A Study in Emerald: Silver Linings
(100 PROMPTS)
Summary: "People don't get pauses like these very often. Some people never receive them at all...I did." Kagome looked at Draco, her cheeks flushed as she smiled up at him, the cold air was nipping painfully at her nose, but she didn't care. If there had been a clock nearby, it would have stopped. Occasionally, there were minutes that got extra seconds. Moments so precious the universe stretches to make additional room for them...these moments were hers.
Anime/Book/Movie: InuYasha/Harry Potter
Pairing: Draco/Kagome
Genre: Romance/Adventure
Rated: M for Mature Content
R.I.P – Alan Rickman
(Severus Snape)
Remember
The Half-Blood Prince
~ALWAYS~
-x-x-x-
(4. Explosion)
'Splendid...we have odd numbers.' Kagome grimaced as she could hear the sarcasm in her thoughts. "Professor, perhaps someone else-"
"Miss. Higurashi, I understand how disdainful the situation is to you. Where your potion making skill is above average and innovative, and Longbottom's is...nonexistent. Still, you will be his partner today."
Kagome groaned as she sat down beside Neville Longbottom, her seat was directly in front of Draco's and Theodore's, Blaise and Pansy were on Longbottom's right and to Kagome's left was Harry and Ron, with Hermione and Parvati behind them. Others were obviously spread out in their class, but really, she was only aware of those she considered mutual allies and those she had self-proclaimed her enemies. Setting up the cauldron between the two of them, she started to organize their ingredients, trying to pay attention to his movements as well as she pulled out a sharp but small paring knife and began working on the Valerian Sprigs in front of her; thinly slicing them. He was using the mortar to crush some of the mistletoe berries into a fine powder. Her eyes immediately pulled from the knife as she stilled her hand, "how many berries did you crush!?"
"F-five?"
"Empty it and start again! Only four!" She murmured under her breath about the untalented boy next to her, continuing with the preparations of the Valerian Sprigs. Once she was done, she moved them back on the board she'd used and cleaned off her knife with a clean cloth. Turning her attention to Neville who was just about down with the second batch of Crushed Mistletoe Berries. "Make sure to pay close attention to the texture of the powder, it must be fine, like sand."
He nodded, his tongue sticking out the corner of his mouth in concentration as he listened to her instructions.
She went ahead with adding a couple drops of Lethe River Water to their cauldron, heating it to 394 Kelvin, twenty seconds in, she added the finely sliced Valerian Sprigs. Stirring clockwise three times, she lowered the heat to 383 Kelvin before she sat back. "Let's start on the paper while we wait. We still need to answer the questions on the board." She looked on the board and started to answer the questions accordingly, "naturally I don't want to be seen with a partner who can't very well pass such an easy potion, so I'll help you." Her voice was cold as Neville ducked his head down but nodded. "How long does the Forgetfulness Potion keep if stored properly?"
"Um...uh...I know it's to be left to mature at room temperature for two days...right?"
"Yes, very good...but what of storing the potion?"
Neville looked in thought for a moment before he finally answered, "I think it's supposed to be stored in a dark, cool place, if I'm not mistaken...and it can be kept for up to six months before it will require a safe disposal."
Kagome grinned, "see, you aren't completely hopeless!"
Neville blushed and wrote down the answer he gave her before they moved onto the next one.
Snape was watching silently from his desk as the two worked, surprisingly well together. Though, he was still expecting Longbottom to make a mistake and screw up the potion. Kagome however was keeping quite a firm leash on him.
Twenty minutes into the brewing, she looked over the rim and sighed, "waiting is always the hardest part."
"How much longer?"
"Ten minutes...I'm tempted to have my mother buy me a Copper Cauldron if only to speed up the process."
"Ill advisable, Miss. Higurashi."
She glanced back and frowned at the Potion's Professor, "why's that?"
"I find that the Copper Cauldron's lull you into a false sense of security. Only a skilled witch or wizard should use a copper cauldron, as they can be a bit tricky owing to the much more rapid brew time. The faster brew time also makes it more likely to make a mistake or ruin the potion: a shorter brew time also yields less "wiggle room" for differences in timing." Stepping past her table as he had captured the ears of most of his students, he went ahead with continuing the Cons of using a Copper Cauldron. "I also find it unwise to use these cauldrons for potions with the longest brew times, as quite often a good deal of the strength of these slow-brewing potions is gained by a longer period of the ingredients sitting and brewing with one another."
