Henrietta Potter || Draco Malfoy

23 - Hagrid's Treat

I was shaken up.

I couldn't believe someone I loathed so much was capable of making me feel that way.

The next morning, I wearily walked down to breakfast. I hadn't got much sleep at all. I kept playing the kiss over and over in my head, not being able to believe what had happened.

Especially so soon after Cedric. Sweet, kind Cedric who had treated me with nothing but respect.

But the truth was, Cedric had never made me feel quite like that, and the guilt of it was driving me crazy.

I needed to get this git out of my head.

As I stepped into the bustling Great Hall, my eyes automatically went straight to the Slytherin table to where a pair of glittering grey eyes instantly met mine.

I could have cursed myself. I felt horrendously flustered and it must have shown because a huge smirk pulled at his lips.

I quickly looked away, angling my face so he could not see my continuing blush. I would not give that prick the satisfaction.

Slamming my butt down at the Gryffindor table (making sure my back was to Draco, of course) I heaved a frustrated sigh.

"You alright, Etta?" Ron asked thickly as he forked food into his gob.

"No," I said sulkily. "My life is now detentions with Umbridge; putting up with dicks like Malfoy; and No. Sodding. Quidditch!"

I violently spooned scrambled egg on to my plate.

"What's Malfoy done now?" Hermione sighed, giving me a sympathetic look.

I froze, not being able to meet her eye.

"He exists, 'mione," interjected Ron with a mouthful of bacon. "That's all the git needs to do."

I gave a discreet sigh of relief at Ron's interruption, but that feeling didn't last.

"Well, you're just going to have to learn to put up with it," Hermione said brusquely. "First lesson of the day is Care of Magical Creatures. With the Slytherins."

Fucking fantastic.

***

Hagrid turned up to class with half-eaten cow flung over his flipping shoulder.

And then he informed us that the lesson was going to take place in the Forbidden Forest.

"Bit more sheltered!" Hagrid called happily, oblivious to all our horrified faces. "Anyway, they prefer the dark."

"What prefers the dark?" I winced at the familiar voice, but then quickly felt amused at the clear panic it. "What did he say prefers the dark - did you hear?"

I couldn't help but loudly snort, the temptation to make fun of him overriding my plan to act as though he simply did not exist.

Draco's head whipped round, his scowl landing on me, as I stood sneering at him with my arms crossed over my chest. A look flashed in his eyes, but he did not say anything.

"Ready?" Hagrid said cheerfully. "Right, well, I've bin savin' a trip inter the Forest fer yer fifth year. Thought we'd go an' see these creatures in their natural habitat. Now, what we're studyin' today is pretty rare, I reckon I'm probably the on'y person in Britain who's managed ter train 'em."

"And you're sure they're trained, are you?" Draco said, the panic in his voice even more pronounced. "Only it wouldn't be the first time you'd brought wild stuff to class, would it?"

"Feeling a little scared, Drakie-poo?" I drawled, my eyes glinting maliciously at him. "Worried it might have a taste for ferrets?"

Anger flitted across his face, but before Draco could retort, Hagrid had already started making his way towards the forest, the students around us following.

I threw him one last smirk before heading off to join Ron and Hermione.

"You know, you shouldn't wind him up like that," Hermione warned darkly as I linked my arm in hers.

"Why not?" Ron asked incredulously. "The git deserves it."

"Like he wouldn't do the same to me," I muttered. "I've spent the last five years having to put up with that prick's taunts."

I glanced back over my shoulder. Draco was walking a bit further behind with Pansy. She was chattering away about something, but he didn't seem to be listening - his eyes were boring into me instead. He looked pissed off.

"He's dangerous," Hermione lowered her voice. "His family is way too connected with You-Know-Who."

"I'm not scared of Malfoy," I said indignantly. I didn't add that I was - however - petrified of how he made me feel.

Deep into the forest now, Hagrid stopped, threw the dead cow on the ground and made a funny sort of calling sound.

To my horror, from between the trees, came one of those ugly skeletal horse things that had been pulling the carriages.

"Why doesn't Hagrid call again?" Ron asked, looking around, confused.

I noticed that most of the class were also looking around as though they could not see anything either.

"Now... put yer hands up, who can see 'em?"

I gingerly raised my hand, looking to see who else was. Only Neville.

"Yeah... yeah, I knew you'd be able ter, Etta," Hagrid said seriously. "An' you too, Neville, eh?"

"Excuse me," Draco said in a sneering voice, "but what exactly are we supposed to be seeing?"

"Thestrals" Hagrid said proudly. Several students started to scream as the Thestral bit a huge chunk out of the dead cow. Must have looked odd to them, I realised.

"An' the only person who can see Thestrals," Hagrid continued, "are people who have seen death."

A sudden coldness crept over me as my mind took me instantly back to that night in the graveyard. Cedric.

Murmurs erupted throughout the class and I could feel everyone watching me curiously as I looked down firmly at my feet, trying to blink back the tears that had begun to blur my vision.

When I finally lifted my head, I found myself unwittingly meeting Draco's eyes. An odd expression was on his face.

I looked away, his eyes reminding me too much of his father's.

I shivered.

The solemn mood was quickly interrupted by Professor Umbridge, who decided now was a great time to inspect Hagrid's teaching.

She annihilated him, poor Hagrid. Draco and the rest of the Slytherins looked as though Christmas had come early.

Git.

***