mahogany ; d.m

19 - necessity

Athena danced her way to her Potions classroom, making it in time just before she would be late. She perched herself between to Hermione and Harry on the table and pulled out her books.

"Right settle down, settle down, good good," Slughorn began. "Today each of you will be making a sample of Draught of the Living Death as we had previously discussed in our last lesson."

"Miss Granger," he beamed at Hermione. "Will you please do the honour to remind your peers on what this particular potion is."

Hermione cleared her throat and said perfectly, as if read from the text book, "The Draught of the Living Death is an extremely powerful sleeping draught which causes one to fall into a deep, deathlike slumber."

"Very well done! Ten points to Gryffindor!" he beamed. "Now will you all collect the ingredients from the back of the room per usual and begin. Oh! And before I forget, the best formulation wins this vial of Felix Felicis, better known as Liquid Luck. Good Luck! Haha!"

Everyone around the room rushed to the back where the ingredients were stored, but Athena decided to wait until the crowd had cleared. Someone else seemed to have the same idea in mind.

Draco was sat a few tables away from Athena's, leaning over a book and writing notes, seeming too busy to be disturbed.

Once the crowd had cleared and people returned to their desks, Draco stood, closing the book and bringing it with him to the back of the room, selecting the ingredients.

Shortly afterwards, Athena followed, grabbing her copy of Advanced Potion Making. She went by his side nonchalantly, making it seem like she didn't even know he were there. As she began selecting the ingredients, he shifted to the side as if he were afraid she would accidentally nudge him.

"I'm keeping it by the way," she whispered with indifference. "I don't expect you to have a change of heart. I just thought you ought to know."

She picked out the last of the ingredients and walked away before he could say anything or leave the area first.

By the end of the lesson, her potion had been brewed. It wasn't too bad, though once it turned into the pale lilac colour as expected, it refused to fade to transparency.

Harry was the winner of the Liquid Luck which made a lot of people sulk. Draco seemed to be the most annoyed about Harry's victory as he packed up and left the classroom with a scowl, as soon as Slughorn announced they could leave.

.

'Fucking Potter,' Draco thought venomously.

Of course he would be the winner of the Liquid Luck.

As if he needed it that badly anyway. It would do Draco a stupendous benefit when fixing that blasted cabinet. He could finally get it over with and prove himself for the benefit of his family.

Pansy had followed him closely out of the classroom when he rushed off. He stopped a little way down the corridor, leaning his back against the wall and she did the same, fondly linking her arm in his.

He didn't really want her to touch him, but felt too unbothered to shove her off.

After all, he had more important things on his mind.