Because I Love You (D.M)

Chapter 8: Study Session #1

Congratulations again to you, Johnny dear, we're so happy for you!

Love & Hugs,

Mum & Dad"

"'Love and hugs'," I grumbled stuffing the letter deep in the pocket of my robes.

"Isn't it great though? They're so happy I'm in Hufflepuff!" Johnny said oblivious to my disgruntled expression.

"I am, too," I said patting his shoulder. "I'm going to get breakfast, have a good day."

"Bye, Davis!" He said and rushed off.

I swallowed and stalked over to the beach. I must've sat down hard because the next thing I remember, Zach is pulling a butter knife from between my fingers and telling me something about the fact I just murdered my morning toast. I blinked as though it would help clear my head and focus.

"Earth to Queen of The Nerds!"

I rubbed my eyes and blinked at Ernie who was waving his hands in front of my face.

"What? Oh, morning," I said reaching for a fresh slice of bread.

"You don't look so good," he said as I gently scooped butter and jam onto my toast and calmly spread it. "Is it that Malfoy thing?"

"Zach tell you the whole story?" I ask through a bite of the intact toast.

"Sounds totally wicked, I can't believe you're really gonna do it," he said sounding impressed.

"Thank you, Ernie, seems as though you're the only one who thinks so," I said smiling at him and eyeing the other two suspiciously.

"I got your back, Queen," he said.

The rest of breakfast passed and before I knew it, Zach was pulling me at break-neck speed towards Potions. As we took our seats, I wondered if he was failing. It wouldn't come as a surprise to me if he was.

Malfoy actually showed up to class today and on time. That meant I wouldn't have to make another potion on my own for a change.

He didn't look so good. He seemed to have lost weight and not slept for a week straight. Another astounding thing I picked up on was that the professors didn't seem to notice that he was wasting away. I observed Slughorn weaving between the students tables greeting them and talking for a long while with Harry Potter as if they were the best of friends. When he passed by Malfoy and I, he greeted me and barely even acknowledged Malfoy. At first, I just dismissed it and went to get the supplies as he dragged out his textbook and rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Rough night?" I asked not making eye contact as I started chopping spider legs up.

"You wouldn't know," he muttered staring blankly at the cauldron

I simply shrugged and scraped my cutting board contents into the boiling water and started on counting red oak leaves.

"If you're too exhausted, you don't have to---" I began.

"I'm coming tonight because I need to, not because I want to," he said.

I nodded and crumbled leaves into the mixture.

"You wanna stir that? I have to get beans from the cabinet," I said making to get up.

Malfoy flinched when I said cabinet causing me to sit right back down. He might be ill or something.

"Yeah, I can stir," he responded heavily and picked up the ladle.

I nodded and rushed over to the jar of beans shelved away. That was odd. I counted out the beans carefully and made my way back over to the table. Malfoy was stirring, but painfully slow. I shook my head and went to cut a bean. It slipped from between my fingers and rolled away. I seized it and tried again only to get the same results.