The Dragon and The Wolf

Four Flash Back

Ellie stumbled into potions and laughed at herself as she seemed to trip over the air. Draco lifted his head to look up, as her laughter filled the room. He watched as she playfully shoved Ron. His jaw flexed in annoyance.

He didn't like that she had touched Weasley, and he couldn't figure out why. Since the girl had landed in his arms, she had plagued his mind, and it had infuriated him to no end.

Her green eyes roamed the room until they landed on Draco and her cheeks dusted a light rose color and she looked away from him quickly. Draco smirked and looked back down at his book.

But he was very aware that she sat at the next table over. Draco grunted as Slughorn entered the room looking like he had lost something. Draco rolled his eyes.

"Good morning, Class. Wonderful news. Today I will be pairing you up with a partner that you will have for the rest of term, and you will be picking a potion to enhance and then writing a report along with attempting to enhance the potion." Draco rolled his eyes again and prayed that he wouldn't get one of his idiot friends.

Because he knew that he would fail if he did. But he didn't want to be with a Gryffindor either.

Ellie shifted in her seat uncomfortably. It wasn't that she bad at potions. In fact, it was one of her best subjects. She was one of the top three in the class. But it was the fact that she was probably going to have to work with someone that would drag her grade down or she was going to have to do all of the work on her own.

She couldn't afford to fail potions if she wanted to be a healer. She waited impatiently as Slughorn began to call out partners. Her stomach knotting as her brother and even Hermione were paired off and they moved from there.

"Mister Malfoy, I am putting you with Miss Lupin." Ellie began to pick at her fingers again as she heard a chair scrap across the floor and then footsteps neared her. She blew out a calming breath as she noticed Draco sit down beside her. She peeked over at him, and he was staring down at the potions book as he flipped through it, she leaned closer.

"Do you have potion that you like?" Draco turned his gaze toward her voice, and he was met with curious green eyes. There was no hatred there, not like Harry's usually was. It surprised Draco a little.

"I do not. Do you?" Ellie smiled softly and shrugged.

"It's a potion that suppresses the werewolf gene. But I am biased about that one. I think enhancing a healing potion would be a good one." Draco gave her an impressed look and his own curiosity got the better of him.

"A healing potion? Is that what you want to do? Be a healer?" Ellie averted her eyes back toward the book.

"My dad said that is what my mom wanted to do when she was in school, and I love helping Madam Pomfrey in my spare time." She peeked up at Draco and he was just staring at her. Listening intently. She blushed and looked down.

"Sorry. I ramble sometimes." Draco hummed in agreement.

"I've noticed. I don't mind." Ellie fought a smile as she shook her head lightly.

"So, we are in agreement then? A Healing potion for our project?" Draco arched a curious eyebrow at her.

"If that is what you want to do." Ellie opened her mouth to say something but closed it again when Theo and sat down across from her and Draco.

Draco noticed that she leaned away from him and started picking at her fingernails nervously. His eyes spotted the blood and on instinct he reached over and placed his hand on top of hers.

Ellie's face flushed, and she bit down on her lower lip. Her eyes traced over the rings on his fingers and on impulse she began playing with one to distract herself. Draco smirked and with his free hand he continued to flip through the potions book.

The remainder of the class, Draco kept his hand in Ellie's lap so that she could play with his rings and not make herself bleed. He spoke to her softly and she would smile when he would try to be funny.

As Slughorn dismissed them, Ellie slowly slid her hands away from Draco and he drew his hand back. An empty feeling settled in Ellie's chest as she stood and collected her things.

"Lupin, Tomorrow after dinner we can meet in the library and start research for the project." Ellie turned and tilted her head up to look at Draco. She smiled brightly.

"It's a date." Her eyes widened and her face warmed. Her own mouth fell open and she stuttered for a moment.

Draco cleared his throat and tried to hide the warmth in his own face.

"I knew what you meant." She nodded silently and looked anywhere but Draco's face.