Wonder // Draco Malfoy

38. Neville's Help

Classes have begun again, but they aren't what I'm worried about. Professor Snape has somehow gotten a worse attitude towards me and looks for any chance to criticize my potions. I constantly smirk to myself when he has difficulty finding something to be upset about. Transfiguration and charms have also been tame. Professor McGonagall treats me better than others and constantly looks at me with worry and pity.

There is exactly one month until the second task and it's all I can think about. Draco and Marcus have been teaching me defensive spells in case merpeople try to attack me and I've gotten better. When I am truly focused, my spells are powerful. I've mastered a few spells already yet have anxiety about which one I'll have to use. I may have to choose different ones in a moment's time.

The biggest difficulty is figuring out how to stay under water for an hour. Rue and Marcus have helped me tirelessly search the library. I know I'm not suppose to ask professors for help, but I'm becoming more open to the idea of asking Cedric or Harry. Draco is completely against that idea - "Have you gone mad? There's nothing those dimwits can teach you that I haven't already taught you" - so I'm trying to exhaust every other option before then.

"What do you suppose you'll have to look for?" Rue asks. We both sit in our usual spots at the Hufflepuff table in the great hall; she's next to Marcus while I'm across from them. "I mean, how do you know what to look for? They can't just expect you to have an idea, surely?"

I shrug and fill my plate with the food in front of us. Yet another day has passed, ticking off another square on my calendar that shows the next day I might possibly die. It sounds dramatic, but it's a fear that I have that I couldn't possibly voice to my friends. As far as they know, I'm more reassured after the first task and am ready for whatever the second task may bring.

"Perhaps a photo of my mother?" I suggest, taking a huge bite of roasted potatoes. "I'm not sure of anything else that I would have to look in the Black Lake for. Do you think maybe they'd bewitch Martin to be able to breathe under water and have him swim around until I find him?"

We let out giggles as we think of my chubby orange kitty exploring the cold water. "Do you think anyone knows how to bewitch others into being able to breathe underwater?"

There's a skidding sound from behind me followed by a loud splat. I turn in my seat to see a red-faced Neville sitting on the floor, covered in the food from his plate. I point my wand at him and cast a spell that immediately clears the mess, though the laughing from our classmates doesn't stop. I help him up and have him sit next to me while the laughter subsides.

"Neville, are you okay? What happened?" Marcus asks. Both he and Rue are leaning forward in concern as they inspect Neville, whose face is now as red as the tomato soup he spilled. Neville looks up to me only for a moment before he turns his head to focus on Marcus.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop! My Grammy is always telling me that it isn't nice to-"

"Neville, what are you talking about?" Rue asks. "Eavesdropping? What did you hear?"

Neville looks at Rue and shrugs. "About having to breathe under water. I don't know how to bewitch someone, but I... there's a plant that can help with that."

"Really? What is it?" I ask, putting my hand on his arm and leaning closer as if he'll run away with the secret at any moment.

Neville straightens his posture and smiles shyly. "It's called gillyweed. We have some here at Hogwarts. I bet I c-could get some for you?"

I throw my arms around him as Marcus and Rue thank him. "Neville, you genius! You have no idea how much that means to me!"

Neville hides his blush by looking at his lap. "S-sure, Valentine. I'll bring some to you tomorrow."

-

"And you believed everything that came out of that toad's mouth?" Draco asks, picking up the container of gillyweed and examining it. "You obviously haven't seen him in potions. I wouldn't trust this."

"Don't insult Neville!" I warn, taking the jar back from him and holding it against me protectively. "He happens to be the smartest boy I know when it comes to plants."

Draco raises an eyebrow daringly and rolls his eyes. He scoffs before he turns away to think. "Valentine, you can't possibly trust-"

"Draco, I do! And I'm going to try this out at the Black Lake tomorrow night. There's only a few weeks left until the second task and I have to know if this works or not! You can come with me or not."

Draco turns around and looks at me in disbelief. "Don't get too dramatic. Why on earth would I let you possibly drown because of your tendency to follow idiots? I'll meet you there tomorrow night at eleven. And try not to get caught, okay? Filch is looking for any reason to punish a champion."

I sigh and place the jar in my bag before I throw it over my shoulder. There's only ten minutes until my Divination lesson, and it's across the castle. "I should go," I say. Draco's eyes scan the now empty corridor and he leans in to kiss me.

It's only a small peck, but it's enough for my annoyance to dissolve. "I'll see you tomorrow night darling."

A/N
This is a shorter chapter but I needed it to lead to the next one. I know in the books it's actually Dobby that introduces gillyweed to Harry but there's no storyline between Dobby and Valentine so I had to stick with the movie version.