Strange Attractors

Chapter 38 - Saturday Mornings

"Wait, what?"

"Ah, just an in-joke. Ignore that," she said with relish, turning back from them. "So, Lakshmi?"

"Effy told me that he's about ten-minute walk from here, and that was five minutes ago."

"Well. It sounds like a good time as any to go out."

"Um, wouldn't it look like you're too eager if you're waiting for him outside the Tower?" Celeste Sykes was hovering as well, though why she found it interesting, Hermione had no idea.

Maybe she just happened to be there because she was chatting with her friend Julia? The chaser was already wearing her quidditch uniform and carried her gear in her bag. All she needed to do was head off to the pitch and prepare for Ravenclaw House's practice already.

"I'll tell him the real reason is that I have you nosey parkers as House mates. He has a brain—I'm sure he can tell when I'm telling the truth." She answered—she was sure she had a point. Lucretia, certainly didn't hang around waiting for Tom to pick her up.

"Celeste has a point," Julia commented.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't care. If he's an idiot who actually believes in crap like that, then he'd just be a waste of my time and nothing's going to come out of this date."

The witches were wearing different versions of the fazed expression except for Lakshmi, who had snorted and then gave up holding back her chuckles anyway.

"Oh, I knew you'd be fun, Hermione. Alright, have a good time. Don't do anything I won't do."

"Considering that it's you, it's like giving me no limits at all, isn't it?" She shot back in good humour. Lakshmi grinned.

"Whatever you say. Good luck." The dark-haired witch said, and the others chimed in as well.

"Thanks, everyone."

'-

There was this rather large urn on top of a pedestal in a small nook that drew the eye, not far from the Ravenclaw Tower's entrance. It was rather noticeable, and that was why she thought it was a good place to wait at.

In any other place, she'd be worried if some first or second year kid was going to run and knock it off balance. Considering that this was the wizarding world, she was sure there was a lot of sticking charms put on the urn, or it was enchanted in place by stronger means. She observed the classical Greek pottery technique of red-figures-on-black. Like many magical artefacts, the figures moved in animation. It was a ball game of some sort, and since it was Greek, this meant that all the males were naked.

She grinned to herself. At least the wizarding world didn't even think of censoring them.

"Indulging in a spot of art appreciation?"

Hermione turned around at his voice. "Well, I was bored."

There was a rather base sort of satisfaction in noticing that he stared for a full three seconds before he gathered his wits and said something, especially when his gaze flicked down and he noticed the hemline of her navy dress.

He offered his hand instead and she took it. They walked quietly for a while.

The cut of his suit jacket certainly flattered his figure—he had the lean form of a fencer, and a fluid way of moving that reminded her of the sleekness of a leopard than a flashier, bulkier lion. But then again, even the cut of his uniform blazer gave her that impression, and she'd had the time to build up an immunity to his effect on her. Apparently, the opposite cannot be said of him.

"You know, it's customary to offer compliments to your date, Mr. Riddle. Else she might think her efforts were inadequate," it was really hard to hold back her lips from curving upwards, so she didn't even try. Did she have a smug look? She had no idea. It probably was something close, though.