After Saving Draco [ONGOING / REWRITING]

chapter twenty

     "So do I..." Mother said sadly before pausing. "Do you approve of Xenophilius?"

     "I do," I said, giving her a reassuring smile. "He's a good man, I'd like to be like that too."

     Mother's blue eyes creased happily at that, feeling relieved as her lips followed, flashing her pearl white teeth at me. "You already are, Draco. I suppose I owe it to her."

     "Yes," I grinned proudly. "I'll win her back."

    "I have no doubts, son," Mother said sternly as she patted away a strand of bleach blonde hair from my black suit. "I expect nothing less."

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Tala. 113 days before May 4, 1999.

      "Not that I'm ungrateful, I love getting these," I said as I looked down happily at the white rose, spinning the stem between my fingers. "But how come you give me one everyday? Shouldn't they just be for special occasions?" I asked, thinking of black roses for a moment.

     "Why should it?" Harry asked obviously, giving me a curious look as we stood outside of Slughorn's classroom, hurrying footsteps passing us by. "I believe you should get one everyday, you shouldn't have to wait a few times a year to receive one. You deserve more."

     My ears turned warm from Harry's words, forming a shy smile as I met his blue gaze. But before either of us could speak again, Slughorn had yelled from the inside of the room and welcomed us in.

     "Come on now lovebirds!" Slughorn waved at us, motioning for us to step inside, turning to one of the Hufflepuff students. "Ah, how grateful I am for my top students to pair up — adorable isn't it?"

     I sighed out of embarrassment while Harry chuckled, making our way to the back tables to join Ron and Hermione. There were long pairs of rat tails sitting next to our cauldrons and beakers, along with more ingredients that I didn't recognize, making me wonder what today's assignment would be.

     "Bloody hell," Ron laughed carelessly, out of breath. "That was brilliant."

     "Ronald," Hermione slapped his chest lightly, giggling herself.

     "Shut up," I chuckled with them as Harry sat on the stool beside me, shaking his head in amusement.

     For the record, Harry and I aren't "together". He wasn't my boyfriend and I wasn't his girlfriend, there weren't any labels — we just, started kissing a lot more often. Like, a lot more.

     Sigh, this is like Ronnie all over again.

     I turned my head hesitantly to Draco's usual seat even though I tried to resist the urge to, my smile disappearing to see that he was still gone. He hadn't been at classes all week, he hasn't been at the school at all actually, not since the night we fought. There were rumors that he went traveling, only bits and pieces that I was able to gather from Pansy.

     I sighed quietly to myself, opening up my Advanced Potions book to the page written on the chalk board. Harry noticed this and began playing with the ingredients, making silly jokes that made me giggle and feel better.

     "Sorry I'm late."

      My stomach dropped to my feet at the sound of their voice, my head sharply turning to the door. I studied their messy snow white hair, covering their silver eyes that had been strained and puffy, like they had been crying. They held onto their advanced potions book tiredly, one hand stuffed into their robes and school uniform.

     "It's alright Mr. Malfoy," Slughorn said, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Please take a seat, I'm glad to have you back in class."

     Draco nodded carelessly at him, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on me.

     "Sit here, Draco!" A Slytherin girl offered desperately.

     "No, sit with me!" Another girl said.

     A group of Slytherin girls' voices began to bounce off the walls, all offering the seat next to them. A few girls kicked off the person they sat by, just for Draco to fill the spot. But he ignored them all and began walking towards me confidently, making me a little nervous.

     "Blackwell," Draco greeted blankly, being civil while his grey eyes looked dimmer than usual.

     My stomach faltered a little, not used to him calling me by anything other than "Tiny", "Dumb girl", or "little ferret".

     "Malfoy," I said just as dully, hoping it stung him a little.

     He remained collected, not caring until his glance shifted onto the white rose on the table next to me, watching Harry sit beside me so closely.

     "Look Potter," Draco spat harshly. "You've got yourself a little girlfriend."

     "I do, actually," Harry said smugly as he wrapped his arm loosely around my neck, unfazed by Draco's mocking tone.

     Um, come again?

     My rosy cheeks turned red at that, but my grin was lost once Draco's jaw clenched angrily. He grabbed the ladle from the caldron and spilled the liquid on Harry, my lips parting as parts of Harry's robes began to burn through. Gasps had escaped everyone's mouths at the ruckus, Slughorn ordering Harry to go to the Hospital Wing immediately.

     "Bugger off, Malfoy," Ron spat at he left with Harry, Hermione cleaning up the mess thoughtfully as she frowned.

     "Oops," Draco said mockingly, earning a dark glare from me.

     Ugh, he thinks he's so smug.

     I can do something better than that!

     "Mr. Malfoy, accident or not I'll have to sentence you a detention," Slughorn said.

    "Whatever," Draco rolled his eyes as he sat at his usual seat next to Goyle, his friends chuckling with him while the Slytherin girls sighed in disappointment.

     I huffed at that and lost my patience, stomping over to Draco as I grabbed a knife from his cutting board. I gave him an overly sweet smile while I glanced below his belt and back at the long rat's tail.

     "Oh look Malfoy," I said as I hovered the knife over the tail. "It's as big as yours."

     I chopped off the tail in half harshly, the impact so loud that it startled everyone in the room. Draco began to cover his groin as a reflex, making me tilt my head as I shot him another sweet smile. I whipped out my wand from my robe and jinxed him nonverbally, some liquid from the caldron spilling on him and burning through his robes too.

     "Oops," I mocked smugly, rolling my eyes at his disbelieved expression as I walked over to Slughorn.

     Boom, mic drop.

     Everyone in the room was speechless, though Pansy failed to keep a grin down and watched me admiringly. I held out my hand at Slughorn, watching a dumbfounded look form on his pale face.

     "When's my detention?" I asked knowingly, motioning to receive a paper slip.