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Sherlock smiled smugly to himself. Then he took a look around the Potions classroom and frowned. Nearly every other student was only on the fifth step of the potion. Sherlock sighed and rolled his eyes. Even the other Ravenclaws were far from completing theirs. Cure for Boils was about as basic as a potion could get and everyone was still struggling. It was disgraceful at best.
Why had Hogwarts seen fit to have the smartest students and the slowest students take the same class together? The professor had said that they could pair together if they had wanted, but all the Ravenclaws knew not to ask Sherlock and any Hufflepuffs who had wandered near him made a hasty retreat when they saw his narrowed eyes and deep frown.
Sherlock busied himself by looking through his Potions textbook, Magical Drafts and Potions. Maybe I can find another potion to work on tonight. It was best if he knew what experiment he wanted to run before class was over, that way he could pinch the ingredients before class ended and he wouldn't have to break in later in the evening. Finding nothing in his textbook, he hunted through the stack of books he kept in his bag.
After settling on a third year level potion in book he had gotten from the library, Sherlock went through the text again, dog-earing the most difficult potions. This Shrinking Solution looks promising. Ummmm, Undetectable Poisons. Sherlock turned to the chapter enthusiastically and started to take a flurry of notes.
The professor announced for the students to compare their work with fellow classmates. This time, having been warned, all the students stayed away from the lone Ravenclaw, except for one boy. Sherlock was so involved with his note taking that he missed the small Hufflepuff who had walked up to him.
"You're brilliant!" The small boy exclaimed with a wide smile.
"I'm not doing your homework."
"I'm not asking you too." The Hufflepuff's brow bunched in confusion.
"Then what do you want?" Sherlock pursed his lips.
"I wanted to tell you that you're brilliant. That potion you made was just...well, brilliant." He tilted his head.
"Really?" Sherlock refused to let his voice sound hopeful.
"Yeah." The boy's eyes twinkled.
Sherlock was not blushing. He wasn't.
"We were suppose to compare our potions to everyone else's but mine turned out to be utter rubbish." John rubbed the back of his neck, flustered at his admission. Sherlock noted the pink hue the boy's uniform had taken from the raising smoke of the failed potion. "I'm John Watson. I'm a Hufflepuff."
"Obviously." Sherlock raised an eyebrow.
Watson let out a nervous laugh. "I suppose it is. So, um...can you show me how you made the potion?"
Sherlock would have normally dismissed the boy; used what he saw to offend him and have the other student stomp away angry never wanting to talk to him again. But the way John's eyes sparked and the friendly look he offered the Ravenclaw had tripped him up.
Before he could stop, Sherlock was explaining all the stages of the potion to the Hufflepuff. Sherlock categorized Watson's blonde hair, deep blue eyes and the way his cheeks seemed to flush at every other word Sherlock spoke. The Ravenclaw even patiently repeated what he said...well, at least once.
By the ending of his long winded explanation, Watson said, "Ahhhhh..." as comprehension finally dawned. "I can't believe I missed that."
"That's because you're an idiot."
John began to frown. The hurt written on the blonde's face pierced through Sherlock's chest.
"No, don't look that way. Almost everyone is." Sherlock waved a dismissive hand.
The professor called for everyone to return to their seats and Watson walked away. Sherlock was shocked at how lonely it felt to watch the Hufflepuff boy go back to his seat.
Normally, Sherlock would only be concentrating on his textbook, even during their lectures. Now his gaze continually started to drift to Watson who sat a row in front of him to his left side.
The professor dismissed the class and Sherlock started to gather his books. Sherlock lost sight of Watson as students rushed out of the classroom. The Ravenclaw berated himself for thinking that the Hufflepuff would want to talk to him after the class was over. All he wanted was help with that potion. I was so stupid to help him. He's probably having a good laugh with his friends about the 'freak'.
"What to come to the Great Hall for lunch? I don't know about you but I'm starved."
Sherlock raised his head from his bag to see Watson smiling, throwing his bag over his shoulder.
Sherlock blinked. Unable to believe that someone was inviting him to eat with them.
"Um...do you?" John dipped his head and eyed Sherlock worriedly.
"Yes, Watson. That would be acceptable."
As they walked out the door, John asked what the Ravenclaw's name was and Sherlock happily told him.
Sherlock forgot to steal any ingredients for his Bloodroot Potion after class that day.