"We have a little over an hour left to us, which should be time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it is more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I do not expect a perfect potion from anybody." Slughorn was explaining the difficulty of the potion, entire class carefully listening to his words. "Get to work."
My entire focus however was on last night's events. I had received some cursing from the girls in the room after slamming the door just as Draco had.
In the morning our tension was going strong. At breakfast, we hadn't looked at each other nor spoke a word. When two first years came up to us, asking where the library was located, we both had glared at each other. I still unfortunately could remember the scene of him kissing Pansy in the staff room.
On top of that, he had the audacity to ask to be repaired by Slughorn. As if he could've find a better partner than me, his request was rejected.
"Added the Infusion of Wornwood, next is what?" He asked, eyes on the ingredients laid in front of us.
"Powdered Root of Asphodel." I added it with anger building up in me once again. "Stir twice clockwise."
He did as I said so. His hands holding the wood spoon firmly. "Adding the Sloth brain." That thing looked disgusting. "Now the Sopophorous bean juice-"
"No!" I slapped his hand gently, and my voice was enough to attract eyes to our table. "The bean should be crushed with a silver dagger, not sliced, as it releases juices more efficiently in that manner."
His eyes were empty and lost, he stared at me like I was a crazy person. "And who says that?"
"Half-Blood Prince." I said whispering. "Now do it."
He rolled his eyes at me before following my orders, what a good boy honestly. "Stir seven times anti-clockwise but add a clockwise stir after seventh counterclockwise stir."
I watched the potion turn into clear from light lilac. Everything was looking perfect, meanwhile I could hear the other tables blowing up things or spilling up the potion everywhere, it was indeed Longbottom.
"Professor Slughorn?" Draco called out for him, all heads turning to us. "I believe we are done."
"See Professor we told you, it's unfair!" Said Lavender Brown. She earned two pairs of rolled eyes at her ugly face. That's why I had despised Gryffindors, always whining about something.
"Shhh!" Slughorn placed his glasses on his face, looking directly at our potion, smelling it, shaking it five times, talking to it. Everybody else had stopped working on theirs as ours was being examined.
My heart was beating so fast, I was actually nervous even though deep down I knew Professor Snape wouldn't be making any mistakes. I felt a cold hand on my right thigh, making me stop from shaking it under the table. Then Draco's gaze fell on me, as if he was reassuring me that it was going to be okay. I calmed down shortly after, controlling my breath with his hand slightly moving up and down on my thigh, the skin getting exposed from my black skirt was burning under his gentle, meaningless touch. All the anger, all the hate was gone, thrown into garbage.
But it was weird. I reminded myself to not read too much into it but it was awkward. It was awkward that both of our reactions to each other this year was heightened for some reason. I mean, of course, I didn't mind him touching me, he had been doing that for years in so many occasions, he was one of my closest friends. Blaise or Theo had done the same to me or Lucy, there was nothing to read into and feed delusions. It just felt deeper than that now. The feeling that was causing inside me was the thing that was bothering me. I hadn't even thought twice about these things last year or year before that or even year before that, only in the first two years... No. That childish phase was done and I never wanted to think about it again as how embarrassing it really was.
"This is...this is perfectly made!" I let out the breath I have been holding after Slughorn chuckled. "This is unbelievably great work and performance Mr. Malfoy and Mrs. Vonner... congratulations... excellent!"
My first instinct was to turn to Draco with open arms, wrapping them around his neck as his arms fell to my lower waist, holding me tight pressed to his chest. My eyes were closed while I had the chance to dig my nose into his neck, touching his warm skin, the cologne making me high. We both froze for a second in that position. Until I felt the tiniest and gentlest kiss on my shoulder. Then I was pushed back.
My eyes didn't know where to look. What has just happened? "Well done." I said the first thing came to mind.
"Is anyone else near to be done?" Slughorn asked the class. Pure silence was loud enough as his disappointing expression. "My first two members...Mr. Malfoy and Mrs. Vonner, you are welcome..."
I felt an explosion happening inside me from the excitement, happiness and relief. I once again turned to Draco but he was quicker than me to grab me by the waist. "Told you so." He whispered in my ear. "Nobody does Potions like us."
"Class dismissed!" Slughorn's voice announced as everyone let out a sigh, few complaints flying in the air, followed by some congratulations from the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs.
"Moo! Moooooo! Geek alert!" Blaise was going off like a broken alarm, making us finally let each other go. "Nerds off the leash, be careful everyone!"
Draco was the first to respond, "Shut up Zabini."
"Don't tell me you both didn't sleep all night just to pull this off this morning." He was waiting for us to collect our notes to leave the classroom.
