Begin Again - Dramione

Normalcy

" Get a grip Ron, its not really that difficult if you just follow the instructions properly." I replied, rolling my eyes.

" Of course its easier for you. Miss Know-it-all." he said, with a small smile.

" Shut up Ron," I snapped, ignoring his playful dialect on purpose.

" Will you both stop bickering and get started with the potion? You're starting to attract attention," Harry intervened, and sure enough I turned around to find some Slytherin girls looking at us, amused.

" Humph! Lets go get the ingredients," I muttered turning back around and getting up.

" You go and get them for us please? Its only moonstone, syrup of hellebore, powdered porcupine quills, Valerian root, and powdered unicorn horn. " Ron whined.

" You're such a baby sometimes. Ugh, fine! I'll go get them, you better get the cauldron ready when I'm back." I huffed, irritated but shocked at his memory. When in the world did he start giving two figs about Potions as to learn the ingredients for potions? Shaking my head at the rare displays of brilliance by Ron, I made my way towards the potions supply cabinet.

On my way back, was the first time I really noticed him. He was sitting at the very corner, next to what I knew was Blaise Zabini. His blonde head was bent, just like Harry's had been and he seemed to be in deep thought. All the other Slytherins were busy with trying to fumble through the task set before them but he was the only one sitting there, as if no one was around, as if no one was watching... as if no one would notice.

I was still staring at his head, when suddenly he sat up straight and his gaze landed sharply on me. His steely eyes seemed to pierce a whole through my soul. Shaken, I gripped the potions supply in my arms tighter, dashing back to my table, not looking back at him again. As I settled down, Ron was still babbling about one thing or another. But I couldn't bring myself to pay him any mind.

It wasn't like I was really concerned or anything, but something was different about Draco Malfoy. Those few seconds that he'd looked straight into my eyes, they spoke volumes. His gaze, guarded- yet revealing at the same time, spoke it was just my over-active imagination, but I felt something shift; maybe it was the sudden change in his exterior. For in place of the haughty, spoiled bigot and extremely prejudiced elitist, was a quiet, detached and an almost invisible soul, shallow and bare from any emotions.

Shaking my head, I tuned into the chattering of the boys beside me.  Malfoy wasn't my concern after all.

" I hate doing this," Ron was whining. Typical, I thought rolling my eyes.

" What's up 'Mione?" Harry asked, stirring the potions clockwise while trying to keep the temperature of the cauldron in check.

" Nothing much, I'm not really in the mood for this.." I replied, waiting for the right time to put in the final ingredient, hellebore.

" Is the world ending?" Ron asked dramatically.

" What?" I asked startled,

" I mean- you just said you're not in the mood to study," he replied matter of factly, making quotations marks in the air.

" ha ha, very funny." I replied dryly. I wasn't paying attention and I accidently let slip the final ingredient out of my hand.

" Watch out " Ron yelled, waving his wand to vanish the herb before it fell into the cauldron and preventing a full out fire explosion. I stared at him in stunned silence.

" Its alright mate." Harry assured, still stirring. It took another 3 anti-clockwise stirs before he lowered down the flames and added the herb, this time making sure he got everything right. It slowly turned a nice pale white color and started emitting silvery
vapors as instructed by the book.

" Whats got into you today?" Ron began,

" I'm sorry, I just- I've got alot on my mind today." I tried to explain.

" When don't you?" he replied, rolling his eyes.

" Forget about her, how come you know so much about this potion?" Harry suddenly pointed out, Ron froze for a moment and turned bright red.

" Well.. never mind Lets go get this up to dear ol' Slug.." he stuttered, picking up the vial Harry had just filled with the potion as he stood up and walked away.

" What was that?" Harry turned to me, his eyes narrowed.

" Typical Ronald, Harry." I replied with a sigh. He chuckled and thats when the bell rang.

Great, an hour still before Lunch, this day was turning out to be longer than expected. With that thought, I got up and made my way towards my next class.

----------------- edited on 10/14/2019------------