After The War - FORSAKEN MAGIC (HP8)

Chapter 9 - Strange New Feelings

"Wake up Draco" came a sickly sweet voice. Malfoy opened his eyes and jumped.

It was Pansy Parkinson.

"This is the boys dormitory, Pansy." Malfoy said with a hint of annoyance.

"Breakfast is almost over, I thought I'd wake you up so you can eat before class starts." She said, blinking hard. Malfoy found her behavior strange but ignored it.

"Thanks, I'll get dressed and meet you downstairs." Malfoy said. Pansy slid off the end of his bed and left the room.

That girl is weird!

It was late and there was no time to eat so Malfoy went straight for class. Double potions with the Gryffindors.

Malfoy was quiet all through potions. He ignored the fact that he was hungry and tried to focus on the lesson. Pansy Parkinson was trying to make conversation but gave up soon.

He dint realize he was sitting so close to Harry, Ron and Hermione. He could hear Ron and Hermione bicker. Feeling a pair of eyes on him, he looked up. It was Harry. What did he want?

Apparently he had nothing to say so Malfoy continued to work in silence. Slughorn seemed to be avoiding Malfoy's desk. He would walk between rows of students and stop before reaching Malfoy and turn around.

After class, Malfoy rushed out before Pansy Parkinson could follow him. He hid in the toilets for a while and then made his way for the next class.

"Oh honestly Ron! Just grow up." Came Hermione's voice from the end of the corridor on the left. Malfoy froze, not wanting to walk into their argument.

He heard Harry say something and Ron make a funny noise, but there was no sound from Hermione. Assuming the coast was clear, Malfoy turned into that corridor and bumped straight into Hermione. Apparently after Harry and Ron left, Hermione took a moment to collect her thoughts before Malfoy interrupted.

"I'm so sorry." Malfoy mumbled, surprised at himself. It was the first time he had spoken to her since the war. It face this was the first time he has spoken to a muggle born without a hateful remark.

Hermione did not looks surprised at his politeness. In fact she straightened herself up and smiled, blinking away the tears which would have poured out if Malfoy wasn't around.

Malfoy admired the way he was handling herself in front of the boy who tormented her for the last seven years. She was actually smiling at him.

"Are you ok?" Malfoy said before he could stop himself.

Hermione looked at him surprised but before she could respond Malfoy cut her off.

"I know it's none of my business, I won't bother you. I'm very sorry." He said this very fast without looking at her in the eye and turning red.

"Wait," Hermione said as he turned to leave. Malfoy turned back to face her. She looked at him full in the face. "You dropped this." She said, holding up his quill which fell when they collided. Her eyes did not leave Malfoy's. It seemed like she was searching for something in his face.

"Thanks." Malfoy said.

"Well.... See you around?" Hermione said.

They stared at each other for a moment longer, before Malfoy softly said "yeah."

Hermione gave him a smile before going back down the corridor. Malfoy stood there, frozen to that spot as he watched her walk away. He was feeling strange. It was unlike anything he had ever felt before.

Did he like Hermione Granger?

*******

Harry, Ron and Hermione were the first to leave the castle after the classes ended. They went straight down to Hagrid's hut.

"Hello there! Fancy a cuppa?" Hagrid greeted them when they arrived.

Fang barked and came running to see them, finally settling down and drooling on Ron.

Hagrid's cabin was cosy after the day Harry had at school. The students were not sure how to treat Harry. They would stare and talk about him or come up to him and make awkward conversations. Few first years asked for his autograph but was to Harry's relief, McGonagall turned up and chased them away.

Meanwhile Ron was telling Hagrid about his secret admirer. After bickering all day with Hermione about it, he was hoping for some support.

"I don't know, Ron." Hagrid said thoughtfully. "Some people consider this level of attachment to be creepy."

"But this happened to Harry all the time! Someone tried to give him love potion once!" Ron said.

"I'll trade places with you any day, mate." Harry said, remembering the time in their sixth year when Romilda Vane gave him a box of chocolates, spiked with love potion. however,Ron was be one who ended up eating it. Ron must have remembered that too and then fell quiet.

The rest of the visit was a little more cheerful as Hagrid showed them his cabbage patch and introduced them to new creatures he had been breeding called Clucks.

Clucks were in a tank of water, they were the size of a golf ball but looked a lot like crabs. They had swirly rainbow like shells and very sharp clippers.

"I'm going to teach you about them in our next class. Beautiful creatures these are! Oh but watch out for their clippers." Hagrid said as Hermione withdrew her hands from the tank when it snapped its claws.

"Are these ministry approved, Hagrid?" Hermione asked, seriously.

Hagrid shifted uncomfortably. "The ministry is a little busy at the moment. Best not to  trouble them with something so harmless."

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other. Nothing Hagrid called harmless turned out to be harmless.

When it was dark, they returned to the castle, there was another boy entering the castle at the same time.

"Isn't that the kid who was attacked by Malfoy last night?" Ron asked.

"We don't really know what happened between them." Hermione said.

"What is he doing outside the castle this late?" Harry asked watching the boy tuck his wand back into his robes and join the rest of the students in the Great hall.

"Let's not go find out. I'd like to finish one year at Hogwarts without any drama." Hermione said, giving Harry a knowing look. She knew he wanted to find out more about what happened between Malfoy and that boy. But for now she wanted to stay far away from Malfoy as possible.  Somethings she felt when they were alone made her feel very guilty when Ron kissed her goodnight.

*******

Ignorance is not always bliss. Are they better off pretending there was no spark between them?

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