Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Harry Potter including Harry Potter
A/N: Umm, and here's another chapter. It's going somewhere, I promise. I hope you enjoy it! YAY!
The Voice of ReasonChapter Four: Smelling Flowers
Draco's Point of ViewI yawned and looked down at the food in front of me. Goyle and Crabbe talked about one of the classes they didn't have with me, probably because I wasn't in it. I quickly busied myself with the head table by watching Professor Scythe, Christine and her friend. I still hadn't been introduced to her friend. I tuned out the noise around me and concentrated on what Christine was saying. Her friend smelt the air around her. "Something smells good," she said and smiled.
"Probably the food," Christine said.
"No," she said. "It's a person."
I tried not to laugh, as she smelled Christine carefully. I left my food in front of me and started to walk over to where Christine was. I wasn't hungry anyway. "It's not me," Christine said. "I'd know if I smelt good."
I made my grand entrance into their conversation, "Well you don't smell bad."
Christine smiled at me, but before she could response her friend was in front of me, smelling my shirt. "It's not him either," she glared at me carefully, trying to figure out where the glorious smell was coming from. "I'm Romana."
I didn't actually smell anything. "Draco," I said and tried to shake her hand.
She was gone before she realized I had said my name. She leaned over the table to smell Professor Scythe, who was stealing food from Professor Snape's plate. "What's wrong with your food?" he asked Scythe, rolling his eyes.
"I think they're trying to poison me," Scythe responded, watching Romana. "It's Snape that smells good," she said.
"Really?" Romana said.
"No," Snape said, watching the children around him.
Romana leaned over his section of the table smelling his arm. He made a face in disgust, but had a hard time backing away. "It is Snape!" she exclaimed. She smiled bashfully at the teacher. "You smell good."
He rolled his eyes once more. "I told you," Scythe said, smelling his arm.
"Christine you HAVE to smell him," Romana said.
Christine easily conformed with the females and leaned over to smell him as well. "He does smell good," she said. "Would you just walk behind me all day?"
Snape scoffed and once more tried to avoid female noses. "Draco you have to smell him!" Romana said.
So she did hear my name. "It's okay," I said, watching my teacher glare at me.
Romana and Christine appeared by my side and each of them grabbed one of my arms. "Come on!" Romana said.
"It's really good," Christine said. "I promise."
"If you smell me Mr. Malfoy, you will have a very long detention," Snape said.
"I won't smell you sir," I said, trying not to laugh hard.
Romana and Christine whined together. "What's wrong with smelling you?" Scythe said.
"I think the real question is, 'Why on earth are you smelling me?'" he asked, raising his voice.
Romana smiled at Christine and her teacher. "Because you smell good," Romana said, smiling at the male professor.
In just a few seconds, Snape stood up and left the great hall, very quickly. "He's no fun," Romana crossed her arms and made a face.
Professor Scythe took his plate and looked at the food on it. "I swear sometimes he has a stick up his..." she looked at us for a moment. "I'm going to go apologize. I suggest you eat before your first classes."
I nodded carefully and watched her leave. "Well, I know I'm going to spy on them," Romana said. "Is anyone going to join me?"
"Did you guys actually work in school?" I asked.
Christine shrugged. "Yeah," she said.
Romana talked, "But it's so interesting here. I don't feel like working today."
"I'm going to go to my first class," I said.
"Fine," Romana crossed her arms.
"First you wouldn't smell the old guy and now you won't even spy on them. What do you think they talk about?" Christine said.
"They're teachers," I said. "They're probably talking about classes."
"She's probably giving him his food," Romana said. "She took his plate."
"I think she's going to be arguing with him on some sort of moral issues. Maybe homosexuality," Christine said.
I quickly realized we were walking in the direction that Scythe had left in. "You think Professor Snape is gay?" I asked, slightly shocked and rather appalled.
"You think he's straight?" Christine asked.
"I think Scythe has a thing for him," Romana said. "He can't be gay."
"Just because they're gay doesn't mean women aren't attracted to them," Christine said.
"Well, I think he's attracted to her as well," Romana said.
I was having a hard time following this conversation. "Maybe he's bisexual," Christine rubbed her chin.
"Wait," I stopped walking. Both of the girls looked at me for a moment. "You think Snape's gay?" I asked once more.
"I don't," Romana said. "I'm on your side Draco."
"He's just different, that's all," Christine said.
"Scythe is different," I said.
"She has a tail," Christine said. "Of course she's different."
"She has a tail?" I repeated.
Romana hit Christine lightly on her shirt. "A tale, like a story," Christine seemed nervous about something. "If we're going to watch them, we have to be quiet, are you going to come Draco or are you going to go to class?"
