Serpent On Fire | DRACO x OC | HERMIONE x OC

The Girl in a Bubble

That night, Aster decided to stay in and entertain the girls in the dormitory with tales of what Ilvermorny was like - the boys (mostly the boys) but the different mannerisms of witches across the sea. They ate it up like pumpkin pasties, excited to hear about other wizarding schools.

In reality, Io needed her sister's ability to spin a story to distract them all as she slipped out into the Slytherin common room, figuring out the best way to explore the castle without running into a prefect or worse, a professor. While all the other girls were comfortable in their pajamas, Io put on an old pair of jeans and a black jumper that was always a little too large on her. The sleeves covered her hands just enough before it was laughable.

Her boots did well to stay silent as she descended the iron stairs into the common room. It was nearly midnight. The Black Lake already contributed to the darkness in the dungeons, and at this hour, the lights were all dim. The emerald green lamp shades cast an ivy glow on the walls and tables.

Io visualized her feline Animagus form in her mind, feeling the fibers of her sweater melt into her skin until her eye level was no longer one of a human's. She gleaned at the legs of the table in front of the fireplace.

When she first tried out her Animagus transformation, it was terrifying. The world looks so enormous through the eyes of a cat. Initially she developed this fear of someone stepping on her. God forbid she ever met anyone who was allergic to cats or simply hated them.

She trotted through the common room with only the sounds of bubbles climbing the giant window to distract her. She nearly got to the door when it opened, and someone walked in, pausing to crouch down to observe the new house pet that must have escaped a room.

Draco Malfoy looked at the cat curiously and could swear that he'd never seen a cat with gray eyes before - blue, yes, like his own, but never this shade of gray that neared silver. He hovered his hand over the cat's head before suddenly grabbing the thick patch of fur on the back of its neck, carrying it over to the couch.

Io panicked. Anyone who knew how to handle cats knew this was the way to immobilize them. She could do nothing but stare at the floor before she was abruptly dropped onto the green couch in the center of the common room.

The blonde boy pointed his wands right at her nose. "Even first years know not to let a cat roam around at night."

She blinked, lowering her head before peering up to meet his eyes again. He didn't look angry or entertained. He looked like he was just waiting for something to happen as the cat's black tail twirled around like it was amused.

If she'd chosen to be cruel, she could've just stayed as she was. Let him go a little crazy in embarrassment at yanking some random student's pet around the room. The thought of him getting comfortable and somehow bringing her to his dorm seemed more terrifying though.

Draco's face turned to silent shock as the cat's eyes did not cast away from his, slowly changing from being lost in black fur until they sat just below a black fringe. Io stayed on the couch with her legs up, looking quite relaxed despite the stress she felt.

Draco dropped his wand. "Bloody hell, Visage. I nearly threw you out of the dungeons."

"Sorry." She repositioned so that her hands rested in her lap. "It was so late, I didn't think anyone else would be here."

He sat on the table across from her. "So you're an Animagus?"

Io nodded, now avoiding his gaze. "Since I was 13. It's not... I wasn't - "

"I haven't been sleeping well." He cut her off. "Any other night, you might've been right. About no one being here, I mean."

"You walk around the castle when you can't sleep?"