The Enemy's Ball

11. Lunch

Harry:

Harry, Ron, and Hermione made it to Transfiguration with time to spare. With a little convincing, Hermione agreed to sit at the back. (Ron had told her that they would be able to concentrate better, and Harry contributed that he could see better since he was farsighted. He isn't.) The class was chatting amongst themselves, and from the bits and pieces Harry heard, the main topic of conversation was Snape or Malfoy.

Headmistress Mcgonagall was also Professor Mcgonagall this year, as she was both teaching Transfiguration and managing the school. Harry felt an odd suspicion, so he did a head-count of the students. Sure enough, Malfoy wasn't there yet. Harry frowned, and Hermione noticed.

"What's wrong?" She asked. Harry shook his head. Hermione narrowed her eyes at him.

"At lunch." Harry sighed. Hermione accepted the answer with a nod. Harry was aware that there were only seconds before class started, and Malfoy was nowhere to be found. He considered asking to use the restroom and go find the Slytherin. But that wasn't needed, because Malfoy walked in right as the door shut for class.

"Cutting it a bit close Mr. Malfoy, aren't we?" The headmistress said. Malfoy nodded and sat down without a word.

Harry sighed with relief, hoping that whatever held up Malfoy didn't happen again. Then he blanched, realizing what he had just been worried about. Malfoy didn't need him to worry. And Harry's thoughts kept getting weirder by the minute.

Hermione noticed this all and filed the information away in her brain. "I'm winning that bet Ron." She whispered. Ron squinted his eyes.

"What?" Harry asked. Hermione just nodded her head at the board, pretending to take notes.

"Now, this is a simple spell, just a review really. Wave your wand in an upwards spiral and say these words..." Harry let himself get lost in the Headmistress' words, trying his best to memorize the incantation to turn his quill into a squid.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Harry:

When Transfiguration finally ended, it felt like an eternity had passed. The eighth years rushed into the Great Hall, eager to eat lunch. Harry himself was quite hungry, he hadn't eaten breakfast.

He had barely sat down at the table before Hermione was questioning him. "So what was wrong Harry?" She asked. 

Hermione didn't need to know that he was worried about Malfoy, she'd probably get the wrong idea anyway. So he decided to tell her what Snape said. Hermione sat back, waiting for an answer.

Harry suddenly had an idea, "Hermione, what page were we supposed to read in for potions?" He asked excitedly.

"394. But something tells me that's not what worried you in Transfiguration." Hermione responded.

Harry ignored her and flipped through the pages in his book, trying to find page 394. He was flipping them almost as fast as Hermione did when she was researching something. From across the table, Ron mumbled a charm and Harry's book closed and reopened to the right page.

Harry gaped at him, "Thanks Mate."

Ron nodded. Hermione looked impressed, "Where did you learn that charm Ron?" She asked.

"Library."

Harry laughed at Hermione's expression. He couldn't tell if she was impressed that Ron knew a spell she didn't; upset about that; or shocked that Ron went to the library without her.

Ron grinned, "I'm not telling you what it is!" He said.

Hermione narrowed her eyes, "Why not?" she pouted.