Authoress Blah: Okies, here is the second chapter to A Dragon's Love. Hopefully everything is going according to plan, and all those that have read this before will have the ending to this chapter. For all those who haven't, this chapter sort of skips ahead to Harry and Draco's 6th year, because I do not have to patience or energy to write a chapter for each of their years at Hogwarts. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all other characters belong to J.K. Rowling, so leave me be!
Harry ran as fast as his legs could carry him to his double Potions class. He knew he shouldn't have slept during his free period, but he was so tired that he couldn't help it. At least Snape wasn't teaching Potions anymore; that's how he was able to continue to N.E.W.T. Potions. Had he been, he would have had detention automatically for being late. He flung the classroom door open to see that there was no teacher there. He sighed with relief and made his way over to the table that the Slytherins, and Draco, were sitting at. Draco was currently doodling absently on a spare bit of parchment and looking bored.
Draco looked up and smirked as Harry approached the table. He watched as the boy dropped his bag near a seat next to him and flopped down in it, appearing very out of breath and a bit ruffled.
"Lemme guess. You stuffed your face with too much food at the Welcoming Feast last night and couldn't get your lazy arse out of bed in time," he said, poking the Gryffindor in the side.
Harry grinned back at the blond Slytherin. "Something of that sort. Besides, I didn't even know that I would be taking this class until this morning when McGonagall gave me my schedule. Not like I'm going to get in trouble for being late when the teacher isn't even here," he replied, playfully shoving Draco.
"Who in the bloody hell is our Potions teacher anyways?" Draco asked, desperately trying to annoy Harry by prodding him with his quill.
Harry shook his head at both the question and Draco's antics. "I don't know, some Slughorn guy, and would you stop that, you git!"
Draco smiled, finally getting the reaction he wanted out of Harry, and placed the quill down on the table.
Harry shook his head again and smiled. He still couldn't believe that after five years he was still friends with Draco. They had even been sorted into two different houses that absolutely loathed each other, Gryffindor and Slytherin, yet they still remained friends. There were those who could accept that the two boys were friends and would always be, but twice as many more who strongly disapproved of their friendship, and voiced it whenever possible. Those who did in the presence of the two boys strangely found themselves hexed and jinxed with spells that seemed to come out of nowhere, although Harry knew exactly where they came from.
He looked around the room and found that N.E.W.T. Potions combined students from all houses, a dozen in all. There were four Slytherins, including Draco, who sat at the table Harry was sitting at; four Ravenclaws, who sat at another table; and one Hufflepuff, Ernie Macmillian, who sat with two of Harry's fellow Gryffindor housemates; Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.
Harry gave Hermione a polite wave, but before she had time to return the gesture, Ron elbowed her and whispered something to her.
Harry frowned. He really didn't understand why Ron acted like such a prat towards him. Ever since the day he made friends with Draco on the train, Ron had given him the cold shoulder. He had even tried to explain to Ron that he still wanted to be his friend, but all that had gotten him was a bloody nose and a trip to Madam Pomfrey.
Ron looked over at Harry and Draco and made a rude hand gesture to the both of them, while Hermione exclaimed, "Ronald Weasley!"
Harry rolled his eyes and ignored him, while Draco sneered back at Ron, returning the gesture.
Both Ron and Draco leapt out of their seats at the same time, but before a real fight could break out, the door to the room swung open once more and the rather large Professor Slughorn walked in.
Harry pulled Draco back down into his seat as Slughorn made his way to the front of the classroom. "Would you calm yourself down? After all these years, you know he's not worth getting into trouble for," he hissed in Draco's ear. Draco scowled, but nodded. "I know, I know…"
Just then, Harry noticed that the dungeon was, most unusually, already full of vapors, odd smells, and large, bubbling cauldrons that sat on a table in the center of the room.
"Now then, now then, now then," said Slughorn. "Scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of Advanced Potion-Making…"
Harry raised his hand. "Professor?"
"Yes, what is it Harry?"
"I haven't got a book or any supplies for that matter. See, I didn't realize that I would be taking this class, and…"
"Yes, yes, Professor McGonagall did mention that… not to worry though. We've got a small stack of old books and some scales that we can lend you, and you can use the ingredients from the cupboard today, until you can write for your supplies…"
Slughorn strode over to a corner cabinet, and after a moment, emerged with a very old looking copy of Advanced Potion-Making and a set of tarnished scales, which he handed to Harry.
