38: Raspberry Jam

Fred and George surprisingly didn't get caught for their 'swamp' fiasco (despite it taking weeks to clean up). Or, well, for any of the dozens of pranks they pulled throughout the weeks. And yet, their effect on Hogwarts was still as strong as ever.

The twins seemed to have sold their Skiving Snackboxes to at least half of the fifth years, let alone the other year groups. Now, Umbridge only had to enter her classroom for the students assembled there to faint, vomit, develop dangerous fevers or else spout blood from both nostrils. After putting four successive classes in detention and failing to discover their secret, she was forced to give up and allow the bleeding, swooning, sweating and vomiting students to leave her classes in droves. Which of course, was brilliant for the twins business.

None of the staff but Filch seemed to be stirring themselves to help Umbridge. In fact, even the majority of the Inquisitorial Squad had given up, deciding to spend their evenings revising or doing anything other than chasing down students.

Madeline did her very best to stay out of trouble. She spent the weeks revising for her exams, the days growing warmer and turning revision nights in the dungeons to revision afternoons by the lake. She'd formed quite a nice little group; her, Daphne, Theo, Pansy, Blaise, and of course-

"Oi Bisset, help me with this will you?"

Malfoy.

Draco and Madeline had been spending the afternoon revising potions, while their friends worked on transfiguration. Which meant, that in some aspects, they were working together. Madeline would've never seen herself in this position a year ago, but June was around the corner and so were exams.

And Draco Malfoy wasn't actually that bad.

He was smart, and rarely charming, and had a way to fit himself into every conversation. He was as pompous as they came, and always found a way to make himself the most important person in the room.

"It's a botanic based potion, see?" Madeline explained, pointing at Draco's textbook. She leant over him with her quill, underlining a few things in the book as she explained, "There's nothing that doesn't come from plants in it, so it's botanic. We're meant to use these ingredients here to create the same effect as if we were using Mimbulus Mimbletonia."

"I see," Draco mumbled, frowning at the page, "Uh, thanks."

"You know that word?" Madeline joked, letting out a breath and lying back onto the ground, "Merlin, my head is going to explode."

Draco huffed, "Tell me about it."

He glanced at his friends. It seemed that Blaise and Theo were having a heated discussion with the two girls about something or other, leaving him and Madeline alone. Or, well, the most alone they'd been since the night she'd broken up with Fred.

Draco looked down at Madeline, who'd thrown her arms over her head, eyes closed as she enjoyed the sun. He'd been a fool not to notice how pretty she was sooner.

He threw himself down next to her, thinking for a few moments. Oh, screw it.

"What happened between you and Weasley?"

Madeline frowned, turning to look at him, "We broke up?"

"Yeah, but why?" Draco pressed, "How did he screw up that badly?"

Madeline scoffed, "Why do you think it was him?"

"Cause I spent about an hour letting you cry on my shoulder, and you wouldn't be that upset unless he'd done something awful."

Madeline paused. He'd… Draco had been thinking about that? And it didn't sound like he was prying… It sounded like maybe he cared?

"He lied," Madeline stated simply. The less information, the better for her friends. Or well, former friends, maybe, "And he didn't trust me. Not really."

"And you're surprised about that?" Draco scoffed, "I don't think many people put a whole lot of trust in anyone with a green and silver tie."

"Doesn't that bother you?" Madeline asked, "I mean, you've been here a lot longer than I have."

Draco shrugged. He put his hands behind his head, looking up to the sky, "It did at first. I mean, I was a kid. Of course it bothered me. But our weaknesses become our strengths if you play your cards right. I realised that I didn't want anyone in my life who couldn't see past a stupid school house, which meant I made my friends in Slytherin, and Slytherin only."

"I bet you were a twat at eleven."

Draco grinned; a real, actual smile. He glanced back at Madeline, "You don't know the half of it."

Madeline laughed, mimicking Draco and looking up to the sky, "You're not half bad, you know."

"Really?"

