Denying Draco

55 - Sleeping Draught

'Okay, since we have a two-hour class today, I'm pairing you all up to brew up a batch of Sleeping Draught,' Slughorn announced, as the chatter in the room settled.

Poppy was feeling alone without Harry there and hoping that Slughorn would pair her up with another Gryffindor.

'So, find a partner who isn't on your current table and move your equipment over,' Slughorn said.

'I wanted to be with you,' Pansy whined, pouting at Draco.

'No thanks,' he replied, rudely. 'I'm top of this class; I think I'd rather be with someone who is more on my level. I'll stick with Blaise.'

'But Blaise sucks at Potions,' Pansy muttered, stubbornly.

'If you're looking for someone more on your level Mr. Malfoy then Miss. Dumbledore is a most perfect pair-up for you,' Slughorn told him.

Poppy's eyes widened at the Professor as he turned and grinned at her but he didn't appear to pick up on her hint.

Draco scoffed loudly. 'Let's not forget who brewed a perfect truth serum and who failed...Dumbledore is not on my level.'

'If you are looking for a partner soaring at the top of the class with you then Poppy is just that,' Slughorn told him. 'I think it would benefit you both to work with someone who is academically equal.'

'Sir, I don't mind working with someone who may need a little bit of help with things,' Poppy told him.

'Thank you, Poppy but that's my job,' he chuckled. 'We don't want to hold you both back now, do we? Mr. Malfoy, move your things over to Miss Dumbledore's table please. The rest of you, as you were.'

Draco twisted his face as he began moving his equipment and books over to Poppy's table.

'I'll get the ingredients,' Poppy said, not looking at him as she walked away to begin retrieving the items for the recipe.

When they were both at the table ready to begin, Poppy studied the instructions carefully. 'Okay...can you add 4 sprigs of Lavender and 2 measures of those dried herbs to the mortar and crush them up?'

'Are you in charge here?' Draco asked, bluntly.

'I'm just reading the method out to you,' Poppy mumbled, shaking her head. 'If it's too much for you then pass the mortar and I'll do it.' She finally looked up at him with an expression that warned him she would be taking no nonsense from him today.

'I can do it,' he sneered, pulling a face at her. He added the ingredients to the mortar and picked up the pestle, beginning to crush them all up.

'Good,' she murmured, grabbing the Flobberworm Mucus. 'While you're doing that, I will begin adding the first ingredients to the cauldron...so...2 blobs of Flobberworm Mucus andddd...2 measures of dried herbs; can you pass me those dried herbs please?' She held out her hand for them but her eyes fell down to the mortar and she peered over into it. 'I don't think you've done that right.'

'Excuse me?' he asked, sharply, his head snapping up at her.

'It's supposed to look like a creamy paste,' she told him. 'That looks too dry. Did you add the correct amount?'

'Do I look fucking stupid?' he snapped.

'Do you really want me to answer that?' she asked, smiling sarcastically.

'Don't start,' he hissed, aggressively dropping the pestle to the table. 'You said 2 sprigs of Lavender and 4 measures of dried herbs.'

'No, I said 4 sprigs of Lavender and 2 measures of dried herbs,' she corrected him.