Secrets

Secrets

Chapter 3

Over the next few days, Draco completely ignored the fact that Harry even existed. He didn't even insult him as he usually did, at every chance he had. This fact concerned Harry even more so than before.

He didn't really expect him to just come to him and confess his soul. He didn't really expect Draco to come to him at all. He just didn't seem to be the kind of person to drag others into his own affairs.

"What are you thinking about?" Hermione asked Harry softly, snapping him back into reality.

"Oh, nothing," he replied with a small smile.

What would Ron and Hermione think if they knew I actually tried to befriend Malfoy? Harry wondered. One thing is for sure. Ron would be much less understanding than 'Mione.

"Are you ok? You seem to have a lot on your mind lately."

"Yeah, I've noticed that too. You're much more quiet and a lot of the time you have this glazed over look on your face," Ron mumbled from over his plate, while succeeding in spitting half of his food out of his mouth.

Hermione looked at him with a repulsed look on her face. "Ron, that is disgusting. Don't talk with your mouth full."

"Yes, Mother," Ron shot back, this time after swallowing his mouthful of chicken.

Hermione frowned at him before turning back to Harry and giving him a questioning look.

"Really, I'm fine. I've just had a lot on my mind. With N.E.W.T.S. coming up soon, teachers are really putting on the pressure."

"Oh I know! In my Muggle Studies class, the teacher assigned this 72 cm paper. It's ridiculous, really"

Harry sighed as Hermione continued to babble about schoolwork.

Look what I've started, he thought, smirking. His eyes started to wander around the Great Hall and came to rest on the Slytherin table. His eyes swept down the table and he frowned, realizing Draco wasn't there.

That's odd. Maybe he really is sick and couldn't come to breakfast. Or maybe I'm just being paranoid and he slept in.

Harry rolled his eyes and then tried to focus his attention onto Hermione, resulting in little success.

-**********************

"Class is beginning. It would be most beneficial if you all quiet down," Snape declared, stepping out of the office. His warning was stated more for the sake of the Slytherins, as most of the Gryffindors had already been in their seats and quietly talking amongst themselves.

Harry's eyes shot to the other side of the room and was surprised to see that Draco was not in his seat. Nor was he even in the classroom. Both Crabbe and Goyle were there, and Malfoy hardly goes anywhere without his cronies. Harry knew he wouldn't be skipping, as potions is Draco's favorite class and Snape his favorite teacher.

As class went on, there was no acknowledgment from any of the Slytherins or the potions master, to Malfoy's absence. The Gryffindors didn't seem to notice either, but that was more than likely due to a lack of concern for Draco's well-being.

When class ended, Harry told Ron and Hermione to go ahead because he had to speak to Snape. Ron gave him a look that Harry couldn't quite read, but that looked a lot like suspicion. Harry stared blankly into his face.

"Okay, see you," Ron said, turning around and walking out of the classroom.

Harry waited until everyone had left the room before he walked up to the front of the classroom. He crossed over to the door to Snapes office and put a hesitant hand up to the door. He took a deep breath and then knocked.

"Enter," Snape called out from the other side of the thick wooden door.

"Uh, professor?" Harry called out quietly, peering around the door.

Snape sighed when he saw his visitor. "What is it Potter?"

"I was, um, wondering...where's Malfoy?"

Snapes eyes flashed with anger as a sneer crossed his face. "Why, may I ask, do you care? I thought you weren't going to try to help him.'"

"No, it's not like--"

"Save it Potter. I don't need to hear your pathetic excuse. Now get going. I will not excuse you for being late to your next class. As for Malfoy, he is of no concern to you. I suggest you keep it that way."

Harry glared at Snape before spinning around and quickly leaving the room.

"Fine!" he growled, shutting the door behind him.

******************************

"What bloody good luck," Ron muttered, as the trio crossed the grounds to Hagrids hut. "Not only do we have potions today, but we also get Care for Magical Creatures. Hours and hours of Slytherin fun. No, wait, more like hell."

Hermione chuckled at Ron.

"Yes, we are aware that you hate having class with Slytherins."

"Yes, and don't you forget it. Now I wonder what Hagrid is going to try to kill us with today. Hey Hagrid!" Ron called out cheerfully, as Hagrid walked up to the group.

Harry coughed to cover up his laughter.

"'ello yeh three. Keepin' outta trouble?" Hagrid said, looking down at them.

"Yep. What are we gonna run fro--OOF," Ron stumbled as Hermione elbowed him in the side. "I mean, learn about today?"

"Yer jus' gonna haf ter wait an' see. It's a surprise," Hagrid replied with a twinkle in his eyes. He winked at the three.

"Okay," Ron said with a fake smile. Harry heard him groan as he walked off with Hermione. Harry stayed behind.

"Now, 'arry, I already tol' yeh, I ain't gonna tell," Hagrid said with a chuckle.

"No. That's not what I was gonna ask."

"Oh? What is it yeh need 'arry?"

"I was wondering what happened to Malfoy."

"Ah. He had ter go home fer a few days. He'll be back by the end o' the week. Goo' thing too. Don' nee' him aroun' to cause trouble fer yeh three, eh?"

"Yeah," Harry said with a small smile, "good thing."

"Well, I got ter start class now. Got somethin' planned fer yeh guys," Hagrid mumbled as he walked away.

As usual Hagrids surprise was something only he would find exciting.

