"Look, it's not like I want to go either, but we have too. Besides, maybe something interesting will happen, like maybe Potter gets an arm ripped off or something." Elleriea said next to a sulking Draco. "Anyway, I hear he knows a lot about magical creatures, maybe you'll learn something."
"With Hagrid as a teacher? Doubtful." Draco responded. The day had just begun, but was all but ruined for one Draco Malfoy.
"We will have plenty of time to skip the class later, but it's our first day back, we have to go." Elleriea reasoned. Walking down the many Halls of Hogwarts had become second nature to them, they hardly notice the long walk form the dungeons to the outside at all anymore.
Huffing, Draco looks slightly over his shoulder. "Will you two hurry? Bad enough we have to go, I don't want to be late as well." He referred to Crabb and Goyle, who were trailing behind.
Everyone was gathered around Hagrid, Elleriea standing with a group of Slytherins, when the last few students arrived. "Potter sure did take his sweet time." Draco muttered.
"Who knows, while on his way his scare could have started burning a hole through his forehead." Elleriea said back, earning a snicker from the group.
"C'mon now, get a move on! Got a real treat for yeh." Hagrid began. "Great lesson comin' up. Follow me." And everyone did, to a paddock hung with dead ferrets. "Gather 'round. Find yerself a spot. That's it." Everyone found their own spot to see what the giant had up his sleeve. Each eyeing the rack of ferrets. "Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books -"
"And exactly how do we do that?" Draco interrupted. Looking to him, Elleriea wrinkled her nose in confusion, he had a point, looking down at the leather book in her hand.
"Crikey. Didn' yeh know? All yeh've got ter do is stroke 'em. Look," Hagrid takes Hermione's copy, and snaps the Spellotape binding it together. After being unleashed it begins to bite furiously, but Hagrid runs his forefinger down its spin and, makig a strange shivvering, it opens quietly. Hagrid looks at the class, looking suddenly nervous. "Righ' then. So... so... yeh've got yer books, an' now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Right. So... I'll... I'll go an' get 'em." He stutters, turning to disappear into the trees.
Next to Elleriea, Draco shakes his head. "God, this place is going to the dogs. Wait until my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes." He says.
Harry turns suddenly towards Draco. "Listen you stupid prat..."
Eyes widening, Draco steps back from Harry, and points in fear. "Potter, there s a Dementor behind you!" He says in a panicked voice. Harry jumps and wheels around quickly to find that nothing was there. Instantly all the Slytherins start making oohhing sounds, then begin laughing. Harry's face reddens in embarrassment as he turns back to his friends.
Laughing Elleriea looks towards the trees, hearing a strange noise, when a Hippogriff appears. Stepping back, she grabs Draco's arm and pulls him with her. Hagrid soon follows the creature shooing it forward. "Get up, there!" He was grinning. "Beau'iful, isn' he?" He asks no one in particular.
Looking down at her, Draco asks. "Scared where you?" He smirks.
"No." She says, dropping his arm. "I just thought it was wild, was all." Though her eyes still watched it warily. The creature made its way to the center of the paddock.
"Hagrid. Exactly what is that?" Weasly asked, concerned.
"A Hippogriff, o' course." He says. "Now, firs' thing yeh gotta know is they're proud. Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. He explained.
Chuckling, Elleriea turned to Draco. "Sounds a lot like you." He looked sharply at her.
"Don't never insult one, 'cause it migh' be the las' thing yeh do. Right then - who wants to come an' say hello?" He finished. Everyone in the class stepped backwards, leaving potter alone in the front.
