Chapter 11: The New Teacher
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and the gang do not belong to me and I'm not making any profit off of this. So basically, DON'T SUE ME! I'm only a poor 16-year-old who needs to find a job to sustain her hunger of the net!
By the way, Internet Cafe's ROCK! especially those with student discounts. woo hoo! ok.. off topic... here's the story!
~~~~~~
Ginny sat on her bed, clasping her hands on her lap, looking down and feeling foolish. After minutes of Hermione's surprised tirade, Ginny gazed up. From her mouth, words spilled out one over the other.
"I swear, Hermione, I didn't know what came over me... he was just so weird today, you know? All nice and sincere-like. Un-Dra - I mean - Malfoy-like, you know? He was just...weird. I don't know! I swear though, 'Mione, I'm still a devout member to the 'We Hate Malfoy' Club. I totally am! I swear! .... Hermione, why are you looking at me like that?"
Hermione thought about what Ginny was saying and something rang a bit off. The Dungeon Scene was in itself, like what Ginny said, weird, and Malfoy was way off character. The whole 'give me a chance' - Malfoy was all together off, and the smart, intuitive Malfoy of the tour was just... again, weird.
It was just all so off that it seemed... well, true. The way Ginny had described it, defending her slight attraction with the very description of Malfoy's actions gave way to the conclusion that, Ginny might be attracted to him. Hermione decided to test Ginny and took a shot out in the dark.
"You Like Him." Hermione's eyes crinkled at the sight of Ginny's too quick of a response. Ginny's hair flipped up in startlement.
"No! I swear!" Ginny looked up at Hermione, saying the words a little bit too fast.
Hermione smiled, thinking that a little teasing was in order. She backed away slowly, eyes narrowed.
"Yes, you do. You are attracted to him in some 'weird' backward way. That whole entire 'badboy' image thing, isn't it?"
"Hermione! No! I Like Harry! I can't like Draco!- I mean Malfoy." Ginny was frantic now. She stood up, thinking that it might, just might, convince Hermione and herself that it wasn't true. Her eyes held a wide look, trying to avoid the slap of truth Hermione was tossing at her face.
"Oh yes you do! I mean, why else would you have given Mina the message to pass along, eh? And what's with the first name basis? Admit it, Ginny." With a sing-song voice, Hermione wagged her finger at Ginny and tauntingly danced around the room," You - Like - Draco, You-Like-Draco...."
Ginny tackled down Hermione. Hermione giggled and Ginny, trying her hardest not to but failing, joined her. After a few seconds, they both laid on their backs on the floor, gasping for breath and giggling.
Hermione decided to talk.
"Ok, Admit it Now, Ginny. Malfoy's Sexy. Say it. Come on, I'm admitting it. Now it's your turn."
"You think Draco's sexy?! What's the world coming to! Ha! Oh Hermione, you like, totally just made my day."
"Oh stop with the muggle-valley girl talk. Why did you think I tried to understand Malfoy in the first place? For the good of all kind? um, NOT. My wishful thinking that maybe Malfoy had a chance at redemption, or something close to it, was my motivation."
Ginny sat up from the floor and glanced down at Hermione. After a second, Ginny a bit flippantly, looked off somewhere else.
"Well, yeah, I think Draco is pretty sexy. I think it has to do with his eyes, you know. He has the seductive look going on, like he knows exactly what you want. And his face, they are just damn carnal, the very image of a fallen angel, an angel that is willing to give you a little piece of heaven right there --"
"Geez, Ginny! No need to get all poetic about it! What the hell was that!? Carnal? Read trashy romance novels much?"
"Trashy romance novels? You're my supplier, Hermione! You shouldn't talk!."
Hermione stuck out her tongue and made a funny face. Ginny giggled and stood up.
"Come on. I wanna check out what the guys have been doing."
Hermione, being reminded of Harry, briefly winced. The whole day had been about avoidance of 'The Issue'. Very annoying to do when it's your best friend.
"Hermione?"
"Yeah, I'm coming." Hermione picked herself up, dusting here and there to avoid eye with Ginny.
