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Divinations Classroom
( October, 1993. )

                                𝓣he Divination classroom was as eccentric as one might expect from the subject. The windows were draped with rich, deep purple curtains, heavy enough to block out most of the sunlight, casting the room in a dreamy haze. A thick, lingering smell of incense filled the air, an odd mixture of jasmine and sandalwood. The ceiling was low, draped in wispy, gauzy material that seemed to flutter in the faint breeze. Tables were scattered around the room, some round, some square, each with a small crystal ball resting atop a faded, worn tablecloth. The walls were cluttered with strange, unidentifiable trinkets: candles, tapestries depicting swirling galaxies, and shelves piled high with odd books and ancient scrolls. The dim lighting from the hanging lamps and the flickering candles created an atmosphere that could only be described as otherworldly.

Esme sat at a lone table near the back of the room, her arms folded neatly on the desk as she watched the class settle in. She wasn't one for crowds or conversations, especially in a classroom setting. Most students had already paired up or clustered together in groups, laughing and chatting, but Esme was content in her solitude.

Without warning, the soft shuffle of footsteps drew Esme's attention, and before she knew it, Harry Potter had taken a seat across from her, giving her a hesitant yet polite smile. They weren't exactly friends, not by a long shot. They'd only exchanged a handful of words over the past two years, mostly during random encounters in the hallways or the library, and once in second year over something as trivial as a chocolate wrapper that Harry had spotted her fiddling with. Esme thought, a candy wrapper? Really? Of all things to start a conversation. She had never quite understood why Harry sought out her company, but there was a quiet sincerity in his presence that made her feel oddly comfortable.

Esme glanced at Harry for a brief moment before turning her gaze to the front of the room, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the rim of her teacup. She didn't mind him. Maybe it was because he never pushed her, never demanded too much. He was just there, and that was okay with her.

The moment Harry sat across from Esme, Draco's eyes narrowed from his spot at the back of the room. He exchanged a quick look with Blaise, who raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Millicent was whispering with Daphne, both of them keeping a close watch on the interaction. But none of them had the chance to act before Professor Trelawney swept into the room, setting the tone for the class to begin.

"Welcome, my children," Professor Trelawney announced dramatically, her eyes glittering behind her oversized glasses. "In this room, you shall explore the noble art of Divination. In this room, you shall discover if you possess the Sight."

Esme sat up straighter, her eyes sparkling with a genuine love for the subject. Divination had always fascinated her, and Professor Trelawney was one of her favorite professors, her eccentricity and passion for the mystical arts was something Esme admired deeply.

"Hello. I am Professor Trelawney," she continued, her voice airy, her hands gesturing as though she were weaving magic through the air. "Together we shall cast ourselves into the future. This term, we'll focus on Tasseomancy, the art of reading tea leaves."

Esme couldn't help but smile. She had been looking forward to this lesson for weeks.

"So please, take the cup of the person sitting opposite you," Professor Trelawney instructed, her voice rich with anticipation. "What do you see? The truth lies buried like a sentence deep within a book, waiting to be read. But first, you must broaden your minds. First, you must look beyond."

Esme glanced at Harry as he hesitated, clearly unsure of the task ahead. Their eyes met briefly, and Harry gave a nervous smile, clearly unsure of what to expect. Esme took a deep breath before reaching out to take his cup from him, her fingers brushing against his for a brief moment. She didn't think much of it, but Harry, on the other hand, couldn't suppress the blush that crept onto his cheeks. A smile tugged at his lips, and for a moment, Esme felt an unexpected flutter in her chest.

As she peered into the cup, the swirling tea leaves immediately caught her attention. At first, they looked like a chaotic mess, but then something began to take shape. A dog—a large, dark shape with fur and piercing eyes—seemed to emerge from the leaves. Esme's breath caught in her throat, and suddenly, her mind was flooded with flashing images. A dog barking, running through a darkened forest, an overwhelming sense of urgency and danger.

Esme felt a chill run down her spine, and her hand trembled as she lowered the cup. She couldn't make sense of the vision. It was so clear, so vivid, but there was an unsettling feeling she couldn't shake. Her heart raced as the flashes continued to plague her mind, and before she could collect herself, she dropped the cup.

The loud crack of the porcelain breaking shattered the moment of tension, and glass shards scattered across the floor. Esme gasped, her breath catching as she instinctively reached down to gather the broken pieces. But then, a sharp pain shot through her hand, and she hissed in surprise. Looking down, she saw that a piece of glass had lodged itself straight through palm.

