I woke up feeling a bit disoriented, unsure of my whereabouts. It took me a few moments to recall that I had spent the night with Draco. As I attempted to sneak out of bed, I felt his arm around my waist, restraining me. I couldn't help but giggle at his touch.
"Where do you think you're going?" He whispered in my ear.
I responded, trying to appear serious but unable to conceal my grin, "I need to hurry back to my dorm to take a shower and get ready for class."
"Not yet," he said, pulling me back towards him. "Stay here with me for a little while longer."
I turned to face him, seeing the mischievous glint in his eyes. I knew I was going to be late for class, but at that moment, I didn't care. I snuggled up to him, enjoying the warmth of his embrace. For a while, we just lay there, talking and laughing.
•••
I jolted awake to the loud sound of the alarm, indicating that it was already past the time we were supposed to be in class. I groggily looked over at Draco, who was still fast asleep, oblivious to the fact that we were running late. I nudge him, trying to wake him up, but it's no use. He's out cold.
I quickly jump out of bed, feeling a surge of panic wash over me. We can't afford to miss another class. I rush over to the bathroom, trying to get ready as quickly as possible.
I splash water on my face, brush my teeth, and try to style my hair in an acceptable way. I don't have enough time for a shower, so I apply some deodorant and throw on the clothes I wore the day before.
I rush back to the bedroom to try and wake up Draco again, this time shaking him more vigorously. He finally opens his eyes, his voice thick with sleep. "What's wrong?" he croaks. "We slept through our first class, and if we don't hurry up, we'll be late for Potions," I reply, urgency in my voice.
Draco jumps out of bed and quickly scrambles to get ready. He diligently brushes his teeth and throws on some clothes, running a hand through his hair to make himself look presentable. "Let's go," he says as we grab our bags and head out of the room.
As I strolled alongside Draco toward the Potions classroom, I couldn't help but feel a pang of regret for having skipped the Defense Against the Dark Arts class this morning. Draco, however, didn't seem too fazed.
He was walking with his usual swagger, his platinum blonde hair perfectly coiffed, and his robes pristine. Meanwhile, I was struggling to keep up with his brisk pace, my messy brown hair falling into my eyes.
We arrived at the classroom just in time, panting for breath. "Good morning, you two," Slughorn said with a knowing smirk. "Fancy seeing you two together. I must say I didn't expect it."
"Oh, no. Um, we're just friends," I spewed out frantically. Honestly, I wasn't sure if Draco wanted to keep our relationship between us or not.
Draco was finding great amusement in my panic, suppressing his laughter with a few coughs. "It's quite peculiar to see you two together as friends, and if you hadn't noticed, I never suggested anything remotely romantic," Slughorn quipped.
"Right, I'm going inside," Draco said with a mischievous chuckle as he stepped inside.
Embarrassed by my awkward encounter, I sheepishly replied, "Yeah, me too."
Before I could enter, Slughorn raised a hand in objection. "If I may have just one more moment of your time, dear," he interjected. "Go ahead," I replied, shrugging.
He asked me, "Have you received my owl about my renowned Christmas party that is only two weeks away?" His voice was smart as I furrowed my brow in bewilderment.
"Christmas is still a few weeks away; two weeks from now will be November."
"Yes, indeed I am aware. Initially, I wasn't confident I could arrange it for December, because of the Yule Ball occurring just before the Christmas holidays, but I was informed that the only day accessible in that month would be on the 21st of December. Consequently, instead of happening in November, the event will take place on the 21st and you can also bring a date. Anyone you wish. No judgment." Slughorn gave a cunning grin before entering inside.
I couldn't help but smile to myself as I imagined dancing with Draco.
As I take my seat and start to unpack my bag, I can feel the sharp gaze of Hermione, Harry, and Ron all focused on me. Hermione's voice cuts through the air with a stern and smart tone, "Where were you last night?" I can sense the amusement in Ron's voice as he teases, "I think we all know where she was," and he points to his neck with a wink in my direction. My heart races as I try to keep my composure.
My eyes widened in surprise as I hurriedly brushed my hair over my neck, desperate to cover up the telltale signs of the hickeys Draco had left me. I could feel my cheeks growing hot with embarrassment as I scrambled to come up with an explanation, but before I could utter a word, the lesson started.
"Good morning, everyone. Today we will be brewing the Felix Felicis potion, a very rare and valuable elixir that can bring great luck to the drinker. It's also one of the most difficult potions to make, so I expect you all to give it your best effort."
My anxiety increased even more as I looked around the room at my peers, some of whom were already perspiring and scowling at their cauldrons in frustration. Hermione leaned over to me with a reassuring yet intelligent tone. "Don't worry, we'll be alright. All we need to do is follow the instructions carefully and we'll get through it."
I gave a small nod of acknowledgment, but I wasn't entirely convinced. The instructions were incredibly precise, and I felt my mind beginning to fog over, struggling to remember all the steps.
As we began to brew, I diligently concentrated on the task at hand. I precisely measured out the ingredients, stirring and heating them in an exact manner. Despite my best efforts, however, I gradually felt the pressure of being behind the pace increase.
Hermione seemed to be doing fine, but Ron kept mumbling to himself and shaking his head, his forehead beginning to glisten with sweat. Turning my gaze to observe Harry's progress, I was perplexed as he appeared to be making the potion with ease. He carefully added each component to the cauldron, and I held my breath in anticipation. I had witnessed Harry botch up potions in the past, but this time he seemed to be executing each step perfectly.
I couldn't help but wonder how he managed to master the potion so quickly. I knew that Professor Slughorn had given him the recipe, but it still seemed like a feat to get it right on the first try. Suddenly, I saw Professor Slughorn making his way over to our station. My heart started racing as I realized that he was going to inspect Harry's potion. I watched in anticipation as he peered into the cauldron.
"Excellent work, Harry!" Professor Slughorn exclaimed. "This is one of the best Felix Felicis potions I have ever seen!"
Harry beamed with pride as the rest of the class turned to give him a round of applause. I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe and admiration for him. It was clear that he had a natural talent for potion-making, and I couldn't wait to see what other potions he would master in the future.
"How did you do it?" Ron asked him. Harry shrugged. "I don't know, I just followed the instructions. It seemed pretty straightforward to me."
Hermione frowned a little. "But you didn't do anything differently? Use any special techniques or ingredients?" Harry shook his head. "Nope. Just followed the instructions."
As the class ended and we began to gather our belongings, I couldn't help but observe Draco moving at a slower pace than usual. I couldn't help but grin to myself as I finished packing up my items. Once the other students had left the room, Draco gradually made his way over to me.
"So... I'm your friend now?" Draco leans into me, his voice low and intimate, causing me to feel his hardness pressing against my back. I cleared my throat and looked up at him, speaking in a smart tone, "How was I supposed to know if you wanted us to be exclusive or not?"
Draco leans in closer to me again, his deep, intelligent voice sending shivers down my spine. "Of course I want us to be exclusive, Sofia. I want the world to know that you are mine and mine only," he says, his warm breath tickling my ear.
"Really?" I ask, feeling my heart racing with anticipation as I take in his handsome features. His eyes are dark and intense, and I can't help but feel a strong pull towards him. I'm filled with hope and excitement as I await his response. Draco nods, a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Really."
