Melt Your Heart | Chapter Two

❥ melt your heart | chapter two

pairing: draco malfoy x oc genre: best friends to lovers! slow burn! warnings: draco being a bully(what's new?) word count: 4.8k masterlist: melt your heart last chapter: chapter one next chapter: chapter three

JULIANNA WOKE UP much earlier than she expected to, which was no need since hufflepuff had a pretty laid back first day, for the first years at least. it was six o'clock in the morning, so she decided to quietly get out of bed and check on pudding. looking into the tiny pet area the girl had created, the brown kitten was sleeping safely on her own baby pink bed. julianna smiled before heading towards her bed again, pulling out a yellow leather vintage suitcase covered in butterfly stickers. she flipped a switch at the handle and opened it up.

lo and behold, an easel sprung out of it resulting in her shoulder being hit ever so slightly. she quietly yelps in pain, rubbing her side, bending down to grab the easel and set it up nicely next to her bedside table. grabbing a hair tie to put her hair up into a bun deemed impossible when suddenly she tripped over a stray paintbrush and knocked her head on the bedpost.

"jules?" a groggy voice spoke, turning on their lamp. "i'm alright!" she exclaimed, standing straight back up out of embarrassment. "what are you doing up so early?" susan asked as she sat up to get a better look on what the brunette was up to. "i mean, it's six and the sun's just coming up." she yawned out while rubbing her eyes, julianna only smiled sheepishly. "i woke up earlier than i expected." at julianna's words, susan finally saw her tiny little set up. "a paint stand? do you paint?" she asked, intrigued. the other girl shyly nodded. "have since i was only four! it's probably the only thing i find pleasing to do." she explained, "oh, and it's called an easel." she added, the redhead's mouth turned into an 'o' shape. shortly afterwards, susan decided to head back to bed for a few more minutes leaving julianna to organise her equipment and materials.

her suitcase was no ordinary one, it had an extension charm on it(thanks to her grandmother) which allowed her to store absolutely every type of artistic material inside said suitcase. she got the idea after learning about newt scamander, a well-known magizoologist and hufflepuff, who also had a case such as this.

when she was done, it was already 15 minutes after seven so she decided to wake the other two up and get ready for the day. "blimey, we've got potions with slytherin and gryffindor! it's only the first day." hannah complained as she looked through her schedule on their walk to the great hall, which wasn't that far since it was right above the common room. "i'm kind of excited! heard professor snape was really strict though, but i'm not worried." "who cares that he's strict?! he's terrifying just by appearance already!" the two girls discussed while susan just listened, deciding it wasn't necessary to say much in this conversation. the great hall was packed with students by the time they arrived, which was only 7.30am, and she could spot draco at his slytherin table talking with his friends. she saw everyone was either sitting at their own house's table or sitting with their friends from other houses. it made her want to sit with him.

"hey, you comin' or what?" hannah asked when she realised julianna was standing still, daydreaming. "oh! uh, yeah." she stammered, following her to the tables on the third row from the left, one row away from slytherin. just as she had turned away from draco, the blonde had turned his head and spotted her. his blue-grey eyes followed her figure till she sat down at the hufflepuff table, he held back a sigh. truth be told, draco really didn't mind she was in hufflepuff, or that she didn't care about blood status, because he'd already gotten to know her and he liked who she was. however, his pride will not allow him to go over there and talk to her, not while his 'friends' were there, not while everyone can see.

julianna grabbed a couple of toast and placed a scoop of baked beans onto them, chomping them entirely as soon as they touched her lips. "you'll get a stomach ache eating that fast." julianna gets startled by the sudden voice, turning around quickly. she's faced with a huge smile complimented by rosy cheeks, "cedric! morning!" the brunette mumbled incoherently, her mouth still full. cedric only chuckles, "morning, jules." he sat next to her and one of his other fourth year friends who happened to be next to julianna. "excited for your first day, first years?" the charming boy asked all the first years around him collectively. a few of them shrug, a few of them nod and julianna was the latter. "we've got a free period first so technically, our first class is potions with gryffindor and slytherin." cedric grimaces, "good luck with snape. you'll need it." "i doubt that! you're gonna see me ace his class and be one of his favourites. one of my specialties is pleasing strict mentors." julianna assures with a satisfied smile on her face, wiping her mouth with a napkin. everyone continued to talk about tiny things like their families, their interests.

