Begin Again

CHAPTER 12

CHAPTER 12

"I've been hearing that you're having a bit of trouble in your Alchemy, Potter." Professor McGonagall said. It was the weekend and Jaime was in Professor McGonagall's office for her weekly Animagus lessons, but the news of Jaime's status in Alchemy reached Professor McGonagall, the Professor had to stop their lessons for a while, until Jaime gets good marks in her Alchemy.

"But, Professor!"

"No, buts. Now, until I see good marks in your Alchemy, Ms. Potter, we won't be having our lessons." Professor McGonagall said, "That's my final word, Potter, I'm sorry..."

"I understand... thank you Professor." Jaime left the Headmistress' office, frowning. She needs to get her grades up in Alchemy for her to continue her Animagus lessons with Professor McGonagall, but how? She can't ask Hermoine for help, since she wasn't taking the class (afraid to encounter another Philosopher's Stone), Eloise Midgen too was having a hard time – everyone was! But Draco Malfoy.
The thought of asking help from Draco made Jaime blush, she's been asking help from him during classes and with their home works – sure she repays him by helping him in Transfiguration – but still, it was still a bit awkward to ask him to tutor her in Alchemy, but if it was to get marks up and have her lessons with Professor McGonagall again, she'll do anything.

After getting the Marauders Map in her trunk, Jaime walked the halls of Hogwarts, trying to find Draco's whereabouts. He wasn't in his dorm or the Slytherin common room nor was he in the Great Hall. Draco suddenly appeared in the map, he was just a few steps from Jaime, Jaime's brows furrowed, how can he suddenly just appear in the map, Jaime looked from the map and suddenly saw Draco standing by the wall, but it wasn't just a wall, it was where the Room of Requirements is. What was Draco doing in the Room of Requirements?
Draco's dot started to move, Jaime quickly ran after him.

"Draco, wait!"

Draco turned and saw Jaime running after him, she was holding a piece of parchment with scribbles. Draco stopped and lets Jaime catch up to him.

"What is it?" Draco asked.

"I-I need your help on something." Jaime said.

"What's that?" Draco asked, nodding on the Marauder's Map in her hands.

"Just a piece of parchment." Jaime said and hides the map behind her. Draco rolled his eyes and grabbed the map from her, Jaime tried to get it back, but failed.

"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs are proud to present The Marauder's Map." Draco read, he then opened the map, he saw dots names moving, he noticed that the halls and classrooms of Hogwarts were on the map, then he saw his name and Jaime's, they were beside each other. Draco closed the map, "Is this how you found me?"

"No..." Jaime lied, badly.

Draco chuckled, "Do you know the only flaw I see in you, Jaime?"

"What?" Jaime asked, she was blushing red in embarrassment.

"Is that you're really bad in lying." Draco smiled, then he remembered, when he was at the Astronomy Tower and Jaime suddenly came, she was holding a piece of parchment – it was empty, "Is this how you found me in the Astronomy Tower that night?" Jaime didn't reply, she was as red as a tomato now, Draco just chuckled and handed her the map, "Where did you get this – and don't tell me it's from Zonko's – they don't sell these there and Wormtail... that's Pettigrew." Draco stared at Jaime, her embarrassed face turned sour upon hearing Peter Pettigrew's name, "I'm sorry – I didn't mean to bring back any bad-"

"It's okay... yeah... the Wormtail there is Pettigrew..." Jaime said, she slowly took the map from Draco's hand and touched the names Moony, Padfoot and Prongs, "Along with Mr. Moony, Mr. Prongs and Mr. Padfoot..." Jaime choked, the memory of Lupin and Sirius always crushed her heard, "they made this map... Mr. Moony was Professor Lupin – I'm sure you know why he's called that – " Jaime tried to chuckle as she tried wipe a tear " – Mr. Prongs was my dad... James Potter..." Draco saw Jaime breaking down to tears he took her hand, "And Mr. Padfoot... was Sirius... Harry and I's Godfather..."
Draco remembered, he knew he have heard the name Padfoot, it was during his fifth year, when he and the Inquisitorial squad captured Harry and some DA members when they planned to contact someone. Umbridge called for Snape then, and Harry suddenly said, "Padfoot! He has Padfoot!" then Jaime then begged for Snape then, "Please Professor, Padfoot – he needs us!" Draco didn't understand then who or what Padfoot was, but now he does... he was Sirius Black, Jaime and Harry's Godfather... and his aunt, Bellatrix, killed their last family who actually cares for them...

