Distance // Draco Malfoy

Chapter 15

Over the next month and a half or so, the attacks on students start. Colin Creevey has quickly become the talk of the school after being attacked. The teachers therefore found it fitting to hold a duelling club to arm us in case we are also targeted. The idea of the duelling club proved popular among students, and tonight is supposed to be the first meeting. A lot of Gryffindors seem to be going, as do plenty of second-years across the school. After lessons finish, me, Hermione, Ron and Harry make our way down to the Great Hall with most of our classmates, and find it to be busy.

Professor Lockhart steps up onto the table with a royal blue cover decorated with different phases of the moon in yellow, and we all gather around the table as Lockhart starts to speak. 'May I introduce my assistant, Professor Snape.' I look to the other end of the table and see Snape mounting the table. 'This ought to be funny.' Harry whispers in my ear as the pair prepare to dual.
'One - two - three.'
'Expelliarmus!' Snape shouts. A flash of scarlet light appears and Lockhart is blasted back off his feet. 'Very good, Professor, very good. However, if you don't mind my saying, it was pretty obvious what you were about to do, and should I have wanted to stop you, it would have been all too easy.'
'Perhaps we should teach the students how to protect themselves against unwanted spells first, sir?' Snape says stonily.
'Right. Let's have a volunteer pair. Potter and Weasley.'
'Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest of spells. We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox. Might I suggest someone from my own house? Malfoy, perhaps?'

I exchange looks with Hermione as Harry and Malfoy climb onto the table and take their places, ready to duel. When Lockhart says "disarm only", I know all too well that the pair won't have listened to him. They both blast each other off their feet, sending spells flying, and I start to chew my lip, hoping Harry is alright. 'Serpensortia!' Malfoy bellows. From the end of his wand, a snake erupts, hissing as it surveys everyone. 'Don't worry, Potter. I'll get rid of it.' Snape says.
'Allow me, Professor.' Lockhart points his wand at the snake. There is a loud bang and the snake flies into the air before landing, looking even more menacing. It begins to hiss at a Hufflepuff called Justin.

And then, Harry steps forward, speaking in a strange tongue. I watch, wide-eyed and open mouthed as Harry begins to speak Parseltongue. He's a Parselmouth? I see Justin backing away as Harry repeats himself and the snake looks at him. Then, the snake bursts into flames as Snape points his wand at it. I stand, awestruck, gazing at Harry, who is taking in the scene. Ron tugs at the bottom of his robes and he looks down, so I motion to the door. Harry jumps off the table and together we all hurtle down the corridor and back to the common room.

'You're a Parselmouth? Why didn't you tell us?' Ron gapes.
'I'm a what?'
'You can speak to snakes.' Me and Hermione say in unison.
'Yeah, I know. I mean, I accidentally set a python on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once - by accident.' He adds upon seeing our faces. 'But so what? I bet loads of people here can do it.'
'Actually, no. It's not a very common gift, Harry.'
'But if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin -'
'Oh, that's what you said!'
'You were there, you heard me.'
'I heard you speaking in Parseltongue.' Ron replies. Harry can't seem to accept any of this.

'I'm going down to dinner.' I say after a while. Harry hasn't said a word after we mentioned the fact that he could be Salazar Slytherin's heir, and went straight to his dormitory. 'I think I'll join you.' Hermione stands.
'I'm going to check if Harry's okay, I'll try and get him to come down with me.' Ron says. Me and Hermione head out of the portrait hole and are on our way downstairs. 'How can he not know that he is a Parselmouth?' I hear Hermione wonder aloud. 'I don't know.' Is all I can reply with. Poor Harry.

As we sit down and help ourselves to food, I notice Malfoy come into the hall. He looks at me as he sits down, but he doesn't do anything. He just stares, so I stare back. I see Pansy Parkinson glance over before she attempts to move closer to Draco. God, I hate her. 'Jesus, Alyssia. If you're going to have eyesex with Malfoy please do it somewhere else, bloody hell.' I hear George Weasley say as he sits down next to me, Fred opposite him.
'I wasn't. I'm not even talking to him.'
'I find that believable.' Fred mutters.
'I'm not.' I glance up at the twins, who shrug.
'Suit yourself, but that's not what it looks like.'
'George!' I moan.
'Alright, alright.'

Fred and George seem to have already heard about Harry being a Parselmouth. Clearly the story has travelled quickly, as the two weren't there when it happened. It seems to be all anyone seated at the Gryffindor table is talking about, to be honest. 'Look, here he comes.' Hermione whispers, and we both kick the twins under the table to shut them up. Harry sits down next to me, not looking at anyone. 'Don't worry.' Hermione whispers to him. He doesn't say anything.
'Had a hard time getting him to come down here,' Ron mutters, looking from us to Harry. 'He really doesn't want anyone staring.' Ron glances up and down the table, then around the hall. The twins, Hermione and me also do the same. The hall has hushed up, and most people are looking at Harry with concern or discust. Most people. I arch my brow when I notice that Malfoy is still staring at me.