"hey, candy! good luck with your first day!" "should be alright considering it's only the first day!" the weasley twins came out of absolutely nowhere, appearing beside julianna's face. "fred! george!" she turned around, "thanks! i'm sure it'll be fine!" her reply makes the twins grin harder, they lean closer to her. "if you ever need help in escaping a class or two," "we're always here to help." they whispered before skipping off to their table, julianna only shakes her head.

after waiting another hour, it was finally time for potions. julianna had lost susan and hannah due to the fact the two of them had decided to go to the library after breakfast to which julianna replied with a 'ew, hard pass.' and so she just stayed in the great hall, sketching anything she can see before her. she recalled the conversation she had while she was there. "free period, ms. candy?" a dreamy, amused voice had asked, tearing julianna's focus away from her sketching. she turned around and saw professor dumbledore. "ah! yes, professor!" she replied hurriedly, dumbledore only hummed before peering over her head and observed her drawing. "lovely rendition of the great hall. i, too, have tried doodling realistically." "oh? and how did that go, professor?" her question makes dumbledore pause for a moment, "ghastly." julianna had to hold back a laugh at his response, "well, i'll leave you to it." he smiles and glides away, 'interesting encounter.' she thought as she remembered it. she was so distracted by it that she didn't realise she was about to bump into someone.

"oh! sorry!" she immediately apologised, "i-it's fine." she looked and saw the boy with the toad from before, "heading to potions?" julianna asked him and he shyly nodded, she nodded along with him. julianna wanted to make conversation but she was suddenly feeling shy as well. "u-uh, what's your name? mine's julianna candy." "n-neville longbottom." longbottom, it sounds familiar. from what she knew about the longbottoms, she didn't want to make neville uncomfortable by bringing it up so she left it in the back of her mind.

the two conversed awkwardly as they walked to the dungeons. once they reached the potions class, julianna realised there were no seats available next to anyone she knew. the only seat left was one next to harry potter. she quietly sat next to him, not really wanting to hold up another conversation. she looked in front of her and saw platinum blonde hair. julianna stared at him till the door swung open and all the chatter amidst had halted. "there will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class." professor snape immediately spoke as soon as he entered, strutting to the front of the class. "as such, i don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. however, for those select few," his empty eyes glance at draco, "who possess the predisposition. i can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. i can tell you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper in death." draco hung onto his every word, julianna looked bored.

snape caught harry not paying attention (even though he was actually writing down every word he was saying), "then again, maybe some of you have come to hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel confident enough to not pay attention." snape uttered the last few words loudly, staring holes into harry's head but he still seemed to not have noticed. julianna panicked and nudged harry's elbow gently, who looked at her before looking at snape while lowering his quill slowly.

"mr. potter. our new celebrity." the professor walked closer towards them and julianna was internally cursing at her choice to sit next to the harry potter. the floor would've been a better choice! "tell me, what would i get if i added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" snape asked and a bushy haired girl sitting on the other side of julianna shot her hand up instantly. harry only shook his head, not knowing the answer. "you don't know? well, let's try again. where, mr potter, would you look if i asked you to find me a bezoar?" again the girl from beside julianna raised her hand faster than she could blink.

julianna was confused. sure, harry's the boy who lived but he's parents had passed, right? he's been living with muggles definitely, how would he know any of this? julianna felt the need to save him from this but it was hard, she didn't want to lose points for hufflepuff in doing so. "i don't know, sir." "and what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" okay, now this was just sad. "pity. clearly, fame isn't everything. is it, mr. potter?" "professor, since harry doesn't quite know much about magical herbs and fungi, maybe you could ask someone else that knows?" julianna spoke up, "like her?" she pointed at the girl who was now standing up with her hand reaching towards the ceiling. snape looked at julianna with an unreadable expression before walking around the first table and grabbing a seat directly in front of them. "put your hand down, you silly girl." he told her then averted his gaze back to the gryffindor and hufflepuff.

"if you want me to ask another student then fine. why don't you tell me what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" snape asked julianna, thankfully, herbs and greens were her specialty, so she didn't need to read a book to know this. "there is none. they're the same plant and they also go by another name, aconite." she confidently answers, praying the information didn't somehow change while she said it. draco stared at her in astonishment and confusion, remembering that she doesn't like reading so how'd she know?

the long-haired professor stared at her for a while, "hm, and what about the asphodel and wormwood? the bezoar?" now, she was screwed. "i don't know much about those, sir." she quietly muttered, her cheeks turning pink out of embarrassment. snape only scoffed, "for your information, potter," he turned back towards harry, "asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the draught of the living dead. a bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. as for monkshood and wolfsbane, as ms. candy has explained, they are the same plant." julianna cringed in her seat, this was a bad first class. "well, why aren't you all copying this down?" he asked loudly and soon the sound of books being opened and quills being dipped in ink filled the room. snape went back to his desk but not without a last word, "and gryffindors, note that a point will be taken for your classmate's cheek." harry looked guilty, "and hufflepuffs, a point will be awarded for ms. candy's coincidental knowledge of herbs." now, julianna was looking extra guilty. she didn't mean to do that, she felt horrible. she glanced over at harry who was still staring angrily at snape. she opened up her notebook and chose to stay silent for the rest of the class.

