Hidden Feelings - A Draco Malfoy Love Story

Chapter Four

I can't help but tune out Hagrid's talking as he introduces the class. Of course I'm a good student; this simply isn't my interest. So I hold the growling book out in front of me, getting lost in wondering how the hell to open it.

"Elizabeth!" Hermione hisses. I snap out of my thoughts as she tilts her head toward Hagrid. I see him holding one of the books.

"How are we supposed to open them?" Malfoy snaps from the back of the crowd. I roll my eyes. Hermione sees and chuckles quietly.

I see the look on Hagrid's face and know that he doesn't like Malfoy either. The only one who seems to tolerate him is Snape; and even he got mad at him a couple times, despite Malfoy being in his house.

"You stroke the spine," Hagrid instructs, demonstrating on his book. I hold the book as far away from me as possible as I do as he says, the growling slowly transforming into a low purr. My book is the first to swing open after Hermione's, and the other students' books soon follow.

The first lesson ends up being about Hippogriffs, which oddly enough begins to interest me. I was thinking we'd be starting with something small and boring; perhaps Hagrid wants to begin the year with something to spark everyone's interests. It sure works for me.

"I'll be right back," Hagrid announces as we finish the section of the text, closing the book as he turns around. Hermione and I share a look, except she looks slightly nervous while I show nothing but excitement. Does he have a hippogriff?

"How boring is this?" I hear someone snicker from behind me. I turn my head and narrow my eyes a little at Malfoy, who's standing a little closer to the front. He seems to immediately notice me, and sneers. "What are you looking at, Frenchie?"

I quickly look back ahead of me, looking down at the book. I try to ignore the laughs of his friends and the sympathetic look on Hermione's face.

Suddenly, when I look up, a gasp comes from my throat; Hagrid is walking toward us with a Hippogriff beside him. Everyone else also makes an exclamation of some sort, mainly ones of fear, but I am downright amazed at the creature in front of me. I guess I'm glad Hermione had dragged me to the front.

"His name is Buckbeak," Hagrid announces, a grin on his face.

"Il est magnifique," I murmur.

"You do speak French," Ron whispers, smiling over at me. I feel a blush spread through my face when he says this; I hadn't realized I had said that in French.

"Sorry, it slips out sometimes," I tell him.

"Don't be sorry."

"They're very honorable creatures, Hippogriffs," Hagrid explains. "You always bow when approaching one. Only when he accepts you can you pet him. Would anyone like to try?"

Everyone immediately steps back...well, everyone except Harry, who is standing there obliviously.

"Good for you, Harry!" Hagrid exclaims, placing a hand on his back and pushing him forward.

"What? I didn't-"

"There you go, just bow," he instructs as Harry stares at him with wide eyes. He turns to the creature, facing completely away from us, leaving me to wonder how scared he looks. Although, with what he's been through, would he really be scared of a Hippogriff?

However, I do notice his legs shaking slightly as he leans forward in an awkward bow. The hippogriff, who stares down at him with intelligent eyes, makes a gentle noise, lifting his head a little. Harry stays in is position until Hagrid says to pet him.

He slowly stands upright, carefully reaching his hand up to the face of Buckbeak. The hippogriff, seeming impatient, finally pushes his head forward, causing Harry to flinch as the creature's head comes in contact with his hand. Buckbeak closes his eyes, seeming to enjoy the boy's touch.

"He might even let you ride him!" Hagrid says. Harry turns his head, and I catch another glimpse of his face; his eyes are even wider than they were before. I can't help but let out a laugh, covering my mouth quickly as to not disturb the hippogriff. Hermione giggles quietly too, glancing over at me.

Suddenly the Harry is on the back of Buckbeak, Hagrid having lifted him. I feel my own stomach lurch as they take off, going nearly straight up, the creature's wings spreading out to an astonishing length. I can't wipe the smile from my face as we watch them fly, until they're out of sight.

"What about you, Elizabeth?" Hagrid asks, and when I look away from the direction that had disappeared, he is watching me.

"Pardon?" I grimace at my accent, not knowing why I couldn't stop speaking French; I always find it happening when I get excited.

"Would you wanna fly him?" he chuckles. I find my eyes widening the same way Harry's did.

"No, sir, that's alright. I'm okay watching him," I respond politely.

When he turns away to watch for Harry and Buckbeak, Hermione looks at me with a smile.

"Pardon," she teases.

"Oh, be quiet," I say, not able to stop the blush from creeping into my cheeks.

"Say something in French," Ron says, a grin on his face.

"Non. Non, with an n at the end," I shoot at him. "That's French."

"Thanks a lot."

"You're welcome." I grin.

When Harry comes back into view, everyone silences once again, watching Buckbeak soar over our heads, landing gently in front of us. Harry's hair is now far messier than normal, and there is a smile on his face. Hagrid helps him down, and he walks back over.

"How was it, mate?" Ron asks.

"Wicked."

"Anyone could do that," comes a snarky voice from the back. Suddenly I'm pushed to the side, straight into Ron, who immediately wraps his arms around me to keep me from falling.

"Thanks," I whisper as he helps me regain my balance, watching Malfoy approach Buckbeak. I cross my arms over my chest, narrowing my eyes a little.

I don't even hear what Malfoy says right before the hippogriff lashes out, but I know that he had to have insulted him. Buckbeak lets out a screech, pushing himself onto his hind legs with his wings outstretched. I let out a cry and stumble back as Malfoy collapses to the ground, a streak of blood across his arm.

"Oh, oh no!" he screams. "It's killed me! I'm dying!"

Hagrid quickly leads Buckbeak away from everyone, behind his hut, returning to help Malfoy. Harry and Ron are trying to hide their laughs, Hermione looks concerned yet smug, and I am both horrified and confused. Why on earth would he test a creature like that by doing exactly what Hagrid warned against? Wouldn't he expect to be hurt?

"Oh, calm down!" Hagrid grumbles, but looks worried as he leans over beside him, blocking our view of the crying boy. "It's just a scratch. I'll take you to Madame Pomfrey, just shut up!"

Hagrid carries Malfoy away, leaving us standing there in shock. Lavender Brown, a girl in many of my classes, is the first to speak.

"Serves him right, for insulting him."

"Are you kidding me?" a Slytherin girl scoffs. "Hagrid never should have brought a beast like that on school grounds. It was bound to hurt someone from the moment it came out."

"On school grounds? Do you know how tame Buckbeak is compared to some of the other things here?" Harry argues.

"How many students have been hurt by those, though?" the girl fires back.

Suddenly, everybody is fighting, talking over one another to be heard. I glance at Hermione, frowning. 

"He's not actually badly hurt, is he?" I ask.

"Of course not," she says. "It was a scratch. Don't you see what he's trying to do? He's going to make it seem a lot worse than it is, and then Hagrid will get in trouble. It's awful, isn't it?"

I nod, looking back to the castle. Through the crowd of students, I can still see Hagrid walking. To think of him being punished for this because Malfoy is overreacting...

It is the first time I know that I hate Draco Malfoy.