Changes and Secrets

Chapter 17

Abby was already in the Potion's lab with Professor Snape when Draco arrived as Crabbe and Goyle's bickering had stalled him. He smiled to himself and felt the same inexplicable glow that he usually felt whenever he laid eyes upon her. Her face scrounged up into a frown when she noticed his presence.

"Alright, before you both use my lab ..." Snape began.

"Hold on. We both?"

"Yes Miss Potter. Mr. Malfoy requested to use the lab just like yourself. Surely, you don't expect to be the only one to whom this privilege is extended."

It was the first time Draco had seen Snape use the same condescending, sarcastic tone on Abby that he usually reserved for Potter and gang.

"But why can't he use the lab at another time? What if he bothers my work?" Abby crossed her arms.

"Because Miss Potter, it would be more convenient for me to have you both using the lab at the same time. Mr. Malfoy won't be bothering your work. He would be brewing his own potion and you will be brewing yours at a different table."

Abby looked horrified and for a moment Draco feared that she would decide she didn't need to use the lab at the cost of his presence. Fortunately she didn't know that he had overheard her conversation with Snape and purposely asked to use the lab at the same time she did.

"Look Potter. I have no intention to interfere with your potion. I'm only here to brew my potion. And if I do bother you, you can always leave or call Professor Snape. Right sir?" Draco looked at Snape.

"Yes. I will be upstairs grading my papers and make no mistake that I can hear any noise you make. Any problem from either of you and you will both be forbidden from private use of my lab."

"It's not so private," Abby muttered.

"What's that Miss Potter," Snape narrowed his eyes towards her.

"Nothing sir. Bother me at all, Malfoy and I'm calling Professor Snape," she looked at Draco as she pointed her finger at him.

"Fine" he said.

Snape headed upstairs after giving them a few more instructions on proper conduct and rules to using his lab.

"A coincidence that we have one more thing in common don't we?" asked Draco.

"What are you talking about?" Abby raised her eyebrows. "We have nothing in common".

"But I think we do. We both play Quidditch and we both love Potions."

"Umh hmh. But we have very different beliefs and values," she said before she began chopping the ingredients in front of her.

Draco decided to get to his own potion as bothering her anymore might get her to leave or complain to Snape. Or worse, hate him even more than she did.

"Is that a Wake draught?" Draco asked, wide-eyed. "I heard it's real tough getting the colour an exact sky blue. That's actually pretty impressive," he said in what he hoped was a nonchalant tone.

A Wake potion was the opposite of a sleeping draught and used to keep it's drinker awake. He supposed Abby was the type to stay up all night, studying or doing her homework.

Abby narrowed her eyes, looking unsure of how to respond.

"Out of curiosity, how do you do that? Get the potion to be exactly sky blue, that is?"

"You'll have to be real precise when adding the coloring and stirring it right away but gently, three times clockwise," said Abby.

"Sounds harder than the potion I did. But mine wasn't all that easy either. Think I did alright with it? It's a headache cure potion," he held up a test tube of his potion.