Second year, chapter 8
He said ‘On your toes,
Do the gamblin’ roll,
For your fortune.
POV: Sam
Both Sam and Draco had laughed out loud when they read the Daily Prophet the next morning and saw that Harry and Ron had stolen Ron’s father’s car and flew it to Hogwarts. They had thought the two boys would be expelled, but instead they only got detention. Sam found that unfair, and knew it was just because of who Harry was. If it had been any other student then they would be on their way back home.
They had a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor this year, Gideon Lockhart. Sam hated him. The moment they had walked into the class room and saw him, standing there, smiling, an full of pride, Draco and Sam decided that they absolutely loathed him. All the girls in the class seemed to be in love with him, and it annoyed Sam to no end. The professor didn’t even teach them, just went on and on about himself. It was nauseating. And now, Sam hated the class that used to be one of her favorites.
Harry and Ron continued their taunting just like the year before. Although, this year, Sam was better at ignoring them. She stayed clear of them if she could, and ignored them when they would make their snarky comments.
Potions though, was still hell. Snape didn’t seem to want to stop his taunting.
“Miss Lupin-Black,” He said the first day, making Sam look up from her book as she sat by Draco. “Could you tell me the process of brewing aWolfsbane potion?”
Sam wanted to roll her eyes at the jab. He always loved giving hints to werwolfs whenever she was around. Sam shrugged.
“I’m sorry, Professor, but we have yet to learn about the potion in your class.” She answered, making the class snicker, and Draco bark out a laugh. Snape straightened, then turned his attention to Harry, choosing him to torment for the rest of the day. Sam didn’t know why Snape had singled out both her and Harry, but it was strange.
As the day continued, Sam could see Draco growing anxious for Quidditch tryouts. He was a nervous ball of anxiety all day, and when the time finally came, he had mounted his broom and began, flying well, his talent for the skill showing. Sam watched the tryouts, a her harms homework in her lap. Quite a few Slytherins were trying out for seeker, but Sam had faith that Draco could do it. He was one of the fastest to spot the snitch, and one of the fastest to retrieve it. And she could see his beaming face when he landed and Marcus Flint walked over, telling him he was the new seeker. Sam clapped and cheered. Draco was smiling, brightly.
“You should let your father know of your position,” Marcus said as Sam walked over to where Draco was standing with him on the field. “Maybe you could ask him for new brooms for the team?”
Sam saw Draco’s confused face, but he nodded anyways. “Sure.”
Marcus gave Draco one more clap on the shoulder, then grabbed his things and headed for the locker room. Sam saw Draco’s shoulders sagging as he stood there, a frown on his face.
“Do you think I deserved to get Seeker?” He asked her suddenly. Sam nodded.
“Of course! You were one of the best out here today.” She told him, meaning it. Draco turned to her, and she could practically see him thinking. He sighed, looking like he was a war with his mind. And see Draco like this was making Sam wonder what had happened to him over the summer holiday.
“Come on, lets go get some lunch, yeah?” She tried suggesting. Draco nodded.
“Yeah, et me just on get cleaned up, I’ll meet you in the great hall.” And with that, he turned to the locker rooms.
Sam huffed and she pulled her bag higher on her shoulder and began her walk to the great hall. Draco didn’t seem alright, it was like he had something constantly on his mind. And more then once, Sam had spotted bruises under his shirt when ever it rode up on his back. Sam was beginning to worry more and more.
As Sam walked to the great hall, she was searching her bag for a pice of homework she was worried she had left behind on the quidditch stands. She hadn’t been looking at where she was going, and ran hear first into someone, making her fall to the ground.
“Sorry, I wasn’t-” Sam had begun to say as she stood, but then caught sight of who she ran into. Harry sat on the ground, his eyes fixed on the floor as his breathing picked up. Sam stared, unsettled by the way Harry looked. Sam realized when she had bumped into Harry, her hand had swung out and kit him across the face. There was a fresh handprint there on Harry’s cheek now, and Harry seemed to be on the verge of a panic attack.
Sam didn’t really know what to do. Harry was full on hyperventilating now, his breaths short and panicked She slowly bent down in front of him, looking at him.
“Harry?” She tried. He didn’t respond.”Harry, take a deep breath,” She told him then took one herself, hoping he would match her breathing. Harry’s eyes slowly looked up at her, and he followed her breathing, calming Sam slightly.
After a minute or two, Harry seemed to have calmed down enough to realize he had just had a panic attack in front of Sam. He frowned at her and picked himself up off the ground, looking at her hard in the yes.
“Watch where you’re going.” He mumbled, then left. Sam watched, shocked. She threw her hands up in the air.
“You’re welcome!”
POV: Draco
Draco never really had nightmares. At least not in till last summer, when Mulciber began coming nearly everyday. Now, Draco woke most nights, covered in sweat and forgetting where he was. Tonight was one of those nights, although this one was slightly different. Like all his nightmares, Mulciber was in them, over him, kissing him, punching him, all while Draco couldn’t move. But something was different about this nightmare. Draco didn’t know what it was, but next thing he knew, he was being shook awake. When Draco’s eyes opened, he saw Sam, standing next to his bed, in her pajamas, and Blaise next to her. Draco sat up, still feeling the hands on him.
“What happened?” He asked, trying to keep his voice from shaking.
“You were screaming,” Blaise told him. “I had to get Sam, no one else could wake you.”
Draco took an impossible breath, forcing his lungs to work and trying to erase the images in his mind. He pulled his covers back, swinging his legs over the side of his bed and standing, lookin to his friends faces.
“I’m fine, it was just a stupid dream,” He told them, trying to convince them. “I’m just going to use the bathroom.”
Draco managed to make it to the bathroom and close the door, then proceeded to slide down to the ground, his knees pressed to his chest. He hated that Mulciber had power over him even when he was here at Hogwarts. Hogwarts was supposed to be his get away, he as supposed to be normal here, he was supposed to feel safe here, yet here he was, holding back tears on the bathroom floor, feeling invisible hands all over his body. All he wanted was to feel normal. He wondered why all these things had to happen to him. He didn’t want this, he hated it. He wanted to forget, he never wanted to go home, he just wanted to be him and be left alone.