Harry said something to shut Malfoy up? WOW. You bet your
little buns your daddy was there. Voldemort even called him by name despite the
secrecy Death Eaters use with their identities. Harry would love to tell the
Ministry. He's told Dumbledore as our beloved headmaster made him recount the
events of that night. But unlike Dumbledore, the Ministry would not believe his
word. They still refuse to believe that Pettigrew is alive, despite the man's
recent involvements. He sighs softly as you turn, "I meant what I said
about the other night, and I wouldn't have said anything about your father, but
I am not in the mood to fight with you or anyone right now." It's strongly
suggested that you do not push Mr. Potter. The door is opened and he slips out.
It's not as though he's exactly being 'shut up' permanently,
here. Only silenced for a second. The moment Potter
leaves is when that thin smirk returns. Looks like the young
man is quite quick to think up a plan when there is a need for one. He
doesn't exactly desire to relieve the boy of his major organs any more, but
don't put it by Draco to use this information to his advantage... Some more
things should be sent to Rita Skeeter, for instance, claiming things about
Potter's current state of sanity. Who believes the crazy psychopaths, anyways?
Then again, instead of doing that, he can just sit back and have confidence in
his father, like always, but when looking back at where that got Lucius last
time.. Hrmmm. Is that really
wise? Oh well.
Sitting at the Ravenclaw table, Cho is actually not talking to many of her friends right now. It isn't that she's upset
with them or anything, she just really isn't in one of
those 'Ask me about Draco' moods right now. It's becoming a quite touchy subject,
but they've learned to lay off sometimes. She just
happens to glance up as Harry walks in and immediately stands up, leaving
pressing her hands on the table. She can just barely see the state that he is
in, but it doesn't take long for her to start towards the Gryffindor table.
"Harry? Are you all right?" she asks as soon as she's close enough to
not have to yell.
Harry glances up as he hears his name, he did tense up a
bit, but relaxes immediately seeing that it's Cho, "Hey..
yeah.. just fine." Now that all the fight seems to have ebbed away. He turns
around and gets up from the bench, crossing over to Cho, "I found Sakura
the other night. So she's back and accounted for." That is some bit of
good news and he keeps putting his mind back on Hermione and Sakura's return
when he catches himself feeling down. Besides, it might be good enough news to
keep from talking about the bad news du jour.
Cho's serious expression immediately turns into a warm
smile, "I'm glad." She didn't know Sakura very well, only that one
brief meeting down at the Pitch before all this started to happen, but she
honestly wouldn't wish harm on anyone. Not even that Pansy Parkinson who's been
so aggravating due to her 'friendship' with Draco. Luckily she hasn't done
anything but whisper in plain hearing yet... "Maybe the worst has
passed." Not true, but one can hope... One terrifying disaster a year is
enough, isn't it?
Harry can imagine the look on the pug's face too. Did he say
pug? He meant Pansy. (same difference) "Probably
not, but that's over with, they're safe, resting up in the hospital wing and
hopefully will not be bothered again by Death Eaters." Highly unlikely,
but we can only begin to hope. "I can't even begin to say how relieved
I've been since they've been returned." He even cried. In
that 'I'm not crying, I have something in my eye' kind of way.
Oh, the pug was horrified that her Draco was spending so much
time with a dispicable Ravenclaw. Not even a proper Slytherin! "You don't
have to say. I can imagine." Cho says with the same smile, but it's
somewhat sad. She knows how much it hurts to lose someone close to you. But she
had a definate answer. She knew he was gone. She could cope with that. The
constant worry, uselessness, horror over what could happen to them... it all
would have driven her over the edge after a while. He may think she's strong,
but she's sure she wouldn't have been able to handle it if it had been someone
she was close to, like Hermione is to him.
Harry wasn't handling things as well as he was letting on in
all actuality, "Would you like to go on up and see if they're awake? I
think Sakura might like having visitors. She nearly tore my arm off clinging to
it last night." And maybe Dumbledore will be up there, he desperately
wants to speak with the Headmaster.
