Chapter 6: A Bitter Victory

                                    

                                          
Elara's heart raced as she stirred the bubbling potion in front of her, the scents of herbs and minerals wafting through the air. The room was filled with the murmur of her classmates, but all she could focus on was the mixture that had become both a source of pride and a battleground between her and Draco.
"Don't forget to add the powdered root!" Draco snapped, peering over her shoulder. "If you screw this up, we'll never hear the end of it from Snape."
Elara clenched her jaw, her hands trembling slightly as she measured the root. "I know what I'm doing, Draco. I've read the textbook."
"Clearly not well enough," he muttered, crossing his arms. "This isn't some trivial exercise. It's worth a significant portion of our final grade."
Elara bit her tongue to keep from firing back. Their last few weeks in Potions had been a constant back-and-forth, and she was determined not to let Draco push her buttons. They had been assigned to work together for their big assignment, and while they'd managed to create a potion that shimmered with a perfect hue of emerald green, the tension between them was as thick as the potion's fumes.
Finally, as the hour neared its end, Snape swept by their station, eyeing their potion critically. After a few moments of intense scrutiny, a faint smirk played on his lips. "Remarkable work, Ms. Grey, Mr. Malfoy. A near-perfect score."
Elara felt a rush of triumph, but before she could celebrate, Draco's expression darkened. "What do you mean 'near-perfect'? What was wrong with it?"
Snape's eyes narrowed as he continued his assessment. "A few ingredients were slightly mismeasured. I'll take that into account." He flicked his wand, allowing a scroll of parchment to float into the air. "You may be seated."
As soon as Snape moved on, Elara's smile fell into a frown. "We got the highest score in the class, Draco. That's impressive!"
"Impressive isn't good enough!" he snapped, slamming his hand on the table. "You should've been more careful! Do you realize how important this is?"
Elara felt the heat rise in her cheeks, the familiar anger boiling beneath the surface. "I'm sorry, but I'm not your punching bag, Malfoy! You can't just blame me for everything that goes wrong. We did well!"
Draco scoffed, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "I'm not blaming you for everything. I just want us to succeed! This isn't just about you, Elara. It's about both of us. We could have had a perfect score!"
Elara crossed her arms defiantly. "It's just a few fucking marks off! Why can't you be happy that we got the highest score in the whole damn class?! Nearly the highest score in all of Hogwarts history!"
The classroom fell silent, all eyes darting to them as their bickering reached a peak. Draco's mouth snapped shut, and for a moment, she thought she'd shocked him into silence.
"Your attitude," he finally said, "is the reason why we lost those marks in the first place."
"Are you serious?" she exclaimed, exasperation flowing through her. "You're acting like it's the end of the world! It's a potion, Draco, not the Goblet of Fire!"
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Maybe if you cared a little more, we wouldn't be in this position. You're too focused on being friends with everyone else instead of actually putting in the effort!"
Elara's breath hitched in her throat. "You have no idea what I'm doing outside of class, do you? It's not just about the potion for me! I'm trying to balance everything, just like you!"
Draco's expression faltered for a second, but he quickly recovered, his brow furrowing. "It shouldn't matter what's going on outside of class. You need to prioritize this if you want to be taken seriously here."
She shook her head, frustration bubbling over. "And you need to learn how to be a decent partner! This is why I can't stand you sometimes, Draco. You can't just bully people into doing what you want!"
His glare intensified. "And you think you can just waltz in here and change everything? You're not as special as you think you are, Elara."
With a growl of frustration, Elara gathered her belongings, shoving her books into her bag. "I don't need this! I came here to do my best, and I won't let you drag me down with your negativity."
As she stormed out of the classroom, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. But that relief was quickly overshadowed by the sinking feeling in her stomach. She was starting to realize that this rivalry with Draco was more than just a petty feud; it was a collision of ambition and pride, and it was only going to get messier from here.
Elara stepped into the bustling hallway, her mind racing with thoughts of their heated exchange. She couldn't shake the feeling that despite their differences, they both wanted the same thing: to prove themselves. But as the tension between them grew thicker, she wondered if there was any way to bridge that divide—or if their rivalry would only deepen with time.