A/N: I will be going to Germany from the 14th to the 25th of November, so I'm trying to get as many chapters churned out as possible until that time. So I hope that this chapter satisfies those of you who can't wait to find out what happens.
Yasmin: Thank you SO much for reviewing! You keep my hopes up that people who DON'T REVIEW still enjoy to read what I write. Although I hate reading cliffhangers, I do so enjoy writing them, but I am updating this so that you aren't left hanging (maybe). :-D By the way, I like Snape too, just to let you know ;)
So, without further babbling by me, here comes (dum dum dum) the next chapter.
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Chapter 4 -- Trouble With Tribbles
Hermione returned to her room pondering the meaning of Lucius Malfoy's words, "Keep cool, Lucius." She was positive she had actually heard him say that, but what she wasn't sure of was WHY he had said it. She was an unattractive "Mudblood" who had constantly ruined Lucius' son's chances at being the star student of Hogwarts. Yet, she felt, somewhere deep inside her, that he didn't necessarily see her as such anymore. She realized that nothing could actually ever happen, but she could dream. And so, she did.
The next morning, she awoke feeling very satisfied. The reason? Well, she had Professor Malfoy as a teacher first thing in the morning. And, while many students dreaded having Malfoy's block right after breakfast, Hermione kind of enjoyed it. She dressed quickly and hurried down to breakfast.
When she got to the Great Hall, there was some sort of commotion going on inside. She couldn't push past all the people enough to see what was going on, but it seemed that there was some sort of heated debate going on. She could hear yelling voices, and, to her surprise, one of them sounded like her dear Professor Malfoy's voice.
"Albus, you KNOW for a fact that these students should not be eating this ... slop right before my class!"
Hermione could faintly hear Dumbledore's calm reply. "Professor Malfoy," he said, emphasizing the Professor, "This food has been prepared to the best of the house elves ability, and it is perfectly edible."
Hermione could imagine Lucius' face as he yelled back, "This so-called food is made with pumpkin, which completely demeans the point of me teaching my students about the borus today! You know that the pumpkin withers this beast, and you also should have known that even the SMELL of pumpkin will kill it! I have a borus in my room at this very moment, and there is no point in me having class now with all these children eating PUMPKIN!"
Hermione had pushed her way through the crowd and now could see perfectly the fight that was going on at the Head table. The two professors were standing up, and Lucius had a beet-red face, while Dumbledore looked infinitely calm. Dumbledore apologized, and said that the elves had not been aware of this fact, and that perhaps he could move the class to the end of the day, just for today, so that by the time that the class bagan, the dreaded pumpkin smell would be gone. Lucius didn't look happy with this solution, but he accepted.
Feeling very disappointed, Hermione sat down to eat. Harry was missing, she noted with some interest. He almost never missed meals. She saw Ron walk in, and when he saw her he nodded to her and sat down next to her.
"Hey Ron," she said, "D'you know where Harry is?"
She had unfortunately asked this question of him right when he had a mouthful of pumpkin bread, and he had the disgusting habit of talking with his mouth full. "Mmmmdddnnnnno," he said, spewing bread all over Hermione's front. She looked blankly, and disgustedly, at him, and he swallowed hurriedly. "I dunno," he said again, "And frankly, I don't give a damn. He's been a real asshole lately."
Hermione quickly looked down at her plate. She knew why Harry seemed so distant toward Ron, and she didn't want to give it away. But, he must have noticed, for once, her change in posture, because he asked, "Hey, d'you know why, 'mione?"
She hurriedly shook her head no, but that too gave it away. Ron glared at her and began to pester her.
"What's been going on with Harry? You know and I demand that you tell me!"
She stared at her plate for a minute, then she began to talk in low tones.
****
"DRACO MALFOY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"
Draco shoved Harry in his haste to get away from the boy. He swiveled his head quickly, but didn't see the person who had yelled. Harry, who was pretty mad at being shoved, punched him hard in the face, and everything went black.