"Good man Harry!" Hagrid says. Harry looked around confused, then seeing the rest of the class, he reluctantly approached the beast. "Tha's it. Easy now... stop! This here's Buckbeak, Harry. Yeh want to let 'im make the firs' move. It's polite, see?" Hagrid explains. "Jus' take step forward, give 'im a bow, and if Buckbeak bows back, yeh're allowed to touch him. Ready?" Unsure, Harry nods, steps forward, and bows. Buckbeck studies him for a while, not doing anything. "Back off, Harry! Back off!" Hagrid says a bit panicked. Harry begins to back away, when Buckbeck's head cocks and he gave a graceful bow, Hagrid sighs with relief. "Well done Harry! Go on. Give 'im a pat." Harry reaches out, tentatively and lays his hand on Buckbeck's beck. The class claps and Harry smiles happily. "Look at that! I reckon he migh' let yeh ride 'im!" Hagrid says enthusiastically.
"Excuse me? Harry asks.
"We'll jus' set yeh behind the wing joint. Mind yeh don' pull any feathers out. He won' like that." Hagrid lifts Harry onto Buckbeck's back and gives the creature's hindquarters a good slap. "Off yeh go!" He calls. Buckbeck gallops forward and unfurls it's wings and takes off, into the sky.
"Huh," Elleriea says, holding a hand over her eyes to block the sun as she watches. "Maybe he'll fall."
"We can only hope." Draco says next to her.
After a few minutes of waiting, an impatient Elleriea slowly makes her way toward the new professor. "Soo," she says when next to him. "What'll you do, if somehow, Potter fell into the black lake and got eaten by the squid?" She asks, making sure Weasley and Granger heard her questions.
Looking at her from the corner of his eye, he made a nervous grunting noise. Turning toward the direction Harry and Buckbeck flew off in, brought his hand to his mouth and made a piercing whistle. Smirking she slinked her way back beside Draco.
"Have fun?" He asked.
"Got tired of waiting." She replied with a shrug. Looking up as a shadow passed over her, she saw the return of Harry Potter. With his landing the class began to cheer. All except she and Draco, who, she noticed, narrowed his eyes maliciously.
As all of Harry's friends greeted and praised him, Elleriea watched with slight annoyance. "Potter always thinks he is so great." Draco said.
"Anyone could do what he does, really." Elleriea said. "He is just very lucky, I think."
"Give me a go at that thing. If Potter can do it, it must be easy." Draco says walking forward.
"Draco, that s not what I meant. Draco!" Elleriea hisses, but he waved her away.
"You're not dangerous at all, are you, you great ugly brute..." He says a few paces away from the Hippogriff.
"Malfoy! No!" Hagrid calls, but its too late. Buckbeck rears back and brings his razor sharp talons down on Draco. All is quiet for what seems forever. Elleriea is horrified, reacting before any one she begins to rush forward, being stopped by a pair of arms. Draco realizing what has happened begins to panic, and Harry rushes forward and intercepts Buckbeck from doing any further damage.
"It's killed me! It's killed me!" Draco wails. Looking back Elleriea sees it was Ron Weasley who stopped her, he was still restraining her with one arm around her ribs and the other hand holding one of her arms.
"Let go!" Elleriea yells, hearing the screams of her friend sending adrenaline through her veins. Breaking free she rushes to Draco s side.
"Calm yerself!" Hagrid says walking over. "Yer fine... jus' a scratch..." Looking at the gash in Draco's limp arm.
"Hagrid. He's got to be taken to a hospital." Hermione says coming up behind them.
"Oh gee Granger, you really are the smartest aren t you." Elleriea said sarcastically, coming to a stop beside her downed friend. Hermione shot her an angry look, which Elleriea shrugged it off coolly.
"I'll go with you if you like..." She said turning back to Hagrid.
"No. I'm the teacher. You all... you all just... Class dismissed!" He said to the class.
"I'm going." Elleriea said with finality.
"Fine fine." Hagrid said picking Draco's limp form up and slung him over his shoulder.
"Be careful with him!" Elleriea fussed, trailing behind.
Later in the Great Hall, Draco sits with his arm in a sling, while a large group of Slytherins huddle around him. "Does it hurt terribly, Draco?" Pansy asks. Since she found out about what happened, she had been quite insufferable according to Elleriea; who sat on Draco's other side rolling her eyes.
