𝐀 𝐏𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐋𝐘𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍 ↬ 𝔡.𝔪𝔞𝔩𝔣𝔬𝔶

14 | u p

{I} chased after Snape, his steps brisk and quick.

"May I ask where we are going, Professor?" I asked.

He didn't say anything, so I took that as a no. He led me to the Quidditch field, where a crowd of Slytherin students were trying out.

"Flint." Snape addressed, "Let Miss Potter try out."

"What, a little thing like her?" Flint said in disbelief.

I gaped at Snape, "Professor..." my excitement jumping through the roof. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I cried, bursting forth and hugging him.

He tensed, uncomfortable. Sensing my elation, he gave me a little pat on the back, "Please get off me, Miss Potter."

"Oh, sorry Professor." I said, sheepishly, backing away.

"Oi, Potter!" someone yelled from the crowd and threw me a broom.

"What positions are open?" I asked, inspecting the broom. It was a bit shabby, but I could make it work.

"The Keeper and the Seeker." Flint said, still eyeing me with disapproval.

"Won't let you down, Professor!" I said, mounting on the broom. "Get me a snitch!" I yelled to Flint. I wanted to try out for a Chaser, but it could wait.

Flying amazingly, if I do say so myself, I did a couple sharp turns until I was at least 70 feet in the air.

I saw Flint whispering to two of his guys and they mounted on their brooms.

"Pretend they're Gryffindor!" Flint called out to me. A bit of a prat, that one, I thought.

They were beaters. Armed with bats and the bludger flying around, they were a potential threat to my spot on the team.

From the corner of my eye I saw a tinge of gold. Immediately, I turned my broom and dove down, the bludger narrowly missing my head.

The snitch flew to the ground and I knew that it would be risky with a broom like this. Nevertheless, I continued, determined to prove myself.

Pulling up just a bit so that I wouldn't become a pancake on the ground, I was only a foot away from land. I leaned forward so that I was laying flat on the broom to increase my speed.

The bludger raged towards me once again, and I spun sideways, still following the snitch. The bludger crashed into the ground, leaving a sizable crater.

Spinning to gain speed, I reached out an arm to grab the snitch.

Two feet.

One foot.

An inch.

The metal was cool on my fingers as my hand clasped the snitch. I pulled my broom up just in time to avoid crashing into the Ravenclaw stand.

Heart pounding, blood rushing, ears ringing, I held up the snitch in my victory. I flew—at a normal pace this time— back to where Flint and Snape were.

"Not too shabby, huh?" I said, tossing Flint the snitch.

I was sweating profusely, but I didn't care. I was on the top of the world.

"I guess not, Potter." Flint said, not able to hide the astonishment in his voice.

"Are you impressed, Professor?" I said, grinning ear to ear.

"I am." he said, almost a hint of a smile on his face.

"You're on the team!" Flint said, clapping my back. "Practice is every Thursday and Saturday. Seven o'clock. Don't be late."

"Thank you!" I couldn't wait to tell Remus! It didn't even seem so scary to tell him that I was in Slytherin, now.

I skipped alongside Snape so that I would be in time for Potions. "Thank you, Professor. Thank you so much!"

"Yes, you've told me."

When I entered the potions room, everyone was already seated. The only open seat was... next to Draco.

He had obviously planned this, but I wasn't about to let him ruin my mood. I huffed, taking a seat beside him, but moving the chair as far away as possible.

Snape started his lesson, "Who here can tell me can tell me the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

I raised my hand. I knew Draco knew as well, he just wanted to keep image. I felt a sting of pain as I realized that I couldn't tell him I made it on the team. Suddenly, I felt the loneliest I had in a long, long time.

"Miss Potter?"

"They're the same thing, Professor."

"Correct. Five points to Slytherin."

As started to take notes, I could feel Draco staring at me. Trying my best to seem unaffected, I tried to block out his presence.

"Group work." Snape announced, making my stomach plummet. "You and your partner will be making a simple potion for boils."

I groaned internally, wondering how I could avoid talking to him now.

I started to stand up quickly, then thought better of it. With a nonchalant expression on my face, I did the best I could to seem as if I didn't care, as if I wasn't hurt.

Gathering the ingredients, I returned to my seat. In the clammer of nearby students, we both sat silently, lost in our thoughts. I could see Draco's finger twitch from my peripheral vision, something he did when he was nervous.

We started to add the ingredients, both of us knowing by heart. Following a rhythm that started to go faster and faster, it began to look like a competition.

We were careful to work around each other, the awkwardness increasing. Until Draco's hand bumped against mine, making me spill some of the acid on my hand.

"Ow!" I exclaimed, jumping up and wringing my hand. It burned, and at least half of my hand was red.

"Mr. Malfoy, escort Miss Potter to the nurse." Snape said, "Parkinson, what did I say about stirring?"

"Actually Professor—" I started, trying to avoid any more awkwardness.

"Of course, Professor." Draco inputted before I could finish my sentence. He had already walked out the door, leaving me annoyed and confused.

I'm also working on a chapter with Draco's POV next chapter. Sooooooo :p