When Draco awoke, he was in the Infirmiry, with Madam Pomfrey staring at him with a look of concern. "Ah, at last you're awake, Mr. Malfoy," she said anxiously. "Mr. Potter said that you hit that wall pretty hard, and from the look of it I'd say you were practically flying at it! What were you doing running into walls anyway, Mr. Malfoy?"
Before Draco could retort anything, his father walked into the room. He had a sinister sneer on his face, and his eyes shot daggers into Madam Pomfrey's face. With that look, she went bustling away from Draco's bedside.
"Draco," Lucius started calmly, "how are you feeling?"
Draco was feeling a little nervous, not knowing who had seen him and Harry in the halls and yelled. For all he knew, it could have been his father, and now his father was going to kill him. But, he tried to hide his anxiety, and answered with what he felt was a calm tone.
"I feel like I have a nail in my head, but other than that I'm okay."
Lucius, still calm, replied, "What happened?"
Draco was now more than a little uneasy. He shifted in his bed, hoping to get a position that might convey a little more power. Instead, he managed to make himself feel smaller. Of course, that always happened when his father was around.
"Well, uh, I ran into a wall," Draco said, deciding at once to go with Potter's story. Lucius, however, didn't look like he bought that. He raised his eyebrow and his eyes clouded further.
"Malfoy's do not just 'run into walls'. What really happened? I don't want any bullshit story that Potter cooked up." At Draco's reaction to those words, Lucius smirked and continued. "Yes, my son, I know that Potter made up that excuse for that idiot Pomfrey. But I am smarter. I know that you didn't run into a wall. Now, would you have me find out what happened from outside sources, or would you have me find out from you?"
Draco swallowed with some difficulty. He knew that he would be punished either way, but he wasn't entirely sure which punishment would be worse.
But, before he had to decide whether to tell his father about his ... newfound friend ... Dumbledore walked into the room. Lucius spun around and scowled at the sight of the Headmaster. Draco was relieved, and although he didn't show that in his face, Dumbledore seemed to realize his feeling. Lucius shot a quick glare at Draco, then swept out of the room, without a word to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore slowly walked up to Draco's bed, and began to speak in low tones.
****
Harry was in the Common Room, sitting in one of the plush crimson armchairs by the fire. After bringing Draco to Madam Pomfrey, he had left the Hospital Wing and gone to the Gryffindor Common Room. He was sitting, thinking about Draco, when Ron walked into the room.
"Hi Harry," Ron said slowly.
Harry turned around in the chair and smiled at Ron. "Hey, Ron, I just wanted to let you know I'm sorry for being snippy at you earlier."
Ron stared at his feet while Harry apologized. He then said quickly, "Well, Harry, see the thing is I know about you and your ... problem."
Harry looked at him in confusion. The fire cast shadows on his face that seemed to only deepen his sense of bewilderment. "What problem?" Then, Harry realized what Ron was talking about and why he was blushing so badly. "Hermione TOLD you?!"
Ron nodded and continued his "speech" even more rapidly, "And I just wanted to let you know that I don't like the thought, but I don't want to stop being friends with you just because you're ... you know."
Harry curled his upper lip in disgust. "'Just because I'm ... I know?'" he mimicked angrily, "Yes, Ron, I'm gay, and if that bothers you so fucking much, then just get out of my face!"
Ron's face also bunched up in anger, and he retorted, "Fine! Why don't you just go and fuck your new boyfriend, that filthy Malfoy!"
"Maybe I WILL!" Harry yelled as Ron raced out of the Common Room.
Harry angrily stormed up the stairs to the boy's dormitory, and almost ripped his bedcurtains down by pulling them across his bed. He covered his face with his head, and tried to stop thinking about Ron by dreaming about Draco and the kiss that could have been.
Of course, it hadn't been, because of that person who yelled. "Who saw us?" Harry thought to himself. "Oh well, it's not too important," he thought, and went to sleep.
****
A/N: Hehehe I'm evil I know. But I hope to write another chapter and update this tomorrow, before I leave for GERMANY! Hahaha. If I don't then you people will just have to wait for me to get back! :-D While you're waiting, REVIEW!!!
