𝐒𝐇𝐀𝐃𝐎𝐖 | Draco Malfoy

FIVE | the road less traveled by

"Potions first period— how inconvenient." Blair grumbles, clutching her books to her chest on her way to the dungeons with Emris. She told Emris everything about her late night phone call with Draco, and the texts and photo's before that.

"Can you even imagine how excited I am?" Emris says. "Now I'll be here as both your emotional support, and to catch him staring at you."

"You're not helping, Em. I'm already scared enough as it is."

The girls enter the classroom. There he is, seated behind his desk. Draco does not resemble the earlier Potions masters at all. Instead of wearing the traditional clothes for the position, he's dressed in an casual white button up with his black dress pants. Blair swallows when she sees his Dark Mark. Draco usually keeps it hidden under his sleeve.

"Good morning, Professor Malfoy." Emris says, biting back a smirk as she rushes over to the back of the class, where Atlas waves at the girls for them to notice he's been keeping his table empty for them. Draco raises his eyebrows, turning to Blair. "Good morning, Ms. Nott."

Blair feels heat rise to her face. Why does he have to look so handsome even when he's doing something so normal? "Good morning, sir." She nods politely, as if last night is nothing more than an illusion, something she can never speak of again.

Draco watches her back as Blair walks away, taking a seat with her friends. Emris giggles behind her hand, nudging Blair who's ready to sink through the floor any moment now. "Still no sign of Asher," Atlas says in a low voice. "I don't even think he's at Hogwarts. Everyone's been gossiping all morning, didn't ask what it's about. Have you two heard anything?"

"I haven't talked to anyone but you two yet. You know how I'm trying to avoid Alexis—and she's basically friends with everyone in this damned school." Emris sighs.

"I wouldn't know. We can ask the Headmistress later today if that will soothe your nerves." Blair says to Atlas, taking her quill out of her bag. "I'm not necessarily nervous about it, it's just unlike him. I know we fought and I'm definitely not over it, but I still care to know where he is." He says.

"Just don't feel guilty about anything, okay? I would've fought him too if he talked that way about Blair in my presence." Emris says sternly.

The class goes silent when Draco gets up. "Good morning everyone," He says, wandering his gaze around. "I have an important announcement to make at the end of this lesson, but it will only cause distraction if I tell it now. So let's begin."

"Today we'll be making a Sleeping Draught. Very easy. I don't want anyone to work too hard on their first day, hm?" Draco grins. The students instantly take a liking to him, judging by the smile on their faces and their whispers to their friends. "The instructions are on page twenty. If you need any help, just ask." He says.

Blair tears her eyes away from him with great difficulty, lowering her head to her book. "I wonder what the announcement is about." Emris says, placing her cauldron on the fire. "He was talking to the Headmistress last night—she might have asked him to give the announcement." Blair says.

"It probably has something to do with all the gossip going around. I am curious now." Atlas sighs, taking a step closer to Blair. She's too ignorant to notice how Atlas is constantly trying to get her attention, mostly because Blair's attention is on Draco.

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When they finish their potion, Draco walks around to check everyone's end result. When he stops at their table, Emris clears her throat, 'warning' Blair. "Hm," Draco hums. "Well done, Ms. Parkinson. Ten points to Slytherin."