"It comes and goes. Still... I consider myself lucky. According to Madam Pomfrey, another minute or two... and I could've lost the arm." He said a bit theatrically. Since finding out he would be fine, Elleriea scolded him harshly for scaring her like that, telling him if he screamed he was dying again with out actually being in the midst of doing so, she herself, would kill him. Sighing she rested her chin in her hand and looked across the Great Hall and noticed three pairs of eyes watching her table. Waving her hand slightly, she caught their attention, then made a rather vulgar hand gesture, earning her a few glares. As far as she was concerned this was all Harry Potter's fault. If he hadn t been such a show boating big head, Draco wouldn't have felt the need to make an arse of himself.
Turning her attention back to her group, she notice the conversation had gone to where it inevitably always did, quidditch. "I'm going to get some air." Elleriea said, rising from her seat.
"Want me to come with?" Blaise asks.
"And leave Draco unattended? No, I think you should stay here. Besides, I just want some time alone." Nodding Blaise turned back to the group. Leaving the great hall, Elleriea walked aimlessly for a while before coming to a door to the outside. Breathing in the crisp air, she felt invigorated. The first few days back had been very interesting, yet stressful for her. An escaped prisoner, dementor attacks, and now this. Coming from a peaceful summer, this was taking it toll on her.
Sighing, she took a seat on one of the many stone benches. Looking out at the Hogwarts ground she could just make out the shapes of two dementors floating through the mist. A chill ran up her spine. Sitting for several minutes, she let the night's air sweep her hair into a frenzy, just enjoying the feeling. She had just closed her eyes when she felt a pair of hands cover them. Jumping slightly, she smiled. "Your hands are so cold, you're either McGonagall, or Fred or George Weasley." Her smile widened.
"Very funny." One said.
"But, can't you tell us apart?" Said the other. "I'm hurt.
"Why should it matter. you're the same person." Her smile widened.
"Are not." They said in unison. Taking his hands off her face she turned to look at them.
"And to what do I owe this pleasure?" She asked.
"A pleasure, she says." George said to Fred, elbowing him lightly in the ribs.
"The pleasure, is all ours, milady." Fred said with a light bow, earning him a grin.
"We just saw you leave and thought you might like the company." George addressed her.
"Beside, you spent the day with Malfoy, might like someone at least semi-intelligent to talk to." Fred joked. She sent a sharp look their way.
"Guys..." She started.
"Yeah, we know." Sighed Fred. "We'll try not to mock him too bad in your presence."
"He just makes it too easy." George laughed.
"Yeah yeah." She says rolling her eyes. "What is today?" She asked them.
"Hm? Thursday, why?" George asked.
"Monday is quidditch try-outs." She answered.
"You trying out?" Fred asked.
"Mhm, for Chaser, so I can kick your sorry arses up and down the patch." She grinned.
"Oh yeah? Maybe you'll make it a bit harder to win." Fred said.
"Yeah, it gets boring when you win so easily." George continued.
"Please, as if the two of you do anything." She said. "Just sit on you re brooms and heckle everyone."
"Well someone's got to." Fred shrugged.
"I guess." Elley shrugged. "So, how was your summer?" She asked the both of them.
"Pretty good actually. Spent all of it sleeping." George smiled.
"Not all of it, ate quite a bit too." Fred joined in.
"Of course." She laughed. Elleriea spent the next 45 minutes or so catching up with the twins, laughing at their stories and telling them of hers; until it happened that dinner was over and students came passing through.
I really highly doubt that. Elleriea sad doubtfully.
It s true, just add alihotsy to butterbeer and it tastes just like fire whiskey. Fred tried to reason with her.
It could be the effects of the plant, but either way. George said.
Right, you are both suffering the effects of hysteria. That explains so much. Elleriea grinned.
There you are. Elleriea heard. Looking to the left she saw Draco making his way towards her. I ve been looking all over for you. You never came back to Draco let the sentence trail when he saw Fred and George. I should have known, honestly Elley, why do you insist on associating with these morons? He asked eyes narrowing at the twins.
