Wake Me up When My Story Ends

“So Draco,” Professor Snape drawled, a smirk steadily growing on his face, “How would you like to work with Potter?”

Draco snickered, rocking onto the back legs of his chairs as he replied, “I’d rather not. You see, I’d like leave this class in one piece.”

Snape’s thin smile grew while Harry’s eyes narrowed at the pair of his greatest enemies, Voldemort barely topping those two off. Umbridge was steadily climbing the ranks though, becoming a serious contender on that short yet lethal list; she was an absolute nightmare.

“Wise choice,” Snape nodded, his slender finger pointing towards Hermione, “You’ll have to settle for Mrs. Granger then. We wouldn’t want the dream team to always rely on Mrs. Granger now would we.”

Draco’s sigh drowned out Ron’s soft groan. Ron’s reaction only fueled Snape further and his glinting eyes lit up with another idea. His robe swished behind him as he made a dramatic turn, abruptly pointing at a startled Neville, “Longbottom, you’ll be working with Potter and Weasley.”

Ron’s pained expression overpowered Harry’s small, reassuring smile towards Neville, creating more anxiety in the bewildered boy. The wicked smile creeping on Snape’s lips was undeniable.

“Professor Snape,” Hermione called, her arm rigidly raised. Snape’s expression turned cold once more but before he could retort, Hermione promptly continued, “You only assigned two people for our group.”

Snape glowered at Hermione, waiting until she settled her arm back down, “Thank you for stating the obvious once more Mrs. Granger. Yes, your group needs another member,” Snape’s eyes flitted across the room, noticing that he had already assigned Draco’s friends within themselves so that there were only Gryffindor’s left. His calculating eyes landed on Alexa, noting her discreet Yaxley lineage. She had always been a puzzling girl to him: the Gryffindor daughter of a Death Eater. He never knew whether the reprimand or commend her for her actions. While she was disgraceful to her family, Snape knew better than to judge all Gryffindors by their house, especially the unorthodox ones. Lily had been sorted there after all.

The class awaited Snape’s deliberation, Seamus and Dean openly wondering if he had fallen asleep with his eyes open. Shooting the pair a swift glare, Snape’s eyes rested on Alexa once again, eyeing her steely, unaffected stare. She was unusual indeed…

“Mrs. Yaxley will join your group,” Snape decided, knowing that she was the most ideal Gryffindor to offer Draco. He might not have made the association between her and her father yet, but by nature they should get along. After all, they’ve practically been raised by the same father.

Alexa’s indifferent façade hid her apprehension. Nervously glancing across the room, she noticed Draco deliberately avoiding her gaze. Hermione warmly smiled at Alexa from Harry and Ron’s current table while Alexa could only meekly nod back.

Snape tapped his wand against the chalkboard, the chalk speedily flying across the board, writing out their instructions, “You have until the end of class. Submit your vial, labeled with your each member in your group, to the front of the classroom. Anyone who doesn’t fulfill a quota of an ‘E’ will write an essay on the characteristics and effects of a proper Draught of Peace due the next class.”

Ron gulped, eyeing the flustered Neville once again. Snape continued after letting his previous threat sink into the weaker students, “You may begin.”

Alexa half-heartedly rose from her seat, grabbing her Potions textbook and bag. It’s not as if Draco would come over to her table to work so Hermione and Alexa were forced to enter Slytherin territory.
Hermione caught up to Alexa because of her sluggish pace, “Hey Alexa.”

“Hey,” Alexa nodded absentmindedly, trying to ignore the many leering Slytherins as they neared Draco’s table. Crabbe and Goyle had already evacuated, leaving behind strewn crumbs of food.

Clearly, Snape thought that they would fail Draco, Alexa noticed Crabbe trying to heat his cauldron upside down next to Millicent Bullstrode, rolling her eyes at the trio of idiots.

Alexa wasn’t too sure why Snape placed her with Draco and Hermione but she wasn’t very curious either. He has always treated her different than the other Gryffindors. Granted, she’s never been insulted by Snape, but she hasn’t ever been spoken to either. He’d always leave her with an odd expression, speculative at best. Alexa sometimes wondered if the rumors were true, if he actually was a Death Eater, but she never dwelled upon it. When Voldemort comes back to power completely, which will inevitably happen, she knew that everyone will be exposed.

“I’ll get the ingredients,” Hermione announced before Alexa could offer to leave the table instead. Hermione strode away, mumbling to herself, “Syrup of Hellebore, powdered moon stone, Valerian root…”

Reluctantly, Alexa sat farthest away from Draco. While he was previously avoiding Alexa’s eye, he was directly staring at her now. She refused to match his gaze though, thoughtlessly observing Seamus Finnegan sniff his already bubbling concoction.

A deep sigh tugged at her lips but Alexa fought hard to restrain it. Class was going to be dull today, especially since they had already brewed this potion in October. It’s an O.W.L. mandated potion and all but making it again was pointless.

Hermione broke the uncomfortable silence, plopping her items down next to Draco’s silver cauldron. Alexa quickly glanced at the ingredients, noticing a discrepancy, “Hermione, you forgot the powdered unicorn horn.”

“What? No I- Damn it,” Hermione quickly swore, scanning the ingredients herself. Hastily moving back to the ingredient closet, she left the Alexa and Draco alone once more.

Regretting sending Hermione back, Alexa busied herself by starting the potion, measuring out the ingredients on his scales. Draco remained casually lounged in his chair, observing Alexa’s movements. Shaking off his stare, Alexa continued, focused on the potion.

