Promises

Chapter 6

She didn't manage to talk to Draco the following day. As hard as Nyx tried, Draco seemed to be avoiding her at all costs. The only time they saw each other was during meals, but the houses don't really tend to mix with each other hence it would be weird if she were to approach the Slytherin table. Gryffindor and Slytherin do not have classes together, apart from one, potions.

The subjects taught at Hogwarts were interestingly more exciting than Nyx had originally thought. Thanks to Severus' teaching over the previous 2 years or so, Nyx was able to cope with the topics taught at hand. Nyx quickly found some subjects interesting to learn, but useless in life, like Astronomy, some annoyingly difficult to master like Herbology, while others easier to fluke her way through, like Charms and Transfiguration. Defence Against the Dark Arts is a whole different question, however, as Nyx chuckled inwardly. She can protect herself just fine, and the lessons are a bit of a joke, really.

Her first Transfiguration class was quite humorous, seeing as Nyx had her own type of magic. She quickly mastered the technique of transferring her magic through the wand itself, and pretending to follow the incantation they were taught - thus it appears she had talent in both subjects. After making lots of complicated notes which she found absolutely unnecessary, the students were each given a match and tasked to turn it into a needle. Nyx did it on her first try of course, but she hurriedly turned it back when she realized no one else was able to achieve it as easily, apart from another Gryffindor girl named Hermione Granger. From then on, Nyx resolved to pretend to play dumb in the class, only showing her ability if asked, or challenged. Although she knows her magic isn't enough to transfigure a desk into a pig.

On friday, she had her first potions lesson. Double potions with the Slytherins, after lunch. Good, maybe I can get a chance to talk to Draco before class starts.

She was watching Draco at the corner of her eye throughout the lunch break, shifting the food on her plate around with her fork absentmindedly. There was no way she could talk to him alone without his friends unless... Nyx's eyes trailed to a pile of cranberries beside her.

Splat! Out of nowhere, a few cranberries landed on his arm and burst, leaving a sticky residue behind. He jolted from his seat in shock.

"What the-" Draco scanned the Great Hall for the culprit. Ugh, that's disgusting. "I'm going to the washroom to clean up. You guys go ahead without me."

"Gosh, Draco. Do you have a hole in your mouth or something? How did that even happen?" Blaise, his roommate, teased him. Draco rolled his eyes. He left the Great Hall swiftly, not wanting to be late for his potions lesson. In his hurry, he didn't notice someone from the Gryffindor table getting up to follow him.

"Draco." Draco paused in his steps.

"Drac!" He spun around, only to realize it was Nyx. "Oh, it's you. What do you want?"

"To talk." With that, Nyx dragged him to the side, out of sight of other students.

"Draco. Are you really planning on throwing away our two years of friendship? After we finally found each other again? After three years? Are you really going to do this?" Nyx spoke harshly, albeit agitated. "I thought our two years of friendship meant something to you, Drac. You can't just go on and ignore me like that."

"I-I know, I don't want to either, trust me. It's just, I've got a reputation to maintain, you know? With my father widely known amongst the pure bloods - heck, almost all of the Slytherins know my family. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor can't be seen together, word will spread to my father. And you know what will happen."

"But we don't have to be seen together."

"Huh?"

"What I meant is, we can still be friends, without others knowing. We can, I don't know, meet up somewhere remote, a place where not many students frequent, and we can still talk to each other. I don't know, anything. At the very least, can you not ignore me like that? We can still be on talking terms, right?"