Kagome nodded and sighed, "I guess I'll have to learn some patience."
"If you plan to be successful in this class, I highly recommend it."
"Go ahead and add two measures of Mint Leaves to the mortar, finely crush the two into a mixture and then add two measures of the powder to the cauldron, slowly," she said, turning away from the conversation with their Professor. Her eyes fully on the deep blue of the liquid, watching carefully the red sparks that it every so often emitted. As she turned away for a moment, Neville was adding in the mixture, and as the mixture settled on the surface of the brew...and began bubbling...it gave way to an explosion of murky yellow and splattered dangerously across much of the room. Though, Kagome and Neville got the worst of it.
"...what...did you do?" She turned cold and dangerously narrowed eyes on Neville who was sufficiently drenched in the yellow brew. The dreadfully hot liquid was thankfully not boiling, hot, but it was very uncomfortable.
"I-I put in the mixture...t-two measures...I swear it!"
"Show me..." she pointed to the leaves and he handed them to her. She felt them between her fingers and immediately they felt off. Bringing them to her nose, she closed her eyes and sighed in frustration. "You...you...bloody troglodyte! This is stinging nettle, not mint! How could you make that mistake!? Have you never smelled mint before?! It's a universal scent, you idiot! A Bloody Muggle could tell the difference!"
"Miss. Higurashi, I do believe that is enough. As, this explosion has ruined everyone's project, we will end this class with twenty points from Gryffindor. Everyone is dismissed early; I suggest you take the time to shower."
Kagome barely remembered to grab her bag as she left the room in a fit of rage. She didn't get too far when a pair of arms grabbed her from behind. Slimy, yellow gunk infested...arms. "I swear, I'll set you on fire if you don't let me go. I feel gross enough without anyone's help."
The familiar laugh that came from behind her had her relaxing at the jovial sound, "Draco?" She looked behind her in confusion. He had yellow in his beautiful platinum blonde locks, his bangs messily falling into his eyes as the normal gel was no longer able to hold it in place. "You look a great terror,"
"I do?! Have you seen yourself? You got the worst of it." He grinned, pulling her bag from her shoulder, chuckling when she tried to grip it tighter, but it only slipped out of her slimy hold. "Thank Merlin that was our last class for the day."
"Um...Higurashi?"
Kagome felt her heart race and her eyes burned as she heard the familiar voice of Neville. Turning around, she found him fiddling with his hands and bowing his head. She really...really...wanted to scream at him some more. However, she couldn't bring herself to do it. He looked like a fat beaten dog. "What is it?"
"I wanted to apologize. I'm sorry I messed up our potion...w-well, everyone's potion, really."
She raised a brow before taking in a deep breath and letting it out with a sigh. "Neville, you aren't a complete fool when it comes to Potions. You answered all the questions on the board accurately when given the time to do so without being under stress. You were competent during the first half of the Potion...do you know what gets in your way?!"
He flinched and lowered his eyes, "...I'm clumsy?"
She rolled her eyes as the Golden Trio started towards her with angry eyes, "no Neville, clumsiness is a trait that can be overcome through trial and error. No...the only thing that gets in your way, is yourself. You become too frightened of making a mistake, and it opens you up to making more mistakes! Someone starts to raise their voice around you or mindlessly insults you, you bow your head and you make more mistakes! You want to better yourself in potions? Start by paying attention, and not letting anything around you bother you. While you are at your cauldron, it's only you. Unless of course...we are working with partners..." she growled the last part out. "Be cautious, pay attention, and blow Snape away for once...without an explosion." Nothing else to add, she turned and stalked off with Draco right beside her. The Golden Trio hadn't stepped in after all and it was a good thing. She was so on edge; she would have most certainly bared her fangs at the whole lot of them if they'd jumped between her and Neville.
-x-x-x-
Me: Here is chapter four~! I hope you guys are enjoying! I'm going to put below the summary of a new story I'm starting. I've already written two chapters, but I want to write a few more before I post it. Still, tell me what you think, and I'll update again soon!
Miracle Child
Summary: She was born like others of her year, in a time of war. She was brought up in the shadows of the chaos. Her parents loved her...that was all she knew and all that mattered. She didn't care if they were killers or if they had tortured ten or twenty witches and wizards...she just knew love.
Anime/Book/Movie: InuYasha/Harry Potter
Pairing: Kagome/?
Genre: Romance/Adventure
Rated: M for Mature Content