The Lost Potter-Draco Malfoy

Chapter 56 (Year 6)

Charlotte woke up the next morning with very puffy eyes and dark circles that Lavender and Parvati tried not to point out, but couldn't help themselves as they got dressed for the day.

"Charlotte, are you okay?" Parvati asked. Charlotte smiled very tightly.

"Of course I am. Why would I not be?"

"You just... um... your eyes are a little puffy, like you've been crying all night," Parvati explained. Charlotte shook her head.

"No, I'm okay. I didn't sleep much last night." Charlotte lied as she turned away from her friends and started packing her bag for the day.

"You just need some breakfast! Let's go to breakfast! I'm starving, and I expect you to be, too." Lavender said as she put on her robe.

Charlotte blinked rapidly, swallowing the lump in her throat. Her eyes were burning with fresh tears that tried to escape, but she wouldn't let them, not again.

"Charlotte, are you ready to go?" Parvati asked,

"Yup, let's go." She said, rubbing her eyes, before grabbing her bag and turning around. Lavender and Parvati shared concerned looks, but they walked downstairs to the common room.

"Excellent. I've always wanted one of these." They heard Ron say loudly as they got downstairs, he was holding a frisbee Hermione had confiscated from a fourth year, that Ron had pried out of her fingers.

Lavender laughed very loudly, that Ron turned around. He smiled at Lavender as they walked past.

"Did you see the way he smiled at me?" Lavender whispered, giggling.

They entered the great hall and sat at the Gryffindor table. Lavender and Parvati started putting food on Charlotte's plate.

"Eat." They both said, at the same time shoving the plate towards her.

"I'm not going to finish this all," Charlotte said, as she looked up, seeing Draco entering the great hall. He glanced over at her, before rushing towards the Slytherin table.

"Did you two break up?" Parvati asked, looking over at Draco. Charlotte didn't answer.

They ate breakfast before McGonagall came around, giving everyone their schedules. She got to Lavender and handed Lavender her schedule, who left two minutes later.

"Ms. Patel, here you are," McGonagall said, as she searched for her schedule before finding it and handing it to her.

"Is Firenze teaching divination this year?" Parvati asked, not even looking at her schedule yet.

"He and Professor Trelawney are dividing classes between them this year. The sixth-year is being taken by Professor Trelawney." Professor McGonagall said disapprovingly. Parvati frowned before saying goodbye to Charlotte and heading to class.

"So, Potter and Potter..." Professor McGonagall said, shuffling through the piles.

"Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Transfiguration... all fine. I must say, I was pleased with your Transfiguration mark, Potter's, very pleased. Especially you, Ms. Potter, since you started so late." Professor McGonagall said.

"Your potion's grade is wonderful! I was surprised at the 'O', but very pleased. You are all set to go." She said,

"Thank you, Professor," Charlotte said, grinning at her, as she picked up her bags.

---

After defense against the dark arts, the four walked to the potions classroom. There were only a few people in the class. Draco spotted Charlotte as she walked in. He hid his smile behind his hand, proud that she had gotten an O. The door opened and Slughorn walked in.

"Now then, now then, now then. Scales out, everyone, and potion kits, and don't forget your copies of Advanced Potion-Making..."

Harry raised his hands, but Charlotte ignored him as she noticed something.

They had chosen a table closest to the amortentia point, Charlotte's nose filled with Draco's cologne, a very strong minty toothpaste that he always used in the morning, and citrus from his shampoo. Charlotte closed her eyes, enjoying the smell while it lasted. She had missed it during the last three months.

"Now then, I've prepared a few potions for you to have a look at, just out of interest, you know. These are the kind of things you ought to be able to make after completing your N.E.W.T. You ought to have heard of 'em, even if you haven't made 'em yet. Anyone tell me what this one is?" He said, pointing to the potion closest to the Slytherin table. Hermione's hand shot up in the air.

"It's Veritaserum, a colorless, odorless potion that forces the drinker to tell the truth," Hermione explained.

"Very good, very good! Now, this one here is pretty well known... Featured in a few Ministry leaflets lately too... Who can — ?"

"It's Polyjuice Potion, sir." Charlotte scrunched her nose up at the potion. It looked disgusting, she thought.

"Excellent, excellent! Now, this one here... yes, my dear?" Slughorn said as he stared at Hermione.

"It's Amortentia!"

"It is indeed. It seems almost foolish to ask, but I assume you know what it does?" Slughorn laughed.

"It's the most powerful love potion in the world!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Quite right! You recognized it, I suppose, by its distinctive mother-of-pearl sheen?" Slughorn asked.

"And the steam rising in characteristic spirals, and it's supposed to smell differently to each of us, according to what attracts us, and I can smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and —" Hermione stopped, embarrassed.

"May I ask your name, my dear?" Slughorn asked, clearly not noticing Hermione's embarrassment.

"Hermione Granger, sir."

"Granger? Granger? Can you possibly be related to Hector Dagworth-Granger, who founded the Most Extraordinary Society of Potioneers?"

"No, I don't think so, sir. I'm Muggle-born, you see." Hermione explained. Slughorn beamed at her before turning to Harry.

"Oho! 'One of my best friends is Muggle-born, and she's the best in our year!' I'm assuming this is the very friend of whom you spoke, Harry?" Ron turned to look at Harry, clearly annoyed.

"Yes, sir," Harry said.

"Well, well, take twenty well-earned points for Gryffindor, Miss Granger," Slughorn said.

"Did you really tell him I'm the best in our year? Oh, Harry!" Hermione laughed,

"Well, what's so impressive about that? You are the best in the year — I'd've told him so if he'd asked me!" Ron snapped, Hermione smiled at him but made a shushing motion towards him.

Slughorn went on to explain the dangers of Amortentia. As Draco leaned in closer, he recognized the smell of Charlotte's perfume, her mint toothpaste, and her strawberry shampoo. He looked over at her, seeing Charlotte laughing at something Weasley said.

What did he say that's so interesting?

He thought, glaring at Wesley so hard that Weasley even noticed, and sent him a confused glare back.

"So, how are you to win my fabulous prize? Well, by turning to page ten of Advanced Potion-Making. We have a little over an hour left for us, which should be time for you to make a decent attempt at the Draught of Living Death. I know it is more complex than anything you have attempted before, and I do not expect a perfect potion from anybody. The person who does best, however, will win little Felix here. Off you go!"

---

After an hour, they had finished the potion. Charlotte's potion wasn't horrible, since she glanced at Harry's book every so often, but it still was not perfect. Slughorn walked over to their table. He nodded at Charlotte's potion before going to Harry's.

"The clear winner! Excellent, excellent, Harry! Good lord, it's clear you've inherited your mother's talent. She has a dab hand at Potions, Lily was! Here you are, then, here you are — one bottle of Felix Felicis, as promised, and use it well!" Harry pocketed the bottle as the bell rang and they all walked out of the classroom, with Hermione questioning Harry.