That Darn Slytherin! Part 7 – 'Go Kiss a Flobberworm!'

It was Friday, the day before the Hogsmeade Weekend, and you were too excited about getting out of the castle tomorrow to realize that your frog was leaping off your desk for the fourth time in Charms.

'Not good, Miss Lennox!' Professor Flitwick piped as he passed your desk and scooped up your frog. 'Try focusing, please. And, don't flick your wand like that.'

'Yes, Professor.' You sighed, scooping up your frog and dragging it back to the centre of your desk again.

You looked over to your right at Hermione's fowl, and saw that she had turned it to a beautiful leather-bound book. 'Nice one, Hermione.' You said, encouragingly.

She smiled, 'Hey, are you joining us tomorrow?'

By 'us', you knew she meant Ron and Harry.

'Er, I'm afraid I might not. I promised Rose I'd go with her to meet her boyfriend, you know, Matt.' you said.

'Oh!' Hermione said, raising her eyebrows curiously. 'So they've arranged a meeting in Hogsmeade?'

You nodded, 'It might be disastrous, I don't know what to expect.'

You looked at your empty seat on your left where Rose usually occupied and wondered where she was today.

'Rose got up really early this morning.' You told Hermione. 'I figure she went up to the Owlery, and didn't make it in time for class.'

Hermione sat down in her seat, and you followed suit.

Charms went on for another twenty minutes before the class was dismissed.

You then made your way to Transfiguration, before meeting Rose at the top of the stairs.

'Where have you been?' You exclaimed.

'Just the Owlery.' Rose said. 'I had to make sure everything was alright.'

It was lunchtime in the Entrance Hall, when Hermione stopped you. You looked at her, 'What's the matter?'

Hermione looked slightly anxious, 'It's my cat. He's been missing for three days.'

Ron stared at Hermione, 'Crookshanks?'

'Is that your name for your fat mother, Weasley?' Draco said aloud as he strolled past. Crabbe and Goyle guffawed behind him.

Ron turned red and took out his wand, but Harry jumped in his way.

The spell shot out and hit the ceiling instead. Nothing happened.

Ron aimed for Draco again, but before he could do anything else, a sinister voice came from behind you.

'Twenty points from Gryffindor, Weasley.' Professor Snape stepped in. 'For attempting to curse a fellow student.'

Ron opened his mouth, but Hermione dragged him into the Great Hall.

'That miserable git!' Ron swore under his breath. 'I'll have him next time.'

'No, you won't!' Hermione said sternly, her eyes flashed reminiscently of McGonagall's' 'We have done enough damage to our reputation for the past six years, and you can't make matters worse, or we'll be expelled before we could do our NEWTs.'

When you all sat down, Hermione looked as though she wanted to cry. Harry quickly saw this and was about to put his arm around her, but Ron got there first.

'Gee, I'm sorry, Hermione.' Ron said, gently, soon calming down.

Harry looked awkward, but he soon was joined by Ginny and she was happy to take his arm.

However, you were sitting at the table, feeling kind of awkward, and lonely. You couldn't understand it. You were an attractive girl, with a great personality, but no-one has ever pined for you.

'Here, want some beans?' Harry offered you kindly; he was a rather perceptive character.

You looked at your empty plate miserably, and said, 'No thank you.' before leaving the Great Hall.

You had decided to spend the rest of your afternoon lunch in the library, where it was warm and quiet. Rose had gone to the Owlery again, to check if there were any more posts for her, but you suspected that she'd gone down to the Great Hall now.

You found yourself a comfortable spot between the two tall bookshelves of T's and V', and sat on the carpet, before starting to weep.

You didn't know how it has happened, but you felt that you wanted a good cry.

Something shuffled behind the bookshelf of T's, and you looked up, giving a muffled sob. Then, voices floated through the gaps between the books and it appeared to come from a couple first years.

You dropped your head and cried again quietly. You hoped that Madam Pince wouldn't catch you in the act.

Another shuffling noise appeared, but this time you didn't look up. You'd gotten used to the quiet ruffling of sheets and muffled footsteps along the old carpet within the library.

Then a clear voice of someone you immediately recognized floated to your ears, 'I wonder where they keep a collection of 'Saber-toothed butterflies?'

You couldn't believe it. It was embarrassing. You had hoped that he couldn't see you. You peered out of your arms and looked up slowly, before freezing on the spot where a tall, blond-haired boy was examining the top row of books on the shelf on your left.

He was muttering quietly to himself, looking handsomely-focused, before turning to his left where he looked down and his grey eyes met yours.

'Ah, Lennox, fancy finding you here.' Draco Malfoy said, smirking.

As if he didn't notice you already!

You got up quickly, 'Go kiss a Flobberworm.' You hissed resentfully.

Draco raised his pale eyebrows, 'Don't take it out on me, just because you're having a bad day.'

You made to push past him, but he grabbed your wrist, and for a very brief moment, looked into your eyes as though he longed for something. Before you knew it, he had quickly let go of your wrist and you found yourself bursting through the library doors and running down the corridor at a full speed until you scrambled through the portrait hole.

'Hey, Annie!' Rose called. You looked up to the top of the winding stairs which led to your dormitory; Rose was leaning over the stone wall and beckoning you to hurry upstairs.

'What?' You said, flopping yourself on top of your bed.

It can't be, you thought. It's insane.

'Matt is coming!' Rose sang. 'My Matty is coming tomorrow.'

'Yeah, I know.' You mumbled, still thinking of that moment in the library. Why did Draco startle you? What possessed him to grab you like that? Why did he want to have anything to do with you if he immensely disliked you?

All these thoughts flooded your head that you didn't hear Rose rummage through your wardrobe.

'Hey!' You called, looking up, as she whizzed through your clothes.

'What?' Rose said defensively. 'I need to borrow something, Annie. All my clothes look horrible.'

'What about that blue shirt you've got?' You said, sitting up straight, wrapping your legs around your knees.

Rose closed your wardrobe door, 'Y'think?'

You knew that Draco wanted to kiss you. You knew that strange blazing look in his face. What was more, you also wanted to kiss him too. You felt that you had betrayed your own conscience.

'Um, Rose, I want to tell you something.' You said, seriously.

Rose flicked back her long blond hair and sat on your bed, sprawled out like a beautiful white angel, 'What?'

You had decided that it would be wise not to say anything.

'Nothing.' You mumbled, turning over to your side in discreet agony.