Written In The Stars -[Harry Potter xFem!Oc]

Chapter Nine: The Duel.

"Don't you get tired of listening to his voice?" Mel pushed her empty plate away, "Every. Bloody. Morning."

"Don't listen to him," Hermione replied distractedly, her attention on the book in front of her, "only idiots believe him"

The second week started with a notice saying that the flying lessons would start on Thursday, and Gryffindor would share their lessons... with Slytherin.

So obviously, Malfoy had been telling stories non-stop about his flying abilities, and Mel was sick of it.

Hermione was nervous as well, Mel soon learned to divide her time between the boys and her:

She shared her desk with Hermione, Mel paid more attention during class if they were sitting together. During her free time, she would stay with the boys, since Hermione had a -quite unhealthy- habit of studying after class, and she didn't like to be disturb.

She was a nice friend overall, offering her help in subjects that were making Mel's life difficult, and even had a functional sense of humor. The only problem was that she was too demanding.

Mel tried to make her see that she needed to calm down, it wasn't fun to be surrounded by books all the time, but Hermione didn't listen.

Hermione was on edge, she closed her book and rambled about Quidditch techniques that didn't actually sound useful unless you were a professional, Mel could sense the rest of the kids getting tired of her friend's chat, but luckily, she didn't have to interrupt, because the mail arrived at that moment.

Neville's grandmother sent him a remembrall: it turned red as soon as he touched it. Malfoy was passing by and decided he wanted to cause trouble.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet, ready to fight. Professor McGonagall appeared soon and calmed their nerves, once the boys sat back Mel leaned in to whisper:

"You complain about me trying to fight older students but you're always trying to find excuses to punch Malfoy"

"Well, he deserves it," Ron replied, "Malfoy's a little-"

"If you could get close enough to touch one of his hairs, Crabbe and Goyle would turn you into pulp without using magic, so don't even think about it," Mel warned him, "let's focus on the important task at hand: not die on our first flying lesson."

Everyone was reasonably afraid of what could happen, however, once the class started, as most of her other lessons, it wasn't that much of a trouble. Her broom obliged in the first try, and she listened to the proper ways to mount it and how to keep a steady grip on it with full interest.

'Baby steps', she thought in relief.

But baby steps weren't enough with someone like Neville, who somehow managed to break his wrist.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?" Malfoy asked loudly once Madam Hooch, the teacher, was out of sight.

"Shut up, Malfoy," Parvati Patil scowled at him.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a girl just as unlikeable as Malfoy. "Never thought you'd like fat little cry babies, Parvati."

"What about you, Pansy?" Mel pushed some kids away so she could see her, "Do you relish on laughing stupidly at everything that passes through Malfoy's bird-brain? Or is your brain as small as his?"

Before Pansy could reply, Malfoy picked up something from the floor.

"It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry quietly, standing next to Mel.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to collect – how about – up a tree?" Malfoy smiled.