Dramione❤️

Chapter 2: Liquid Luck

"Please join me in welcoming the newest member of our staff, Horace Slughorn." Dumbledore declares, followed by a polite applause from the crowd. We try to welcome this new professor in the warmest way possible that the cold environment we currently live in allows. "Professor Slughorn will be the new Potions master. The post of Defense Against the Dark Arts will be assumed by Professor Snape." Somehow this statement did not evoke the same reaction in the crowd as Slughorn's announcement. There's always been something sketchy to Snape and I do not think we ever managed to figure out what it was. I don't understand how Dumbledore could ever trust someone like Snape but because I trust Dumbledore, I am sure, at least partially, that he knows what he is doing. Dumbledore continues his speech and we are shocked as we hear him talking about dark forces that attempt to penetrate the Hogwarts castle. It is not a surprise to hear this because ever since Voldemort has returned, the halls of Hogwarts have never felt safe, sleeping at night is never easy and you start to question every person you know's true identity. It's exhausting, frustrating and tormenting. As I look at Harry and Ron's preoccupied faces, Dumbledore sends us off to our rooms for the night. The Hall empties and all I see around is distraught and troubled faces, seeking comfort in others' but failing to do so. I find myself staying up to talk to some other students in the Common Room for a couple of hours just so that I can postpone my futile attempts to get some sleep until our Gryffindor prefect walks in hastily, shooing us off to bed. 

***

After the Ceremonies, Harry made it clear to us he had a story to tell on what happened to him. I'll make his story brief:

"When I left you on the train, I went to check Draco's compartment to find some "proof" because you did not believe me. And guess what? I couldn't quite catch what him and his friends were saying but I'm sure he was flaunting his death mark and telling them about one of his most recent killings." He took a deep breath, "I didn't manage to confront him because before I knew it he realized I was there. He threw me down the corridor, realizing that I was overhearing their conversation, and that's how I ruined my glasses and how I hurt my nose which Luna kindly helped me take care of..." 

"Bloody hell." Ron said.

"Harry, even you do not know if you heard what you think you heard." Harry rolls his eyes. I look at Ron to seek support in what I was saying but he just shrugged his shoulders. We looked at each other. They really thought Draco was a death eater but even if he was... What was going to happen? Were they blatantly going to accuse him without any physical proof? Do I want I believe it? And most importantly, why do I care so much?

***

THE DAY AFTER

'Great' I think to myself, rolling my eyes as I watch Harry and Ron enter the Potions classroom. I was hoping that, focusing on studies and on my classes, I could get a little distracted from the awful situation that is occurring. But, it obviously is not possible when I have my two extremely noisy and easily-distracted best friends in the same lesson. I look over to Lavender, who gushes as she notices Ronald. Is she really so in love with him? And for what? I don't know why but this annoys me more than it should do. Maybe I'm just worrying for a friend. What else could it be, right?

"I've prepared a few concoctions this morning. What do you think these are? Anyone?"

I lift my hand up high. Slughorn points towards me. "That one is Veritaserum." I say, pointing to the greenish liquid in the flask. I then point to the next flask, the light green-yellow one  and say: "That, Sir, is Polyjuice Potion." And then, my eyes move to glittery, glowing pink solution which I immediately recognize. "This is Amortentia. The most powerful love potion to have ever existed. They say that its smell varies from person to person, according to what attracts them the most." I feel the urge of getting close to it, its' smell reaching and climbing frantically up my nostrils. "For example, I smell freshly mown grass and new parchment and spearmint toothpaste..." I stop. Hermione, stop. This is so embarrassing, the whole class staring at me whilst I tell them that my favorite smell is that of grass. I look around and everyone is just staring blankly at me; everyone besides Draco, who sneers. I blush and look down.