Selena couldn't help but smirk in Veronica's direction the next morning at breakfast. Everyone involved in last night's fiasco were tired, but perfectly cheerful. Indeed, they had all agreed that the meeting the three-headed dog had been an excellent adventure, and they were quite keen on another one. In the meantime, Harry and Selena filled Ron and the girls on what had been moved from Gringotts to Hogwarts, and they spent a lot of time wondering what could possibly need such heavy protection.
Vanessa, Odessa and Adeline stared at Selena in stunned shock. "No way!" they hissed when they mentioned the three-headed-dog.
"I'll never look at the Third Floor the same way again." Odessa muttered.
"I can't believe you entered the Forbidden Corridor?" Adeline asked.
"No wonder Evan was so upset when I saw her this morning." murmured Vanessa.
"And you said it might be guarding something down there?" Odessa whispered.
"Yep," Selena said, sipping her green tea that Vanessa had gotten her into.
"Whatever it is, it's either really valuable or really dangerous." said Ron.
"Or both," said Harry.
Hermione however, showed not even the slightest interest in what lay underneath the dog and the trapdoor. They hadn't spoken to Evan yet, though the expression on her face from over at the Ravenclaw table was enough to tell them that she never wanted to go near that dog again.
Hermione was now refusing to speak to the twins and Ron, but she was such a bossy know-it-all that they saw this as an added bonus. Selena on the other hand, already at a lot on her plate that wasn't her breakfast that morning nor was it whatever mystery lay beneath that trapdoor. Her mind still plagued with who her anonymous helper was and at seven o'clock that evening, she had planned to head out to the location her helper had advised her to go.
She had spent most of her spare time looking for information on telekinesis and how the powers were supposed to work. As of recently, all she had managed to find out about psychic powers was it required intense concentration, but if you were a Muggle Telekinetic, there would be side effects such as bleeding from the ears and nose, bruising around the face and fainting spells.
For a magic person however, it was a lot less dangerous, which was ironic because Muggles apparently were more likely to be born with it, though it was usually cause by an electrocution to the mother's brain during the pregnancy. Hearing that, made Selena's stomach churn.
As the owls flooded into the Great Hall as usual, everyone's attention was caught at once by a long, thin package carried by six large owls. The twins were just has interested as everyone else to see what was in this large parcel and were amazed when the owls soared down and dropped it right in front of Harry, knocking his bacon to the floor. They had hardly fluttered away when another owl dropped a letter on top of the parcel. Harry tore open the letter first, which was lucky, because it said:
DO NOT OPEN THE PARCEL AT THE TABLE
It contains your new Nimbus Two Thousand, but I don't want everybody knowing you've got a broomstick of they'll all want one. Oliver Wood will meet you tonight on the Quidditch field at seven for your first training session.
Professor McGonagall
Good, Selena thought. The Quidditch Pitch was on the opposite side of the school, away from her own practice location. Selena grinned at Harry as he tried to hide his excitement as he handed the note to Ron to read. "A Nimbus Two Thousand!" Ron moaned enviously. "I've never even touched one." Selena's grin grew wider.
"I'll try not to be jealous," she said, cheekily.
"Harry, you are so lucky!" Adeline squealed.
"I've only got a Cleansweep Seven at home." Vanessa moaned in jealousy. Harry, Ron and Selena left the hall quickly, wanting to unwrap the broomstick in private before their first class, but halfway across the entrance hall they found the way upstairs barricaded by Crabbe and Goyle.
Draco seized the package from Harry and felt it. "That's a broomstick," he said, handing it back to Harry with a mixture of jealousy and spite on his face. "You're in for it this time, Potter, first years aren't allowed them."
Ron couldn't resist it. "Not just any broomstick," he said. "it's a Nimbus Two Thousand. What did say you've got at home, Malfoy, a Comet Two Sixty?" Ron grinned at Harry. "Comets look flashy, but they're not in the same league as the Nimbus."
"What would you know about it, Weasley, you couldn't afford half the handle," Malfoy snapped back. Selena suddenly came between the three boys.
"Alright, that's enough okay! Please, for the love of Elvis Presley can't you boys try to get along for five minutes without getting at each other's necks?!"
Harry, Ron and Draco stared at her for a second, but the aggravated glare in Selena's emerald green eyes told them she was being more than serious and all they could do was crack their knuckles and scowl.
Selena turned to Draco, with a tired expression, like an exhausted, single mother with five children. "Draco, Harry was given his broomstick by Professor McGonagall for special circumstances. There's no need to be crude." She finished, before walking away with Harry and Ron in a huff.
As she walked away, Draco couldn't help but stare at Selena in surprise as she walked up the stairs. Most girls usually swooned or giggled whenever he passed by, but…not Selena. She didn't fall down at his feet like a lot of the other girls or drool over him in the corridors. She was unique and that only made her even more likeable. "You're grinning," Crabbe said, nudging Draco in the ribs.
