The next day their first class was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry immediately noticed that the brunette Slytherin girl wasn't sat next to Malfoy as she normally was. She was next to Neville, which was even weirder than anything else. Even Neville seemed a bit nervous to be next to her.
Snape gave a speech about the Dark Arts. Harry didn't like it. He showed them images of how people ended up after certain curses and jinxes. The last one showed how someone ended after the Cruciatus curse. He noticed how both, Neville and Jade looked down and seemed uncomfortable with it.
Neville still remembered that Jade's boggart was her own father casting Crucio on her, he glanced at her quickly and noticed she wasn't looking at Snape or the picture, but at her desk, and she was biting her bottom lip.
"You will now divide into pairs," Snape said. They were practicing non-verbal spells.
Harry was with Ron, and somehow Jade ended up with Pansy. The ugly girl smirked but Jade actually looked bored.
Pansy tried and tried but nothing was happening. Then as many others, Pansy whispered the jinx, being tired of not being able to accomplish anything. Jade didn't move at all and Harry could see Jade didn't even move her lips, not to defend herself nor attack Pansy.
Pansy, tried again and again, her voice getting louder each time, but none of her spells were doing any harm to Jade. She seemed like she was doing absolutely nothing. Then Pansy actually yelled, earning everyone's attention but Jade was still unharmed and without having to mutter a single word.
Then before Pansy could shoot another jinx, she was thrown back and her back hit the wall. She fell on the floor unconscious.
"Twenty points to Slytherin," Snape said proudly. "Now that's an example of non-verbal spells."
Harry didn't know Jade was capable of it. She never mentioned it and while they practiced for the D.A. she never did something like that. But now that he thought about it, when she jinxed Pansy in the train, Harry didn't remember seeing Jade moving her lips, just her hand.
"Pathetic Weasley," Snape said, approaching them. "Let me show you."
Jade wasn't sure what had happened a few seconds later, only that Snape had hit a desk and was on the floor. He scowled as he stood up.
"Do you remember we are practicing nonverbal spells, Potter?"
"Yes."
"Yes, sir."
"There's no need to call me 'sir,' Professor."
Jade gasped and her eyes got twice as big. Ron, Dean and Seamus were grinning. The rest of the class was shocked.
"Detention. I do not take cheek from anyone, Potter. Not even from the Chosen One."
After lunch Jade went to Potions, the classroom was so empty though as many students hadn't gotten the grades to continue with the class. Jade could count five Slytherins including herself, four Ravenclaws, one Hufflepuff and four Gryffindors.
The four Slytherins took a table, the four Ravenclaws another. Jade smiled at Ron and Harry as she took a seat between them. Granger, the other Gryffindor and the Hufflepuff, Ernie McMillan took another one.
"I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at. You should do this kind of potions after completing your N.E.W.T.s. Anyone tell me what this one is? And what it does?" Slughorn asked, pointing to the cauldron closer to the Slytherins.
Jade and Granger raised their hands at the same time. Having heard of Jade and being from Slytherin, Slughorn chose Jade.
"It's Veritaserum, Professor," Jade said. "It forces someone to tell the truth. It's colourless and odorless so the person won't ever know they are drinking it."
"Very good, now," he said. "What about this one?"
This time three people raised their hands. The same two girls and Harry. Slughorn chose Harry this time.
"It's Polyjuice Potion, sir," Harry said and explained what it did.
"Excellent! Now, this one here?" Slughorn asked, pointing at the cauldron closest to Harry, Ron and Jade. This time Slughorn had to pick Granger.
"Amortentia. It's the most powerful love potion in the world."
"You want some of that, don't you, Granger?" Jade joked making all of the students laugh.
"Now, now," Slughorn said, trying to regain order. "Amortentia doesn't really create love. It'd be impossible. But it does create powerful infatuation or obsession. It's probably the most dangerous and powerful potion in the room." Malfoy and Nott looked skeptical, Slughorn noticed. "When you have seen as much as I have, you will not underestimate the power of obsessive love."
