The following week vanished in a blur—classes, homework, and dodging emotional landmines. Unfortunately, time didn't care that Snape had arranged my first tutoring session with Malfoy this Saturday evening. The man had a cruel sense of humor.
Wren and I stuck together like potion fumes in a poorly ventilated room. I didn't avoid Harry, Ron, and Hermione per se—but I didn't go out of my way to find them either. And no, that decision had nothing to do with Malfoy's comment.
At least that's what I kept telling myself.
As the days passed, Malfoy stayed delightfully consistent in her mission to ruin my mood. Every encounter was a jab, a smirk, or a remark laced with poison. And I gave it back as best I could—but deep down, I realized I wasn't going to win this war. Her pride was too inflated, too shielded.
Of course, I'd never let her know that. My own pride would see to that.
Now, dragging my feet toward the potions classroom on a Saturday evening, I watched other students laughing in the courtyards, enjoying their weekend. It didn't help my mood.
When I pushed open the heavy oak door, I was surprised to find Snape already there, his back to me. He turned, and for a moment, his expression almost seemed... pleased?
"Early," he noted, voice low and dangerous. "I'm pleasantly surprised, Mr. Potter."
That rare hint of approval startled me more than I'd expected.
"Not that I had any expectations to begin with."
Ah. There was the Snape we all knew and feared.
Without another word, he left the room, his robes billowing dramatically behind him. I took a seat with a groan, unpacking my textbook and the ridiculously long weekend assignment.
The door creaked again. "I knew you liked me, but I didn't think you'd be this eager to see me."
Malfoy.
"You're early too," I muttered, scooting the chair beside mine a few inches farther away.
She smirked and spun a chair backward in front of me, lounging with his arms over the top like she owned the place.
"Let's see how hopeless you really are." She lifted an eyebrow with the kind of anticipation that was more about amusement than instruction.
The next hour was excruciating. She rattled off potion names, and I blanked on nearly everything. I had about five recipes memorized. Turns out, pretending to be terrible wasn't necessary—I genuinely was.
"Come on, Potter, there's no way you don't know this one!" she groaned, raking her fingers through her platinum hair.
Small victory: I was getting under her skin.
"Sleeping Draught?" she asked, desperation in her voice.
That one I knew.
"Standard ingredient, flobberworm mucus, lavender, valerian sprigs!" I said brightly.
Her face lit up. "Nice! That's it!"
The praise hit me unexpectedly—warm, satisfying. I even smiled. Then quickly wiped the smile off.
She caught himself too. The grin vanished from his face like someone had flipped a switch. "You're worse than I thought," he muttered, eyes darting anywhere but toward me.
"You weren't exactly a fountain of knowledge either," I shot back.
"Oh, I'm sorry, should I have let you blow us both to bits by letting you brew one of these disasters-in-a-cauldron?"
I rolled my eyes and thrust the pile of homework in his face. "You could at least help with this."
She snatched the parchment from my hand. Her fingers brushed mine—cold, sharp contact—and for a second, something flickered between us.
"Fine," she spat, reluctantly agreeing.
The next thirty minutes passed in relative silence, broken only by his dry comments about my handwriting and Snape's obsession with long-winded essays. To his credit, he did help.
"Now look what you've done," she muttered when she checked the time. "We're going to have to dodge Filch too."
I quickly stuffed my things into my bag. "Sorry."
She scoffed but waited by the door. Together, we crept through the dim corridors, slipping past suits of armor and shadowed arches. Somehow, we made it back to the dungeons without getting caught.
I couldn't help but giggle as we slid into the common room.
"That was absolutely dreadful," Malfoy muttered, hair tousled, eyes weary.
"I couldn't agree more," I said with a smirk, stepping past her and into my dorm.
Despite everything, I felt strangely... lighter.