Chapter 21: Potions, Plants, & Plans
AN: Hello and welcome back or welcome to my newbies! I haven't updated this story in oh like 4 years! XD It's been a while. I've also completely forgotten how to write. Long story short, bad stuff happened in my personal life that destroyed my creativity, but it is starting to come back and I'd like to write again, so to get back into writing I will be finishing up this story, eventually. I'm a senior in college applying to graduate schools and jobs, so updates will be slow, but I'm hoping I can churn out at least one chapter per month. Thank you all to those who have left reviews over the years and for those who are just now reading this story. Let's go!
"Good morning fellow wizards and witches, it's Albert Lamellae here with your morning Wizarding Wireless Network news! Hope you've thoroughly de-gnomed your backyards as I have head healer Elena Hippocrates here from Mungo's to inform you of the dangers of gnome infestations."
Harry effortfully open his eyes and groaned. He reached for his pillow to shut out the incessant prattle of the WWN, but realized he hadn't slept with a pillow, yet somehow had a Slytherin scarf balled up under his head instead. Harry sat bolt upright, his cloak sliding off the book couch and to the floor.
"Good morning." Malfoy was standing by the work table, carefully stirring the steaming contents of the cauldron with one hand, while continuously adjusting the heat of the flame with his wand in the other hand.
Harry yawned grotesquely, Malfoy pretended not to notice, and stretched.
"Sorry about the WWN, I spelled my watch to wake me up with the news every morning. It drives Blaise up the wall." The corner of Malfoy's mouth twitched upwards. He stopped working on the potion and turned his wand to his watch which lay propped up on the open potions book, flicked it, and Elena Hippocrates was interrupted from her speech on the hazards of infected gnome bites.
"So it's like your alarm clock?" Harry asked while bending over to examine the watch more closely; like all of Malfoy's things, it had exquisite details, there were wines curling around the numbers and the hands of the watch were flowering stems.
"Alarm clock?" Malfoy looked up, slightly agitated. "It's spelled to play the news, not to safeguard against stealing."
"No, that's not what I meant. It's a muggle thing." Harry hastened to explain, but Malfoy had turned back to his potion, not looking the least bit interested in what a muggle alarm clock was. Harry yawned again. "What time is it?"
"Seven." Malfoy prodded the bubbling surface with his wand with a satisfied expression.
"It's Saturday, why do you get up so early on weekends?"
"I prefer the Great Hall when it's empty and then I like to take a walk around the grounds. Oh, I had to re-label all your vials for dreamless sleep. You have completely illegible handwriting."
Harry rolled his eyes. 'He really can't resist insulting me at every opportunity, but at least he's insulting me again; quiet Malfoy is worse than rude Malfoy, rude Malfoy I can deal with.'
"What potion have you worked on now?"
"Wideye potion."
"Isn't that more or less a caffeine substitute?"
"I know you hated Professor Snape and I know the feeling was mutual, but for goodness sakes Potter, how in the world did you ever manage to pass third year potions class? Wideye is used to reawaken patients from comatose conditions and is the antidote to the draught of living death. It is NOT a caffeine substitute. If given to a healthy wizard, it could cause serious heart problems."
"You sound like Hermione."
Malfoy scoffed. "Granger is very by the book; she understands the complexities of potion making techniques, but has no heart for it as an art form." He finished ladling the finished wideye potion into neatly marked bottles and transferred them into a basket along with the other potions they had finished the night before.
"Have you ever considered becoming a healer?" Harry asked Malfoy as they left the room for the hospital wing. Malfoy seemed to consider his question for a while.
"Yes."
Harry waited a few moments, but when it seemed clear that Malfoy wouldn't elaborate he asked, "And is that what you'll pursue after Hogwarts?"
"No."
"Why not?"
Malfoy stopped walking. Harry turned to stare at him.
"My father wasn't even taken to Mungo's when he became ill in Azkaban. Do you really think they'd let a former Death Eater become a healer there?" Harry opened his mouth to respond. Malfoy held up a hand, "That was a rhetorical question." He kept walking, seeming to grit his teeth. Harry had to hurry to keep up with him.
"Good morning boys, it's so refreshing to see you both looking whole for once. Though you look a little tired; I hope I haven't given you too much work?"
"Not at all Madam Pomfrey, I enjoyed the challenge." Malfoy handed over the basket with a small smile.
Madam Pomfrey got to work uncorking several vials, poking the substances inside with her wand and occasionally tasting the potions.
"The dreamless sleep is a little inconsistent; did you remember to lower the temperature half way through?"
"That was my fault, Madam Pomfrey, I forgot." Harry spoke up. Malfoy looked relieved to not have to take credit for the less than perfect potion.
