Harry got woken up by a strange looking ferret. Malfoy seemed … nervous? Was that even a feeling he knew? Of course Harry had been asleep on his office chair, and had thought the git was just coming to work as usual, but after a second of hesitation Malfoy sat on the visitor's chair.
"Malfoy? What's wrong with you?"
"Err, I have something to ask." No way, a favour. Great. Harry sighed in exasperation.
"What is it?"
"Blaise wants in."
"No." The word just came out of his mouth on its own volition. And it was the right answer. Zabini was a collateral victim, there was no way he would participate in auror missions.
"Just listen to me."
"I don't have time …"
"You were sleeping on your desk, it's five thirty in the morning, and all the others are out." He was right, he'd come early on purpose, the least Harry could do was to pretend to listen.
"Go on you have five minutes."
And for five minutes, up to the last second, the blond abomination talked. He made a real great point, and promised Zabini would be perfectly happy with doing minor ministry work. They could actually use the help. The last argument looked like it pained Malfoy which Harry was a bit surprised about.
"Look, he's told me he just wants to make his grandma's death worth something. He's got no one but me now."
"That has to be traumatic." Grimaced Harry. Poor Zabini, it was not funny at all though, but the ferret making a point, first thing in the morning, was irritating. Zabini had lost everything and just wanted to help. A feeling Harry could understand more than anyone else. That was one of the reasons that had pushed him to begin auror training after the war, to keep helping. That and let's be honest the guilt. Which Zabini probably felt too.
"Careful here, look he just can't stand doing nothing while …"
"Right, right I get it, I'll talk to Kingsley. Bring him in."
"About that, I don't want to leave my mother alone Potter."
"She'll be safe at the manor Malfoy."
"I know. It's just …" He didn't finish that sentence, even after Harry gave him a questioning look. He was worried. It was his mother after all. Harry would be worried too if it were Molly … and she wasn't his mother. Plus, the woman had saved his life, it was the least he could do.
"I'll ask for her to be placed in a safe house. But she'll have to spend the day alone." Relief took Malfoy's face and Harry wondered if he had ever seen so many feelings on the ferret's face before. The git was certainly not a morning person. Harry knew he wasn't as bad as he looked, but Malfoy had always taken great care in hiding his real personality. They'd always kept insulting each other to some extent and they'd never really shared anything but work. This morning was an exception to that rule. What in Godric's name was happening? The world was certainly going berserk.
"Thanks Potter." Godric's bollocks it was! Harry was so surprised that he just nodded in response. Then Malfoy got out quickly, and Harry sent a note to Kingsley. Convincing him would be difficult, maybe he'd get a better chance if Kingsley wasn't a morning person either.
Hermione woke up to the sound of that odious alarm clock, having slept a decent amount of time for once in her life. it wasn't remotely enough for her to feel properly rested but still. There was improvement. She checked her coin first thing after grabbing her wand, sensing she had a message. Twelve places. Great. She went to the bathroom and got a proper shower, she even had time to grab an apple before going to the living and putting on her coat, she was fifteen minutes early. Of course she'd forgotten something. She went back to the bed-bathroom and grabbed her parchment. She sighed and was about to write on it for Malfoy when he beat her to it.
- Thought you'd keep me posted?
- Was about to write actually, didn't want to make you blow up a wall in the middle of the night. Twelve places. We work on it this morning with everyone and Lee.
- How considerate of you, maybe you're going soft too. I know. Already been at the ministry, coming back with Blaise. Warn Brown that her lover's coming to help.
Too? Zabini was coming?
- Oh so finally admitting you're going soft then? Good step forward gazelle. Did Harry and Kingsley approve of this? I doubt they'd agree, he's too involved.
- Never. This gazelle thing is getting old Granger, maybe find something more appropriate? Like handsome Slytherin or something. Potter approved, Shakelbolt needs convincing. Care to help?
She snorted, the git was so pretentious.
- That would be lying. And I never lie. Well, that was the most ironic lie of all. Maybe ugly skeleton? All right but I'm not helping, he's your friend.
- Oh but you do Granger, you lied to me a few times already. Quit pretending I'm not handsome, this is ridiculous. And I am not skinny either. Right, but a friend who likes you. He says he's too cute for you not to like him too. Which made me gag to write.
When had she lied to the pretentious idiot? She chuckled, Zabini had used that too cute nonsense already. He liked her? That had to be pushing things a bit far. They were just trying to get her help.
