MAKING FRIENDS WAS a confusing and unknown thing for me. But, I prayed that I was doing it properly. Hermione and I talked throughout the entire dinner. I was properly introduced to her, Rob Weasley, and Harry Potter. However, I was still avoiding Harry and his looks. I had to for Draco. I didn't want to go against my brother's wishes. But I enjoyed making friends with Hermione; she was a lot smarter and more interesting than myself. Ron seemed to be giving me the cold shoulder, but I wasn't quite sure as to why. Come to think of it, other than Hermione and Harry, a lot of Griffyndors were pretty distant from me.
"So, have you looked into your classes for tomorrow?" Hermione asked me as I followed her and a few other fellow Gryffindors to the Gryffindor Common Rooms.
I nodded my head excitedly. "Of course! I'm so happy I even have a few classes with my brother. Seeing his face makes me feel a lot more comfortable," I admitted.
Hermione snorted. "Right, because that's what we all think when we see Draco Malfoy—comfort," she joked.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I arrived at the seventh-floor landing and approach the Fat Lady in the portrait. I was intrigued to hear her sing, but no one else seemed to care for it.
Harry quickly gave her the password, "Fortuna Major."
This shut her up and she opened the doors to the common room. We all trailed through the common room, the girls heading one way, boys the other. I followed Hermione every step of the way as to not get lost or find myself with the boys. That would be horrifying.
"Night, Hermione," Ron waved to his friend and then sent me a small, forced smile.
"Night, Ron. Goodnight, Harry," Hermione waved back.
"Night, Hermione," Harry waved. He then looked at me and I looked back towards him. His green eyes were piercing right through me. "Goodnight, Adelaide," Harry waved to me.
I smiled back and waved. "Goodnight," I said and then looked at my hand. I immediately pulled it down and turned my heel. I went back to following Hermione and whispered in her ear, attempting to forget my very awkward encounter with Harry earlier, "I don't believe Ron likes me very much."
She rolled her eyes and shook her head in response. "Please, he's just in denial to the fact that maybe not all Malfoy's are satan-like demons. Just give him some time to warm up to you," she informed me.
I nodded my head with a small shrug of my shoulders. "Oh... well, okay," I replied.
I never took too much offense when people would say things like that about my family. I mean, they weren't too far from the truth. I like to understand other people's points of view. I never once considered my family to be "satan-like demons," but I wouldn't want to argue with my new, potential friend.
ϟ
The next day, I was lucky to have my first class with Draco. I walked to class with Hermione, Ron, and Harry and was able to meet my brother there.
Professor Hagrid addresses the class as we chose a spot in the woods. "Right then. So... so... you've got yer books, an' now yeh need the Magical Creatures. Right. So... I'll... I'll go an' get 'em," he said a bit tentatively. Hagrid turned and disappeared into the trees, leaving the class by ourselves.
As soon as he left, Draco shook his head from beside me and spoke loudly to Crabbe and Goyle, "God, this place is going to the dogs. Wait until my father hears Dumbledore's got this oaf teaching classes." He then laughed and looked at me to join in as well.
I simply shook my head and looked down, staying quiet.
Harry then stepped up to my brother, "Listen, you stupid prat—"
Cutting him off, my brother's eyes suddenly widened in fear as he looked over Harry's head. Draco took a step back and pointed, "Potter, there's a Dementor behind you!" He lied.
Harry jumped out of fear, turned around, and saw nothing. Instantly, all of the Slytherins in the class began to make dementor sounds and broke up laughing. Harry reddened, embarrassed. I rolled my eyes at this whole encounter.
Draco can be such a jerk, I thought to myself.
I went and stood next to Harry and search for his eyes to meet mine. Once they did, it was hard to ignore the butterfly feelings I got from looking at them again.
"Just ignore him," I informed Harry. "I promise you he's... not this bad at home," I tried to lighten the mood a bit. Harry simply stared at me, not saying anything in reply.
Just then, taking us all by surprise, a strange beast emerged from the trees. It has the torso, hind legs, and tail of a horse, but the front legs, wings, and head of a giant eagle. We all stepped back in fear, then Hagrid appeared, shooing the beast on.
"Beautiful, isn't he?" Professor Hagrid asked us with a smile.
No one replied.
