Rain

Chapter Twenty-One:

Potions Tutor

Dorothy yawned a little as she tapped her wand against the desk. She was sitting in the potion's classroom, after arriving a little too early, and waiting for everybody else to arrive, including the professor. She glanced down at the perfect ring on her pale finger and smiled inwardly as she waited. After waiting for about ten minutes, she rested her head on her desk and closed her eyes, drowsily.

She was half-sleep when she felt a wand poking her in the back of the neck. Startled, she jumped and nearly fell of her seat. Luckily an arm extended and caught her just before her bottom slipped off. She opened her eyes a little and saw gray eyes peering into her blue ones and that familiar smirk.

"Gods, Draco!! I thought someone was behind me about to curse the living daylights out of me," she said with an irritated voice. He helped her sit up and she grabbed her chest like she was having a heart attack.

Suddenly the door behind them opened and Professor Snape came striding in. Draco shot up and put on his usual evil smirk again so as not to look too suspicious. Snape looked at him for a moment and then continued to his desk. He flicked his wand and clacked it against the blackboard behind him. Instantly the instructions appeared and Dorothy began to get a quill, some parchment, and a new ink bottle. She dipped her quill into the ink and began taking the notes down. Draco carried his bag over to a nearby desk and did the same.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione all arrived soon after. Hermione sat next to Dorothy while Harry and Ron sat behind them. Seeing the notes on the board, the boys groaned and Hermione simply got out her supplies. When Dorothy finished taking her notes, she read them over thoroughly, seeing a few things she didn't understand. She leaned over to Hermione and asked the brunette to explain them. By this time most of the students had filed in and begun taking notes.

"Agel!" said Snape suddenly, seeing Dorothy whispering to Hermione. "Is there, perhaps, something you wish to share with the class?"

"Er—no, professor," she said, honestly, scanning her notes once more. "I was just asking Hermione to explain a few things in the notes to me."

"If you need help, you raise your hand and ask me, not your neighbor," hissed Snape, stomping over to her and snatching up her notes.

Dorothy pointed out the few spots on the paper that she didn't understand and Snape "explained" them to her. He used many harsh words and sometimes made the explanations more complicated than what she was already confused about. When he was finished telling her about the notes, she continued to stare at him, puzzled. He rubbed his temple as if he were getting annoyed and then turned toward Draco.

"Mr. Malfoy," he said, making Draco look up from his own notes. "Please, explain the notes to Ms. Agel. She's frustrating me with her ignorance." Some of the Slytherins laughed and Dorothy's face reddened with embarrassment and a little anger.

Draco stood up without hesitation and then approached Dorothy, leaning over her shoulder to explain the notes to her. She could only just keep a straight face but comprehension was dawning in her pale blue eyes. She nodded a couple times as he continued to whisper in her ear. His finger ran over her parchment, pointing at certain aspects describing the potion they were about to make. When he was done explaining he inconspicuously brushed his lips against her cheek and left.

When the whole class had finished taking notes, Dorothy retrieved her potions ingredients from her bag and set them down on the desk. She read over the notes once more and began following the instructions as best as she could, though sometimes looking a little confused at the parchment once more. Eventually she finished the instruction but stared, irritably at the pink potion before her. Pink!! It was supposed to be gray! Not pink! She rubbed her head a little and watched apprehensively as Snape drew nearer to her cauldron. When he reached it and gazed down into the pink goop, the look on his face made Dorothy recoil.

"Ms. Agel! I told you to add the newt's leg after the crushed beetle! What an atrocious color!" Snape snapped, scooping some of the disgusting liquid up in a ladle and letting it pour gently back into the cauldron. "10 points from Gryffindor. Your grades have been diminishing of late. Maybe I should assign a tutor. Ah yes. Since you did explain the notes to her, Mr. Malfoy, I'll appoint you her tutor. Set up a time to meet. I expect better from you next class, Ms. Agel. Class is dismissed."

Dorothy waited for Draco after class, standing outside the potion's classroom. Her face was still a little red from the embarrassment but it turned back into its usual pale color when Draco appeared from the doorway, last to leave the class. He smirked at her and then turned to speak.

"So where should we meet up to begin our tutoring?" he asked, adjusting his weight from one leg to another. "How about at the library on Saturday at 7:00 AM?"

"That's fine with me. I usually wake up earlier than that anyway, if you haven't noticed," she replied with a small smile.

"Where's you're next class?" he asked, following her to the entrance of the dungeons.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts, I think," she answered, pushing the door leading to the front hall open.

