Ruby Dellamark ⍎ Malfoy

13) Chummy

Luckily, and after some tough convincing, the Ministry had decided to let Harry return to Hogwarts, much to everybody's relief. Seems the better question was to why the dementors were in civilian quarters in the first place.

Ruby had her stuff all packed, and sat in the Ravenclaw cabin with Cho Chang. Biscuit was curled into a ball again, snoring peacefully as the train chugged around the bend.

"You've looked like you've grown over the summer," Cho said. Ruby looked up from the window and gave a grin.

"You think so?" she asked.

"Yeah. You're hair's shorter, and you have nice cheek bones," she replied. Ruby felt herself blush slightly.

"Thanks," she muttered quietly.

"You know, you never told me what were doing with Draco Malfoy at the Yule Ball last year," she said. Ruby's grin turned into an instant frown. Why did Cho want to talk about last year? It was probably one of the worst years in Hogwarts' history.

"We were dancing is all. Nothing else," she replied.

"Some of the boys were making up rumours, I told them they were crazy. Nobody would ever fall for Draco Malfoy," she scoffed. Ruby chuckled a little bit.

"People are gonna talk. The press is certainly doing a lot of talking," she said. Cho changed the subject again.

"Do you think Harry fancies me?" she asked. As the saying went, curiosity killed the cat, and in this case – Ruby was the cat.

"I think anything is possible," she replied.

"Like you and Malfoy?" she asked. Ruby groaned with disgust.

"Not even the strongest love potion could make him attractive," she replied. The girls laughed together, until a knock came from the sliding door. A young girl with wispy blonde hair stood there. She looked like a fourth year, and had dough-like yes with bright blue irises. Ruby recognized her, her name was Luna Lovegood. Except, that's not what people called her behind her back. Luna seemed to be off in her own universe most of the time, but there was no doubt she intelligent.

"Quibbler?" she asked, holding up a small newspaper.

"Excuse me?" Ruby asked her.

"It's the magazine," Cho told her, "Sure," Luna handed her a copy.

"Would you like one, Ruby?" Luna asked.

"I'm okay, but thank you," she replied politely. Luna smiled and moved on to the next car. Ruby sighed, "Yeah, because I want to read all the lies a tabloid magazine is spreading about our friends," she said.

"I just read the horoscopes. I can read yours if you wish," Cho said.

"Why not? We have nothing else to do," she said. Cho flipped open the magazine and came to the horoscope section.

"What's your sign?" she asked.

"Capricorn," she replied.

"Your highest victory will come at heart-wrenching price," she read. Ruby scoffed.

"That's why I don't read tabloids,"

-

Ruby had left the train minutes after Cho had. She was having trouble getting her bag down from the storage compartment, and told Cho to go on without her. When Ruby exited the train, she looked to her left and saw that famous head of blonde hair. Draco. He had grown taller, and his facial features were much more prominent. It wasn't until she heard his first wise-crack she even realized she was dotting on him.

"I'm surprised the Ministry's still letting you walk around free, Potter. You better enjoy it while you can, I expect there's a cell in Azkaban with your name on it!" he said. Harry was about to lunge at Draco, but Ron held him back. For a moment, he looked quite frightened.

"What'd I tell you? Complete nutter," he said.

"Just stay away from me!" Harry shouted. Draco just shook it off and continued to walk with Goyle and Crabbe. Ruby clicked her tongue and shook her head at him.

"Really, Malfoy? The year has barely started, and you're already making wise-cracks. For shame," she tsked. Draco just smirked in response.

"Some things never seem to change. Good summer, Dellamark?" he asked her.

"Fantastic. How 'bout yours?" she asked.

"Utterly average," he replied. Goyle and Crabbe looked at each other with confused expressions, but cut it out as Draco began to walk ahead of them. Ruby just rolled her and went to join the other three.

"Since when are you so chummy with Malfoy?" Ron asked her.

"I'm not," she replied simply. Ron wasn't so convinced, but he let it go for now. Ruby was thankful for that.

-

They watched as one of the last carriages trotted off without them. In it sat Cho, and some of the other girls whom Ruby recognized from Hufflepuff. The carriage disappeared into the dark, leaving them alone. Well, not completely alone.

"Hey guys," Neville came up next to them, holding his case in one hand, and a potted Mimbulus Mimbletonia in the other.

"Hi Neville," the other four said. Harry heard a noise from behind, and turned around, coming face-to-face with a bony, black horse.

"What is it?" he asked. The others turned around, but saw nothing.

"What's what?" Ron asked.

"That! Pulling the carriage!" he replied.

"Nothing's pulling the carriage, Harry. It's pulling itself like always," Hermione replied. Harry passed the bony horse skeleton, and then came upon one of its passengers.

"You're not going mad. I can see them too. You're just as sane as I am," she said. As heartfelt as it was, it didn't give Harry any comfort.

They five kids sat with Luna, and Ruby found it appropriate to make the introductions to her Ravenclaw acquaintance, "Everyone, this is Looney Lo–" she stopped mid-sentence as she realized what she nearly said. Luna however, seemed unfazed by her slip up.

"Luna Lovegood," Ruby said, mentally cursing herself for saying Luna's nickname out loud.

"What an interesting necklace," Hermione said, trying to break the nervous tension.

"It's a charm, actually. Keeps away the nargles," Luna said, "I'm hungry, I hope there's pudding," she said.

The carriage pulled away, leaving the six children in a completely awkward silence, except for Ron anyway.

"What's a nargle?" he asked Hermione.

"No idea,"