TRAINING WHEELS—
POTTER VS MALFOY.

012

Amora sat on the other side of the desk in her mother's classroom, her cheek resting on her palm as she concentrated on the book in front of her. Professor Buckley was supposed to be meeting her any minute so they could spend some time together. With the new year starting up, Amora hadn't seen much of her mother yet-- they were both so busy with their individual lives and responsibilities.

"Amora," Professor Buckley breathed as she finally stepped foot through the classroom door, pulling off the gold and black scarf from around her neck. "It's freezing out. Do you still have the scarf and gloves I knitted you?"

"Yes, mother," Amora smiled, turning the corner of the page in her book and closing it. "They're in the trunk in my dorm."

"Good." Her mother moved around and sat down in her chair, opposite her daughter and only separated by the oak desk. "Bloody third years handing their essays in late..." She muttered, gesturing to the pile of parchments in front of them. "Would have thought they'd have stopped faffing about so late in their academic careers."

Amora smiled a little and shook her head as her mother charmed her quill to start marking the essays for her. One by one, the quill ticked off or crossed out parts of essays, filing them into another pile when completed. Despite having magic on her side, Professor Buckley still looked quite stressed, her nose and cheeks red from the cold weather and slight circles around her eyes.

"You okay, mum?" She asked.

"I'm fine," Professor Buckley spoke. "Sorry if I'm a bit all over the place, darling."

She shoved some keys into a drawer of her desk and then clasped her hands in front of herself, beaming at the girl who looked just like her when she was thirty years younger. Amora was dressed in her school uniform, her hair neatly brushed and her brown eyes gleaming as bright as ever.

"That's okay," Amora dismissed with a shake of the hand.

"Have you got a date to the Yule Ball yet?"

Amora groaned. "It was only announced yesterday, mum. No, not yet."

"Okay, okay, I was just wondering. My classes have been talking about it nonstop ever since," the Muggle Studies professor insisted. "I think lots of people already have dates."

"That's nice," Amora spoke before she tried to swiftly change the subject. "I actually needed some help with some homework, if you didn't mind?"

Professor Buckley straightened up in her seat. "Of course, sweetheart. What class?"

"Herbology..."

The mother and daughter were only twenty or so minutes into completing Amora's Herbology assignment when the door slammed open, revealing none other than Leon Holloway. The dark-haired boy came rushing over, sending a small smile to his Muggle Studies teacher before grabbing Amora's arm.

"Come on, Amora. I have to show you something," Leon exclaimed.

Amora tugged her arm back with a soft frown. "Leon, I'm doing homework--"

Leon glanced to Professor Buckley whose brows were raised in amusement. He lowered so that hopefully only the teenage girl would hear. Amora leaned in closer.

"There's a fight!" He hissed in a whisper.

Amora rolled her brown eyes. "Wow. That's brilliant," she muttered sarcastically.

"It's Malfoy and Harry!"

Amora practically jumped out of her skin. She didn't think as she stood up from her chair, calling over the scraping of it against the floor to her mother that she would be back soon. Leon grabbed Amora's hand and dragged her down the hall. Slowly, the voice of Harry grew louder, but she was unable to make out all of it.

Taking advantage. Nothing but a bully. Will hurt Amora. Arrogant asshole.

Amora found them standing towards one of the more desolate hallways of Hogwarts, especially this late in the afternoon. Ron and Hermione stood to the side, looking as uncomfortable as ever, and Blaise Zabini was behind Draco. Harry and the blond boy stood in the centre, Draco glaring down at the shorter boy while Harry puffed his chest to make himself seem bigger.

"Shh," Leon grabbed her and brought her around the corner and out of sight. "If you show up they might stop."

"Leon, what if it gets physical--" Amora's concern was cut off by a hand over her mouth, making her roll her eyes again.

"Are you really this pressed over a school jumper, Potter?" Draco chuckled darkly as he spat the Chosen One's last name like it was vomit in his mouth. "You need to get your priorities straight. Although, they always have been quite wonky, isn't that right?"

Harry's jaw clenched. "What are you on about?"

"Last year," Draco spat back. "When you practically left Amora for dead after she'd tried to save your pathetic arse."

Amora remembered the events of that day. How she'd woken up after falling asleep reading a book to see Hermione punching Draco in the face, followed swiftly by the execution of Buckbeak, Scabbers biting Ron, and then... the Whomping Willow incident. She winced at the memory, feeling like her previously broken bones were practically aching at the mention.

