Occulemens || Draco Malfoy

Chapter 3 - So Cold

If there were ever a direct opposite to the Slytherin Common Room, it was Hufflepuff's. I'd been here once before, with Cedric. It was smaller than Slytherin's, a rounded room with light wooded beams stretching across the ceilings. There were simple house plants fixed upon the white brick walls. In the center of the room stood a large fireplace underneath a simple mantle. Warm, well-loved upholstered couches and chairs were lined around the fireplace. In a single word, I would describe the Hufflepuff Common Room as 'cozy'; but 'warm' would be a close second.

The memories that I seem to have sustained were practical ones. I remembered how to get from the Common Room to the nearest bathrooms, from the Common Room to each of my classes. I seemed to know which classes I was enrolled in this year, as well. What bothered me, of course, was not being able to recall how I got here. I couldn't very well begin to spout off nonsense about how I believed I was Slytherin because I'd learned that I had friends in Hufflepuff. Friends who seemed to know me very well, friends who said hello to me in the corridors.

Maggie, unfortunately, seemed to be my best friend. Figures that I remembered her chastising me throughout my Slytherin days. She'd reminded me before I fled the dorm room that she wanted the dorm to herself tonight so she could have "alone time" with her newest toy, poor Aaron Abernathy. I could've gagged, but congratulated her on the newest notch on her bedpost nonetheless.

Who am I to judge? At least she's happy. And not being catty toward me.

My wet hair still dripped down my back as my fingers secured my robe into its rightful place. I'd reasoned that this must be some sort of dream realm that I accidentally got stuck in. I'd wake up soon enough and have to promise myself to never ingest any Draught of Sleep ever again. Perhaps next time I required it, I would consider Potion for Dreamless Sleep so this wouldn't happen.

But if that were true, would you be so self-aware?

Right, that. Unfortunate.

The new plan became to fly under the radar for now. Make everything up as I go along and hope that what I had dubbed "Awake Rowan" blended well enough with "Autopilot Rowan".

I stared at myself in the mirror once again, just as I had on the train right before Third Year began. This time, I didn't really recognize the person staring back. My hair had grown by about a foot, trailing down my shoulder blades. My jaw was more pronounced than it had been the year before, my own baby fat melting away. The skin around my neck had sunken, defining my collarbones.

I dropped the aluminum tin of Vaseline into my shower bag, using my finger to smooth it across my lips, deciding to not continue staring at the girl in the mirror. I'd had enough of her.

Right, Potions. Here goes nothing.

*

Maggie wasn't in first hour Potions with me, unfortunately. The only face I recognized right off the bat from Hufflepuff was that of my twin brother, Orin; the true Hufflepuff between the two of us. He was compassionate, thoughtful, and observational. Everything I had wished I could be until I found my place during second year. He had his light brown hair pulled back into a low ponytail today, a couple of strands falling into his eyes. I wished we had been identical; he had beautiful, olive skin and instead of hazel eyes, he had dark green irises. He got what I had deemed the good genes from our father.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked as he readied his quill for the day.

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? This is the barest I've seen your face since the end of second year. You and Maggie always coordinate your hair." I almost wrinkled my nose at the thought. I'd never had much luck with making my hair go into intricate styles—I had also never toyed with the idea of makeup. Apparently that had changed.