Pure Toxicity [A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction]

2. Year 3, The First Dinner

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"Her eyes began to burn with tears again, and she despised how absolutely weak she felt when it came to the so-called 'prince of Slytherin'."

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"I passed out? In the carriage?"

Juniper sluggishly pushed herself to a somewhat sitting position, registering now that she was lying in a bed in the hospital wing inside of Hogwarts.

"Yeah, you missed everything!" Clara was leaning on the bed, earning a sharp look from Madam Pomfrey who was now heading over to check on the now-conscious girl. "There was a dementor on the train, that's what made everything stop and freeze. I can't believe you missed it-" She was then interrupted by Madam Pomfrey's concerned voice, who was standing next to the bed and shooing her blonde haired friend away.

"That's enough of that right now, the poor girl fainted because of the trauma from the train. Ms. Howards how are you feeling?" Madam Pomfrey offered a tight smile, and Juniper let out a soft breath as she assessed her situation. She lifted a hand to the back of her head, where she felt a small bump sitting. Did that bastard Malfoy, who had been standing no more than two feet in front of her, really let her hit the ground?

"I'm fine, Madam Pomfrey." Juniper held her hands in her lap, fully sitting up now. "I just have a bump on my head and my mouth is dry. And.. I'm starving. Oh, please tell me I haven't missed dinner yet."

Madam Pomfrey's eyes told her that she wasn't going to be let out of the hospital wing easily, so Juniper turned on her best puppy eyes and got to begging. Not many people at Hogwarts liked Juniper, but Madam Pomfrey had somewhat of a soft spot for her. Perhaps it was because Juniper had come to see her one too many times because of some clumsy action she had endured. "Please Madam Pomfrey, it's the first day back and I am fine, I just really want to attend the first dinner of the year."

The head nurse nodded her head and patted Juniper on her arm. "Dinner hasn't begun yet, you have just been brought up. I see no reason why you should miss it, however," she glanced at Clara, who was smiling, obviously pleased that she would not attend dinner alone, and then glanced back at Juniper before scurrying away and returning with a vial of a dark liquid. "For fear of a concussion, you must drink this potion. And I'm afraid sleep will not come to you tonight. Hurry up dear if you want to make dinner. I have other patients to care for, as well."

Juniper took the vial of what she could now identify as Wideye Potion, which meant she was definitely not sleeping tonight. Damn, she thought. I had hoped to sleep this whole nightmare of a day off. Opening her mouth, she gulped it down, feeling energized already. She just hoped it wouldn't wear off tomorrow in the middle of potions class. Professor Snape already disliked her enough. She then thanked Madam Pomfrey, slid out of the hospital cot, and made her way towards the Great Hall with Clara who continued her story about what had happened on the train.

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When the girls entered the Great Hall, the sorting ceremony had already ended and everyone was getting settled into their houses assigned tables. Juniper caught eyes with a concerned Theo at the Gryffindor table and gave him a small smile and a wave before taking a seat next to Clara at their table. The girls had been late to dinner, and Juniper could feel a pair of eyes burning into her skin from down the table she sat at.

Piss off, Malfoy. She thought to herself, not taking her eyes off of Dumbledore as he began to make his speech. Her eyes began to burn with tears again, and she despised how absolutely weak she felt when it came to the so-called 'prince of Slytherin'. She had been sorted into Slytherin for a reason, she was not weak, and she was not unworthy. This was going to be a good year, and if she had to avoid Draco Malfoy at all costs to make it happen, that's what she was going to do. No matter how hard it would be.

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Hi everyone! Sorry for the shorter chapter this time, but no worries! Much more ahead :))

Cherry xx