It was something that Amora had never brought up once she left the hospital. She wasn't necessarily traumatised, but she had been left alone and confused, waking up to Hagrid carrying her and her only support being Madam Pomfrey and Draco bloody Malfoy.

When Ron joined her in the Hospital Wing later, Harry and Hermione were all over him, which she understood-- he was the third piece to their trio. They asked if she was okay too, of course, Harry offering her some sweets, but they never mentioned what had actually happened.

Harry shoved Draco. "You don't know anything--"

"I know you left Amora there whilst you went after Sirius Black--"

"I checked h-her pulse first, I was going to come back--"

"She could have died!" Draco suddenly yelled and everything went silent.

Amora found her heart skipping a beat. She wished it hadn't, but her eyes clenched shut and she found herself repeating his words over and over again in her head. Leon was looking at her in confusion, but Amora was too busy straining to hear the next part.

"But you're the hero, of course, Potter," Draco continued bitterly. "And who was there for her when Hagrid was the one to carry her body into the Hospital Wing? Not you, not Weasley, not Granger, not even Diggory or her sidekick Holloway. It was me, Potter."

He started to laugh. "Does that piss you off, hm? Does that make you want to punch me in the face? That it was me who held Amora's hand? That I was the one that leant her my jumper? Who I let sleep on my shoulder? Or danced with yesterday--"

Harry's fist suddenly flew forward and connected with the side of Draco's jaw. Amora jumped when she heard the smacking sound, followed by gasps from Ron and Hermione. Blaise struggled to hold Draco back as the blond dove forwards, ready to leave another scar on the Potter boy.

Amora moved to help when Leon grabbed her and raised a finger to his lips. Her pleading look went nowhere with her best friend.

"You think Amora would ever like you?" Harry laughed breathily, shaking his head as he adjusted his round glasses. "Somebody as cruel and vile as you, Malfoy? Amora's nice to everybody-- get over yourself."

Draco struggled to keep a calm face, fury and disgust causing his jaw to tremble and his nose to scrunch as he ripped himself from Blaise's grip. He shoved the dark-skinned boy back and grabbed Harry by the collar of his uniform, shooting Ron a warning glare when the redhead tried to step forward.

"And you think Amora would ever go for you?" Draco began to grin slyly. "I mean, for Merlin's sake, Potter! Everybody around you dies, and I don't think Amora has a death wish."

He could tell it struck a nerve with Harry who swallowed thickly. "I think she'd rather be with the good guy than with the future Death Eater."

Draco's pale face dropped and went as hard as stone. His grip on Harry's collar loosened enough for the green-eyed boy to rip himself away. Amora could practically feel the desperation rolling off of Draco but Blaise was already tugging him back again.

"Potter's not worth it, mate," Blaise muttered, glaring towards the Golden Trio. "He's not got a clue what he's on about, anyway."

"I think I know exactly what I'm talking about," Harry seethed, chest heaving with adrenaline as he scowled at the two Slytherin boys.

Draco looked like he wanted to say something else, but Blaise was tugging him away and hissing something unintelligible in his ear. Amora swallowed and moved quickly in the opposite direction, not wanting to see any of them anytime soon.

D.M + A.B

Harry likes her. Harry Potter has a crush on Amora Buckley.

She'd always had her slight suspicions, but his fight with Draco in the hall had confirmed it. Amora was sure that Draco had fought back due to spite, saying that stuff about her to get under Harry's skin, and it had worked-- Harry had landed a harsh punch to Draco's jaw. The fact that he liked her so much to punch somebody perhaps should have made her feel giddy, but instead, it just made her feel uncomfortable.

Draco walked into the Great Hall the next morning with pale skin and a bruise blossoming on his jaw. It had transformed into a purple colour, only noticeable at certain angles. From where Amora sat at the Hufflepuff table, she could see it perfectly. For some reason, it made her angry.

Draco had said some shitty things to Harry as well, but maybe it was because Draco never hit Harry back. In fact, despite the fact that he had gloated about spending time with her like she was some prize, Draco had defended her. He'd brought up the Whomping Willow incident from last year and called Harry out-- sure, maybe it was to make Harry look like the bad guy, but still.