"Clear off," he huffed, pushing his friend away. Whether Draco had a crush on Selena or not, he couldn't deny that he liked her.
"Well, it's true," Harry said as they reached the top of the marble staircase, "if he hadn't stolen Neville's Remembral I wouldn't be on the team…"
"So I suppose you think that's a reward for breaking rules?" came an angry voice from just behind them. Hermione was stomping up the stairs, looking disapprovingly at the package in Harry's hand.
"I thought you weren't speaking to us?" said Harry.
"Yes, don't stop now," said Ron, "it's doing us so much good."
"Hermione, just let it go." Selena said, not in the mood for another confrontation. Hermione marched away with her nose in the air. Harry had a lot of trouble keeping his mind on his lessons that day. It kept wandering up to the dormitory where his new broomstick was lying under his bed or straying off to the Quidditch Pitch. He bolted down his dinner that evening without noticing what he was eating, then rushed out onto the field for his first training session.
As seven o'clock drew nearer, Selena left the castle and set off in the dusk toward the secret location. She could see Harry flying around on his new Nimbus Two Thousand from across the grounds. She walked towards the spot where she and Draco had agreed to meet up, before setting out to find the location. The mysterious helper hadn't given a description of the place other than the directions to it. Head east along the Black Lake. Whatever that meant.
Selena smiled once she saw Draco propped up against the castle wall, holding a lumpy pillow sack under his arm. "Hey Draco," she greeted.
"Hey Moonlight, you ready?"
"Ready as I'll ever be, let's go." They walked along the grounds, following the Black Lake, though not going too close to the water due to the Giant Squid and the Merpeople that lived in those pitch-dark waters. "So, how do you feel about telekinesis practice?" Draco asked her.
"It's alright, though I feel like I'm double crossing my brother doing this."
"Potter still doesn't know you have psychic powers?" Draco asked, surprised that Selena still hadn't told Harry.
"I'll tell him as soon as I feel ready and don't call him 'Potter.'" Selena explained, hissing the last bit of that sentence. Selena looked over to Draco. "How are you feeling about Harry getting a broomstick?" Draco gave a snort, kicking a pebble into the water.
"My father's not going to be impressed when he hears about this. You must be really proud." Draco added bitterly. Selena gave him a sympathetic look.
"I can see why you'd be upset. Playing Quidditch all your life, and then upstaged by someone who has never been on a broom in his life, that's understandable." Draco stopped in his tracks and stared at her, bewildered. "How did you- "he paused for a second – then chuckled. "right, you're telepathic as well, I forgot."
Selena laughed as they continued walking. "Out of curiosity, what's in the pillow sack?"
"Stuff,"
"What kind of stuff?"
"Stuff you can practice on."
"Do you think we're there yet?" Selena asked, looking at the sunset glow on the lake waters. They stopped and looked around. They were quite a distance away from the castle, on the other side of the lake. "This must be it." Draco said, setting the pillow case down.
The area they were in had a lone oak tree that towered high above the waters, with long, thick branches stretching out far and wide, perfect for climbing. It was the perfect location to practice. Draco started searching through the pillow case while Selena watched on from the boulder she was sitting on. "What's the first thing I need to do?" she asked.
Draco stood up and showed her a set of long, needle shaped darts and a silver goblet. "Hop off the boulder, I think we should start out lightly. By making objects move on their own." Draco said as he placed a simple, silver goblet on the rock.
"You saw me tie my tie on the train," Selena argued.
"I know I did. Now, try to make that goblet fly, no wands allowed." He finished, nodding towards the goblet on the rock. Selena stood in front of the goblet and tried to remember what was written on telekinesis.
The power required intense concentration and focus. All you had to do, was focus on the object and what you wanted it to do. Selena focused her attention on the goblet and heard a white noise in the back of her head as the goblet started to hover three inches off the rock and move around. Selena broke her concentration out of delight and the goblet clattered to the ground.
"That was a good start." Draco said, picking up the goblet – replacing it back on the rock. "Try and bring it over to you, don't break your focus." He said, stepping back. Selena concentrated once again and watched as the goblet floated up and towards her, before landing into her cupped hands. "Great job! You're a natural." Draco said, taking the goblet from her and giving her a smile. Selena smiled back.
Draco waved his wand, drawing a target on the tree and handed Selena the darts, telling her to throw the darts at the target with her mind. Selena didn't miss the target once. By the time practice was over, Selena had a massive headache.
"It's normal, but it'll lessen over time." Draco explained as they sat down, back against the boulder. Draco reached into the pillow sack and pulled out some Cauldron Cakes and Pumpkin Pasties, along with a bottle of Pumpkin Juice.
"How did you get those?" Selena asked, her head still throbbing with pain.
"My mother sent them in the mail. Want one?" he offered, holding out a pasty.
