Potter

Chapter 66

Having to get through the next day was difficult. All I really wanted to do was curl back up in bed and pretend that the world had stopped moving around me for awhile. It had been easy to do last night, but now with Draco gone and Christmas over, everything seemed to have taken on a grey tint that made everything feel sluggish and heavy.

For the most part, Neville was my saving grace. While Lavender had gotten fairly annoyed with me when I refused to offer any details of my Christmas night, Neville seemed determined to keep his mind off of it, brows creasing every time Lavender attempted to bring it back up. All she would manage to get from me though was a bright blush and a small shrug.

I sat in potions now, listening only semi-attentively as Slughorn went on about some potion. While Christmas break was still on, Slughorn had promised a good bonus lesson that would be beneficial to our N.E.W.T's. Neville had insisted on coming, but I wasn't so sure. It was probably something dark and gruesome, as most of the school curriculum had become so in recent weeks. The Carrows had taken charge of most of everything. Severus was actually fairly-off hands with it, but I suppose that's something you'd only know behind-the-scenes. The few classes though that proved a true refuge anymore was Charms, Transfiguration, and Herbology. Everything else was tainted and bitter.

"Ms. Longbottom, if I could borrow you for a moment?" Slughorn's pleasant voice caught my attention, and alarm sounded off in my head like bells. Slowly I nodded, rising from my desk and walking forward when he gestured for me to. My robe felt unnaturally heavy on my shoulders as I moved forward, wondering what hell waited for me. But Slughorn, who normally looked worn and tired, appeared surprisingly kind as I approached him. Perhaps this wasn't to be so bad after all.

"Now, I understand you were not with us when we first studied this particular potion, so this shall be new to you. However," He said as he turned to look at the other students with a smile, "Those who remember this class will be pleased to see I have brought back such a marvelous potion. For I present to you, Amortentia."

The love potion.

I stared at the cauldron cautiously, not sure what to feel. On one hand, I'm sure it smelt lovely. On the other hand, what would I smell? Would I smell the smokey, warm scent of the Grimmauld living room? Would I grasp hints of what it felt like to be back with Draco? Normally, perhaps I would be fine. But in my current mood I wasn't sure how good this could turn out to be.

"Now, Ms. Longbottom, if you would be so kind to smell it- From a good distance, my dear, don't want it reaching your head too much- And tell us what you smell." He said with a smile. I nodded slowly at him, taking a deep breath of clean air before I even attempted to bask my face in the spirals that slowly rose from the cauldron.

When I did, my eyes fluttered shut. I was assaulted by memories- My lips twitched when I realized hot chocolate was one of the scents that rose up. Hot chocolate, a wet smell- Wet pavement? Wet forest. And then an earthy, refined scent that made me see gray eyes and blonde hair. I pulled back after that, not able to push it much more. My eyes stung, and I realized once I had opened them that I had been clenching them shut.

"Well?" Slughorn asked, completely oblivious to the storm of emotions inside me. I nodded quickly, ducking my head.

"Um- Peppermint, flowers and- And I think Hot chocolate." I managed, hoping the one truth would make up for the somewhat unconvincing lies I had told. Slughorn nodded, looking faintly disappointed I hadn't said something worth gossiping over. I didn't feel too guilty about it.

"Very good, Ms. Longbottom." He said, gesturing for me to move back to my seat. I did so quietly, wishing more than anything that I could shrink down and become invisible. When I took my seat next to Neville he looked at me sympathetically, and I took his hand when he offered it to me, taking a deep breath to calm the nerves that had risen. Slughorn was passing out small cauldrons of it now, telling the students to write down the different characteristics of the potion, and if they felt up to it, what they smelt.