STAY WITH ME | Draco x OC x Theo

03

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.