A waiting silence and Ginny let the bomb drop.
"You like Harry, don't you."
Hermione looked at Ginny in horror at being found out. Ginny just smiled back.
"You're not the only perceptive person here you know. I saw you two this morning. I could have cut the tension between the two of you with a knife."
Hermione sensed defeat but she felt relief because now, she could talk to someone about ... this infatuation she has with Harry. It could be talked about in the open and not buried where it can be left to build and simmer. Looking at Ginny, Hermione said the first thing she saw in her mind about the whole situation.
"I don't know what to think, Ginny."
Ginny looked back at Hermione with a sad smile.
"He likes you too, babe."
"What? How do You know that?"
"I can just tell." Ginny shrugged.
Hermione and Ginny walked past the empty common room. They were pretty sure everyone was headed for the Dining Hall. It was nearing noon.
"Wow. Are you sure you're not psychic or something?" or mad.
"No, not psychic because if I was, I wouldn't be confused with the Draco issue."
"Are you mad?"
"No, not mad. Just a little sad. I'm never going to have Harry to me, you know? I've always known, sorta. I'm not... his type. He likes the girls he doesn't have to save from the big bad you know. And you're pretty to boot. Besides, I never had a chance."
"Oh, don't say that. You have plenty of chances. I mean, maybe Harry is just ... well.. I don't know. He might be my best friend but when it comes to guy stuff like that? I'm at a loss. I mean, I can only handle so much and plus those two?" Hermione said, referring to the troublesome twosome.
Ginny laughed as Hermione told stories of the adventures the guys had planned out before. Ginny knew all of this of course, she heard it a million times at home and drank up every word spoken of Harry. But coming out of Hermione, it was much fuller, and definitely ten times more hilarious. Hermione had a dry tone of humor. It was obvious that she didn't mind saving the guys at ALL their adventures because, at the end, it was her that saved the day and that's how she wanted it. They needed her. She was the 'brains of the operation', as they say in muggle terms, and she loved every minute of it.
The more and more Ginny laughed, the more she noticed how she wasn't really needed. Even if she became part of the Trio (it maybe won't be called a Trio. Quartet maybe?) she wouldn't have as much of an importance as the original three. It's one of those things that happen. You had to be there at the beginning. It was just part of life.
The doors stood in front of them and the two girls became painfully aware of their appearance. The laughing they did didn't help much in the matters of clothing and hair. The make-up they applied was almost gone, and they just didn't feel up to meeting certain people. But, with the wands Witches never leave at home, the tidied themselves right up, taking time to confer with the other.
"Okay, let's go." Ginny said.
~~~~~~~
Draco was seated next to Mina when the Dining Hall doors opened. He saw Ginny and smiled. He had seen her earlier today but it was still quite a shock to see her after their compromise in the dungeon.
She had said yes.
And had passed along a message.
Draco's day had never been better. If it was any other girl that did this for him, it wouldn't have fazed him any. He was a good-looking guy. He had admitted that to himself a long time ago. He was also backed with money and had the whole prestige package. Draco was honest with himself and knew exactly what others saw of him.
But it was different with Ginny. Ginny should be hating him. Actually she didn't like him that much but... she was getting there. Also, Ginny fought back. Word for word, look for look. She didn't care if he had money or not. Actually, she HATED him because of what he did have. Or, to be more accurate, what he had too much of.
If his father even had a suspicion about his attraction to the Weasley or even having something resembling of a decent conversation with one, his father would have a fit and made sure he was punished severely and accordingly.
Draco didn't even know why that didn't come to his mind in the dungeon. Basically, this date was a suicide mission. If anything else, it was a sure fire way of getting his bum black and blue. Or maybe even a Crucio for the winter.
But maybe, it would be worth it. He didn't have to come home during the winter. He could make up an excuse and surely ask Snape to give him detention over the winter break. Surprisingly, Snape would probably allow that. Snape's been pretty lenient toward him since having that talked last year.
Snape and himself had a mutual hate and some 'father-son' bonding (or something similar to it).