"Well it's alright my dear, it's still perfectly useable, just keep the temperature in mind for the future. And thank you both for your help. If possible, could you two make some more pepperup potions? I've completely depleted my stock and the ones you just made will run out within the week."
"Of course we can do that." Harry hastily agreed thinking that the extra potion making would not only help him improve his potions skills, but maybe Madam Pomfrey would see that Malfoy had the necessary potion skills to become a healer and put in a good word for him.
"Good." Madam Pomfrey smiled at the pair, glad to see them getting along reasonably well instead of sending the other to the hospital wing. "I will talk to Professor Slughorn about involving the potions club more as well."
Malfoy nodded. "The storeroom is a bit low on basic ingredients, do you know if Professor Sprout might allow us to access the greenhouses after classes and on weekends to gather supplies?"
"I'm sure if you ask her she'd be more than happy to oblige you. I'm afraid we've all been so busy rebuilding the castle, we've neglected our normal duties. Professor Sprout should be in greenhouse four this morning; she wanted to repot her venomous tentacula."
"We'll head down straight away." Malfoy straightened up and tucked the empty basket back under his arm.
"After breakfast." Harry added over the growling of his stomach. Malfoy smirked at him while Madam Pomfrey chuckled.
In the Great Hall Harry noticed Pansy and Hermione with their heads together over a book at the Gryffindor table. When Harry and Malfoy joined them, Hermione slammed the book shut and slid it into her bag, blushing furiously while Pansy smiled innocently.
"We were about to send out a search party for you two. You weren't in your dorms last night."
Malfoy shot Pansy a warning look. "We were helping replenish Madam Pomfrey's potions."
Pansy's face lit up, "Did you get a chance to ask her about-" she began.
"No." Malfoy cut her off, making it clear he didn't appreciate her sticking her nose into his business. "Pass the honey, Potter and stop staring at me like I'm the giant squid."
After a relatively peaceful breakfast with only minor cracks made at Harry's disheveled appearance (seriously, how did Malfoy manage to look his usual crisp and put together self while Harry was sure he looked as unshaven and unkempt as he felt?). He attempted to nonchalantly sniff his armpits and recoiled at the obvious stench. He stared suspiciously at Malfoy; how was it that the latter smelled like freshly washed clothes and was cleanly shaven? Malfoy caught Harry staring and cocked an eyebrow. Frowning, Hermione looked from one to the other while Pansy stifled a giggle.
"Who's up for a friendly round of quidditch, losers jump into the Black Lake!" Blaise jumped the bench and pushed Malfoy into Pansy who had to catch her pumpkin juice from spilling.
"You're a menace Blaise." He merely snickered and looked expectantly at Harry.
"What do you say Potter, or are you afraid you'll lose? You don't look nearly as fit as you did two years ago."
"We'll wipe the pitch with your grin, Zabini." Ron attempted to jump the bench like Blaise, but his foot caught the underside and he awkwardly fell into Harry's lap. Harry pushed him upright again and slid him the nearest dishes. Ron piled some of everything onto his plate while Hermione and Pansy rolled their eyes.
"We'll play after lunch, Malfoy and I were going to visit the greenhouses first and gather some potion ingredients." Harry swallowed the last of his pumpkin juice and stood up, Malfoy following suit while the others looked on.
"Right…more potions" said Ron a tad suspiciously and watched the two leave the Great Hall together.
"Harry! Draco!" Luna ran up to the pair in the entrance hall with a pair of dragonhide gloves in her hand and her strange spectacles propped up on a knitted hat.
"Luna, what're you up to?"
"I ran into Madam Pomfrey and she said you two were helping make potions for the hospital wing, but that you didn't have enough ingredients. She also said you might need some help. I brought extra gloves."
"Right. Thanks Luna, we'd appreciate that."
Luna smiled at him serenely and turned to Malfoy, "did you get a chance to try the homemade doxycide I gave you?"
"Yes. It actually worked quite well; my mom and I managed to get all the doxies out of the attic." Malfoy noticed Harry looking at him strangely. "When we were apprehended by the Ministry our assets were frozen and we aren't allowed into our home. Even though that was only for two months, we had an awful doxy infestation to deal with when we came back." He turned back to Luna who was still smiling at him unblinkingly, "the lavender was a nice touch, afterwards the room smelled better and not as astringent like the commercial doxycides." He seemed a tad uncomfortable and looked relieved as they stepped into the greenhouse. Inside they found Professor Sprout and Neville repotting a gigantic venomous tentacula.
"Good morning Professor Sprout. Madam Pomfrey sent us to gather ingredients for healing potions and to help replenish the potions storeroom." Luna said while beaming at the sweating Neville who blushed lightly.
