The Healer- A Draco Malfoy Fanfiction

Chapter 34: Valentine's Day

I wrote this chapter as a bonus, but it is actually one of my favorites. -Kittyhawk

It was the norm for whoever the prefects were, usually the girls, to decorate the common room for Valentine's Day. In years past the Slytherin common room had been adorned with tasteful arrangements of green roses, lacey white tablecloths knit of buffalo-spider silk, and French music from the 1940's playing softly from an enchanted gramophone.

Pansy Parkinson made sure no such thing occurred this year.

The common room remained untouched by any semblance of romance this February 14th. It could have been an honest oversight- but, more realistically, it was Pansy's attempt to stifle any reminders of her own romantic shortcomings. If Pansy was anything like her sister Penny, I could clearly picture her saying 'If I can't enjoy today, then no one else can'.

I almost felt bad for her- but I really didn't give a Gremlin's right nut about whether the common room was decorated or not. Valentine's day didn't mean much to me. In fact, I rather hated it. Students gazed a half-a-second too long at each other today, sending each other romantically charged glances with as much accuracy as a drunk playing darts. Greta, Evelyn and Penny always tried to sneak chocolates into the bags of the boys they liked while I watched, wholly disinterested and uninvolved.

On top of that, on Valentine's Day the Medical Wing was overrun with sufferers of love potions. Love potions were forbidden to be brewed outside of class, but students still got their hands on them somehow. Last year Penny had shown me a catalogue of store bought love potions, so I knew almost all of them, as well as their effects.

Cupid Crystals had the 'love at first sight' effect on the user which made them temporarily lust after the first person they saw. Kissing Concoction caused an obtrusive, nagging urge to snog just about anyone, and was often used in practical jokes. Beguiling Bubbles was another one used to embarrass its victim, as it could make anyone overly flirtatious and raunchy, even if they were usually reserved and shy. And lastly, there was Twilight Moonbeam. Penny was most interested in that brand, as Twilight Moonbeam was akin to veritaserum. Whoever ingested Twilight Moonbeam was inclined to profess their love to the person they truly desired. All of these store bought potions were scandalous, but Twilight Moonbeam especially caused some students quite a bit of heartache last year.

I didn't understand why someone would feed someone else a love potion; whether it be for a practical joke, or wanting actual love, it seemed cruel. They always ended up getting dropped off at the Hospital Wing by the end of the day, leaving Madam Pomfrey and I to wrangle the lovesick victims.

There was also a strict 'no visitors' policy in place today. There were too many humping incidents last year.

I waited at a table in the Common Room for noon to roll around, which was when Madam Pomfrey told me to come by. I had to get ahead of my schoolwork before then, as I would likely have no time for anything but Medical Wing duty once students started exchanging their gifts.

"Rather depressing in here, isn't it?"

I looked up from my transfiguration reading as Draco took a seat across from me, neatly crossing one black clad pants leg over the other.

"The common room always looks like this," I stated, turning the page of my textbook.

"I know. But today is that... holiday," Draco said distastefully. "Usually there are doilies and such strewn about."

"I never took you as a fan of the romantic aesthetic," I replied with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not," he replied sharply. "I despise most things about this holiday. Tacky ambiance, desperate characters, the constant nagging fear of having my food poisoned with Amortentia...." he trailed off with a snarl, likely remembering all the past lunacy this day has wreaked upon him. As one of the most attractive boys in the castle, I wouldn't be surprised if he had his fair share of love potion horror stories.