Denying Draco

8 - Vanilla Scented Perfume

'Poppy?' Hermione called, from where she sat in the Great Hall, causing Harry and Ron to look up too.

Poppy hurried over to them with a look of panic still on her face as she joined them at the table.

'Poppy, what's wrong?' Harry asked.

'You look like you've seen a ghost!' Ron cried, to which Harry and Hermione glanced at him with frowns.

'Guys, I-I-I...I fucked up!' Poppy exclaimed, watching as Hermione's eyes widened, Harry pressed his lips together tightly and Ron stifled a laugh. 'Sorry, I'm sorry for my language, forgive me please but seriously, I...I really fucked up, guys!'

'Okay, how about you just tell us what happened?' Hermione suggested.

Poppy proceeded to explain the full turn of events from her Defence Against the Dark Arts class. The trio listened closely and by the time she finished with her explanation of her water spell on Draco followed by being kicked out of the class, the three of them looked stunned. Hermione's mouth hung open, Harry stared at her in disbelief and Ron was smirking widely.

'He's going to tell my uncle!' Poppy hissed.

'Okay, I for one think everything you just told us is absolutely brilliant,' Ron chuckled. 'I wish I could have seen Malfoy choking on that water like the little wimp he really is.'

'You have nothing to worry about, Poppy,' Harry told her. 'Dumbledore will understand.'

'You defended yourself,' Hermione stated. 'That is what the class is all about. How dare he expect you to allow Draco Malfoy to string you up by your ankles on your very first day!'

'I mean...maybe the water was a bit too far but, it's done now so why fret over it?' Harry said. 'Can't say Malfoy doesn't deserve it.'

'I lost us so many points,' Poppy whined.

'We'll earn them back,' Hermione replied, resting a hand on top of Poppy's. 'Trust me, it's nothing to worry about. Professor. Dumbledore will handle it appropriately.'

'I'd better go,' Poppy sighed. 'I don't want to be late to my next class and have more problems to deal with.'

'Try not to worry, Poppy,' Harry said, reassuringly.

Poppy nodded and smiled appreciatively before saying goodbye and exiting the Great Hall.

She strolled through the corridors, finding her way to her Transfiguration class and quickly found herself lost. She wandered some more, hoping to spot a student along the way who could direct her. It wasn't long before she found herself on the seventh floor corridor again which she immediately recognised. She knew her way to the Gryffindor common room from there, so she hurried onwards to try and get back to finding someone from her house who could help her. As she got further up the corridor, she slowed as she approached the Room of Requirement again, immediately spotting the grand, wooden doors, and there was Draco Malfoy, disappearing through them.

'Don't do it, Poppy,' she mumbled, to herself. She squinted her eyes and wrinkled her nose as she tried to fight off the curiosity, but she could not bring herself to walk away. She knew Draco was up to something and she was determined to find out.

Running up the corridor as fast as she could, she made it to the door and quietly let herself inside, glancing around the silent room for Draco. She could hear his movements somewhere in the room and she slowly strolled in between the objects lying about, peeking around carefully for sight of him. There was something in the room that he was here for and she wanted to know what it was.

As she paused and listened, she noticed his movements had gone quiet and she could no longer hear him or pick up where he could be. She waited, listening some more and a second later, panic filled her as she felt a hand clasp over her mouth and pull her backwards. She kicked her legs and screamed until the hand finally let go and shoved her against a wall.