A Harry Potter Fanfiction: History Repeats

6.44

Term resumes on January seventh. Draco and I have been successful at avoiding the trio until today, since we have potions.

Draco and I got there just before the class started, we were in the room of requirement which was in the opposite wing of the castle as potions.

We walk in quickly, sitting by Blaise as normal, but my eyes lock with Harry who is across the room with Hermione and Ron. I glare at him, fully aware of what it says. I am just not able to shake what he told me Christmas Eve, I can't get over the fact all his faith lies with Dumbledore. He's ignorant. I don't hate him for it, but part of me is still angry.

Potions go on normally after that. It was a lesson on potion antidotes, which could be spells, herbs, really anything to reverse effects of a poison.

++++

Draco and I continue mending the cabinet once or twice a week for the next couple months with little progress. We've tried sending in mice and a bird, but none have come back alive, and we both agree that's not a good sign.

We're coming back to the room of requirement just before curfew when I see Harry and Slughorn carrying Ron to the hospital wing.

I glance at Draco when I see a bottle of wine in Slughorn's free hand. The one Draco poisoned, the one he meant for Dumbledore.

"Go back to the dorms, Dray. I'm gonna see if I can find out what happened," I tell him urgently, I don't want him to see the bottle, but I know he has judging by the look on his face.

"Vivienne, I'm sorry, I-" he tries apologizing.

"This wasn't your fault. We don't know what happened. Go to the dorms, I'll meet you there. I'm not mad at you," I tell him, squeezing his hand before he listens and departs from my side.

I rush over to Slughorn and Harry, "Let me help."

Harry wastes no time to snap at me, "No! Why would I let you help?"

"Professor, please, you'll drop that, and it seems important," I turn my attention to Slughorn.

He gives into my request and I grab Ron's other arm, letting it lay around my shoulders. I catch Harry's dirty looks as we walk, but he hasn't said anything.

As soon as we enter the wing Pomphrey tends to Ron, while she is I grab Harry's arm, pulling him outside into the hall.

"Let go!" he yanks his arm free, "What are you playing at?"

"I'm not doing anything! I am genuinely trying to help! What happened?" I snap at him.

"That's none of your business!" he shoots back.

"Ron is lying there barely alive! I was his friend too, the only reason we aren't is because you hold some stupid prejudice toward me right now! Now, what happened?" I hiss.

Harry gives in, but very reluctantly, "He ate some chocolates with love potion in them. They were meant for me, from Romilida. I took him to Slughorn to reverse it and Slughorn poured us all a glass of whatever was in that bottle. Ron being Ron was the first to drink it, it was obviously poisoned, now we're here. Did you have anything to do with it? Did Malfoy?"

"No! I didn't! Neither did Draco!" I snap, "How's he still alive if it was poisoned?"

"I found a bezoar in Slughorn's cabinet, I forced Ron to eat it," Harry states, "Now, please just leave. Don't make this more difficult for anyone."

I sigh, "Fine. Make sure he gets better."

I make my way back to the dorms, and knock on the bedroom door. Draco practically throws it open.

"Is Weasley alright?" are the first words out of his mouth.

I nod, "He'll be alright. Harry gave him Bezoar, which will remedy the arsenic. He'll be fine. We just need to be more careful."

++++

Ron is eventually out of the hospital by next week, but I don't go close to any of them.

Draco and I go to the room of requirement, he has another bird in his hand. On our way there I hear footsteps following behind us. Only, they're not close enough to be a friend and they aren't far enough to just someone going to class. I glance behind me, quickly, and see Harry following us.

I grab Draco's hand, pulling him closer to my side, and I talk quietly.

"Potter is following us. Care to take a detour?"

Draco nods, and we quickly turn a corner, veering off our path. Harry still follows behind us. He's onto us. I saw the map in his hands. He's seen us disappear off it into the room of requirement. There's no way he hasn't. I've caught him watching that map religiously since Christmas Eve, the only thing he looks at more is his potions book.

As we are walking down the corridor I see Lavender Brown dragging her feet behind her, sulking. Her and Ron got into a fight yesterday after he was let out of the hospital wing.

I meet Lavender's eyes and give her a small wave, she gives a sad one back, but I notice her eyes stare behind us, she's spotted Harry.

"Oh! Harry!" she shouts, now running up to him.

He's been stopped in his tracks by her. We take the opportunity to run around a couple corners and find our original path back to the room of requirement.

"Fucking hell!" Draco groans, "Thank you Lavender."

We're now in the safety of the room of requirement standing in front of the vanishing cabinet.

"You think it will work this time?" I ask as he opens the door.

"It better. We told him by June thirtieth, but quite frankly I'm running out of ideas," he admits.

"Only one way to find out then," I say hesitantly.

I watch as he places the small white bird inside. He hesitates to close the door on it as it hops around, but eventually he does.

We wait for a couple seconds and reopen it and the bird is gone just as the first couple were, so our hopes haven't been lifted yet.

He shuts the door again. Another couple seconds go by. He takes a deep breath in opening the door.

Now our hopes are lifted. The bird comes flying out of the cabinet, very much alive. We exchange glances.

"No way!" I breathe, "Dray you did it, and before Easter Holiday!"

I see relief fill his face, but along with relief there's disappointment, knowing that he still has one more thing to do.

"That's done then. I'll write to my mother," he says.

I give a confused look, "Are we not going to the manor for holiday?"

He shakes his head, "No. I don't want to go back there. I'd rather be here with you, and actually be able to breathe again... Even if it is for a little."

"Okay, just be vague in the owl. Alright?" I request.

"Of course. Now, can we get out of here, I don't want to look at that thing for a while," he scoffs.

I take his hand and we leave the room of requirement, but very carefully, not knowing if Harry will be around the corner or down a hallway.

++++

Easter holiday rolls around and the castle is relatively empty since most students did go home, but it's rather nice being able to roam around without fear of being followed around.

I've been showing Draco more secret spots to hide away and shortcuts. At night we go to the astronomy tower and talk as usual. We actually go to the pitch and fly around on our brooms, sometimes leaving the grounds and just flying around, exploring that way. It's easier to enjoy things without having the schedule time to fix a lost cause cabinet.