Underneath the Mistletoe

ChapterThirtyThree

Minerva's POV
FourthYear-NightFive

Minerva McGonagall was having trouble sleeping again. This wasn't an unusual thing, she had nights like this at least a few times a month. And what better way to spend her spare time then correcting students tests.

'False, false, false, now come on, she'd made that one obv-'

A gentle knock was taped out on her office door. "Come in" she ordered firmly. A most unexpected figure came through, yes through, the door. Sir. Nicholas glided right through the solid barrier.

"Pardon me Minerva, I know it's rather late. However, I couldn't help but hear an unusual disturbance...." He trailed off mysteriously.

"Peeves?" She asked and set her quill down.

"No ma'am."

"Then what?" Minerva pursed her lips and gave the ghost an exasperated look.

"Students."

"I don't understand. Why aren't you notifying Filch?"

"Well, you see," he cleared his throat "Er, perhaps you should simply see for yourself."

She sighed and pushed back her chair as she stood from her desk. "Where?"

-x-

Minerva was in Animagus form, a tabby cat, as she prowled the castle, navigating her way to the abandoned class room Sir. Nicholas had told her about. The halls of Hogwarts might have frightened some, what with the flickering candles throwing shadows to the walls, hardly enough light cast from the torches to see, and plunging some sections of the stone structure into complete darkness. Minerva however was comforted by the silence that blanketed the halls. It was safe, she and those within the walls were safe.

She heard the students muffled voices before she reached the door. Carefully she pushed it open with her feline head. Minerva didn't want them to know she was there so she only glanced in. What she saw was a sight she was not expecting to ever see.

Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy moved in grand sweeping movements, spinning one another around the room. Her eyes followed them, it was half a dance and half a battle, she expected nothing less from the two boys.
Thanks to the tabby cats sensitive hearing she picked up the boys conversation.

"More to the left Potter-No, the other left!"

"Shove off Malfoy!"

If one could ignore the words being exchanged Minerva thought it was almost cinematic, moonlight fell through window panes and acted as a spotlight. At least a dozen candles were scattered around and lit up the room as well.
On normal circumstances Minerva would have gone into her usual "strict professor" role. However, she thought anyone would agree that these were not normal circumstances.

She left before either of them took notice of her presence.

-x-

Draco's POV
(ThatSameNight)

"You've practically got the hang of it." They sat opposite one another, Draco with his back to a desk and Harry with his back against the wall with the windows, they seeped moonlight.
He watched Harry fiddle around with his wand but glance up at the blond boys comment. Harry threw him a shy grin, "Thanks to you."

The raven haired boy was in his nightclothes, a cotton grey shirt and plaid bottoms. He'd been wearing a hoodie earlier but had removed it after a half an hour of dancing. They'd both worked up a thin layer of sweat. Draco observed him out of the corner of his eye, Harry sat in a shadow, none of the moonlight landed on him. He was in a patch of darkness, his hair fell into his face, and his glasses were halfway down his nose. Draco felt the urge to lean over and push them back up but managed to resist.