Chapter 3: All in the Badge
A/N: still not many reviews, but maybe if I WRITE MORE CHAPTERS people will review! Still waiting on my beta, Keara Jordan, I hope she accepts!
I've realized that it is easier to write about Hermione than it is to write about Draco. All we really know about him is that he is a sniveling, whiny, and extremely hot little prat.
Disclaimer: Okay, no catchy clever disclaimer here. The brilliant J.K. Rowling owns the characters, I only own the plot. Doesn't that bite? Yeah, It does.
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The trains whistle blew, startling Ron, who had fallen asleep and began to drool on his faded robes. As he opened his eyes, he saw Hermione sitting in the corner of the compartment, feverishly polishing her silver prefect badge. A bead of sweat formed underneath her windblown and now tangled bangs. Harry was sitting on the other end of the bench, reading "Quidditch Through the Ages" for what Hermione and Ron figured was about the ten thousandth time.
The Hogwarts express barreled through the English countryside as Draco Malfoy made his way through its corridor. Crabbe and Goyle were at his side. He was rather relieved to have someone by his side, even if they were thick and fake. He suddenly saw the Head Boy, Alberic Cauldwell, a Slytherin. He strode swiftly towards Malfoy.
"Mister Malfoy, Professor McGonagall sent me an owl just now, requesting I seek you out to inform you of a very important matter," Cauldwell said regally. For a slytherin, he seemed to have a rather big head about himself. He reminded Draco of someone, but couldn't put his finger on it.
"And that matter would be...what?" Draco drawled. He was already bored with the conversation. Whatever that woman wanted to talk to him about could wait until he got there, couldn't it? Cauldwell pulled a silver and green velvet pouch out of his robes and held it out to Malfoy with a scroll tied to the green tassel on the top. Draco took it delicately. "What is this?" he asked, now suddenly interested. This looked expensive, and important.
"A prefect badge," Cauldwell said bluntly. "McGonagall said in the letter she sent me that she hadn't time to send the Slytherin badges to the prefects, secret business to attend to. She told me to hand them out. Pansy is your female counterpart." Malfoy rolled his eyes. Pansy Parkinson had a major crush on him. He liked her, but she never gave him a moments peace. Draco slipped the sleek silver badge out of its pouch and examined it carefully. He was impressed, there was not a scratch on it and it gleamed in the sunlight. He pinned it carefully on his robes, making sure it was on straight.
"Great," said Malfoy, now in an equally regal tone. "See you around then, I guess." Cauldwell turned on a heel and 'glided' out of the car. Malfoy turned around to see Crabbe and Goyle staring stupidly at the shiny object pinned to their leader. "Keep walking jugheads," Malfoy groaned.
At the same time, Hermione decided to walk with Harry to find the snack trolley. It was past lunchtime, and Ron had become so hungry he gave up and ate the food Mrs. Weasley had packed for him. Needless to say, he no longer had too much of an appetite. When they reached the end of their car, Harry held the door for Hermione so she could pass over the break into the other car. However, Hermione was unable to cross, because a boy with silver- blonde hair and a gleaming prefects badge stood on the other side. Hermione gasped. Malfoy, looking a little startled, collected himself and put on a sly grin. His eyes narrowed.
"I would move out of the way Granger, if I were you," Malfoy sneered.
"However, I am not, and thankfully for that, sod off Malfoy," Hermione replied in an equally malicious tone. Her eyes narrowed. She couldn't let him know that she was afraid. In all reality, her heart was pounding.
"Perfectly fine, just let me by, and I will be rid of fake filthy vermin such as yourself," Malfoy's face contorted into a cruel smile and he chuckled under his breath in such a way that it sounded like a low growl. Harry emerged from behind the door, wand drawn. A look of extreme hatred flooded over Harry's face as he glared daggers from behind his glasses. Draco drew his wand as well.
"No! Harry, that's quite enough. He isn't worth the trouble you would be getting yourself into, just forget it." Hermione stepped out onto the crossing platform between the cars and tried to pass between Malfoy and Crabbe. Suddenly, Hermione lost her footing on some slick metal and fell to the side. She thought for sure she would fall off of the platform and onto the bare tracks, but a strong arm pulled her back and held her close. 'Oh no...' she thought. She had both her eyes closed even when she knew she was safely upright again. Eventually she realized that she was trembling. Strong arms held her close to an equally strong body.
"Shh, you are alright, don't worry," Said the voice she now recognized as Harry's. She sighed with relief. She wasn't in Malfoy's arms. "Malfoy you prat you could have killed her!" Harry clutched his wand threateningly. Hermione opened her eyes and noticed that his knuckles were going white, clutched around his wand as if his life was depending on it.
