by Jas
Harry's POV
The portrait of the Fat Lady swings open, and I step out of the Gryffindor Common Room. I make my way through a few corridors, the other portraits are still sleeping; up some flight of stairs; more corridors, and I step on something, which hisses at me. Mrs. Norris. Bloody cat. I hear Filch's voice round the corner and I suppress my urge to kick her. I have no time to run.
"What's this?" the caretaker says menacingly. "Where are you going at this time?"
"To the Owlery." I say coolly. He eyes me suspiciously. Surprisingly, he buys my story and heads off, muttering under his breath. Just narrowly escaping detention, I walk more carefully now, listening for foot-steps. I can't risk running into any Professors, especially Snape.
When I get to the top of the tower, I search for Hedwig. I find the bird at a corner, feeding on a dead frog. She gives a hoot and flies towards me and start pecking my ear. "Hi Hedwig, I see you've got you're talons full." She hoots again. "I need you to deliver this for me." Happily, she stretches out her leg, and then I realize that I can't use Hedwig, it would be too obvious. I tell her I changed my mind, and she replies in a different tone, obviously not very happy with me. So now I decide to use a barn owl, and to deliver the parcel to Malfoy at breakfast time.
Over breakfast, Hermione is lecturing us about being serious with our work, since it's the NEWTs year, and talking about the homework Professor Flitwick gave us. I am not very interested, but if she's going to give us some hints, I will be willing to listen. Turns out she has already written three rolls of parchment, and I have yet to start. I look pass Hermione and scan the Slytherin table. There he is, with the same look on his face; an air or superiority around him. He looks up. I quickly turn away, and rejoin Ron and Hermione's discussion. "Are you ok, Harry?" "Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?" "Oh, I thought you were running a temperature. Your face looks flushed."
I try to distract myself with the food on my plate, but it doesn't work. Ron pulls out our timetable and surveys it. "Herbalogy's up first," he says. Then I remember. Where is that owl? As if on cue, the brown, speckled bird swoops into the hall, just as Malfoy is leaving the table. He looks pretty happy to receive something. He reads the little note, and opens the package. He examines the mirror, and then pockets it. I, myself, fell satisfied with this. What the hell is wrong with me?
After a rather productive lesson of Herbalogy, Hermione, Ron and I are walking up the stone steps, to go back into the castle. Along one of the corridors, we meet the Slytherins, coming out from Divination.
Immediately, we see that unmistakable smirk. Malfoy. Pretending like I didn't send him anything, I ask him what he wanted. He says something about a 'next duel.' I step up to him, bring it on, then. I can tell that he is uncomfortable. After all, he's just a coward who needs back-up to act tough. He pushes me back, and for some unknown reason, my heart gives a jolt. Before I can react, Hermione and Ron pull me away, avoiding a possible fight, which we could have ended up in detention for.
As we walk away, Ron was cursing Malfoy. "That bloody git... What were you thinking?!" I didn't answer him.
I wonder if he knows it's a two-way mirror.