Lazuli - Harry Potter Fan Fiction (Draco Malfoy)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Sorry for the delay, I went on a trip for a week so I haven't time to update!

Enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Juliet, wait up!"

I stop striding quickly away from the Room of Requirement when I hear Hermione shouting after me, her feet tapping annoyingly on the stone floor. I sigh - I couldn't be bothered to deal with her at this present moment in time. But nonetheless, I turn around and smile anyway.

"I...just...wanted to say...well done in there today!" she pants, clutching her stomach as if running a couple of metres had physically pained her. I shrug my shoulders. "Thanks." I say awkwardly, playing with the strap of my bag. We'd been back at Hogwarts for a week now, and this had been the first meeting of Dumbledore's Army. Whilst everyone else had continued in trying to master the Reductor Curse, Harry showed Ginny, Hermione and I (the only three in the class who managed to do the spell successfully every time) the Shield Charm. It's purpose is to keep any attackers or spells back, protecting the caster.

Hermione and Ginny had struggled, but after several goes I'd managed to conjure a small shield that stopped Ginny was disarming me. They'd both been impressed as had I, i'd never been able to do the Shield Charm before. "So, we have that assignment for Snape's class, and if you hadn't already agreed to go with anyone yet, I thought we could be partners?"

Her sudden confidence and ability to talk to me without insulting me had me wondering what had happened to her recently. She'd always hated me, even before we were sorted in our first year and she had the 'good' luck of being sorted into Gryffindor and I had the 'bad' luck of becoming a Slytherin. She'd barely said a word to me for 5 years, until she appeared that day asking me to check on Harry and then to join the DA. Ever since then, she'd been surprisingly trusting, where my family and Harry hadn't.

I know the assignment she's talking about. Snape's given us a week to produce an Invigoration Draught, the recipe for which we would find in the library and the ingredients we had to get ourselves. I hadn't agreed to go in partners with anyone yet, but I'd assumed that I'd work with Honey or Sophia, possibly even Draco.

"It's just, you're incredibly good at potions, and I need an Outstanding in this project if I'm going to get an E or higher at the end of the year. I know that I'm probably the last person you want to work with, you'll probably be working with Malfoy, but I'll be willing to do a trade." She smiles convincingly, and I can't help but be slightly curious. "A trade?"

"Yeah, I'll help you with something, anything, if you'll do this for me." She juts out her bottom lip and I cringe at how stupid she looks. "Fine, I'll do it if you stop doing that face." She squeals excitedly, clapping her hands together and drawing the attention of a confused looking Gryffindor. "Thank you, thank you!" She exclaims, grabbing me and hugging me. I manage to prise her off, a scared expression in my eyes and she just giggles freakishly. "Sorry, personal space, I get it."

Over her shoulder, I see Harry and Ron leaving the Room and the door disappearing behind them. Ron walks away, not noticing anything, but Harry's eyes fall upon Hermione and I and the pain inside of them is obvious. Hermione must notice my pleading expression, because she looks over her shoulder and sighs.

"He's not as angry as you think, just hurt." Hermione mutters, turning back to look at me. "Him and Malfoy have never got on, that much you know. But I think with time and urging, he'd come to understand that you're still you. I could talk to him for you, as part of our deal?"

I nod slowly. There's nothing else I want from her, so if she insists upon a deal then at least that would be somewhat useful. "Thanks, but can we start tomorrow, it's only tonight I have..."