Love's Horrid Fruit

Draco

I was in a state of panic. I can’t believe how stupid I was. But it wasn’t my fault. No. that Mudblood blasted her way into the room, she started it, not me. I reached over and grabbed a piece of toast, spreading raspberry jam on it before taking a bite. Even though Crabbe sat in front of me, I could still see her. I wanted nothing more than to tell her to move down the bench so I wouldn’t have to look at her, but that would imply that there was a problem. Which there wasn’t.

Not yet.

As I ate my toast, I decided that it was a good thing that I could see her. I could keep an eye on her to make sure she didn’t go blab about what happened. The last thing I needed this year was Potty and Weasilbum following me around the castle. I would never be able to work on the cabinet or figure out the rest of my plan with them breathing down my neck.

I watched her mouth move. I watched for any sign that she had told them. Again, I cursed myself. How could I be so stupid? How could I let my guard down like that? When she walked into the room, I lost all self control. I walked over to her, took her into my arms, trying to seduce her, and it worked. It was so easy too, like I was re-enacting one of my dreams.

What’s worse, is that I liked it.

I liked it a lot. More so than I probably should. When she ran away I felt longing. I wanted to hold her to me, to take her lips with mine, and take her to the stars. Then it occurred to me that she could go blabbing away to everyone that I kissed her. All night I couldn’t seep, imagining scenarios of students snickering in the hallways, chanting “Draco snogged a Muggle born.” I chased after her to make sure she wouldn’t tell anyone, but she disappeared around a corner.

So now I was forced to watch her at a distance, looking for any sign that she told.

“Draco,” whined Pansy, “Come on.”

Looking at her, I noticed that most of the students in the Great Hall were gone, on their way to their classes. Standing, I grabbed my bag and went to the daily potions class. I turned back to watch the Trio get up gathering their books. In my mind, I tried to come up with a way to get Granger along to talk to her.

But it was too late. We were already in class.

I missed Snape being my potions teacher. Not because he treated me differently, but because he was able to explain more. I don’t care how old Slughorn was, to me Snape was a true potions master. He always seemed to know what someone did wrong by just looking at the potions. Slughorn could just shake his head and say “Wrong, wrong, wrong.” It seemed to me that the only thing he knew how to do was praise Potter, practically putting him on a pedestal. It disgusted me that Potter could do no wrong in anything he tried.

When class was over, I made my way up to the seventh floor to the Room of Requirements, asking for the Room of Forgotten Things, a much easier thought process than what I had before. I set my bag on the floor, after giving Crabbe and Goyle orders to keep watch on the door. I walked down the room, looking for the marker I had left: a small green light. It was bright and noticeable, so I decided it might help. I hadn’t tested it’s ability to survive in the room without me, and I was happy to see it could. Waving my wand the light disappeared and I continued down the isle, looking under any cloth that covered any large object, looking for the Vanishing Cabinet. Reaching the end of the row, I sighed and started down the next one. I walked past broken Sneak-O-Scopes, black quills with large curling feathers that twitched in their holders, and old Quick Quotes Quills that were snapped in half various colors of ink dried on the floor from where they leaked out onto the carpets. As I continued walking, I continued to think about Granger and her kiss. It pissed me off how much I thought about it.

I had to get a hold of her and make sure she tells no one.

I looked up at an other wardrobe and I frowned. Turning behind me, I sighed, realizing that I had missed the entire isle due to my thinking. Growling, I turned back, wasting time looking over the isle again. Nothing caught my eye, so turning around I meant to back down, but a large object in the isle across from me made me pause.

I jumped over the isle and stood in front of a large triangular object covered by a cloth. Grabbing onto the drapery and tugging, the cloth fell to the floor, and a cloud of dust exploded into the air. Looking at the cabinet in front of me, my heart raced.

I found it.

I found the Vanishing Cabinet.

I smiled, feeling a weight lifted from my shoulder, the first time that’s happened in a long time. Reaching out, I ran my hand along the silver handle and smiled. This is perfect, exactly what I needed to happen. Now that I don’t have to search for it. I can now turn my attention to fixing it. The two cabinets acted as a gateway. The problem is that this one can’t make the connection back. I would have to look at the library for books about them. The clerk at Borgin and Burkes explained them, but didn’t know much on the repairing of them. I’m sure I could find something in the restricted section.

Ejecting the green light again from my want, I turned to leave. I picked my way through the room, a record player skipped annoyingly in an other isle. I would have to fix that later. Walking out of the room, the tapestry was sucked back into the stone and Crabbe, Goyle, and I went to our next class.

