Ella Potter (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter 30

One of the best things about the aftermath of the second task was that everybody was very keen to hear details of what had happened down in the lake. People have tried asking Ella but Draco wouldn't let anyone near her to ask.

"Aren't you becoming more protective lately" Ella comments as they approach their final class of the day

"Why can't I be protective of my girlfriend?" Draco questions

"I didn't say you can't" Ella kisses his cheek "you're great as you are"

Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in a huddle outside the classroom door with Pansy Parkinson's gang of Slytherin girls. All of them were looking at something. Ella and Draco joined them as Harry, Hermione, and Ron head down the corridor.

"There they are, there they are!" Pansy giggled, and the knot of Slytherins broke apart

Pansy had a magazine in her hands - Witch Weekly. The moving picture on the front showed a curly-haired witch who was smiling toothily and pointing at a large sponge cake with her wand.

"You might find something to interest you in there, Granger!" Pansy said loudly

She threw the magazine at Hermione, who caught it, looking startled. At that moment, the dungeon door opened, and Snape beckoned them all inside. Ella sat at a table with Draco as usual. 

Once Snape had turned his back on them to write up the ingredients of todays potion on the blackboard Draco held Ella's hand. They begun unpacking the ingredients they would need for their Wit-Sharpening Potion. Ella and Drago working in perfect rhythm like always.

After a bit they see Snape walk across the classroom and over to the famous trio.

"Fascinating though your social life undoubtedly is. Miss Granger" Snape says "I must ask you not to discuss it in my class. Ten points from Gryffindor."

The whole class was now looking around at them; Malfoy took the opportunity to flash POTTER STINKS across the dungeon at Harry.

"Draco" Ella nudges him disapprovingly

"I can't help it" Draco chuckles

"Ah...reading magazines under the table as well?" Snape added, snatching up the copy of Witch Weekly. "A further ten points from Gryffindor...oh but of course..." Snape's black eyes glittered as they fell on Rita Skeeter's article. "Potter has to keep up with his press cuttings.."

The dungeon rang with the Slytherins' laughter, and an unpleasant smile curled Snape's thin mouth. 

"Dad stop" Ella whines and covers her face "why am I surrounded by people who hate my brother"

To Harry's fury, Snape began to read the article aloud.

"'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache...dear, dear. Potter, what's ailing you now? 'A boy like no other, perhaps...'"

Harry could feel his face burning. Snape was pausing at the end of every sentence to allow the Slytherins a hearty laugh. The article sounded ten times worse when read by Snape. Even Hermione was blushing scarlet now.

"'...Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart upon a worthier candidate.' How very touching," sneered Snape, rolling up the magazine to continued gales of laughter from the Slytherins. "Well, I think I had better separate the three of you, so you can keep your minds on your potions rather than on your tangled love lives. Weasley, you stay here. Miss Granger, over there, beside Miss Parkinson. Potter - that table in front of my desk. Move. Now."

Furious, Harry threw his ingredients and his bag into his cauldron and dragged it up to the front of the dungeon to the empty table. Snape followed, sat down at his desk and watched Harry unload his cauldron. Determined not to look at Snape, Harry resumed the mashing of his scarab beetles, imagining each one to have Snape's face.

"All this press attention seems to have inflated your already over-large head. Potter," said Snape quietly, once the rest of the class had settled down again.