"Sure."
By the time they had finished the last of the cakes, night had fallen and the Full Moon was casting a silver glow upon the waters of the lake.
"I think we should head back soon," Selena said, standing up. They packed up all the practice equipment back into the pillow sack and continued the walk back to the school. "Not bad for the first try." Draco said.
"Same time tomorrow?"
"If I manage to sneak past Filch."
"There's that Slytherin Spirit shining through." Draco chuckled.
Selena chuckled with him, blushing slightly. It was hard to see anything in the dark but using the reflective moonlight on the waters and the lights from the castle windows as navigation back to the castle. Suddenly, Selena slipped on a loose part of ground and rolled onto the grass, pulling Draco down with her, landing on top of her.
The both of them didn't even have time to render the shock of what just happened when they found their faces were inches away from each other's. "Uhh…" Selena stammered. "Umm…"
"This just got awkward." Draco muttered, trying to hide his blush.
"…yeah…" Selena uttered as Draco stood up to help her to her feet.
They dusted themselves off and quickly walked back in the direction of the castle, the moonlight illuminating their blushing red faces. By the time they got back to the castle, everyone was heading up to the common rooms for bed. "Well," Draco said, turning to Selena. "I guess this is where we part ways."
"Yeah…" she replied, hiding behind her hair and fidgeting.
"Goodnight Draco." She whispered. Draco took her hand and kissed her knuckles again, like he did on the train. "Goodnight, Selena…"
"Where on earth have you been Drake?" Blaise asked as soon as Draco walked into the dorm. "Out," he half-snapped, tucking the pillow sack under his bed.
"Out with Selena?" Blaise teased.
Draco sent his friend a glare. "Leave it Blaise!"
"Ha! I knew it! Sneaking out with the girl of your dreams,"
Goyle laughed from his bed in the corner. "Seems to me like you enjoy her company."
"For how long Drakey? Since that moment on the train?" Crabbe continued to tease, getting on Draco's nerve.
"Shut it, all of you." he hissed.
"You fancy Selena Potter!" they all said together.
"No!" Draco yelled. "I do not fancy her!"
"Okay fine then, you don't fancy her." Blaise said, rolling his eyes. "You love her!"
"Selena and Draco, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage!" Crabbe and Goyle chanted. Draco's face turned beet red.
"I do not love her!" Draco snapped again, rolling over. "Leave me alone!"
Theodore Nott scoffed at Draco. "I can't believe it? You're a Malfoy and you're in love with a Gryffindor Half-Blood."
"I AM NOT IN LOVE WITH SELENA POTTER!" Draco yelled into his pillow, growing fed up. "This conversation is over. I'm going to bed. Goodnight!"
"So, you can dream about Selena?" Blaise asked, putting emphasis on her name.
"Blaise! I'm warning you!" Draco said before closing his eyes.I don't know what they're on about. I don't fancy Selena, I just admire her… Yeah, that's it, that's all it was.
But how often did he admire Selena? He had girls throw themselves at him, just for who he was, since he was nine. But Selena was the first girl to treat him as an actual person who had feelings, rather than cling to him like a leech or some other parasite.
All his life, he had heard stories of The Potter Twins and he thought he knew them already, until he met her…
Selena Potter was a fighter, in her own unique way. She had the ability to kick arse without causing any physical harm, but she was perfectly capable of breaking one's jaw.
All that was covered up by a sweet, innocent, easy-going young girl, until you made her angry, then she had the attitude of a hissing viper.
She was a kind, compassionate, caring, headstrong, cunning, brave and clever girl.
She was protective of those she loved. Her brother especially.
She was intelligent and one of the smartest witches in school.
Then she was friendly, showing her Hufflepuff side by befriending anyone and practically everyone. Just one kind word from her, was enough to make you go from being sad and lonely, to happy and cheerful.
She made friends with her dorm-mates, Vanessa, Adeline and Odessa, along with people from other Houses, such as Vanessa's cousin Evan (a Ravenclaw) and Asha (a Hufflepuff).
She was also musically inclined. She could pick up any instrument and figure it out within a week.
She had the ability to sing her heart out and damn, she was a phenomenal person! That girl had a voice!
She was also cunning and found great use to her telepathic and telekinetic abilities.
She was full of surprises.
When Draco met Selena, Cupid's arrow hit him straight into his cold, black heart. That ember red hair, that sweet little smile, the adorable way she hid her face beneath her hair when she was embarrassed and those emerald green eyes, goodness he could get lost in those eyes...all of that smashed the stone wall he had been building up his whole life to become the typical Malfoy, to pieces, then flecks of dust in the wind.
Draco's eyes snapped open clutching his heart as the truth hit him like a bag of stone bricks. They're right. I do fancy her…but does she fancy me?
Ooooh ;) It's getting juicy!
I think Draco might have an itty, bitty, teeny, weeny crush on Selena.