𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞.

XII

The potions class was much more discomfiting than I expected. Everyone sat in their remaining seats with their partners, scribbling through the instructions for today. Hermione was assigned to sit by me and make the sleeping elixir; however, she remained silent the entire time. It was nerve-wracking to combine the bowl with different kinds while she stood there, gazing elsewhere to prevent eye contact. I've already made my mind up to win our friendship back, but there was nothing that could possibly be done if she denied it.

Hermione reached out to grab a mixture of elf ears. By the right time, my hand seized her wrist within a second. She snapped her head in my direction, baffled in the face.

I shrugged deeply before releasing my grasp. "Hermione, we have to talk. I already told Draco to leave me alone but he simply won't. I've done everything in my power, now I need my friends."

She searched into my eyes, somehow ranging in sorrow within a second. "I guess we been hard on you lately."

"You have," My voice came out sharply, but it wasn't my intention to hurt anyone. "I remember when Harry wouldn't support your mistake, Ginny and me was here."

Hermione frowned in despair, nodding in agreement. "You are right. I'm sorry, Melanie. I can imagine how scary it must've been with him."

Although it hasn't necessarily been scaring with him, it surely has made me disgusted. It played in my head like an awful memory of yesterday with the unfortunate Slytherin.

I'd make you cum, wherever you want.

"Yeah," I cleared my throat as my heart began to hammer through my chest. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, knowing what control he had over me. "Not very nice."

Hermione shrugged deeply and placed a hand on my shoulder. "Well, I'm here for you. I'm sure I can talk to Harry. He has to know that you at least tried."

I gave a small nod, followed by a sideways smile. "Thank you."

"Of course," She flipped her attention back to the bowl of various elixirs. "Let's continue."

"So, it's been brought to my attention that I've been a bit of a tosser."

I looked up in surprise. My schoolwork was laid out in front of me in the library study session. There were a couple of students around, but not enough to deafen my concentration for the assignment Professor McGonagall has requested.

"It's okay. It's not like I didn't deserve it," I murmured with a small chuckle.

Harry pulled the chair out the opposite of me and hurriedly sat down. His expression was set in despair. I could tell through the round glasses he usually wears.

"You didn't deserve it, Melanie. I was confused and angry, but I was mostly angry at Malfoy, and still am actually. I kept thinking that he had done something to you, put you under some spell and I was angry at you because you're so smart, and I kept thinking 'how can she be so stupid. Then I realized that you're much smarter than I am. You've always been able to see things that I never could and I felt so bad about how I'd treated you."

I took a deep breath, simply to gather my thoughts once more. "It's okay—"

"—No, it's not." Harry briefly looked down at the wooden floor with furrowed brows, suddenly frustrated with himself. "You didn't deserve it. I should've known better. Draco knows how to pick on my skin, but you're a smart girl. There's no way he can fool you."

I didn't want to tell him that I didn't feel so smart as of late. Draco was unlike any force I had ever encountered. He knew how to get under my skin and make me second guess everything. With just one look from him, I could suddenly feel so small and insignificant, even stupid. I wanted to believe that Draco was changing, but I had to be smart about this. I couldn't shake this terrifying feeling I'd had had for a couple of days now.