"You like to pretend like you're some spoilt brat, but I get it. I did the same for years," Madeline confessed, ignoring the way Draco was watching her, "I grew up in a false household; events that had no real meaning, charity that never truly was selfless… I had to adhere to that world, you know? Become the monsters I saw all around me. And I guess I had the luxury of being able to start again when I came here."

"Do you resent your parents?" Draco asked, kicking himself as the words came out of his mouth. What kind of person asked that?!

"No," Madeline replied honestly, "I never really knew my dad, but I know he loved me. And my mum did everything she could to make me feel like I had options."

"Options for what?"

"I guess what I wanted to do with my life?" Madeline sighed, "She's always been of the opinion that being rich shouldn't equal being lazy. She wanted to do something meaningful with her life, so did my dad, and so do I. But I guess I'm becoming Head of The House anyway, so it doesn't really matter all that much anymore."

Draco paused for a few long moments, watching a few birds soar the sky above them. It wasn't that he'd underestimated her, but he'd always just assumed that she was like him, being pushed into a world where he had no choice but to survive. And now… She did have a choice, but it came with consequences.

"I want to see the world," Draco eventually admitted, watching the sky as Madeline's eyes floated towards his face, "And I don't mean on holidays or whatever. I want to see the world for what it is, Muggle and non. I feel like I've seen and known a fraction of what the world has to offer, and that doesn't seem right."

Madeline found herself smiling softly, nudging his leg with her foot, "See? You're not that bad. You actually have a soul, despite the rumours."

"Oh great; my one redeeming trait is that I'm human."

Madeline laughed; a genuine laugh she hadn't heard herself make in quite some time. One of the laughs she'd share with Cedric, or with Daphne and Theo back in the days where everything was just that little bit simpler. Her necklace caught the sun, glistening just that little bit to remind her who she was and what was expected of her. But for the first time in a while, maybe since her and Fred had first started dating, things felt that little bit easier. That little bit right.

"You're also wicked at potions, when you know when you're doing," Madeline pointed out, "And not everyone would've let me cry on their shoulder for like an hour."

Draco raised his eyebrow, "Since when are you in the business of being nice to me?"

"Since I figured out that you're not half bad," Madeline shrugged, "But you're still a prick sometimes."

Draco shrugged, "I'll take it."

"Oi, you two!" Daphne called from the other small group, parchment waving in the air towards them, "Get your arses up, will you?!"

"Yes ma'am," Madeline teased, pulling herself up.

Yeah. Malfoy wasn't half bad. It didn't mean that he was half good, but he also didn't see himself above the world like she assumed he did. He just didn't know how to be in the world, and she understood that.

She felt like that sometimes too.

The Slytherin group was making their way back to the Dungeons, walking up the narrow paths towards the school from the lake. Pansy and Daphne, however, lagged behind just a few steps, far enough for their conversation to go unheard. Not on purpose; of course not. Well, actually… Maybe.

"And then I asked him if I could copy his notes, and-"

"Parkinson," Daphne sighed, lowering her voice as she eyed her friends laughing and chatting just a few paces in front of them, "Can we… Clarify this?"

Pansy furrowed her eyebrows, "Clarify what?"

"This," Daphne stressed, waving a hand between them, "I mean, we've necked a few times, and I get it if you don't want to shout about it; I don't either. But I need to know what you're thinking."

"I'm thinking," Pansy sighed, falling to a stop and lacing her pinky finger with Daphne's. She turned the girl so they were facing each other, "That this is exactly where I want us to be right now. Two people getting to know each other… With bonuses."

"Bonuses?" Daphne scoffed, "Like what?"

"Like… Figuring out that Malfoy is only attractive because of his feminine allure," Pansy joked, "But also, it's nice to be around someone I don't have to put a persona up around."

"Are you implying that you're not a bitch?"

Pansy scoffed, "Of course not. I know that I'm not the nicest person to be around, not like Granger or whatever, but I've never felt the need to hide that. And I don't feel like I have to amplify who I am to be heard around you."

Daphne felt a pang in her chest. This was… This was nice. It was honest. Oddly, holding hands with Pansy Parkinson of all people felt right.

"Alright, I get it," Daphne smiled, "This works for me too. I like this."

