𝐏𝐎𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐍 ! [ draco malfoy ]

eight

     THREE WEEKS PASSED SINCE their fight and Jade and Draco hadn't had a moment alone since.

     Slughorn was present at their last two Potions sessions grading papers quietly at his desk and Jade had a sneaking suspicion that Snape had asked him to keep an eye on them.

     Jade had to endure an exasperating silence for those two sessions. Draco would occasionally comment on her potion, giving Jade advice or instructions that she already knew. She would have to suck it up and control the urge to hex him every time he made a pointless comment.

     October arrived and it was the second Tuesday of the month meaning another excruciating hour with Draco Malfoy and, probably, Professor Slughorn.

     When she stepped into the Potions classroom, however, Malfoy and Slughorn were nowhere to be seen.

     Puzzled, Jade settled on her stool and began looking over today's potion. The door opened and Jade looked up from her Advanced Potion-Making copy, expecting to see Draco Malfoy sporting that cocky smirk of his.

     She was not expecting to see Hermione walk into the room and sit beside her.

     "Hermione, what are you doing here?" Jade asked.

     "Professor Slughorn asked me to fill in for Malfoy today. Oh good, you've started working on the potion," Hermione said looking at the ingredients Jade had begun preparing.

     "Wait, what happened to Malfoy?" Jade asked, still confused.

     "Not quite sure, Slughorn said he wasn't available today. Anyways, you must be thrilled I'm here instead of him!" Hermione laughed.

     Jade mused over what Hermione had said. He wasn't available today? What could be so important he had to ask Slughorn to find someone to cover for him? Did it have to do with what she had overheard three weeks ago between him and Snape?

     "Jade?" Hermione said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

     "Hm? Oh, yes, you're much better than Malfoy."

     Hermione seemed pleased with that and Jade began to work on her potion.

❦ ❦ ❦

     The week went on and Jade couldn't hold back her joy that it was finally a Hogsmeade Saturday.

     She cheerily plopped down at the Gryffindor table and was met with weird stares from Harry and Ron. "What?" She laughed as she served herself breakfast.

     "You're just..." Harry started.

     "Uncharacteristically joyful," Ron finished for him.

     Hermione had a scowl on her face as she stared the boys down. Jade didn't mind their comments, they were right anyways.

     "Not that that's bad... erm–" Harry said, trying to avoid Hermione's glare.

     "Yeah! You're just usually a tad bit grouchier, not that we don't love your attitude!" Ron added.

     Jade couldn't help herself from laughing at their pitiful attempts of saving themselves.

     "Honestly, you two are something else! Can't you just let Jade be?" Hermione scolded them.

    "Relax, Mione. It's not like they're wrong. I'm just excited for Hogsmeade, it's been so long." Jade grinned.

     The four of them finished with their breakfast and walked to the front oak doors where Filch was checking people's names off from the list of students with permission as well as scanning them with his Secrecy Sensor.