THE RAVENCLAW AFFAIR

Chapter 5: Dragons & Owls

The Ravenclaw Affair

Chapter Five

"Sod off Potter," Draco spat.

"Hermione, a word?"

"Harry, it's not what it looks like. Dra-Malfoy and I were just working on a project that required us to view the constellations. There's no better place than the astronomy tower for that, right?," she lied.

"No," Draco piped in.

"Yes, tell him Malfoy." She nudged the blond and he glared at her with cold, gray eyes.

"Excuse me, but I think I have enough research," he narrowed his eyes on Hermione, "For our project." he then looked down his nose at Harry and Pansy as he shoved past them. Hermione swallowed hard. That's when she turned her attention onto Pansy, who was standing silently at Harry's side.

"What were you doing up here with Pansy, Harry?"

"Same. We were working on a project together." So that's the other pair that Professor Flitwick mentioned who were also searching for the looking glass, Hermione deduced.

It was three days since the fiasco on the astronomy tower when Harry Potter broke up their first kiss, and Hermione was being punished for it.

"Someone silencio you Malfoy?" He ignored her though. Hermione blew a stray hair from her face and closed her book. After living in Gryffindor for so many years, she was used to doing her homework on the sofa in front of the fire. She peered across the room at the blond. He was slouched in a chair at one of the desks and his expensive, Italian loafers were propped up on the desk. Hermione was struck with the oddest notion upon seeing Malfoy doing something so normal like reading. Draco actually read and absorbed books! It sounded silly, but she was used to seeing Harry and Ron, who always had a disinterested, faraway look in their eyes when they were forced to study, yet Draco, well, he looked engaged and immersed in whatever he was reading. The common room was toasty, and Hermione removed her sweater and kicked off her shoes. She was wearing a pair of sweats and a white, camisole top that fit her just a little too tightly. She adjusted herself in her bra and smoothed her hand over her wild hair before she padded across the room to where Draco was sitting.

"Good book?" she was starved for his attentions, though she didn't want to admit that. "What's the name of it?" she asked. He leaned the book up in his lap so that she could view the title. Merlin's Coven was the book. A novel. He reads for fun, not just because he has to for school? Hermione was in love. Not literally of course, just figuratively she told herself. "Can you say something to me? It's been three days."

"I'm going to bed. Our first quidditch match is tomorrow." At that, he stood and brushed by her, taking no notice of Hermione. She frowned.

"Draco," she called out and he stopped in his tracks at the bottom of the staircase, though he didn't turn around. "I didn't want my friends to know, because I'm not sure myself what's going on between us. I'm a private person. I hope you can understand that." Her shoulders sagged when he continued up the stairs, never uttering a single word.

It was the first match up of quidditch season and the stands were packed with students, all wearing their House colors. All but Ravenclaw that is. Only Professor Flitwick, sat in the stands, sporting the blue and bronze eagle and waving his pudgy, little hands in the air with enthusiasm. Hermione put her hair back in a French braid and dawned her quidditch uniform.

"Accio Nimbus two thousand," she called her broom to her but scrunched her nose up when nothing happened. "Accio broom," she said again in frustration as she stood at the portal ready to leave. "Damn it!" she cursed, just as Draco sauntered into the common room. He, of course looked dashing in his uniform, whereas Hermione looked like an idiot. The shoulders didn't fit her right, and her cape and robes were entirely too long. "Broom!" she screamed.