Cho nods, letting the smile touch her eyes. Her smile is
sometimes the most she can offer. "Of course. I
did ask you to introduce me to Hermione. I've already met Sakura, but it would
be nice to talk to her again. Hopefully she'll be able to see that Quidditch
game soon." She certainly would like for Quidditch to open again. Of
course, at this rate, all the teams will be low on practice and they'll have to
have the games closer together than they'd probably like if they wanted to
finish the season... But Quidditch is Quidditch!
Harry rubs a hand at the back of his neck, "No kidding.
I'm hoping it's back on soon.. Professor McGonagall
was dropping hints about something good the other night..
I would have tried to get more information from her, but..
I just wasn't in the mood." That's an understatement. "Maybe she was
going to say Quidditch would be back on soon. I'd say it's a perfect time to
bring it back. C'mon.. I hope Hermione's awake.." He grins a bit, then leads
the way out of the Great Hall.
Entry Hall
Hogwarts is certainly a magnificent building; why, even the
common muggle could tell that at the first glance (were it not bewitched to
repel them). The entry hall is not
exactly the heart of the main building, but close to it, as it may seem. It is indeed very large, and elegant.
The entry hall definitely has the touch of a medieval
castle; the walls are constructed from stone, torches attached to the wall,
doing their task of providing sufficient light.
The walls are decorated with many portraits; of course, these aren't
just paintings, for the characters portrayed in them seem to be moving
about. Along with that, the crest of
Hogwarts is daintily draped across a wall, as well as four flags briefly
presenting the four houses of Hogwarts.
The ceiling seems to be endless, reaching up to the heavens above. The floor is also made of stone, various
slabs of rock layered onto the ground, smoothed and polished out. The hall looks generally well kept, and for a
good reason, seeing it's usually a student's first glimpse inside of Hogwarts.
Two solid oak double doors seem to open up to another hall,
one with even more prestige than this one.
Another door seems to lead to an empty chamber, so it seems. The last doorway will take students and
teachers alike to the grounds. A few
sets of staircases (hidden ones included) lead upstairs to the second level,
where more whimsical rooms and such may be found. On each side of these steps are two
passageways which take students to various other rooms in the castle.
Accompanied by a certain Gryffindor Seeker, Cho is smiling
brightly (even if her eyes are sad) and following beside him. She's waited
until they got out of the crowds of people to respond to his last words,
because it's not easy to speak when there's a bunch of people around when
you're trying to move through them. "I certainly hope so. I've felt so
grounded the last month. It's been horrible. I don't know if I can stand
another month without my broom." Unlike Harry, she at least gets to fly in
the summer months as much as she can get out. This last month has probably been
the longest time she's been off a broom since her last major injury, which was
in her 3rd year.
Harry can only begin to imagine what the rumormill is like
for poor Cho. She's been seen with Draco and Harry and it's no secret the two
loathe each other. Poor Cho. "I don't think I can
stand too much longer without mine as well. I would be able to handle
everything so much better when I'm allowed to chase down a snitch every now and
then." Hopefully this summer will mark the first that he can actually
break out his broom, and leave his wizarding things out in the wide open. But
that's up in the air still. "Maybe I should stop procrastinating and get
cracking on maneuvers for the Gryffindor team. Every time I started work on our
game plan, my mind just went elsewhere." which is no big surprise.
Ooo. Look! It's that aforementioned
blonde Slytherin git! He heads down the stairs at a rather slow and relaxed
pace, a roll of parchment, being his star charts, happens to be tucked beneath
one arm, though the contents are not exactly visible. Harry should probably
know what they are, however, considering it wasn't that long ago when they
exchanged a few not-so-nice words up in the Astronomy tower while he was in the
midst of doing homework. So, what's Draco doing down here when he should be up
there, getting ready for class? Well... he decided to work a lesson ahead,
submit it and then claim to have some lame illness in order to miss this
evening's class.