- Care to point out when then? No Malfoy, this is being realist, and I'm sorry if it hurts you, but you're as skinny as a broomstick. Maybe a trip to the burrow would do you some good. I'll ask Molly to invite you next time. Oh does he? I don't believe you, see, he already used the "too cute" argument for Lavender and I not to murder him. Gag? Don't you love him any more Malfoy? Have you finally realised it was a one sided thing? I'm really sorry your dream didn't come true.
Here that should shut him up.
- When you said you hated me. Bitch. No way in hell am I setting foot in that hole. Yes he does. He's just said it again, which I have trouble understanding since you're just a cow.
That again. And insulting the burrow, again. As for Zabini she had some trouble understanding too, it just couldn't be. Right they'd shared a few laughs with him but … shit, they were just messing with her, AND they were succeeding.
- But that wasn't a lie, I do hate you sometimes. Dog? Quit calling my favourite place on earth a hole you twat. And right, I don't like him, but I appreciate the feeling. Buffalo?
- Sometimes? Your favourite place on earth? Are you out of your mind? He's sad to hear it. (He's even making a quite ugly face right now.)
What did he care? Wait, did he care? Why would he even branch the subject? No she wasn't out of her mind! Reading that part of the answer made her remember she'd confided in Zabini about it, maybe that short moment had changed his feelings towards her. He'd been surprisingly kind, and understanding, especially when they'd branched the mudblood subject. She sighed, Zabini was nice, he was right she had no reason not to like him but it had nothing to do with his supposed cuteness and she'd never voice or write that.
- What do you care? You hate me all the time. Ask Zabini, he knows. Tell him no need for the ugly face, he's quite ugly naturally. Even if Lavender disagrees.
Well, he cared. And he didn't hate her, which he'd just shown by asking too many questions. It had just backfired. Curiosity had always come back to bite his arse anyway. Draco turned to Blaise, who was now out of the bathroom, and putting on a shirt.
"What's she said?" He asked, buttoning it.
"That you're ugly." Blaise chuckled.
"She can't believe that mate."
"She said Brown disagrees with her too …" Draco sent him a knowing look.
"Shut it. What else? You look weird." Draco frowned. Did he want Blaise to know he cared if she hated him or not? Nope. No way he was saying that.
"She's told me to ask you why the burrow's her favourite place on earth. Said you'd know."
"Ah. I do." He sat on the edge of the bed to put his socks on. "She told me when we went to grab that file from you office, that and other secret things." Blaise arboured a sadistic smile Draco didn't like very much.
"Secret things?" He tried not to look too interested and battered himself inwardly for actually being.
"Yes, but I can't tell." Draco rolled his eyes. If Granger had confided in him, it sure wasn't anything important. Right?
"Don't care. The burrow?"
"See I think you do." Draco scowled:
"No, I don't. So, the Burrow?" Blaise sighed but dropped the matter.
"The burrow's her favourite place because it's happy, unlike here she said."
"Oh." Draco looked down at the parchment, not knowing what to write.
"And the secret is about the weasel." That lifted his head right back up. She'd told something about the redface git to Blaise? Shit, he'd reacted too much.
"AHA! Knew you'd be interested. I didn't promise not to tell, just told her that I had no one to tell to, and she spit it out." Draco gave him an impatient look and Blaise chuckled.
"You want to know!" He happily jolted.
"Right go on." The smile his friend gave him was infuriating but Draco couldn't help his curiosity.
"She told me they'd broken up during the year after the war, because they never saw each other."
"They work together." Was Draco's sceptical answer.
"Exactly what I said, and well, she's given some juicy bit."
"Don't make me beg Blaise, you're dying to tell." The idiot chuckled again.
"Right, she was bored with him." Was that it? That was lame.
"That's not juicy, that's logical, the git can't align five words without becoming purple."
"Yeah right, tell her she's ugly too then." So much for juicy bits. "And that you care." Added Blaise.
"I don't. End of discussion."
"Right, and I don't find Brown pretty." Draco wide-eyed him so hard it hurt. His turn for the knowing smile. Blaise warned him with a glare and Draco chuckled but said nothing. He already knew that anyway. Granger had seen it too. Speaking of whom he had to answer.
- You presume too much Granger, you're wrong. Well happy home or not, the burrow's out of line, too many redheads. He says you're ugly too, and just (don't tell that) confessed finding Brown pretty. I was bloody right.
