I walked into the Slytherin common room. I was in my sixth year now… It had been a long journey and I had actually managed to pass my O.W.L.'s. It was difficult to go down to Snape's office when I was to receive my scores. I knocked on the door and entered when he gave permission. He sat me down and told me the various grades I had received. I was shaking violently when he came to the last grade… the one that was most important for me. The one that I considered my favorite class that somehow, even though it was my favorite class… I still managed to flunk every year. The corners of his mouth twitched when he read off the grade for potions. It was an 'O'… that was for outstanding and that was the best you could receive on an exam! I was so happy that I thanked him and ran from the room to go tell Draco. I couldn't find him anywhere. He had also passed the potions exam with an 'O'… I bet he was with Blaise and Millicent and Pansy… they were probably running around the grounds pushing each other and fighting since I was Draco's girlfriend and had been ever since we were… well since we were five pretty much. Draco had never wanted another girl and I had never wanted another guy. Every time I tried thinking about other guys he kept coming into my head… He said it was the same way for him. You may be wondering who I am… I am Kylie Riddle. I am now 16 years old. I live with the Zambini family since my father didn't want me around… I went somewhere that I could have frequent visits with Draco. And since the Zambini family lives right next door to the Malfoy manor… why not stay there. I visited Draco almost every day, not because I wanted to, just because there was absolutely nothing else to do. I usually sat in my room and did my homework at the beginning of the summer so that I could have an easier summer… unlike Blaise who waited until we were on the train back to hogwarts. Don't get me wrong, the Zambini family is nice but they aren't exactly there for me. I usually spend almost every night at Draco's house anyway. Draco and I really never sleep… And if we do then I go sleep on the couch downstairs. Narcissa and Lucius are always welcoming and very pleased when I am there. I keep Draco out of trouble and I am supposedly a sweet and caring girl. I don't know where they ever got that idea… :-P:-P It was the first day of my sixth year… I had been practicing potion making all summer… which wasn't difficult since Snape was also a frequent visitor at the Malfoy manor… but enough about Snape (yes I know… It is hard for me to say but this story isn't going to be about him… I have some friends who don't like Snape and I am sure they would like to finally be able to read a story without me having a… a 'thing' we will call it, with Snape).
I managed to get tons of help and was ready for my first potions class... It was of course, like always, with the damn Gryfindors who thought they were so freaking perfect. Hopefully not many actually made it through the O.W.L.'s for potions… you had to have an 'O' to move on anyway… unless you were lucky, a Slytherin, and were very good at making potions. I walked into my dorm and grabbed my bag. I heard the first bell… I had about six minutes to get to the room now. It wasn't that far of a run. I found myself walking slowly. The warning bell, signaling there was only about two minutes until class started rang, I walked into the damp and dingy dungeon room and found my table. I was put next to Draco according to the seating chart… I really had to thank him for this, eventually. I found myself staring at Draco as Snape walked in the room. All the other students but Draco, Blaise, Millicent, Pansy and I jumped… we were used to him storming into rooms. Hell, he would occasionally burst into the girls dorm rooms if there was a complaint from another room that a certain room was being too loud… he for sure didn't put up with any smack talk or breaking of the rules. However… he never really took off any house points of Slytherin… he let the other teachers do that if they caught us doing something… then he was really mad. He would usually call us into his office one by one and yell at us. Man… he was scary when he was mad. He stepped up to the clean black board and started writing our assignment and the classroom potion down on the board. Draco went to get the ingredients for the potion while I prepped the cauldron and wrote down the assignment for me. He always gets the assignments from me anyway so I don't even bother taking them down for him. Draco came back and I started to cut up the stuff for him so he could measure it and put it in… I glanced over at Blaise and Millicent… I realized that they have been dating now for… two years, since fourth year. Before that Blaise was going out with Pansy… they were a group of three for potions class now. Somehow as well, as I looked around the room spotting the Golden Trio, the stupid Gryfindors had made it through the exam. At least Longbottom didn't. Snape would be happy about that. That boy always blew up his potion.
