"Foul, loathsome, evil, little cockroach," Hermione muttered as she stormed down the corridor with Harry after they emerged from the dungeon.
"What did Draco do this time?" Harry asked wearily rubbing his forehead. Training for an Auror wasn't as fun or as glamorous when it involved third level potions with Professor Snape.
"Nothing," Hermione added shortly. Hermione felt hot chills run up her arm as Harry gently took hold of her, causing them to stop in the middle of the crowded hallway.
"'Mione," Harry said, cocking his eyebrow in curiosity, "what did Draco do?" It took a moment for Hermione to find her voice after Harry had let go of her arm.
"It's not that big of a deal, Harry," she replied firmly and forced them to continue down the hallway, "and how did you know I was talking about Malfoy anyway?" Harry let out a small laugh and replied,
"Cockroach is only your favorite insult for him." They caught each others eyes and grinned broadly as they began down the steps to the Great Hall.
At dinner, Harry could not help but notice the dark glances that Draco kept casting in Hermione's direction. Once, he caught Draco's eye and mouthed, "Leave her alone," but all Draco did was smile evilly and whisper something in Crabbe's ear. Harry really didn't like the cold, sinking feeling he kept getting in the pit of his stomach, so he leaned over to Hermione and whispered, "Be careful going to the elections tonight." Hermione, who was scolding a pair of second years down the table, had not heard him.
"I'm sorry, Harry did you say something?" Hermione asked once she had re-situated herself in front of her slice of pumpkin pie. Harry sighed and said again, slightly louder from the agitation at having to repeat himself,
"Be careful coming back from your rounds tonight. Malfoy seems to be cooking something up, and he's been throwing you demonic glances all through dinner." He then went back to shoving the remains of his blackberry cobbler into his mouth. Hermione felt her stomach do a small flip at Harry's defensive concern for her.
"Really, now, Harry, Draco's been acting like this since the first day we met him," she said, and took another bite of pie, "it's just Draco being his usual pratty self, probably jealous that he wasn't nominated for Head Boy and you were." Harry let out a small chuckle as he took another sip of his pumpkin juice. He just knew he would feel better if Hermione didn't have dormitory and hallway checks before the election that night.
"Just promise you'll be careful," Harry said without looking up. To her surprise, Hermione found the courage to clasp Harry's chin with her thumb and forefinger, and turn his face to her. But what she wanted to say left her abruptly at the look of confused surprise on Harry's face. To break down the sudden, intimate shock she could feel rising, she moved her hand up to Harry's black mat of hair and mussed it. Harry soon found himself chuckling into his dessert, while Hermione said amongst a giggle,
"Promise." Harry found his spirits to remain up for the rest of the dinner feast.
Once all the plates were practically cleared, and students across the hall were jabbering at high volumes, Dumbledore stood and raised his hands to speak. Within moments, the entire room fell silent. "Tonight, as you all may well know, is a special night for recognizing our fellow peers from last year and for the year to follow. Since last years sorted events led to no proper End of the Year Feast last term, and with Hogwarts closing early for renovations from, um, certain pranks performed on the castle last year, all the celebrating will be meshed into one glorious night." Cheers and applause emitted from the students, but only for a moment as Dumbledore continued. "So, you all have exactly one hour to freshen up before reporting back here for the announcement of next years Prefect, Head Boy and Girl, and House Favorites. Prefect, make your rounds as speedily as possible tonight and make sure there is no dottling." Hermione stood up from her spot and smiled at Harry as she left.
"Good luck."
"You too," said Harry, returning her smile.
"Hey, wait up, Hermione!" Ron called, as he ran to keep up, stuffing the rest of his treacle tart into his mouth. "Good luck, Harry!" he called back loudly over the ruckus of everyone leaving.
"And you!!" Harry bellowed back to Ron. Ron was up for Gryffindor House favorite, and Harry was very grateful too, since it lessened the sting for Ron when it was Harry who got nominated for Head Boy in Gryffindor House. Non-Prefects didn't usually get the honor of a Head Boy nod, but secretly, Harry was glad Dumbledore had made the exception. Harry stood from the table to see if he could find Malfoy to chew him out for his smirks towards Hermione. Unfortunately, Draco had already left to attend to his Prefect duties, and was nowhere to be found. Harry soon felt that sinking feeling return to his stomach as he headed back to Gryffindor Tower to change into his dress robes.
