Creature of Kinds [1/3] - A Draco Malfoy Love (Harry Potter)

7

"Ah," Harry nodded in understanding as he turned his gaze back to the practicing students. "How is their progress going then, if I might ask?" He questioned in a somewhat teasing tone.

Jinx smiled in amusement and sighed. "Well, very well," she replied with a smile. Harry returned her smile and remained silent after that for a while.

When their time in the Room of Requirements had come to an end for the day, Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Jinx all met up to talk.

"Well, that went smoothly," Hermione remarked with a sigh of satisfaction.

However, at her words, Ron's face twisted in disbelief. "Smoothly?" He repeated in awe, "I nearly broke my neck because of you!"

"It's not my fault you're too slow to deflect my spells," Hermione retorted proudly.

Jinx laughed at the two as they bickered back and forth. "Oh whatever," Ron retorted in defeat.

Harry quickly changed the subject, "Jinx, don't you need to practice, um..your magic?"

"You mean, my shifting?" Jinx asked to clarify.

"Yeah, you haven't been doing much of that lately," Ron added with a bit of concern.

Jinx smiled at her friends' concern and replied, "I don't need to practice that, it's as simple as breathing to me." As soon as the words left her mouth, her form changed to that of a white wolf. She sat and let her fluffy tail wag, staring up at her friends with wide, gleeful eyes. It was quickly becoming clear that Jinx favorite animal for to take was this wolf.

The three Gryffindor students laughed lightly and left the room with Jinx padding behind them. When it was time for them to part ways, the wolf broke away from her friends and left to the Slytherin common room.

Inside there were a few students either studying or conversing together quietly. Jinx panted lightly, her tongue hanging out the side of her mouth. The other Slytherins had gotten used to her wolf form, considering how much she used it, but they still had no idea that it was Jinx. For all they new, she was just a dog that belonged to Draco.

She hopped up onto a couch and curled up into a ball of white fluff and waited. Hours passed and the remaining Slytherin students went to sleep, but Draco was still nowhere to be found. Finally, when midnight had passed, Jinx was awoken by light footsteps.

Her ears twitched as she lifted her head up to see none other than the young Malfoy boy sneaking in. A small grumble of a bark escaped her jaw, freezing Draco in his steps; he knew he'd been found out. He turned around and made his way over to Jinx, taking a seat beside her.

"I suppose you'll want to know where I've been," Draco stated with a guilty smile.

Jinx growled quietly and nipped Draco's hand.

"Ahh!-" he yelped, pulling his hand back with speed, "what was that for?" Jinx turned her nose away and let out a grunt. Draco sighed and a frown placed itself on his face. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he began genuinely, "sometimes things just pop up, and I have to leave for a while."

Finally Jinx let her eyes meet his. Draco could see the sadness in her gaze as a small whine escaped her throat. It was clear that she wouldn't be getting a straight answer this night. So she laid her head down on his lap and he brushed his hand through her fur, until they both fell asleep in the common room together.

• November 25, 1995 •

The next two weeks went by quickly, and Jinx was happy to see that Draco was picking back up where he'd left off. Though she desperately wondered where he went the few weeks before, she dismissed the thought as pointless worry. Surely he was doing something important that needed to be kept secret for now, Jinx knew better than most of how that worked. So she respected his privacy in that.

"Afternoon, Hermione," Jinx greeted her friend as she pranced to catch up with her in the crowded hall.

The head of bushy curls whipped around at the sound of her name. "Hello, Jinx," she greeted with a smile as Jinx fell in pattern with her steps. "I'm on my way to Hagrid's, if you'd like to come," she offered, "Ron and Harry are there already."

Jinx had heard the trio speak of their friend Hagrid before, a name of which she recalled from her last stay in Hogwarts. A smile crept across her face; it was about time she reunited with her old friend.

*knock, knock, knock*

Hagrid stood from his seat and went to open the door. Outside stood Hermione and Jinx, whom he welcomed in at once. "Oh, come in, come in," he greeted in somewhat of a rush, "quickly now."

Only when all four students sat together did Hagrid notice that there was an extra. He frowned down at Jinx with squinted eyes, almost as if to examine her. "You..look exactly like an old professor of mine," he remarked, "you wouldn't happen to be related to any 'Metlock's, would ya?"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione proceeded to turn their wide eyed gazes to Jinx. "Actually, Rubius," Jinx began awkwardly, "I am, Professor Metlock."

Now Hagrid's eyes grew as realization hit him. "Professor...but, that can't be," he spoke in a jumble, "you haven't aged a day."

"There are many things you never knew about me," Jinx inquired with a sly grin.

"Hold on a second," Ron interrupted, looking Jinx in the eye, "you used to be a professor? Here?"

"About fifty years ago, yes," Jinx admitted, "only for a few years."

Harry smiled, "that's amazing! What did you teach?"

"Defence Against the Dark Arts," Hagrid answered before giving Jinx a chance to.

Jinx smiled in amusement as Hagrid launched into stories of his childhood in Hogwarts. The four listened with glee for a while, until his stories had ended and silence began to return.