Chapter 2
Cara peered frantically into her cauldron. Damn, damn and double damn, she thought miserably. Why did she have to take this stupid class? She'd never pass her OWLs, her parents would disown her, she'd end up scrabbling in the streets because of one stupid potions grade…
Just then the soft shuffle of Professor Stone paused at her workspace. Cara hung her head. "You seem to be having difficulty, Miss McDouglas," her teacher said gently.
Cara wanted to cry. She'd been so excited last year when Professor Snape had handed her class, among others, over to Professor Stone to teach. She thought there was no way she could do worse with that terrifyingly greasy git gone. And here she was, with a potion that bubbled and boiled a deep purple, while everyone else had a calm, shimmery blue. Maybe it was Snape's dark presence hanging over the dungeons, making things scary even when he wasn't there. His office was a dark, black hole on the other side of the classroom, and for a moment Cara pictured all the horrible things that must go on in that room…
"I… I'm not sure," she started to try and dig herself out of her hole.
Professor Stone sighed, and Cara risked a glance up, worried. "Miss McDouglas, please see me after class," she said. "In the mean time, start again, and pay close attention to the quantity of ginger root you add." With a wave of her wand, the mess in Cara's cauldron vanished, and the teacher moved on.
Cara gulped and with shaking hands reached again for her supplies. "Hey," Ginny whispered from behind her. "Don't worry, you'll get it right this time."
Cara shook her head, still miserable. She hated this class. She didn't struggle with anything else, even Arithmancy was easy compared to Potions. No matter what she tried, she couldn't seem to get the potions quite right. She carefully leveled the teaspoon of ground pumice stone, and then barely remembered to double-check that it was the right amount before she dumped it into her cauldron. Sure enough, it was supposed to be a half-teaspoon.
It was an agonizing hour later before Cara found herself standing in front of Professor Stone's desk. She'd double-checked everything she measured, and still her potion had been the wrong color. At least this time, it had been a turquoise rather than purple. The woman looked at her with serious but kind eyes, and Cara swallowed. Oh boy. She was in trouble.
"Miss McDouglas, have you always had as much trouble with this class as you have in the time you've spent with me?" Professor Stone asked softly.
Cara examined a crack in the floor with great diligence. "Yes," she whispered. She was going to get kicked out of the class, she just knew it. And her parents would be furious and probably ground her, and then she wouldn't graduate and have to take to the streets…
"I see," her professor said, and tapped a quill against the desk. Cara jerked her mind out of the tragic future and back to the present. "In that case, Miss McDouglas, I have a proposition for you."
Cara felt a little more hopeful. Maybe expulsion wasn't in her future after all.
"I have another student who is struggling, just like you," Professor Stone said. "I would like to arrange a tutor for each of you, another student who is excelling at this subject."
"You're not going to expel me?" Cara said, relieved.
There was a snort from the direction of Professor Snape's dark office, and Cara gulped. He'd been in there the entire class? No wonder she'd screwed up the potion. He'd probably cursed the whole room.
Professor Stone just chuckled, her eyes smiling. "I'm your teacher, Miss McDouglas. It's my job to make sure you learn, not just punish you for having trouble." There was another snort, and Professor Stone rolled her eyes. "Thank you for your input, Severus," she called in a rather fakely sweet tone. "I'll be sure to return the favor the next time you see your third-year Hufflepuffs."
This time there was silence from the yawning black hole of an office, and Professor Stone smirked before looking back at Cara. Cara wondered briefly if there was any truth in the rumor that the two potions professors were, er, romantically involved. Because that was just gross.
"I'd like you to be here after dinner tonight," Professor Stone told her. "I'll introduce your tutor then. Provided you make progress with the person I select to help you, I believe you will have no further problems with this class."
"Thank you, Professor," Cara said, incredibly relieved. She'd graduate after all. Become a world-famous something-or-other. Marry someone rich and handsome and talented who doted on her and live in a beautiful home and…
Professor Stone was watching her, one eyebrow raised. "That's all, Miss McDouglas," she said, looking amused. "You may go."
Cara blushed. "Yes'm. Thank you," she said, as she dashed for the door. She had to get to Herbology before Sprout noticed she was gone. She thought she heard voices as she shut the classroom door behind her, and shuddered. She really hoped Professor Stone wasn't getting it on with Snape. That was just… ick.