At Harry's words, Cho can't help but chuckle softly, "I
leave maneuvers to everyone else." Though she does see how Seekers can
make amazing Captains. The reason she won't accept the position this year is
mainly due to the fact that in some ways, she really doesn't want to be a
Seeker/Captain. No reason to go into the obvious one. The other one is that she
really doesn't know a lot about the other positions. Her job is to fly the best
that she can and attempt to catch the Snitch, and that's what she does. She's
horrible with bludgers, and not very good with quaffles (carrying, throwing or
stopping). "I'm sure you can come up with some amazing maneuvers
though." She continues to smile at the fellow Seeker, then
happens to glance towards the direction they are moving (the stairs) and sees
the other Seeker that she's been getting to know lately. She lets out a soft,
"Oh." in response to seeing him, but doesn't slow at first. Or speed
up either, so there's that.
Harry grins a bit, "I wish it was that easy. Surprised me that the team wanted me as Captain." But
getting to sit on your broom, dodge bludgers and waiting on the snitch, well
that does give a player time to be captain too. Same with
Keepers. The job is short, sweet and simple. His ears color a bit at the
compliment. ".. Nothing like Wood came up with.."
His shoes are pretty big to fill. He glances up at your last 'Oh', oh...
great... Along with Cho, he just keeps walking, don't look it straight in the
eye, keep moving. Nothing to see here, move along.
It? What in hell is he? Something that crawled out from under a rock? Harumph. Indeed, there is nothing to see here. Nothing at all. And he behaves that way, too, like Cho and
Harry don't exist, practically staring straight through them both and passing
right by on the stairs without even a look. That is what's on the outside,
however, on the inside... no, he's not twitching with jealousy or anything, nor
is he trying to control his temper. Unless something's said to him, Draco'll
probably continue past, turn and head down to the dungeons in order to retreat
to the Slytherin common room.
Cho slows down as Draco passes right by them and comes to a
stop, turning to let her eyes follow him. She has no idea what the young
Slytherin happens to be feeling or thinking, but then, she never does. But the
fact that he didn't even seem to /see/ her kind of makes her feel a little off.
It has to do with her present company, even she can realize that. The two boys
have very little reason to ever like each other and she can't really expect
them to be civil just because she's trying to be friends with them both (though
the effort is more where Draco is concerned, for various reasons). For a
moment, she ponders over options of what she could do. It wouldn't be a good
idea to invite Draco along for their trip to the infirmary... and she would
feel bad about breaking off from Harry and skipping the trip entirely...
Eventually she settles her expression on a warm smile and says, "Good
evening, Draco." A friendly greeting can't hurt. Can it?
Harry still doesn't realize how badly he's floored the
Slytherin by his earlier 'threat'. And.. Malfoy's
capable of feeling jealousy? Oh wait, right, he's just burning with the
emotion. After a few steps, he notices that Cho's not quite following.. he stops and looks back,
"I'll go on up Cho." He's not going to stop the Ravenclaw from
talking to Malfoy, it's not his place and it's just not in him. "I'll
catch you up later." and hopefully before Malfoy can say something
unfriendly like, he sprints on up the stairs.
D'oh! I said he's not jealous or trying to control his
temper or anything! That wasn't sarcastic, you know. It's the truth! o.- Ah well. Cho's greeting doesn't earn much of a reaction,
Harry doesn't receive a snide comment of sorts, though numerous come to mind.
It isn't until the Potter-boy has left when Draco actually does respond. He
looks back over his shoulder, towards the Ravenclaw seeker and just gives her a
rather dry, "Evening, Cho." One can feel the dead leaves breaking and
flowers wilting, yeah. *cough*
Sure he's not jealous... Anyway...
