"Seriously Draco" I continue stroking Moody who lays in my lap sleepily. "When I said last night we should go down to breakfast together I didn't think you would take over an hour to get bloody ready for it." I stand up and place Moody back onto the large chair, he looks up at me blinking twice before going straight back to sleep. Cats truly could not care less whether we exist or not.
"Hm didn't realise. I slept in." Draco shrugs and begins to walk from the common room his shoulders hanging down low.
I jog to catch up with him "I was just joking." I fall into step besides him and look at him sideways "what time did you fall asleep in the end? You look exhausted."
Draco shrugs "fuck knows." His tone isn't snappy or rude, it just seems empty. No real Draco spark or anything to it.
I sigh and walk in silence besides him, as we reach the entrance to the great hall Draco's footsteps slow down. A Ravenclaw seventh year suddenly comes from behind us barging us both with his shoulders.
He smirks as he turns around "watch it Malfoy. Don't want to end up like your daddy now do we?"
A group of fifth years over hear and walk past us laughing loudly.
"Oh fuck this" Draco mutters under his breath turning back around and walking the way we came.
"No Draco wait" I call after him grabbing his sleeve to stop him from walking. I pull him to the side of the entrance way and push him gently so his back is now against the stone wall.
"Seriously Angelica leave me alone alright. I can't take another fucking day of this shit. I haven't eaten breakfast in that hall for a week, there's a reason for that. I can't take the fucking whispering and blatant displays of disrespect." Draco is seething as he runs a hand through his hair "I can't fucking take these people who used to respect me, who used to fucking fear me. Now they're laughing in my face, teasing me because of my father."
I grab his wrist "trust me, I know okay?" I pull on his wrist so he is now looking at me "you know what I went through. You know the letters, the whispers and the bullying that I faced because of my father." I step forward and smile at him "you were the reason I got through that."
Draco raises an eyebrow "how?"
"You gave me some sage advice."
"I did?"
I nod "you did. Now don't lower your head. It makes it seem as though you have something to be ashamed of, walk with your head high and proud. Fuck what people think about you."
Draco smirks "that is some very good advice."
I nod and pull him gently towards the hall "the best advice. Now you just have to actually listen to it."
I lift my head up dramatically and watch as Draco mirrors my movements. His shoulders pull back and he lowers his hands to his side, his wand sits balanced between his long fingers and his other hand is curled into a fist. He allows the slightest of smirks to shape his lips and pushes his hair back away from his face. He steps forward and within that one step I can feel the Malfoy confidence coming from him. The kind of confidence that isn't taught, in fact it can't be taught, this kind of confidence is a thing some people are just born with.
Draco is that confidence.
I look down into my cauldron and smile at the potion within it. Sure, it isn't the textbook definition of a drowning potion but it's pretty damn close. I add a few final drops of Irish rain water before I take a step back allowing the potion to boil for several seconds.
I look up to see Draco absent-mindedly drawing shapes in his text book. In fact it seems like every other student inside the classroom, other than Hermione, Harry, and I have given up trying to brew the potion and are instead spending the time gossiping or staring into space.
Professor Slughorn stands besides me smiling down "that's very good Miss Riddle."
I inadvertently flinch at the subtle drop of the Riddle name but ignore it as I am too fixated on my potion.
Slughorn walks away and let's out delightful cheer from behind me. I snap round and see Harry smiling into his cauldron his eyes shining brightly.
"Merlin this is a perfect potion once again Mr Potter! You've clearly got your mothers skills for potions." Slughorn pats Harry on the back "a few drops of this in a glass of water and it would cause the drinker to drown within just thirty seconds." Slughorn walks to the front of the classroom "I think that's enough for today's lesson. A congratulations once again to Mr Potter, good on you boy!"
The class groans collectively as they all stand up packing up their things, this is a usual occurrence in potions class now. No one else even bothers taking out their cauldrons anymore, Slughorn is only interested in Hermione, Harry and I and the silent competition between the three of us to be the best in the class. So far Harry has won every single time, and I have no idea how he's doing it.
I storm from the classroom ignoring Draco behind me and march my way to the dungeons. I am so fed up with being second to Harry in a class where I used to be the best, I mean for Merlins sake the boy didn't even do that well in his potions O.W.L.S from what I've heard.
I bang my fist on the large wooden door in front of me praying that Professor Snape is in his office seeing as classes are over for the day.
The door swings open and Snape is standing there glaring down at me "the castle best be on fire Angelica."
I raise an eyebrow "what?"
Snape tuts angrily before walking back into his office "you mean what Professor?" He sits down in his chair and begins to continue reading the piece of parchment in front of him.
I walk into the dark office closing the door behind me, I relax as the familiar smell of potions ingredients and lake water fill my nostrils. There is something very calming to me about Snape's office.
I fall down into the wooden chair across from his desk and drop my bag besides me. I cross my arms across my chest and furrow my eyebrows as my anger continues to roll through me.
Snape ignores me as he drags his quill across the parchment in front of him, he draws a large line through a poor students homework before tossing it aside and starting on the next one.
"It's annoying" I huff as I cross my legs remembering how Slughorn pandered over Harry.
Snape sighs dropping his quill "what's annoying Angelica?"
I sit up straight as he finally makes eye contact with me "the way Slughorn treats Harry. Over night he's become incredible at potions, able to brew every single one without difficulty."
Snape frowns "Harry? Harry Potter is good at potions?"
I nod "the best in the class."
Snape shakes his head "not possible. I have taught him every year, he isn't incompetent that's for sure but he certainly isn't the best in the class. He isn't even the top five surely."
I shrug "trust me, he's the top of the class now. Today he brewed a drowning potion so good that Slughorn ended the class early and dismissed us all."
