Chapter 7. The quarrel
Near the window in front of the Defense against the Dark Arts office a sleepy fly was knocking against the pane. Corridors, filled with a hubbub of lively students, sounded exactly the same as on any other day. And for the first time Draco wasn't annoyed by this noise, but enjoyed his wonderful mood. The delight of a successful spell and the ridiculous Granger appearance still caused a smile, despite his sleepiness.
In addition, he was amused by the Myrtle. Those who say that she only knows how to cry - they don't know how to talk to people at all. Well, or to former people, almost people. As Snape said, the imprint of soul which left the earth… It seems so.
Whatever it was, she met him very socially and even fooled him a couple of times. It was lubberly, but sincerely, like a child. He likes it in her. Myrtle Warren was frank, not embarrassed by him at all and wasn't afraid to look stupid. Probably because of Draco never laughed at her.
In addition, the time had passed when he had to talk riddles. He remembered that day when he had seen her at the first time. Well, when he had heard her.
The Vanishing Cabinet didn't want to work with living beings persistently, and no matter how much Draco tried to move through him the stolen birds, frogs and even flobberworms, which he stole from Hagrid - they all simply disappeared. What happened to them, he didn't know to this day. The fact that they are dead is understandable. The question is, where did they go?
Malfoy had read the many books about inventions for camouflage for the war, about repairing old artifacts and even rubbish to repair Muggle furniture. There was a lot of information about the use of these fucking cabinets, and so it is negligible about what to do if it became faulty.
Merlin, what a despair it was!
The last thing he remembered before the first time to lose his temper was Flitwick's lesson, who took scores from Slytherin. This happened when Draco was practicing Agumenti and filled several professor's books with a stream of water. At that moment, the main idea was to throw Crucio to the little man or to cry like a girl. Yeah, dreadful set of emotions.
Draco just ran away from the lesson. Instead of going to the Room of Requirement, that was already nauseous, he went to the toilet - the nearest room, where he could bring his thoughts in order.
Nothing works out… I can't, I can't… These thoughts persistently rushed through his head.
He is alone.
There is no use from Gregory and Vincent. They are only capable of guarding. But to expect from them brilliant solutions to problems would be a fatal stupidity. In addition, no one knew about his task, and it only got worse. The Dark Lord expressed himself very definitely, ordering him to keep his mouth shut.
But, damn it! Draco was sixteen years old! And he had to betray the greatest wizard? It is unthinkable!
He was standing and squeezing the edges of the sink, and he was trying to suppress the sounds that flew from his throat. They sounded humiliating - something between sobbing and choking.
It's unclear what the ghost girl did in the men's room, but suddenly a very quiet and sympathetic voice came from behind:
"Has something bad happened?"
From the surprise Stunning Spell flew to the ghost.
Despite this trick, Myrtle didn't fly away. Filled with self-pity, Draco slumped down the wall to the floor and laid out everything that worried him. Of course, without names and details, but the general idea could be fully grasped.
After a couple of months of irregular communication, he caught himself telling her about his childhood, his family, his friends, that he was in a "bad company.". Without names again, but it seems, Myrtle understood everything perfectly. She was trying to keep a positive attitude, although the Dark Lord was that person, who had killed her.
When she told him about her death, Malfoy didn't realize at once that she was the girl who died in the year of the opening the Chamber of Secrets. And when he had got it, he couldn't calm his hysterical laugh for a long time.
Just think about it! The corpse of muggleborn youngster helped him not to go insane, while neither friends nor his girlfriend even knew about his frustration. After that Myrtle didn't talk to him for about a month. This was the last time he pronounced the word "muggleborn".
And today this splinter since the early hours has already managed to raise his spirits. Draco boasted to her that he had mastered a very complex spell that wasn't part of the school curriculum and, having specified that it wasn't related to Dark Arts, listened almost to the poem, how clever and wonderful he was. If any of the Slytherins said such a thing, Draco would surely get mad, but Myrtle ... It's Myrtle.
Draco was so obsessed with her that he even forgot about breakfast. Over the past day, he had already skipped two meals and his stomach didn't forget to remind him about it with discontented rumbling. But this is bad, he was very expecting to gain weight while he is at Hogwarts.
He was pulled out from his thoughts by the cry of a girl. Judging by the context, she was screaming at Potter. Draco was already mentally painting picture in his head, as Potter clutches the Gryffindor girl and thrusts his hands under her skirt.
Grinning at the absurdity of his imagination, Malfoy crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his waist against the windowsill. The real picture of what happened was astonishing, except that his jaw didn't fall on the floor.
The youngest Weasley came to the door of the classroom. Her cheeks burned, but not like her brother's cheeks, not stained. You could even call it nice, if not her glinting stare with anger. Surprisingly, but otherwise she remained calm, although Draco was sure - she was just furious.
Just behind her came Potter, carrying ... Granger?!
Yes, Granger.
On his shoulder.