"Okay, we won't tell you Blaise." Draco and I's hand met on the Half-Blood Prince notebook. I grabbed it fast enough and put it in its bag.
Lucy and Theo joining us, we seemed ready to move on. "You got the spot in the club!" Lucy was my biggest supporter in... anything really, even if it was the worst thing I could've done, she was going to be there with a big smile on her face and me for her. "I hope there are going to be some good-looking seventh years."
Our arms locked in, we walked out of the class in front of the boys. "Don't you have a boyfriend or something?" Theo asked her.
"Who?" She was playful and in the mood.
"Uhmm... I am not sure.. let me think." Theo responded with sarcasm. "Maybe fucking Adrian Pucey? Remember our friend?"
We were in the corridor now, "Can't quite seem to remember, doesn't ring a bell really." Lucy never failed to make me laugh.
"Draco!" This ear-itching voice again... "Congratulations darling." Darling? I had to stop and turn around to see what was going on at the back. Pansy was forcing herself between Blaise and Draco, her arms wrapped around his neck, as it was mine earlier.
"Honestly, can no longer damage my mental state by watching this girl." Theo whispered to me and Lucy, walking by us, taking the lead to the Great Hall for lunch.
Draco's hands found her waist, pushing her away slowly. "Appreciate it Pansy."
His eyes caught mine and I immediately turned around like I was guilty. I was blessed with eyes but I was abusing them by watching these two. I pulled Lucy with me to continue walking. Darling. The word repeated in my head. Since when they were darlings?
"Congratulations!" I saw Fred or George when I lifted my head. They were definitely taller than me and they were my friends. I mean, not friends but they would always make me laugh and I had always been nice towards them, even if they were Weasleys... they were hilarious, opposite of Ronald and boring Ginny. Also were the ones supporting me after me and Alex's breakup in the Gryffindor tower. "Heard Ron complain about it."
"Thank you Georg-"
"Fred!" He corrected me with an offended expression. "You always fail woman!"
"I was only joking with you." I pushed his shoulder back gently, failing at it horribly he didn't even move a bit. I actually was able to differentiate them, not just in five seconds, I needed time.
"Who do we have here?" Sarcastic tone of Malfoy arrived immediately to where we were standing; the entrance of the hall. "Number 167 Weasley brother."
"I don't speak Parseltongue, tssss or whatever Malfoy." Fred replied to him, he was way taller than Draco as well.
His response made me and Lucy giggle, and we earned his death glare. "See you later then." Fred walked away before winking at us.
"How dare these shameless family members still speak to me, it's an insult quite frankly." Sassy words left Draco's mouth as he walked down the long tables. "And you two," He pointed out me and Lucy, "You two entertain him for what?"
"For the love of Dumbledore's long beard Draco, are you struggling from sassy men syndrome or something?" Lucy spoke, letting go of my arm just now and sitting down.
"He has been struggling with it since he was five." Blaise added oil to the fire.
If we had one fun hobby to do, it was to annoy Draco as much as possible. "Five?! Bold guess... I think he was just 6 months, I remember it well." Theo had sat down on Draco's left side.
I remained quiet whatsoever, usually I would take the piss of him and would never miss out on the opportunity to bully him but my mouth was closed this time. All I could think about was not the fact I was chosen to attend the Club, it wasn't that we were the only ones to succeed in brewing the potion. It was the fact that why was the pug-face calling him darling? Were they darlings? Were they dating? Since when they were dating? Wouldn't have Draco told us something?
~
Someone pushing me into the Advanced Arithmancy classroom, I stumbled slightly and was ready to curse out loud. "For fuck's sake Theo!"
It was Theo and Draco walking by (more like pushing people around to get the first desk). Only three of us from our friends were taking this class and they always sat together, in the first one on the middle row.
"Nobody is trying to sit there!" I continued yelling at them, they were acting like children.
"Shut up Vonner." Was the response I received from both of them at the same time.
Rolling my eyes as my favourite hobby, I sat down on my usual spot; right side, middle desk. I pulled out all my notes and books, this class was difficult to say the least. I wasn't very good with numbers, maths. Theo and Draco were, they were suggesting me to take it so I did, listened to them. I just had to pay extra attention, complete the homework, maybe ask for little help from others... my jealousy was getting the best out of me towards Theo and Draco's talent on this subject.
Mentioning jealousy, I was still wondering what was Pansy talking about earlier. I had to know if my best friend was in a relationship...right?, specifically if it was with her. I could've asked Draco during the lunch but I didn't bother. I instead accepted congratulation messages from people about Slughorn's club, it was becoming quite hot topic between the students. I had to send an owl to my parents tonight regarding that, I knew they'd be sending me some candies and flowers in return.
"Page 17." Professor Vector immediately order as soon as she entered the classroom.