To live past 19 #The2017Awards

Potions is chemistry

Every since that day in the train Draco and Hermione hadn't spoken. Draco felt bad for that because he believed he had ruined any chance at all with becoming friends with her. If not friends, then acquaintances. Draco had seen her around campus many times, either alone or with her friends. But as he watched closely he could see that she spent more time alone rather than with other people.

Draco sat in their potions class next to his friend Blaise. Blaise and himself are one of the little few who returned to Hogwarts and because they didn't have anyone else to socialize with, they mutually decided to silently hang our with the other if they were alone. Draco sits stiff in his chair while Blaise was slumping over his blank paper. Ever since the Draco had come back he always tried to give the teachers good impressions and always paid attention. But one could imagine how hard that was for him when he had classes with the Gryffindors. Other houses would give the Slytherins nasty looks as well but the Gryffindors were worse. They openly made their distrust and dislike for the Slytherins known.

Draco sat towards the back near the walls, the position made him feel less vulnerable when he wasn't in the direct view of the others. Though he could still feel the icy glares from the Gryffidors. He unconsciously tensed, ready for an attack. He could also see that Blaise was just as tense as he was, even as he tried to keep his cool exterior hunched over his table to make it seem as if he didn't care at all. Any Slytherin would know how much of a lie that was. They had all been shamed and scared one way or another. Draco wasn't saying this to receive symphony because he knew that everyone had been effected by the war. Draco was just angry by the others ignorance, believing that Slytherins hadn't suffered and hadn't been punished for their so-called 'crimes'. Looking around the classroom at the other Slytherins who came back, he could clearly see that he was right. It also didn't help that out of the 16 students there were only 5 Slytherins in this class who returned. There was an intimidating overwhelming colour of red on the clothing. Of course there were only the ties and other clothing items, but it still irked him slightly.

Class had already started and their new potions professor had already begun explaining what they would be doing for the rest of the semester and what they would start with today.

"To review the basics I would like you all to go in pairs and complete 3 of these 5 potions I have written down on the board." Their new professor had an annoyingly high pitched voice for Draco's taste. Cringing slightly as he continued to listen and remembered that he would have to deal with that for the rest of the year.

The professor wrote down the potions on the board and turned back to face the class when he was done. Still no one moved.

"Well? Go on. Make pairs. You are all old enough to do that on your own." He snapped breezily. Instantly students jumped up to run to the partners they wanted. Slytherins especially when they realized that they were an uneven number and that meant that one of them would have to be paired up with a Gryffindor and none of them wanted to deal with their hissing and insults. Unfortunately, even when Pansy jumped Blaise and pulled him to her own table, Draco didn't realize that until the other 4 Slytherins were already paired with each other. He could feel panic burning in his chest when he finally did realize.

Hermione watched from the back of the classroom from where she sat, her legs kicked up on the empty seat next to her. Because the class was so small there wasn't anyone sitting at the table next to hers, giving her comfort that she didn't have to deal with anyone trying to talk to her during the class or sneaking her curious or judgemental looks.

Harry and Ron had already decided to be partners and she watched the others still trying to figure theirs out and desperately avoid being Draco Malfoys partner. He sat at the edge of his chair panicked and tense. Hermione eyed him glumly, feeling his pain. Hermione caught Draco's eye when she moved her feet from the other chair and stood up breezily and walked over to his table. Draco expected her to walk past him to another fellow Gryffindor, but sat awed when she stopped before his table. Hermione leans against the table with her hands and crosses her feet casually while still standing.