'Who does not believe in second chances
should count the ones he has given to himself'.
- Sara Búho
The first Potions class of the year promised to be anything but entertaining for Draco. He adored the subject, and enjoyed being Snape's clear favourite, but he wished he had stayed in bed when Snape announced that during this term, apart from their usual lessons, they would have to carry out a research project in pairs on the elaboration of some potion that would be randomly assigned to them. Draco turned, ready to tell Pansy to be his partner, but Snape silenced the entire class by slamming a book against the desk.
- The partners, as well as the potion to be developed, will be randomly assigned, so you can all stop your muttering - he said harshly. Then he raised his wand to the board and the names of all the students began to be written in alphabetical order, as well as a list of potions in another column. With a wave of Snape's hands, the names mixed together.
The conversations stopped being whispers, and as Snape stepped back, the whole class moved closer to the board. It wasn't long before deep grumbles and, from time to time, the occasional sigh of relief could be heard. Draco, along with his friends, pushed several Gryffindors out of the way and approached. When he located his name and read the one next to it, alongside the Veritaserum potion, Draco's face went from white to red in a matter of seconds.
- Of all the people in the world, I had to be paired with that know-it-all Granger?! Professor, there must be some mistake! - Draco exclaimed, looking at his godfather with pleading written all over his face.
He heard Weasley insult him and Hermione snort, but he didn't bother to look at them. He was still waiting for an answer from Snape that would free him from what would be hours in the library with the mudbl...
'With Granger'- corrected himself.
- Silence everyone, and to your seats! - Snape exclaimed, taking his place in the middle of the classroom with a dramatic swish of his robes. The students returned to their seats quickly, but with grumbles, and Snape walked slowly between the rows of seats. - In answer to your question, Mr. Malfoy, no, there is no mistake and no possibility of change. The project should have four parts: Origins, Ingredients, Methodology, and Results. Please pay attention to detail and do not hand in anything that is not halfway worth reading. After the Christmas break, each pair will perform their potion as a test.
As further mutterings threatened to gain volume, Snape silenced them with another flick of the book and resumed the lesson.
Draco spent the rest of the class pitying himself, taking few notes, but mostly cursing his luck. He planned to stay as far away from Potter and his friends as possible, forcing himself in not to insult the weasel, and all for the sake of not giving them reason to talk about his father and Voldemort to the whole school. He was aware that no one believed them, but that could change at any moment because in the end Saint Potter always won. Now, with Granger as his partner for the rest of the term, he was once again finding himself in the eye of the Golden Trio hurricane.
He also had to admit to himself that there were two more reasons why he didn't want trouble with the lions. The second was the most childish of all. The training and his father's lectures over the summer had reignited the envy and desire to belong to their world that he had felt in first year, like gasoline fueling a bonfire.
Snorting, she glanced in the direction where they always sat, watching a Granger with a completely twisted expression write furiously on the parchment, as if her quill reflected her annoyance. He laughed softly. It was going to be very hard for him not to tease her.
He stopped laughing as soon as his gaze finally settled on Potter. His hair was still a nest of dark curls, but now they fell lightly over his forehead, the back of his hair was slightly shorter than the front. Since when did the lion cub care enough about his personal hygiene to attempt to comb his hair?
Without breaking out of his shock, his eyes lowered and rested on the golden boy's pissed-off face. Scowling, he wrote slowly as he bit his lower lip with frustration.
That was enough for Draco to regain his composure and return his gaze to his own parchment, his jaw clenching. Over the summer, thoughts of the golden boy had gone from casual to repetitive. At first he tried to convince himself that it was because he was trying to plot against him, but gradually his thoughts turned to more simple things, like the shape of his curls, the shade of his skin, or the colour of his eyes. Draco wasn't stupid, and he quickly came to the conclusion that, if he wasn't his enemy, he wouldn't mind getting to see all that up close. It was then that he finally decided to distance himself from him, adding a third reason to the list of reasons why he shouldn't go after the Golden Trio this year: he didn't need anyone else to know about the obsession he was growing to have with Harry Potter.
At the end of class, he watched the pathetic display of fake companionship among the students from the different houses, who were paired off to discuss their common project. The classroom radiated awkwardness; clearly no one was used to work side by side with someone from another house. As he gathered his things up, something blocked his field of vision and forced him to look up.
- I don't like you, and you don't like me, so I suggest we make this quick. We have the advantage that we're both good at this subject, so it shouldn't take long. How about Saturday mornings in the library? - Granger spoke with a speed unmistakably hers, while giving him a hard look. She meant to sound sharp and distant, but her nerves gave her away slightly. Still, Draco admired her bravery in taking the first step, but this was obviously not something he was going to let her know.
Smiling mischievously, Draco rested his weight on his palms, and leaned slightly, using his height to intimidate her. Granger looked like she wanted to run away from there, but she stood stoic in front of the snake, challenging him with her eyes. Clearly the Hat had not been wrong to place her in the lions House.
- I agree on the need to spend as little time together as possible, Granger, so don't worry. See you in the library on Saturday. - he said, separating from her. Turning gracefully, he was about to catch up with his friends when, from the corner of his eye, he saw Potter talking to Nott, and frowned automatically.
- Since when does Theo talk to Saint Potter? - spatted as he reached Pansy, Blaise and Goyle.
- Haven't you noticed? They've been sorted together. I'm sorry for you lot, I might have got paired with the git of Goyle but at least he's one of us - Blaise replied, earning a nudge from the man.
- I got the weasel - said Pansy, crossing her arms. - I'm really screwed.
- With Weasley the Genius? Give yourself a failing grade rightnow - Draco laughed, making the others giggle as well.
It took another minute before Potter and Nott parted, and the group started walking as soon as Nott joined them. Before leaving the classroom, Draco watched as the trio spoke in whispers, Harry placing his hand on Hermione's shoulder as to comfort her.
This annoyed the Slytherin greatly. He was he who had been putted together with a mudbl... muggle-born whose only achievement was being a library mouse. It was he who deserved the attention of the Golden Boy.
