Once Draco and I made it back to potions there was only fifteen minutes left of class. I enchanted the hall passes to fly back to Professor Snape. Everyone turned around and looked at me with wide eyes. "Back to work." Severus barked, which caused the class to look away from me. They started whispering amongst themselves. "How did she do that?" I heard Pansy ask Harry in a hushed tone. He shrugged his shoulders, "Beats me." I went back to my table and finished up the love potion. My eyes were glued to the table the entire time. All I did was send the hall passes back. I didn't use my wand but what's so weird about that?
Draco tapped me on the shoulder, "You forgot these." He handed me the beans and I threw them in the cauldron. I stirred it once clockwise and three times counterclockwise, just as the directions said. I filed a flask with the sweet smelling liquid and brought it up to Severus. He accepted it without a word. I took my seat next to Blondie and we sat in an uncomfortable silence. There was five minutes left of class.
During those five minutes, I thought over what Draco did and said to me in the hallway.
He was back. He, as in Lord Voldemort, was back. The man whose name struck fear in people's hearts, whose actions cause nightmares, and whose mind could not be more twisted. I was daft enough to believe the Daily Prophet and the minister of magic. I should have believed Harry and Professor Dumbledore. Severus always told me to never worry about it but one can't help but worry.
Professor Snape cut into my thoughts with an announcement, "Monday we will be testing your love potions and see if they do the trick." Everyone grunted and groaned. "If you prefer for me to fail you all, that can be arranged." Severus added. The room was engulfed in silence. The professor rolled his eyes, "You may go." Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, Gryffindors, and Slytherins all jumped from their seats. We were all eager for the weekend. Tomorrow was the first trip to Hogsmeade and we were all excited. Hermione promised to help me pick out stuff for my room and we decided to drag the boys along for the hell of it.
I, however, lost the glowing feeling of happiness thanks to Malfoy. I was eager to get away from him because in all honesty, he was starting to scare me. Maybe he really was a coldhearted snake but I had this gut feeling there was more to him. There has to be good in everyone. I just know it but I'm not willing to stick around and discover one of Draco's few good qualities.
"Jenna, let's go." Hermione urged. I through my messenger bag over my shoulder and followed her to the Gryffindor common room.
"Just read the Daily Prophet like your mother, why don't you? That'll tell you all you need to know." Harry shouted at Seamus Finnigan. "Don't have a go at my mother." Seamus snapped. "I'll have a go at anyone who calls me a liar," Harry retorted. "What's going on?" Ron came downstairs from the dormitories. Seamus glared at Harry before stalking out of the common room. "I didn't know we were going to see a show." I whispered to Hermione. "Neither did I. We should see what's wrong." She whispered back. I nodded my head and we approached the boys. Harry had his head in his hands. He must have heard us because his head jerked up, "What?" He spat. Hermione folded her arms and gave him a cross look. "We just wanted to know what was wrong, Harry. There's no need to be rude." His expression softened, "Sorry, it's just….Seamus thinks I'm lying. He believes the crap the Daily Prophet is feeding him." Hermione placed a hand on his back, "You can't listen to him. He doesn't know any better." He shrugged off her hand, "I know but it's hard to deal with." I kneeled in front of Harry and forced him to look me in the eyes. "Harry, there are going to be much harder things to deal with. You and I both know that but the reason why people are calling you a liar is because they're scared. They don't want to believe what you're saying. They don't want him to be back. They don't want a war." Harry's face held a small smile that lasted a millisecond. "Jenna, you're right but he keeps getting stronger and-" "Would you stop being so negative? Right now is the one time we have to be happy before," I took a deep breath, "Voldemort returns to full power. This is our last chance before everything is completely destroyed." Ron put a hand on my shoulder, "But, Jenna-" "But what, Ron? We're fifteen years old. We all may not make it through this war. We have to live now before it's too late and the chance is gone." Harry shrugged his shoulders, "I guess you're right." Ron's face looked a bit disgusted. "You guess," then he turned to me with a smile on his face, "Jenna, that's bloody brilliant! Finally, someone who's happy." I giggled at his cheeriness. He pulled me up to my full height and gave me a quick hug. I was a bit shocked by his sudden happiness and so were Harry and Hermione. I was not in any mind set to ruin his mood and neither was anyone else.
"What is she doing here?" A Gryffindor girl shrieked. I think her name was Lavender Brown, but I wasn't sure. "She's a Slytherin! She doesn't belong in here!" She continued in a rash manner. Her face was red with anger and her fists were clenched tight by her hips. "Lavender, she isn't a Slytherin. She doesn't exactly belong to a house." Ginny Weasley piped up. "Didn't you hear the sorting hat? Do you remember what it said?" Lavender screeched at the young red head. Ginny hung her head without muttering a word. "I guess I'll just have to refresh your memory. It said that her blood screams Slytherin," She folded her arms against her chest and plastered a smirk on her face. A boy around my age, maybe older, stood from the couch. He towered over Lavender and gave her a deadly look. "That's a load of rubbish! She isn't a Slytherin anymore than I am and I think you should keep your mouth shut, Lavender. She hasn't caused anyone any harm." I must admit, her face was priceless. It went from shocked, to angry, to embarrassed. "You're all mental," she stated before running up to the dormitories.
Everyone in the Gryffindor common room had a look of pure shock on their faces. Well, everyone except for me and the stranger that defended me. Ron walked up to the boy and clasped him on the back. "Good going, mate." The boy cleared his throat and just nodded his head. I walked up to him with a huge smile on my face. "Thank you very much….""Neville, Neville Longbottom." I put my hand out for him to shake which he pleasantly accepted.
I don't know how long we stood there shaking hands but it must have been quite some time if Hermione has to drag me away from him. "I, I uh, I should probably go to bed," Neville stuttered. "Oh, yes, well, goodnight, Neville." I sounded like a bloody nargle and I don't even know what a nargle is! Neville's face was tinted pink. "Goodnight, Jenna." Then he practically ran up the stairs. Great, I scared him away.
"Oh my," Hermione gasped. I looked at her quizzically, "What?" She burst out laughing. It was the "I'm laughing at you not with you kind of laughter", too. "What? Is there something on my face? Uniform? Shoes," I looked down at my feet, "nope, my shoes are fine. What's so funny?" Hermione took a couple deep breaths to calm herself. "You like Neville." I bit my lip and my cheeks were on fire. "I-I," I cleared my throat, "I just met him." Hermione poked me in the chest, "You fancy him!" I barely know him. I mean he is cute. His eyes are so- "Jenna, Neville is so sweet. You'll be such a cute pair. I hope there's a dance this year. Neville is such a good dancer!" I could feel my cheeks getting hotter and hotter. Hermione really needs an off button. "Well, we're gonna hit the hay. Night girls." Harry and Ron seemed extremely uncomfortable. Girl talk does that to boys. "Goodnight, boys," I said before Harry and Ron trudged up the stairs. I looked over at the clock above the fireplace, it was 9:45. I only had fifteen minutes to get to the Slytherin common room. "Oh, Hermione, I have to go!" She spun and checked the clock. "Go. Go," she exclaimed. I grabbed my messenger bag and sprinted out of the common room.