I looked back at Draco… He smiled and winked gently and we started the timer for the potion to brew. It needed to brew for 30 minutes… we sat there and he watched me as I started to do my homework. I looked up at the wrong moment; Snape had been watching us ever since the beginning of class. I smiled at Draco and that really made Snape mad.
"MS. RIDDLE!" He said loudly making me look at him quickly… instantly I knew that I was in loads of trouble.
"Yes sir?"
"My office… after class… you have an open hour right?"
"Yes sir."
"Right after class. Be there quickly."
"Yes sir."
I looked back at my essay… maybe I could score another good thing with Snape by turning in my essay before he yelled at me. I doubted it but I was certainly going to try… I had 17 minutes left to revise and edit and then rewrite it. I finished editing and revising… I quickly rewrote it with the corrections with two minutes to spare at the end of class to label the vial and get a nice sample of potion. We were still the first ones done and Draco wanted me to take it to the front. I slowly walked up to Snape's desk and handed the vial to him once he finally looked up from something… I couldn't get a good look but it almost looked like a picture album.
He opened the vial and watched the smoke and smelt the fumes delicately…
"Very nice on the potion, Ms. Riddle… oh yes, and Mr. Malfoy."
I smiled and Draco and I quickly said a thank you before the bell rang and everyone else scrambled to get his or her potion in. Draco and I were about to leave the room when he looked back at Snape… He looked to me and whispered into my ear,
"You have that meeting with Snape sweetie."
I grimaced and looked back at Snape… I had totally forgotten. I walked back to my seat and looked into our cauldron… It is a good thing I had to come back. Draco and I didn't clean out our cauldron or our desk… we would've gotten double detentions for that, even though we are in Slytherin. Everyone else left the room and Snape showed me to his office. I walked in after him and he motioned to sit on the couch. He was sitting at his desk… which was actually very clean.
"How are you Miss Riddle?"
"Okay sir."
"Are you wondering why I called you in here?"
"Not exactly… I have my essay done… would you like it now?"
"Sure."
I dug through my bag and pulled out my essay, written in green ink and on new parchment. I looked into his dark eyes when I handed it to him… they didn't even look mad or upset in the slightest. I smiled weakly and I could swear the corners of his mouth twitched.
"Looks very nice. Especially the ink…"
My smile grew wider.
"So how was the last part of your summer, Miss Riddle?"
"It was okay sir, and yours?"
"Fine…"
"Why did you call me in here sir?"
"Oh yes… I could explain that couldn't I?"
"Um--"
"Let me… you and Draco are really close."
"Yes well… I have known him since I was five… his parents are like my parents… except for the fact that we are dating so that would be um… illegal."
"Yes, yes it would be. So why do you like him?"
"He is there for me and he doesn't care about how I look… most guys do but not Draco… I know he doesn't seem like that type but he is super caring and I really think he loves me."
"He does."
"How do you know?"
"I had a conversation with him over the summer."
"Really?"
"Yes… he said that he loves you so much that he doesn't know what he would do if he ever lost you."
"Wow."
"Yeah… I didn't know he had that strong of feelings towards anyone."
"Sir?"
"Yes?"
"Sir… I think I am in love."
"I think you are too, Kylie."
"What?"
"What…?"
"Sir, you called me Kylie."
"Did I?"
"Yes."
"Do you care?"
"Not really… it is just weird."
"Well, I don't want you to be a stranger… I like calling the students in my house by their first names… that is why we have retreats during first year, so the head of houses can get to know their students."
"Oh I always wondered why we had to do that."
"Yes… it is actually boring for me. I already usually know the students names in my house and I usually know the students very well by the time we have the retreat because I spend the first like three weeks in the common room just kind of sitting there."
"Yeah… I was always happy you did that."
"Yes, you and Draco were the only ones that ever came to talk to me."