"I'm sorry... I-I shouldn't have – just forget about earlier..." Jaime was about to walk pass Draco, but he took a hold of her wrist and pulled her to him, Draco wrapped his arms around Jaime and lets her cry on his chest. Jaime was shocked in Draco's actions but lets him comfort her, just this once.
Draco didn't let go of Jaime until she calmed down, they just stood there, and luckily the part of the castle they were in wasn't usually passed by students. After a while, Jaime pulled away from Draco, she wiped her face from her tears, "Thank you, Draco... I guess I needed that." Jaime attempted a chuckle, but failed, "I'll just go..."

"Wait, you said you needed something from me, what is it?" Draco asked.

"It's nothing... just forget it..."

"No, I want to help, what is it?" Draco insisted.

Jaime sighed, "It's about Alchemy... I need a tutor – you see, I've been having Animagus lessons with Professor McGonagall- "

"You're learning to be an Animagus?" Draco asked surprised.

"Yeah, I am – but with my standing in Alchemy, Professor McGonagall postponed by lessons until I have high marks... I was wondering if you could tutor me since you're good in it – I know that you've been helping me so much in this subject and I promise to repay you for it—I'll make it up to you, I swear-"

"You don't have to repay me, Jaime."

"Is that a yes?" Jaime asked.

"Yeah." Draco smiled.

"Thank you, Draco." Jaime said, Draco laughed and started walking down the hall with Jaime beside him, "So tell me, when are we going to start Professor Malfoy?" Jaime joked.

Draco laughed, "Since we have the same free period, why not we do it there and sometime after class... and we can start now, if you want."

"How about tomorrow, I just want to relax for the day." Jaime said.

"Tomorrow it is – well, I'm heading to the bridge, probably Theodore's there – been looking for him for awhile – I'm sure you're going back to Granger and Weasely?" Draco said.

"I was planning to, but Hermoine might be studying and Ginny might be planning for the next game, why not I hang with you for a while... beside you did say that you're looking for Theodore right?" Jaime smiled and handed the Marauder's Map to Draco. Draco chuckled and took the map from Jaime, after looking through the pages, Draco found Theodore outside, just by the Whomping Willow. "There he is." Jaime said.
Draco handed the map back to Jaime, and the both of them headed to the Whomping Willow.

"By the way, Draco, what were you doing in the Room of Requirements?" Jaime asked.

Draco stiffened, she must've known since she had the Marauder's Map. The only reason why Draco was in the Room of Requirements was to look for Theodore, back in his sixth year, he and Theodore spent their free time trying to mend the Vanishing Cabinet, with Crabbe and Goyle keeping watch while in their disguise as girl (unattractive girls). Drac then remembered Crabbe, he died with his own spell, in the Room of Requirements, it was his own fault, Draco thought, but he can't help but feel guilty why Crabbe died. Draco remembered hanging for his life, along with Goyle, as the fire just below their feet was burning the room, then Harry, Ron, and Hermoine came back and saved them from their deaths.

"I was just looking for Theodore, thought he'd be there." Draco said.

"But why at the Room of Requirements?" Jaime asked, but then she remembered what Harry said, it was what Draco said to Dumbledoor on the night Dumbledoor died, Draco was mending the cabinet in the Room of Requirements, "Oh – I'm sorry, I didn't mean to ask..."

"It's alright..." Draco said, "Is he still at the Whomping Willow?"

Jaime opened the map and looked for Theodore's name, he wasn't moving, Theodore was still at the Whomping Willow, "Yeah... what's he doing there anyway?"

"Don't know..." Draco shrugged, "Probably just getting some air."

"And the air when he got out of the castle wasn't enough?" Jaime asked.

Draco chuckled, it was the same line he said to Jaime when he caught her snooping in the Astronomy Tower. When Draco and Jaime found themselves outside of the caste and near the Whomping Willow, Jaime got out her wand and pointed it at the map, "Mischief Managed." And all of the writing disappeared, Draco was amazed when he saw the map disappear and that it just looked like a piece of parchment.

"Jaime Potter, you never fail to surprise me..." Draco said.