Close Your Eyes - Drinny

Chapter 4. Slug Club

  Monday approached way too quickly: Draco haven't had enough time to do all of his homework and focus on the Weasel-Bee, who he nowadays called as Ginny. It felt a bit strange, though, perhaps he should go back to mean nicknames, or her surname, at least?

  The first lesson in Draco's timetable was Defence Against the Dark Arts, which was, fortunately, taught by professor Snape these days. No an old toad-face or a werewolf was good enough for the post.

  After Snape's class, he headed towards the potions's class. The old, walrus-looking teacher, professor Slughorn, was a disaster. But the worse thing was the fact, that the class was held with the Gryffindors. It would've not mattered, if the Scarhead wasn't in the class.

  ''Now, open your books, page ten, and try to get started!'' told the professor. ''Oh no, not that cauldron, Mr. Weasley. Choose the bigger one - exactly.''

  Draco took a cauldron and started mixing the equipments from the instructions.

  It had been nearly fifteen minutes, until Draco saw a blown from the corner of his eye. Seamus Finnigan had, obviously, blown his potion up again.

  ''Don't be such a fool, Finnigan'', Draco heard Weasley joking.

  Nothing more - than a few more explodes - happened during the class. At the end, Slughorn gave them a homework to write composition about Living Death. He let the tiredly moaning students go when the great amount of Gryffindors and Slytherins were already floating out of the class.

  ''I don't understand, why's that so bad to you?'' Hermione Granger, who's hair had gone just a bushy mess through the class, asked the two of her friends. ''I, at least, like writing very much. You should enjoy it, as well, because you're going to have to-''

  And Draco turned to another corridor.

  Next Thursday, it was a great weather. The sun was on the sky and lit up the whole country, also it was very warm. Probably one of the last days this good. All the students were outside, but instead of enjoying the day, Draco was wandering around the Room of Requirements. It took him a few minutes to find the cabinet from all that trash, but after it was found, it all went well. He grabbed the huge curtain and pulled it off, showing the dark cabinet. How was he able to mend it all by himself?

  He took an apple out of his pocket and threw it in the cabinet. After the low thud of the apple hitting the bottom, Draco closed the door as well as his eyes. He knew it wasn't necessary, but he didn't feel like looking. Maybe people wanted to disappear from the world, at least once.

  ''Harmonia nectere passus'', he whispered. He grabbed the handle and opened the door. And saw the apple gone. It had worked, all his time wasn't gone wasted. A bit of a victorious grin raised on his lips, until he closed the door again.

  Could he do this?

  Thinking of all the students and teachers at Hogwarts, this would've meant a very great deal. It wouldn't be forgotten in a day or two, it would've taken years, plus all those years Voldemort would be in the lead again. It couldn't happen. He couldn't let it happen.

***

  Ginny held a letter with a purple little rosette on it.

  ''Can't believe you've just got into the Slug Club!'' Ron said, amazed. ''I never get into anything. This is getting to be very unfair.''

  ''At least you got into Gryffindor's Quidditch Team'', reminded Ginny. ''That's something already.''