by my side¹ - d. malfoy

Twenty-One

LAURA WAS skeptical when she walked up to Care of Magical Creatures.

Hagrid was back again, though some weren't the happiest about it: Laura was ecstatic. The thing she was skeptical about was the sight of crates... Surely not another Skrewt hatching?

Laura cautiously walked up, curious as to what they were.

When she looked in, a giant grin formed on her face. She found herself looking at several furry black creatures with long snouts. Their front paws were curiously flat, like spades. Laura laughed a bit, looking at their politely puzzled looks, watching as they blinked at her.

They were nifflers, Laura's favorite creatures.

"These're nifflers," Hagrid said as their class started. "Yeh find 'em down mines mostly. They like sparkly stuff... There yeh go, look."

Then, one of the nifflers suddenly leaped up and attempted to bite Pansy's watch off of her wrist. She immediately shrieked and jumped backward.

"Are you alright, Pansy?" Laura asked, stifling a laugh.

"It could've been worse," Pansy sighed, her face red from embarrassment as she took her watch off.

"Useful little treasure detectors," Hagrid said happily. "Thought we'd have some fun with 'em today. See over there?" He pointed at a large patch of freshly turned earth. "I've buried some gold coins. I've got a prize fer whoever picks the niffler that digs up the most. Jus' take off all yer valuables, an' choose a niffler, an get ready ter set 'em loose."

Laura took off her watch, necklace, and Draco's ring, storing them in her bag. She then picked up a niffler with a big grin. It put its long snout in Laura's ear and sniffed enthusiastically, causing Laura to laugh.

She had always been fascinated with nifflers. So much so that, as a kid, she wanted a pet niffler. However, and for good reason, her parents always said no to her wishes.

"Hang on," Hagrid said, looking into the crate, "there's a spare niffler here... who's missin'? Where's Hermione?"

"She had to go to the hospital wing," Ron said.

The class was watching, causing Harry to mutter something to Hagrid as everyone returned to watching their nifflers.

Laura was having a blast. The nifflers dived in and out of the patch of earth as though it were water, then scurried back to the student who had released them, spitting gold into their hands.

Laura loved her niffler as it dropped coins into her hands.

"Oh, Draco, don't you love nifflers," Laura grinned, hugging the niffler as she looked over at Draco.

Draco's experience was not as ethereal as Larua's. His niffler was trying to snag one of Draco's rings. Draco panicked.

"Yes- but I don't," he said quickly, "can you give me a hand and help me out with this rascal."

Laura grinned, gently picking up his niffler as Draco cleaned himself up a bit, then putting his hand out to take the niffler back.

"He's mine now," Laura shrugged, turning away. "You wouldn't take this away from me, would you?"

"I would," Draco said, snagging the niffler back. "I know you love them, but we're still being graded for this."

"I know, but I just love them," Laura said with a big grin. Laura watched his expression soften, but he turned away, letting his niffler go again.

Laura laughed, letting her niffler go as well. However, it didn't go over to the turned-up land; instead, it trotted over to Draco, attempting to get into his pockets.