"Ah yes of course, so helpful of you. Things have been so busy around the castle lately I'm afraid we've all fallen behind in our duties, but it's so good to see the students stepping up." She brushed off her hands and wiped her brow, leaving a smear of dirt streaked across her brow. "All the greenhouses are unlocked, extra baskets are in the corner. I will be next door in greenhouse five preparing essence of dittany. Oh and thank you Longbottom for your help this morning, five points to Gryffindor!" Professor Sprout smiled at them all before heading to the other greenhouse.
Malfoy pulled a list from his cloak and consulted it briefly. "To ensure efficiency I think it's best if we split up. Longbottom are you helping us?" Neville nodded. "Good. Then you and Luna can get some Bubotuber pus. Also gather some shrivelfigs. Please." He added as a bit of an afterthought. "Potter can gather some fluxweed, it's the tall green plants in the right corner-"
"I know what fluxweed looks like Malfoy."
"I certainly hope so. Afterwards pick some peppermint leaves. I'll gather valeria, knotgrass, and lavender. That should give us a decent basis to start with."
Within two hours the four were sweaty, disheveled, and streaked with mud, but their baskets were heaped to the brims with the much needed potion's ingredients. Pleased with themselves they trooped back up to the castle. Harry couldn't help but marvel at how Neville and Malfoy seemed to get along, albeit awkwardly and occasionally the two seemed to talk only about the weather, but Neville no longer seemed petrified of Malfoy and Malfoy didn't let loose a single insult. Harry knew the two must have worked together on Hogwarts during the summer, but until now, he'd never been able to picture the two having a civil conversation together.
"Harry!" Luna tried to warn him, but too late, he'd walked straight into Hagrid who was pulling a cart behind him laden with broomsticks.
"Hagrid, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." Harry tried to ignore Malfoy's smirk as he picked himself up off the ground.
"Alright there, Harry? I'm usually hard teh miss." Hagrid clapped him on the shoulder and Harry almost sunk to his knees again.
"Right, yeah I'm just a bit tired today."
"Been up all night studying have yeh? You students work too hard. Nice to see yeh again Luna and Neville! If you three want to come down to my hut later, I baked more rock cakes yesterday, was gonna bring 'em to the hospital wing, but Madam Pomfrey didn't seem too interested in them."
"I would love some; they go well with dirigible plum marmalade." Harry wasn't even surprised that Luna really did enjoy Hagrid's awful rock cakes.
"Come by to my hut later. I'll be mending these brooms with my bowtruckles." He waved to them and ambled back along to his hut.
The four headed into the castle and dropped off the supplies they'd gathered. Harry noticed that Malfoy seemed a little quiet.
Turning to him, Harry said, "let's go shower before we head to lunch. Seems a waste to shower before quidditch, but after not showering last night and working in the greenhouse, I feel a little gross. Neville, Luna, do you want to join us for quidditch after lunch?"
"Sure Harry! I won't play though, I'll just watch."
"Er-right I'll just watch too." Neville said awkwardly while scratching dirt off the back of his neck.
Surprisingly, Malfoy barely smirked at that. In fact, he seemed completely preoccupied with a stray thread hanging off of the edge of his sleeve. Harry frowned, for them to get along reasonably well was strange in and of itself but for Malfoy to completely ignore an opportunity to make fun of Neville and his clumsiness was very odd.
"You can borrow my broom, Draco." Luna suggested.
'Of course!' Thought Harry, 'Malfoy would never just ask to borrow someone's broom; that would just hurt his pride. But Luna offering to help him…that won't go over well either, he might take it as pity.' Sure enough, Malfoy straightened, frowned, and opened his mouth.
"Good, then that's settled and we'll meet at the quidditch pitch after lunch!" Harry grabbed Malfoy's sleeve and tugged him behind him before he could argue.
"Oi Potter, these robes are high quality and you're stretching out my sleeve!"
Harry did not manage to hide his eye roll at that but let go of Malfoy's sleeve. "Handmade by the work of 12 house-elves from rare Egyptian cotton and dyed with the finest dyes known to Wizardkind?"
Now it was Malfoy's turn to roll his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. It didn't take more than one house-elf," he said haughtily with a gleam in his eyes but smiled all the same.
Harry's eyes widened in surprise, 'did Malfoy just make a joke that wasn't at the expense of anyone else?'
Malfoy looked away from Harry's keen gaze and vanished the dirt Harry had left on his sleeve with a flick of his wand. "Hurry up Potter; I want to be able to make it to lunch before all the good pies are gone."
"Maybe if you didn't take so long to shower…" Harry suggested with a little smirk of his own.
"Not all of us call a five minute rinse showering, Potter. Some of us have higher expectations for personal hygiene." The two headed off into their common room, bickering all the time, but for the first time, without any true heat or animosity behind it.