he was setting himself an impossible challenge, Granger would never look at him that way. But he couldn’t help the thrill that buzzed in his stomach at the thought. Would she punch him again? Gods, he didn’t remember feeling so alive in ages.
The room was growing colder as his thoughts churned. The water outside the window danced in the dim light of the fire. The cold was starting to set into his bones, the fire too weak to keep him warm, only the small ember of excitment was keeping him in his chair rather than storming off to bed.
Raking a hand through his platinum hair, he said quietly, "I’ll do it."
"Damn, Drakey boy eager to please Mummy by wooing your betrothed?" Theo grinned.
"My betrothed? What? I’m talking about Granger, you snarky idiot." He all but sneered at Theo.
At one point, one of the Greengrass sisters would’ve been his betrothed. But since the war, the matriarch of the family had decided she didn’t want to ‘dirty the Greengrass name’ by associating with the Malfoys. The irony of a blood-purist family calling his name dirty wasn’t lost on him. He didn’t believe any of that nonsense anymore anyway. His father was rotting in Azkaban for his disgusting beliefs, and Draco wanted nothing to do with him. Unlearning years of prejudice was hard enough without having to look into the eyes of the man who’d forced them on him. Draco was glad the old bastard no longer had any power over him. For once, he could think for himself.
And his mind was made up.
Blaise picked at an invisible piece of lint on his trousers and took a swig from his whisky. "Yeah, right. You’ve got about as much chance as Headmisstress McGonagall hosting a wet T-shirt competition." He smirked at Theo, who was clearly thinking about that image too.
"Blaise is right," Theo added, smiling. "Granger’s been about as moody as you since we came back. You’d never get her to sleep with you."
"I’ll do you one better. I’ll get her to date me." A wicked smile played on Draco’s lips.
The three boys looked at each other, a mischievous spark passing between Theo and Blaise.
"How confident are you?" Blaise quipped.
"Willing to bet something exciting on it?" Theo’s eyes gleamed with mischief.
Draco rolled his eyes. As if the dare alone wasn’t enough, now they wanted wagers too.
He knew getting Granger to date him was nearly impossible, which made it all the more interesting. He’d feel bad, maybe, but what harm could it do? It was just a bit of fun. Once he’d won the dare and claimed his prize, he’d be free to leave, no strings attached. He could dump Granger before the end of the year, then fly off to the middle of nowhere with a clear conscience and, hopefully, a Granger-shaped notch in his bedpost.
"If you fail to get Granger to date you, you stay for Auror training with me and Blaise after school is over," The look in Theo's eyes was so mischevious, it was bordering on psychotic.
They’d been begging him to stay, knowing full well he planned to leave the moment he could. Selfishly, they didn’t want to lose their friend and now they were pulling out all the stops.
"Does my wish for happiness mean nothing to you two? You’d rather I stay here miserable than finally find peace somewhere far away?"
"Sadly, yes," Theo said, though his tone softened. "But I think you need to stay, to keep fighting for your happiness instead of running from it." Then, with a wink, "Plus, you’d look smoking hot in Auror kit."
The boys snickered. They all knew they were good-looking and with little to do between the war, court dates, and school, they’d thrown themselves into Quidditch and working out. Who knew exercise was such a great trauma cure?
He leaned back, eyeing his conniving friends. "Make it worth my while, and you’ve got a deal."
Theo and Blaise exchanged a look.
"How does an unregistered Time-Turner sound?" Blaise drawled, his smirk widening.
Fuck. They’d got him. If there was one thing Draco wanted more than anything, it was that. The Ministry had destroyed all known Time-Turners after the war, terrified someone might go back and finish Potter off properly. As far as anyone knew, they were all gone, except the one Blaise’s house-elf, Wimpy, had hidden from the Ministry.
Draco tried not to seem too eager. "That could work." He tapped his chin, pretending to think.
Draco weighed it up in his head. To him, it seemed like a win-win. Get Granger to date him (hopefully, after a lot of charming), win the dare, secure the Time-Turner, then disappear to Australia. What was the harm? Granger wouldn’t really care. It’d be over before either of them got too deep. Merlin, it wasn’t like he cared if her feelings got hurt. Boo-hoo, the poor Golden Girl who won the war. She’d survive.
It was worth the risk, he thought. It’s not like they’d actually fall in love. He nearly laughed at the thought.
"So, we have a deal?" Blaise’s grin was wicked.
"Willing to vow on it? Don’t want you getting cold feet," Theo teased, his grin slightly feral.
"I’ll do it. By the end of the year, I’ll get Granger to date me. And then, I’m out of here. Forever.