Potter's gaze didn't express anything, or maybe Draco couldn't see this because of his glasses. But his face was tense, but obviously not from weight. As if he was trying to figure something out. They passed by, not paying attention to Draco.
To be sure!
A foolish chuckle echoed in the depths of the corridor. Fortunately for Granger, there was no one else but them near the classroom. Although, probably half students of Hogwarts have seen this.
"Harry! James! Potter! Let me go! Immediately!" she squeaked and began to beat Potter on his back with her tiny fists. For a split second, Draco suddenly felt that he also wanted to beat him. No girl deserves such treatment, especially in public. Even Granger. Stop… Why "even"? She is the same as everyone else.
Draco wondered what happened to them, if Potter went to such extreme measures?
It's none of my business, Draco mentally reminded himself again.
Before the classroom's door, Weasley turned to Potter and looked inquiringly at him. He stopped, almost crashing into her. They didn't say a word, but the tension in their eyes was almost palpable.
Draco didn't look at them.
His stare was drawn by Granger's slender legs, freely hanging in the air. Her skirt was invitingly lifted up, exposing the smooth skin of the inner side of her thighs. Unfortunately, only a few inches weren't enough to bare her buttocks, but that was enough for any guy who saw such a picture couldn't take his eyes off.
Probably the first time Draco was grateful to the creator of school robes, because they are wide enough to hide the salience growing in his trousers. And although he has already seen her legs and even admitted that they are very, very good, but in this perspective? It's time to send it to a good mood.
With difficulty in suppressing the temptation to ask Potter to lift her higher, Draco finally caught his eye. And he looked confused. Very, very confused. Even ... begging? It looks like that.
Yes, perhaps it would be more noble to remain silent, so Granger couldn't find out who else had witnessed this ... uh, situation. But Draco suddenly remembered their nightly conversation and, before he could stop himself:
"Oh, that is unnecessary. It's the excellent view from here."
Like that. Let her believe that he is still the same shit she knew. He has absolutely no desire to prove to anyone the opposite. Probably, it's a matter of pride. Either let them see for themselves, or let them go to hell.
Granger stopped kicking, and her legs hung limp. Draco would have given a lot to see her face now. Suddenly the younger Weasley turned sharply to him and threw a murderous glance.
"Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself!" she barked, but nevertheless straightened her friend's skirt, as if she had just noticed this unpleasant for Granger, and obviously an attractive circumstance for Draco. However, the angle still pleased, so he just grinned.
Weasley looked toward the corridor and narrowed her eyes viciously.
"Harry," she said, without even looking at Potter.
He nodded and went into the classroom quickly with Granger, who seemed to swallow her tongue. At least since Draco made it clear that he was there too, she didn't make a sound.
Following the Weasley's stare Malfoy saw her brother, who was standing motionless in the corridor. His face was whiter than chalk and he didn't know where to put his disproportionately long hands. Crossed it on his chest (probably for self-confidence), he looked at his sister. She put her hands on her hips and headed for him.
Comic picture.
Approaching him, she pushed Weasley in his chest with all her might almost made him lose his balance.
"Are you out of your mind, idiot?!" she cried out.
Draco didn't hear what Weasley said, but judging from his feeble expression, he didn't understand what he was accused of. It seems his sister also believed that she needed to spoon-feed everything.
Suppressing an annoyed sigh, she cast a quick glance at Draco and lowered her voice, so that now he heard only scraps of sentences:
"…Brown…not enough for you…You're an ass!...she likes you…"
"…Zabini…"
"…just a conversation!...She doesn't care…"
"…they almost hugged…"
"…Hermione didn't get her tongue in his mouth…Hannah…in public…"
"I didn't!..."
The readheaded's face began to become stained again. Disgusting.
"…you're such an idiot…the letter…"
"…Crum!" Weasley blurted out suddenly.
His sister struck him on his shoulder, urging him to act quietly, but he only sniffed discontentedly.
The students were already slowly getting to the classroom. Draco looked at his watch. The time flew by quickly.
"Where have you been?" Blaise approached him and also leaned against the windowsill. The other Slytherins remained standing at a distance. Pansy turned her back on them pointedly and continued to talk with Daphne, who cutely smiled at her, twisting her curl over her finger.
"In the library," Draco automatically lied.
No matter how he and Zabini communicate, he didn't intend to devote him to such personal affairs as a conversation with ghost in a girls' toilet. It's unlikely that Blaise realized this.
"In the library? Have you been looking for Granger?" the friend grinned.
Malfoy noticed from the corner of his eye that Daphne barely turned her head in their direction.
Either Blaise is blind, or pretends not to notice her, Draco thought.
"No," Draco grinned, "and you?"
"She was not at breakfast. I was in the library, but she was not there either," Zabini streched himself, "and you, too."
"We missed each other, probably," Draco again lied, not batting an eye, "In any case, Granger was …busy today. With Potter and his girlfriend," he shrugged indifferently.
"Have you seen her?"
"She's in the classroom."
By the way. If you want to pick her up, I advise you to hurry, because if I understand correctly, then Weasley has already took note of her, Draco thought. It's worth it to say, but Draco kept silent for some reason.