Draco remembered, coming home early during a winter break. It was a week earlier and he was able to get away with his mother's help. He had been whipped lashed within an inch from feinting and he didn't feint because his mother had been watching. She might have been drunk, but she was lucid enough to understand that it was bad and that he needed to get out of the house right quick. After having sufficient bed rest, he found himself packed up and with his mother's house elf, not the one loyal to the Malfoys but an elf loyal only to Narissa. Rushed into a fireplace temporarily connected to the Floo network, he needed only to say "Slytherin Rooms" the elf said, and he was there. Snape was waiting for him. They had some man to man talk and it was... refreshingly different. Draco no longer felt that he had a noose with Snape's name on it in his hand. It was just something different.
When school started up again, it was back to the same act but it was definitely a front, or that's how if felt to Draco.
"Hello. Mr. Malfoy, don't you think staring is a bit rude?" Draco snapped out of his thoughts and splashed into reality.
"eh, huh?"
Mina rolled her eyes. "I have a feeling from between here and the rooms, you had somehow dropped your brains or switched it with Crabbe ... or Goyle." The two other parties in the sentence both looked up from their plates, a complete blank on their faces. Mina rolled her eyes and focused back on Draco.
"Oh. Staring. Right. Um. Not Staring. Thinking. Thinking is Good. Thinking is Reflecting. I like thinking."
"Definitely going for the 'Dropped the Brain' Theory here."
"Yes, well. I'm tired. I usually sleep until noon you know. I'm really waking up at the manor right now. I had a sweet deal back home. Really I did. This, this is such a waste of time." Draco tried to steer the convo away from the previous subject. Too many people.
"Yes, sure. Whatever you say. Dear. Definitely having a talk with you later. Now, what's the plan for the next, oh, two days? No school you know."
"My, aren't you just chipper today. I mean, I've just known you a day but I'm pretty sure that you're usually a more broody, more intense person than you are now. What happened? The silly Weasly takin' a likin' to you because, I can tell you this much. You need be only a female and walk with your two hind legs to get his attention."
"What about you Albino-boy and your happy dance, eh? And that dozing off to La-La land because of g-" Mina winced as she felt a hard nudge from under the table. Reaching down to rub it, she glared at Draco. Draco's met hers with equal ire. They both laughed.
"Not fair. Should have let me finished. It would have been good."
"And what? Let you have a shot at my manly manly pride? I think not."
"Of course, YOU'RE manly pride is in jeopardy but how about my womanly dignity? Couldn't we be fair and equal the playing field here?"
"Hey, I'm a Malfoy. I'm never fair. Ask Potter." Everyone at the table laughed. All and sunder heard the banter and was entertained. Mina was surprised. That many people were listening to the conversation? Why? And then she remembered the social ladder that now had the two girls that attacked her on the lower rungs. Draco was head honcho and she was his, now, right-hand woman. Not his slut, because they were clearly marked with the blinding white streaks in their hair (that was supposedly a mark of their devotion), but something more of an equal.
Mina noticed all of the pageantry and was amused. She wasn't used to anything like this. Her First School was somewhat similar but it was down in the elementary level that she really didn't fully realize it until now.
It was funny how simply she had slipped into the two groups. Both enemies and yet, she was able to make the right sort of friends fast. It was all so easy that it nagged at the back of her mind, its dark presence hovering.
Pushing that away, Mina concentrated on the conversation.
"Okay fine. For now, Malfoy 1 and Yui 0. We're keeping scores now." Mina held her hands out and indicated which hand was which. As all the commotion was going on, no one noticed Professor Snape look oddly at the table. He was looking oddly because usually, when the Slytherin Table was having fun, it was usually by someone's expense. This humor found in something intelligent like verbal banter was different and signs of something actually good. Surprisingly, it came from Malfoy and the new student, Yui.
Yui. Ms. Minako Yui. In less than a day, she had managed to befriend Gryffindors as well as charm the Slytherin. Snape couldn't get anymore curious.
Snape studied his table some more but had his thoughts interrupted with a distinct throat clearing from Prof. Dumbledore.
Another announcement? Already?
Professor Dumbledore stood at the podium a second time that day. The noon day sun shone through the windows and framed him in light. He was a picture of safety, warmth, and love.