"Class," I said. I noted to look at Scythe's bottom the next time she was around. "I'll see you two later."
"See you!" Romana said.
Christine rolled her eyes. "Fine, later," Christine said.
I walked back to my room quickly so I wouldn't be late. Crabbe and Goyle were grabbing their books as well; we didn't have the same first period class. "Hey," I said.
They acknowledged my existence with a nod, but no words. I grabbed my notes and left quickly. I'm not sure what I did, but they were obviously upset with it. I rushed down the stairs, realizing that I was really late. As I rushed down the moving stairs I ran into someone. "I'm so sorry," I picked up her books and handed them to her.
I continued to rush and walked out into the greenhouses. I had Herbology with the Ravenclaws and I could tell that some of the Dragon Bloods were in there as well. I stood in my normal place, but I still wasn't late. There was a Dragon Blood beside me. "I like the uniforms," he said.
"Pardon?" I looked at him.
He was taller than I was and well built. His hair was spiked. "I like the Slytherin uniforms," he smiled at me. "I'm E.J."
He held out his hand. "I'm Draco," I said and shook his hand.
"Do you think my shake is firm enough? I kind of wanted stronger hands, and bigger muscles on my arms. What do you think?" he asked.
"I think you should share some of your muscles with me," I laughed.
He smiled bashfully. "You're a good kid Draco," he said. "You see the Asian boy a few people down, that's Gabe. He's a good guy too, I'll introduce you after this class."
"Sounds good," I said, looking at Gabe.
Professor Sprout stood at the front of the table and cleared her throat to get our attention. I looked at the plant in front of me for a moment. It looked like a Venus Fly Trap, but it was slightly larger and seemed to be communicating with the one in front of EJ. Before Professor Sprout could speak, Professor Snape walked in. He had Romana and Christine behind him. "I found a couple of skippers, they're yours," he walked off briskly, since he was probably late for his class.
Christine made a face at me as we walked to her seat. Romana and her sat on either side of Gabe. Her and Romana whispered the story to him. EJ nudged me. "You think she's cute?" he asked.
"Not really," I said. "I had talked to them right before class."
"Yeah, that's good 'cause Gabe called dibs anyway," EJ said.
"What?" I exclaimed.
"He's been trying for years," EJ shrugged.
I leaned over to see her better a view of Christine. This Gabe characters leaned over to wipe something from her cheek, I doubted that there was anything there. She smiled shyly at him as he whispered something to her. I felt my tie being pulled. I looked down to see that the plant had eaten a large amount of my tie. I cursed loudly and backed up, which pulled the plant out of the pot. It squealed as it roots were torn from the dirt. "Mr. Malfoy!" Professor Sprout yelled. "Did you not hear one word of what I said?"
"I'm sorry," I pulled the plant from the Slytherin tie. "I didn't."
"Be carefully with it!" she said.
Professor Sprout rushed over to care for the plant. I felt my face burn red as I looked up and EJ who had a victorious smirk on his face. "I'm sorry!" I said. "I didn't mean to hurt it."
"I said to tuck in all loose clothing! What were you doing?" she asked me.
"I know what he was doing," EJ continued to smirk.
"What was he doing?" Professor Sprout looked to EJ.
EJ must have felt sorry for me. "He just wasn't thinking," his eyes lowered away from me. "I was talking to him."
"Ah, so it's your fault," she looked carefully, realizing that he was from Dragon Blood. "Well I don't know your name, but I hope both of you be more careful."
The class went normally, as normal as Herbology could have been. Of course, I was the only one who actually got attacked by the plant, and I quickly wished that the Gryffindors were with us because I'm sure that Longbottom would have been attacked as well. EJ seemed normal enough and was a nice change from being alone all class. About half way through class Hagrid and the class he was with interrupted us. "There's a meeting in the Great Hall. Dumbledore told us to all come down. Something about a day off?" he said.
"Sound wonderful," Professor Sprout sighed and told us to follow her.
In a line we followed behind the two professors. EJ stayed with me and thought that I'd actually be interested in what the Dragon Blood uniforms look like. "Well," he started. "Unlike Hogwarts, Dragon Blood doesn't have different houses. We all just have the same uniforms. Of course, there are options of skirts or pants for anyone really. I know a couple of guys that picked a skirt, but regretted it until they let them switch. There are different ones depending on the classes. Professor Scythe designed a special uniform for potions, in case anything exploded or spilt. It was basically a one-piece suit, with feet built in and extra gloves. They're very funny looking, but we learned not to care since a lot of the potions explode."
"Interesting," I replied. "Maybe Snape'd do that for us."
"Scythe probably would, just to piss off Snape," he smiled. "Do you want to know what our normal uniforms look like?"
I looked at where we were and decided that we'd have time. "Sure," I said.
