It was becoming a habit that Clementine was late. This was the second time in less than a week that she hurried up the trail connecting Hogwarts and Hogsmeade in an attempt to make it to work in time. She was not off to a good start. It was her first official day and she had overslept. She barely had time to put on her shoes and pull up her hair before she had to run out the door.
"Fuck." Clementine muttered to herself as she ran up the hill. It was a steep incline that left her practically out of breath, "This fucking hill! This is fucking ridiculous."
"You're late Professor Beaumont." McGonagall's voice echoed in the hall just as she stepped through the castle doors. "Perhaps living off campus is not the most ideal scenario. You may want to reconsider if this becomes a regularity."
"I underestimated just how long the walk would take. The hillside is steep." Clementine admitted sheepishly. "I'll do better moving forward, I promise."
"I should hope that you do." The headmistress looked less than thrilled, "There's a class full of second years waiting for you that are growing more and more restless by the second."
"Growing... herbology... that's a good one." Clementine laughed. She stopped immediately when she saw that McGonagall was not trying to make a joke. "I'll be going now."
"Don't dawdle." McGonagall turned on her heel to walk away.
Clementine could hear the screaming children before she even reached the greenhouse. Two boys awfully reminiscent of Fred and George Weasley were levitating a girl's braids while she squealed in protest, while on the other side of the room a very intense game of exploding snaps was taking place.
"Alright, thank you for waiting, everyone." Clementine threw her things down on her desk before turning to look at the class. "I'm the new Herbology Professor, Professor Beaumont. We should have a particularly easy remainder of the year just as long as you read the course material. Today we're going to be going over different types of potting soils and why they're so important."
A few students groaned, and Clementine couldn't help but to agree. The course material was as dry as the sand sitting in a pot on her desk.
There was a knock at the door, and Clementine was relieved to see that Neville had arrived.
"Just... read over the chapter in your textbooks while I convene with Professor Longbottom and then we will go over any questions you may have." Clementine rushed to say. She glanced at the parchment with all of the students names listed for attendance looking for any with a sense of familiarity, "Penelope Abbott, you're in charge until I get back."
A young girl, presumably a cousin of Clementine's former classmate, grinned widely as she flipped open her textbook and began explaining to the other students the differences in aeration between soil types. If she had more time to dwell on it, Clementine might have thought the girl was related to Hermione Granger.
"What's up, Nev?" Clementine asked as she followed Neville out of the greenhouse. The two walked to a more secluded part of the courtyard before Neville decided to speak.
"I need a favor." He grimaced. "I've got a meeting later with the head of the potions department and I was wondering if you could attend it instead? It won't be long, you just have to go over some interdepartmental stuff. It's kind of boring actually."
"Why are you too busy to do it?" Clementine looked at Neville skeptically, crossing her arms across her chest. She knew she was hired to help Neville, but she wasn't inclined to be his secretary.
"I have my reasons." He shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet her gaze. "Can you do it?"
"Only if you tell me why you can't." Clementine insisted. Neville was acting weird. He was often anxious, but never to this extent.
"Luna and I have some wedding planning business to attend to, alright?" Neville huffed, finally able to make eye contact, "Happy?"
"Say no more." Clementine waved her hand dismissively, "Anything for Luna."
"But not for me?" Neville looked a bit hurt, but he was mostly teasing. The color had returned to his face and he grinned as he started to relax again.
"Sure, but Luna gets priority obviously." Clementine shrugged and shot Neville a playful smile. "Where's this meeting supposed to take place anyway?"
"The dungeons." Neville explained, "In the potions classroom. The meeting is set during the dinner hour."
"So I have to miss dinner for this? This deal is getting worse by the second." Clementine's stomach growled at the mere mention of eating. She had already accidentally skipped one meal today, and likely wouldn't have time to get lunch either.
"I'll make it up to you, I promise." Neville said apologetically. "Thank you."
"Yeah, whatever. Get out of here then." Clementine shooed him, "I've got a class of children that need to be tended to."
"Theo would have laughed at that gardening joke." Neville's smile widened. "You two have been spending a lot of time together already. Are you picking up where you left off?"
"There's something there." Clementine admitted, "I'm just not sure what it is. We didn't exactly leave off in the best of terms."
"Because of Malfoy?" Neville looked at her knowingly, "He's been acting extra Malfoy-y since you came back."
"Oh?" Clementine leaned on the wall deep in thought, "So he's not always a massive prick?"
"It's only every other day he decides to be an arse now. That's definitely an improvement." Neville joked, "He's changed... for the better in my opinion."
"You don't have to lie, Neville." Clementine smirked as she pushed her hair out of her face. "He is still Malfoy after all."
_____
Clementine hadn't stepped foot in the dungeons in years. It was still as cold as she remembered, and the quiet hum from the nearby kitchen echoed on the walls.
She stopped in the doorway to the potions room when she caught a glimpse of bright blond hair behind the desk.
"You're not Neville." Draco looked up at the girl in surprise.
"What gave me away?" Clementine walked further into the room and looked curiously into one of the cauldrons on the table where a potion was still brewing.
"The dress, for starters." Draco let his eyes wander down her bare legs, "Longbottom couldn't pull that off. Where is he by the way?"
"Neville asked me to be his proxy for the meeting. I didn't expect you to be here."
"You didn't know I'm the potions Professor?" Draco looked at her doubtfully, "What did you expect me to be teaching? Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
"Arithmancy, maybe. You were always good with numbers." Clementine took Draco in, admiring his lithe frame. He looked at home in the potions classroom, "But potions... it suits you." She cleared her throat and tried to get serious as she pushed away her feelings, "So what is it that we're supposed to be meeting about?"
