The Gloriana Set

The Silver Snitch

She didn't have to wait long. Malfoy stalked her all the way to Ancient Runes after glaring at her through breakfast.

"Give me my snitch," he snarled, backing her slowly against the corridor wall.

"Oh, was that yours?" she asked coolly. Her hand touched the wand inside her robe pocket.

He noticed the movement, but didn't back off an inch. "Don't play with me, Granger. You've seen me practice with it. You've been watching me."

"Yes," she admitted readily. "That move this morning—was that the Wonky Faint?"

Malfoy ground his teeth. "Wronski Feint, you daft—"

"I think you'll make a brilliant Finder—"

"Seeker!" he snapped.

Hermione rolled her eyes. Too easy. A fairy calls him a lovely boy in front of the class and he handles it with aplomb. Hermione takes his little ball and purposely garbles a few words and the man completely unravels.

"Now you listen to me, Granger—"

"Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, would you care to join us?" Headmistress McGonagall stood in the classroom doorway, looking like she'd never seen a Ring of Posies in her life.

"Of course, Headmistress," Hermione chirped, flouncing into the classroom and sitting down. Malfoy followed more slowly, his face like stone.

Hermione pulled out a fresh sheet of parchment and wrote the following in runes:

Malfoy, 

8 p.m. at the abandoned charms classroom. Bring the Codex and rune stone and we'll make a deal. 

HJG

P.S. Wacky Faint

She rolled it up with a tap of her wand and bound it in a bright red-and-gold ribbon, then rendered the scroll invisible and floated it over to Malfoy's desk. The scroll reappeared in his hands and he read it swiftly, then turned to her and nodded, his face grim.

Hermione smiled. Maybe Ancient Runes would be fun after all.

***

 

Her Potions table was quiet that morning: Ron was still subdued after the last DADA seminar, and Malfoy and Hermione worked together silently, so Lavender was the only conversationalist.

"You slice those bat spleens so well, Draco," she cooed. "I like a man who's good with his hands."

Ron groaned. "Honestly, Lavender, give it a rest. I'd rather not lose my breakfast."

Hermione could only agree, but Malfoy's eyes were now glittering dangerously. "I think it's lovely," she said loudly. "A Slytherin prince, tamed by a gentle Gryffindor sweetheart ..."

Malfoy froze in the act of preparing the spleens, looking revolted. Romilda Vane at the next table nearly fell off her stool in the effort to hear better.

"I think Brown knows better than that," Malfoy said quietly as he set aside the spleens and started on a pile of leeches.

"It's sometimes hard to admit one's feelings," Hermione told Ron.

"Granger," Malfoy growled.

"Now what have we here?" boomed Slughorn, who had given up his usual M.O. of dozing at his desk to frequently check on their table. "Very nice, very nice! Mr. Malfoy, remember to press the leeches gently with your knife, don't smash them so." He moved away to check on Romilda and her partner's potion, which steamed suspiciously.