Chapter 3- More mishaps
"Hi Mum. Going out to play Quidditch in the marsh. I'll be back later," I spoke, clutching my Nimbus 2001.
"Wait, wait Draco." I stopped and looked back. "I want you to go water my plants in the greenhouse first." I sighed.
"Ok, Mum." I grabbed a bucket and watering can. I headed out hearing a faint "thank you dear" on my way to the green house. I set my Nimbus 2001 outside the greenhouse and grabbed some gloves off their hook outside the greenhouse. I took care of the easier plants first like dittany and aconite. I worked my way down the rows, feeding and watering all the plants except the dried nettles, which of course aren't supposed to be watered. After a half-hour I finished watering the wormwood and wolf bane and sprinted out of the greenhouse. I hung the gloves up and picked up my Nimbus. Hopefully, Crabbe had not left the marsh.
I reached the marsh a few minutes later, out of breath.
"Mum…plants…" was all I could get out. Crabbe understood.
"That's alright. What do you want to start with?"
"Just race me a lap" I told him getting on my broom. He nodded as he mounted his. We pushed off and the wind took over. It was lovely up in the air. My father wouldn't get on a broom if his life depended on it, but for me it's like therapy. I love racing and Quidditch and even Quad pot (American game).
Crabbe jumped of his broom and took a hold of the Quaffle. We passed that around for a few minutes before moving on. The next position required us grabbing a bat and knocking a ball as far away from ourselves as possible. I like the position of beater because you can really get your anger out, and I needed to. You can take out all aggressive action. Needless to say we spent quite a while "practicing" this position before moving on to being a Seeker. We couldn't play position of Keeper cause we didn't have a hoop so we went to my personal favorite. Crabbe let out the Snitch and I was after it. It only took my a few minutes before I had caught it. Feeling fully exhausted with half the day over and yearning for food we decided to call it a day. We started to head back and then finally went our separate ways.
I came home to my mum talking to someone. It wasn't my father because he was at work. It didn't sound like she was talking to one of the house elves. I decided to walk toward the noise. It came from the parlor and sounded like laughing. When was the last time I heard mum laughing? Quite a while. I found a man talking to my Mum on the couch. I recognized the man instantly. He smiled back and asked, almost lazily,
"How's your summer going?" Just as lazily I answered him.
"I dunno. It just started and I still am seeing visions of my Professor." We all laughed, even the dark-haired man known as Severus Snape. "What are you doing here?" I wanted to know.
"Your Mum is nice enough to let me use some ingredients in her greenhouse for a potion I'm making." He paused a moment then, almost sarcastically, answered, "Very difficult." I smiled. It seemed he could do anything. I looked at my Mum. She was smiling. For a moment everything felt whole. I think they sensed it as well. We sat there for a minute, quietly observing each other's smiles. Then it was broken my Mum.
"Would you like some tea, Severus?" she asked my professor.
"No, thank you," he replied. "I should be going before Lucius gets home, don't you think?" I nodded reverently. If father came home right now it would be most unpleasant.
"Well, then you can help yourself to any ingredient you need although some might not be ready. Draco can show you to the greenhouse, won't you dear?" my Mum inquired. I nodded and started to head out to the back. Professor Snape thanked my Mum and kissed her on the cheek before he would follow me.
Out in the greenhouse my professor and I were alone. I had given him the pair of gloves before we entered. Snape's eyes grew a bit as we walked in. He was always impressed with my Mum's plants.
"What ingredients do you need?" I wanted to know. Professor Snape pulled out a small roll of parchment and answered me.
"Wolfsbane, St. John's Wort, Asphodel, Shrivelfig….Bicorn horn, which I can pick up at an Apothecary's, and, ah yes knotgrass." We started to walk down a row of plants.
"Sounds like an interesting potion. Are these all the ingredients for the potion?" I asked, pointing to St. John's Wort.
"No, merely the ones in season. I'll go to an apothecary for the rest. Either that or wait seven months." He gave a quick, dry laugh that stopped quicker than it had started. While looking for some good leaves on the Asphodel Professor Snape asked a very off-topic question.
"So, are you dating anyone?" he asked with an eyebrow raised.
"No!" I quickly argued; so quick it probably sounded like I took offense. Snape just smiled.
"No one you fancy?" he inquired while taking a few leaves off the asphodel. I began to contradict him, but no words came out. What about Cho Chang? Snape could tell that I was stalling. "Mm, hmm…" was all he could say, for a while.
"Well, not necessarily 'fancy'…" I tried to use as an excuse.
"I see. Is she Slytherin?" We were walking up another row. I shook my head.
"…Ravenclaw…"
"Ah, ha!! Could she possibly play Quidditch as the position of seeker?" Was it that obvious?! When I didn't answer Snape smiled to himself. It was a few seconds before he replied, more to himself than I, "Not bad. I mostly like Slytherins myself…" Nothing more was said as Snape gathered the rest of the ingredients and made his way for the greenhouse door. I stopped him. Snape turned around with dark eyes. I was almost afraid to ask, but I had to.
"Professor Snape, I-I don't want you to tell anyone that I like…her, ok?" The corner of Snape's mouth rose a bit.
"Who would I tell? And call me Severus. We aren't at Hogwarts, Draco." I hesitated. He sounded sincere. He handed me the gloves. "Take care." And he disapparated. Who could Snape tell? A teacher? They wouldn't care. Cho? Maybe, but not likely. Potter? No, he wouldn't want to give him the privilege of trying to blackmail me. I could trust Snape. But he doesn't like father. I tried to push this out of my head as I went up to my room. There was a note on my desk. Goyle had written back…but, the address, my name, was in…cursive. Who do I know that writes in cursive? I decided there was no use in wasting any more time on questions and seized the letter to open it. I stared at my name on the front. It looked…beautiful, suave. I smiled at the thought of myself in a tuxedo, kissing a woman's hand and telling her my name. 'My name's Malfoy. Draco Malfoy.' I opened the letter and was shocked at the name at the bottom. It was from Cho.