It took a bit too much time for her to answer and Blaise chuckled.
"What?"
"Impatient are you?" He mocked.
- Am I? So what, you hate me half the time then? That's a shame. Might do you some good to taste of Molly's cooking, maybe even gain a few needed pounds. Bet something happens between them before all this is over.
Shit, she'd make him say it! Well she'd have to do the same then. HE WAS NOT SKINNY. Blaise chuckled at his scowling.
"What's she said?"
"She keeps insisting that I'm too skinny. She calls me bloody skeleton for Salazar's sake!" Shit. Blaise burst out laughing so hard he dropped his wand. Traitorous twat!
"She's so right!"
"Shut up. She's not." That did nothing to shut him up. But Draco didn't care, he had to answer, he had to actually say it. What bad could it do? It was just the truth. Berating himself for branching the subject like the impatient and worried idiot he was, all worried over Hermione book-worm Granger's opinion of him, he tried to shrug it away. After all, he was fairly certain she didn't hate him either. It was still awful to have to write it down. He chose to minimize it.
- Maybe you do, but I don't hate you. I might just go back to that though, if you keep insisting on this weight thing. Look at Longbottom if you don't like a tall and handsome lean man. Maybe you're more of a lumpy potato girl. Hate to say it but I agree, hope she doesn't eat him.
Would she just ignore his statement as she'd done every time he'd said thank you? It would be welcome, because now things would be awkward between them. He already felt uncomfortable and he was still in his home. She took too long to answer too. It was beyond irritating. Blaise was ready so they just grabbed their coats, and side-along apparated to the ministry. She still hadn't answered and Draco was starting to really feel uneasy, especially since he had to go to that meeting room, and she'd probably be there. They got out of the lift, Blaise looking as nervous as he felt. Shit, why was he feeling this way? He wasn't supposed to care. Fortunately they ran into Shakelbolt.
"Ah, right on time, I had a word with Harry, Zabini you want in?"
"Right I do."
"Really in, becoming an auror? Or just to get your revenge?" That was unexpected, and right to the point. Shakelbolt didn't seem to be one to mess around. Blaise didn't cower a bit and Draco felt a sudden bout of pride for his friend. Slytherins never cowered.
"I want in to be an auror. And if I can get a bit of that revenge on the way, I'll take it." It was an honest answer, when Draco had thought his best friend would manipulate his way in, he'd just proven him wrong, by being cunning. It took some balls, even if the head auror was so tired he didn't even make the difference between a fat girl and a man, he was still quite intimidating. Not that any of the two former Slytherins would ever confess that aloud.
"How many NEWTS did you get?"
"None I never passed them." Shakelbolt looked resigned.
"I'll never get a degreed auror now will I? You're in as trainee. But we need you here for now. No field for you, AND I expect you to follow every direct or indirect order given your way, by any of the aurors. Am I being clear?" Wow, Shakelbolt had to be in desperate need of people. Blaise looked pleased with this though.
"Crystal."
"We'll sort the papers later. Meeting room, now. Jordan's waiting for everyone." There, not so pleased any more. Blaise couldn't bear Jordan, that promised to be fun.
His parchment got warm just before they entered the damn room. Of course Granger was already there, and all the others too. He'd have to read it in front of her, under the bloody table, if he didn't want to get burnt. Salazar's beard this was tremendously horrid.
Hermione took her time to find a proper answer. They were all gathered around the meeting table, papers relating the locations Lee would have to get close to, scattered all over the wooden piece of furniture. They all had quills and parchments to take notes, so it'd been easy to just pretend she was working. She was always taking notes anyway, the others didn't see anything. But there she was stuck. Malfoy didn't hate her. She already knew that, but the fact that he'd write it, somehow proved he cared. Not especially about her, thank Godric, but at least about her opinion of him, and that proved how much he'd changed. He now valued her feelings as proper ones, he saw her as another valuable person. Again, she'd known that already since that night, but it had never really settled in her head before that very moment. What was she supposed to answer? This time he'd said that maybe she hated him, as if wanting some sort of confirmation of the contrary. She'd already given him that though, she'd said he was right stating she didn't hate him. Why would he practically ask her to say it? Because he cared, and admitting it too, would be proving she cared too. Did she care about his opinion of her? Had she come to care about what the ferret thought? She had no idea. What she knew was that she didn't hate him, and that it would actually sting a bit if he'd still hated her. There, her answer, she cared. The world was definitely upside down.
