Henrietta Potter || Draco Malfoy

3 - Flying Lessons

Life at Hogwarts was amazing.

If only for one thing.

Ever since I had spurned Draco Malfoy's offer of friendship, he had turned extremely nasty towards me.

I had to endure his constant jibes and sneers which the Slytherins's loved to join in with. I had somehow become his favourite sport.

It did not help that we had to share Potions class with them. The Potions Master, Professor Snape, was head of Slytherin and took an instant dislike to me upon first sight.

The feeling was mutual.

The greasy haired, hooked nosed man made my skin crawl. The first time he looked at me, I felt a slight twinge where my scar lay on my forehead. It freaked me out. And he clearly favoured the Slytherins. Much to Draco Malfoy's glee, he was constantly unfairly deducting points from Gryffindor.

And then, just as I got excited about learning to fly a broom, I found out that we were doing flying lessons with the Slytherins. Just my bloody luck.

"Typical," I muttered. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy."

"You don't know you'll make a fool of yourself," Ron said reassuringly. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

But I was gleeful when Madam Hooch, our flying instructor, told Draco Malfoy that he had been gripping his broom wrong for years. I couldn't help but snigger loudly which didn't go unnoticed by him, and I was met with his usual piercing sneer.

Neville Longbottom, predictably, did not make a good start. I gasped in horror as he instantly fell from his broom and appeared to break his wrist. Madam Hooch took him straight to the hospital wing, leaving the rest of us under strict orders to stay still.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

Anger tore through me as Draco Malfoy burst into laughter with the other Slytherins.

"Shut up, Malfoy," I snapped. He ceased his laughter to throw me a nasty sneer, his silver grey eyes glinting right into me.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a pug-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little cry babies, Potter."

"Look!" Draco said, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. I noticed it was the Remembrall that Neville's Gran had sent him in the post that morning.

"Give that here, Malfoy," I said quietly. I was very aware of everyones eyes on me.

Draco smirked nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to collect - how about - up a tree?"

"Give it here!" I yelled, my fury taking over. But the git had leapt on to his broomstick and taken off.

"Come and get it, Potter!" he snarled down at me from the tops of the trees.

Without thinking, I grabbed my broom.

"No!" Hermione shouted to me. "Madam Hooch told us not to move - you'll get us all into trouble."

But I ignored her. My thoughts were only on Draco Malfoy and getting to the Remembrall.

I mounted my broom and kicked off. I was flying! It came so naturally easy to me. I shook my head as my hair whipped around my face, determined to get to Draco.

I pointed my broom in the direction to where he hovered and I found myself zooming straight to him, a look of surprise crossed his face.

He didn't think I could fly. I drew up sharply in front of him, his face stunned.

"Give it here," I sneered at him, "before I knock you off that broom!"

"Oh yeah?" Draco tried to sneer back, but I was gleeful to observe a look of worry flickering over his features.

And then I went for him.

Draco Malfoy would never forgive me for what followed.

Not only did I nearly tackle him off his broom in front of his cronies, but I also caught the Remembrall as he lobbed it hard into the air. And then, to top it off, Professor McGonagall, having witnessed this, made me a Seeker for the Gryffindor team.

To say Draco Malfoy was livid was an understatement.

"You think you're so special, Potter!" He spat at me one night as he rounded on me leaving the Great Hall after dinner.

"Oh, just shut it, Malfoy," I snarled. "As if I'd ever be scared of you."

I gasped as he brought his hands up to my shoulders, grabbing them painfully and shoving me fiercely against the wall.

"Don't fuck with me, Potter," he hissed, bringing his face close to mine. I flinched as I felt his hot breath tickle my skin. "I don't care if you're a girl, I'll happily give you what's coming to you."

With all my might I lifted my knee and thrust it where I knew it would hurt. Draco's pale face went puce as he staggered backward, his hands clutching at his precious jewels.

"You dare touch me again," I snarled. "And I'll fucking kill you."

I stalked away, my blood boiling with hatred.

***