Someone to save me | Harry Potter

Chapter Forty-Eight

"Why are you bothering with this again?" Draco asked as he zipped up the back the black dress I had slipped on. I tossed my hair over my shoulder before turning around to face him.

"Because I was invited?" I asked with a scoff as Draco plopped backwards onto his bed. I had been invited to Professor Slughorn's Christmas dinner he was having this evening, and Draco was doing nothing but pester me about going. I had forgotten about the whole thing until Ginny and Hermione reminded me of it this morning at breakfast.

"Just seems like a waste of time, sitting around with a professor talking about nonsense." Draco said twiddling with his wand. I knew Draco, and I knew he was jealous that he wasn't invited to go. Blaise and his other friend Theodorre Nott were invited from Slytherin and Draco hadn't been given a second glance by Slughorn.

I rolled my eyes as I bent down and kissed his cheek. "Dont be angry, I saw Pansy sitting alone in the common room -- you should go talk to her," I told him.

Draco scoffed before sitting up more in his bed. "Why bother?" He asked quietly, looking down at his black slacks. I had been trying to slowly ease Draco onto other girls, especially since Harry and I have been doing so good lately. Yes I loved Draco, and that meant he needed to be with someone else -- someone who could love only him. It wasn't fair to Draco to be in love with me when I was clearly so in love with someone else --and he knew that. Pansy had been hung up on Draco for years and I was hoping he would give her a second chance.

I sighed before taking a seat next to him, reaching over and lacing his fingers with my own. "Because you're Draco Malfoy, thats why bother." I told him, giving his hand a squeeze.

"The Malfoy name doesn't mean so much anymore," he told me.

"Of course it does, we haven't failed anything yet. I told you I would protect you, and I will. Voldemort won't touch you, I swear that to you." I whispered as I leaned my chin on his shoulder. Draco was my best friend, and I loved him -- But I hated how often I needed to reassure him that he should just trust me.

"Just go to your dinner, I'll see you in the morning before I get on the train." He said as he kissed the back of my hand. Draco had decided to go home for Christmas but was going to floo back to the castle the next day, getting special permission from Dumbledore and his parents. I however had been invited to the burrow for the holidays, and as crazy as it sounded I accepted their offer. If I was going to die soon I'll be damned if I didn't get one of Molly Weasleys homemade pies before it happened.

~

When I arrived at Slughorns classroom, Harry was waiting for me outside. He smiled when he saw me before cupping my cheek and kissing me softly. "Hey you," I said when we pulled apart.

"Hello." He whispered before taking my hand and leading me inside.

"Ah! Mr. Potter, Ms. Soloria! Welcome! Welcome!" Slughorns boisterous chanting sounded the moment we stepped inside. Other students were standing around mingling with glasses of what looked like butter beer, and I inwardly hoped there was something else to drink as I hated the stuff.

"Hello Professor, thank you for inviting us." Harry said, reaching out to shake Slughorns extended hand.

"Oh I couldn't not invite the famous Harry Potter and Alisanna Soloria!"

"Call me Ali, Professor." I said with a soft smile. He nodded before announcing to the room to be seated at the large table in the middle of the room. Harry and I took our seats to the left of Hermione, I had Blaise on my other side.

The first course was rather bland, some sort of pudding with stale biscuits to dip it in. Harry chuckled as I waved my fingers and it all disappeared into Blaise's dish.