- This is rather painful to admit, especially when you're practically forcing me to, but no Malfoy, I don't hate you. Quit insulting Neville, he's quite handsome, unlike you. As for Lavender eating Zabini, that could be fun to watch.
She'd just put the parchment under her muggle note book when the concerned transparent blond entered, followed by an excited looking Zabini. Hermione saw it, Lavender's little move to pretend she hadn't been looking up when he'd entered. She smiled for herself. Those two would become something. Zabini unconsciously confirmed her thoughts by eyeing Lavender really quickly and hiding a smile. He then strode over to her, as Lavender was between Dean and Neville, and sat to her right. Malfoy sat next to him, and Hermione realised he hadn't seen her response yet. He'd have to do it now. She gave him a quick nod as Harry explained that Zabini would join them as trainee. Malfoy looked so uncomfortable it was sickening. He didn't even gave the nod back and started searching in his pocket. This time though, she couldn't try to make it right, and she felt quite uncomfortable herself, so she settled to just work and forget.
Zabini turned his face to her once Harry stopped talking and winked. She lifted an eyebrow questioningly.
"I know you like me too Granger." He whispered smirking his mouth out.
"That's a bit presumptuous." He chuckled but didn't get a chance to answer, as Lee started to explain, mostly to him, what they were going to do from now on. Try and select the most probable places to track the parchment, and then plan the little excursions that was. Lavender, who was facing Hermione, no longer needed to hide, she had an excuse to watch Zabini, as he talked with Lee, a bit dryly. Hermione refrained from giving Malfoy a knowing look. She settled on toying with her muggle pen instead. Why, she had no idea, but now knowing he cared made her feel uneasy. She'd been the one breaking the ice until then, only because she just enjoyed their little banter, and didn't want it to end. A little voice told her that this was a big fat lie. Because she cared too, but it was so weird. Maybe if she just ignored him, the feeling would go away, and she'd never have to think about it any more. Right, she'd just do that. Except her parchment glowed from under her notebook. She closed her eyes in annoyance, and sighed. She opened her note book and moved it a bit, so she could see what in the world he would have to say NOW.
- Feeling a bit Hufflepuff too? Doesn't look like you to "hen" out Granger.
She hid her chuckle by pinching her lips, hard. He'd just broken the ice himself. So they both felt awkward with that. It wasn't surprising since it was awkward. They didn't hate each other any more, and even if it was, and would stay, unsaid, they cared about each other's feelings and valued the other's opinion. It felt like a giant step in awkwardness. But a step that kept the banter going, and she was glad it did.
Draco could see Brown's looks at Blaise were amusing her. He also saw how she refrained from looking his way. She wouldn't break the ice this time. Maybe she'd finally realised how awkward this all was. So he cared, big deal. Like if that was something new, he'd cared since that monstrous day. He'd showed it that night, and now he was admitting it. Also he'd forced her to admit it too. What was wrong with him? He had definitely lost his mind. And made the both of them feel so ... out of sorts? Odd? Whatever, bad for sure. So what now? She wouldn't take the first step this time. Would this mean she wouldn't write any more? Probably. Here, his stomach twisted at the thought. He didn't want it to end. Fuck it would end. His stomach hurt now. He'd have to break the ice wouldn't he? Salazar he hadn't been sorted in Gryffindor and that was for a good reason. Even the Gryffindor in this situation wasn't that brave. Putting the parchment on his knees he wrote tentatively.
- Feeling a bit Hufflepuff too? Doesn't look like you to "hen" out Granger.
That took a tremendous effort. But it was the best he could do. State their obvious equally disturbed feeling, and keep the banter going. Draco saw her open her note book and look at the parchment she'd kept under. She seemed to have forgotten she didn't posses a giant nest of hair to hide her face any more. There, it had worked. She was pinching her lips, hard. Like the last time she'd tried not to laugh. Relief flew right through him, releasing the grip it had on his stomach. Shit, he cared. What she did next gave him a whole different kind of stomach ache though, she smiled. Not directly at him, it would have been too obvious, but her face lowered on the parchment. A very faint smile but genuine, and he knew she wasn't smiling because of what he'd said. He could see it, in the way she was smiling, with a slight hint of something in the corner of her eye. Salazar she was glad he'd written. She cared too didn't she? At least they were on the same page, and maybe they'd step out of that muddy puddle of awkwardness. While the others kept discussing the details of Zabini's implication, which probably resumed to none, he didn't know, he wasn't listening, she wrote.