Pansy smiled back, a true genuine smile that would be considered a rarity for anyone who knew her, "I like this too."

No one noticed Theo Nott looking back at his friends with a small smile on his face.

"…So, you necked him?"

"Yep."

"In a broom closet?"

"I never said he was classy," Madeline pointed out, legs crossed as she sipped her hot chocolate, "But yeah; it happened."

Evie Sterling sighed, sipping her own hot chocolate. The two were sat in a small alcove of the Slytherin common room, catching up with each others lives now that Madeline felt pretty confident in her revision. That, and she needed a break. And what better than to share a warm drink with a friend?

"My mum always says that if someone or something isn't brining you anything worthwhile to your life, you need to question why they're there," Evie pointed out, stirring her hot chocolate, "I don't think Fred has brought much to your life for a while."

"I agree," Madeline sighed, whining and throwing her head back, "I don't know why I did it. I just… It's weird to not be close to him anymore, or anyone outside of Slytherin, really."

Evie nodded, "At least you know the friends you have in this house are true."

Madeline smiled, looking into her hot chocolate. She remembered the day before, at the lake with Draco, and nodded, "Yeah. They are."

Evie paused for a moment, before deciding to bite the bullet, "Did you love him?"

Madeline sighed, rubbing her temples. That was a very good question.

"I think… Yes?" Madeline tried, "It's like… I loved the way he made me feel, and I loved him, but I realised pretty soon that I can't love someone I can't trust, and clearly he couldn't either."

Despite the fact he told me he loved me, she wanted to add. But she didn't. That was hers, her first 'I love you', and she'd keep that forever, even if it brought her pain.

"Well, at least that's a positive," Evie pointed out with a reassuring smile, tucking her red hair behind her ear that reminded Madeline so much of Fred's own, "You've gotten through your first broken heart."

Madeline scoffed, smiling at Evie fondly, "You always find the silver lining, don't you?"

"It's a talent of mine, I think."

Dear Madeline,

I hope your exams are going well! Please, do hurry home as soon as you can! We miss you tremendously!

Lots of love,

Your aunt, Isabelle.

Madeline frowned at the letter. Something was off.

Usually, letters between her and her aunt were long and intricate, like they were to her mother, describing her life in Hogwarts. However, with Umbridge now in charge of the school, everyones letters were opened and read by her personally prior to being delivered to the students. She'd told her aunt this, and something told her that the letter wasn't just a well-wishing good luck.

She re-read the parchment over and over at breakfast, the only thing standing out being the underlined words. 'As soon as you can'. Her aunt wanted to see her, and soon. Or more importantly, as soon as possible. Which meant her aunt had something to tell her; something that couldn't be written down.

"Oi, Bisset. Pass me the jam."

Madeline shook herself out of her thoughts, wordlessly passing Draco the raspberry jam. He didn't like any of the other ones, she'd found out.

"News from home?" he asked, spreading the jam over his toast.

"Something like that," Madeline mumbled, tucking the parchment into her robe pocket. She turned to look at Draco, raising her eyebrow, "Enough toast with your jam?"

"Shut up."

"You have such a sweet tooth," Madeline teased, "Who knew that the big bad Draco Malfoy loved sweet stuff as much as the next person?"

"I always took you for a savoury person," Blaise added, nodding along with a smirk.

"Enough of Malfoy's breakfast options, have you lot seen the OWLs timetable?" Daphne asked, waving her sheet in the air, "Theory in the mornings, and practical in the afternoons."

"Is there even any point in a practical DADA exam?" Madeline sighed, "Umbridge hasn't taught us anything useful, and we're expected to do her material in the exam when we've never been allowed to practice it!"

"Our exam results will reflect that," Theo pointed out, "Gabe Birch was talking about purposely flunking so she gets kicked out."

Draco snorted, sipping his coffee; two sugars, black, "That won't work; she'll blame every other teacher and get them sacked. Which doesn't sound all that bad, mind you. It's only a matter of time before that oaf Hagrid gets the sack."

"Hopefully he takes you with him," Madeline snorted, earning herself a playful glare.