~

In Defense Against the Dark Arts I was trying to figure out a way to get Snape to grant me permission into the restricted section, and how to get Granger alone to make sure she didn’t say anything. I sat down at my table and took out my books and parchment. Setting up my quill and ink, I waited impatiently for class to start. Granger too a seat next to me, her face was flushed and her actions looked like she was trying to keep herself busy. Leaning in I asked, “Did you tell anyone?”

“What are you talking about?” She asked, not stopping.

“What am I – What do you think I’m talking about!”

“Continue your conversation after class, Mr Malfoy,” said Professor Snape, gliding into the room. His cloak billowed behind him and he moved, giving him a pompous look, a.k.a. the last thing he needed. I turned to the front of the room, trying to find some way to get Granter to talk to me, “Take out your wands.”

We did. I held mine before me, rolling it back and fourth with my pointer fingers and thumbs. My arms laid on the desk and my eyes were only for it. I never realized how amazing this was; that something so small and fragile could produce powers so strong that it could cause someone pain or suffering.

Or even take someone’s life.

Hermione held hers for a moment, then set it on her desk, folding her hands at the base. She sighed as she waited for instruction, then I realized… she could do this.

I’ve never disarmed anyone in my life! And now I was expected to disarm the smartest girl in our year? And a girl! I began to wonder why I was assigned to work with her. Was it because I was seen as inferior? Was it because there honestly wasn’t anyone else to pair me with?

No… Weasley was paired with Daphne Greengrass, so that couldn’t be it.

“Now, everyone remembers the stance to hold while performing this spell?” Snape’s voice was bored.

Was it because Snape didn’t think I was capable of disarming someone on my level?

I bet it was because of my mother. Her going to him and asking him for help must have made him believe I wasn’t capable of doing my job. Curse my mother and her worries.

“Alright, now, pair up, and disarm only.” Snape turned and the desks moved off to the side. I turned to Hermione who was looking at me expectantly.

“Are you ready then,” she asked.

Holding up my wand I replied, “Yeah.”

She nodded, “Alright then.”

No one in the room did anything for a moment, then Hermione moved, “Expelliarmus!”

My wand flew out of my hand and clanked to the floor. Potter, Weasley, Longbottom, and Patil followed suit. Snape watched as the students of Dumbledore’s Army successfully disarmed their partners. Walking around he looked at them and said, “10 points from each Gryffindor.”

“On what terms,” asked Potter.

“On the terms that I am the teacher. 5 more points from Gryffindor, for questioning my authority.”

I smiled as Potter glared at Snape who ignored him. The defeated Gryffindors waited for their partners to pick up their wands, and now it was time to go again. Holding up my wand I waited for Granger to pose, then I moved, “Expeli-”

“Expelliarmus.”

My wand flew out of my hand again, clanking onto the floor. Bending down, I grabbed my wand, this time not waiting, “Expelliarmus!”

Her wand shot out of her hand, rolling off to the side. She glared at me as she bent down to retrieve it.

“What?” I asked, a smug smile of my face.

“I wasn’t in position,” she replied, standing. “That wasn’t fair.”

“Life’s not fair,” I shrugged, “You have to roll with it.”

She nodded, “Roll with this…. Expelliarmus!”

“Miss Granger,” said Snape, “You are to perform the spell when your opponent is ready.”

“I’m sorry Professor, he did it first.”

“So you follow?”

She was quiet.

“Very well then.”

The rest of the class went mostly the same, me catching Granger off guard, her becoming more and more angry. Finally Snape called for us to stop and to pack up our belongings. As I stood next to her I said, “I need to talk to you.”

“I don’t think right now if the best time.”

Turning to walk away I grabbed her arm and said, “Now is a great time. Listen to me, Granger, if I get any hint that you’ve said anything to anyone about… what happened…. I will hunt you down.”

She glared, “Well I guess you have nothing to worry about, because I’m not saying anything.”

Letting her go I replied, “Fine.”

Turning her back on me she walked away, meeting Potter and Weasley at the door. Packing up my belongings I approached Professor Snape.

“What do you want, Draco?”

“I need your permission to enter the restricted section.”

“Why?”

“I’m looking for books on Vanishing Cabinets.”

“Check prehistoric magic.”

I sighed, “Yes, Professor.”

“And Draco… you ask anyone ever again, you risk blowing the entire operation.”

I nodded, “I understand.” Turning, I left to patrol the halls, all the time my mind thinking about how I’m going to fix the Vanishing Cabinet… and of Hermione Granger.