The professor continued, "There seems no consensus on this, but the students stare in wary wonder nonetheless. He's a Hippogriff. Now, the first thing you gotta knows is they're proud. Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't ever insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do. Right then—who wants to come and say hello?" He asked all of us.
Harry and I simply stared at the admittedly beautiful beast side by side but didn't raise our hands of course. But, for some reason, we were still called on.
"Well, there's always enough room for two!" Professor Hagrid exclaimed and smiled at Harry and me for some reason.
Harry and I gave Professor Hagrid a strange look and then we looked at each other. We turned around and saw that the entire class had stepped back, leaving Harry and me in front.
I shook my head at our professor and was about to turn around and step back with the rest of the class. I was too afraid of heights to go on that creature. Just as I turned around, I felt Harry grab my wrist to stop me. I froze in place, sinking in the fact that he was actually touching me. I looked up at him and Harry shrugged his shoulders at me.
"You're not gonna make me go alone, are you?" He asked me, almost pleadingly.
When he looked at me with those eyes, he could make me do almost anything he wanted. I shook my head no and Hart nodded at me. He held onto my wrist and lead me towards the creature.
"That's it. Easy now..." Professor Hagrid said as Harry and I slowly approached the beast. "Stop!" He commanded and Harry and I immediately froze in place. "This here's Buckbeak. You want to let him make the first move. It's polite, see?" The Professor said. Harry and I noticed the beast slowly come to us. "Just take a step forward, give him a bow, Harry. And a courtesy for the young lady," The Professor smiled at me. I smiled back and it immediately went away once I looked back at the page beats slowly approaching me. Harry bowed and I curtseyed to the creature. "And if Buckbeak bows back, you're allowed to touch him. Ready?" He asked us.
Unsure, Harry and I nodded anyway. We took another step forward, bowed, and curtseyed. Buckbeak's head cocks, his eagle eyes studying Harry and me cannily.
Professor Hagrid seemed impressed. "Well done, you two! Go on. Give him a pat," The Professor said.
I couldn't move quite yet. I then felt Harry's hand move from my wrist down to my hand. I looked at him and he nodded his head. Tentatively, with his hand holding my own, Harry and I reached out, laid our hands on Buckbeak's fierce beak, Harry's hand on top of mine.
The class clapped from behind us. Harry smiled at me and I smiled back and bit my bottom lip. I looked back at the bird and felt my heart warm as he snuggled up to my palm.
"Look at that! I reckon he might let you ride him!" Professor Hagrid exclaimed.
It took a moment for Harry and me to process what the professor had just said. We then gave him a crazy look and shook our heads.
"What—" Harry was interrupted as Hagrid lifts Harry high, and drops him onto Buckbeak's back. Hagrid then lifted me up by the waist and sat me on the bird's back, behind Harry.
"Mind yeh don't pull any feathers out. He won't like that," Hagrid informed Harry and then turned to me. "Hold on tight, girly," he said and took my hands, wrapping them tightly around Harry's waist.
I gasped as my chest pressed against Harry's back. I felt a deep blush arise on my cheeks and was just about to loosen my grip when Professor Hagrid slapped Buckbeak's hindquarters.
"Off you go!" Our professor shouted.
As Buckbeak galloped forward and into the air, Harry slides scarily back. I gasped and held onto him tighter, not wanting either of us to fall off. Buckbeak's giant wings began to unfold, huge and powerful, and we soared into the air. Rising higher, higher, and higher. Harry turned to look at me slightly and I could barely breathe. I shut my eyes tightly, refusing to look anywhere with them Gradually, Harry loosens his hold on Buckbeak's neck. He began to lose himself in the joy of flying. I, however, liked the feeling of holding on tight for my dear life.
"You scared?" Harry yelled at me over the loud wind rushing past us.
I kept my eyes closed shut as I replied, "A bit." I snuggled my face into Harry's back.
I felt his body shake in my arms as he chuckled. "Don't be," he called to me.
Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked up at him. Harry had turned towards me to look me in my eyes. I suddenly felt myself relax as I looked into his green eyes. I smiled and loosened my grip on him a bit and looked around.