"Right. Follow me." Draco cleared his throat and led Clementine to the ingredients cupboard. He held the door open for Clementine to walk in before following behind her.
The space was cramped, especially given how much space Draco took up. He towered over Clementine in the small room, but he didn't seem to notice. He was busy looking at all of his ingredient bottles, carefully perusing the labels and glancing at his inventory.
"I need your classes to grow some things for me." Draco explained coolly as he plucked an empty bottle off the shelf, "Asphodel... Shrivelfig... Hemlock... those are the most important, so I would start there. I need Moonseed as well, but it can wait until the full moon to be harvested."
Clementine nodded, the smell of Draco's cologne was overpowering her senses standing so close to him. She could feel his body heat emanating from his body and wondered if he could feel hers as well, "Is there anything else you need?"
Draco let his eyes drift over to her, finally acknowledging just how small the cupboard was. He leaned forward and put his arm on the shelf near Clementine's shoulder, pinning her in place, "I could think of a few things."
"Draco, I—" Clementine tried not to look directly at Draco as she squirmed underneath him. Her breath hitched as his lips lingered close to her own, "We can't do this."
"So you and Theo can do this, but we can't?" He pointed between them as anger bubbled to the surface. There was an intensity burning behind his grey eyes that Clementine recognized instantly. It was jealousy.
"Theo and I aren't doing anything." Clementine spat back at him, "And even if we were, it would be none of your business. I thought after our last discussion you were trying to get along, but this clearly isn't about me. It's about you and Theo having some sort of weird competition, and it always has been."
There was a knock at the cupboard before the door swung open to reveal Cristian looking at the two of them surprised.
"Sorry!" Cristian averted his gaze, "Am I interrupting something?"
Draco took a step back, moving his arm and giving Clementine some much needed space. "Is there something you needed, Maldonado?" He glowered at the man.
"I was just... I'll come back later." Cristian's face flushed. He seemed flustered having caught them in this position.
"I was just leaving." Clementine squeaked as she slid past both men and out of the cupboard. "I'll get you the dittany you need as soon as it's grown, Malfoy."
"I don't need any dittany, I need asphodel." Draco huffed both in annoyance and frustration. He glared even harder at Cristian.
"Right! I'll get right on that then." Clementine called back to him as she rushed out of the room, almost tripping over her own feet as she scrambled to get out the door.
"Hey, wait Clementine!" Cristian followed after Clementine, running to keep up with her brisk pace. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Clementine snapped angrily. She was still on edge.
"Look if you need to talk about it... he didn't try to hurt you did he?" Cristian sounded concerned, "I don't mean to pry but if something is going on, and you need help..."
"Like I said, it's fine." Clementine stopped short causing Cristian to nearly run into her, "We... we just have some history. It's complicated, and quite frankly it's none of your business."
"I understand." Cristian nodded. "I'm not trying to get involved. I was just making sure you weren't being harmed in any way."
Clementine let out a shaky breath and smiled appreciatively, "It's nothing like that, really. Draco would never. I'm sorry for getting you involved in the first place, Cristian. I just don't know you that well and it's all kind of personal drama you don't need to burden yourself with."
"Well if you ever need someone to talk to you know where to find me." Cristian gave an encouraging smile.
"I'll keep that in mind, thanks." Clementine smoothed out her dress and let out a frustrated laugh, "This is so embarrassingly unprofessional. I'm sorry you saw me like that."
"We were all young once." Cristian nodded, "It's understandable."
"It's getting late." Clementine could see the sun setting through the windows as she climbed the staircase out of the dungeon, "I need to get going back to Hogsmeade while it's still light out. I'll see you around."
"You know where to find me." Cristian stopped at the top of the stairs. "Most likely in the History classroom."
"I'll just follow the sound of snoring students." Clementine joked.
"That one hurt." Cristian pretended to be offended, "Make sure you get back to Hogsmeade safely. The sun sets awfully fast."
"I promise to make it there in one piece." She laughed, "it's not that far."
The walk was a lot farther than Clementine remembered. It felt like it got longer every time she walked it.
She was already regretting her choice not to live in the castle with the rest of the professors. Clementine imagined them all enjoying a nice drink at the end of the night, socializing by the fire while she hiked back to town in the cold.
She pulled her coat closer around her body and held out her wand with the tip illuminated so she could see in front of her. The wind blew through the trees, creating a soft rustling sound.
"There's got to be a faster way than this." Clementine huffed. The wind whistled ominously, and she paused to listen. Something seemed off, almost as if she were being watched.
She pointed her wand towards the trees at the edge of the forbidden forest. It was so dark that not even her wand could illuminate it.
"Is someone there?" She called out. There was no response.
She didn't know why she was so worried. It was Hogwarts. What could possibly happen?
A lot could happen, actually. Children were petrified in her second year. A murderer was on the loose in the school in her third year. Cedric Diggory famously died here when she was fourteen. Maybe Hogwarts wasn't so safe after all.
Clementine picked up her pace. She was starting to scare herself. She pushed those thoughts out of her mind and focused on the trail in front of her.
A twig snapped behind her.
"If someone is out there this isn't funny!" Clementine trembled. She kept her wand hand steady as she looked around.
Silence.
Even the wind had stopped, and the trees were still.
She turned back around to continue her walk, and saw a cloaked figure standing there waiting.
All she could do was scream.