After Saving Draco [ONGOING / REWRITING]

chapter three

Tala. 244 days before May 4, 1999.

"Alright, off you go!" Slughorn clapped. "Make sure you all partner up, don't forget to turn to page 89!"

"Scared, Professor Potter?" I teased as I turned on the burner for our cauldron. "You can't cheat your way with my Dad's book into becoming a top student anymore."

Naturally, Hermione and Ron were partners from now on since they're dating, leaving Harry and I to fend for ourselves. Draco was in a lot of my classes but we agreed not to be clingy or do PDA, so he would work on his assignments with Goyle for this class most of the time.

"I'm not worried," Harry said blankly as he began crushing moonstone, turning it into powder for the Draught of Peace potion. "I'll just cheat off of you." He joked. "You're as brilliant as Snape was, I bet you've memorized the pages too."

I felt my ears turn warm at his words as I poured in syrup of hellebore into the cauldron. He was right, I did memorize the pages. Back when I was piecing together wether Snape was my dad or not, I reread the Half-Blood Prince's book front and back about a dozen of times to search for clues. And since I used to work at a restaurant, memorizing recipes and notes came easily to me. I was about to cheat my way into a good grade this year too.

"Shut up," I told him as I handed him porcupine quills and unicorn hair to crush. "You're too nice to me."

"Too nice?" Harry blinked at me as he took the ingredients from my hand and began to crush it, pouring everything into the cauldron. "No such thing."

I watched Harry as he rolled up the sleeves of his white dress shirt, revealing his fair forearms that seemed to have grown larger and more veiny. I never noticed how buff he got until now, hunting horcruxes and the war itself really changed Harry. But despite it, he was still so sweet and soft looking.

The sun peaking through the window shone greatly on him, making his bright blue eyes even brighter through his glasses. I've always liked his circular glasses, it was nerdy but it suited him nicely, he looks better with it on than without.

No, I'm not checking him out.

Just, analyzing.

Harry looked so focused as he stirred the potion, wiping sweat off his scarred forehead with the back of his arm, the heat from the cauldron warming up his rosy fair cheeks.

"Tala," he snapped his fingers in front of my face, taking me out of my trance.

"Hm?" I said, feeling startled.

"I said have dinner with me," Harry repeated.

Um, come again?

"What?" I asked with a puzzled face.

Harry sighed. "You shouldn't doze off so much, especially during Potions. You could daydream yourself into burning your hand in the cauldron mindlessly, it's dangerous."

"Okay, dad." I snorted.

"But as I was saying," Harry continued as he laughed lightly. "Ron and Hermione will always be together, along with Neville and Luna coupled up." He explained. "Surely you won't leave me alone just to be with Malfoy, yeah?"

"Hm," I fake contemplated. "Sure I would."

Harry stopped stirring the cauldron, giving me a dirty look.

"I'm kidding," I reassured. "Of course, I'll just switch off between the two tables every night and I'll sit with whoever I see first for breakfast and lunch."