"Well, students of Hogwarts, it seems that my announcement from this morning is to be retracted. In fact, we now have a Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher and will be arriving shortly. It also seems that this morning's announcement was overtly unnecessary because I had just received the owl late. It was in fact lost. [pause, laughter from students]So, due to the change in plans, we no longer have a need of extend classes. Thank You and continue on with your noon day meal."
Minako couldn't eat a bite. There was a teacher? Already? But how about her sister? She wouldn't receive it until later in the afternoon. The plan would be lost and she would be in danger when she came out of hiding. Mina had to think quick. She needed to get a message to her sister quick.
Draco watched a myriad of emotions flit through Minako's face. Dominantly it was worry.
"Mina, you alright? I'm pretty sure the DADA won't be that horrible. Can't have anything worse than that Lupin, or that other one, during my second year... the man-floozy guy...ah, I forgot but you know what I mean. Mina?"
"Hey, I'll see you in a bit. I have to go. Things to do. I'll see you and tell Ginny I said hey."
And like that Mina got up and briskly walked away from the table, away from Draco.
Draco was puzzled. He wasn't joking when he said that he expected more brooding from her but that was just too much. It worried him to see that something that serious was going on. Did she maybe work for Voldemort? Or, maybe, worked for his father?
Nah. She was too smart to get into that. Even Draco knew how futile it was to join with Voldemort. So what if he had his powers back and can touch the Potter kid? There were too many other talented White Hats out there. World Domination is virtually impossible. Maybe you can acquire wealth and status and power, but anything else? You need some strong magic that no one else can handle, or better yet, know of. That was the key.
Draco wasn't dumb. He knew wizard Politics because his father thrived in it. Draco didn't have a choice. It was either learn through osmosis and not know how he knew? Or to study it, master the way it works, then use the knowledge mercilessly. When he was of age, of course.
He wasn't going to pretend that he was righteous and not dabble in the politics of things due to morals. Draco knew that, if the world was to be kept balanced, someone from the good had to keep the dueling corner of GOOD against the bad. It was simple math that some refused to see. Politics will always be there and both sides will always fight.
He had no problem with muggles, of course. Just with one and its only because she was too damned smart. And he knew that it was her weakness and it was an easy target.
Never leave yourself open, Malfoy Rule #2.
Never let anyone see you hurt, Malfoy Rule #1
And that's How to be a Malfoy 101 for you.
Draco shook his head at the turn of his thoughts. He needed to get out of the hall.
~~
Outside the Gates of Hogwarts, a tall brunette stood. She held an attache case on her left and an umbrella on her right. A wide brimed had protected her face from the noon sun and stingy wind. Her familiar growled beside her, his yellow eyes tired and irritated at the cumbersome journey in a car. She reached down and patted its head in rough affection.
"This is our home for now, Darling. It's safe."
Her robe was one of leather and was close fit. Its supple material billowed behind her as she waited.
A man in blue walked up to the gate, a twinkle in his eye that reminded Hanako of a winter tale of long ago. The gates swung open at his approach, his hand outstrectch in greeting.
"Ah, yes, Professor Thatcher. I'm Professor Dumbledore. Welcome to Hogwarts. How good it is to see you and at such an importune time! I'm very glad that you could make. I don't see you're owl with you, I hope it isn't lost again?"
Nodding and taking his hand in greeting, She answered.
"It will find me eventually. It has yet gotten used to this area."
"Oh yes, where are you from again? I didn't have a chance to peruse your missive this morning."
The tall brunette with a hint of slanting eyes looked up from beneath her hat. Hazel Eyes met blue.
"I'm from China, sir. China."
A/N: OH GOD. I had to pry THIS one from my brain. It was a horrible arm wrestling match between me and the noggin' I tell you. Plus my recent obsession with Buffy the Vampire Slayer? It's been hard to concentrate. So here. I promise that I'll finish this before I start my Buffy epic AU. Okay? Alright. Well here it is. Chapter Eleven. Whatta yah think?
Review now please!
It'll make me feel better. I swear.
-Asia