CHAPTER 5
At Breakfast the next morning, the three best friends (Harry, Ron, and Hermoine), talked over their schedules and looked to see the new defense against the dark arts teacher. His name was…well…impossible to say. Most of the students tried stumbling through it: todowellsandersonchester. Hermoine didn't attempt it and the other two though it best not to attempt it either.
"Hermoine," Ginny said as she approached the table, "may I talk to you? Something's bothering me." She looked to Ron and quickly added before he could say anything, "girl problems." Ron blushed, and excused himself from the conversation.
"Sure Ginny," Hermoine replied and she got up from the table. They walked out of the main doors to the grass that lay beyond. Ginny seemed reluctant at first and Hermoine didn't mind. Ginny told her everything that had happened on the train. Except she didn't say who rescued her. When she finished Hermoine had to ask who the boy was and Ginny, once again reluctant, replied very slowly.
"It's…Draco Malfoy," she said. Hermoine's eyes widened in disbelief and, as if it occurred to her that Ginny seemed embarrassed, Hermoine smiled sweetly and hugged her.
"Ginny my darling, "Hermoine said soothingly, "that's wonderful! I mean…I know that Draco isn't the best of people, but he's turning to you, I think. He's been lonesome, from what I hear. His dad's gone to Azkaban, and living in that mansion all by himself. Imagine Ginny…it could bring the Malfoys and Weasleys together, after years of feuding."
"NO! Hermoine…promise me you won't tell anyone! PROMISE!" Ginny clutched Hermoine's shoulders and gently shook her.
"Ok ok! I won't!" Hermoine said as Ginny slowly topped shaking her.
"Ron…" Harry choked as he tried gasping for breath with his food in his mouth, "who's THAT?" He pointed to the door where a girl stood. She had to be the new one! She was almost 6'0, Harry being 6'2 was good at judging height. Her dark red hair was pulled back into a tight bun and her pale skin was decorated with silver necklaces…no chains. Her black robes gave no indication of her house. From the looks of her Harry was guessing Slytherin. She scanned the room with her green eyes and fell upon the Hufflepuff table. She heaved her shoulders slightly and walked into the great hall, her black boots slightly squeaking as she made her way and sat at the table.
"Holy Cow!" Ron said as the great hall started murmuring in whispers. "She going to war, or is she the new dark arts challenge from the teacher?" Ron laughed at his own joke with a few of the other Gryffindors.
Harry, however, kept his eyes on this mysterious Hufflepuff girl and watched her as she slowly poured her some black coffee and ate a biscuit, as if not knowing the whispering was about her. She sat with her legs crossed…something very feminine that Harry had always been attracted to. He watched as one of the Slytherin boys…A.J. Thompson, that was his name, came and asked her to obviously sit at his table. She shook her head, murmured something to him and he quickly retreated.
For the next five minutes Harry watched as a few of the Hufflepuff boys edged closer and closer. Finally she stood, as straight as ever, smoothed her black mini skirt, and walked from the great hall with her black book bag slung over her shoulder. The boys looked somewhat disappointed, but Harry, he looked after her and wondered what classes she had, and if she would punch him if he even looked at her.
Herbology was Harry's first class, with Ravenclaw. He was somewhat disappointed when he found this out, but was delighted to find that his next class was with Hufflepuff. Hermoine had to tell him to pay attention nearly six times before professor sprout asked for him to pay attention or report to Dumbledore. Of course, when you're learning about Mandrakes again, Harry couldn't pay attention. He already had planted and re-planted them in his second year. No point in listening in on the lecture again.
The defense against the dark arts room was more decorated than the years before. This year is had diagrams of moon cycles and werewolves, and sample pieces of: animals, plants, and humans floating around in amber fluid, in bottles, on the shelves. One of the things that attracted Hermoine's eye when she came in the room was a life-size sculpture of a dementor. She noticed Harry stroll right by it without even shuddering. At least he was overcoming his fear.
She smothered a laugh when Ron about fainted at the sight of a massive spider in a huge cage at the end of one classroom.
"Well…I mean…uh.." Ron stuttered for an explanation as Harry and Hermoine helped him up.
"We completely understand Ron," Hermoine said with a smile. They locked eyes with each other…only a few moments, but they seemed for a lifetime…
"WELCOME WELCOME!" said a new voice. The students turned to the front of the room to find a thin man with round glasses and thinning salt and pepper hair. He smiled wide as they slowly took their seats. Ron and Hermoine, sitting on opposite sides of Harry, looked at him and tried to rid their thoughts of each other.
"I have guessed by the way you addressed me that you have no idea how to spell my name. Well, just call me Mr. T, or Mr. Todo. That way you can remember it. So, how about we begin. I'll start by taking roll…" He took roll, and unlike many of the other new teachers, when Harry's name was aid there was no underlying tone or difference. Harry replied with a "Here" and smiled as he noticed that she was there, in the back row. She looked from the table to the teacher as he said her name.
"Eliana," he said while looking to the back row.
"Present," she replied in a monotone voice. No one glanced at her, but Harry winced in pain as Ron nudged him with his elbow.
"Get a load of her…" he was saying but suddenly he had a sharp pain in his knee. "Hermoine…stop! I was talking about her boots! Look at the spikes!" He winced but suddenly Hermoine let the spell go and looked to the wall. She was ashamed of herself and Ron glared at her as she looked at his red knee. "What did you do that for?!"
"Well…" Hermoine tried to explain, "the teacher…he was getting ready to call your name. But, don't worry, I said you were present." She didn't dare tell him that she was jealous for mistaking him for talking about her cleavage.
The Class went on normally, and the teacher told of his background teaching at other schools, and how he only had one daughter left. He was an auror, and was one of the best-qualified people for the Dark Arts teaching job at Hogwarts. He glanced at Harry a few times, but for some reason, maybe he didn't know that Harry was famous. Thank God! Harry was so tired of being famous. Maybe Eliana..the beautiful Eliana, wouldn't mind. Harry doubted it.
"Ginny…here!" Linda tried handing her a note. "This just came for you."
"From who?" Ginny questioned while taking the note from Linda. Not like Professor Snape cared.
"Don't know…" she said, "Owl just brought it." Hermoine opened it to find semi-sloppy handwriting that read:
Ginny
Teem em by eht ekal ta hcnul. T'nod gnirb enoyna.
dneirf a
A/N: Thanks so much for reviews! Positive ones are always awesome and ecourage me to write more! Thanks to GFlea and Aria especially, you guys help when I get writer's cramps! munches on chocolate frog Thanks again.