"Oh, oops. Clumsy clumsy me," Malfoy drawled sarcastically. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry let go of Hermione and stepped in front of her.
"Move. Now," growled Harry. His eyes glittered like a fire place lit with floo powder. Hermione was completely shocked. Sure Harry was her friend, and he had always stuck up for her, but never like this. Harry had never had such hatred in his eyes, not that Hermione had seen anyway. Malfoy, finally looking bored and cold out on the barreling platform, pushed past Hermione and Harry, Crabbe and Goyle in his wake.
Once Harry closed the door, he turned around and leaned against it. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. When he opened his eyes, he saw Hermione staring at him with a curious expression. "What? I wasn't about to let that git throw you off the train and live to laugh about it! What kind of friend would I be?" He finished with a smile. His eyes glittered again. Hermione couldn't help but smile. She ran a hand through her extremely tangled hair and chuckled.
"One of the best Harry, one of the best," suddenly, she kissed him lightly on the cheek and blushed. Harry blushed a little too, but no one could really tell due to the cold in his face, mixed with his former rage. When Harry came to his senses, Hermione was bustling down the corridor towards the front compartment. Harry walked briskly towards Hermione's destination as well. Peering into the compartment, a familiar, warm voice, followed by the scent of various sweets and fruit juices greeted them.
"Anything off the trolley dears? Not too much though, you will be arriving at Hogsmeade station soon," Said the woman. Harry and Hermione grinned.
"What's going on in here?" Ron said. He had appeared behind Harry and Hermione, clutching each of their shoulders. They shivered as Ron's hands brushed against their necks. "I just walked past Malfoy and his goon squad and he looks all full of himself as usual," Ron stated, matter-of-factly.
"Typical Malfoy," Harry said, glancing at Hermione. They both smiled.
~*~*~*~*~
A/N- Well, despite the fact that I've gotten ONE review since my last update (Thank you IceBlueEyes (sp?) for your kind note) I've been itching to put this down on paper. PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I would love to hear what you think of my fic! Oh... looks like Harry has got a thing for Hermione, but even due to past events, does she like him as well? Remember, things aren't always as they seem.... LOL!
REVIEW!!!!
A/N: still not many reviews, but maybe if I WRITE MORE CHAPTERS people will review! Still waiting on my beta, Keara Jordan, I hope she accepts!
I've realized that it is easier to write about Hermione than it is to write about Draco. All we really know about him is that he is a sniveling, whiny, and extremely hot little prat.
Disclaimer: Okay, no catchy clever disclaimer here. The brilliant J.K. Rowling owns the characters, I only own the plot. Doesn't that bite? Yeah, It does.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The trains whistle blew, startling Ron, who had fallen asleep and began to drool on his faded robes. As he opened his eyes, he saw Hermione sitting in the corner of the compartment, feverishly polishing her silver prefect badge. A bead of sweat formed underneath her windblown and now tangled bangs. Harry was sitting on the other end of the bench, reading "Quidditch Through the Ages" for what Hermione and Ron figured was about the ten thousandth time.
The Hogwarts express barreled through the English countryside as Draco Malfoy made his way through its corridor. Crabbe and Goyle were at his side. He was rather relieved to have someone by his side, even if they were thick and fake. He suddenly saw the Head Boy, Alberic Cauldwell, a Slytherin. He strode swiftly towards Malfoy.
"Mister Malfoy, Professor McGonagall sent me an owl just now, requesting I seek you out to inform you of a very important matter," Cauldwell said regally. For a slytherin, he seemed to have a rather big head about himself. He reminded Draco of someone, but couldn't put his finger on it.
"And that matter would be...what?" Draco drawled. He was already bored with the conversation. Whatever that woman wanted to talk to him about could wait until he got there, couldn't it? Cauldwell pulled a silver and green velvet pouch out of his robes and held it out to Malfoy with a scroll tied to the green tassel on the top. Draco took it delicately. "What is this?" he asked, now suddenly interested. This looked expensive, and important.
"A prefect badge," Cauldwell said bluntly. "McGonagall said in the letter she sent me that she hadn't time to send the Slytherin badges to the prefects, secret business to attend to. She told me to hand them out. Pansy is your female counterpart." Malfoy rolled his eyes. Pansy Parkinson had a major crush on him. He liked her, but she never gave him a moments peace. Draco slipped the sleek silver badge out of its pouch and examined it carefully. He was impressed, there was not a scratch on it and it gleamed in the sunlight. He pinned it carefully on his robes, making sure it was on straight.