Then Ernie asked about a fourth cauldrom. Slughorn smiled. "Well, that potion is called Felix Felicis. Who knows what it does? Oh yes, Miss Lias?"
"Basically it makes you lucky for a few hours."
"Correct, ten points to Slytherin," Slughorn said and now it seemed like every student was paying attention. "Very tricky to make, disastrous to get wrong."
"Why don't people drink it all the time?" A Ravenclaw asked.
"If taken in excess, it causes giddiness, recklessness and dangerous overconfidence. It's highly toxic in large quantities," Slughorn said. "And that... is what I shall be offering as a prize in this lesson, one tiny bottle of Felix Felicis. Enough for twelve hours' luck. You'll be lucky in everything you attempt."
The challenge was to make a Draught of Living Death potion. The one with the best potion was winning 'luck'.
"Avoiding Malfoy?" Harry asked as he opened his book, which he found that the last owner had scribbled on.
"No."
"You sat next to Neville earlier," Ron said joining in after he got the ingredients he needed. "And now with us. It's quite obvious."
"That table was already full," Jade said in a casual tone as she started to cut her ingredients.
"So? You are Jade Lias. You can tell anyone to stand up and go somewhere else," Ron told her.
"I'm not like that anymore," Jade said coldly. It was obvious she didn't want to discuss that any longer.
For the following hour Jade concentrated on her potion and avoided Ron's questions, pretending she didn't hear him. What Ron and Harry did notice but Jade didn't was that Draco kept looking at Jade from time to time. They noticed Jade's back was facing Draco and they suspected that was on purpose, not even once she glanced at Draco.
"Time!"
Jade knew her potion wasn't acceptable. Still wasn't as pale as it should and she didn't get to finish it. But what she didn't expect was Harry to have the best potion and winning the little bottle of liquid luck, she was happy Granger didn't win it though.
While Harry and Ron went to their common room, Jade went to her dorm. There she saw a pile of still untouched sweets. They were her favourtes. They were there when she woke up and she hadn't even touched them to move them and she had casted a spell so no one could touch them, especially Pansy.
She knew they were from Draco, there was no card but she knew. He was trying to apologize but Jade was too proud to touch them even though she really wanted one.
It was after dinner in the common room when Draco finally attempted to speak to her but Jade closed her Defense Against the Dark Arts book and hurried up the stairs.
"Jade! Jade!"
For the rest of the week, Draco tried to talk to her at least once a day but Jade would either go up to the girls dorm where he couldn't go, or go with Harry and Ron, knowing Draco wouldn't talk to her while she was with them, or walk into the girls bathroom.
One thing was being a brat and another was allowing Pansy to flirt with him and even talking crap of Cassius against her. It wasn't Cassius' fault they were supposed to get married.
Jade was going to potions one day, Harry, Ron and Granger were just steps away from her when she heard Granger's thoughts. The first time it had happened that year. She hadn't tried to listen to anyone or even closed her mind as she hadn't had to.
Granger was thinking Harry was wrong and shouldn't keep following the book's scribbled notes as it could be dangerous and she also considered it to be cheating. Jade had to admit Harry had been the best in Potions the whole week. Ron and Jade had tried to follow those notes instead of the books instructions but the handwriting was hard to read and Jade lost a lot of time and she didn't want Slughorn to think something was going on if the three potions were exactly the same.
"Look," Harry said to Ron and Jade. "He also wrote spells not concerning potions. I think he created them. Jade... any idea who could be the Half-Blood Prince?"
"No. Maybe an actual prince came to Hogwarts, I'll do some research if you want."
"Sure, anyway, I should be going. My lesson with Dumbledore, you know?" Harry said as he left Ron and Jade alone.
"Jade... I remember when we started talking in fourth year, you told me that you liked someone."
"So? Everyone has a crush, don't they? I bet you do."
"Is your crush Malfoy?"
"What?" Jade asked shocked. "No!"
