AN: Sadly chapter 4 is kind of fluffy. I really do try to avoid it, but sometimes one must surrender to the fluff god. This is really the first time we get into even semi-obvious slash, so please don't be closed minded while you're reading this. Oh and there's good stuff for all the RW/HG shippers out there, myself included. Thanks a bunch and a half to my beta readers! Anyone else who wants to volunteer is welcome. Please read and review. Enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of J.K.Rowling's WONDERFUL creations and I am sincerely sorry about the butchering that they receive at my hands.
Parlance of the Serpent
Chapter 4
"Harry!"
Harry Potter turned away from his book to see Hermione Granger staggering along the hallway under the weight of her school things. Jumping up to help her, he grabbed a book bag and one end of her huge trunk. He led the way into a room across the hall from his. When the two of them had set down the bags and caught their breath, Hermione gave Harry a big hug.
"Harry," she finally let go and sat on the bed. "It's so wonderful to see you. Oh I just can't wait until the Weasleys get here."
"Right. Thanks a lot for starting about your love life as soon as you get here," Harry faked a dramatic pout. "Don't even mention me while you're at it."
"Oh Harry," Hermione blushed. "You know how glad I am to see you. I didn't think you were upset about Ron and I. And I never meant to"
"'Mione, it gets you every time" Harry laughed and sat down beside her. "I'm just joking. And besides you know I love it that you and Ron are so happy together."
"Glad to hear it. What I meant was that I'm looking forward to giving Mr. and Mrs. Weasley their anniversary presents."
"I am too."
Hermione put the key to her room on a small table by the bed. Looking at the number, a misty smile went across her face. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Oh no. I can just imagine a whole year of Hogwarts around you two lovebirds. Awful the both of you. What is it this time?"
"Oh It's just the room number," Hermione's blush returned. "Ron's lucky number is 15."
"I should've known." A mischievous smile made Harry's eyes shine. "Well be that as it may, Ron and I have one room and you have another. You many not have Ron over here every night or I'll never talk to you again."
"Harry!"
"Harry!"
Harry and Hermione looked to the door where a breathless Ron was swiftly turning a dark crimson. Harry laughed and walked over to slap his friend on the back. Ron was even shyer about relationships than Hermione. As he realised that Harry had been joking his face returned to its normal be-freckled shade.
"Hello Ron."
Hermione strode over to Ron and stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. Ron's ears started turning pink again, but this time with pleasure. He grinned foolishly down at his girlfriend as Harry rolled his eyes.
"Well as charming as you two are together," Harry said loudly, trying to get Ron's attention. "Ron and I have to get his things into our room. And there is that little matter of Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's present."
Ron and Hermione stepped apart. Ron and Harry both bent to carry Ron's trunk into the boy's room. Hermione followed them and sat on one of the beds as Ron began to unpack. She waved her wand and a piece of parchment and a quill flew towards her. With a concentrated look on her face she read off the school supplies they would each need to buy.
"Alright we each need a list of school books that should be relatively the same, except Ron isn't taking Care of Magical Creatures, Ron and I aren't taking Defence Against the Dark Arts, I'm not taking Herbology, and you two aren't taking Advanced Arithmancy or Spelling."
"'Mione, why are you taking Spelling?" Ron raised an eyebrow and stopped folding his dark blue dress robe. "Your writing's perfect."
"Silly," she reached out and tweaked Ron's long nose. "It's not regular writing. It's spell-writing. Like what I did during the war."
Ron and Harry's faces fell and Hermione bit her lip. She had been safe in a hidden Ministry of Magic office all throughout the war, but her two best friends had been out on the field. She knew from the look they always got when the war was mentioned that they had seen and done things she couldn't even begin to imagine. She wished they would talk to her about it, but she knew that they never talked of their service, even to each other. Silently reprimanding herself, she cleared her throat and gave a falsely bright smile.
"As far as supplies go, we have most of those. Now all that's left is a present for Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Do either of you have any ideas?"
"Not a one," said Ron, shaking off his sombre mood. "Harry?"
"I don't know," Harry laughed as he caught sight of Hermione scribbling franticly across her parchment. "I think we'd better let 'Mione deal with this one. It looks like she's got the gifts already picked out without us."
"Oh well," Hermione's cheeks turned slightly pink. "It's just a few ideas. Perhaps we should make our way to Gringotts now if we want to be done by the time Ron's mum and dad arrive."
The three friends locked up their rooms and went out the back of the Leaky Cauldron to the brick-walled courtyard. Harry tapped the appropriate brick three times and the wall dissolved to reveal the twisting cobbled street of Diagon Alley. Harry walked through the arch, closely followed by Ron and Hermione, but had to jump back again as the Knight Bus popped into sight right in front of him. The familiar figure of Stan Shunpike jumped out of the bus and held open the door. Catching sight of Harry, he grinned and waved.
"'Ullo 'Arry! Come to do yer shopin' 'ave you?"
Before Harry could reply, Stan turned back to the bus and the people who were beginning to stream out of it. As witches and wizards, most showing slight signs of motion sickness, left the bus, Harry and his friends stood respectfully to the side, waiting for the bus to clear their pathway. As they waited, the last person came out of the bus carrying his trunk backwards down the steps. Harry watched appreciatively as muscles rippled under the stranger's silver shirtsleeves and sunlight glinted off his pale blond hair, pulled back in a short ponytail. Stan jumped back into the bus and it popped out of sight again. As the stranger bent over to check the lock on his trunk, Hermione brushed off her robes decisively.
"Well, now we can get to work."
The stranger stood up abruptly and turned around. Harry's heart stopped for a moment and he heard his companions gasp. Without looking at each other, he and Hermione grabbed Ron's shoulders simultaneously to hold him back in case they needed to. Harry took a deep breath and broke the uncomfortable silence.
"Hello Malfoy."
Draco Malfoy looked down at Harry from his superior height. His eyes flickered towards Ron and Hermione, his face impassive.
"Potter," he said civilly with a slight inclination of his head.
"Look Malfoy," Ron said loudly. "We don't want your type around here, so just sod off!"
"My mistake Weasley." Malfoy smirked as he saw Hermione's hand tighten on her boyfriend's shoulder. "Last time I was here this was a free place. I suppose you and your family must have bought it since then with I suppose you have one of your many siblings behind the bar?"
"That's enough both of you."
Harry stepped in front of his best friend to shield him from Malfoy's taunts, and to shield Malfoy from Ron's inevitable attack. Not pausing to wonder over Malfoy's slight hesitation, he met and held the other wizard's eyes. Looking into Malfoy's perfect face, he had to remind himself that this was his rival and he should ignore the other young man's near perfection. The air between the wizards was tense and momentarily filled with an uncomfortable energy. Harry clenched his teeth and beckoned to Ron and Hermione over his shoulder. The three companions walked away, Ron being slightly propelled by the other two.
"When I get my hands on him" Ron muttered.
Harry strode along next to his friends with a firm and steady gait. Although he desperately wanted to, he didn't look back. He could still feel Malfoy's eyes on him as they turned a corner towards Gringotts.