Disclaimer: I own nothing except my characters.
Note: I know there aren't a lot of people reading this but I want to thank those of you who are, it means a lot to me and I'd surely welcome your comments. Here's another chapter, mainly filled with how weird Burnner is getting and how Draco is clearly trying to be mean to make up for everything else.
25: Annoyances and Tempers
"I wonder what her problem is this morning" I said to Melinda as we started down the hall. I wasn't too surprised to see her look annoyed.
"I knew you shouldn't have told Professor Barrass anything" she grumbled as we got far enough away to stop.
"Because he told his girlfriend? C'mon, who cares what she said" I said waving a hand back in the opposite direction. "Though I am kinda curious what exactly happened to her sister, she just left, do you think she got kicked out or something?" I asked, truly wondering what happened and no longer concerned about Burnner's attitude.
"Probably got tired of Madame Burnner" Melinda grumbled again as she stopped in front of her History of Magic class.
"Seriously, don't worry about what she said, she's an idiot; except the Weasley part, let's hope they're loyal" I said with a little sigh before looking down at my bag. "Alright, well, I have Potions, I'll wave at Draco for you" I said in attempts to make Melinda feel better but she was just looking off.
"Yeah" she said as a few other girls approached her.
"See ya" I said with a wave as I started off toward my own class.
It wasn't until I got closer to the Dungeon did I notice someone waiting. At first I assumed it to be Professor Snape but the person looked too young, and then I had the terrible thought it might be Burnner but it wasn't female. It wasn't any Professor but rather a student. I relaxed as I started moving again, but slowed down when I realized the color of their tie wasn't red and gold. I was too late to keep walking pass by time I realized it was Draco. "What on earth took you soon long? You didn't lose the map Hennings made for you already, did you?" he asked, all I could do was shake my head; he had been ignoring me since the Quidditch game and now here he was standing out waiting for me.
"You remember the map?" I asked watching him blush for a moment.
"Just c'mon" he replied turning and walking into the classroom, and then he led me over to a lone desk, his bag already on it. I looked around; it was closer to the Slytherin side. I shouldn't have been surprised this would be how Draco would get my attention.
"Thanks" I said not knowing what else to say as we sat on our stools. "Lovely weather eh?" I said with a half-smile as he wrinkled his nose and looked at me. "Just trying to make conversation…" I added with a frown as the door opened and Professor Snape walked in.
"Wands away, books open, page fifty-seven, instructions will be on the board" he said with a wave of his wand. "I warn you all to take note, this isn't a simple potion" he said as he sat at his desk, head buried in his notes.
"How are you?" Draco asked as I pulled my cauldron closer to desk so I could slide the ingredients in easier.
"Er, good I suppose…" I replied, a little startled by Draco's formality. "How are you?" I asked as he shrugged.
"Would be better if everyone wasn't walking around mumbling about a Malfoy dating a Weasley" he answered with another shrug, his voice still causal as if he was answering my question about the weather.
"As I said before, it's too bad what you think" I reminded him but he only snorted. "I'll have you know, I can—"
"Miss. Allen and Mr. Malfoy, is there an urgent matter you're trying to address?" Professor Snape asked as we both instantly stopped talking.
"No sir, I was just instructing Tammie on the right way to do something" Draco replied with a small glare in my direction which I gladly returned.
"Please lower your voices before I do it for you" Snape said barely changing his glum expression to annoyed.
"Yes sir" I said quickly hoping to not even give him enough time to realize he hadn't taken away house points.
"What I'm saying is…" Draco started, looking quickly over at Snape who was back to being preoccupied with his papers.
"The same thing you said last time Draco, I know, Malfoys have standards, I don't date a Weasley; you're pathetic and I'll very well do whatever I want" I snapped at him before turning back to my measuring.
"Yes, you've proven that, what I'm saying is you don't understand how big of a spectacle you're making of yourself and you have no clue how much damage this will do back home" he hissed as he poured his contents into his cauldron.
"I don't care, I don't have to be there, I'm sure the Weasleys will be happy to let me stay with them" I told him but he just half laughed, half snorted.
"And what are they gonna do, stick you in a cupboard under the stairs?" he asked with another laugh.
"I'm sure if they put us there we'll find a way to make it look homey" I said sarcastically as I pretended the comment didn't bother me. Where would Mrs. Weasley put the guest if we all stayed over?
"Us? we? Who else is planning on staying in that—what they call a house?" Draco snickered.
"Melinda…" I said in a matter of fact tone as I started stirring my potion.
"Do you two do everything together?" he asked with a roll of the eyes. I would've smiled and laughed at his hidden annoyance from never getting the chance to get her alone but I was still angry with him, and if he had really wanted to spend time with Melinda nothing was really stopping him.
"Only if it involves transportation" I joked but Draco remained expressionless. "I'm sure Mrs. Weasley would've invited her over even if she wasn't dating George" I said with a shrug. I heard Draco's wand fall to the floor with a little noise, not many heads down but when he turned to pick it up his face was beat red.