Yasmin: Thank you SO much for reviewing! You keep my hopes up that people who DON'T REVIEW still enjoy to read what I write. Although I hate reading cliffhangers, I do so enjoy writing them, but I am updating this so that you aren't left hanging (maybe). :-D By the way, I like Snape too, just to let you know ;)
So, without further babbling by me, here comes (dum dum dum) the next chapter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 4 -- Trouble With Tribbles
Hermione returned to her room pondering the meaning of Lucius Malfoy's words, "Keep cool, Lucius." She was positive she had actually heard him say that, but what she wasn't sure of was WHY he had said it. She was an unattractive "Mudblood" who had constantly ruined Lucius' son's chances at being the star student of Hogwarts. Yet, she felt, somewhere deep inside her, that he didn't necessarily see her as such anymore. She realized that nothing could actually ever happen, but she could dream. And so, she did.
The next morning, she awoke feeling very satisfied. The reason? Well, she had Professor Malfoy as a teacher first thing in the morning. And, while many students dreaded having Malfoy's block right after breakfast, Hermione kind of enjoyed it. She dressed quickly and hurried down to breakfast.
When she got to the Great Hall, there was some sort of commotion going on inside. She couldn't push past all the people enough to see what was going on, but it seemed that there was some sort of heated debate going on. She could hear yelling voices, and, to her surprise, one of them sounded like her dear Professor Malfoy's voice.
"Albus, you KNOW for a fact that these students should not be eating this ... slop right before my class!"
Hermione could faintly hear Dumbledore's calm reply. "Professor Malfoy," he said, emphasizing the Professor, "This food has been prepared to the best of the house elves ability, and it is perfectly edible."
Hermione could imagine Lucius' face as he yelled back, "This so-called food is made with pumpkin, which completely demeans the point of me teaching my students about the borus today! You know that the pumpkin withers this beast, and you also should have known that even the SMELL of pumpkin will kill it! I have a borus in my room at this very moment, and there is no point in me having class now with all these children eating PUMPKIN!"
Hermione had pushed her way through the crowd and now could see perfectly the fight that was going on at the Head table. The two professors were standing up, and Lucius had a beet-red face, while Dumbledore looked infinitely calm. Dumbledore apologized, and said that the elves had not been aware of this fact, and that perhaps he could move the class to the end of the day, just for today, so that by the time that the class bagan, the dreaded pumpkin smell would be gone. Lucius didn't look happy with this solution, but he accepted.
Feeling very disappointed, Hermione sat down to eat. Harry was missing, she noted with some interest. He almost never missed meals. She saw Ron walk in, and when he saw her he nodded to her and sat down next to her.
"Hey Ron," she said, "D'you know where Harry is?"
She had unfortunately asked this question of him right when he had a mouthful of pumpkin bread, and he had the disgusting habit of talking with his mouth full. "Mmmmdddnnnnno," he said, spewing bread all over Hermione's front. She looked blankly, and disgustedly, at him, and he swallowed hurriedly. "I dunno," he said again, "And frankly, I don't give a damn. He's been a real asshole lately."
Hermione quickly looked down at her plate. She knew why Harry seemed so distant toward Ron, and she didn't want to give it away. But, he must have noticed, for once, her change in posture, because he asked, "Hey, d'you know why, 'mione?"
She hurriedly shook her head no, but that too gave it away. Ron glared at her and began to pester her.
"What's been going on with Harry? You know and I demand that you tell me!"
She stared at her plate for a minute, then she began to talk in low tones.
****
"DRACO MALFOY! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"
Draco shoved Harry in his haste to get away from the boy. He swiveled his head quickly, but didn't see the person who had yelled. Harry, who was pretty mad at being shoved, punched him hard in the face, and everything went black.