everyone was then put into pairs and to julianna's dismay, she was partnered up with draco. she didn't miss how he was snickering when snape was picking on harry and she didn't like that. "julianna." draco greeted, "talking to me again, are you?" julianna jokes, nudging him in the shoulder. "are you really taking sides with potter now?" his sudden words made the girl extremely baffled, "sides? there are sides?" she asked incredulously, her eyes widening. draco furrowed his eyebrows. "yes." he simply replies, "well, then i'm on my side! are you telling me i can't be friends with you if i become friends with harry?" it didn't show, but julianna was rather angry. "well, no- but, yes!" draco's argument was confusing the hufflepuff and her head was already buzzing from the lesson at hand. "look, draco, i'm not going to not make friends with other people you don't like just for the sake of not liking them. i like having you as my friend and i hope we can continue to be friends regardless if i do become harry's friend." the frown on the boy's face stayed there but he uttered a tiny 'fine' which made julianna extremely happy. character development! sort of.

besides that argument, the pair made an excellent team. draco read the instructions, not before mentioning, "since you don't like reading so much, i'll read the instructions for you." with his signature malfoy smirk, earning him a light punch, while julianna added the ingredients and stirred. as she stirred however, snape had turned his attention to them. "mr. malfoy, you would do well to assist ms. candy on her stirring. any faster and this could-" snape was interrupted by a puff of green smoke and a shriek. the three looked behind and saw that the contents in neville and his partner's cauldron had burned the cauldron itself and was now on the floor, melting people's shoes. "idiot boy! i suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?" snape was definitely livid at that. draco sniggered and was about to say something bad about neville before he realised who he was talking to and held back his words. julianna turned to him, "you're not going to say something mean about what just happened?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. draco blinked and shook his head. "i'll keep my thoughts to myself." this made julianna smile.

"also, how'd you know monkshood and wolfsbane were the same?" draco asked, "oh, my grandmother has a garden and i tend to it. i know everything there is to know about plants and flowers. at least, i think. there's probably a lot more i don't know about them, like for instance..." and this went on and on whilst they worked on their potion, which made the slytherin regret his question partly. on the other hand, he enjoyed listening to her going on and on about her plant children back home.

when potions ended, she caught up to harry to apologise. "apologise? whatever for?" harry asked, confused. "i didn't mean to lose gryffindor points. i just wanted to help you." julianna pants out due to the fact she had to run to catch up with harry since she stayed back to ask snape a question or two about asphodel.

"hey, it's not your fault..." harry paused when he realised he didn't know her first name, "julianna! julianna candy!" she smiled, he smiled back. "it's not your fault, julianna. it was all mine for those points." "more like just snape being biased towards gryffindor, again!" the redhead beside harry spoke up, julianna recognised him. "are you ron? fred and george's little brother?" she asked, he nodded. "ron weasley. nice to meet you." he held his hand up for her to shake and she does. "you too." "i'm hermione granger." the bushy haired girl from before came out of nowhere, startling julianna. "nice to meet you too, hermione." ron looked annoyed at the sudden sight of hermione, julianna was not going to ask why.

the four made their way towards the great hall since they had a free period and it was near mail time. "hey, candy!" julianna turned around and was surprised to see draco. "draco?" the trio looked at her and then him, utterly at a loss for words. "draco? you're friends with him?" ron whispered, disgusted. julianna didn't appreciate the judgement.

"forgot your notebook." he told her, handing her said notebook. "oh! thanks, dray." the nickname caught everyone, and i mean, everyone, off guard. draco's face was a light shade of pink before he stormed off towards the great hall, almost running. julianna just hummed to herself, not realising how weirded out everyone still was. "let's go, guys." she says, walking about her business with the trio trailing after her.

julianna entered the great hall and bid the three goodbye, dashing towards the first hufflepuff she recognised. "ceddy, my favourite fourth year!" she exclaims, sitting on his left side. cedric smiled, "i'm the only fourth year i've seen you talk to." "yeah, i don't really like talking to people actually." julianna whispered jokingly, placing her sling bag next to her on the bench. julianna left cedric alone so he could focus on his work and decided to disturb the gryffindor table.

