Green Eyed Monster | Draco Malfoy

62. Past, Present, Future

Chapter 62 - Past, Present, Future

"I don't like it," I didn't even try to disguise the glare at the book in my brother's hand. He was, as always, sure to hold it far out of my reach so that I couldn't spy any of its secrets. "The Half Blood Prince? Besides Voldemort, who names themself like that? Maybe it is Voldemort's. I think Hermione's right - it could be dangerous."

"You don't think that at all," Ron accused with a grin. "You just don't like that he's better than you when he uses it."

I felt my eye twitch as I held back a defensive snarl. "He is not better than me."

"Then he's just as good," Ron smirked, even when Harry elbowed him in the ribs to shut him up. My brother had been working hard to keep me as out of trouble and out of my depressed stupor as he could - which was nearly impossible when he wouldn't let go of that bloody book of his. Ron continually reminded me that were I to have just given him my book, this never would have happened - it only made the situation that much worse; and the fact that I wasn't allowed to stay upset because I'd taken to sleeping in the Gryffindor Common Room made it that much more pathetic.

"Will you be able to make it through Dumbledore's lesson tonight, or should you nap again?" My brother asked as we walked down to an early dinner. I frowned, knowing that he was trying to change the subject but also aware that he was babying me once again. I'd already taken a long nap that afternoon; even if this week had been exhausting there was no excuse to take another.

"No time to nap now," it had been hard adjusting to a NEWT schedule. It involved a lot of homework and a lot of class time - more than I would have thought considering I'd dropped a good portion of them. I usually had to take naps just to get through the day.

"You have time," Harry said as I sat down beside him at the table. I sat down across from him, frowning when I could see the Slytherin table from where I had placed myself. Over to the side, Lillian and Tracey tried to wave me over to them...I averted my eyes when I saw that Malfoy glaring in my direction as if to further show that I was not welcome. "Snape wrangled me into detention at six, but we don't need to be there until eight."

"What?" I asked, half sure I had been too distracted to hear him and half knowing that he had made a mistake. I was glad to call him on any mistake now that he constantly had a Potion Master's book in his hand. "Did Dumbledore change the time?"

"Snape wouldn't have rescheduled my detention then," Harry frowned. "I was told eight."

I took out my parchment from my rucksack, frowning down at it until I read the line. "No, it's at six."

"No," he argued, drawing out the word as he pulled out his own roll of parchment. I was just pleased that I had been right - there was no mistaking this handwriting. "Mine says eight...wait - do you think he wants to see us separately?"

"Why would he do that?" I asked, looking from him to Ron and Hermione. Hermione, of course, was ready with an answer.

"He must want to teach you different things," Hermione thought. "But why?"

"Probably because I'm shite with a wand," I frowned down at my hands and hastily put the parchment away so they wouldn't realize I was 'brooding' again. "He probably wants to teach me something Cantated that Harry can't learn and Harry will probably learn cool Incantations that I can't do."

"Maybe," Hermione hummed to herself. Still, she sounded uncertain.

I left not long afterward. The corridors were deserted thanks to most already being in the Great Hall for dinner - it was a pleasant walk. I was glad to go through the halls and not feel like holes were being glared through me...yes, clearly this week had been harder than I liked to admit to myself. The Slytherins who didn't know what a traitor I was had caught on thanks to all the time I was spending with the Gryffindors...and on that note, not all the Gryffindors agreed with my presence around them. It left me between a rock and a hard place. The Slytherins were the rocks. I was fairly certain they wanted to reform back to more traditional punishment and have me flogged with them.