"Now then," Slughorn said, returning to the front of the class. "I've prepared a few potions for you to look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kinds of things that you ought to be able to make after completing this class. You ought to know them, even if you haven't made them yet. Who can tell me what this one is?"
He indicated to the potion in the cauldron closest to Harry and Draco. Harry saw what looked like ordinary water boiling inside of it.
Hermione's hand instantly shot into the air; Slughorn pointed at her.
"It's Veritaserum, a colorless, odorless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth," she replied.
"Very good!" Slughorn said happily. "Now," he continued, pointing at the potion in the cauldron closest to the Ravenclaw table, "this one here is pretty well known…Featured in a few Ministry of Magic flyers too… who can-?"
Hermione's hand was once again in the air.
"It's Polyjuice Potion, sir," she said.
Slughorn nodded and smiled. "Excellent, excellent! Now this one here…yes my dear?" said Slughorn, now looking amused as Hermione's hand hit the air once again.
"It's Amortentia!"
"It is indeed. Now, am I to assume you know what it does?" asked Slughorn, who now looked very impressed.
"It's the most powerful love potion in the world!"
Harry sniggered to himself. Leave it to a girl to know what a love potion was, since most of them had used one as least once. Draco seemed to be thinking the same, because he too was sniggering.
"Quite right! You recognized it, I suppose, by its distinct mother-of-pearl sheen?" Slughorn asked.
"And the steam rising in characteristic spirals," said Hermione enthusiastically, "and it's supposed to smell differently to each of us, according to what attracts us, and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and…"
But she turned a light pink and did not finish her sentence.
Harry took a deep breath, hoping to catch the scent, and did, catching one of the most seductive scents he had ever inhaled. It simultaneously reminded him of treacle tart, the woody smell of a broomstick handle, and…Draco?
Harry froze. Why would he think of Draco as something that attracted him? Maybe because they were such good friends…or maybe he was losing his mind.
He immediately tried to stop inhaling the scent, but the more he tried, the more and more intense the delightful scent became. He turned to Draco, who was whispering something to Blaise Zabini and seemed unperturbed. He gently tapped him on the shoulder.
"Hey, Draco?"
Draco turned to him, seemingly offended by the interruption of his heated conversation with Blaise. "What is it Harry?"
Harry flinched at the tone of his voice. "Well, I was wondering if…well, if you smell anything strange? I mean, from the potions?" he asked, fidgeting in his seat uncomfortably.
Draco gave him a questioning look. "Harry, what's the matter with you? You look like you've foreseen your own death or something."
Harry shook his head and smiled. "It's nothing. Never mind that I said anything."
Draco gave him one last worried look before returning to his forgotten doodle. Harry shook his head and returned his attention back to Slughorn.
"Amortentia doesn't really create love of course. It is impossible to manufacture of imitate real love. No, this will simply cause a powerful obsession or infatuation. It is probably one of the most dangerous and powerful potion in this room-oh yes," he said, nodding at Blaise, Draco, and Harry, who were all smirking skeptically. "When you have seen as much of life as I have, you will never underestimate the power of an obsessive love…
"And now," said Slughorn, "it's time to start work."
"Sir, you haven't told us what's in this one," Ernie Macmillian said, pointing to a small cauldron sitting on Slughorn's desk. The potion inside was the color of molten gold, and large drops were leaping above the surface, like goldfish, although not a drop spilled.
"Oh," said Slughorn, "yes. That. Well, that one, ladies and gentlemen, is a most curious little potion called Felix Felicis. I take it, Miss Granger, that you know what Felix Felicis does?"
"It's liquid luck," she said excitedly. "It makes you lucky!"
The entire class seemed to perk up and sit up straighter. Draco immediately stopped doodling and sat up, finally giving Slughorn his full, undivided attention. Harry sniggered at him and Draco winked and smirked back at him.
"That's right, take ten points for Gryffindor. Yes, Felix Felicis is extremely tricky to make, and disastrous to get wrong. If brewed correctly, as this has been, you will find that all you endeavors tend to succeed… at least until the effects wear off."
"Have you ever taken it, sir?" asked a Ravenclaw with great interest.
"Twice in my life," said Slughorn. "Two tablespoons taken with breakfast, two perfect days…"
He gazed off into the distance, becoming seemingly oblivious to the class.
"And that," he said, coming back to earth, "is what I shall be offering as a prize in this lesson."
