Chapter Text
Ever since he started working here, his life had become infinitely more difficult.
He’d thought by choosing this school he wouldn't know anybody - a fresh start some would call it.
Personally he’d call it his own paradise, reinvention.
His school years were a blur of bullying and targeted insults, flesh and emotional wounds inflicted by those around him and himself; the only constants being his indefinite loneliness and furious hatred of everyone and everything. Naturally, that included him .
His main tormentor, his antithesis personified, his arch enemy if you will. A strange boy by the name of Draco Malfoy.
They had attended the same school for 5 years, and in his own humble opinion, every day was more gruelling than the last in his attempts to restrain himself from committing murder. Imagine him, Harry Potter the widely regarded wimp, commiting a horrific act that defies ethical morals and laws across the world - all because of one infuriatingly self righteous prick .
It was widely known that their hate for each other knew no bounds; any encounters frequently ending in physical altercations and verbal sparring that included some exceedingly inventive vocabulary. He lost count of the endless detentions he'd endure as a result of these encounters - even on one memorable occasion being excluded for a week for breaking the bastard's nose.
And now, for some inexplicable reason, in the name of all that's holy, the tosser had picked his school out of hundreds in the district to teach at.
So here he was, face dawning with incomprehensible horror as his headteacher introduced the shiny new science teacher for his trial year. His eyes flicked over to where the newly appointed Mr Malfoy stood proudly, eyes surveilling the staff room with barely contained disgust at the gaudy decorations adorning the walls, before his eyes latched onto the swirling pools of furious brown that could only belong to one person.
Harry could see the exact moment the situation in which they had found themselves clicked in Malfoys mind, his eyes widened in undeniable anger, and was that… excitement?
The headteacher continued blathering on as a spark of understanding passed from one to the other, that they still hated each other, and that neither was weak enough to bend and apologise first.
***
Months passed consisting of the exchanging of passive aggressive comments in the halls, harsh glares through windows as one of them made their lunch rounds, and little to no contact between them in an extensive effort to maintain some semblance of the illusion of polite distance within their limited interactions. Their students and colleagues alike had no idea about the feverish rivalry between their PE teacher and Science instructor, both as beloved as they were, for if they did they certainly would not subject him to this.
Every year since the founding of the prestigious school in the 18th century, two teachers were selected by students to compete in 3 challenges, all of which taking place across the week nicknamed ‘Revenge week’. The week took place annually, in the time midway between the January and March term. The challenges were decided upon by the school council, an accumulation of one student representative from each form, with there being five representatives to a year with five years worth of students. Being on the council of 25 students was a highly sought after position, because of the ability to fashion the Revenge Week challenges and nominate the two unlucky teachers to compete for immunity for the next year's games, and the opportunity for the students of the winning competitor to forgo homework for the rest of the year.
So naturally with his continued popularity and Mr Malfoy's rising favouritism, the students had convened and decided that they would subject himself and Mr Malfoy to the challenges.
Really, it had him nervously comparing the similarities between this and the triwizard tournament.
According to the students, one challenge would concern physical ability, the next would test their intelligence, and the final was the test of teamwork and sustained loyalty. The last challenge in particular, Harry knew would be difficult concerning their mutual feelings for eachother, as not only did Harry trust Malfoy as far as he could throw him, he also had no inclination to touch him whatsoever.
It was a necessary requirement for the teacher involved to have open communication, which is why he was currently skulking his way to Malfoys classroom after hours.
It was not often that Malfoy left his classroom before 7:30 pm (Countless occasions of scoffing at the last remaining car in the car park lent him that knowledge.) Thus, it would be better to be considerate about the argument that was undoubtedly about to occur and ensure nobody else was in school when it happened.
Approaching the lonely light shining from under the door, Harry knocked lightly and contemplated his life's decisions in the time it took for Malfoy to bid him entry.
His classroom was spotless, with various posters scattering the walls for admiring students. Bowie's face stared back at him as he surveyed the room, almost surprised at how homely it felt. It was nice, he begrudgingly admitted to himself.
Sat at the table in the far corner of the room, Malfoy met his eyes smugly, as if lauding his superiority over him.