- Not as much as you do, chicken.
Here, everything was back to where it'd been before that strange conversation. Name calling and hidden chuckles. Draco managed to remain impassible but just as he was about to put the parchment back in his pocket, it got warm again.
- Or rooster?
Shit, he swallowed back the smile that stole his face, the instant it did. But it was too late, she'd seen it. Thank Salazar Potter addressed them all that moment, and put an end to his struggle not to laugh at her amused face. It cut all feeling of laughing from the both of them, reality hit back, hard.
"Right, so, Zabini, Malfoy, Neville make that list of possible wards, Lavender with Hermione you work on breaking them, we won't have Minerva this time, Dean, Ron, Lee, you're on supply and organisation. I have a meeting right now, as soon as I'm back we brief and decide where we go first. Everyone okay?"
He got nods or short approving answers and stormed out quickly. Blaise turned to him and whispered:
"Get to work with the sluggish lump. Hurray." Longbottom strode over to them, with a huge pile of files, and as if sensing Blaise's comment he dropped them on the table just before him. Draco looked at the potato and was again surprised by his attitude. He had gotten some balls. Longbottom sat facing them, and they started working even before the others had joined their partners. Brown came to them and addressed Neville, awkwardly avoiding Blaise's eyes. Granger joined her, her arms full of files too.
"Neville would you send us notes as you're going? We're off to practice. Mione's going to teach me few things so we can split in two teams and work faster from now on." She looked rather proud of herself. So Granger was the ward breaker? When she got blasted off a threshold? Draco couldn't help but smirk. Blaise seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.
"Got something to say about that mate? Cause if you don't, then I do." He said, elbowing Draco playfully towards Granger. Draco cleared his throat before saying.
"Yes, in fact, I was wondering if Granger had learned from her mistakes or if she'll teach you how to get blasted off a threshold too?"
Thank Merlin Neville knew they were only teasing. The others looked busy, so Hermione safely took a step towards them, hoping Ron wouldn't choose this moment to lift his face up from his map.
"Maybe you should bring that note to training Malfoy and see for yourself what we're capable of."
"Actually that's a good idea. We should all work from the desk back there." Said Neville, cutting short their upcoming banter. "Ron? Care to work downstairs? Would be easier for us instead of sending notes to the girls, and Zabini could watch a bit of training."
"Well, we won't need the training room before we're done with supplies but … I guess it's all right."
Hermione smiled, Malfoy and Zabini looked too sure of themselves, this would make them loose a bit of their self-esteem for sure. Since they were back to normal with Malfoy, she saw no reason not to show him what she was capable of. So they all went down the little flack of stairs behind Ron's office, that led to the training rooms. Downstairs was a meeting room, similar to the one upstairs, except for the large maps that covered the walls. All the others sat at the large table that was in that main room, while Lavender and her kept going to one of the training rooms directly linked. Colin was already there, training with one of the new young men that had joined them, Hermione couldn't remember when. She only knew it was fairly recent, and that the boy was fresh out of Hogwarts.
"Oh you're all here? Hi, do you need the room?" He asked.
"Hi Colin, actually I'm to teach a few things to Lavender, would you mind going next door?"
"No problem." He smiled, and they got out. Hermione then turned to Lavender.
"So, I'll place wards on this wall. You try to break them." Lavender nodded, her expression one of strong determination. A bit of action, exactly what Hermione needed after days buried in files.
Draco felt useless. He'd told everything he knew about wards, and they'd perused almost all the locations files, but Longbottom had seemed to know everything Draco had said already. The aurors had seized many dark houses after the war, and had acquired strong knowledge about wards, being the master of the manor's wards wasn't that impressive after all. Blaise had looked a bit overwhelmed at the beginning but was starting to adjust to their rhythm. Because Draco and Longbottom actually had come to a quite effective pattern, and worked surprisingly well together. Weasley, Thomas and Jordan had moved to the training rooms after two hours of work and Longbottom finally took the last file before they were to join them. That last house had registered wards and it wasn't really probable that they used it but they still had to work on it. It took an hour more and they were finally done.
"Here, guess I'll send a note to Harry and we're off to help the others."
