Muffliato (Draco Malfoy)

34 - VANILLA

Alora Lin

It was Monday again, meaning that I had to endure double Potions and sit next to Anthony for two hours.

Wonderful.

When Anthony had arrived and sat down beside me, I did everything I could to create the impression that I was busy. I glanced out the window, pretending to ponder as I examined the cloudy November sky. I reached into my bag, acting as if I was looking for something even though I already had everything I needed laid out on my desk.

I was determined to give him the cold shoulder the entire period. To my dismay, his stupidly alluring voice broke the tense silence, "Hey, are you okay?"

I bit the inside of my cheek and continued staring off into the distance, "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

I spotted him shrugging in my periphery, "I don't know. It's just that I thought I heard you screaming last night."

My eyes widened momentarily as I nervously gulped, reminded of the fact that Draco and I had forgotten to use the Muffliato spell last night. I cleared my throat before casually turning my head towards the window to hide the heat rising to my cheeks, "I'm fine. I just stubbed my toe."

To my relief, Professor Snape barged into the classroom right before Anthony got a chance to respond. "Today," Snape drawled. "We will be learning about Amortentia."

Before Snape had even made it to the front of the classroom, Hermione's hand was up. She patiently waited for Snape to turn around and call on her.

"Yes, Miss Granger?" Snape spoke with the utmost boredom.

"Professor, isn't Amortentia NEWT level? Why are we learning about this now if it's not even going to be on our OWLs?"

Snape narrowed his eyes and slowly advanced towards Hermione, causing her to slouch lower in her seat.

"Are you saying you don't like my teaching style, Miss Granger?" Snape retorted.

"N-no, sir," she stuttered, looking down at her desk.

Snape's glare at her lingered for a few more seconds before muttering, "Ten points from Gryffindor."

Sauntering back to the front of the classroom, Snape pulled out a piece of chalk and began scribbling down an assortment of unfamiliar terms on the chalkboard. 

Once he had filled the board with a complicated list of ingredients, he spun around to face us again. "I want all of you to brew a sample of Amortentia today. I expect perfection, and nothing less. If–"

Snape was cut off by a high-pitched giggle echoing from the back of the classroom. Glancing over my shoulder, I spotted Pansy laughing into her hand while Draco perched beside her, appearing as though he was ready to throw himself out the window.

"Draco, you're so funny," Pansy stated in between fits of laughter.

"I didn't say anything," Draco's expression remained blank as he ignored her incessant attempts to snuggle into his side.

Snape conspicuously cleared his throat, causing all of us to draw our attention back to him. "Is there something you'd like to share with us, Miss Parkinson and Mr. Malfoy?"

Pansy immediately ceased her obnoxious giggles, glancing down at her lap to avoid the threatening look she was receiving from Snape. Draco, on the other hand, quickly glanced up at Snape before averting his eyes and shaking his head no.

"Very well then," Snape spoke slowly. "Why don't you two come up to help me with a demonstration?"

Pansy and Draco remained planted to their seats, neither of them brave enough to peer up into Snape's cold stare.

"That wasn't a question," Snape continued. "That was an order."

Without a complaint, Draco defeatedly got up from his seat, and Pansy followed. As the two were making their way up to the front of the classroom, Draco's eyes met mine momentarily before darting away. A faint pink colored his cheeks as he advanced towards the desk in front of the chalkboard.

"I have brewed a sample of Amortentia so that you delinquents will know what it should look like," Snape spoke with utter disgust. "Does anyone know what Amortentia is?"

Snape scanned the classroom, completing ignoring Hermione who was frantically waving her hand back and forth, before returning his gaze to the two Slytherins standing miserably at the front of the classroom. "Mr. Malfoy... do you know what Amortentia is?"

"It's a love potion, sir," Draco spoke without hesitance.

"And what does it do?"

"It induces a powerful infatuation in the drinker, and you smell what attracts you the most."

"Would you like to tell us what you smell, Mr. Malfoy?" Snape gestured towards the gold-colored cauldron perched on the desk.

Draco stared back at him, his eyes silently begging Snape to take back the suggestion. Relief flooded through his face when Pansy butted in, "I'll do it!"

She flirtatiously placed her hand on Draco's upper arm before stepping in front of him and leaning over the cauldron. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. All of the muscles on her face relaxed as the seductive scent infiltrated her nose.

A cheeky smirk broke out on her lips as she opened her eyes again, "Mint and cologne."

Glancing over her shoulder, Pansy threw Draco a subtle wink before returning to stand beside him. Draco stiffened, shuffling a bit to the side so that his arm wouldn't have to brush up against Pansy's.

"And Mr. Malfoy?" Snape raised an eyebrow, giving Draco a look that implied he wouldn't let him return to his seat unless he smelled the damn potion.

Draco took a deep breath, stuffing his hands into the pocket of his robes, before ambling towards the cauldron. He cautiously leaned over it. A look of pure infatuation spread over his face as he inhaled the scent. His eyes opened slowly, and he seemed to be having trouble backing away from the cauldron. 

Whatever he smelled must have been intoxicating, but in the best way possible.

"Vanilla and flowers," Draco exclaimed, the edges of his lips curling into a subtle smile.

I noticed Pansy lift an arm to her face, sniffing herself to see if it was her that Draco had smelled in the Amortentia. A look of disappointment surfaced when she came to the devastating conclusion that she did not smell like vanilla or flowers.

"Very well," Snape said. "You may return to your seats."

Draco and Pansy awkwardly stepped away from the cauldron and headed back to their seats.

Once again, Draco's eyes momentarily met mine, and I could've sworn he had winked at me. It all went by too fast. Before I knew it, he was back in his seat, and my attention had returned to Snape.

However, my ability to give Snape my full attention rapidly dissipated upon the realization that I had sprayed on lavender vanilla perfume this morning.