Their first examination, Theory of Charms, was scheduled for Monday morning. Four days after they received their timetable. And of course, the Sunday prior to the exam, the Slytherin common room was filled with fifth years reading through years worth of Charms notes.

Pansy and Daphne were busy reciting the different definitions from their Charms textbooks, Madeline and Draco checking each others answers in their own books, and Theo, Blaise and Gabe were doing their own independent reading, underlining important passages in their books. Crabbe and Goyle were nowhere to be found, of course.

No one really talked too much at dinner that evening, but instead, ate with gusto. They noticed the examiners halfway through their meal. Through the doors to the Great Hall they could see Umbridge standing with a small group of ancient-looking witches and wizards. Madeline didn't like the fact that they looked older than most of the Hogwarts paintings; it meant that their answers had to be perfectly aligned with what they had been taught.

Everyone was trying to do some last-minute revising but nobody seemed to be getting very far. Madeline was one of the few who decided to get an early night, pretty happy with her knowledge in the subject. She heard Pansy and Daphne go to bed much later, which left Madeline staring at her aunts letter curiously.

She just had to get through two weeks of exams, and then she'd have answers.

None of the fifth-years talked very much at breakfast next day, either. Some were practicing incantations under their breaths, while others were re-reading books over and over again. Needless to say, it was tense.

They were told to leave the Great Hall and wait in the Entrance Hall after breakfast. No one talked much then, either. Draco and Madeline were the only ones of their friends who didn't seem nervous, despite the fact that Madeline knew she was absolutely terrified. Good grades meant happy families, after all.

When they'd re-entered the hall, the four house tables had been removed and replaced instead with many tables, all facing the staff-table end of the Hall where Professor McGonagall stood facing them. When they were all seated and quiet, she said a simple and blunt, 'You may begin,' and turned over an enormous hour-glass on the desk beside her, on which there were also spare quills, ink bottles and rolls of parchment.

Madeline turned her paper, and smirked at the list of questions. She had nothing to worry about, after all.

"Not too bad," Daphne decided, stretching her arms in the air as the trio left the hall together, "I thought it would be harder, like write this incantation in Latin while standing on your head, or something."

Theo scoffed, "You're ridiculous."

"Ridiculously happy," Daphne corrected, looping her arm around each of her friends, "Now come on; only one more to go today!"

Lunch was less tense, but students still seemed stressed, practicing wand movements under their tables. When the time came for their practical exam, everyone was ushered into a chamber attached to the Great Hall, and called out in small groups in alphabetical order. Which meant, of course-

"Gabe Birch, Madeline Bisset, Susan Bones, Lavender Brown."

Madeline stepped into the Great Hall first, called over by Professor Tofty, one of the older examiners with a balding head. He read over his notes carefully as she approached, greeting her with a smile.

"Bisset?" he smiled, "Any relation to Claude Bisset?"

"My uncle," Madeline nodded, a funny feeling setting in her stomach.

Professor Tofty smiled, noting something down, "Well, I'm sure you're just as skilled as him, but let's do a few Charms, shall we?"

This was much more relaxed than what she'd expected, and part of her wondered if it was because of her name. Regardless of that, her exam went brilliantly. Her Levitation Charm was flawless, and her Growth Charm was far more controlled than anyone else's in the room.

"You have a very steady hand," Professor Tofty commented, smiling as he barely took any notes, "I look forwards to see your further results."

And yet, his comments did nothing to take her mind off other exams. Instead, it directed her back to the letter her aunt had sent her. Professor Tofty was far nicer to her than any of the examiners had been to anyone in that room. She didn't want to assume that he was preferring her because of her family, but she couldn't be blind to it, either.

A small part of her gloated at the fact that she, a Bisset, was a favoured student. But another part of her felt the pang of guilt that came from self-awareness; she was privileged, and recently she hadn't been doing much to help anyone but herself.

On her way back to the common room, she spotted a tired-looking Neville, already reading through a Transfigurations book. He looked exhausted, and she knew he'd always had trouble with the subject.

Without thinking twice, she approached him.

"Hey Neville, want to study together tonight?"

His face was priceless.