Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter's world or characters, J. does. I also did not come up with the phrase 'sneaky-upy type of love' - that was Tim Minchin.
I'm not trying to create any flowery prose or anything like that. I just hope you enjoy my story, I'm definately enjoying writing it! :) Comments would be welcomed gladly.
That 'SneakyUpy' Kind of Love
If I hadn't been brushing my teeth I would have smirked at the moans and grumbling coming from the next room. Unlike the other Ravenclaw boys in our dorm, I was always up before our alarm went off. Bradley Holmes was the only one bright enough to bring an alarm clock, (which I never needed to wake up in the morning), and ever since first year it had been used to wake everyone in our group. As I was rinsing my mouth into the cream marble sink Bradley and Shaun stumbled blearily into the bathroom, yawning loudly. I dried my mouth and hands on my fluffy white towel before going back to the bedroom to change.
Since it was still cold outside (it was February of our sixth year) I decided to wear my Ravenclaw sweater. I picked up the small black case from my bedside table and went back to the bathroom, standing at one of the big mirrors over the sinks in order to put a little make-up on. The boys never made fun of me for it which was a major relief. When I first started wearing make up at fourteen, I was terrified that my friends would think I was weird or start taking the piss, but although they never understood it, they were very supportive. A little mascara to make my blonde lashes black, with black pencil eyeliner to define my eyes.
Bradley, in a particularly good mood after his shower, whistled at me as he walked by and I almost ended up with eyeliner down my cheek. I bent my head to hide the red flushes with my bangs. Bradley was perfect. He was intelligent, funny, kind and attractive, and I had fallen head over heels with him from the moment I met him. If he had been gay, I would have asked him out years ago. I watched the back of his short brown hair as he returned to the bedroom to change and sighed. Next week I would be able to cheer for him at the quidditch game; he was Ravenclaw's seeker.
We left Ravenclaw tower together, Bradley and Shaun joking about how they were going to crush Slytherin at the upcoming match. By the time we reached the Great Hall they were already discussing tactics. I rolled my eyes at Emily as we headed to the table and I sat next to her, opposite Shaun and Bradley, who had stopped talking strategy the moment they passed the Slytherin table. Emily Draco Parkinson was the only child of Pansy Parkinson, who had divorced her husband not long after she became pregnant. Emily's middle name was a testimony to the only man her mother had ever really loved; my father.
Small and slender, Emily was the shortest girl in our year with pale skin, pink cheeks and black hair that fell down to just over her shoulders. She had piercing blue eyes and full lips, and every guy in Ravenclaw was protective of her, as if she was their little sister. Her voice was soft and her short nails were always painted a wine-coloured red, and out of all the boys in Hogwarts she had feelings for a younger Gryffindor; Hugo Weasley. The only problem was that Emily was too intensely shy to admit it, let alone to tell Hugo herself, and if I ever tried to tell him for her she freaked out big time, terrified of the idea.
We ate in silence, mainly due to the unnaturally quiet hall, since none of the paranoid Ravenclaw players wanted the eavesdropping Slytherin team to know any of their Quidditch plans. It wasn't until we were leaving the Great Hall that the most annoying guy in the world, the Slytherin Seeker, Albus Potter, shouted 'Don't forget to wear your lucky knickers on Monday Bradders, you're going to need them so you don't lose as badly!' The entire Slytherin table broke out into hysterics, like a giant pack of hyenas. Bradley ignored them, but Shaun couldn't help but give them the finger on the way out.
On the way to Herbology Emily saw my obvious discomfort. 'Need to rant?' I let out the breath I had been holding.
'He thinks he's so clever! Does he have any clue how annoying he is? He's such a dick all the time. Someone seriously needs to sort that guy out!' There was a lot more I had wanted to say, but at that moment a group of Slytherin students passed either side of us, knocking our shoulders deliberately. One of those students was Potter himself, who, obviously having heard what I'd said turned round to smile at me arrogantly as he passed, having the audacity to wink at me before turning his back on all of us. Even his stupidly messy hair irritated me. Had he even heard of a brush? Ugh.
At the end of Herbology I paused to check my reflection in the glass walls of the greenhouse we were in. I tucked a few pale blonde strands of my short hair back in place and neatened my fringe a little. My grey eyes peered through the make up that hadn't smudged, although I had to pull my sweater down and straighten it a little more to show off my slim frame. Happy with my appearance, I waited for Emily to finish doing the same before the pair of us paced to my most dreaded of lessons, Transfiguration. I dreaded it for two reasons; I found Transfiguration difficult, and we shared the lesson with Slytherin.
Once we were all seated we were surprised to see a new Professor step into the room. She was a curvaceous woman, about my height, with long red hair that flowed down to her hips. 'Hello class, as you can see I am your new Professor for Transfiguration, no more substitutes from now on.' She smiled at the class, before continuing in perfect English with a very slight accent 'My name is Professor Moineau,' she charmed the chalk to write her name on the blackboard, 'that is pronounced 'mwu-no'. I am from France, and I want you all to know that I run a tight schedule. Today we will be turning small cardboard boxes into magnets. It may sound easy, but do not be fooled.' A cardboard box floated to every table. 'Begin!'
The lesson proceeded as painfully as ever, once again we were given instructions and told to transfigure until we had perfected the art, and I failed as usual. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Potter was having no trouble whatsoever; which was the norm for Transfiguration. Professor Moineau noticed my struggling and decided to partner me up with Bradley for help, and I couldn't believe my luck. He sat next to me and smiled, before helping me with my casting. It didn't improve much, since I was exhilarated to be sitting so close to the most gorgeous guy at Hogwarts.
He often physically corrected my wand movements, by placing his tanned hand over mine. I became aware of him leaning closer to me when he was explaining and I almost drowned in his beautiful brown eyes. Whilst sitting, he wasn't much taller than me, which differed from my usually having to crane my neck to look up at him. He smelt so good, like cinnamon, which was the scent of his deodorant – the one his Gryffindor girlfriend had bought him for Christmas. At least she had good taste.
I finally managed to transfigure the cardboard box into a small, hollow metal box with Bradley's help, but that was as successful as my work manifested itself to be. Professor Moineau returned to the head of the classroom and stood quietly staring out each of the students, until the room was silent. When she had everybody's attention, she spoke. 'That is all for today. Class dismissed.' Bradley grinned at me, saying he'd see me next lesson, before leaving with Shaun.
As everyone filed out of the room Professor Moineau called me aside. 'I notice you have been struggling with today's spell? I will give you some homework, to perfect it, yes? I expect you to be fully capable next lesson. See if the other pupils can help you.' She then waved her hand at me, implying that I leave. Emily had been waiting outside by the door, she was grinning when I approached her. 'So… How was it working with Bradley?' She bumped shoulders with me playfully, and I couldn't help but laugh.
'It was… interesting. I really enjoyed it.' We grinned at each other and walked slowly to the library for break. A little revising wouldn't make much difference, but we felt like it. I still can't describe the shock that I experienced when we walked past Potter sitting with a library book in hand that actually wasn't to do with Quidditch, although I couldn't quite see the title, studying fervently. I ignored him and continued, and Emily found a nice spot in the far corner where we sat quietly reading together, readying ourselves for our next lesson; potions. At last, something I excelled at. Who cared if it was another lesson we had to share with Slytherin? Nothing in the world could make me dislike Potions.
Or so I thought.