But Harry-- The words never leave, but Cho does open her mouth and even turn
around as if to try to stop him. He's already moving though and there's just
nothing she can really do. She doesn't want to have to chose between the two of
them, but she knows that they can't be together and not come to blows, or at
least harsh words. Finally she turns back to Draco and steps quickly to catch
up with him, "Are you--" All right? Doesn't
he hate it when she asks that? So instead she says, "--working on some
assignments?"
"No, actually," The response being in the same
tone as his greeting, "I'm finished them. I was merely on my way back to
the common room." Draco did say that's where he'd be if anyone came
looking for him for whatever reason. Now, if they saw the boy standing around
in the hallways, that may make things somewhat
troublesome. Is that all she wants to hear from him or are there any more
questions that must be asked? The expression on his face appearing bored, eyes
kept level on the girl. Well? Time's a wastin'!
"Oh." Well, Cho could hardly know what he told the
students in a class that she isn't in. She glances in the direction that Harry
left, knowing she could probably catch up and go see if Sakura and Hermione are
feeling up for visitors... Then she seems to make up her mind and turn her
friendly smile back on the Slytherin, "Would you mind some company? At least as far as your common room." She isn't
planning to go in with him today, but a few more minutes won't hurt. Most
likely Hermione and Sakura will still be awake in twenty minutes if they're
awake now. And besides, that look -- or non-look -- he was giving her when he
passed by was a little unsettling.
What look? The look where it almost seems as though he could
be staring straight through her? Actually, it was more because Potter was
there. It didn't have anything to do with Cho... at least, not on any conscious
sort of level. Draco adjusts the roll of parchment under his arm a little
uncomfortably and makes a face to match. "Weren't you going somewhere with
Potter?" He then turns and just.. goes about his business, already leaving to head down the
hall to the common room. "You may accompany me, if you like."
Yes, that look. Cho has a good idea
that it was just because of her company, but it still kind of made unsettled.
She immediately starts to move after him, until she's walking beside him. "Just the Hospital Wing. I'm sure he knows the
way," she answers the question about Harry. She
will likely head up there later, but that isn't the point. She chose to at
least accompany the Slytherin for a little while, and that's what she's going
to do. But before he can equire, she tries to change
the subject, "What did you just finish?"
Finish? "I haven't even gone to the class,
actually." Another adjusting of the roll of parchment
under his arm. "It was Astronomy. I'm simply not feeling up to it
and am probably going to lie down for a little while, instead." To think,
not because he feels ill or anything, which he certainly doesn't claim, either.
Potter's threat, though small and easy to deal with, has left him a little
disorientated. How could his father be so foolish? And what's worse... WHY
hasn't he DONE anything about it? "So, why's Potter heading to the
hospital wing, again? Has he saved the world from evil and certain
destruction?" And Draco just ROLLS his eyes.
"I can make you a Pepper-Up potion, if you think it
would help," Cho offers the suggestion, but doesn't expect him to take it.
Besides, he's good at potions, so very likely he knows that particular one
already. The only potions that she can call herself an 'expert' on are medical
based potions. Part of her interest, after all. Too
bad they don't have /that/ as an elective. Guess they just don't trust students
with that yet. She's only allowed to 'help' as it is anyway. "Um,
no. He's just going to visit Sakura and Hermione." So the world
hasn't been saved from evil today.
Okay. Freeze-frame. Rewind. Replay. Hermione? As in Hermione Granger? The name causes Draco to stop,
immediately, his eyes flickering momentarily over towards Cho in disbelief.
Now, had he of been keeping up with the articles in the Daily Prophet, then he
would have already garnered this knowledge, but the boy has had better things
to do as of late. So, this means that Professor Snape has either failed or done
something good. Could be a bunch of other possibilities, too, but these are
what comes to Draco's mind, first. He's probably fallen a few steps behind, but
soon starts to walk again with a simple, "I... see..."
As in Hermione Granger. Last time
she checked, there was only one Hermione in the school. It takes a few seconds
for it to register to Cho that he's stopped down, and she haults as well,
glancing back at him. Hmm? Did he not hear that they
were returned? She stays still until he starts moving again, taking her place
beside him once more. "They're both all right, apparently." And Harry
certainly was relieved. It took a lot off his mind and shoulders. But she won't
mention that part to Draco.
