eternally mine | pansy parkinson✔

f o u r

The group of Hufflepuffs walked shoulder to shoulder, talking as they departed to their separate classes.

"Oh! I forgot to mention, potions is mixed. There's also a new teacher. I had some of every house in my class so be prepared for," she paused. "them." She patted Adeline's shoulder and disappeared into a group of students.

Four days had passed since the first class day. Adeline had been dreading potions the whole time, expressing her dread to her friends every night.

She entered the room, Hermione Granger standing front and center, students from several houses around her. She nodded at Adeline before looking down at her book, ignoring the people around her. Adeline stood next to her and crossed her arms. She watched the door, hoping someone she could talk to would walk through.

Kids talked all around her and laughed loudly behind her. She tried to ignore them and focus her mind on not failing potions.

But most people went silent at that moment.

She looked up, everyone's gaze on the door. Draco Malfoy had entered and everyone glared at him, their bodies tensed. Hermione hadn't glanced up, instead she looked at Adeline. Her eyes clearly filled with annoyance as she shook her head. The Slytherins made their way inside, Pansy following behind the boys.

Theodore's eyes were fixed on Adeline as he walked past. She could feel the eyes on her, but avoided the gaze of the boy. Her grip on her bag tightened and she shifted awkwardly. Pansy brushed past her, their shoulders touching briefly as she took her place behind her.

Hermione moved closer to her, elbowing her arm. Adeline looked at her, uncrossing her arms. "Harry told me you two talked," she whispered. "What has he told you?" Adeline looked at her, cocking an eyebrow. 

"Was he supposed to tell me something?" Hermione turned her head, gawking at Adeline.

"Did he seriously not say anything?" 

The professor entered the room, a book in his hand. Hermione didn't dare say anything else to the Hufflepuff. Her eyes had been directed to the front and her mouth had shut, leaving Adeline in the dark. Pansy watched them from behind, Theodore pushing against her side. 

"The bloody hell you think you're doing?" She whispered to him angrily, pushing back at him. The boy stared at her before elbowing her arm. 

"Trying to think of ways to get a certain Hufflepuff to pay attention to me," he taunted. Pansy glared at him, not knowing why her blood had boiled at his words. 

"Do it another time, Nott," she groaned. Their attention had now been placed on the man before them. He commanded their gazes as he stared back at them. Adeline examined him intensely as his words avoided her ears. Nothing he had said registered, and she only pulled her book out when Hermione had commanded her to do so. 

"Now, my name is--" 

The door had burst open, two boys standing awkwardly in front of everyone. Adeline looked up, meeting Harry Potter's eyes. She smiled, her head dropping to hide it. "Harry Potter! I didn't expect to have you. Please, get your books out and join us."

Harry shifted his bag, clenching his fist. "Sir, we don't have books. We hadn't expected to take this class." Hermione shook her head at them, shooting a glance at Ron. 

"Take one from the back," the man said. "As I was saying, my name is Professor Slughorn. I've brewed a potion for you today, could anyone tell me what it may be?" He spoke calmly, nothing like Snape.

Harry slid in beside Adeline, holding a beaten up book in his hand. "Fancy seeing you here," he mumbled. 

Hermione had raised her hand, eagerly waving it in the air. "Yes, miss.." 

"Granger, sir," she said. "That's Amortentia, sir. The most powerful love potion." Slughorn smiled at her, placing his hands on his hips firmly.

"Can you tell me what it does?"

"If ingested, it puts you under a strong spell, making you fall in love with a person. It also gives off a scent of what you're attracted to. For example," she walked toward the cauldron and leaned towards it. "I smell freshly mown grass, new parchment, and..." She shot up, taking a step back. "That's it." Adeline glanced at her, reading her facial expressions. Had she smelled something bad? Was it good?

"Thank you Miss Granger. Now, everyone gather around a table. I will be distributing a small amount of Amortentia for you all to smell. Then we can move on." 

He placed a small bowl on each table as Hermione grabbed Adeline's forearm. "Come with us." She stood in between Adeline and Ron, leaning on the table. "Smell it," she urged. Harry leaned in first, taking a slow whiff. 

"I smell treacle tart, a broomstick handle, and something floral." He leaned away from it and looked at Hermione. "Who could it be?" The girl shrugged, hitting Adeline. 

"You go now."

She took a breath, leaning in. Her senses were overfilled. The wonderful aroma she's sure she's smelled before filled the air. Citrus, pine trees, and summer rain. She closed her eyes, taking it in little by little. She felt her mind buzz, warmth spreading in her. She felt indescribably happy and didn't want it to go away. It was familiar. How? Where had she smelt this? 

She didn't care. 

All she knew was she loved it. She reluctantly backed up from the liquid, looking at Hermione. "I smelt citrus, pine trees, and summer rain." Hermione grinned at her, placing her elbows on the table. 

"Adeline, that could be anyone. Ronald!" She turned to the boy, nodding to the potion. "Smell it." He took a short breath in, shrugging his shoulders. 

"I'm not picking anything up," he said. His eyes said other things as he looked at Adeline. She shook her head at him and opened her book, reading through it. She tried to remember who had that scent. Who had she been attracted to? She had tuned out everyone around her, though she felt eyes burning into her skin from across the room. She tried to ignore it, focusing on her thoughts.

Soon, a rough force broke her thoughts. She snapped her eyes up in annoyance, meeting Hermione's. "He wants a potion, I made it for you since last time you attempted a potion you blew it up." Adeline widened her eyes, looking into the cauldron.

"You what?"Her eyes traveled between the liquid and Hermione, leaning closer to her.

"Don't worry, I didn't make it perfect. Harry made the best one anyway, won some potion from Slughorn. He's coming to test yours though."

"You mean yours," she mumbled as he approached her. 

"Looks good, almost does its job. Nice work Miss.."

"Howard, professor."

"I'll see you next time, I'd hate to make you late to your next class."

She hurried toward Hermione, rushing past the Slytherins.

There it is again.

She stopped, wheeling around. She stared at the backs of their heads trying to figure which one it is. Pansy stood next to Theodore, who stood next to Draco, who stood next to Blaise. There was no narrowing it down.

She sighed, placing a hand on her hip. As she was about to turn the other way, Pansy looked back at her. They met eyes.

Adeline felt like she had been kicked in the gut. Time slowed. And for a moment, just a moment, she felt calm.