"Good morning loves, and welcome to my channel. I hope that you have a wonderful day, and if not? I hope that things begin looking up for you soon because you deserve it, you deserve it, you deserve it."

Draco paused the video here, and stared out his window in contemplation. Did he truly deserve it? It didn't feel like it with how things had been going.

His life felt like it was falling apart and hanging on by a thread. Football practice was even becoming a drag, and that was the one thing that had been his alone. His father never took interest into it, until the scouts began showing up to matches. Suddenly, his father who always had somewhere better to be, was making it a point to show up and "make connections." Draco much preferred the calming presence of his mother.

With it being only two weeks into the new school year, Draco didn't want to think about what the rest of the year would bring.

"It's Monday. I just need to do this four more times this week," he said to himself in the mirror, fixing his hair.

Following his morning routine, he had almost made it out the door before his father stopped him. After a lecture on everything he had done wrong in his last match and tips on how to improve at practice later today, Draco left the house twenty minutes later than he wanted to.

His composure was mostly retained, and everyone knew well enough to stay clear of him when he was walking down the halls in this state. Because of this, he wasn't exactly paying attention to where he was going, assuming others would be more vigilant, but he was dead wrong.

Just what he needed, all of his things on the floor.

"Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"DIDN'T see me?," Draco snapped. "What, are you blind? Do you need glas- oh. I'm sorry."

"Yeah I could probably stand to get my prescription changed, but glasses are expensive so here we are," Harry replied with a laugh. "I'm sorry again. Let me help."

"You're new here."

"That obvious?"

"No, I just know everyone and I've never seen you before."

Draco pushed down the bubble of hope that he felt in his chest at the sight of a new face, someone who didn't know who he was. Maybe-

"Best to keep it that way Draco. Let's go."

Irritated, Draco turned to Blaise, who simply raised an eyebrow at him. Turning to apologize to the other man, he was already halfway down the hallway, but had left all of Draco's things neatly stacked.

"Really Blaise?"

"You looked like you were gonna kill that guy before I walked up. Come on let's get going."

Meanwhile, Harry decided to walk with his head up instead of down, trying to make his way to the office.

"Harry! Need some help?"

"Ron? I didn't know you went to school here."

"Mum found a loophole. Looking for the office?"

"Yeah. Is it down this way?"

"It's actually behind you. Let me show you mate."

Throwing an arm over Harry's shoulder, Ron led him back, past an even more irritated Draco, who had to deal with Blaise talking his ear off. Draco withheld a sigh, watching who he believed to be his only chance at a new start walking away. He supposed he had other things to focus on anyway.

Ron was kind enough to wait at the office with Harry, and then quickly looked over his schedule.

"Double study hall mate? That's in the library, which is right here," Ron pointed as he walked Harry to his first class.

"Yeah I'm taking some uni classes so they're letting me attend those for dual credit, as long as I keep my grades up."

"We have history, gym, and lunch together. I'll text you my schedule, and I'll swing by study hall to get you for gym."

"Thanks Ron."

"Any time Harry. This is your science class. Good luck mate, the labs are brutal."

With a sigh, Harry walked into the classroom and handed the professor a note from the office.

"Mr. Potter. I expect that you will make up all of the work that you've missed in my class."

"Yes."

"Yes sir."

"Of course sir."

What Harry really wanted to respond with was, "there's no need to call me sir Professor," but he felt it best not to get on the man's bad side on the first day. Well, assuming he actually had a good side anyway. Harry wasn't sure.

"Very well. I expect this work back by Wednesday the latest. I implore you not to fall behind as it it will be impossible to catch up, and I do not accept late work. Here. Now, take your seat over there."

"Thank you sir."

Harry sat alone, quickly reading over the syllabus and taking notes on its contents. Professor Snape seemed unnecessarily strict, and Harry was wishing he hadn't opted for AP Chemistry.

During homeroom, he was able to complete the first of his missing assignments, thankful that it was a simple maths review packet.

"Would you like my work submitted as it's completed or all at once sir?"

"Let me see that!," Snape snapped, grabbing the packet along with a red pen.

He subtly raised an eyebrow as he checked over the answers.

"Good at maths are we?"

"I do alright sir."

"Just alright?"

"There's always room for improvement."

"You'd do well to remember that Mr. Potter. I'll take your work as it's completed. There may be hope for you yet."

"Thank you sir."

Taking his seat once more, Harry began taking note of who was in his class. A few students looked familiar from the odd jobs he had picked up over the years, but none stood out until the blond he had knocked over came walking in with a late slip.

"Malfoy, Zabini. Thank you for gracing us with your presence. Take your seats, class has begun."

The two sat down in the back of the class, and a boy Harry recognized as being named Neville came running in.

"Do you have a late pass Longbottom?"

"Yes-yes sir."

"Hand it over and take your seat. You'll be sitting with Mr. Potter. Open your textbooks, let's begin."

