𝙑𝙄𝙍𝙄𝘿𝙄𝙏𝙔 ➞𝘏.𝘎

fifty six

"Break Me"

-ADHARA WALKED INTO THE POTIONS CLASSROOM WITH PANSY. They walked over to where Draco and Blaise were standing at, wanting to get away from the Gryffindors. Draco frowned, noticing his sister's tired eyes. "Haven't you gotten any sleep?" He whispered.

Adhara shrugged, pulling her book out. "I've slept for an hour. Does that count?"

"No. No, it doesn't." Draco deadpanned.

His sister sighed, not answering.

Their new teacher, Professor Slughorn, walked in, beaming at them all. "Goodmorning, class! Today, I've prepared some concoctions for you all. Any idea what these might be?"

Hermione raised her hand.

"Yes, Miss..?"

"Granger, sir." Hermione said and stepped up, pointing to the first one. "That's Veritaserum, sir. It's a truth-telling serum."

Adhara rubbed her forehead, trying to make her headache go away while Hermione was explaining the few potions.

However, her head snapped up when she said, "-and that's Amortentia, sir. It's the strongest love potion to exist. It's rumored to smell differently according to what attracts them. For example, I smell.. cigarettes and perfume.." she cleared her throat, blushing madly, and stepped backwards.

Adhara's lips parted at her description. "Very good, Miss Granger! Now, Amortentia does not create actual love, no, that would be almost impossible. However, it does create a strong infatuation." Slughorn explained to the students.

Adhara tuned him out, and by the look of Hermione's face, it seemed like she did as well. They both made eye contact with one another. Hermione was teary-eyed, while Adhara was merely numb.

Hermione sighed sadly and looked away.

"-very good, mister Malfoy. Liquid luck. This is what I'll be giving to the person, who is able to make Amortentia!" Slughorn said excitedly, catching Adhara's attention immediately. "Now, everyone get to it."

The sound of cauldrons cluttering echoed around the dungeon classroom as the students hurried to get started.

Adhara opened her book, which already had every instruction in it due to spending time with Severus the Summer before. Safe to say, Narcissa couldn't find empty vials for weeks.

'• Pour Standard Potioning Water into a gold cauldron and place over a very low flame
• Bruise the Peppermint Flower heads with a mortar and pestle and sprinkle into the lukewarm water
• Take whole Peppermint Leaves and drop into the water
• Add Powdered Moonstone, one tbs at a time, stirring anti-clockwise three times between each spoonful.'

Adhara was on her last step when the sound of a potion exploding made her look up.

Harry Potter let out a huff.

Adhara smirked, which vanished when she realized what would happen next: tutoring.

She immediately went back to her potion, wanting Slughorn to choose Draco as Harry's tutor for a change.

Turned out, Adhara and Draco's potions were the best ones, so they both had gotten a vial of Liquid Luck each.

Adhara pulled her wand out on instinct when someone grabbed her hand and made her turn around.

Hermione frowned at the fact that the girl's eyes didn't even soften, but she did put her wand away.

"What?" asked Adhara harshly.

"Addie, can we talk?"

"Go ahead. Talk."

"Not here."

"What is it?" asked Adhara in boredom as soon as they reached an empty classroom.

Hermione sighed, frowning in sadness. "Addie, you were all I could smell in the potion." She admitted, her eyes teary.

Adhara froze.

"Look, I trust you now and.. I miss you, Addie - Merlin, I do."

"I can't."

"What?"

"I can't be with you."

"What? Why not?" whispered Hermione, her voice cracking.

Adhara sighed, scratching her neck. "I'm.. I've changed. I'm no longer me, anymore, Hermione."

"What are you saying?"

Adhara finally made eye contact with Hermione and walked over to her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear and lifting her chin up with her fingers. "I'm going to break you, Hermione Granger. And I don't know if I can forgive myself if that happens."

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat, not looking away from the taller girl. "Break me."

"What?" Adhara frowned. Was Hermione so desperate for her love that she didn't mind being broken?

"Break me, Adhara.. just stay. I want - no, I need you."

Adhara looked thoughtful, playing with a few strands of Hermione's hair as she thought about it.

Need.

That felt.. good.

"You should keep in mind that I'm going to break your heart." whispered Adhara, lifting the shorter girl's chin up again. "And it'll hurt you. It'll break you."

"I don't care." Hermione whispered back, feeling butterflies when Adhara kissed her forehead softly. "Break me."