Short Change Hero

Chapter 4: Fake It

Chapter Four

Fake it

"Who's to know if your soul will fade all

The one you sold to fool the world,

Fake it, if you're out of direction,

Fake it, if you don't belong here,

Fake it, if you feel like infection,

You're such a fucking hypocrite..."

Fake it by Seether

Friday September 20th, 1996

Hallway- Late to Potions

With the squeaking sound of shoes against tile flooring, and a whooshing cloak, the fast pace set by a determined Slytherin increased as he sharply rounded a corner. As quickly as he could, Draco made his way down the rather empty hallways, whilst tightening his green tie properly. He then turned to his right, climbing the set of stairs just outside his potions class.

Today was a bit of an off day for Draco, the fact he over slept and missed breakfast all together made him furious. Not only was he late to class, he was also devastatingly hungry, and had stupidly miss placed his potions textbook somewhere. The reason for his already bad day was because of how late he had been up the night before in search of a certain room of requirements. The room, he would like to add, refused to show altogether, and forced him to give up just after two thirty in the morning. He needed the room of requirements because of his first task as a death eater. Draco found it highly annoying that he was having such a difficult time finding the damned room, but it also worried him. He has been trying to find a way into the stupid thing since the first week back at Hogwarts, and could not help but feel nervous after two weeks of nothing.

Reaching for the handle, he pushed the door open a little harder than originally intended, then stepped inside to see he had startled his classmates and Professor Slughorn. With all eyes on him, he sneered, and then almost groaned aloud as he went over to the only open seat, besides Pansy.

"Ah yes, Mr. Malfoy, so glad you could finally join us. We are on page two hundred and thirty one." Slughorn chimed awkwardly. He then gave Draco an odd look and went back to the potions he was showing the class.

Draco felt Pansy's burning stare, as he gritted his teeth looking at her soft somewhat worried eyes. She then took out a folded piece of old parchment, he watched her scribble down something, and slid the paper towards him. He rolled his eyes, opened the folded note begrudgingly, and read the somewhat messy handwriting.

'Why in Salazar's name, are you late? Where were you? Are you all right? Where is your potions book?' With an extremely exaggerated eye roll, he shifted in his seat, reached in his bag to pull out some ink and a quill. In his somewhat delicate penmanship, he wrote back quickly hoping she would take the answer, and leave it.

'I over slept Parkinson didn't sleep well, and I'm fine. I forgot my book in the dormitories.'He sighed shoving the paper back at her; he then got out new parchment to take notes. About fifteen seconds later a smaller hand dropped the note onto his paper, yet again. Draco found this highly annoying but with a huff, he opened it.

'You never oversleep; therefore, you are not fine. Why are you not sleeping well? You know you can tell me anything Draco.' He wanted to ignore Pansy's incessant pestering by tossing the note in the rubbish bin. Instead, he just scratched an angry reply, and faked it best he could.

'I said I am fine, therefore, I am. There is nothing to tell. So stop pestering me Parkinson.' He passed the note to her looking up at what Professor Slughorn was saying.