Harry Potter and Nico di Angelo

Chapter IV

«Draco's POV»
"No, no, no, you're doing it wrong," Hermione's voice said over all the others. "It's levi-oh-sa, not levio-sah."

"Well then why don't you do it, if you're so clever." Ron glared at her. She straightened her back and pointed her wand at her feather and very clearly said,

"Wingardium leviosa."

The feather immediately lifted up into the air.

"Well done, Ms. Granger!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed. Ron rolled his eyes. Suddenly, Seamus's feather exploded with a loud bang, startling everyone. We all wheeled around to see him. Girls giggled and boys laughed. Seamus's face was covered in soot and his hair was blown back.

"I think we need another feather, Professor," Harry called.

After class was dismissed, most everyone had gotten the hang of the charm.

"'It's levi-oh-sa, not levio-sah'," Ron was taunting. "Honestly, she's a nightmare."

Seamus and Dean laughed. I looked at Nico. He shrugged. Harry looked like he was about to argue when Hermione shoved past us, making sure to knock into Ron's shoulder. I could hear her sniffling.

"I think she heard you." Harry grimaced. He quite liked Hermione, actually, even if she could be annoying sometimes. She didn't mean to be, it just kind of happened like that.

*

"Malfoy!" Snape said suddenly. I whipped my head around, my eyes wide with fright. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"

Powered root of what to an infusion of what?

I glanced desperately at Nico, who was just as stumped as I was. Harry was frowning. But Hermione's hand shot up into the air.

"I-I don't know, sir," I finally answered.

Snape sneered.

"Tut, tut--clearly, fame isn't everything."

He paused between each word for emphasis and ignored Hermione's hand again.

"Let's try again. Malfoy, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand as high into the air as it would go without her leaving her seat, but I didn't have a clue as to what a bezoar was. I tried not to look at Parkinson, Crabbe and Goyle, who were shaking with laughter.

"I don't--"

"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Malfoy?"

I forced myself to keep looking at his face. I had looked through those books at home, but did Snape seriously expect me to remember everything from One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi?

The potions teacher was still ignoring Hermione.

"What is the difference, Malfoy, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

Hermione pushed back her chair and stood up, trying to touch the dungeon ceiling.

"I don't know," I said quietly. "I think Hermione does, though, why don't you try her?"

A few people laughed; I caught Nico's eye, and he winked. Snape, however, was not pleased.

"Sit down," he snapped at Hermione. "For your information, Malfoy, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A--"

I tuned out after that.

"--taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Malfoy."

The lesson didn't improve after that. By the end, I'd lost us one point, Harry one, and Nico had lost five and gotten detention for defending me.

I was ready to kill Snape, honestly. But I knew why he hated me, at least. Harry and Nico? Not so much.

"Hey, Hagrid invited me to his place. Do you guys wanna come?" Harry asked. Ron, Nico and I nodded.

"Seamus and I are going back to the Common Room, sorry." Dean shrugged and they turned back.

So at five to three, the four of us left the castle and made our way across the grounds.

"Why does Hagrid have to live so far away?" Nico muttered.

"Maybe you're just getting fat," Harry teased. Nico shoved him playfully.

"No 'm not, Potter. I'll have you know I--"

"Shut up, Nico." I rolled my eyes. Nico huffed and crossed his arms. Harry ruffled his hair, and I laughed. "It's a good thing I've got you two."

"How d'ya mean, Draco?" Harry asked, frowning. I sighed. 

"I wouldn't last a day here without you guys by my side."

Nico wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Well, you do have us. C'mon, Hagrid's gonna wonder where we are."

~

I am so sorry, you guys! It's shorter than usual, and way, way, way late! I'm really trying to keep this going, but I'm getting huge writer's block! Thank you so much for all the reads! I hope you like chapter four!