A Serpent's Heart

Chapter 3. The unexpected favour.

I was sitting by the fireplace in the Ravenclaw common room and stroking my cat Tiffany. As I was staring into the flames, my thoughts drifted from the Astronomy homework to a person I usually never thought of: Draco Malfoy. He hadn't been to the last Arithmancy class. Some people might say he deserved what Harry did to him, but I couldn't help feeling sorry for him. It was ridiculous that I was thinking about him, since I hated him.  He was arrogant and cunning and mean and... good-looking... I tried to push away the thought, but the image of Malfoy, drenched in blood, kept returning.

***

The next day, the Ravenclaw and Slytherin sixth years had gathered on the Astronomy Tower for the weekly class. Luna and I shared a stargazer and we were very busy trying to discover star signs. Therefore I only noticed Malfoy had been discharged from the hospital wing when the class was over and I went to hand in the stargazer.

There he stood, by the railing, looking at the stars. Alone. I had stored away the stargazer and wanted to leave, but then Malfoy turned around. Before I could look away he said: "You."

Malfoy walked over to me and said: "Tacendi, isn't it?" It sounded slightly unreal, Malfoy pronouncing my name.

"Yes?" I said.

"You found me and Potter in the bathroom and disarmed Potter, right?"

"Yes, that was me," I answered.

"And you are pure-blood, right?"

"Well, yes... But that had nothing to do with it! I disarmed Potter before I even saw it was you!" I said.

"I don't imply anything, it's just, I don't think a mudblood would have helped me," he said. Then he underestimated them. My half-blood  friend Emma, a kind-hearted Hufflepuff, would help anyone if they were in danger, even if it was professor Snape himself.

"Anyways, thanks for helping me. I bet Potter would have killed me if you hadn't shown up," he continued. Then he walked away. I was glad I was in the open air, because I suddenly felt very warm.

***

Emma, Luna and I had been looking forward to the Spring Ball for weeks, and next week it would finally happen! Luna was going with Neville, but Emma and I hadn't managed to arrange a date, so we had decided to go with each other.

The three of us were sitting under a tree and I asked: "What are you going to wear to the ball?"

"Something simple," said Emma.

"Well, my dress is anything but simple! It's green with silk flowers all over it! And I'm going to wear a bird cage- crown!" Luna said dreamily.

"What are you going to wear?" Emma asked. I still hadn't decided. I could wear the black dress I had worn to the Yule Ball, but maybe that one was a little too Chistmas-ish. No, I would wear a dark blue dress with floral decorations.

"Wait and see, it will be an even prettier dress than I wore to the Yule Ball," I said.

***

I was on my way to North Tower for my next class, Divination. I was on my own. I was lost in thought and did not notice Malfoy came around the corner. "Tacendi!" he called.

I froze and stared at Malfoy. "I bet you don't have a date for the Spring Ball," he said, coldly looking down on me. I felt humiliated, because actually he was right.

"That's none of your business," I said.

"It is. I was going with Pansy, but she is ill and since the party is the day after tomorrow, I don't think she will have recovered by then." I listened to him, though I had no idea why he was telling me this, and moreover I was anxious to be in time for my next class. Malfoy continued: "So I thought, since you so kindly helped me, I could do you a favour by asking you to the Spring Ball. Surely going to the Ball with the most popular boy of the school will repay my debt?"

I was flabbergasted. Had Draco Malfoy  asked me to the Spring Ball? "Won't you disappoint a lot of Slytherin girls by asking me?" I asked.

Malfoy smiled. "They did not save my life. And by the way, they're all the same. No, for a change, I'd like to go with you. So, will you go to the Spring Ball with me?"

"Yes," I said, still surprised. I smiled and hurried to my Divination class. I still disliked Malfoy, but I couldn't deny that I was rather excited about being his date.  

In Divination we had to work with crystal balls. In my crystal ball I saw a pigeon-shaped waft, which, according to my book, could mean a major change which could bring joy, but could also become an inauspicious burden. I had a vague idea what it could mean.