The Golden Mare - Cedric Diggory

A Long Term Assignment

It had been nearly two months since Harry had been picked for the tournament. And still, Ron and Harry weren't getting along.

Ron and Harry didn't speak to each other at breakfast. While Hermione tried to ask them question to get them to talk to each other, they wouldn't budge.

"I'm not going to apologize!" Harry exclaimed as he walked to potions with Aurora, stopping besides Snape's door. "He's the one that's wrong. What am I gonna say, 'Oh, Ron, I'm really sorry that my parents were murdered 14 years ago and now I have a scar on my forehead?""

Aurora rolled her eyes at him. Although she knew that Ron was being irrational, she also understood why he was jealous.

"He'll get over it soon, don't worry about it. Just give him some space." Aurora advised.

Harry nodded when a voice sounded from behind Aurora.

"Well, well, well, is it not our Hogwarts champion!" Aurora turned her head to see it was Draco.

Harry narrowed his eyes at him. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

Draco scoffed. "Why can't you ever stop being the center of attention? I thought you got enough spotlight from your dead parents. Aurora, why are you always hanging around filth like him?"

Aurora blinked at Draco. Why would he care who she spent her time with?

Harry narrowed his eyes at him. "Well, I would understand why she wouldn't want to spend time with you, you disgusting little piece of shit, racist-"

"10 points from Gryffindor! Language, Potter." Snape reprimanded as he walked up to stand by the door frame. "Class, you may come in."

Aurora flashed Harry a sympathetic glance as she went to sit in her assigned potions seat next to Draco. A smirk was plastered across his face.

"And what are you so happy about?" Aurora asked, placing her textbook on her desk.

Draco blinked as if he had been zoning out and glanced at her. "Nothing." He murmured and grabbed his own book.

"Before we get into our lesson today, I would like to announce a project you will be working on with your partner."

Aurora let out a breath. Great. More time with Draco.

Draco, on the other hand, didn't look too upset about this assignment.

"It will be a long term assignment, and will be due just before Spring break."

Everyone in the room let out annoyed grumbles, while Snape yelled, "Silence!"

"This project will be mostly up to you." Snape went on. "You will pick a topic, in the realm of potion making, and do an intensive research project on it. I expect essays, models, and potion samples. Full instructions for this assignment are available on my desk. Now, to today's lesson..."

Aurora looked over at Draco. She didn't know how they were going to work together for three months, let alone agree on a topic for their project.

"Do you want to work on it in the library later tonight?" Aurora offered. She thought it would be best to start the assignment early.

"I suppose, if I can fit you into my schedule. I'm rather busy, you know." He replied.

Aurora rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. What time are you free?"

Draco paused for a moment. "After dinner. 7 o'clock?"

She shrugged. "Sure, that's fine," and started on the assignment for the day. However, she couldn't help but notice that Draco's smirk stayed plastered on his face for the rest of class.