Chapter 16

                                    

                                          
I was allowed back to class the next day and as I walked into potions the room errupted into cheers. 
                          
"She's back from the dead!"
                          
"Even though you got bashed up you're still one of best chasers Gryffindor has ever seen!" 
                          
"Take a seat Miss Greenwood....you and mr Potter are quite the celebrity couple aren't you" Snape interrupted the students who were cheering and I slid into my seat at the Gryffindor table. "Now if you're quite ready, today we will be having an examination to see who is doing well", he paused to look at me "and who isn't. Potter, Weasley, hand the papers out". The class groaned silently. Hermione excitedly picked up her quill and rolled her sleeves up, whispering potion ingredients to herself. I rested my head in my hands, my head still hurting a little from the events of the match and felt a hand on my back as Harry slipped the test sheet in front of me. "You ok?" He whispered in my ear as he leant over me to put the paper on the table. 
                          
"Yeah" I whispered back, and he smiled at me before sitting down in his seat next to me. 
                          
"You have one hour" Snape sat down at his desk and we opened our test papers. I completed mine in 15 minutes, after all I happened to be extra gifted at potions, and turned my paper so Ron could see the answers without Snape seeing. He smiled at me gratefully, his hands covered in ink and Hermione let out a sigh as she muttered to herself something about how many beans you need for a sleeping potion. I looked over at Harry and saw him bent over his paper, his face full of concentration and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up. I couldn't help but admire his arms, how they looked strong, with the veins in his hands popping out from how hard he was holding his quill. I smiled to myself thinking how lucky I was to have him, after all everyone loved him, he was perfect. 
                          
The test ended and we filed out of the room when Snape called me back in. "Want me to wait for you?" Harry asked, but I told him to go to his next class, I didn't want him to be late. When I walked back into the classroom I saw Malfoy stood at Snape's desk with his arms folded, scowling. 
                          
"Tell me Miss Greenwood, how have the study sessions been going with Mr Malfoy?"
                          
"Urgh fine, making steady progress" I lied.
                          
"You've been studying every week?" 
                          
Malfoy looked at mr and I lied again. "Sure have." 
                          
"Funny, I don't recall seeing either of you in this classroom for the last few weeks. 5 points from Gryffindor for lying to me and if you don't turn up this evening I will be taking 50 from you. You both may go." I stormed out of the classroom, annoyed and felt Draco following me. I forgot we had exactly the same classes. 
                          
"Hopefully your head wasn't banged up too much that you forgot all about potions Greenwood." He said as he walked past me. "See you later." 
                          
After an exhausting charms class I sat down at the lunch table, sighing. I rested my head in my hand and Harry said "that's a nice bracelet, who's it from?" 
                          
"I don't know, it was left for me last night, it's got my Quidditch number engraved in it." 
                          
"Strange, who would give you that?"
                          
"No idea, it's nice though. When's the rematch then?"
                          
"Next week sometime I think, after the tournament is over. Jesus what happened to Derrick?"
                          
Peregrine Derrick, one of Slytherin's beaters entered the hall, his eye swollen and purple. 
                          
"Looks like someone's punched him, he wasn't hurt during the match was he?" I asked. 
                          
"No, but I did notice Malfoy had a bruise on his hand earlier, maybe the two had a fight?" Ron said. 
                          
"Malfoy was unusually worried when you fell, he pretty much had the snitch in his hand meaning Slytherin would have won, but he saw you fall and was the first on the ground when you landed. It was Derrick that hit the bludger at you that knocked you out, maybe he was angry about it."
                          
"Malfoy forfeited the win?"
                          
"Yeah, it was strange, he only left you when we got you to the hospital wing. It's not like Malfoy to actually care for someone other than himself." Hermione turned back to her book, she was reading up about potions, apparently she got one question wrong and was kicking herself. 
                          
Confused, I ate my sandwich and looked over at Harry, who was frowning into his soup and kissed his cheek before heading to the rest of my classes for the day. 
                          
6pm soon came and I put down the homework I was doing for herbology, with Neville's help, and headed down to the dungeons to the study session I couldn't get out of. 
                          
He was already waiting in the room for me, slumped at a desk already looking bored. "Ready?" I asked, and he looked up. 
                          
"Amortentia, that's what he's told me we're making", and he nodded towards the cauldron and ingredients that had been left out. "Strange, I thought he would have had us do something like another ageing potion."
                          
"I failed that section of the exam, I mean I failed the whole thing but that one in particular, guess that's why he wants us to do it." 
                          
"Well, let's get started I guess" I pulled my hair up into a ponytail and began to weigh out the ingredients.
                          
We worked in silence until Malfoy asked "why did you lie for me earlier? Saying I'd been coming to the sessions?" 
                          
"I didn't lie for you. I did it because I didn't want to get myself into trouble." 
                          
"Right, okay." 
                          
"Why haven't you been coming?" 
                          
"Been busy."
                          
"With what? Trying to avoid me?"
                          
"Don't flatter yourself Greenwood."
                          
"Malfoy, I don't know what I did to make you hate me, but what ever it is I'm sure we can put it aside for the sake of your grades." 
                          
"Don't act like you don't hate me."
                          
"I don't hate you Malfoy." 
                          
"Really? I would have thought Potter would have turned you against me by now."
                          
"So that's what this is about? You think I hate you because I'm with Harry."
                          
"Obviously. Little golden boy and his new golden girl, the perfect couple. Can't even protect you from a bludger." 
                          
"It was my mistake, I was too busy watching you go after the snitch." He turned to look at me, his face soft. "You were watching me?" 
                          
"Well, you were in my eyeline. Did you really help me when I fell?" 
                          
"Well I didn't think anyone would want you to die in your first Quidditch match. Nice bracelet by the way." 
                          
It all clicked in my head. "It was you? You got me the bracelet?" 
                          
"You sound surprised. I hardly doubt Potter could afford to get you one." 
                          
"Why did you get it for me?" 
                          
"Just because you don't like me doesn't mean I don't like you Greenwood. As wrong for me as you are I can't seem to get you out of my mind." 
                          
"Draco-"
                          
"I know. I know you're with Potter and you're happy. But like they say,  you can't control your feelings. Don't worry, I won't get in the way, I just want you to be happy, even if it is with Potter." 
                          
"Thanks Draco. I hope we can be friends." That was the first time I ever called him by his first name. 
                          
"I think you and I know we can never be just friends" he said, looking into my eyes and making my stomach flutter. "Here, the potions done, test it out."
                          
I inhaled the potion and smelt something I wasn't expecting. Apple and vanilla filled my senses, which was nothing like the fresh scent of Harry. "Well?" 
                          
"Apple."
                          
"Bloody weird scent, who on earth smells like apples? Potter must eat a bowl of fruit for breakfast." He stepped forward to smell it and closed his eyes as he inhaled.
                          
"What's yours?" I asked. 
                          
"I think you know."