All the prefect had returned from their rounds that evening a good fifteen minutes before the election was to commence. All, that is, except Hermione. Both Ron and Harry were figeting nervously in their seats, Ron more or less from the itchiness of the robes then out of concern for Hermione. "Girls just take longer to primp you know, Harry," Ron assured him, tugging at the collar of his pale blue robes. "She's still got a few minutes. She'll be here." Harry was wrining his hands against his lips as his elbows rested on the table. He headn't pulled his eyes off the massive double doors at the end of the Great Hall corridor since he realized Hermione hadn't shown. What really made Harry sweat was the fact that Draco and his minions, Crabbe and Goyle, hadn't arrived yet either. Ron had an explantion for that as well.
"All these explanations," Harry retorted, "Merlin's beard, Ron, you sound like Hermione." Ron paused for a moment, deciding on if he had been insulted or not, but then continued,
"They're still sore at Dumbledore for not nominating Draco for Head Boy. Did you really expect those prats to show up, even if they are supposed to."
"Exactly, Ron. Draco is supposed to be here because he is a prefect. His dad is in Azkaban, and not even I can believe he would be stupid enough to pull something under Dumbledore's nose right now," Harry replied, but then he shook his head. "Did that just come out of my mouth, this is Draco Malfoy I'm talking about here." Then all of a sudden, a sickening feeling swept over Harry. He started to breath heavily and thought he was going to pass out. It was almost like a dementor had entered the room, but the Great Hall was dementor free. Harry barely felt Ron's hand on his shoulder as Ron called,
"Harry.....Harry....what is it, mate, you look like you're going to be sick." Ron's words were nothing more than an odd echoing within Harry's head. Draco's final threat to Harry at the end of last term after his father had been sent to prison began to fill his mind,
"You'll pay for this, Potter." Draco had used this threat against Harry nearly a hundreds of times, but somehow, Harry knew this time he had really meant it. Suddenly, Harry flung himself backward, and out of his daze, nearly falling out of his seat and onto the floor. Without a word to Ron, he lept from his place at the table and dashed madly from the crowded hall, as Ron's voice trailed after him,
"Harry, where are your going?" It had clicked in Harry's head. The best way Draco could find of hurting Harry would be to harm those closest to him. The easiest targets being Ron......and Hermione!!
"What did Draco do this time?" Harry asked wearily rubbing his forehead. Training for an Auror wasn't as fun or as glamorous when it involved third level potions with Professor Snape.
"Nothing," Hermione added shortly. Hermione felt hot chills run up her arm as Harry gently took hold of her, causing them to stop in the middle of the crowded hallway.
"'Mione," Harry said, cocking his eyebrow in curiosity, "what did Draco do?" It took a moment for Hermione to find her voice after Harry had let go of her arm.
"It's not that big of a deal, Harry," she replied firmly and forced them to continue down the hallway, "and how did you know I was talking about Malfoy anyway?" Harry let out a small laugh and replied,
"Cockroach is only your favorite insult for him." They caught each others eyes and grinned broadly as they began down the steps to the Great Hall.
At dinner, Harry could not help but notice the dark glances that Draco kept casting in Hermione's direction. Once, he caught Draco's eye and mouthed, "Leave her alone," but all Draco did was smile evilly and whisper something in Crabbe's ear. Harry really didn't like the cold, sinking feeling he kept getting in the pit of his stomach, so he leaned over to Hermione and whispered, "Be careful going to the elections tonight." Hermione, who was scolding a pair of second years down the table, had not heard him.
"I'm sorry, Harry did you say something?" Hermione asked once she had re-situated herself in front of her slice of pumpkin pie. Harry sighed and said again, slightly louder from the agitation at having to repeat himself,
"Be careful coming back from your rounds tonight. Malfoy seems to be cooking something up, and he's been throwing you demonic glances all through dinner." He then went back to shoving the remains of his blackberry cobbler into his mouth. Hermione felt her stomach do a small flip at Harry's defensive concern for her.
"Really, now, Harry, Draco's been acting like this since the first day we met him," she said, and took another bite of pie, "it's just Draco being his usual pratty self, probably jealous that he wasn't nominated for Head Boy and you were." Harry let out a small chuckle as he took another sip of his pumpkin juice. He just knew he would feel better if Hermione didn't have dormitory and hallway checks before the election that night.