Harry, who had been staring at her in disbelief, quickly reached out to help, his face filled with concern. "Bloody hell." he muttered under his breath, trying to grab her hand, but before he could make contact, Draco shot out of his seat like a bolt of lightning.

"What did you do, Potter?" Draco demanded, his voice laced with protective fury as he moved toward Esme.

"I—I didn't do anything!" Harry stammered, completely bewildered.

Professor Trelawney's gaze flicked to Esme, her expression shifting into one of alarm. "Oh, oh dear," she exclaimed, her hands trembling. "Miss Lestrange, don't pull it out! You need to go to Madam Pomfrey immediately!"

Esme winced, her mind racing as she tried to process what had just happened. The images of the dog still swirled in her mind, and the pain from the glass in her hand was becoming more pronounced. She nodded, trying to steady herself, but Draco was already beside her, his hands on her shoulders as he gently pulled her away from the table.

"I'll take her," Harry offered, his voice filled with urgency.

Draco's eyes flared with anger. "No. You've done enough, Potter," he said coldly, his tone final.

Without another word, Draco seized Esme's arm and pulled her away from the table, steering her toward the door. Esme was too stunned to protest, her mind still swimming with the bizarre vision of the dog. The rest of the class watched in silence, the tension in the air thick as Draco ushered her out of the classroom and down the corridor toward the hospital wing.

The sound of her footsteps echoed in the hall as Draco's grip remained firm around her, guiding her through the halls. His usual smirk was gone, replaced with a determined frown as he quickened his pace. Esme could feel the weight of his worry for her, but her mind was too preoccupied with the vision she'd seen to process anything else. The dog... what did it mean? Why had it felt so urgent?

As they neared the hospital wing, Esme glanced up at Draco, his expression unreadable but his protective presence comforting in its own way. The tension from earlier in the class seemed to melt away with every step, but the unanswered question in her mind remained.

What had she seen in that cup?

Esme came to a sudden halt, despite Draco's urgency. She could feel the pressure of the glass embedded in her hand, but the vivid image of the dog continued to flash in her mind, refusing to let go. She couldn't shake the overwhelming sense of urgency, like something important was connected to it. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she turned to Draco, her voice quiet but insistent.

"Draco, stop for a second."

He didn't even slow down at first, his grip tightening around her arm as he tried to pull her forward. "What? No, you're literally bleeding, Es," he snapped, his tone sharp with concern. "We need to get you to Madam Pomfrey."

But Esme couldn't shake the feeling. She needed to say it. She needed to understand what she had seen.

"I think I saw something," she muttered, almost to herself, her voice laced with confusion. "In his cup."

Draco's eyes narrowed at her, and he let out an impatient sigh. "What? Yeah, that's the entire point of the lesson, right?" His voice grew more frustrated, and he glanced down at her bleeding hand before adding, "Stop dawdling. You have a shard of glass clean through your hand, and—"

Draco's words caught in his throat when he finally looked at her palm properly. His eyes went wide, and his face turned pale as he saw the glass piercing straight through her hand, the sharp edge glistening red with her blood. He recoiled slightly, taking a small step back.

Esme could see the color drain from his face, and it hit her. He hated blood. It made him queasy, something she knew all too well from growing up with him.

"Draco..." she started softly, but her voice trailed off when she saw him turn his head away, his face contorted with discomfort.

Draco took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "You're gonna be fine," he said, his voice unsteady. "Just... just don't look at it. We need to get you to the hospital wing now."

But despite his words, Esme could see how much the sight of blood bothered him. His hands trembled slightly as he stood next to her, unwilling to look directly at her injury. She felt a twinge of guilt, knowing how difficult this was for him. She knew that, even though he was trying to be brave for her, his discomfort was palpable.

"I'm fine, Draco," she reassured him gently, trying to hide the concern she felt over his reaction. "But I really think what I saw in Harry's cup is important. I—"

"No," Draco cut her off, his voice tinged with worry. "Forget about the bloody cup. A forget Harry Potter. You're bleeding, Esme. We'll talk about it later. Right now, we need to get you fixed up."

Esme hesitated, but she could see the determination in Draco's eyes, and she knew there was no point in arguing. She nodded, her hand still throbbing with pain as she let Draco guide her the rest of the way to the hospital wing. Despite her discomfort, the vision of the dog still haunted her thoughts, and she couldn't help but wonder what it all meant.

But for now, she would have to wait for the answers.