Draco sat, relaxed and at ease in his seat and silently watched his cauldron bubble. So he was stuck once again with Potter as his partner. Professor Stone had announced the partners for the term, and he hadn't been terribly surprised to be paired with the Boy Wonder again. He would have preferred working alone, but it made Professor Stone happy to see them work together. So, for her, he would tolerate Potter.
Potter was currently reading over their scroll of instructions again, lips moving slightly and silently. Draco resisted the urge to snort. After working as a pair all of last term, you'd think the prat would have realized that he never made mistakes.
Keeping one eye on the bubbling mixture, he glanced about the room, other pairs in muted conversations about their own projects. Granger and Weasley were both working with other people, thanks to the good professor. He'd nearly laughed aloud at the look on Weasley's face when he'd been paired with Pansy. Granger had gotten Dean Thomas, and frankly, he pitted the other boy. Granger was currently ruling that pair with an iron fist.
"Oh, before I forget," Professor Stone said from the front of the room. "Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, Mr. Longbottom. I'd like to see you after class."
Draco frowned. About what? Maybe her research, he thought with a moment of rising hope. But no, that idiot Longbottom certainly wouldn't be trusted with the kind of delicate work that Professor Stone would need. Hell, the imbecile was currently butchering his and his partner's potion over in the far corner. Draco was just glad that his own work was too far away to be affected by the inevitable explosion. He glanced at the clock. It hadn't happened yet, but any minute now…
Sure enough, as he watched, Longbottom accidentally knocked a beaker full of cotton seeds into his and Finnegan's cauldron. Draco resisted the urge to duck as the contents promptly shot up toward the ceiling with a BANG.
Professor Stone sighed. "Please be careful," she said, standing and starting to make her slow way over to the pair, who were now covered in magenta gunk. At least this potion wasn't acidic, Draco thought. He didn't particularly want to listen to the Gryffindors howl.
His mind drifted a bit, even as he automatically checked and stirred his own cauldron. Professor Stone was limping over to the two boys, wand out, ready to clean them up. His eyes dropped to the leg he knew was weak, to her cane. He again felt a rush of guilt, a wave of misery. He'd done that to her, given her that injury. He knew Snape would never forgive him for it. He was unable to forgive himself. Sure, at the time he'd hated Professor Stone with a passion, but afterward… she'd saved him. Kept him in school and away from his father's wrath, fists and wand. She'd let him into her world of research and knowledge, led him down paths he'd never have found on his own. Held him when he'd cried over his father's death.
Draco shifted uncomfortably. He didn't like remembering the fact that he'd cried on her shoulder. Maybe it was the Malfoy in him, but he considered that kind of behavior beneath him under normal circumstances.
"It's done," Potter broke into his train of thought. Draco looked down to see that yes, their Regeneration Potion was the proper consistency and a light yellow color.
"Right," he said curtly, pulling back into himself. "I'll get the bottles." He rose from the table, glad to be away from the other boy. Sometimes, even though he didn't like to admit it, Potter saw more than he wanted. It wasn't a good time to be thinking about how much he owed Professor Stone, not when the Boy Wonder was sitting right next to him.
He selected a beaker and cast the Unbreakable Charm. He didn't want anyone getting that kind of information on him, he thought. Not if he wanted to keep everyone at bay.
Draco glanced over at Professor Stone as he made his way back to his workspace. She happened to look up from where she was supervising Longbottom chopping dandelion root, and gave him an encouraging smile. He felt something soften, even as he averted his eyes back to the beaker in his hand. Perhaps everyone but Professor Stone. Because she actually seemed to care.
The potions were done, bottled and labeled as the class filed out of the room. Draco remained in his seat, lazily sprawled behind the well-scrubbed table. Time to find out what Professor Stone wanted. Granger was hovering by Professor Stone's desk, and Longbottom was shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably behind her. Draco resisted the urge to sneer. Pathetic, the two of them.
Professor Stone came limping back out of her office with a smile. "Ah, good. Mr. Longbottom, you first," she said. The other boy's face became even more nervous as she sank into her desk chair.