"I always had questions for you."
"Yeah… I always hated your questions… they didn't require a simple answer… they were like really difficult answers… and I am not good at those."
"Yeah I noticed but you always managed to answer them!"
"Yes… I was actually very surprised with myself."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"You should have more faith in your ability… you're an amazing person."
"Well… Really?"
"Yes… I am so happy I ended up in Slytherin."
"That is good."
"I should get going sir… I don't mean to compliment then run but I want to get started on my homework. I already have quite a bit."
"I understand… It doesn't help when you have advanced potions. I promise I will try to go easy on you and Draco."
"WHAT?"
"Didn't I tell you over the summer?"
"No."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes… you never told me… you may have told him."
"I was sure I told you too."
"I didn't know about it. It isn't on my schedule."
"It will take the place of your free hour and Draco and you will have the potions hour free… you don't have it today but starting tomorrow you don't need to come to this potions class… just come after the study hall."
"Yes sir."
"Are you feeling okay Kylie?"
"Yes… I am fine."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. Why?"
"Just wondering… you don't look good… you look like you're sick."
"I am a little cold but I am usually cold down here…"
"Yes… most students are."
"Yeah… I've noticed…"
I started to feel around behind me for the chair… I found it and I collapsed into it. Snape was at my side almost instantly and he took my temperature quickly. He picked me up after making sure I was still awake and not unconscious, he ran me to the hospital wing quickly lying me down on a bed and running for Madam Pomfrey. Madam Pomfrey came running to my side and started to check over me quickly. She walked back to her office and walked back out after checking with Snape she walked over and gave me a certain potion that had a light purple tint to it. Snape himself had always told Draco and I to never drink purple colored potions… he instantly remembered this when he saw my face and he walked over to me.
"Kylie… you need to drink this potion… if you don't you may not survive… this one is safe I promise… trust me, please."
His eyes said it all to me… I slowly grabbed for his hand… he noticed and grabbed my hand and squeezed it reassuringly… I took the potion in my other hand and drank it quickly. It tasted like pumpkin juice mixed with a strong fire whiskey and I almost spit it out but I swallowed it, wincing in pain as it burnt my throat a little. His fingers slowly ran across my face, gently pulling the stray hairs away. He kissed my forehead softly as I fought the sudden urge to sleep…
"It's alright, I will stay here until you wake up… just go to sleep… I promise. It is the potion."
I nodded slowly and allowed the potion to bring me into a peaceful and deep sleep. It felt like only 10 minutes later that I was awake. Snape was still, as he promised was still sitting by my side. He had a gentle squeeze on my hand and his face was on the edge of the bed. He was asleep and Madam Pomfrey walked out of her office. She turned on a small lamp by my bed. It was then that I realized that it was actually very dark out.
"What time is it?" I asked.
"It is late… or early… it is around two in the morning."
I groaned softly and she smiled.
"Are you hungry?" She asked.
"Very…" I answered weakly finally finding my stomach growling loudly at me.
"How about I run down to the kitchen and get you some food… as well as Professor Snape who is very headstrong, just so you know… he wouldn't even leave when I told him to… I had to treat you with his watchful eyes staring at every move I made. He really cares about you… He didn't even leave for lunch or dinner."
"Really?"
"He said he would stay didn't he?"
"Well yes but I didn't exactly expect him to."
Just then he let out a soft groan and his eyes opened slowly. Madam Pomfrey left and I was alone with him.
"Hello," I whispered softly looking at him intently while my eyes started to water a little.
He sat up and moved to the edge of my bed, taking my hand and gently moving the hair from my face… "Hello Ky." He finally responded.
My lips curved into a small smile and I soon felt tears sliding down my face slowly. He was wiping them away and holding me tightly in his arms. I never wanted him to let me go… but all protective times need to end… Madam Pomfrey walked back into the room and Snape let me go, giving me a sorry look and then whispered softly, "You're going to be fine… I am always here for you."