"Okay. See you at Care of Magical Creatures?"

"I guess. Just, play nice with the professors today, okay?" she asked, putting one foot on the stairs and looking back at him before continuing to her next class.

She pushed the door to her aunt's classroom open and was barricaded with questions and complaints.

"That wasn't fair!!" squealed Lavender, almost hugging her friend in sympathy.

"I can't believe it! You have to work with that slimy git, Malfoy?" asked Lee Jordan.

Dorothy was backed into a corner by all of them and looked over the crowded and Hermione for help. She stood up and moved toward the group of furious Gryffindor.

"That's enough!" snapped Hermione, pulling Dorothy out of the group by her arm. "Let her breathe will you? Class is about to start anyway! You should be getting ready!"

The cluster of people dispersed and sat in their separate desks, still whispering to Dorothy. She ignored them and looked up as Professor Wits entered.

The class passed by rather quickly, as did the rest of her classes leading up to Care of Magical Creatures. When the time came she left Transfiguration and, followed by Harry, Ron, and Hermione, left for Hagrid's hut on the outskirts of the grounds. The old snow crunched beneath her shoes and she rubbed her mittened hands together. She saw the back of Draco's head as the hut came into view and smiled inwardly as they drew closer. She saw Hagrid, not like it was hard to miss him or anything, standing outside his hut with something in his huge arms.

As Dorothy drew near, she saw that the something actually closely resembled a bunny rabbit. She looked at the black rabbit like thing in Hagrid's arms once she reached the hut and then waited for the rest of the Gryffindors to catch up. When all were assembled before the hut, Hagrid set the enormous animal down and the class saw that the animal was bound by a thick, leather leash. It opened it eyes and stared blankly around with its surprising red eyes.

"G'afternoon," said Hagrid, gruffly, clearing his throat. "This 'ere is a sonf." (It's a sucky name and I know it ain't in the book of magical creatures that was published but too bad. I made it up!) "Savage animal, the sonf, but can also be the gentlest. These large rabbi' like creatures are known for their ability ter spit fire an' their sharp, venomous teeth."

Dorothy blinked a few times and turned her attention to Draco who'd begun to speak. "Well, if it's so dangerous, then why on Earth did you bring it to class?" he asked, haughtily. He soon turned his attention to Dorothy who was giving him a very annoyed look.

"Well, er, you see. It's trained," replied Hagrid.

"If it's trained, then while is it on a bloody leash," asked Pansy, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Er—um—ah," Hagrid seemed to have trouble answering that question so Dorothy spoke up.

"Because she runs when she gets the chance. If she's wearing a leash then she won't run," explained Dorothy, approaching the sonf. The rabbit-like creature sat down suddenly when she came near and purred a little when she petted it.

"Do you know this animal?" asked Hermione taking a few cautious steps forward.

"Yeah," replied Dorothy, smiling sweetly at the sonf as it began to nuzzle the palm of her hand. "Her name is Melly. She was my dad's pet. We couldn't take care of her and Dumbledor offered to take her so that she wouldn't get sent off to the ministry where she would have likely been killed."

The Care of Magical Creatures went on uneventfully. A few students, such as Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco approached and started petting the sonf. Melly purred under their touch and Dorothy smiled. When, finally, the class was over, Dorothy stayed behind to pet Melly and talk to her and Hagrid. Draco, who had said that he must have dropped something, came back and petted the rabbit-like creature a little longer as well. When Dorothy bid farewell to her former pet and new professor, her and Draco headed for the school for dinner.

"Well," she said, in a fake huff, turning to him. "I thought you said you were going to be on your best behavior for your professors. You didn't have to bite Hagrid's head off for no reason."

"He said it was dangerous!" retorted Draco. "I was just looking out for the interests of the other students. I am a prefect you know. I'm obligated to ask such questions."

"Well, you didn't have to sound so mean about it."

Dorothy was a ways in front of him now and Draco had to jog to keep up. He smirked at her back and wrapped his arms around her waist once he caught up. Her face turned very red and she stopped very suddenly.

"Draco, what if someone sees us?" she asked, looking over her shoulder into her contented face.

"So what?" was his rough replied as he rested his face in the small area where her shoulder met her neck. She gulped and smiled a little.

"Hey, Draco?"

"Hm?"

"I'm hungry."

Draco could feel her stomach growl and gave a little chuckle and then released her, following her back to the school and into the Great Hall where they separated and went to their different tables.

Unbeknownst to them, though, someone was watching. Someone...with a furious glare in their eyes.