Ella flicks her wrist, the spell landing right in the middle of Ron's chest. She gives a big laugh at her best friend, "I swear, you've got to be letting me at this point. Otherwise, you're quite the pathetic battle mate. We will surely perish if you don't start kicking my ass, Ronald Weasley." She walks over to him, giving him a hand up.
"Or we can just depend on you, a human shield? I don't see why not." Ron points over at Harry, "That's the boy we have to protect, I figure. Boy who lived and all that. Can't be the boy who died, what a pathetic story."
Hermione knocks his finger out of the air, "That's enough of that. Maybe let's not make jokes about Harry dying with you-know-who lurking about."
"A killjoy I tell you, a killjoy." Ron says to Ella, beginning to walk towards the door, "Dinner time, yeah? I am STARVING."
"You're always starving, I swear it's a natural state for you." Ella says with a smile, "I'll catch up, I'm just going to drop my book off in the dorms."
"Need me to come with you? I hear Malfoy has been bugging you lately." Harry offers, "Not that you can't handle him, but Ron isn't a real threat, so your training hasn't been super thorough by any means."
Ella laughs, shaking her head, grabbing her books in one arm and her bag in her other. "If I can handle you lot I can handle Malfoy, besides, he's got no reason to be creeping about the Gryffindor dormitory so close to dinner time. I think he just wants to be my friend. Gets lonely being the most hated boy at Hogwarts, not that you'd know anything about that." She jokes to Harry.
"Let's gooooooooooo." Ron says from the doorway, "If Malfoy kills you, I'll avenge you, no, perhaps Harry will, good practice for you-know-who."
Harry punches Ron on the arm, "Alright, we will meet you there, Ella."
Ella waves to them as they leave. Dropping her shoulders and letting out a big sigh as they leave. Draco Malfoy has been an enigma to her since she got here. She transferred from a different school, alone and confused as ever. Something about him has been bugging her, and every time they talk, she gets more confused. He acts guilty, but she's not sure why.
As she's walking to the dormitory, she feels a cold hand on her arm, she whips around to see the boy in question, Draco Malfoy. He must have been waiting for her, why else would he be this close to the Gryffindor dormitory right before dinner?
"Draco." She says his name so light, she wonders if he even caught her lips. "Everything alright?"
He nods, "Yeah, just, odd time of day for you to be walking by yourself, can I join you?"
"If you insist, it's really not that odd of a time." They start walking but all of a sudden she stops, "You know nothing about me, but you keep popping up everywhere, as if we've been mates for a while. Can you tell me what's going on? Why you're so.."
Draco sighs, putting his hands into his pockets, "I suppose I'm just tired of people hating me. And you seem like the only person here who is willing to even give me a sliver of a chance."
"I'll be your friend, you just need to stop acting so weird about it." Ella says, walking up to him in a few quick paces, he starts to match her stride, "How are your classes coming along?
"Alright, potions has been harder this year. Snape is taking it very.. seriously. I suppose he's trying to fill the dark arts position for next year."
Ella stops again, grabbing his arm excitedly, "I love potions! I'll tutor you!"
Draco smirks, tilting his head, "Are your friends going to be ok with that?"
Ella rolls her eyes, "They don't tell me what to do, and you're my friend." She says, poking her finger in the middle of his chest. He sways a little on his feet, immediately heat rises to her cheeks. She clears her throat, "And my friends don't fail classes that I am good at, it's embarrassing, really."
"4 o clock? Every Tuesday?" Draco says, reaching a hand out.
"It's a deal. I do expect butterbeer on you though, as payment." She says cheerfully, putting her hand into his and giving it a swift shake.
Draco looks away, a slight chuckle resting on his face.
"What? Did I say something?" She asks.
"I just figured we weren't close enough friends for you to pour butterbeer on me."
Ella shrieks, "No! We both know that's not what I meant! Don't be so.. barbaric!"
Draco laughs, walking ahead of her, "Well come on then, those books aren't going back by themselves, are they?"
Ella runs up to him quick, "How'd you know I was putting my books away? Are you stalking me?"
"I have eyes, but if that tickles your fancy, you're free to think what you wish." That smirk never seems to leave his face when he's talking to her.
"You're tutoring Malfoy? Let him fail, give us all a break next year, eh?" Ron says, biting into a drumstick, "I just don't see why it matters. Or why you're friends."
Hermione shakes her head, reaching for a napkin to wipe off the corner of Ron's lips, "She can be friends with whomever she chooses, Ronald. I'm sure Malfoy has some..." She clears her throat, "Redeemable qualities we just are not aware of yet."
Harry rolls his eyes, stabbing his fork into his green beans, "I just don't see why we are playing nice with a death eater when we are this close to Voldemort."
"What do you mean this close to you-know-who?" Ella inquires, pushing her peas around on her plate, "Is something about to happen, Harry? Did Dumbledore say something to you?"
Harry clears his throat, "Just drop it for now, ok. I can't explain much more.. not that I.. know much more than that." He admits defeatedly, "He's been shutting me out this semester and I'm.. frustrated." His fork clangs on his plate, "I'm done eating and I'm done talking about Voldemort and Malfoy."
Ella looks down, biting her lip, "I'm sorry, Harry. I didn't mean to upset you. I just don't think it's fair for me to pass judgement on a lad I barely know that's done nothing to me. It's just tutoring, ok?" She puts a hand on his shoulder and he visibly relaxes.
What she didn't see was Malfoy, across the room, throw his fork in frustration at the interaction.
