Disclaimer: It is not mine. You know that by now. Nothing gained but satisfaction, yada yada.

"Spinning Between Constellations & Dreams"
- In and out of the crowd like a glance -
(So She Dances, Josh Groban)
VII
Kevin Entwhistle/Millicent Bulstrode
-:-

"Pass the secateurs would you, Bulstrode?" a congenial voice requested from somewhere to Milly's left. She pushed the clipping tool along the wooden bench without looking up from her work.

"Ta."

Milly wasn't one for prejudice so she hummed something noncommittal in acknowledgement as the Ravenclaw went about pruning the plant before him. It was a large, vine-like plant with deep purple leaves edged with sharp little hooks. It was swaying gently and purring softly as the stems brushed against one another like the legs of a cricket. A vine reached out and curled around his hands.

"Tcht," Kevin Entwhistle scolded, and the plant obediently retreated. He finished pruning it in good time, making sure to place the secateurs out of reach of the curious vines, and stood back to admire his work.

"You know, these plants are really quite strange," he said aloud. "It's almost as if they've decided to become an animal."

Milly raised her brow at him, but the boy ignored her scepticism.

"Honestly, it purrs, it rubs itself against you, it's possessive," he listed things off on his fingers. "It's a bloody cat!"

"Fine qualities, in my opinion," Millicent said, adding her two knuts worth into Entwhistle's monologue.

"Well, you would, wouldn't you," he told her, as if he'd had no doubt. "You're a cat person. I've seen you with Manu and Leech. Heck, even Granger's cat likes you."

"Crookshanks is part kneazle," Millicent reminded him, finishing her sentence with a flourish and sitting back to scan her work. "He's a good judge of character and very intelligent."

"Modest."

Milly poked her tongue out childishly in response. She was about to add something else when a movement near the door caught her eye. She sighed in irritation. Under her breath she murmured to the Entwhistle: "Malfoy and the others are back."

His brown eyes flicked towards the Slytherin students and the few straggling Gryffindors who were making their way back inside from their session of herb gathering. Weasley looked livid – seemed to be a normal day at Hogwarts, really.

"It's these stupid unwritten rules that make me want to graduate early," Entwhistle grumbled sotto voce. "Merlin, help us! A Slytherin and a Ravenclaw being friendly!" he mocked, and Milly silently agreed with his grievance. It was ridiculous, really, how segregated the school became after the Sorting. Childhood friendships could be erased in a matter of days!

As the rag-tag group of students moved closer to them, the Ravenclaw and Slytherin fell back into silence, albeit one more companionable than elsewhere in the room, and the social dynamics of Hogwarts settled back into place.

End.

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