"The normal uniform has plain black pants and a black trench coat, both of them have thin red stripes all across them. There is just a plain black or red shirt to go with it, no ties. I wish our outfits had ties. A lot of the students complain about it, they claim it looks like clowns. I like it personally," he said.
"Sounds..." I searched for a word that he wouldn't be offended with. "Interesting. Ties aren't really that great. Trust me."
"I still think it'd be interesting," he muttered, looking around the Great Hall.
Since our class was outside we seemed to be one the last classes in there. Dumbledore began talking as we all took our seats. "Due to the Dragon Bloods here in the school, classes are full and there have been a vast amount of students who feel that there in no point in going to their classes. To give the teachers a quick break, Professor Scythe has arranged a scavenger hunt to keep the students pre-occupied. Whichever person finds the most things on the list, will get points awarded to their house. If a Dragon Blood finds the most things, then they will be awarded some of Professor Scythe's savings," he said. "There will be other prizes as well, but they are a surprise."
I noticed teachers handing out the lists. One got shoved into my hand. "The sheets are being handed out as we speak," Professor Scythe said. I quickly peeked at her bottom, to see if there was any hint of a tail. "The rules are as follows..."
I decided that it would be best to ignore the rules; there was no way that I'd actually do the scavenger hunt. I'll just lay around, and see if Crabbe or Goyle come up with anything. "Were you checking out my teacher's ass?" EJ whispered.
"What?" I questioned.
He nudged with a large smile on his face. "I saw your eyes," he said.
I acted offended. "I was not checking out her ass," I said.
"Tail checking?" EJ asked.
"Yes," I said.
"Ah, so you have been talking to Christine. For a while I doubted that you actually had," he said.
"Does she have a tail?" I asked.
"Go!" Professor Scythe said, before EJ could answer me.
"See you later Draco," he said. "I want some of her money!"
I watched him rush from the room, and a swarm of students try to pile out of the doorway. I quickly conformed into the crowd, trying not to get shoved. I'd find Crabbe and Goyle afterwards. Hermione Granger bumped into me by accident. Disgusted, I watched her face turn red. "Sorry," she said. "This time it was my fault."
"What?" I asked, watching her carefully.
"You ran into me," she said and rose an eyebrow. "You actually helped me pick up my books."
"If I had realized it was you Granger, I wouldn't have done it," I said.
She smiled. "I know," she said. "But since we're stuck side by side for a few moments..." I looked at the exit, which grew nearer with every step. "Are you skipping?"
"Skipping what?" I grew desperate to get out of this situation.
"The hunt," she said. "I'm going to study I think."
"I'll probably lay outside someplace," I said. "Don't you want to help out your house? You know you won't win the Quidditch match this year."
"I think we will," her eyes were intent on the doorway as well. Obviously she liked talking to me as much as I liked talking to her. "Besides I can't find Harry or Ron, and it won't be fun on my own."
"Don't look at me," I said, finally reaching the exit.
I walked off without saying good-bye and searched for a quiet place to rest my head. There was no sign of anyone I knew. Even Granger had disappeared. I walked for a while, trying to find a place where there were hardly any students. I found a place with none and climbed a tree that was large and would hide me well. I yawned and stretched out on the branch. I titled my head so I could see if anyone was coming up after me. Christine was already below the tree, searching for something. Gabe snuck up behind her. They were talking about something, but I couldn't hear or see any expression on their faces. I felt someone's breath on the back of my neck. "HI!" Romana whispered loudly.
Startled, I gripped the branch, so I wouldn't fall. I watched her black/brown hair gleam in the sunlight. "How'd you get up here without me seeing?" I whispered harshly.
"I was up here long before you," she said, pulling on one of her curls. "I don't care about money or prizes. I snuck my kitty out."
She held up a very large grey and white cat. It mewed loudly and seemed to be enjoying every minute of its owner's attention. "It's really fat," I said.
Smooth Draco. Real smooth. "I know," she said. "Her name is Hannah."
"She's cute," I tried to cover up the fat comment.
"You're spying on Gabe and Christine?" she asked, looking down.
"No," I said. "I can't even hear them. I wouldn't want to listen to their flirting."
"They're arguing over the leaf," Romana said. "Why on earth would you think they'd be flirting?"
I shrugged. "Just a guess," I said. Romana tossed Hannah onto the ground. We were rather high up, and I didn't except the cat to meow the entire way down. "Why on earth did you do that?" I exclaimed.
"I'm going down," she said. "Hannah doesn't like climbing down trees, and I need both hands to go down."
I watched the cat, which was now mewing loudly at Christine. "Interesting," I said, rubbing my head for a moment.
"See you," she said as she climbed down.
"Yeah," I said. "Later."