brewing hatred (d.m)

Detention Before Noon

The Great Hall was already bustling with students by the time Ariana arrived for breakfast the next morning. The long tables were filled with chatter and the clink of silverware, the enchanted ceiling above casting a soft light on the sea of faces. As she scanned the Slytherin table, she spotted Pansy, Daphne, Theo, Blaise—and, unfortunately, Draco—sitting together near the middle. She hesitated for a moment, remembering the constant bickering from the night before, but squared her shoulders and made her way over.

"Morning, troublemaker," Theo greeted with a wink as she sat down beside him. "Survived your first Slytherin party?"

"Barely," Ariana replied with a smirk, reaching for some toast. "Though I think I could've gone without Malfoy's sparkling commentary."

Draco, sitting across from her, shot her a sideways glance but said nothing, his mouth full of coffee. Ariana could feel the tension between them simmering, and it seemed like the rest of the group could too, but Pansy quickly steered the conversation to lighter topics.

"I've heard Snape's in a mood today," Pansy said, flicking her hair over her shoulder. "Something about an owl mix-up with his potion ingredients."

"Great," Theo groaned. "Nothing like starting the day with a grumpy Snape."

"And a Potions class where someone might blow up the classroom," Draco muttered under his breath, glancing pointedly at Ariana.

Ariana rolled her eyes, biting back a retort. It was too early for this.

Blaise, ever the peacekeeper, shot Draco a warning look. "Let's try to get through breakfast without any casualties, yeah?"

Draco raised his hands in mock surrender but didn't say anything more. Ariana focused on her food, trying to ignore the growing knot of irritation in her stomach. It wasn't just Draco's constant snide remarks that were getting to her—it was the fact that she knew they'd be stuck together in Potions soon, and with Snape in a foul mood, it wasn't going to be pretty.

Breakfast passed quickly, and soon, the group began to disperse to their various classes. Ariana, Draco, and Theo made their way down to the dungeons for Potions, the air around them heavy with the chill of the lower levels of the castle.

"Potions first thing in the morning," Theo muttered as they walked. "Whoever made the schedule clearly has a sadistic streak."

"It's not so bad," Draco said, his usual arrogance slipping into his tone. "At least for those of us who are competent at it."

Ariana shot him a sideways glance, her temper flaring. "If by 'competent,' you mean smug and insufferable, then sure, you're practically a Potions Master."

Draco smirked. "Jealousy doesn't suit you, Green."

"Neither does being a prat, but you manage just fine," Ariana shot back, her blue eyes flashing with annoyance.

Theo chuckled from beside her, clearly enjoying the back-and-forth. "This is going to be an entertaining year."

When they arrived in the Potions classroom, Professor Snape was already standing at the front, his black robes billowing as he gave instructions to the students filing in. Ariana found her usual confidence faltering slightly under his cold gaze, but she quickly shook it off. Snape might be intimidating, but she wasn't about to let him rattle her.

"Take your seats," Snape said, his voice low and commanding. "And do not dawdle. I've prepared a seating plan, which you will adhere to without complaint."

Ariana's stomach sank. A seating plan? That meant there was a high chance she'd be stuck next to someone unpleasant.

Snape began calling out pairs, and Ariana waited, her fingers drumming nervously on the desk.

"Malfoy, Draco," Snape said, and Draco straightened with a smug smile.

"Green, Ariana."

Ariana blinked in disbelief. Of course. Of all the people she could be seated next to, it had to be him.

"Are you serious?" she muttered under her breath, earning a glare from Snape.

"Do you have a problem, Miss Green?" he asked, his voice sharp.

Ariana bit back her retort and forced a tight smile. "No, Professor."

Draco, already seated, shot her a look that was halfway between amusement and irritation. Ariana reluctantly sat down next to him, her body tense as she tried to focus on the cauldron in front of her.

"This should be fun," Draco said quietly, smirking.

Ariana clenched her jaw. "Let's just get through this without killing each other."

Snape began the lesson, explaining that they'd be brewing a Draught of Living Death—a complicated potion that required precision and concentration. Ariana, determined not to let Draco distract her, focused on the instructions and started gathering ingredients.

But it wasn't long before the snide comments started.

"Careful with that, Green. I'd hate for you to ruin the potion," Draco muttered as she measured out some powdered root of asphodel.

Ariana glared at him. "I know what I'm doing, Malfoy."

"Could've fooled me," he said with a shrug, stirring his own ingredients with an air of superiority.

Ariana slammed her vial down a little too hard, spilling a bit of the powdered root onto the table. "I swear, if you keep talking, I will shove this vial—"

"Is there a problem here?" Snape's cold voice cut through their argument, and both Ariana and Draco stiffened.

"No, Professor," Draco said smoothly, giving Snape his most innocent look. Ariana wanted to roll her eyes at how fake it was.

"Good," Snape said, his eyes narrowing at them. "Because if I hear one more word from either of you, you'll both be serving detention."

Draco smirked, clearly feeling like he had won the little exchange. But Ariana wasn't about to let it go.

As Snape turned his back, Ariana leaned in, her voice low and dangerous. "You're insufferable."

Draco shot her a sideways glance, his smirk still firmly in place. "You make it so easy."

Ariana's temper finally snapped. "You think you're so much better than everyone, don't you? Just because you have money and a famous name."

"Better than you at least," Draco muttered under his breath, not bothering to look at her.

That was it.

Before she could stop herself, Ariana shoved Draco's arm, hard enough that he knocked over the vial of asphodel root. It tipped, spilling the powder into their cauldron and sending a puff of smoke billowing up into the air.

"Enough!" Snape's voice boomed across the room, freezing everyone in place. He strode over, his face a mask of fury as he surveyed the ruined potion and the tension between Ariana and Draco.

"I warned you both," Snape said, his voice dangerously low. "Detention. Tonight. For the both of you."

Ariana's stomach sank. This was not how she'd imagined her first Potions class at Hogwarts going.

Draco, for once, didn't look so smug. He shot her a glare as they both stood there, silent but fuming.

Snape's cold eyes flicked between them. "If you two cannot manage to behave like adults, then you will spend your evening scrubbing cauldrons in the dungeon. I expect you both here after dinner."

Ariana swallowed her anger, biting her lip to keep from saying something that would make things worse. Draco, to his credit, managed to keep quiet as well, though the tension between them was palpable.

As Snape returned to the front of the class and resumed his instructions, Ariana shot Draco one last glare.

"Thanks for that," she muttered.

Draco smirked, though it didn't reach his eyes this time. "Anytime."

It was going to be a long year.