Amora didn't know where she was going with her thoughts. Did she like Draco or not? Was he as evil as she had originally thought? Everything was jumbled and different and Amora didn't like different. It made her feel sick to her stomach as she pushed her cereal around her bowl with her spoon, a glum expression on her face.

"What's got you down?" Cedric planted himself down in the seat next to Amora, something he rarely did now that she was in her fourth year. "Seriously, you look like somebody died or something."

Amora raised her eyebrows at her older cousin and sighed, letting her spoon fall into the milk and cereal. "It's nothing," she muttered.

"Nobody asked you to the Yule Ball yet?" Cedric grinned with a teasing pout. "Poor Amora."

"Go away, Cedric." Amora shoved him, rolling her eyes.

"Oo, touchy," Cedric glanced around the hall before he smiled again. "I'm going with Cho, thanks for asking."

Amora perked up a little. "Cho Chang?"

"Duh. The only Cho in the school."

Cho Chang was a beautiful Ravenclaw girl in the year above Amora. She seemed quite reserved but always offered smiles and wore the nicest outfits on the weekends. Amora wasn't surprised that Cedric had a crush on Cho, she seemed like she was lovely.

"Good for you," Amora said as one of Cedric's friend's called his name. "Go. I'm fine, I swear."

Cedric squeezed her shoulder as he climbed from the bench and moved away, further down the table. Amora instinctively found her amber eyes travelling back over towards the Slytherin table. When she locked with silver eyes, Amora quickly tore her gaze away, wondering what Draco was doing staring at her in the first place.

"Merlin, he's obvious, isn't he?"

Amora nearly jumped when she felt Hermione sit down beside her. It was not completely uncommon for the Gryffindor girl to move over to the yellow table, but only when Harry and Ron were being extra annoying. She assumed that they were being so today.

"Huh?" Amora frowned at her friend in obvious confusion.

"Malfoy," Hermione whispered lower. "He's been staring at you since he sat down, even when you were talking to Cedric!"

Amora's face burnt red. "No, he wasn't!" She detested. "Even if he was, it's definitely not like that."

Hermione reached out and grabbed Amora's hand. "Amora, I know that you know," she whispered, glancing in Harry and Ron's direction.

The brunet and the ginger both quickly ducked their heads to make it seem as though they hadn't been watching the two girls. Hermione rolled her eyes and turned back to Amora.

"Pathetic," she muttered under her breath. "Anyway, I know that you know about Harry and Malfoy's argument. Leon told me."

For Merlin's sake, Leon! Amora had honestly planned on just ignoring that it had ever happened until eventually she managed to forget about it and all of her problems just went away.

"And I know you don't like Harry back," Hermione whispered, watching Amora's face fall. "But it's okay!" Hermione quickly reassured her. "He's my best friend, so I understand how you feel. You love him like a brother, even though we know Harry feels differently. You are ready to admit that, aren't you?"

Amora sighed stressfully, rubbing her forehead. "I guess. I don't like to think about him liking me like that, though."

"Okay," the Granger girl continued. "It's alright that you don't like Harry back, but I just thought you should know that he's planning on asking you to the Yule Ball. Ron and I warned him not to, but he's absolutely smitten for you, Amora."

"Hermione, what do I do?" Amora whispered quickly. "I don't want to hurt him."

"I don't know," she admitted. "But when he asks, you have to let him down easy, okay? And tell me, are you planning on going with Malfoy?"

"Wha-- no!"

"Amora," Hermione warned. "That will kill him if you do. You heard how upset Harry got--"

"I'm sorry, Hermione, I love Harry, but I don't owe him," Amora spoke, "Did you hear the way he spoke about me? Like I was some sort of object that Draco was trying to steal from me? I'm sure he means the best, but he doesn't have a clue."

The other brunette nodded. "So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know, Hermione. I really don't know."

D.M + A.B

A week later, Amora had worked nothing out. She continued to avoid Harry like the plague, even if she'd silently forgiven him for talking about her like an object when he fought with Draco.

Speaking of the blond, he'd been staring all week, but ultimately said nothing. It was frustrating and exhausting, especially considering how Amora wasn't sure where her feelings settled with him anymore.

He pissed her off. Merlin, did he piss her off. But there was something about the way that he looked at her sometimes that made her want to shut him up by smashing her lips to his rather than hexing him into next week. The fact that she even thought like that sometimes made him annoy her even further, and that wasn't even really Draco's fault. It was her own stupid brain and hormones'.

