Ivy || Draco Malfoy

3

Term started in potions with the Gryffindors. The class was smaller than it had been in the years previous. The Golden Trio were waiting outside with Lavender Brown and Neville Longbottom all talking amongst themselves in hushed whispers. Longbottom has always been terrible with potions, so I immediately wondered why he was here. Had he gotten lost on his way to a class or stopped to talk to Potter and his friends.

"What's he doing here?" Pansy asked mirroring my own thoughts. I shrugged in response. This year we took classes for our careers. He must have needed it for whatever he wants to do in the future if he was staying. Maybe he wants to be a healer too. He's very good in Herbology which is one of the other classes needed to become a Healer after Hogwarts. Besides potions, it's one of the classes I find the most interesting.

Draco and Theo walked up minutes before class started. Draco dragging Theo along with him. They both looked like they wanted to be anywhere but Potions class. As much as Longbottom was a shock Theodore Nott was even more, not because he was bad at Potions but more like he had no interest in it. He had spent the better half of five years slacking off in class and giving Professor Snape some attitude he knew he could get away with.

"I thought you skipped out on Potions this year?" Pansy asked our fellow Slytherins.

"My parents promised me a Ministry position if I did all my classes," Theo said with a grumble.

"Then we will be seeing each other a lot this year, Theo," I smiled. At least I knew that I was going to have someone I knew around. Pansy decided to take the least amount of classes as possible, much to my displeasure. I took as many classes as I could because I felt it would serve me for something in the future knowing all types of magic. Even if I wanted to be a healer and didn't need them all.

"Malfoy's the one that convinced my parents that it would be a good idea to get full NEWTS. Told them that he was doing all his classes and since my parents wish he was their son; well expectations were made." Theo said with an unhappy smile while Draco rolled his eyes. It interested me that Draco was also taking a full course load this year. With Draco's mission for Voldemort, I doubted he'd have time to focus on school work. It was the first day and I could already see the tiredness in his face. His skin was paler than usual, and his eyes were sunken in from lack of sleep. He also was a lot quieter than I had ever seen him. I had distinct memories of him coming back from every summer with tall tales of how his holiday was. He also had enough stories to tell about his first interaction with Potter of the year. If I had known better, I would have thought that Draco was jealous of Harry Potter but I never dared to make that claim.

Professor Slughorn opened the door demanding everyone's attention all of a sudden breaking me out of my thoughts. The short man stood in gold robes and the smell of potions coming from the room were intoxicating. I felt the magic spark under my skin getting me excited for all that we were to learn this year. I had already skimmed through the book Professor Snape had given me and we were finally getting into the good stuff.

"Welcome class, welcome, come on in," he gestured for us to walk into the room. We all walked in, in silence looking around the changes that were made to our old Potions room. The glass jars of ingredients still covered walls, a distinction of the Potions classroom from the others, but the desks were moved into groups of four instead of two. There was also a demonstration table where Professor Snape's desk was.

Different vials of potions and simmering cauldrons covered the table. Professor Slughorn motioned for all of us to come to the table so he could explain what we would be doing this year. As Slughorn asked questions, Hermione's hand shot up like an arrow. She was unbelievably annoying. I had also forgotten over the summer what it was like to take classes with her. Her intelligence was envious but there was no need to be a know-it-all-either. I never had a problem with Hermione. Though I never really talked to her, I assumed she was nice enough. I just thought she could relax in class. Theo loved that she answered every and all questions, though, it meant that he didn't have to try. He knew there was always going to be someone to give an answer.