Roses on the Sidewalk {HP}

Chapter 24

Chapter 24

I tapped my fingers distractedly against the wooden table beneath me. I could feel my hair frizzing up because of the dammed steam which overflew my and Andrew's cauldrons as the potion stirred itself slowly. The green goo burbled, and with each pop of a bubble, let out a puff of steam. I could feel the back of neck getting hotter and hotter as the steam flooded the damp, dark dungeons where we had our potions lessons. Why couldn't they have air conditioning or something here? I know it was the middle of winter, but still.

Andrew eyed my fingers. I stopped abruptly and he turned back to our cauldron, which sat beside me; Slughorn had paired us up today, and decided that he should place me with Andrew, the second-best-potion maker in the class. Scorpius was the first. But he wasn't int his particular class- oh who cares. The point is we were paired up. And Andrew was quiet the whole time, thankfully allowing me to think a bit.

"So, are you going to the dance?" Just because I said he was quiet....

"Yep." I said shortly, throwing some chopped bezoar into the cauldron. Andrew waved his wand over the steamy pot and smiled.

"Yeah, me too. You going with anyone?"

"Yep."I took a long spoon from the table and stirred the potion twice, anti-clockwise. I don't even remember the name of this potion. I'm pretty sure it's an antidote of some sort, since it uses a bezoar. I shuddered, imagining myself eating one of those gross hair balls.

"Who?" I looked up, slightly dazed at Andrew, who was looking down at the potion curiously. I narrowed my eyes and patted down my hair slightly.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked. Andrew looked at me earnestly.

"Who are you going to the ball with?" Ahh... My brain pounded against my skull as I closed one eye sleepily.

"Scorpius." Wait, what? Andrew's eyes widened a centimetre as he quickly looked back down at the potion, which had turned from green to blue.

"Well-um, that's nice. I'm going with Franciska." he amended quickly, turning around silently to fetch more ingredients from the cupboard. Bex, who had been staring at me for a while, I believe, pointed at Andrew and rose her eyebrows. Whats up with him? I shrugged. She rolled her eyes and stood up, walking to my table, arriving at the same time as Andrew.

"Hullo Rebecca." He greeted her, dropping a small flask onto the table carelessly. Bex twitched at his use of her full name.

"Hello, Andrew. How's it going?" she send me a look through the corner of her eyes. "Exited for the ball?" I held back the temptation to smack my own forehead. Of course Bex would talk about that right now.

"Aren't we all?" I ask desperately, craning my neck so I could see whether SLughorn was coming to send Bex off.

"Yeah. Rose must be thrilled about it- I'd never thought-"

"Look there's Slughorn, you should go back, Bexy!" I said a little too quickly, standing up to push her away. Andrew laughed at my failed attempt to stop the conversation as Bex discarded me, waving her hand

. "I'm just asking Rose something, Professor!" she called over her shoulder. Slughorn nodded and she pushed me away, looking Andrew straight in the eye. "You'd never thought what?" She inquired meaningfully. Andrew shot me a puzzled look and I shook my head slowly, my eyes never leaving his. He licked his lips. And stuttered.

"Well, I'd- I'd never thought that....well, That Rose would go with Scorpius?" It was more of a question than an answer, but it was enough for Bex. Oh, why did I have to slip the one thing I still didn't know how to tell anyone to the one boy who didn't know what it meant to lie?