Always You

CHAPTER 8

Unfortunately, the next day arrived too soon. I was going to potion class and I knew what to do. I sat alone and fortunately Dean sat next to me, so that I couldn't sit with Malfoy, I wanted to avoid him as much as possible.

Between Dean and I there was a little bit of embarrassment, but neither paid attention to that. Professor Snape came to the class and asked for our homework. Both me and Malfoy gave it, but he noticed that they were different, and what I feared happened.

"Why didn't you two write it together?" he seemed annoyed about that

"Malfoy didn't show up, sir, so I wrote it for myself and he did the same I guess" I was trying to fix everything but in vain.

"I don't care what Mr. Malfoy did. You have to work together. You have to redo it this afternoon" as he said it, he continued to collect the other homework. I sighed, I didn't want to, but I had to. I was still angry about what happened, and I didn't want to turn to see Malfoy, I didn't want to see his face.

"I'm sorry, Snape must hate you to make you work with him"

I sighed closing my eyes "I suppose you are right, maybe after working with him, we can eat something together, if you want" I wanted to forget about it as much as possible.

"Of course" he smiled, and I smiled back.

At the end of the lesson, I was walking in the corridors with Dean, but I had to leave him because I had Transfiguration class while he had divination class.

"see you later"

"later Hannah" we smiled

I was going to the next lesson alone. It passed a month and, fortunately, I learnt the positions of every classes.

"Can I talk to you?" I turned to see Malfoy. He seemed sorry and worried, but I didn't care.

"no, I have to go, sorry" I tried to walk away but he interrupted me again

"Please Hannah, I'm sorry about yesterday"

"ok, I don't care, can you understand that?"

"Let me try to fix this" he was trying everything but in vain

"There is nothing to fix, we aren't even friends. I don't care." He looked down, but I didn't care.

"meet me in the library at 5 pm this afternoon. I suggest you keep a clock in case you can be distracted." I didn't wait for his answer and I walked to the next class.

All I could think during the next classes was that conversation. Maybe I was too rude, maybe he was really sorry. But I didn't care, he had his responsibilities and he could be more careful.

I was going to the library and I really hope he was already there and that we could do what we had to do quickly.

When I arrived, he was already there waiting for me in an empty table.

"hi" I said after clearing my throat.

"Oh, hi Hannah. I have already started with the ingredients, so we have less to do, if it is ok with you, of course" he gave me the piece of parchment, he seemed quite nervous. I looked at what he wrote, and it was really well written.

"Ok, thanks. I think we can continue with the passages we have to do for making the potion" he nodded, and we started working. I tried to be as detached as possible. We talked only when it was necessary. It was awkward, but I really hoped we could work as fast as possible, without talking about anything except for the potion.

It was passed two hours and we were almost at the end.

"I think that this way it can go well. What do you think?"

"Mmh, mmh" and I nodded.

For the first time I saw him from the corner of my eyes looking at me.

"look Hannah, I'm really sorry about yesterday. Really. I didn't it on purpose and I'm sorry you had to do all of it on your own. I'm not the one who say sorry so easily. Can you even look at me?" When he said it, I was still looking down but then I looked up and look him in the eyes.

"Ok, whatever. I'm sorry I exaggerated. It's ok" and it was really ok, I didn't want to stay angry with him for ever. I've never been a grudge girl. After all we did what we had to do, that was what mattered.

"you know we can be friends, don't you? I mean, I can be a very good friend" he said, we laughed

"I have my doubts" and we continued to laugh so loudly that Mrs. Pince chided us.

I didn't understand why the others hated him so much. I mean, yes, he could be very mean and rude, but I felt he could be a very good person. I decided to give him a chance and maybe we could be really friends.

We continued to talk about everything, and we decided to go to have dinner. We exited the library and we went to the Great hall. We were in the corridors, but I was freezing, and he noticed that

"Take this, I don't need it" he gave me his jumper. It had the arms of Slytherin house, but I didn't really care.

"Are you sure?" he nodded, and I took his jumper he was giving. "Thanks"

It was already 8 pm, we stayed in the library for very long time. There were very few students who were eating. There were mostly Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students who came back from quidditch training, they were wearing their uniform.

I looked to the Gryffindor table but none of my friends was there, probably they had already eaten. We ate something but I wasn't so hungry.

"Do you miss your school?" he asked while he was eating

"Uhm, not really, I didn't have any friends there, I was always alone. They are not as welcoming as Hogwarts." I smiled remembering last years, I wasn't happy there.

"Well, this is why Hogwarts is the best school in the world" we laughed but as we did it, someone stood in front of us.

It was Dean, and he seemed quite angry. Only in that moment I remembered I had to have dinner with him, and I was the one who had the idea that morning.

I didn't know what to do, I felt terribly guilty, but I didn't do on purpose, I totally forgot it.

"I guess you have better company now" as he said it, he started to go towards the exit of the Great Hall, probably he was going to the common room.

"no, Dean, please wait" and I turned to Draco "I'm sorry I have to go" and I run towards Dean, without seeing Draco's expression.

When I reached him, I grabbed his arm to make him stop

"Please, Dean, stop, let me explain"

"I don't need your explanations, Hannah. It's clear that you preferred to stay with him"

"No, it's just, I totally forgot it. We were in the library and it was late, and we went to eat something. Really, I totally forgot it."

"I don't care anymore. Stay with him, it seems you enjoy his company" as he said it, he looked at my jumper, it was Draco's. I sighed closing my eyes. I forgot to give it back before going to Dean.

"No, Dean, please..." but it was late, he was already gone, and I stayed in the corridors alone, without knowing what to do.