Angels and Devils (Harry Potter Fanfiction)

Chapter 20. Pain Relief

"Today," Snape's voice rang across the classroom with the usual sneer evident in the tone and Harry tried to disappear using simple will alone, "we will be brewing an aphrodisiac potion for use with dragons. The potion is called Secus Draconium. Each year the seventh year class brews this potion for the Dragon reserves in Romania, so I expect every cauldron to be excellent."

Harry tried even harder to vanish when Snape's black eyes fell on him.

"Mr Potter, due to your peculiarities of species," the Potion's master said rather viscously, "your brewing capabilities would be even lower were you to come into contact with Dragon's Breath Angel Trumpets, and hence you will be brewing a different potion. Your instructions are on this desk."

The desk in front of Snape's was usually reserved for demonstrations, but it was set up as a normal workstation today. Reluctantly, Harry walked towards his Potions professor and moved into place. The look of disdain he earned for his trouble was not settling.

"Mr Malfoy," Snape continued in a much more pleasant tone, "due to your recent exposure to Mr Potter's peculiarities," Harry tried very hard not to react, "you are also excused from making the Secus Draconium. However, since your average mark is so much higher than Mr Potter's you may take a study period."

Draco smirked at his fellow Slytherins and then gathered his things.

"Thank you, Professor," Draco said politely and left without so much as a look back.

The Prince of Slytherin did not even glance in Harry's direction and it hurt more than he liked to admit. How Draco was acting as if he did not even exist was beyond him, and it was tearing his heart out.

"Begin," Snape said coldly, and Harry looked down at the parchment next to his cauldron.

For a long time he just stared at the writing without even seeing it properly. The feelings that welled up in him every time Draco rejected him were almost overwhelming, and nothing seemed to matter anymore. It was as if his whole world view had shifted and life revolved around the blond haired Slytherin.

"Mr Potter," Snape's voice snapped him back to the present, "has your meagre brain finally switched off entirely?"

Harry simply swung his gaze up to look his Potions professor directly in the eyes. He had little idea what Snape would see in his face since he had barely looked at himself in a mirror since Draco and he had become lovers, but whatever it was, Snape closed his mouth and turned away. Maybe there was a line which the head of Slytherin would not cross, but Harry could not find the will to care. Looking back at the sheet he finally read it and turned towards the storeroom to pick up his ingredients.

"Not those, Harry," Hermione's voice cut through the nothingness in Harry's brain as he slowly collected what he needed for the lesson. "Those are the Angel Trumpet stamens; you'd be high as a kite if you picked up those."

He looked at the orange filaments over which his hand was hovering and reached instead to the petals beyond.

"Thanks," he said quietly and ignored the worried look his friend gave him.

It was towards the end of the lesson when he had to return to the cupboard for a cold stored ingredient that he looked at the stamens again. For a while he just stood there, and then, acting on impulse he picked up a nearby test tube, scooped two of the fine filaments into it with a spatula and corked it, before sliding it into his robes. He had no idea what he was going to do with the flower parts, but he took them anyway.

~*~

For two days Harry carried the stamens around in his pocket, and for two days he wondered why he had taken them. Then a group of Slytherins chose to corner him as he tried to enter the Great Hall for dinner. Their words were childish and vicious, and Harry could not even really remember what they had said, but when Draco had walked past them and laughed it was more than Harry could take. That was why he was sitting at the top of the Astronomy tower, snow falling all around the charms that protected the viewing spot from the weather, looking at the vial he had stolen.