Throughout the class period, Harry felt eyes boring into him. He would have turned around, but he didn't want Snape to yell at him.

"We'll be doing our first lab on Friday. I expect all of you to be prepared. There are no do-overs and no makeups. Class dismissed."

After packing up his things, Harry pulled out his schedule to double check where he was going. He had never been so thankful to have a study hall after everything Snape had filled his brain with.

Once he made his way to the library, he chose a table in the furthest corner of the room so that he could be left alone. He really just wanted to keep his head down and continue working on his uni classes. Instead, he began working through some of the chemistry materials that Snape had given him.

Instead of giving him the full set of notes, he only gave Harry the outline. Rolling his eyes, he set off to work on his English paper, leaving the chemistry for another period. Perhaps Neville could provide him with the notes?

With his earbuds in, Harry was oblivious to his surroundings. He was proofreading his paper when there was a gentle knock on his table.

"Yes? Oh, it's you."

"May I sit here?"

"Are you going to retaliate and knock my things onto the ground?," Harry teased.

Draco laughed quietly and shook his head.

"Then I guess you can sit here."

"I wanted to apologize earlier... Potter?"

"I'm Harry."

"Draco. Pleased to meet you. Officially."

"I've bumped into worse things," Harry agreed.

"Shhhhh!"

"Sorry," Draco whispered. "What are you working on?," he asked quietly, turning back to Harry.

"An English paper but I'm just about done."

"Who do you have for English?"

"I'm taking it as a dual enrollment class through the uni. Same as maths. Here," Harry replied, sliding his schedule over to Draco.

"Looks like you're stuck with me almost all day."

"A pity really, but I suppose you'll do."

Draco lightly nudged Harry, fighting to keep a smile off his face.

"Mr. Malfoy, need I remind you that this is a study hall and not your lunch period?"

"Sorry Madame Pince."

"I expect it not to happen again," she said stiffly, eying the two men before turning away.

"Is she always like that?," Harry murmured.

"Oh no. She's much worse."

Harry stifled a laugh and shook his head, moving back to finish his paper. Draco much preferred to watch his new friend than do any work of his own.

"Is Snape as awful as he seems?," Harry asked quietly.

"Also much worse. If you think he's bad in class, imagine him being your godfather."

"I think I'll pass."

"Do you want my notes from the class?"

"If you wouldn't mind, that would be brilliant!"

"Give them back to me whenever you can. Here."

Taking a chance, Draco wrote out his cell number on a scrap of paper and placed it on top of his notebook.

"Thanks Draco."

"Anytime Harry."

The two worked for the rest of the study period mostly in silence, and Draco was pleased that it didn't feel awkward in the slightest.

"Do you need me to wa-"

"Hey mate- Malfoy."

"Weasley."

"Hey Ron! Draco shares most of my schedule. He gave me his chemistry notes to copy. Snape is absolutely horrid."

Harry chattered on, unaware of the slight tension in the room.

"Are you walking with us Draco? You have gym next too don't you?"

"I-"

"Too afraid to be seen with me are you?," Ron asked with an eye roll. "Where's Zabini anyway shouldn't him and your crew be waiting on you hand and foot?"

"Go ahead Harry," Draco replied softly. "I'll catch up with you later."

"We're literally walking in the same direction don't be daft. You can make sure I don't knock anyone else over."

Snorting, Draco threw an arm over Harry's shoulders and led him down the hallway, Ron shaking his head the whole way to the gym.

"Why is everyone staring at us?"

"Because you're new, Malfoy is the captain of the footie team, and our families hate each other."

"Why do they hate each other?," Harry asked, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

"It's business, it wasn't personal. Oh look we're here. See you around Potter."

"Bye?"

"You know how mum and dad own the apartments? Malfoy's dad does land development and mum wouldn't sell to him. He did all kinds of backward things to try to force mum and dad to sell because he wanted all of the land for some project of his.

Malfoy and I have never gotten along, but that was the end for me. Be careful around him mate. He has the whole school wrapped around his finger. I'd hate to see you end up there too."

"He's been nice to me for the most part."

"I'm just saying mate, be careful. Malfoys always have motive."

"Yeah, okay Ron."

After that, Draco seemed to avoid Harry in all of their shared classes, even when they ended up sitting next to each other in one.

Harry was hoping things would improve the next day, but he didn't have much time to dwell on it as immediately after school he had work. When he finally got home later that night, he was tired, but knew he needed to complete at least one chemistry assignment for the next day.

Draco's notes were extremely detailed and made more sense to Harry than the textbook itself. Pulling out his phone, Harry was hoping to make amends.

Harry: hey Draco, it's Harry. Thanks again for the notes, they make so much more sense than the textbook :)

Surprised didn't even cover how Draco felt about Harry actually texting him. He thought Weasley had ruined all chances he had at making a new friend, one who could actually know him as Draco and not a Malfoy. Maybe there was hope yet?