It's all because of her legs.
Its image was still in front of Draco's eyes. Straight, slender, with smooth skin... He wondered how it feels if to touch it?
"Everyone goes to the class, quickly," professor Crum drew himself as if from the air and opened the door.
Suddenly, Draco thought that the professor reminded him Snape. The only difference was that even with such a threatening appearance, the students felt sympathy for him for some reason. Although, no offense to Severus, Crum didn't distinguish students and treated everyone equally graciously.
Students trudged lazily to the classroom. At the door Draco heard the voice of younger Weasley again behind him:
"Which one of you is the man, after all? Don't spoil everything again."
Draco couldn't help laughing, for that he received a fierce look from redheaded. Apparently, he's not capable at all without his sister's tips.
"I have to go," Blaise whispered quickly and headed to Granger.
While Draco was laying out textbooks and scrolls on the table, Zabini had already chatted with her and sat down at one desk with her, to a general perplexity.
It seems that he will be okay without my advices, Draco thought.
Draco looked at Weasley. Noticing that Granger was sitting with Blaise, he broke his pen and glared at his sister angrily. Potter squeezed his elbow and whispered something.
Like children, I swear, Draco thought again.
A minute later the professor stood at the board and all at once became quiet.
What the hell are they doing? Hermione thought, scowling feverishly at the parchment. Of course, the lesson was very interesting, but she understood the subject only superficially. It seems that she will have to catch it up on her own.
When she saw Ginny walking toward Ron, and Harry immediately took her away, everything fell into its places. Hermione didn't know what exactly happened, and honestly, she didn't want to know it. It's obviously, that Ron did something, and the guys just didn't want her to see that. Or perhaps, he planned to express everything that he thinks about her ...
And all would be okay if she wasn't depressed because of quarrel with Harry. Their first quarrel!
Of course there were some minor conflicts between them in the past, but they have never cursed seriously. Except their third year of education. Now it seemed childish. And though it took not more than half an hour, Hermione already felt an obsessive longing. She could not to talk with Ron for months, and she felt nothing more apart from mild sadness and some kind of dry disappointment, but then everything fell from her hands literally.
And she was really sorry only for Harry. He wanted to do better ...
Stop. It's too early to justify him!
For the time that they spent together, when Ron left them, Hermione first realized how attached to Harry.
Her thoughts were torn off by Malfoy's malicious glare. And how could she forget?!
Yes! That's who she really was angry with, although she understood that he was, in fact, not at all to blame for standing there. But he could have remained silent!
What did he forget at the classroom when there was so much time before the lesson?! Hermione thought.
He appeared there at the very moment when she ... Hermione suddenly blushed and hastily buried herself in her abstract.
How much has he seen?
Damn. Their clash in the library, a strange night talk, and now this... Yeah, she's one of the smartest female students and she always makes herself an idiot just before him.
Excellent!
Hermione squeezed her pen so tightly that she didn't immediately feel the broad palm all on her arm. And as she realized, she shuddered a little and looked at her neighbor.
"Are you okay?" Zabini asked softly, moving his eyebrows.
Hermione shrugged vaguely and removed her hand unobtrusively.
"Do you want me to talk to him?" he asked sympathetically.
"To whom?" Hermione whispered quietly, staring at her parchment.
"To Weasl… To Ron."
"About what?" she was surprised.
"About what was happened. Well, in the Great Hall."
Hermione frowned and looked at Ron. He was sitting, red as a tomato, and twirled his wand in his hand, glaring sullenly at the blackboard.
"About him and her… Abbott, it seems," Zabini specified.
So here's the thing ...
Hermione breathed out noisily. In her temples suddenly pounded.
Really ... again? Like before, with Lavender? Hermione squeezed her lips, trying to help herself not to cry.
"It's not necessary," Hermione decided not to show Blaise, as if she not aware of what had happened, "we are just friends with him and he is free to do what he wants," it's good that she spoke in a whisper, otherwise her voice could break.
Just friends who have been close for so many years, we were jealous of each other, starting with the fourth year, and we kissed ... Nothing special, she thought.
Judging by Zabini's sympathetic look, he has understood everything, and delicately said nothing more, for what Hermione was grateful to him. She didn't look at Ron deliberately, but she constantly caught Malfoy's glances.
If only he will dare to say anything to her! She could cast some unpleasant spell - it was unbearably to vent the anger upon someone.
Huh, straight road to the psychiatric hospital ...
Hermione has heard from her parents what it was like. But in fairness, it should be noted that in St Mungo's Hospital much more pleasant than in the Muggle hospitals.
As soon as the bell announced the end of the lesson, Hermione jumped up from her seat and, zipping her bag on the way, ran out of the class, completely not caring that from the outside it probably looks completely un-heroic.
Find yourself a new heroine! She wanted to shout it to the face of everyone who stared at her.
Draco looked at Hermione and noted that Blaise, judging by the expression of triumph on his face, was pleased with the situation.