He pulled a miniscule glass bottle with a cork in it out of his robes, holding it in the air for the entire class to see.
"One tiny bottle of Felix Felicis, enough for twelve hours luck. From dawn till dusk, you will be lucky in everything that you attempt."
He placed the tiny bottle back inside his robes and clapped his hands together.
"So, how are you to win this fabulous prize? Turn to page ten of Advanced Potion-Making. We have a little over and hour left, which should give you enough time to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it's complex and do not expect a perfect potion from any of you. The person who does the best, however, will win little Felix here. Off you go!"
Everyone eagerly pulled their cauldrons toward them and began measuring out the ingredients needed. Harry pulled the tattered copy of Advanced Potion-Making towards him and opened it.
He immediately saw that the previous owner had scribbled all over it; there were items crossed out and notes were made in the margin that made the entire page look as black as the text on the page. He sighed, and after deciphering the ingredients, stood to make his way to the ingredient cupboard, but he felt a hand wrap around his slender wrist.
Harry's heart fluttered as he realized that it was Draco who was holding him in his place. He was giving him a serious expression that made Harry's heart jump.
"Where are you going?"
Harry stared at Draco dumbfounded, then smiled and tried to wrench his arm out of Draco's grasp.
"Always so clingy. I'm going to get the ingredients for my potion."
Draco sighed and a look of relief crossed his face, although he still didn't release Harry's wrist.
"For a moment there, I thought you were going to sit over there," he replied, indicating to the table where Ron and Hermione sat.
"Why would I do that?" Harry asked, looking down at his wrist.
Draco shrugged. "Well you've just been acting weird lately and I just thought you were-- never mind."
He released Harry's wrist and returned his attention back to his work. A look of concern crossed Harry's face and he sat down, staring intently at Draco.
"You thought what Draco?"
He sighed and looked at Harry.
"Well, I just thought that you were regretting ever becoming…associated with me. You know, everyone hating you because you're my friend."
Harry shook his head. "Why would you think that? I've just been feeling, I don't know, weird lately and I know that it's causing me to act weird, but I assure you that it's got nothing to do with us being friends."
"Promise?"
Harry nodded. Inside he felt guilt boiling up, because he knew he had just lied to Draco, but he couldn't possibly tell him that the reason he was acting weird lately was due to their friendship. Draco would never forgive him.
"Besides, I wouldn't care if the whole world hated me, I'd still be your friend."
Draco smirked. "I know, 'cause I'm just too damn sexy to pass up."
Harry leaned over and smiled, whispering in Draco's ear. "Maybe you are. Then again, it could be the other way around." He got up and walked away, swaying his hip suggestively and winking at Draco.
The entire Slytherin table burst out in laughter at his actions. Draco was laughing so hard that he slid out of his seat and landed on his bum on the floor, causing the Slytherins to only laugh harder.
"Now, now, children. Settle down and do your work," Slughorn called from the front of the classroom.
The Slytherin table quieted down and Draco clambered back into his seat, dusting the dirt off of his robes. Harry chuckled to himself and headed toward the cupboard for his ingredients.
Very suddenly, Harry tripped over something and fell forward, his face smacking the stone of the dungeon floor. He felt both his glasses and his nose break, and blood instantly began pooling on the floor from his nose.
There was a loud shout from behind him and he felt himself being pulled up into a sitting position. He whimpered involuntarily at the pain coursing through his head and clutched his hands to his face, shutting his eyes tightly.
"Harry, are you alright? Professor, come quick! Harry's hurt!" Hermione's voice rang out from his left. "Ron, I hope you're happy!"
Harry felt himself being pulled to his feet, making his head ache even more, and his hands being pried away from his face.
He opened his eyes slowly to see Slughorn peering at his face worriedly, Hermione giving him the same worried look, and Draco by his side, supporting him.
"Oh dear, oh dear! You'll need to see Madam Pomfrey immediately. Come along with me, I'll take you," said Slughorn, grabbing Harry's arm rather roughly.
Harry took one step towards Slughorn, before he felt an extreme wave of lightheadedness hit him.
"…Draco…" he whispered, reaching for the fair blonde before his legs gave out underneath him. Then his world went black.
Authoress: Hahahahahahahaha! Evil cliffhanger! I promise though, if all of you read and review, I will have the third chapter posted as fast as humanly possible...well for me at least.