Potions, despite being with the Slytherins and Snape deep in the dungeons, was her favorite class. Stirring them cleared her mind and put her in a peaceful, focused state. Potions were methodical, reliable, and anonymous. While a wand can reveal all the curses it has sent in a simple wave, a potion is nameless. The beauty and admiration of potions is one thing Alexa’s mother had instilled in her from childhood considering she was a notable Potioneer herself. Even though Alexa studied hard to follow her example, aiming to please, Lyssandra didn’t even notice the perfect scores on Alexa’s report cards.

The fact that she was both talented and well-educated in Potions coupled to make it her favorite class. Even when Hermione returned with the powdered unicorn horn, Alexa still held control over the potion, knowing to stir it seven times without constantly checking the board like Hermione did.

“There’s the silver vapor!” Hermione exclaimed, proudly grinning at the turquoise concoction, “We did it!”

Collectively, the three looked around the room, noticing the other cauldrons with green sparks and the overwhelming sulfurous stench in the room. However, their potion was odorless and perfectly brewed.

Hermione poured a sizeable sample into the small vial, barely fitting the magical cork into it. While she made her way to the front of the room to submit it early, swiftly being flanked by a suspicious Snape, Draco finally spoke up, “So you’re good at Potions.”

Alexa nodded once, resisting the temptation to look over at Draco’s knowing, grey eyes. She knew just what he was thinking without having to try to read it from his eyes. Alexa had all the tell-tale signs of a Slytherin; family, skill set, she even looks like a Slytherin, yet somehow the Sorting Hat still dubbed her spirit as a Gryffindor one.

“Well we have a good ten minutes left,” Hermione satisfiedly announced, appearing between the two out of seemingly nowhere. Alexa jolted in her seat given that she was uneasy to begin, forcing a smile at Hermione. Mentally, she was cursing herself for finishing to potion so fast. What’s she going to pretend to do for the next ten minutes, read?

“Ooh, we have Charms next,” Hermione excitedly realized, diving into her bag for her Charms textbook.

“Mind being less enthusiastic?” Draco remarked, rolling his eyes at the eager brunette. She frowned, tucking a few locks of hair behind her ear as she opened her book, disregarding his customary commentary.

Alexa didn’t ignore it as easily though, “Mind being the top of the class?”

“Oh come on, you of all people should know that mudbloods have no talent,” Draco said, referencing Alexa’s dark family, still completely at ease in his chair.

By now, Hermione had become accustomed to the derogatory term from Draco, but she still subtly flinched. Alexa glared at Draco, both for bringing up her family and for insulting Hermione, “There is nothing wrong with muggle blood you senseless prat.”

Alexa briefly remembered all of the days she’d spent curled up by the large Yaxley fireplace, pouring over fairy tales both wizard and muggle written. If anything, for people accustomed to dull lifestyles, their writing was more imaginative than the wizard sort was.

Draco menacingly narrowed his eyes at Alexa, now sitting forward in his chair. A deep scowl became rooted on his face. Alexa had gone too far and this was now a matter of pride.

“Standing up for Granger, are you? No one cares what a disgraceful Yaxley has to say,” Draco spat, sneering at the rigid Alexa. Her jaw became stiff, she stopped breathing, and most of all, she was completely aware of Hermione’s curious stare.

Alexa didn’t know how to reply, both because she was stunned and because he was right. Draco didn’t stop there though, pleased with her traumatized reaction. He wanted her to regret ever speaking to him that way, “No wonder your parents hate you.”

Alexa flinched, digging her nails into her thighs as to keep the hot tears away from her eyes. She opened her mouth to retort but no sounds escaped her trembling lips. His words had muted her; she was too disturbed to reply.

Alexa had never told anyone about her family history because she was afraid they would judge her for it. She worried that they would exile her as a Gryffindor and that her affected friends would fear her as well. The thought that someone would insult her with that information had never crossed her mind though. She never expected that somebody would use the fact that her parents despised her against her.

She was completely caught off guard.

“…I-I,” Alexa finally chocked out. Her frantic eyes were darting around, praying that no one else was watching. She couldn’t finish her sentence because she didn’t know what to say. It was her own fault for telling him all of her secrets. She shouldn’t have entrusted them with a Malfoy, no matter how different he seemed at the time.

Draco’s cold stare was fading even though he was desperately trying to hold onto it. Alexa was close to breaking down again, he could recognize it himself. Her thin lips were tightly pressed together, maybe even restraining her screams. Every so often they would quiver and he braced himself for her cry every time. Her stoic demeanor was about to fall and he didn’t want to be the reason behind her tears.

Draco had found a way around this Gryffindor’s proud, fearless wall, a goal every other Slytherin desired, yet he wished he hadn’t. Simply harassing the Gryffindors, even with their spirited comebacks, was much less taxing than skirting around the truth when their nightmare became one of his own.

Draco was regretting his words more and more by the minute now, containing his innate desire to reach out and comfort her. Her steely blue eyes looked near hysterical now but thankfully the tears welled there hadn’t spilled yet. If they were in a different place, without all of these eyes on them, he might have consoled her. He just couldn’t afford to do that here.

“Class is over. Submit your vials… if you have them, to the front of the class,” Snape loudly announced, sneering down at a hunched Neville. Raucous chatter resumed around the class, thankfully meaning that many people hadn’t witnessed their exchange. Regardless of the noise, Draco still caught Alexa’s faint murmur with his wide, rueful eyes before she fled the room.

“I can’t believe I told him that…”