Violet Summer: Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter 15: The Catch Up

Toni made her way through the halls of Hogwarts with a heavy heart, surrounded by students donning scarlet and yellow, the vibrant colors of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Excitement filled the air as they joyfully made their way to the Quidditch Pitch for the highly anticipated game. Despite the dreary weather veiling the skies outside, Toni would have much preferred to spend her day among her peers, cheering on Harry, rather than meeting Draco in the school library to catch up on a missed class she felt she should have never missed in the first place.

Defense Against the Dark Arts had quickly become Toni's favorite class, along with many other students. However, with Snape taking over in Lupin's alleged absence, her frustration grew. Harry had already informed her about the extensive assignment Snape had given, further dampening her spirits about having to learn the material from Draco, who had been assigned as her tutor for this missed lesson. They hadn't spoken since the Slytherin party, and now she was forced to face him again.

To compound her woes, Toni had become acutely aware of her feelings for Draco, feelings she had preferred to bury along with her interactions with him. She had hoped that he would be unpleasant to her, which seemed quite probable, and that her feelings would dissipate quickly. But she questioned whether she could truly extinguish those emotions, for she had never experienced such sentiments for anyone before Draco, and perhaps never would for anyone after. It was moments like these that she found herself wishing she had feelings for Harry, longing for her stomach to flutter for him instead of Draco. Alas, this was clearly not the case, as she had discovered at the Slytherin party.

Upon entering the library, Toni was greeted by an eerie silence, save for the mischievous presence of Peeves and the watchful gaze of the librarian. The librarian's curious eyes followed her as she passed the desk and ascended the spiral stairs, her intention to locate Draco. After a few minutes of scanning the area, she realized he was nowhere in sight. Letting out a heavy sigh, a mixture of relief and frustration, she settled herself by a window and began to unpack her Defense Against the Dark Arts materials.

Toni opened her textbook and delved into the assigned reading on werewolves. The pages were filled with captivating images and bold titles that piqued her interest. Glancing around one more time, hoping to spot Draco's familiar figure, she eventually surrendered to the enchanting world within the pages, immersing herself in the realm of werewolves as she awaited his arrival.

After twenty long minutes had passed, the realization that Draco would not be joining her sunk in, accompanied by a bittersweet mix of sadness and relief. She had hoped, despite everything, that he would show up, but it seemed he had abandoned their meeting without a second thought. The Quidditch game and their past encounters weighed heavily on her mind, clouding her expectations. Determined not to dwell on her disappointment, Toni shifted her focus to the assignment, hoping to complete as much as possible and perhaps catch the tail end of the game.

Just as she immersed herself in her work, a sudden rush of air startled her, and she felt a presence approaching from behind. Looking up, she locked eyes with Draco, his expression devoid of emotion. Silently, he placed his textbook on the table across from her and took his seat. Toni observed him intently, her heart pounding with anticipation, waiting for him to break the silence and initiate the conversation. The anxiety in the air was palpable, leaving her unable to utter a single word, her thoughts suspended in anticipation.

Draco cast a fleeting glance at Toni's textbook, his expression betraying his lack of interest in the topic. His sneer persisted as he initiated the conversation with a derisive remark about Harry and her friends.

"I assume Potter and the others have already filled you in on the class," Draco sneered, his tone dripping with disdain.

"They mentioned the topic and the assignment, that's all," Toni replied, her voice tinged with a hint of sheepishness. Draco briefly glanced at her before returning his focus to his own textbook.