by my side¹ - d. malfoy

Twenty

IT WAS March now. Laura and Draco had gotten close again, except for at that very moment.

Laura was standing far away from the other Slytherins. They stood in their own little knot.

"You might find something to interest you in there, Granger!" one Slytherin loudly said as Hermione, Harry, and Ron walked up to the Potions classroom.

Laura knew there was nothing stopping them from what they were doing, so she kept herself as far away from the group as possible. However, it was hard for Laura to step away, as Draco liked to keep her close.

Snape opened the door and let all of the students in. Laura walked in, looking for an empty seat on the edge. Her eyes landed on a seat in the very back. The person in the next seat over was Neville.

Laura beelined to the seat, giving Neville a friendly smile. The two had talked a bit, but they were just acquaintances.

"Hey," Laura smiled, "is it okay if I sit here?"

"Really?" Neville asked, looking a little confused, but went on when Laura nodded. "Um, well, sure, I wasn't saving it for anyone."

Laura gave him a thankful smile, sitting down next to him. Snape seemed puzzled when he looked over. Laura looked at him with a blank expression. Snape said nothing, starting the class on the Wit-Sharpening Potion they were brewing.

While brewing the potion, Neville and Laura got to know each other. Neville was quite funny, causing Laura to laugh a little too loudly a few times, but they got along very well. This caused Draco to keep looking back, trying to catch Laura's gaze.

"I think Malfoy wants to talk to you," Neville said distractedly.

"He probably does," Laura said with a laugh. "But you're my potions partner, so he doesn't matter."

"I feel like this happens often," Neville said with a small smile. "I'm assuming it's because of the commotion outside."

"Ten points to Gryffindor," Laura nodded. "He doesn't know how to shut his mouth."

The two kept working together until Snape walked over to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were.

"Fascinating though your social life undoubtedly is, Miss Granger," Snape said. The whole class looked over to see what was happening, "I must ask you not to discuss it in my class. Ten points from Gryffindor."

Snape then watched their reactions, snatching up a copy of Witch Weekly from Hermione.

"Ah... reading a magazine under the table as well?" Snape added. "A further ten points from Gryffindor... oh, but of course..." Laura watched as Snape's black eyes glittered as they saw Rita SKeeter's article. "Potter has to keep up with his press cuttings..."

The dungeon rang with the Slytherins's laughter, and an unpleasant smile curled Snape's mouth.

"'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache...' dear, dear. Potter, what's ailing you now? 'A boy like no other, perhaps...'"

Snape paused at the end of every sentence to allow the Slytherins a hearty laugh. Laura quietly raised her hand, frowning.

"Yes, Miss Potter?" Snape said, looking up.

"It's Pickering," Laura said, her eyes narrowing, "you know that."

"Miss Potter, are you trying to defend your precious cousin?" he asked bitterly. He flipped through a few more pages, looking back up at Laura. "My, my... Miss Potter, it looks like you've been up to no good."

"What?" Laura asked, her eyes darted over to Draco, who looked confused.

"'Laura Pickering: A Fake Potter?'" Snape read, causing Laura's blood to boil. "What an interesting accusation... 'First a bonus champion, but also a Potter? What kind of coincidence is that for the personally acclaimed Laura Potter.'"