"'ello, gryffindors! how're we doing on this fine morning?" "it's 12 in the afternoon, julianna." "codswallop! it's still morning in my books." hermione rolls her eyes at julianna's response. "mind if i sit here, neville?" she asked the nervous boy and shook his head shyly.

the sound of a boy chanting a spell was so loud, harry just had to ask. "what's seamus trying to do to that glass of water?" ron glanced at who julianna assumed was seamus, who was neville's potions partner from before, and ron explained that he was trying to turn the water into rum. "actually managed a weak tea this morning, before-" ron was cut off by an explosion coming from seamus, the whole hall erupting in laughter. "oh, dear." julianna mutters, fanning away the smoke. suddenly, a squawk was heard. "ah, mail's here!" she heard ron announce and looked up before looking back down with a bored look on her face.

everyone had gotten either packages, letters or even both from their parents or guardians, while harry and julianna hadn't gotten anything. harry asked ron if he could borrow the newspaper that came with his mail and ron nodded. neville opened up a package from his grandmother, receiving a glass ball. "oh? a remembrall, nev?" julianna asked, her head leaning on her hand which was placed on the table. "i've read about those. when the smoke turns red, it means you've forgotten something." just as hermione explained, the remembrall glowed a bright scarlet. "the only problem is, i can't remember what i've forgotten!" neville says with a small frown, julianna pants him on the back. "s'okay neville! i'm sure it'll come to you some time." she reassures and he nods, putting the remembrall in his pocket.

he then looked at julianna, "did you not get any letters or packages from your nan, julianna?" he asked carefully, not wanting to indirectly insult her. julianna realised he knew, "nope. not surprised. she probably doesn't care enough to send even a tiny little note." she nonchalantly replied, taking out a sketchbook and starting to doodle. neville felt a tad bit guilty. "i'm sorry for-" "don't apologise, it was just a question. in fact, since you asked me one, may i ask you one?" the boy nodded, julianna breathes in. "are your parents... frank and alice longbottom?" she asked slowly, neville pursed his lips before shaking his head. "they are. your parents are maurice and ivy candy?" julianna gives him a melancholic smile, "fun to know we have something in common, eh, longbottom?" she joked and he cracked a smile, easy to say that this made them bond a little easier.

"reese, come look! she's awake!" a woman with dirty blonde hair calls for her husband, "yes, yes, i'm on my way!" her husband shouts back at her, coming out of the kitchen, going up the stairs while wiping his hands with a cloth. the couple looked at their infant with only love in their hearts. "she looks just like you! how unfair." the man complained, "now, now, she has your eyes, maurice." maurice nods, "hm, you're not wrong, ivy." he agrees with his wife, pulling her closer by the waist and placing a kiss on her temple. they leaned closer towards their baby. "hello, juli." ivy gushed, "you're doing it again." "what are you talking about?" "the baby voice?" "i am not!" the couple bantering makes baby julianna guffaw and giggle, "awh, she likes it when we fight." "don't be ridiculous, reese!" they continued to bicker until a loud crack and boom interrupted them, "oh? didn't realise it was raining." ivy said, about to look out the window but was stopped by maurice. "it isn't." he says lowly, pulling her back closer to him. "stay here with julianna. i'll check out what's happening." he tells her, clenching her hand in his before going out of the nursery room.

ivy nibbles her bottom lip nervously and turns back towards her child. "i'm sure daddy will be just fine. he'll be just fine." she reassured julianna, but it was more for reassuring herself. the house was so quiet, it scared ivy. suddenly, the sound of a man shouting and spurs of magic rang throughout the chilly home and ivy reached for her wand. placing a protective spell around julianna, ivy went out the nursery door and placed a spell on the entire room as well.

"maurice?!" she shouted for him, but no answer. when she reached the staircase, she saw the door had been opened. ivy raced down the staircase and out the door, looking around frantically. "maurice?!" she called out once more, only for her to get hit by a spell, putting her in a deep sleep.

the house was empty, cold, there was nothing there. nobody was there. only julianna.

julianna shoots up from her bed. panting with sweat dripping down the side of her forehead. "another dream? about dead people? merlin, it's always about dead people." julianna whispered to herself, rubbing her face with her palms. she often had dreams of her parents. she hated it.

she checked the time and it was about 4am. rolling out of bed, she heads towards her easel and grabs a canvas. it helped to paint it out, the dream. painting out the tiny details of the house, the tiny details of her nursery room. her grandmother had only ever told her about how they died and who killed them but rarely ever explained what they were like as people. julianna didn't know what her parents were like, how they acted, what their favourite colour was, she had no one else to ask. no one but hagrid. hm, hagrid. she could talk to him about it. she didn't want to disturb him though, so she erased the idea from her mind.

a few hours later, it was time for flying class. julianna was beyond psyched up for this one. no reading, no writing required, just pure broomstick action.