"Great," said Malfoy, now in an equally regal tone. "See you around then, I guess." Cauldwell turned on a heel and 'glided' out of the car. Malfoy turned around to see Crabbe and Goyle staring stupidly at the shiny object pinned to their leader. "Keep walking jugheads," Malfoy groaned.
At the same time, Hermione decided to walk with Harry to find the snack trolley. It was past lunchtime, and Ron had become so hungry he gave up and ate the food Mrs. Weasley had packed for him. Needless to say, he no longer had too much of an appetite. When they reached the end of their car, Harry held the door for Hermione so she could pass over the break into the other car. However, Hermione was unable to cross, because a boy with silver- blonde hair and a gleaming prefects badge stood on the other side. Hermione gasped. Malfoy, looking a little startled, collected himself and put on a sly grin. His eyes narrowed.
"I would move out of the way Granger, if I were you," Malfoy sneered.
"However, I am not, and thankfully for that, sod off Malfoy," Hermione replied in an equally malicious tone. Her eyes narrowed. She couldn't let him know that she was afraid. In all reality, her heart was pounding.
"Perfectly fine, just let me by, and I will be rid of fake filthy vermin such as yourself," Malfoy's face contorted into a cruel smile and he chuckled under his breath in such a way that it sounded like a low growl. Harry emerged from behind the door, wand drawn. A look of extreme hatred flooded over Harry's face as he glared daggers from behind his glasses. Draco drew his wand as well.
"No! Harry, that's quite enough. He isn't worth the trouble you would be getting yourself into, just forget it." Hermione stepped out onto the crossing platform between the cars and tried to pass between Malfoy and Crabbe. Suddenly, Hermione lost her footing on some slick metal and fell to the side. She thought for sure she would fall off of the platform and onto the bare tracks, but a strong arm pulled her back and held her close. 'Oh no...' she thought. She had both her eyes closed even when she knew she was safely upright again. Eventually she realized that she was trembling. Strong arms held her close to an equally strong body.
"Shh, you are alright, don't worry," Said the voice she now recognized as Harry's. She sighed with relief. She wasn't in Malfoy's arms. "Malfoy you prat you could have killed her!" Harry clutched his wand threateningly. Hermione opened her eyes and noticed that his knuckles were going white, clutched around his wand as if his life was depending on it.
"Oh, oops. Clumsy clumsy me," Malfoy drawled sarcastically. Crabbe and Goyle chuckled. Harry let go of Hermione and stepped in front of her.
"Move. Now," growled Harry. His eyes glittered like a fire place lit with floo powder. Hermione was completely shocked. Sure Harry was her friend, and he had always stuck up for her, but never like this. Harry had never had such hatred in his eyes, not that Hermione had seen anyway. Malfoy, finally looking bored and cold out on the barreling platform, pushed past Hermione and Harry, Crabbe and Goyle in his wake.
Once Harry closed the door, he turned around and leaned against it. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh. When he opened his eyes, he saw Hermione staring at him with a curious expression. "What? I wasn't about to let that git throw you off the train and live to laugh about it! What kind of friend would I be?" He finished with a smile. His eyes glittered again. Hermione couldn't help but smile. She ran a hand through her extremely tangled hair and chuckled.
"One of the best Harry, one of the best," suddenly, she kissed him lightly on the cheek and blushed. Harry blushed a little too, but no one could really tell due to the cold in his face, mixed with his former rage. When Harry came to his senses, Hermione was bustling down the corridor towards the front compartment. Harry walked briskly towards Hermione's destination as well. Peering into the compartment, a familiar, warm voice, followed by the scent of various sweets and fruit juices greeted them.
"Anything off the trolley dears? Not too much though, you will be arriving at Hogsmeade station soon," Said the woman. Harry and Hermione grinned.
"What's going on in here?" Ron said. He had appeared behind Harry and Hermione, clutching each of their shoulders. They shivered as Ron's hands brushed against their necks. "I just walked past Malfoy and his goon squad and he looks all full of himself as usual," Ron stated, matter-of-factly.
"Typical Malfoy," Harry said, glancing at Hermione. They both smiled.
~*~*~*~*~
A/N- Well, despite the fact that I've gotten ONE review since my last update (Thank you IceBlueEyes (sp?) for your kind note) I've been itching to put this down on paper. PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW! I would love to hear what you think of my fic! Oh... looks like Harry has got a thing for Hermione, but even due to past events, does she like him as well? Remember, things aren't always as they seem.... LOL!
REVIEW!!!!