Smiling at the sight of ours and Buckbeak's shadow racing across the grass below, Harry and I both began to enjoy the ride more. We circled over the Whomping Willow, past Hogwarts castle, and then swooping, with heart-stopping speed, over the Black Lake. I laughed as Buckbeak's talons tickled the smooth glass of the water. I watched Harry's and my reflection in the clear water that surrounded Hogwarts
Harry then slowly let his arms loose and held them out. "Whoo-hoo!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.
I laughed and hen took a deep, calming breath, wanting to join him. I let one hand go from Harry's waist and held it in the air. "Whoo-hoo!" I shouted as well.
Harry laughed from in front of me and I smiled. I gasped as I felt myself tip a little towards one side and immediately latched myself onto Harry's body again. He laughed once more and I felt the heat rise in my face from my actions. The ride began to get more calming as we simply soared over the water.
"Why were you avoiding me?" Harry suddenly asked me.
My smile slowly went away and I bit my lip before replying, "Well... Draco's my brother and—"
For some reason this was all I had to say because Harry let out a noise of realization, "Oh, right," he said in understanding.
I giggled and nodded my head, snuggling up to him more.
"Still scared?" He asked me after my actions.
I bit my lip and shook my head, afraid he was going to ask for his personal space back. "No," I replied.
After a short moment of silence, Harry said, "oh."
I realized that his short reply meant that he didn't mind. I tilted my body a bit and peaked my head over his shoulder to be able to get a short glimpse of his face. I saw a huge smile on it and I giggled while shaking my head.
"So, I guess I'll be seeing you at dinner?" He asked.
I smiled and bit my lip excitedly. "Mhm," I replied.
Just then, Buckbeak wheels, beating his way back to the paddock, galloping to a halt. We soon made it back to our class and everyone cheered for us. I waited for Harry to slide off and he helped me down as well. Once I was safely on the ground, I looked up and found myself looking into his eyes again. Harry's arms were still around me and I didn't mind that too much. I then cleared my throat and shook my head, moving from him. I had to force my smile back.
"Good work, Harry!" Professor Hagrid said as he walked over to us ad harry and I jumped apart. He then said under his breath, "how am I doing my first day?" he asked either of us.
I smiled and nodded at him, encouragingly.
"Brilliant... Professor," Harry grinned. He turned to me and smiled and I smiled back and nodded at him.
Just then, I felt a hand roughly grab me by the arm.
"Ow! Draco—" he cut off my cry of pain as he pushed me behind him to get close to Bukbeak.
"Give me a go at that thing. If Potter can do it, it must be easy," Draco snapped and turned towards Buckbeak. "You're not dangerous at all, are you, you great ugly brute—" Draco approached the creature, frightening him.
Professor Hagrid called for his student to stop, "Malfoy! No!"
In a flash, Buckbeak's steely talons slashed down on my brother. Draco froze and we all looked down at the blood blossoming on his robe.
We all watched as my brother cradled on the ground, holding his hurt arm tightly to his chest.
"It's killed me! It's killed me!" He whined. I exhaled and went over to him, leaned down and ran my fingers through his blonde hair.
"Draco, it'll be okay," I assured him.
Professor Hagrid came over and nodded his head in agreement. "It's just a scratch," he said.
Hermione then spoke up, not as calm as us two, however, "Hagrid, he's got to be taken to a hospital!" she exclaimed.
Immediately, the professor nodded his head on high alert now. "Class dismissed!" He exclaimed and I helped Professor Hagrid lift my brother off the ground. I stood up on both feet and watched as he carried my still whining brother away to receive help. And with that, our professor—looking shaken—swoops up Draco, flops him over his shoulder, and lumbers toward the castle.
I turned to Hermione and smiled at her, gratefully. "Thank you," I told her.
She smiled back in reply. I then turned to harry and he was still in shock at what happened. I chuckled and placed some brown hair behind my ear as we looked at one another. "I'm sure he'll be okay once he gets help... I'll see you all during dinner, I hope?" I asked both of them, including Ron in the question. They both nodded their head at me, reassuringly.
"Adelaide! Adelaide, I need you!"
Harry and Hermione couldn't help but laugh. I smiled and rolled my eyes while shaking my head hearing Draco call for me from a distance.
"I'll see you guys later, I guess," I smiled and shrugged my shoulders. "Bye," I waved to them and turned my heel, running to catch up with Hagrid and my brother.