"She's dating a Weasley too?" he asked, his face screwed up as I nodded. "But when?" he asked looking around as if Melinda or George—or both—would pop up.
"It's none of your business" I replied realizing I had spoken too soon. If Draco was interested in Melinda, I had indirectly signed the end of their relationship. I didn't know much about Draco, but generally what he wanted he got. "She's happy" I simply trying to refocus myself.
"Has she said that?" he asked looking more than annoyed.
"She doesn't have to, I can tell, she looks happy and she likes him" I said glancing over at Draco who just kept making faces.
"I don't think you understand—"
"No, you don't understand, if two people are happy together you let them be together" I interrupted feeling annoyance bubble inside of me.
"They don't belong together, just like you and Fred, do you think my family is even happy that you're friends with a Muggle—Hennings?" he asked, his face draining of most color. I had every intention to beat him with the hot wooden spoon sitting my cauldron but Professor Snape had rounded on us.
"Is there a problem over here?" he asked dryly looking from me to Draco.
"No" we both replied though I didn't bother looking up at Snape or over at Draco. It was another few seconds before Snape went ahead and moved on.
"I'm sorry you don't approve of my friends or relationship, but that's too bad Draco, just because we're unfortunately family doesn't mean you get start demanding what I do with myself for the sake of your family" I hissed before moving my stool further away from him.
It took all my energy to focus on class and not Draco or the dirty looks I was getting from Pansy. Didn't she understand cousins fought? Didn't she realize it was Draco who started it? I shook my head, of course she probably knew that, probably knew about George and Melinda too. Why hadn't she told Draco? I nearly smacked my forehead remembering she liked him. Great. Draco had absolutely no interest in her but liked his cousin's friend. I sighed; first Madame Burnner, now Draco, today wasn't going in a good direction for the Gryffindors.
"Longbotton, I said two ounces of hog's blood, not three, how thick can you be to not even look at the instructions before you continue?" I heard Snape shouting across the room at Neville who looked like he was going to faint.
"S—sorry sir" he mumbled out as Snape cleared the contents on his caldron before telling him to do it again.
"And five points from Gryffindor" he added before sitting back at his desk. Definitely not a good direction. I thought to myself as I concentrated even harder on at least finishing my potion.
Finally, class ended and I successfully brewed Antidote to Common Poisons before starting to bring it up the front, the line already back toward the door. "Give me" Draco said walking up next to me.
"Why, so you can just bombard your way through the crowd, no thanks, I'll wait my turn" I said turning away from him.
"Look," he started glancing around before leaning closer. "I'm sorry…" he said in a near whisper, a hint of true apology flashing across his face. "I shouldn't have been so mean" he added.
"You shouldn't have said it" I snorted back to which he sucked in air.
"Can't you just accept my apology?" he hissed.
"No, because you still meant what you said" I told him.
"And soon you'll know why" he mumbled before snatching my potion from me and pushing his way to the front. I shook my head and stormed back to my table, attempting to stuff everything in at once before storming out of the room where, as I expected, all my things fell out of the bag. "Oh for Merlin's sake!" I exclaimed as I kneeled down to start putting things back.
"Bad morning?" a voice said handing me my notebook. I would've been happier if it were Professor Barrass, at least then I could try and read his expressions and try and figure what was going on with him, but instead I was faced with Oliver Wood.
"It's either a bad morning or a normal morning" I replied taking another notebook from him as he screwed the top back my ink bottle before handing it over. "Thanks" I grumbled.
"You alright?" he asked. I simply nodded my head as he rolled back up one of my assignments and handed that over too.
"Fine Wood" I said standing up as he did it. "I'm just fine" I said with a shrug as I tried my hardest to avoid eye contact but it lasted all but several seconds because Oliver was still looking at me. "I'm sorry, I'm just tired and things are really confusing and it's hard trying to piece them all together" I told him.
"I'm sure things will pick up" he said cheerfully.
"Yeah, I'm sure they will too, it's just…" I trialed off, I didn't want to talk to Oliver, at least not about personal problems. If he was settled on being friends I would, but there was something about his tone and sincerity that suggested he was, like he said, still waiting.
"You can tell me" he said quietly.
"I know, but I don't wanna bother you with it" I said as I glanced around, happy to see students spilling out from various classrooms.
"You're not a bother, trust me" he said with a little smile. I forced myself to smile back as I buckled my bag together. "Listen, I wanted to talk to you—"
"There you are, ready for lunch?" Fred asked, practically pushing Oliver out of the way as he came over to make a drastic and completely unnecessary scene of greeting me. "Oh hey Wood, what are you doing over here?" he asked. I half glared at Fred; didn't he know how karma worked? I asked myself as I looked back at Oliver who kind of just nodded before walking off.