“Potter.” He acknowledged shortly, the faint traces of a smirk gracing his lips.
“Malfoy.” Harry took a breath to steal his nerves before shutting the door with a click. “I haven't seen you in a while, hm?”
“Don't be ridiculous Potter, it is the unfortunate fact that I must see your face almost every day, it is of no matter that we don't converse” Harry moved further into the room, begrudgingly admiring the taste in decor further.
“Unfortunately indeed, increasingly so now that we have both been nominated.” Malfoys eyes widened microscopically, but Harry had already seen. “What Malfoy, don't tell me no one told you” He scoffed before taking in his stricken expression, then spluttering. “Nobody told you? Seriously Malfoy” he chortled to himself as Malfoys world appeared to shift on its axis.
“Stop that Potter, it is unbecoming.” He hissed darkly, “Of course I would have been informed, it is probable that the headmaster was simply preoccupied in his other duties.” He sniffed imperiously.
“I'm sure he would've.” Harry rolled his eyes, deciding to plough on, “Look, the students have decided on the tests, and one involves teamwork and loyalty. I'm really not sure how this is gonna work with our current professional relationship being in shambles. So, I propose we get to know each other a bit better.” Malfoy was looking increasingly sour and unimpressed, but Harry insisted and made an offer to appease the miffed man. “Look, if it helps you can think of it as outsmarting me to be free of homework marking for the rest of the year.”
“I don't need your consolation Potter - I'm going to win these tournaments, teamwork be damned. But feel free to sit in the corner and be useless, I heard nostalgia of school years is good for the heart.” He sneered and turned his eyes back to the marking on his desk, ignoring the rising anger in his colleagues expression.
“Oh yeah? Maybe a visit to the hairdressers would cure your shitty personality then.” Malfoys head shot up as his mouth opened, clearly ready to refute the claim, but he couldn't get a word in if he tried. “You know Malfoy, I don't think I ever really conveyed to you the depth of my hatred for you.” He laughed deprecatingly. “It got to the point where I was planning your murder, every night to go to sleep I would plot the best way to kill you and not be discovered because it would be a favour to everyone else around you.”
Malfoys expression wiped clean, becoming strategically blank when he stood up and pointed at the door. “Get out.”
The anger in his voice propelled Harry from the room, and left him staring at the door wondering how it all went wrong so quickly.
***
With only two weeks until the challenges, Harry was feeling pressure from both his students and his heart.
It had been a month since the disastrous conversation with Malfoy, and Harry could still not bring himself to face the man. Clearly he had matured since being a teenager because every time he thought of Malfoy's face in that room, his heart clenched painfully. It did not appear that Malfoy had the same issue, because on every occasion he had been asked about the tournament he told students about his plan to ‘crush Mr Potter to a pulp.’
On one hand, his students were quite adamant that ‘Mr Malfoy’ required immediate attention in the form of pranks (Their idea not his, he promises). His heart however was campaigning for another attempt at winning Malfoy over with biscuits (He doesn't know why and it's quite scary to be frank).
After much deliberation he decided upon asking Malfoy to meet at his house for a cup of tea, because he was British goddammit, and the phrase keep calm and carry on was written in his veins.
“Malfoy.” He acknowledged wearily, as he entered the staffroom.
“Potter. What is it that you require this time?” Malfoy was obviously not expecting an ambush in such a public place in broad daylight - oh well, the aspect of surprise could only help him.
“I wanted to ask if you wanted to come over to my place tonight? I think a cup of tea and… reminiscing could do us both some good.” His offer was tentative, but the answer surprised him.
“Why yes, because I have nothing better to do on a Monday evening,” He scoffed in the self important way only he could, “Regardless, I would not be… completely against the idea. What tea do you propose?”
Completely stumped by his relatively complaintless response, Harry answered in a way only a baffled man can. “I- um have breakfast tea i think? I have some Peppermint too, Im quite partial to it personally.”
Against all odds, Draco Malfoy agreed.
And so, bolstered by his unexpected success, Harry Potter drove home being tailed by a Rolls Royce and wondered what exactly his life had come to.