Eight
Blinking rapidly, the young Gryffindor girl dropped her hand once she realized that Luna Lovegood had already walked quite a distance from her by the time she snapped out of her daze. A frown quickly marred her pretty features, as she released a short-tempered huff. "This is getting absolutely ridiculous."
Turning her back to the departing Ravenclaw, Kagome began her journey toward where she knew the carriages to be. It was only a short walk once off the Hogwarts Express, but the cooling September air bit into her flesh once she finally stepped from the steam engine. A light shiver crept along her skin, and immediately her vision split for a brief second.
Her head snapped to one side, and there he stood.
Draco Malfoy.
Except, there was something odd this year. The Gryffindor could not say for certain, but she was positive that there was a slight limp in his step. His once pristine appearance looked worn down, as if someone had forgotten to cast an anti-wrinkle spell on his robe. And, as he neared, she could have sworn—
Was that dirt on his cheek?
The shock lasted for only a moment or two, but it was enough for the sixth year Slytherin to bump her shoulder slightly when he walked by. She turned quickly with the harsh knock, putting on her best Gryffindor scowl, and decided that despite his obvious disheveled appearance, he was still in need of a good tongue-lashing. "You insufferable git!" she called after him.
He turned so suddenly that she was surprised his heel did not catch on fire.
Her next insult died in her mouth, as she felt her cheeks heat beneath his sudden stare. There was some type of fiery passion burning behind those gray orbs, and the Gryffindor girl was positive she had never witnessed anything quite like it. For a moment it was as if she was mesmerized, trapped within his gaze, and then, it was over.
The Malfoy boy merely turned and limped away.
Higurashi Kagome blinked rapidly, feeling several people push her forward slightly in an attempt to get to the awaiting carriages. Had she just experienced another vision of foresight, or had Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin Prince, actually caused her heart to skip a single beat?