Dancing with Danger

five

Thoughts whirled around in my head like massive tornadoes while Eliza and I's quills hit the parchment. She's changed since last year, although I just couldn't put my finger on what had changed.

She thinks my eyes are captivating...What are you saying to yourself? You're better than this! I tried to shake her voice from my head but it just wouldn't leave. "Bloody girls."

"What's that?" she set her quill down and stared up at me with curiosity spread across her face.

"None of your business."

meanwhile...

"So what happened?!" Andrew blurted out.

"You can't be silent forever! Did you two kiss yet? Oh, Andrew they're growing up so fast," Kate mocked while falling back into her chair due to laughter.

"I haven't even sat down yet! Calm down, you two!" I said with a grin.

I told them everything. From the essay, to the insults, to the compliments, to the teasing.

"I mean, his eyes are quite captivating," Kate said giddily.

"Are not!" I scowled back while hitting her shoulder.

"Speak of the devil..." mumbled Andrew while nudging Kate and I towards the entrance of the common room where Malfoy had strutted in pridefully.

"Don't look, don't look, don't look—Draco! Fancy seeing you here!" I said matter of factly.

"Well, this is our common room, Rogers," he whispered hesitantly as he placed his arms at the top of the chair I sat in.

Andrew and Kate starred in dismay as Malfoy and I seemed to have had a run in without name calling or hair pulling—or leg locking, I try to forget that incident from second year.

"T—that was quite—er—peculiar," I stuttered while making sure to listen for the faint closing of his door to signal he wouldn't hear us.

"You're just not going to acknowledge the fact that you both made it out of a conversation alive?" Kate said once she managed to snap out of her trance.

"That's what Snape noticed as well, but he's changed since our previous years," I said.

"Who, Snape? I'm sure of it he's worn the same robes since the seventies!" Andrew growled.

"No, not him you idiot! Malfoy," Kate snapped back at Andrew.

————————

As the clock stuck five in the morning, the mix of sunrise and moonlight grey washed upon the grounds. Kate, Andrew, and I had all seemed to have fallen asleep in the common room, Kate's Muggle Studies homework still scattered across the table.

"I'm never going to let them live this one down," I mumbled as I took in the view of the common room from the staircase, where Andrew had fallen asleep on Kate in what looked like a very uncomfortable position.

"What are you doing up?" a voice called from behind as I made my way towards my dormitory.

"I could ask you the same question," I said, turning around to face Malfoy.

"I—I just get hungry, ok?" he snarled.

"Food is good," I said while yawning.

"You look awful, get some sleep. C'mon," he mumbled in what seemed to be a compliment disguised as an insult—maybe that was just the sleep deprivation talking—as he threw a hand around my shoulder and began to walk me back to my dormitory.

———————-

"Look what I've managed to dig out last night!" I said groggily the next morning, holding a blank piece of parchment in my hand.

"Your missing homework from Divination?" said Andrew.

"Not even close," I said, tapping the end of my wand to the parchment as letters and footprints began to dance across the parchment in crimson ink.

Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present
The Marauders Map

"You still have this?" Kate gasped.

"I never really had it in the first place," I said smoothly.

"Su—mmoning—Cha—rm—sorry about that, had to clear my throat; if you didn't hear, she used the a Summoning Charm," coughed Andrew.

"So we've heard," Kate and I said simultaneously.

"Anyone up for a Honeydukes run after class today?" I asked after wiping the map to be blank.

"As long as Andrew doesn't eat all my sweets again," said Kate irritably.

"No promises," Andrew said with a wink.