Tensions were even higher and Hogwarts was a mess. Despite classes obviously still running like usual, all anybody could seem to talk about was the Yule Ball coming up and who was going with who. Amora was sitting in the courtyard, a large black coat wrapped around her as she read from her book. It was starting to get quite icy overnight, so Amora assumed it was due to snow soon.

She didn't mind. The brunette loved the snow. Down south, the snow came once every four years maybe, but up at Hogwarts, miles and miles away from home, it snowed nearly every single year. She loved the way it looked on the castle or the snowball fights that occurred in the quad during free periods. Hogsmeade on the weekends was even more beautiful, too.

"Buckley," Amora heard a voice she barely recognised, her eyes snapping up in slight fear.

Blaise Zabini was stood there in all his glory, smiling down at her-- although it was more like a half-smirk sort of thing. He was a dark-skinned boy with a buzzed haircut, full lips, and some of the clearest skin Amora had ever seen. Everybody said that he was vain; that he spent more of his time looking in the mirror than at other people. He was handsome and he clearly knew it, a silent arrogance to the boy that he carried with him wherever he went.

"It's a little cold to be out here, don't you think?" He asked, peering around the courtyard with furrowed brows.

Amora shrugged with a small smile. "I'm wrapped up warm."

"I can see that." Blaise's smile is so sly that Amora found her knees feeling weak, and her stomach fluttering with butterflies in the best possible way. "Nice scarf."

Amora had to stop herself from telling him that her mother had knitted it for her herself. She knew that he wouldn't care; he was Blaise bloody Zabini for Merlin's sake. She was pretty sure Blaise and his mother were part of one of the wealthiest families in the school. He'd probably think her homemade scarf was tacky.

"Thank you," she murmured, eyebrows raising when he offered her his gloved hand.

However, she didn't object. Amora mentally cringed when she heard herself giggle as she took Blaise's hand and let him pull her up. She guessed that old habits died hard and she must still feel something for her first and second year crush, or maybe it was just because he was drop-dead gorgeous. Blaise was definitely one of the most attractive boys in all of Hogwarts.

"So. I heard Montague asked you to the Yule Ball a couple of days ago."

Amora's heart nearly stopped at the memory. Graham Montague had cornered her after lunch three days ago and practically demanded that she went to the Yule Ball with him, thinking that his confidence would win her over. In all honestly, he just made himself look like a predator.

Especially considering the fact that he was in her cousin's year group but looked like he could be at least twenty-years-old anyway. He was the captain of Slytherin's Quidditch team and had an excessive amount of arm hair as well as the build of a bodybuilder.

"Yeah," Amora breathed, shuddering. "How do you know?"

"He'd been bragging about going to ask you in the common room the day before," Blaise admitted. "Quite frankly, the misogynistic pig spoke about you disgustingly. Like my mother's partners do to her. I understand how... sickening that must feel to be on the receiving end."

If Amora hadn't been giving heart eyes before then she certainly was now. Either Blaise was actually the perfect guy ever, or he knew exactly how to butter her up. She hoped it was the first one, but either way, she ignored the last thought-- maybe it would feel good to indulge.

"It is quite terrible," Amora sounded breathless as Blaise's smirk widened and he nodded.

"I bet," Blaise guided her through the courtyard and back into the building where it was significantly warmer. "And I do hope that this doesn't sound like I'm trying to do the whole saviour thing, but I would love for you to accompany me to the Yule Ball instead, Buckley."

Amora's heart nearly stopped in her chest. She could practically hear her eleven-year-old self screaming into her pillow, jumping up and down and begging her to say yes to the boy in front of her. Thoughts of Blaise's best friend went through her and she nearly frowned remembering Draco Malfoy.

He would never ask her anyway.

"Okay," Amora accepted, trying to stop her cheeks from heating up too much.

"Great," Blaise paused in the hall and turned, lifting her hand and pressing his full lips against it, maintaining eye contact. "I look forward to meeting you on the night, then, Amora."

He sent her a wink before he started off down the hall, leaving her stood alone and in disbelief. Her mind could barely wrap around what had just happened, but she knew one thing for sure—

neither Potter nor Malfoy would "win" her.

-

here is another chapter my loves <333

the next one is 4K+ words long soo :))

thanks for reading!!

dyiansobrien