Despite Harry claiming that he wants to spend the day without anyone bothering him, Blaise has decided to follow him like a shadow. When he walked to Tom's first class, herbology, Blaise was there, silently trailing behind him.

Now, Harry wouldn't have found this too concerning if Blaise hadn't also followed him to the bathroom and waited outside the door like some sort of guard. He was fairly certain this wasn't a normal occurrence. Of course, since he didn't know the reason for Blaise's strange behaviour, he just decided to ignore it. Couldn't risk his position by questioning something Tom might already know, now could he?

So now, he walks to potions, trying to act as confident as Tom always is. He's failing miserably, but at the moment that is the least of his problems. Everyone knows that Tom is the best in every single one of his classes, and that includes potions. Harry, however, is what Snape likes to call, an absolute dunderhead. So naturally he's starting to sweat a bit as he enters the potions classroom, knowing that he may very well be about to fuck everything up already.

He sits down on the slytherins usual side of the room, and Blaise immediately takes the spot next to him. He really hopes Blaise will be okay with doing most of the work today, because Harry was certain that Tom Riddle messing up a potion would turn a few heads, and that was not great.

Unfortunately for Harry- and probably anyone else in close vicinity- today they were to brew the draught of living death. Harry turns to Blaise nervously as soon as Snape informs them of this, and tries to hide his nervousness. Blaise doesn't seem to acknowledge him, but Harry is certain he looks a bit amused. He ignores his own confusion at that, and tries to figure out how he's going to get away with this.

He knows he can't even fake a sickness to get out of class, because that would also be suspicious. Tom never got sick. Well, he never let anyone know he was sick. Harry always joked that Tom's presence was so intimidating that even the bacteria ran away from him, but when they started dating and Tom got the flu, Harry realized that the idiot just pretended he wasn't sick and still went to classes. Impressively, Harry would not have even guessed that Tom was feeling sick in any way if he hadn't been told after Tom denied him a kiss earlier in the day. The man was just that inhuman.

Blaise nudges him, and Harry realizes he'd been staring at him while he thought about Tom. He tries to compose himself, hoping that Blaise isn't too suspicious about his housemate suddenly losing the poised attitude he usually carries, but again, Blaise just looked slightly amused. "Come on," he gestures towards the potion ingredient closet, "help me get the ingredients."

Harry nods, nearly stumbling out of his chair to follow when he realizes he actually can't remember most of the ingredients for the draught of living death. He stops in his tracks and quickly picks up Tom's potions book, hoping to find the ingredient list before Blaise notices. He flips through the book as fast as he can, before realizing everyone else is getting up too, and that Tom Riddle frantically flipping through a potions textbook that he rarely used was definitely cause for suspicion.

He is starting to realize that everything he does imperfectly is cause for suspicion. Fuck Tom and his perfectionism, Harry has no idea why he's in love with the asshole. He curses to himself under his breath and goes to follow Blaise again.

Harry tries to make it to the ingredients first, hoping he can grab the one he knows first and let Blaise get the rest, but as soon as he makes it there, Blaise is already holding the powdered root of asphodel. "Get the rest," Blaise instructs him before making his way back to their table. Harry gulps and watches as everyone scrambles to get their ingredients, trying to see if he can read the label on what they're holding so he can go get that too.

Luck is not on his side though, because it never is, and everyone is moving too fast for him to see. He musters up all the Tom Riddle charm he can, and turns to stop the nearest person to ask, "would you mind grabbing me the ingredients as well? It's already so crowded in there." He gives the most sincere smile he can, but the person- who turns out to be Seamus- just scoffs. "Fuck off Riddle, get your own."

Harry's (well, Tom's) face falls as Seamus walks off and he sighs to himself. That was possibly the worst person to have asked for help, Seamus wasn't known for his niceties or his tolerance for Slytherins. He was probably the most prejudiced Gryffindor, having been one of the most vocal students opposing the fact that Blaise was allowed in the Boy's dorms (on account of the girl's dorms not allowing him in) as a transgender student. He was certainly better about his attitude now, having been properly educated, but he still held his animosity for Slytherins.

Harry stands there for a second, before deciding fuck it. He's certainly not going to ask another person for help, he's already risked it once, but he still needs the ingredients. So, walking casually over to one of desks, with all the confidence he can summon, he snatches someone else's already gathered ingredients, and books it back to his own desk with Blaise. As soon as he makes it back into his seat, he hears a yell of indignation from Seamus from across the room, "Hey! Who took my wormwood?!" Harry covers his mouth and chuckles a bit, he hadn't even realized it was Seamus' desk, but now he didn't have to feel too bad. The man was a bit of an asshole.

He's smirking slightly as he hands the vials over to Blaise, but his partner doesn't even turn away from the cauldron to face him before stating, "well you certainly took your time." Harry's about to respond, but falters as he suddenly realizes that Blaise thinks he's been talking to Tom this whole time. Blaise has been giving him orders and speaking sarcastically, all while he thinks he is Tom Riddle. Now, he knows his boyfriend would never allow this, and he knows that Blaise knows this too, and would never speak to him this way.

Blaise continues stirring the cauldron, as Harry recovers from his revelation and sets down the vial of wormwood next to him, studying his face. Blaise knows something.