Professor Malfoy?

Chapter 5

Professor Malfoy stood with his back against the door, both arms around his chest and his lips lifted with a certain quirk to their edge.

"I hope you don't mind me asking, Potter, but however did you pass Potions last year?" He asked, clearly teasing her.

Y/N frowned. "I didn't."

Professor Malfoy laughed, seeming more amused than annoyed about the mess she'd made. "Makes sense."

Slightly embarrassed, she slipped a lock behind her ear, watching as the professor drifted towards her, that shit-eating smirk still on his face. Before she could ask questions, he stood beside her, their hips nearly touching. "Evanesco," he muttered, vanishing the mess with the flick of his wand.

"I thought– I thought you said–," she stuttered, confused. She replayed everything through her head, wondering at which point she'd gone mad.

"What?" Professor Malfoy chuckled, "I can't have the class thinking I'm soft on the first day now, can I?"

Y/N bit back a grin and shook her head.

"You won't tell, will you?" He mused further, looking down at her with a playful smirk. "It can be our secret."

"Don't worry." She said softly, closing her book. "I'll make sure to tell everyone you were really mean and strict."

Professor Malfoy chuckled once again, placing his hand on her shoulder, giving it a small pat. "Good, good." he said, watching as she reached out for her cauldron.

"Ah–!" He warned, blocking her hand inches away from the cauldron.

"What?" She asked, blinking up at him cluelessly.

"Cauldron's are essentially hot irons, my dear, you'll burn yourself if you touch them so soon." He explained. "Here, I've got a little trick for you– hold out your wand."

Y/N took her wand out of her robes and held it in front of her. "Good–," He whispered, placing his hand on top of hers, slowly guiding her wand in a smooth, swishing motion. "Now say the incantation, Glacius."

"Glacius," Y/N muttered nervously, feeling the heat of Professor Malfoy's minty breath ghost across the back of her neck. A loud hiss came from the cauldron and cold steam rose from the cooling iron.

"Very good." Professor Malfoy praises, grabbing the cauldron while she slowly lowered her wand, her breath caught slightly in her throat. "Make sure you remember that from now on, it'll save you and your friends a trip to the hospital wing."

"Thanks." Y/N smiled softly, sliding her wand back into her robe before reaching for her bag. She started to gather the rest of her belongings, placing her books back in her bag while Professor Malfoy stalked towards the potions cabinet behind her, rearranging all the ingredients everyone had messily put back.

It was silent for a few moments, but in a comfortable kind of way.

"If you want–," Professor Malfoy spoke from behind, making her look over her shoulder to see him slipping a few vials back onto their rightful shelves. "I'd be more than happy to privately tutor you myself."

"Private?"

Professor Malfoy hummed. "I take it that you need extra support in my subject, and it'll be easier to help you one on one rather than in a room full of your classmates."

"So it would just be me and you...?" Y/N clarified, feeling her nerves build up again. She'd grown up being a pretty nervous, skittish girl, but she'd never felt something like this. She'd been tutored before, but it was always in groups with at least a dozen other people, and most of the time she'd been overlooked.