"Just promise you'll be careful," Harry said without looking up. To her surprise, Hermione found the courage to clasp Harry's chin with her thumb and forefinger, and turn his face to her. But what she wanted to say left her abruptly at the look of confused surprise on Harry's face. To break down the sudden, intimate shock she could feel rising, she moved her hand up to Harry's black mat of hair and mussed it. Harry soon found himself chuckling into his dessert, while Hermione said amongst a giggle,
"Promise." Harry found his spirits to remain up for the rest of the dinner feast.
Once all the plates were practically cleared, and students across the hall were jabbering at high volumes, Dumbledore stood and raised his hands to speak. Within moments, the entire room fell silent. "Tonight, as you all may well know, is a special night for recognizing our fellow peers from last year and for the year to follow. Since last years sorted events led to no proper End of the Year Feast last term, and with Hogwarts closing early for renovations from, um, certain pranks performed on the castle last year, all the celebrating will be meshed into one glorious night." Cheers and applause emitted from the students, but only for a moment as Dumbledore continued. "So, you all have exactly one hour to freshen up before reporting back here for the announcement of next years Prefect, Head Boy and Girl, and House Favorites. Prefect, make your rounds as speedily as possible tonight and make sure there is no dottling." Hermione stood up from her spot and smiled at Harry as she left.
"Good luck."
"You too," said Harry, returning her smile.
"Hey, wait up, Hermione!" Ron called, as he ran to keep up, stuffing the rest of his treacle tart into his mouth. "Good luck, Harry!" he called back loudly over the ruckus of everyone leaving.
"And you!!" Harry bellowed back to Ron. Ron was up for Gryffindor House favorite, and Harry was very grateful too, since it lessened the sting for Ron when it was Harry who got nominated for Head Boy in Gryffindor House. Non-Prefects didn't usually get the honor of a Head Boy nod, but secretly, Harry was glad Dumbledore had made the exception. Harry stood from the table to see if he could find Malfoy to chew him out for his smirks towards Hermione. Unfortunately, Draco had already left to attend to his Prefect duties, and was nowhere to be found. Harry soon felt that sinking feeling return to his stomach as he headed back to Gryffindor Tower to change into his dress robes.
All the prefect had returned from their rounds that evening a good fifteen minutes before the election was to commence. All, that is, except Hermione. Both Ron and Harry were figeting nervously in their seats, Ron more or less from the itchiness of the robes then out of concern for Hermione. "Girls just take longer to primp you know, Harry," Ron assured him, tugging at the collar of his pale blue robes. "She's still got a few minutes. She'll be here." Harry was wrining his hands against his lips as his elbows rested on the table. He headn't pulled his eyes off the massive double doors at the end of the Great Hall corridor since he realized Hermione hadn't shown. What really made Harry sweat was the fact that Draco and his minions, Crabbe and Goyle, hadn't arrived yet either. Ron had an explantion for that as well.
"All these explanations," Harry retorted, "Merlin's beard, Ron, you sound like Hermione." Ron paused for a moment, deciding on if he had been insulted or not, but then continued,
"They're still sore at Dumbledore for not nominating Draco for Head Boy. Did you really expect those prats to show up, even if they are supposed to."
"Exactly, Ron. Draco is supposed to be here because he is a prefect. His dad is in Azkaban, and not even I can believe he would be stupid enough to pull something under Dumbledore's nose right now," Harry replied, but then he shook his head. "Did that just come out of my mouth, this is Draco Malfoy I'm talking about here." Then all of a sudden, a sickening feeling swept over Harry. He started to breath heavily and thought he was going to pass out. It was almost like a dementor had entered the room, but the Great Hall was dementor free. Harry barely felt Ron's hand on his shoulder as Ron called,
"Harry.....Harry....what is it, mate, you look like you're going to be sick." Ron's words were nothing more than an odd echoing within Harry's head. Draco's final threat to Harry at the end of last term after his father had been sent to prison began to fill his mind,
"You'll pay for this, Potter." Draco had used this threat against Harry nearly a hundreds of times, but somehow, Harry knew this time he had really meant it. Suddenly, Harry flung himself backward, and out of his daze, nearly falling out of his seat and onto the floor. Without a word to Ron, he lept from his place at the table and dashed madly from the crowded hall, as Ron's voice trailed after him,
"Harry, where are your going?" It had clicked in Harry's head. The best way Draco could find of hurting Harry would be to harm those closest to him. The easiest targets being Ron......and Hermione!!