Emerald (Lazuli Book #2) Harry Potter Fan Fiction (Draco Malfoy)

Chapter Ten - The Three Broomsticks

To Draco's right, Professor Slughorn is chatting to a man wearing a pointing red hat and with a nose the shape of a turnip. Harry and I have produced perfect potions in every assignment that Slughorn had offered us, thanks to our amended potions books, and had earnt quite a name for ourselves around the school. It was only last year when Harry was receiving remedial potions with Snape, as Draco had so smugly told everybody, and now he was the top of the year, except for me of course.

Draco collects our butterbeers and turns to face our table. He spots Harry stood beside me and a vicious glare crosses over his face. "You'd better go," I warn him as Draco starts to stride towards us, thunder in his steps. Harry looks down at me for a moment and smirks. "I'm not afraid of your boyfriend Juliet, I'm the Chosen One, remember?" he gives me a cheeky wink, and as Draco appears at the table, swaggers off.

"What did he want?" Draco hisses, setting the butterbeer down in front of me and jerking his head in Harry's direction. I shrug my shoulders and sip at the warm beverage. "He was just saying hello."

Draco scoffs and sips at his own drink, before standing once more. "I have to do something, I'll be back in 5 minutes."

I let out an exasperated sigh. "Can't it wait?" I plead, grasping his hand. Draco's skin is cool and soft, the shade of porcelain. He sighs and strokes my cheek with his other hand, a gentle caress. "5 minutes, I promise." His lips brush mine, so gentle that I barely feel it. But then he is gone, his hand gone from mine, and when I open my eyes, he has disappeared completely.

Patiently, I wait for him to return. 5 minutes pass, and then 10. I drum my fingers on the table boredly and watch as Harry laughs with Ron and Hermione. My heart pangs slightly - they look like they're having much more fun than I ever have with my friends.

"Miss Weasley!"

I lift my head to see Slughorn wobbling over, a flagon of some peculiar smelling beer in his left hand and waving frantically with his right. I flash a forced smile and stand politely. "Hello professor!"

Slughorn beams as he reaches me. "Good to see you! Are you here alone?" I shake my head softly. "No, Draco has just gone..." I look around the pub aimlessly, every inch of it empty of my boyfriend. "...I don't exactly know where."

Slughorn chuckles slightly and proceeds to speak. "You might remember the little gathering on the train during the journey to Hogwarts?" I nod nonchalantly, still searching for Draco as if I might have overlooked him. Impossible really, Draco isn't the sort of person that one can overlook.

"I'm hosting a little get-together soon, a dinner party, strictly the best guests of course. I'd be absolutely delighted if you could attend!"

I only just stop myself from raising my eyebrows. After all my previous adoration of Horace Slughorn and his work, he'd proven himself to be incredibly underwhelming. His potioneering was of course as brilliant as I'd expected, and he had proven to be a good teacher. But it was as if something was lacking. There was no sparkle about his personality that made him interesting, like Professor Dumbledore. I didn't get the impression of a secret knowledge that none of us simple students could hope to understand when I looked into his eyes, like Professor McGonagall or Professor Snape. He was - quite simply - exceptionally ordinary, as ordinary as a wizard could be anyway. Still, it would be rude to decline and despite my new, angsty attitude that had materialised the day I got my mark, the manners I was brought up with forbid it.

"It sounds wonderful Professor, I'd love to attend."

Slughorn's eyes light up with glee and he claps his hands. "Wonderful! It wouldn't be the same without you, Miss Weasley!" Slughorn leans slightly closer, lowering his voice as if he intends to whisper, but actually speaking in the same tone he had been previously. "Don't tell Mr Potter this, but I've always believed it was you that was producing your spectacular work! Professor Snape was shocked when I spoke about Potter's excellent potioneering, proclaiming that dear Harry is quite dreadful at potions. It's reflected in his homework I'm afraid - it's never of the same standard as his classwork."