Who are you calling morons you tosspot? The twins stood up and faced Draco, who also made no sign of backing down.
And I wonder why I have headaches. Elleriea muttered rubbing her temples. Then she too stood, and walked in between the three teen boys. That s enough. Fred, George , She turned to look at them. It was nice catching up, I will see you later. Draco, She turned her attention to him. let s go. She started walking off only to realize he wasn t following her. The three of them were still glaring at each other. Walking back, she grabbed Draco s arm. Now? She said pulling him away.
I don t know why you bother with those two," Draco said once in the castle and headed toward the dungeons, they re
My friends? Elleriea interrupted. If you hadn t said anything they wouldn t have started. She scolded.
Am I not your friend too? Draco asked coldly.
Why are you even asking that? She asked giving him a sharp look.
Because, you re only defending them and getting mad at me, when they
I defend you. They aren t allowed to say anything bad about you around me, and you shouldn t say anything about them. You are all my friends, and I don t want to have to choose between you. Elleriea said exasperated.
Who would you choose? Draco asked after a moment of silence.
What? She asked.
Between me and them, who would you choose. He stopped walking a looked her straight in the eyes.
"You're such a child Draco. Honestly sometimes I... never mind. Just drop it okay?" She fumed.
Draco watched as she walked away, not even giving him another glance. He knew he upset her, but, he was upset and she knew how he got when he was like this. He didn t like that she was friends with the Weasley twins, he never had. To him they were as bad as Potter and his friends, in fact they were Potter's friends. Sighing, Draco decided against going back to the dungeons at that time. Instead he turned left, were Elleriea turned right.
Stupid boys and their stupid testosterone. Elley muttered when walking into the Common Room.
I apologize for that. Curse that naturally occurring hormone. Blaise said from the couch. Elley walked over to see him stretched out reading a book.
You have really good hearing. She said, patting his legs so he would move them.
I have been told that. What happened? He asked once she was sitting.
Draco, what else? She sighed. Not entirely, we just got into an argument about my association with George and Fred.
Ah, Blaise said laying his legs over her lap. This again? I thought you two had settled that.
So did I. Guess not. Elley sulked.
You know, once he realized you were gone he got worried, then when you didn t come back he got even more worried. Blaise said.
So this is my fault, gee, thanks for the support Zabini. She crossed her arms. A girl can t go for a walk?
No, at least not with the dementors around. Blaise reasoned. After what happened on the train it would be odd if Malfoy didn t worry.
I guess, he did say he was looking for me. She said quietly.
We both were, I just assumed you were dead and went on with my life. Blaise shrugged.
Thanks. She said dryly digging her elbow into his leg .
Ow, I was only joking, no need for that. He rubbed his leg. Put it away. She brought her arm back to her side. So, where is Malfoy now? He asked when he decided he was safe.
I don t know. Elleriea shrugged. I left him in the halls somewhere. He should come wondering in anytime now.
Well, I am going to bed, you can stay here and wait for him. Blaise stood up and with a wave, walked up to the boy dorms.
Elleriea waited up for Draco, laying on the couch, ten minutes hadn t passed before she was fighting to keep her eyes open, a battle she eventually lost. Without knowing it, her eyes slid shut, and she was asleep.
Elleriea. Elley. Someone was calling her. It sounded so far away. Elleriea Cordillia Rosencrite, a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. A gentle man s voice said.
Never before had a name fit someone better. A soft women s voice replied. My pretty Elley Rose. The voice sang. Elley.
Elley.
Elley? A warm hand gently shook her shoulder. Elley wake up. Opening her eyes, she was met with mist grey ones.
Draco? She asked sleepily. "what time is it?"
Draco shrugged and grabbed one of her hands. "I don't know, but you should go to bed."
"I was waiting for you..." She slurred, bringing a hand up to cover her yawn.
"I know, but it's late, we'll talk more in the morning." Groggily Elley trudged to her room where sleep over took her once more.