When Draco awoke, he was in the Infirmiry, with Madam Pomfrey staring at him with a look of concern. "Ah, at last you're awake, Mr. Malfoy," she said anxiously. "Mr. Potter said that you hit that wall pretty hard, and from the look of it I'd say you were practically flying at it! What were you doing running into walls anyway, Mr. Malfoy?"
Before Draco could retort anything, his father walked into the room. He had a sinister sneer on his face, and his eyes shot daggers into Madam Pomfrey's face. With that look, she went bustling away from Draco's bedside.
"Draco," Lucius started calmly, "how are you feeling?"
Draco was feeling a little nervous, not knowing who had seen him and Harry in the halls and yelled. For all he knew, it could have been his father, and now his father was going to kill him. But, he tried to hide his anxiety, and answered with what he felt was a calm tone.
"I feel like I have a nail in my head, but other than that I'm okay."
Lucius, still calm, replied, "What happened?"
Draco was now more than a little uneasy. He shifted in his bed, hoping to get a position that might convey a little more power. Instead, he managed to make himself feel smaller. Of course, that always happened when his father was around.
"Well, uh, I ran into a wall," Draco said, deciding at once to go with Potter's story. Lucius, however, didn't look like he bought that. He raised his eyebrow and his eyes clouded further.
"Malfoy's do not just 'run into walls'. What really happened? I don't want any bullshit story that Potter cooked up." At Draco's reaction to those words, Lucius smirked and continued. "Yes, my son, I know that Potter made up that excuse for that idiot Pomfrey. But I am smarter. I know that you didn't run into a wall. Now, would you have me find out what happened from outside sources, or would you have me find out from you?"
Draco swallowed with some difficulty. He knew that he would be punished either way, but he wasn't entirely sure which punishment would be worse.
But, before he had to decide whether to tell his father about his ... newfound friend ... Dumbledore walked into the room. Lucius spun around and scowled at the sight of the Headmaster. Draco was relieved, and although he didn't show that in his face, Dumbledore seemed to realize his feeling. Lucius shot a quick glare at Draco, then swept out of the room, without a word to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore slowly walked up to Draco's bed, and began to speak in low tones.
****
Harry was in the Common Room, sitting in one of the plush crimson armchairs by the fire. After bringing Draco to Madam Pomfrey, he had left the Hospital Wing and gone to the Gryffindor Common Room. He was sitting, thinking about Draco, when Ron walked into the room.
"Hi Harry," Ron said slowly.
Harry turned around in the chair and smiled at Ron. "Hey, Ron, I just wanted to let you know I'm sorry for being snippy at you earlier."
Ron stared at his feet while Harry apologized. He then said quickly, "Well, Harry, see the thing is I know about you and your ... problem."
Harry looked at him in confusion. The fire cast shadows on his face that seemed to only deepen his sense of bewilderment. "What problem?" Then, Harry realized what Ron was talking about and why he was blushing so badly. "Hermione TOLD you?!"
Ron nodded and continued his "speech" even more rapidly, "And I just wanted to let you know that I don't like the thought, but I don't want to stop being friends with you just because you're ... you know."
Harry curled his upper lip in disgust. "'Just because I'm ... I know?'" he mimicked angrily, "Yes, Ron, I'm gay, and if that bothers you so fucking much, then just get out of my face!"
Ron's face also bunched up in anger, and he retorted, "Fine! Why don't you just go and fuck your new boyfriend, that filthy Malfoy!"
"Maybe I WILL!" Harry yelled as Ron raced out of the Common Room.
Harry angrily stormed up the stairs to the boy's dormitory, and almost ripped his bedcurtains down by pulling them across his bed. He covered his face with his head, and tried to stop thinking about Ron by dreaming about Draco and the kiss that could have been.
Of course, it hadn't been, because of that person who yelled. "Who saw us?" Harry thought to himself. "Oh well, it's not too important," he thought, and went to sleep.
****
A/N: Hehehe I'm evil I know. But I hope to write another chapter and update this tomorrow, before I leave for GERMANY! Hahaha. If I don't then you people will just have to wait for me to get back! :-D While you're waiting, REVIEW!!!