When Monday rolled around, Alexandra was very aware that she'd be stuck with Malfoy for at least an hour. She got to the dungeons only to find Malfoy was already there. It seemed that the Slytherins and Gryffindors had a class together. Her own class had been dismissed a little early, so she had to wait outside until the classroom cleared. Hermione, Ron and Harry were the last to leave, save for Malfoy who was still inside.
"What are you doing here? Come to whisk 'mione away again?" Ron asked.
"If you must know, I've got detention."
"You've got detention with Snape? What is that, license to spend time with him for no reason?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Alexandra glared.
"Just that you're awfully close with him. You must get along like a house on fire, comparing notes on all the ways I'm incompetent?"
"Not everything's about you."
"Just everything you hate."
"Ronald!" Hermione scolded. "She was defending me, all right?" She turned to Alexandra. "And it wouldn't kill you to share your sentiments with him. He's starting to believe you truly hate him."
"I don't." She said, quietly.
"I know that and you know that." Hermione said and Harry looked a little awkward.
"I don't hate you, Ron." He flinched at that. "I hate Malfoy and Zabini and Quirrel and Voldemort and stupid Magorian. I don't hate you. Please don't ever think that." She implored.
"But you don't love me either."
"It's complicated. Not... loving you. That's never complicated. Just, showing it. I'm a lot different than I used to be, and I can't pretend that I'm not. And I just think you could be a lot happier not having to worry about me. So, just don't think that I hate you." He was silent for a moment, before grinning.
"I think that's the most you've said to me in over a year."
"Probably."
"I don't hate you too, Alex." He said, using her shortened name for the first time. Her expression dropped as her guilt rose and she pushed past the trio and into the potions classroom.
"Come on, Ron." Hermione said.
"Why'd she get so mad?" He asked.
"It's not you. Look, the year she was away was hard on her."
"Yeah, but she won't talk about it." Ron protested. Harry seemed to understand what Hermione was saying.
"Because she doesn't want you to hate her. That's it right?" He looked at Hermione for assurance. "I mean, being on her own for so long, clearly things happened she doesn't want to talk about. So, better that she ignores Ron completely. She's afraid telling him will make him think differently of her. But also, not telling him makes her feel bad because she feels like she's lying."
"It's not my place to talk about it. But just cut her some slack Ronald. She does love you."
"Yeah." He nodded and they made their way to the Gryffindor tower. "How'd you figure all that out?"
"Oh, well. I never really told you guys much about the Dursleys at first because I thought you'd think, I don't know. Less of me, I guess. And then when you and the twins came and saved me, and you saw everything I just felt embarrassed. You made me feel like I had nothing to be ashamed of, and I felt silly for not telling you. I knew you wouldn't make me feel like that, but sometimes it's hard to separate rational thoughts from irrational feelings."
"Alex has to know I won't hate her no matter what happened." Ron said.
"I think she's afraid you'll judge her, because she's not the person she used to be. I mean, up until now you called her Alexandra. And you knew that made her uncomfortable." Hermione told him.
"I just wanted to remind her- oh I see the problem. So I just have to let her know that I do want to know her the way she is now."
"Interesting conversation?" Snape questioned as Alex took a seat as far away from Malfoy as she could.
"I don't want to talk about it." She moaned.
"I'll need you to sit near Malfoy. You two will be working together until your detentions are over."
"You can't expect me to-"
"Work with Malfoy? Are-"
"That's enough. The both of you. Move closer together now." His voice was low and cold and had them both scrambling closer. "Now as neither of you sees what is wrong with your actions, perhaps a wit sharpening potion is in order."
"We'll be brewing potions?" Malfoy asked tentatively.
"Miss Weasley, you will be dictating the ingredients and instructions. Mr Malfoy, you will be following her instructions and brewing the potion."
"Can't I-?" Snape cut Alex off.
"I chose the roles particularly. I know you'd rather brew the potion personally, just as I know Mr Malfoy would rather be the one to tell you what to do."
"You're punishing us by forcing us out of our comfort zones?"
"Exactly." They stayed silent. "Mr Malfoy, if you would go pick out the ingredients needed for the potion."
"This is so unfair." She said. "Why're you doing this?"
"It's not just a punishment. Perhaps you'll learn something if you spend a little time in each other's shoes."
"And brewing a potion will do that?" He just shrugged. Malfoy soon came back with the ingredients.
"I have matters to attend to. The two of you may not leave until I am back, nor will you switch roles in my absence. Is that clear?"
"You're going to leave us alone? Together? In a potions lab?"
"Yes. There will be no fighting, neither physical nor verbal. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Professor." Malfoy said.
"Yes, sir." Alex added.
"Good." Snape turned, his cape billowing behind him as he left the room. Malfoy waited a few moments before reaching for the potions book.
"What are you doing?" Alex plucked it out of his hands.
"He's not going to be back for a while. I'll read out the instruction, you brew." He said.
"No."
"Don't tell me, you're too Hufflepuff to cheat. It's the only way we'll be able to work together."
"You don't think Snape would just trust us to do as he says? I guarantee he's got some sort of spell cooking to make sure we adhere to our assigned roles."
"That's daft. I've been here since my potions class, and I haven't seen him do any sort of spell like that."
"He's been planning this detention since yesterday. He's had more than enough opportunities where neither of us were present. So stick with the assigned roles or we'll have more detention if he finds out."