"Don't worry," she said with a comforting look. "I know you're struggling in this class, Neville," she said. Draco resisted the urge to laugh. That was a really nice way of putting it, he thought sardonically. "In order to help you maintain a grade and pass this course, I would like to arrange for you to have a tutor." Draco got a sinking feeling, and he sat forward in his chair. She wouldn't…
Professor Stone looked at himself and Granger and gave another smile. "Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy, I would like the two of you to serve as tutors." Bloody hell, Draco thought. He could not picture anything worse than being forced to tutor that incompetent nitwit. "Miss Granger," Professor Stone looked at her, "if you would be agreeable, you would tutor Mr. Longbottom. I will add that yourself and Mr. Malfoy would be receiving extra credit for this course, and the opportunity to do independent work in preparation for your NEWT exams next year."
Draco was reluctantly intrigued. Independent work? He could try brewing a Nerve-Deadening Potion, like he'd been itching to do all summer…
Professor Stone was looking at him now. "Mr. Malfoy, I have a fifth-year student who you would be working with," she told him. "Cara McDouglas."
The name wasn't familiar to Draco, which told him the girl was probably yet another Gryffindor. He grimaced, not bothering to hide his expression. Could he put up with a dimwitted Gryffindor for the chance to do his own work…?
Granger was already babbling about how she'd be delighted, blah blah blah. She'd do anything that got her extra marks, he thought with derision. She didn't care about potions, she cared about grades.
"I'll do it," he said coolly, cutting through Grangers chatter and shutting her up, he was glad to see. "Provided this McDouglas is teachable."
Professor Stone lifted one eyebrow at him, and as her dark eyes met his, he felt guilt begin to simmer under his skin. She was the only one who could do that to him. She'd not given up on him, even when he'd deserved it. "I assure you, Miss McDouglas is quite bright," she said in a gently reproving tone that he felt all the way through. He kept his face straight with an effort. "She, like Mr. Longbottom, merely needs one-on-one attention from someone competent enough to help."
"You two will be responsible for ensuring your charges improve over the course of the year," she continued, drawing her attention back to Granger as well. "I expect regular reports from each of you, and clear, fair assessments of their progress."
It wouldn't be fun, Draco thought, shaking off the feeling of light guilt from a moment before, but the rewards... His lips curved just a bit. The rewards could be great.
"Not to worry, Professor," he drawled, standing and gathering his things. It was nearly dinnertime.
"Good," Professor Stone said, a smile in her voice and her eyes that briefly made Draco wonder suspiciously. He hoped she wasn't trying to do-good him some more. Because he seemed to be unable to stop her or say no whenever she did, no matter how much he hated it. "I have asked Miss McDouglas to be here after dinner, you may meet her and arrange times to work together then. All of you are welcome to use this classroom when there are not classes in session."
Granger turned to Longbottom at that point and started discussing schedules, even as the other boy was backing toward the door and, Draco guessed, dinner. Draco rolled his eyes. Moron, the lot of them. He'd yet to meet a Gryffindor he'd truly liked.
"Draco," Professor Stone said as he was about to follow. He turned back to face her.
"Yes, Professor?" he said. She was sitting, straight and tall in her chair, no sign of her physical weakness shining in those bright, brilliant eyes.
"I'm very glad you're going to do this," she said with a smile. "I think you'll find the chance to do your own work quite enjoyable." Draco thought of the Nerve-Deadening Potion and resisted the urge to smile. "In addition, I wanted to tell you that Professor Snape and I will be working on a new antidote on the weekends, and you are welcome to assist."
Draco couldn't keep the eagerness off his face, not even if he wanted to. And with her, he didn't have to try. "Saturday, ma'am? In the morning?"
"Ten a.m., Mr. Malfoy," she said with a smile, a big bright one that made him light up inside. She cared, he thought again. In all his life, no one had ever truly cared. Not until her. It didn't matter, anything else. Just knowing someone cared whether he lived or died made a difference to him, somehow.
He swallowed a little. "I'll be here, ma'am," he said.
She beamed. "Right then. Off to dinner, and I'll see you afterward," she said. Draco gave a nod that was a little tight, and then slipped from the room. He shivered a bit as he made his way slowly to the Great Hall. It was odd, this feeling. He'd had a bit of a crush on Professor Stone last year, but this… this was different. It wasn't romantic, not at all. He knew Snape had that angle covered. It was… grateful. Hungry and needy and so bloody grateful.
He'd never repay his debt to her, he thought as he entered the Great Hall and took his customary place toward the end of the Slytherin table. On so many levels, in so many ways. And then the food appeared and he put the thoughts out of his mind. Dwelling was a weakness, and not one he wanted to exhibit. He reached for a roll instead, focusing on the task at hand. Dinner, and then meet his new student.