"I shouldn't be telling you this, but we know... that he is your boyfriend and to be honest I think there are several guys who are better than him."
"We? Who is we?"
"Harry and I. But honestly Jade, I can see why you like him and all but he is a jerk and he doesn't deserve you."
"Thanks, Ron," Jade said sarcastically.
"His father is in Azkaban..."
"And so is my brother."
"Sorry," Ron said quickly. "I know the Perseus situation but maybe you should look other options..."
"Yeah, like who? Do I even have options, Ron?"
"There are so many... I heard Neville got a crush on you after you helped him in the D.A. meetings and..." Jade only raised her eyebrow, feeling unimpressed by the information. "And I don't know... maybe Harry?"
"Harry? Have you lost your mind? I don't like Harry and I'm sure he doesn't like me," Jade told him. "Besides, even if I liked him I wouldn't date him."
"Why?"
"Besides the point that I'd be dead if my family finds out..."
"They already sort of did find out when you pretended to date him and you are still alive..."
"Anyway... he is too famous. Everyone would be asking me about him and our relationship and I don't like that. I like my privacy, you know? Anyway, I better go. Bye Ron."
The next Saturday, Jade held Quidditch try-outs. Travis' younger brother Timothy, got keeper. But still she wasn't satisfied with the chasers. Draco, who was the only one who had a brain in the team besides Jade, recommended a fifth year guy but Jade ignored him completely.
Jade told the best ones to show up the following day as she still couldn't make a decision. To be honest, no one was as good as her brother and no one would understand her kind of game as Graham did. Lewis was alright but he was gone too now.
"Jade, look I just wanted to apologize," Draco said, taking the chance to talk to Jade. He had tried and even sent her more gifts but Jade hadn't even looked at him and kept avoiding him. "I was an idiot, okay."
"You got that right," Jade said as she stood up and started to walk away.
"Just so you know, I've told Pansy to stay away from me," Draco said as he jogged to catch up with her. "I haven't spoken to her since the train and well... when I told her to leave me alone."
"Okay."
"Please, Jade. I'm sorry. All I said was uncalled for and I would take it back if I could."
"But you can't."
"I know... But I've got an explanation... but I can't tell you."
"Right," Jade scoffed.
"It's true, Jade. I really can't tell you," Draco then grabbed her elbow and stopped her. Jade jerked her arm and tried to keep walking but Draco didn't let her. "Look, I know you sort of broke up with me... you didn't say it but I know you did... and I'm not asking you to take me back."
Okay, that did hurt.
"Believe me, it's better for you if you aren't with me. Cassius can offer you so much more than I can and apparently he is a better person than I could ever be despite what he did. So, I'm not asking you to forgive me and be my girlfriend again, even though I would want that," Draco told her. "What I'm doing here is apologizing and trying not to lose my best friend."
"Why do you always have to bring Cass into our arguments?" Jade yelled, finally losing her temper. "Seriously, Draco! And what do you think? That with some lame gifts and a pathetic excuse I'm just going to forgive you? And without a bloody explanation! You know me better than that! Let me tell you something, I don't care if you fell out of love or started liking someone else or whatever but that doesn't give you the right to say all the things you said to me and the way you acted... Friends don't do such things."
"I know."
"Why do you expect me to just forgive you and pretend nothing happened?"
"Because our friendship must count for something," Draco whispered sadly. "I don't want to lose you, Jade."
"Well, should have thought about that before saying all those things."
Jade cried once she made it to her dorm. Breaking up was one thing that had to happen sooner or later due to the circumstances but losing Draco altogether... that did hurt as if he had died. She knew she had the power to forgive him but she couldn't allow someone to treat her that way and especially, without an explanation.
The following day, still not satisfied, Jade chose a fourth year guy who seemed to be really fast and with good aim, his name was Walter or something like that and she eventually picked a seventh year too. He wasn't as good as Walter but was better than all the other people.
I don't even know how long I've taken to update but here it is guys!
What do you think of Draco and Jade fighting?
