His Meadow

Chapter 3

I did't realize it at first, it slowly took over me before I could protest. Falling. Falling falling effortlessly into love. Falling disguised as floating. Nobody told me how dangerous his love was. How floating changes into running through flames.

It had been a week since Pansy and I greeted Draco in the Great Hall. I've had many classes with him, but I think he's trying to ignore me. I don't know why but his silence makes my chest feel heavy, I barely know him. I guess it feels like I've always known him in a way. I was rushing to my next class, Potions with Professor Snape when I almost fell to the ground from someone yanking my wrist back.

"Hey Emmaline, what's the rush?" Pansy said from behind me.

In truth, the rush was to see if Draco would be showing up to class today. This one seemed to be his favorite to skip. Pansy and I have overheard him speaking about the subject with Crabb and Goyle, and I don't think he's too fond of cauldrons. Regardless, he's great in the class.

"Im on my way to potions, which is conveniently placed on the opposite side of this forsaken castle." I huffed. If I wanted to make it on time, I would practically have to break into a run.

"Ok, ok. I see you're occupied. I'll catch up tonight in the dorms." And with that, she disappeared into the rushing students.

By the time I reached the Potions classroom, I was five minutes late. I don't know how I was five minutes late since there's no bell like there was at my old school, but I somehow had a gut feeling I was about to be yelled at for tardiness. I tried opening the door as quietly as I could in hopes of just sneaking to my seat from the back, but it was almost like Snape had the door rusted. The hinges grinded against each other making my delayed presence known to the entire class before I could step through the door. I caught eyes with Professor Snape, and as I began to open my mouth his dooming voice beat me to it.

"Would you please enlighten me, Ms. Avery as to what could be more important than arriving on time for my class." He said like a statement rather than a question.

Instead of trying to explain my pitiful reasoning, I quietly apologized and hurried to my seat. Except when I got to my assigned table, there was a witch already sitting there.

"If you would have been here when class began you would know that today we are working with assigned partners. Ms. Avery, you will be working with Mr. Malfoy. I suggest you make your way across the classroom quickly, your partner had been alone long enough."

This had to be some kind of joke. Why would I, of all people be partnered with Draco Malfoy? I've spoken to him maybe twice, and each time has been worse than the last. I spotted him with wide eyes and wearily sat my books down on the table. Professor Snape had turned his attention back to the lesson, and so did Draco who didn't even acknowledge my presence. I felt embarrassed not by the disruption I caused, but by the way Draco had been treating me. Have I done something wrong to make him detest me so?

The assignment for today was to make amortentia, a love potion. If made correctly anyone who smelled the mixture would smell their true love. How romantic. Draco hadn't spoken a word to me since beginning the assignment, and I didn't think he would until he asked me why I was late.

"My class before this one is on the other side of the castle, so it takes me some time to make it over here. I guess I wasn't fast enough today," I admitted.

"You do know there's passageways and staircases for that." Draco said in an obvious tone. Before I could respond to his backhanded advice, he said "I'll show you tomorrow. My class before this one is next to yours."

To say I was caught off guard was an understatement. This boy has been nothing but cold to me the whole week, not even once noting my being and now he's offering to walk with me to class? As confused as I was, it also kinda made my chest warm. I don't know how to feel about it, but I wanted to feel it again.

"That would be nice," I answered. it would be nice to have Draco as a friend. There is something about him I just can't stop thinking about. He seems so secretive, like deep down he's a kind and true friend. Someone I would always want around. Focusing back on the task at hand, silence fell upon us, but this time it was a comfortable instead of one filled with tension.

By the end of class, Draco and I were the only group with a completed Amortentia potion. I heard that Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger came close, but nobody was as good at potions as Draco. Even if he didn't like it. Professor Snape assessed our potion and passed it around for the whole class to smell. Everybody's seemed pretty basic, cologne, flowers, certain perfumes and fabrics. Granger's was a little weird, smelling toothpaste along with other out of the box items. Snape handed our potion to Draco and I last. The class waited anxiously wanting to know who The Draco Malfoy loved. He took a deep breath in and spilled words that only I understood.

"Smells like.. uh? cherries? I don't even know what a cherry smells like. Marshmallows, wait not cherries, strawberries? The hell is this some kind of cake?"

The class laughed and soon became bored with the love predicting potion. Draco turned toward me and demanded I smell the vile. Taking the vile from his hand, I made sure only he heard my answers, too embarrassed by what it might reveal incase anyone might be listening.

" Apples.. but tart ones. Like green apples. Wood, and expensive cologne. Wait- and leather. The kind used for quidditch gloves." To say I was surprised would be a lie, but to realize my feelings shocked me.

Draco starred at me for a moment before gathering his things. "Thats odd, both smelled a food. Wonder who they could be. I'll meet you tomorrow across from our classrooms." I nodded as he walked out into the hallway.

When I reached the girls dorms, Pansy was laying across my bed. She claimed she had been waiting for hours as she threw her hand over her face. She quickly began babbling about whatever important events seem to occur in Pansy Parkinson's life, but my mind was focused on my dresser.

Rather, the bottle of marshmallow perfume that sits on top of it.