Well, he figured that they'd probably be all right, being in
the hospital wing and all. Madam Pomfrey is sure to take excellent care of the
two. "Pity." Draco murmurs in a soft,
heartless and cruel tone, still walking as he had before that momentary pause.
He did wander around, back in second year, saying things like 'I hope Granger's
the first to die'. Draco's dislike for muggle-borns certainly is no secret. It
is socially acceptable for Slytherins.
Tsk. Well, Muggle-born or not, Cho wouldn't wish what
happened to the two girls on anyone, and she doesn't even know most of the
details. She can imagine though. She has very little reason to hate Muggle-born
children, but the people she's been closest to most her life (including Cedric)
come from wizarding families. At Draco's heartless moment, she gives him a look
and shakes her head, but she says nothing. She can't change the way he feels
about those things, unfortunately. So she changes the subject, perhaps to
something he'd rather her not, "Why don't you feel very good?"
There are many, MANY ways he could answer that question.
Draco could tell her all about his father and Lucius' involvement with
Voldemort as a Death Eater. That Harry knows and has threatened to reveal such
information to the public, which could get the master of Malfoy Manor into a
lot of trouble, not to mention trash the name which the young, blonde Slytherin
is so proud of. He could dig deep into the past and other things, but that
level of trust does not exist in this so-called 'friendship', not that he would
tell anyone who could possibly turn around and use that information against him
or his family, either. So, the way he answers just so happens to be a lie, but
there's no guilt, why should he feel bad, anyways? It's not part of the Malfoy
heir's nature. "I have a bit of a headache. It's been there since I woke
up this morning and has progressively gotten worse, so, I did my work for this
evening, handed it in and left." Quiz over?
You honestly think she'll let you get away with that kind of
an answer, Mr. Malfoy? Did you positively forget the fact that she works in the
Hospital Wing sometimes and happens to be looking into the medical magics for a
career once she finishes schooling here? Tsk. Cho does seem to take his word
for it, and immediately makes a concerned expression, "You might want to
take a potion then. I know a lot of good ones. I'm sure you do too, but it
might help it go away, if you go to sleep. That way you won't wake up with it
again."
You honestly think she'll let you get away with that kind of
an answer, Mr. Malfoy? Did you positively forget the fact that she works in the
Hospital Wing sometimes and happens to be looking into the medical magics for a
career once she finishes schooling here? Tsk. Cho does seem to take his word
for it, and immediately makes a concerned expression, "You might want to
take a potion then. I know a lot of good ones. I'm sure you do too, but it
might help it go away, if you go to sleep. That way you won't wake up with it
again."
Argh. Not that sympathy-compassion
thingy, again. He's had quite enough, probably having seen that expression
enough to last an entire lifetime. Stop it! "Don't worry about it."
He replies, lifting his free hand in a bit of a wave to reassure her. "I
was already planning on doing that, anyways." The tone earns a bit of a
cold and sharp edge near the end. Then, lookit that! Their destination is just
ahead, the wall where the Slytherin common room rests behind now in sight.
"Going off to see that dirty mudblood, Granger, now?" He has no
shame, does he? Heh.
Cho'd do the same to anyone, even if she didn't care a wit
about them. Draco only gets it a little bit more because she's attempting to be
a friend to him. That's all. He'll just have to get used to it. At least she
takes his answer and nods lightly, offering a smile over... a smile that
immediately falters at his use of such a horrible slang. There's that
disappointed look again. "Draco--" She lets her voice stop, shaking
her head. What else should she expect. He's a
Slytherin. And he even called her some names, never a mudblood, because she
isn't, but he could probably come up with /something/ mean to call her. The
whole fact that she's only half-Welsh wizard might be enough reason. "I
might. I've honestly never really met her." is what she ends up saying.
Incomplete ---