No, no. I'm sure Flitwick is head of the Ravenclaw house. I was finicky and searched it up somewhere…
I just got given this grammar book that I will look over in my absence. It seems you aren't the only one who picks up on my illiterate problems.
Why do I portray Draco as the good guy? Cos I love him.
---
"I hear he's Russian."
"No! No, no. He's Portuguese!"
"He's from Scandinavia!"
"He's French!"
"German."
Draco stormed in the room, unable to calm his mood. Blaise rolled his eyes at Malcolm dramatically, who replied in similar fashion.
"Why are they talking about him?" Draco asked trough gritted teeth, already knowing the answer.
"He's new." Blaise replied bluntly, not really wanting to rile his friend up.
"And he's…" Malcolm was about to add, only to be silenced by Blaise jabbing him in the ribs.
Draco eyed him suspiciously. He didn't like this new Eric what's-his-name. Who did he think he is?
"With a name like that, coming from Durmstrag, why wasn't he put in Slytherin?" Pansy wondered over to the boys and provoked Draco.
"You're saying…" Draco took the bait,
"Durmstrang has a reputation to teach the Dark Arts, they do not permit Muggles. Just the right ingredient for a typical Slytherin, wouldn't you think?" She avoided looking into Malfoy's, eyes and asked Blaise instead.
"He knows nothing of our houses; he only chose Ravenclaw because that blasted Flitwick suggested it."
"We know nothing about him." Reminded Anna,
"That's where you'll go in?" Draco smiled menacingly,
"Of course, anything for you!" She swept into a low and theatrical curtsy.
---
"Hermeon, is it?" Eric raced to catch up with her.
"Uh… Her-my-own-nee. Eric, right?" Hermione corrected,
"Yeah." There was a hint of an accent, where only the observant would notice, "I noticed your going to the Dark Arts class, maybe you could direct me as well?"
"Sure." Hermione agreed, why had he sought her out? What did he want?
"Let me carry your books, it'll be the payment for your help." He offered.
"Sure." She agreed again.
He looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to eagerly offer her books to him. Why wasn't she?
As if realising her mistake, she presented them out for him.
She looked different, in his opinion, from the other girls he seen here at his very short time at Hogwarts. She didn't seem to care, as if her mind was wondering elsewhere when no one was talking to her. Eric wanted to rescue her. He saw the enthusiasm in her face when it lit up and was she he could plaster it on there 24/7.
"Here." Hermione gestured.
"Thanks, Hermione." Eric complemented, deciding that she needed him. He was to be her knight in shining armour.
Hermione noticed him following her and took extra long and windy routes towards her usual seat in the far right corner.
"Hey." Ron greeted, as she sat down in the middle of him and Harry, interrupting their conversation about Quidditch routines.
Harry, noticing the person shadowing Hermione, offered Eric a glance.
"Eric… von die…" Harry trailed off, not really wanting to offend,
"Eric van der Strandsen." Eric corrected, taking it as a cue to sit with them.
"So, where are you from? What part of Europe?" Ron broke away from Harry and acknowledged the Ravenclaw.
"I come from Russia, but I also have a distinct lineage in Spain." Eric answered with a straight face.
"Wow. This guy's deep." Ron nodded,
"So, you're a Ravenclaw?" Harry asked, slightly flushed,
"Ravenclaw? Yes." Eric replied, "But you'll have to explain to me about these houses…"
"You're a Ravenclaw; supposedly smart and studious. We're Gryffindors; daring and brave. There are also Hufflepuffs; caring and kind. And then there's them; the Slytherins." Ron threw imaginary darts with his eyes towards the leader of Slytherins, enveloped in their own little bubble world. "They're… Slytherins! Vile, dangerous and not right. Death Eaters, the whole lot of them!"
Harry and Hermione shifted glances, knowing this wasn't true about them. Or at least one of them. Eric caught them switching expressions and how Hermione gazed intently on one particular Slytherin. Surely they weren't all that bad. He'd heard something vaguely about them from before.
"What's this about a missing girl?" Eric asked.
"We don't know." Harry replied mystified.
"It's probably some prank." Dean assured,
"The staff looks pretty flustered." Ron reminded,
"They're always flustered." Dean argued.
"Good Afternoon, class." Greeted Professor Lupin, "I see many of you have already met the new student. Eric von…die…" Lupin hid his head in his hands. Why did he not bother to learn the kid's name? He knew he was going to screw up!
"Eric van der Strandsen." He corrected.
"Yes, from Durmstrang, according to the principal. They teach the Dark Arts there, no?" Lupin had to ask.
"Yes." Eric agreed,
"Perhaps you could show us some things…" Lupin suggested,
"Perhaps."
---
"…what are you doing?" Ron asked Eric,
"I'm going to ask Hermione if she'd want some help." Eric replied.
Harry coughed suddenly.
Ron shook his head violently.
"No. Bad idea. No." Ron advised,
"But her arm, so crooked. The pronunciation, distasteful…" He trailed off, seeing the dark glances between the Gryffindors. "No?"
"Hermione is very… studious. She might not… appreciate you approaching her telling her she's wrong." Harry warned
"I just wanted to-"
"If you just wanted to approach her… just go talk to her? You're a Ravenclaw… go discuss something smart!" Harry counselled.
"Hermione." Eric greeted her,
"Eric." Hermione returned,
"A charm you're working on?" He feigned not knowing just which one,
"Yeah, I just can't seem to get it to work perfectly." Hermione sighed, almost giving up.
"Perhaps if you straighten your elbow slightly…" Eric began; they taught him this around 5th year!
"Almost." Hermione could feel the charm getting more… concentrated. She couldn't explain how she knew, but, it was a feeling.
"YEAH!!! CHECK IT OUT!!" Hermione heard the immature Head Boy squeal with pleasure upon mastering the spell; she couldn't take her eyes off him.
"Quadlibet," Eric whispered, making her repeat after him.
"Wow." Hermione got it. "Thanks. I mean, really. You're good."
"No problem. If you need anymore help, not that you do. If you want anymore tips. I'll be over there." And he walked back towards the Gryffindor guys who were definitely not looking at him and unquestionably not listening to them.
"Eric." Hermione called after. "Maybe we could discuss some of these charms after class?"
"Sure." Eric beamed.
Harry smiled, at least they looked happy. He chanced a glance at Malfoy.
But for how long?
---
So many cheering for Eric to make a move on Hermione, I couldn't say no!
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