BLOOD TRAITOR [HARRY POTTER - BOOK 1]

Chapter 18

Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter world; all rights go to J.K Rowling. I do however own my original character, Nova Malfoy, and her background.

Her grey eyed gaze wandered to the raven-haired boy as he slumped with his head in his hands by the common room window behind a large stack of notes at least half his height. Surveying the colour coded corners on each parchment and the note cards slid between textbook pages, she deduced that they belonged to no other than Hermione - as if the sheer volume of content wasn't enough to clue her in. Approaching almost silently, she smiled as she noted the frustrated frown furrowing his brow just beneath his glasses.

"I might be wrong but unless Hermione has enchanted the notes, I think you have to read them..." She called, tapping the stack with her index finger. Upon hearing her voice, Harry lifted his head from his hands and grinned up at her. It was a lazy grin, natural, and it warmed her cheeks. Returning a smile, she nodded towards the seat beside him: "Do you want company?" Immediately, the young wizard nodded. His eyes scanned her as she slid into the seat and gingerly picked up the top piece of parchment regarding The formation of the International Confederation of Wizards. Her brow crinkled lightly with concentration; the sight prompting a shy smile from him.

"You look like you had as much sleep as I did."

Her brow rose, "That bad?"

Upon realising what he had said, Harry's eyes widened and he flushed scarlet: "That's...no...that's not what I...I think you look...great." As he pursed his lips to stop the floodgates and scratched the back of his head awkwardly, Nova bit back a laugh, failing miserably. Her laugh was almost musical as her warm grey eyes lit up with a spark that had seemingly disappeared.

"Harry, I was joking." She giggled, her hand covering her mouth in modesty. Glancing at each coded colour, she ran her fingertips over the large pile of parchment. A mischievous glint in her eye as she tilted her head and looked at him - the tips of his ears slowly returning to their normal colour. "I wonder how Hermione would react if we just forgot about the exams and disappeared?"

"I can almost feel the rage." As he grinned at her, she laughed once more and he realised that the simple sound had the ability to lift his mood. That her company was one of his favourite things. "She'd find us, no matter how far away we went." Her light pink lips tipped downwards in feigned disappointment, earning yet another smile. Her eyes met his, softening slightly as she held them for a moment before laughing gently, albeit a little nervously, and dropping her attention back to the pile of notes as she slowly swept an unruly strand of hair behind her ear. Idly, she allowed her fingertips to trace the embossed pattern on the leather book between them. He studied her, as he always did whenever the opportunity occurred. Noticing the manner in which her content expression morphed into a subtle frown, he subconsciously reached for her hand before grazing it with his and catching himself, recoiling in the silent hope that she hadn't noticed.

His touch pulled her from her thoughts as she tilted her head slightly and glancing over his expression. "What do you want to do when you leave Hogwarts?"

"I think I want to be an Auror. What about you?"

"I don't know."

"Well, what did you speak to McGonagall about at the Careers meeting?"

"Healing...only because I panicked and remembered that Ron had joked about it that day!" She sighed. "I think I am a little destructive to be responsible for another's life. The stress would get to me and there would be no St. Mungo's left." A humourless laugh escaped her.

"Don't worry about it. You're a Malfoy, I am sure that your father would have you a position within the Ministry before you'd even stepped off the train for the last time." As she opened her mouth to argue, she stopped herself. She would have loved to claim that she wanted nothing handed to her because of her name but it would have been highly hypocritical as being a Malfoy had served her very well in the past. "We still have a few years left to decide..."