Destinia: First Year at Hogwarts

Chapter 4: Testing

"What d'you think that was about?" Pansy whispered to Draco at breakfast the next day.

     "Huh?" Draco responded confused, looking up at her. He had been too preoccupied by reading the eighth chapter of the book, deeming it safe in the Great Hall since no-one else could read it. Honestly, he was just too curious to not read it. He just got to a note when Pansy interrupted his reading.

     "That letter, don't tell me you didn't see it. Potter got his first letter a few seconds ago," she pressed on.

     Draco hummed and read the note in the book. Then, remembering Pansy's comment, his eyes widened as realisation dawned upon him. The note he had just read in the book was the same Potter had just received. He wanted to continue reading but Pansy started again.

     "Honestly," she was saying, "I'm surprised you didn't notice, you've been paying an awful lot of attention to Potter this first week."

     Draco spluttered. "What are you talking about, Pans?" he asked trying to sound surprised, but failing miserably. The look in Pansy's eyes told him she was right, and she knew it.

     Luckily for Draco, Pansy soon returned to her food so Draco could get back to reading the book, he did only have ten minutes left before he should leave for Potions.

     Draco was shocked as the book said he had to laugh about Potter not knowing a question from Snape. He secretly wished that wouldn't happen, but he had a feeling it would, and that he would have to follow what the book said. He made a mental note to pay close attention to it and memorised a bit of the dialogue.

     Draco read about the afternoon and secretly wished he could follow them. Not to skip class, but just to see if the book spoke the truth, since he still didn't really believe that.

     His opinion on it, though, changed quickly. As he sat in Potions, with the Gryffindors, Snape, just like the book had said, started with the register. Draco's breath hitched as his godfather paused at a name he was sure of was Potter. And then, the words fell from his mouth.

     "Ah, yes," Snape said, looking over at Potter, his voice slightly softer than before, "Harry Potter. Our new — celebrity." Then, just as the book had said, Crabbe and Goyle started sniggering. Draco quickly joined in, as it was seemingly the book's intention he did.

     Snape finished the register and called to the whole class, his voice a whisper, however, "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making..." Draco didn't exactly listened to the rest as he read it all before either way, and only did as if he was listening.

     The lesson continued just as the book had written it, and Draco felt terrible when he had to do some things, like laughing if Potter didn't know something. At times, he just wanted to scream at Snape that it wasn't his fault he grew up with the most intolerant, annoying, horrible Muggles ever! but kept his cool, following the book's every word.

     At lunch that day, Draco turned towards Pansy.

     "I won't be in class the last period, could you take notes for me?" he asked her, praying she won't ask why he was skipping class.

     "Okay?" she agreed, slightly questioning. But she didn't pester him about it. Draco had a plan ready to get him out of there.

     About nearly two hours later, he was running through the corridors, off towards that Hagrid oaf's shed at the end of the Forbidden Forest. He wondered why anyone would want to live there. There, he hid behind the house, the book opened on the correct page. It couldn't be long until Potter and the Weasel would arrive.

     And indeed, it didn't. A mere five minutes later, Draco heard voices nearing the hut. He payed close attention to any sentences said that were written in the book.

     "Back, Fang — back."

     There it was, Draco hummed triumphantly. Although the prospect of the book knowing the future didn't really bring him comfort. And he hated to admit it, but it actually made him kind of scared. He dismissed it and continued listening.

     "Hang on," he heard that Hagrid say, "Back, Fang." Draco waited a few seconds before he spoke up again, his voice muffled slightly as he guessed they were inside now. "Make yerselves at home."

     "This is Ron," he heard Potter say a few seconds later. Draco never really got the chance to listen to Potter's voice, but for some reason, it calmed him.

     Draco had to wait maybe a full hour before something excited happened again. Potter continued talking about his first Potions lesson.

     "...and then he took another point from me. How could I know he'd been doing it wrong while I was focusing on my own potion?! I bet he just hates me."

     "Don' say that! Snape likes hardly any o' the students!" Draco heard Hagrid answer him.

     "But he seems to really hate me," Potter insisted.

     "Rubbish! Why should he?" Hagrid said, a few seconds later he continued, "How's yer brother Charlie?" To Draco it seemed like he really wanted to change the subject, and that was enough for him. He focused his attention back on the book and read the article, perhaps at the same time as Potter seeing as only seconds after he'd finished, Potter spoke up.

     "Hagrid! That Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might have been happening while we were there!"

     Hagrid only grunted and responded with, "Want another rock cake?"

     Draco thought he heard enough, as the book didn't continue, and got up, making sure to not be seen by anyone from inside the hut.

     Several minutes later, he entered the common room to a disgruntled Pansy making her way over to him. "Finally, there you are! Mind explaining where you've been hiding?" she demanded. Draco couldn't fail to notice the playful tone in her voice.

     "Business," he answered, but gestured her to follow him.

     Draco was delighted to see the dormitory empty. He turned towards Pansy after she had closed the door behind her. "It had something to do with the book, okay?" he told her, hoping she'd understand.

     Luck seemed to be on his side that day because she sighed and muttered, "All right, I suppose it was important. I'll go grab the notes."

     Draco smiled. "Thanks, Pans!" he called after her. Draco was left alone in the dormitory and made everything ready to work at his desk.

     "Here." She handed him the notes and sat down on his bed a minute later. "I also had to tell you from Flitwick that you had detention with him on Saturday, nine o'clock, his office," she mentioned nonchalantly, spreading herself on Draco's bed.

     Draco hummed in acknowledgement. "Is it okay if I finish my work on the book? Then we can hang out."

     "All right," Pansy gave in, "Can I stay here, though?" She smiled as Draco gave her a nod.

An hour later, they went down to dinner together. They spend the rest of the day talking together, before they decided it was time to sleep, seeing as someone had a detention the next day for skipping class.

     Only late that night, Draco actually thought about what Pansy had said that morning. Had he really been giving him that much attention? Draco thought back on Astronomy. He recalled Potter smiling and laughing with his best friend without a care in the world.

     Draco couldn't help the way his face heated up because of it. He figured it must have been because his laugh angered him. But he couldn't keep his mind off of him until around one o'clock the next morning, when he finally decided it was way too late to be thinking about an unimportant Gryffindor. Maybe not really unimportant, just a Gryffindor...