Snape raises an eyebrow as he remains silent. Slowly he picks up his quill again looking back down at the parchment in front of him.
"Why did you come to me about this Angelica? I am no longer the potions Professor." Snape crosses a large bit of the text out before dipping his quill back into the ink.
I sigh "I know you aren't, but I need your help. I need to get better at potions. At the moment Slughorn isn't even so much as looking at my potions, how am I supposed to get good grades if the teacher won't even pay attention to me."
Snape places his quill on the desk again before looking up at me slowly. His eyes scan my face for several seconds before he offers me a small twitch of his lips "hm and how would you propose I help you Angelica? I am not the headmaster, I can not tell other teachers how to act in their lessons."
I roll my eyes "you know that's not what I mean. I need you to tutor me."
"No."
I laugh at Snape's blunt response "what?"
Snape shakes his head "I am not going to tutor you. Have a seventh year tutor you."
"Oh please we both know that there isn't a single seventh year who is better than me."
"Humble." Snape furrows his eyebrows at me "I do not have the spare time to tutor you Angelica. I teach classes non stop all week and on the weekend I am travelling between here and the Malfoy Manor."
"Just one hour a week. That's all I need."
Snape shakes his head "one hour isn't enough."
I throw my arms up "Merlin! So what is it then? Can you tutor me or not?"
Snape sighs loudly "I will tutor you. Not only in potions but also in other skills, I'm sure your father would approve of that also. We will meet Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. I will make sure that your quidditch schedule does not clash with our lessons. Do not tell anyone we are meeting and if they ask state you have detention okay?"
I smile widely "okay professor. Thank you."
I stand up grabbing my bag and quickly leaving the office before he had a chance to change his mind. As I walk towards the common room I mull over what other skills Snape could possibly be looking to teach me.
"How were the tryouts?" Hermione calls out to me from the entrance to the stadium. She is wrapped up in a large puffer jacket with a thick wool cap pulled over her eyes.
I jog over to her with my broom still in my hand, my quidditch uniform is soaked through with rain and my hair is stuck to my face and neck.
I shrug "I'm really not sure if my hearts in it this year you know?" I scrape the wet hair away from my face and sigh heavily "it just feels so stupid and insignificant now really."
Hermione smiles sadly at me "I understand that. Why don't you go get changed and come sit with me? I'm going to watch the Gryffindor tryouts, Harry is captain and both Ginny and Ron are trying out this year."
I raise my eyebrows in shock "Harrys captain?" I smile widely "that's amazing he must be so happy." I gesture to the changing rooms as I back away from her "I'll be a few minutes and then I'll meet you in the stands." I turn and begin to jog towards the changing rooms desperate to get out of these wet clothes.
"I really regret saying I would sit with you Hermione." I wrap my arms around my body as we wait for the tryouts to start. The wind whips around the two of us as we sit huddled together.
Hermione pulls out her wand and does a gentle warming charm on our legs and arms again, it's so cold out however that it barely lasts more than a few seconds.
"It will be worth it, you get to see Ginny and Ron remember?" Hermione links her arm through mine and rests her head on my shoulder "you're bloody right though it is freezing isn't it?"
I nod my head stiffly as the Gryffindor students finally take to the air. Hermione and I sit in silence for several minutes as we watch Harry lead a warm up.
"How comes Draco wasn't at tryouts?" Hermione asks her voice attempting to sound casual but I know there is a lot of hidden agendas in the words.
I shrug "he doesn't need to try out. Urquhart is the new captain and he would be an idiot to even pretend as though Malfoy doesn't have a spot. The whole team would suffer without him." I smile slightly "he doesn't need to come to tryouts because everyone knows he's the best player we have and obviously has a spot on the team."
Hermione nods "right." She clears her throat awkwardly "I haven't seen him around lately, during study periods and lunch and things. He never seems to be about."
I roll my eyes "he likes to spend his time in the common room." My tone is quick and sharp as I want this stupid questioning to end, of course I'm not going to admit the truth that actually I have no idea where Draco is half of the time. He sneaks off whenever he can and when I ask where he's been he shrugs me off telling me he's just been around the castle. I can't stand to ask anymore so really I've just been leaving him alone.
Hermione and I continue to watch the rest of the tryouts in silence, suddenly Harry let's out a loud yell as a quaffle hits him on the shoulder.
I chuckle slightly and turn to Hermione "he can't take his eyes off her can he?"
Hermione nods in agreement "it is rather hilarious."
"What's going on with him and Ginny? I noticed at dinner on the first night that they were very close."
"Oh Merlin knows, I'm not sure even they know really." Hermione laughs "all I know is that Harry is clearly in love with her and Ginny is dating Dean Thomas."
I feel my mouth open slightly with shock "what happened to Poppy and Ginny? I really thought they would be together forever!"
Hermione shrugs "I have no idea what happened. Ginny just said they broke up during summer but that it was agreed upon and that they're still friends. Then when we came back to school she was already dating Dean."
I cross my arms "interesting."
I nudge her with my elbow "and what about you?"
Hermione turns to me incredulous "what about me?" Her hair whips around her and I can see the discomfort on her face.
I smile "well that blonde kid in goal can't seem to take his eyes off you."
Hermione follows my eyes and let's out a dramatic shiver "oh don't please, I am not interested in Cormac McClaggen. He is truly vile."
"Yeah he may be vile but I've also heard that he's very rich."
Hermione laughs loudly "I would rather a poor, nice, normal and funny person then a rich, obnoxious douche." She trails off at the end of her sentence and I follow her eye line, she smiles softly as she looks across at Ron who saves a goal easily throwing the ball back into play.
Very interesting indeed.