"Not to bloody late." Yawned Blaise. "Can't wait to see them in action." Longbottom smiled at him, the potato had softened a bit towards Blaise, his dry tone had vanished after a few hours of work.
"Right, done, let's go then." He lead them to a corridor and to the second door to the left.
Draco entered just after him, in a large room with padded walls, where a small familiar looking blond man was firing hexes at a dark-haired boy. The boy mostly used protegos and cowered a bit but managed to stay unharmed. The little blond was quite impressive, nothing Draco couldn't beat easily but still, he had some moves.
"Colin?" The blond stopped and the dark-haired boy looked so relieved and exhausted that Draco pitied him a bit.
"Oh Neville, do you need that room too?"
"No, just wanted to tell you Zabini's in. Might train with him in a couple of days."
"Oh." Creevey, there, Draco remembered the annoying little brat from school. He looked at them as if he hadn't seen them before and seemed positively worried.
"Don't shit your pants boy, I won't hurt you." Said Blaise.
"We'll see who hurts who, Harry taught me. I'm not here for nothing." Creevey answered challengingly, but his face contradicted his words. Draco chuckled. Potter had taught him, but he wasn't on the field?
"Why aren't you on the field then?" Creevey arboured a shameful scowl before answering Draco.
"I can't pass charms with Hermione … so I teach the others until I do."
"That's no big deal Colin, it took quite some time to the rest of us too." Reassured Longbottom. "And I'm pretty sure that Zabini won't succeed the first time either. If I remember correctly he wasn't the most attentive in class." Draco chuckled, if something was true, it had to be that. Blaise scowled but said nothing to them. Longbottom led them out, and Blaise finally whispered:
"I'll teach him some you'll see."
"I have no doubt you will."
They entered the third room to the left then, which was an exact copy of the second one. Brown was silently whispering and sparkles of different colours were constantly aiming the back wall of the padded room.
"Flick." Granger ordered and Brown executed. A thin magical layer of the wall shattered and exploded in small bits before vanishing completely.
"YES! That one's done! Next."
"Habitatis protetum. Ancient ward, mostly to disable badly intentioned people to approach. Rarely used but I have a gut feeling." It was the ward Draco had added to the manor after the war. It was fairly complicated and it had taken him weeks of practice to be able to cast it. He looked at Granger as she lifted her wand. She flicked it up and to the left expertly, frowning in concentration, and didn't voice it. An almost imperceptible magical barrier flew from her wand to cover the entire wall, from the centre to the corners and then disappeared. She'd cast it silently. This was the most impressive thing Draco had ever seen. He wanted to comment but Longbottom signed him with a finger over his mouth to keep silent, the women hadn't noticed them yet, and Granger started talking again.
"So, counter charm. There's none actually, since it's purely protective. It's one of the strongest barriers we ever encountered but I managed to find a way to break it. If you're alone you can pass through it but it's too complicated for now. We're going to attack it with just the right moves and it shall break. What do you think?"
"I think break the human repellent first?"
"Comes second actually. What else?"
"Oh! The intentional part of the ward! Err I have no idea how Mione …"
"Right, okay then I'll explain. Human with bad intentions banned right? You know we work backwards with those charms so first the intentional part to attack. A bad intention is a feeling. Still nothing?"
"A feeling? What? Attack it with bad feelings?"
"No, it's repellent to that."
"Attack it with good feelings?"
"Right, to weaken it, leave the impression it's someone well intended that wants to cross it. Then double attack with breaking the human repellent component of it."
"Shit that's complicated. I'm lost how do I do?" Draco couldn't keep his mouth shut. She'd decomposed the magic of the ward, and ordered the attacks to break through it. It was outstanding.
"You constantly harass it with cheer up charms." He said, startling both women slightly. Granger turned to him, and cocked her head to the side.
"Right, I forgot you'd cast it on the manor. Care to explain which ones then?" He had no idea. Every charm he knew that could play with the mood of someone was ephemeral and less than efficient. They were all stupid things girls used before taking pictures to look more cheerful for a few minutes. The only things that were really useful were potions, but they weren't about to just throw one to the wall.
"Err, I …" Granger smiled, but not mockingly.
"What were you thinking about?"
"Potions."
"What is used in cheer up potions? As main ingredient?" She asked, encouragingly.
"Essence of joy." She nodded:
"Can it be conjured by a spell?"
"No." Now she mocked him, she smirked.
"Well, watch me." She said and turned to the wall.