"don't fall on your face, candy." draco taunted, mostly jokingly. "in your dreams." actually, there was this one time in julianna's dreams where she fell off a broomstick but she was sure it was just a dream and not the future. all four houses lined up in two rows facing each other. julianna was next to harry and hermione and was on the opposite of draco, who was smirking at her constantly like an evil little git.

madam hooch was making her way to them. "good afternoon, class." "good afternoon, madam hooch." julianna was tempted to scratch her nose but she controlled herself. "welcome to your first flying lesson. well, what are you waiting for? everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick. come on now, hurry up." madam hooch instructed and everyone did as told, "stick your right hand over the broom and say, 'up'." and soon, there were students shouting 'up' and brooms flying to their hands. harry, draco and julianna were the first of few to get it immediately. in fact, julianna's broom went up so fast, it slapped her in the palm. "ow!" she exclaimed, alerting harry. "are you alright?" he whispered and julianna nodded, smiling. draco's smirk left his face while watching the interaction.

once everyone had gotten their brooms up after madam hooch told them to do it with "more feeling" (ron's broom entirely smacked him in the face, causing others around him to snicker), it was time to mount them and take off. "when i blow my whistle, i want each of you to kick off from the ground, hard." at the sound of the whistle, neville's broom suddenly had floated up on its own. "neville?!" a few student murmured and shouted at him, even madam hooch was concerned. it was like his broom had gone rogue, taking him up and down, left and right, all around the yard. the poor boy then got stuck on one of the statues before falling to the ground, ending up injuring his wrist.

julianna was worried but madam hooch had told them to stay put on the ground while she took neville to the hospital wing, so it was unlikely she could follow. draco rushed to neville's original spot and grabbed his remembrall that had fallen out during the incident. "d'you see his face? maybe if the fat lump had given this a squeeze, he'd have remembered to fall on his fat arse." "draco!" draco's words have julianna scolding him, giving him a dirty look. "what? am i wrong?" he asked her, harry had enough. "give it here, malfoy." his words make draco turn around with a scowl on his face, "no. i think i'll leave it somewhere for longbottom to find." draco stepped on his broom and floated away dramatically before mounting his broomstick properly, "how about on the roof?" he suggested, flying up high.

oh, now he's done it. julianna was pissed. you can't be prejudiced against houses and blood status, and be fatphobic! that's just too much. "come down, right now, draco!" she shouted at him, a more-than-angry look on her face. draco contemplated it but after seeing how upset harry looked, julianna's words completely left his mind. "what's the matter, potter? bit beyond your reach?" he asked with a mean grin plastered on his face, harry then started mounting his broom. "harry, no way! you heard what madam hooch said. besides, you don't even know how to fly!" and harry flew anyway despite hermione's reminders, "what an idiot." she muttered, julianna sighed.

the two boys flew around each other for a bit before draco decided to throw the remembrall far away, leaving harry to zoom after it on his broom. when draco flew back down he was met with a harsh look from julianna, who only 'hmph'-ed and turned around to watch and see if harry would be able to catch neville's belonging.

of course, he did. it's harry bloody potter we're talking about. "well done, harry!" julianna congratulates, running up to him. harry blushed at all the praise he was receiving from everyone. "harry potter!" professor mcgonagall spawned out of nowhere, calling out to harry. "follow me." she told him and draco was back to being content. "uh oh." julianna muttered, harry turned around and handed the remembrall to her. "give this back to neville, could you?" he asked and she smiled, "of course." and harry went off to follow professor mcgonagall.

"merlin's beard! that was bloody fantastic! lucky he didn't heed your warnings, eh, hermione?" hermione rolled her eyes at julianna's words, "well, it could've gone worse if harry wasn't a natural! he could've been injured and neville's remembrall would have broke!" the bushy-haired gryffindor reasoned, "yes, yes, but that didn't happen!" the hufflepuff exclaimed, clenching the remembrall in her fist. "which reminds me, need to go hand this to neville. i'll see you!" she bids the two gryffindors goodbye and skipped all the way to the hospital wing, humming to herself happily.

it's great and all, what harry can do, but she couldn't stop thinking about draco. if only he weren't such an insufferable bully, she wouldn't have so many contemplations.

Melt Your Heart | Chapter Two

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