"We already know what a centaur is," Pansy said with a smug look, as she crossed her arms.

"Ah, well, this ain' no centaur. This here's a phooka," Hagrid said, walking over to the half horse creature with a man's head. There was a chain around its neck that was tied to a tree, limiting its movements.

"Phookas are destructive creatures. If one crosses yer path, yeh should get away. They'll go outta their way to harm chil'ren."

"Then shouldn't that thing be far away from here, a school, full of children?" Millicent asked, looking very uncomfortable.

"Nah. This guy here's tame. Nothin ter worry about here," Hagrid replied as the phooka snarled.

The creature suddenly rose a few feet up into the air as it continued to snarl.

A few gasps were heard among the students as everyone stepped back.

"IT'S POSSESSED!" Ron cried, pointing to the floating animal.

Hagrid chuckled. "Nah, he's jus' flyin. Phookas can do tha', though no' very far. They ain' go' wings. Jealous of planes, these guys are. Let's see, wha' else can I tell yeh? They steal newborns, harm chil'ren when they can...an', oh, they kill heard animals, though they particularly like cattle."

"Nice...and you brought it here?" Seamus asked. "That thing is floating there, deciding which one of us is going to be his dinner? Or maybe he's just deciding which is first!"

"If he's stuffed he won' be wantin' ter eat one o' yeh. Speakin' o' tha', which o' yeh wanna come up here an' feed him?"

Everybody's eyes widened as they took a few more steps back. Parvati and Lavander were clutching onto each other's arms in fear of the creature who seemed to be staring in their direction, as if knowing how frightened they were.

"Aw, come on. 'arry, come up here," Hagrid said, gesturing to the boy.

I'd rather not, he thought, as he gulped and stepped forward. A few Slytherins chuckled.

"Who woulda thought it would be this oaf's fault that he finally dies," one of them whispered loudly, followed by a chorus of laughter.

"Come on over here," Hagrid said, leading him over to a cooler sitting at the base of a nearby tree.

Harry groaned and followed him.

"Reach in there an' grab the meat an' then bring it back over here," he said, walking back over to the phooka.

Harry walked back over with the huge chunk of raw chop meat, but stopped a few feet from Hagrid.

"Now, 'arry, yeh can get a lil' closer. As long as you got tha' meat there, he won' even bother yeh."

Harry sighed and stepped forward, deciding to trust Hagrid.

As Harry walked closer to the phooka, it watched him and became very silent. Harry placed the meat on the floor in front of the animal. It automatically dropped to the ground and began eating.

"See there? Nothin' to it."

Harry turned and smiled. As he did he felt something cold and wet on the back of his hand. He looked down and saw the animal licking him.

"Uh, Hagrid...is he supposed to be doing that?"

"Oh! Ahdon' you worry none. Jus' a few o' these," Hagrid said as he threw a few potatoes towards the tree, "an' he'll be offa yeh in a sec."

The animal seemed to have a moment of indecision, looking back and forth between Harry and the potatoes, then made up its mind and trotted over to the tree.

Harry quickly joined his friends, glad to be far away from the phooka.

"Wha' did I tell yeh? Harmless as a kitten."

"More like a Norwegian Ridgeback," Ron muttered under his breath.

Hermione giggled at Ron, like that was the most clever thing she had ever heard.

Yeah...she has it bad. Hermione is turning into a flirty schoolgirl with a crush. The world must be coming to an end, Harry thought, smiling to himself.

"That's all fer today. Off yeh go."

"Well, that was fun," Ron said as the trio walked back to the castle.

**********************************

Two days later, Harry walked into the Great Hall for dinner and was greeted with the sight of Draco Malfoy sitting at the Slytherin table.

As Harry sat in his seat, he noticed that Draco sat off by himself. He wasn't eating anything. He just sat starting at the table, looking lost in his thoughts.

He glanced up and caught Harry watching him. Instead of the expected response of anger or a sneer, he just looked at Harry with a slightly questioning look on his face. His expression seemed to be asking why he even cared.

Draco sighed and then looked back down to the bare table in front of him.

"Oh look, the ferret is back. Can't say that I missed him. He should have just stayed where he was. Not like anyone missed him. I mean, did you hear anybody say anything about him?" Ron muttered, looking at the Slytherin boy.

"Do you suppose he was ill? He doesn't look too well," Hermione pointed out.

"Maybe," Harry mumbled.

"Too bad the git didn't die."

"Ron! How can you say that? You shouldn't wish that on anyone. That's horrible!"

"There you go defending him again! I swear you're hiding something. What? Do you have the hots for him or something?"

"Oh, that's ridiculous. I mean, sure, he's good looking, but he's a Slytherin. I'd much rather go for a Ravenclaw...or a Gryffindor."

Ron's head shot up.

"Gryffindor, eh?" Ron cleared his throat. "Got anyone in mind?"

Hermione glanced at him slyly.

"Well...there is this one guy"

"Oh really? A Gryffindor? I take it I know this guy?"

"Oh I never said he was a Gryffindor."

"Oh...so he's a Ravenclaw. That's uh...nice. A good, smart bloke"

"You're jumping to conclusions. I never said he was Ravenclaw either. I was just pointing out that you automatically assumed that it was a Gryffindor."

"Oh...well, do I know him?"

Hermione pretended to think it over.

"Yeah, Id say so."

"Well, does hewait...did you say Malfoy was good looking?! That's gross."

"Oh please, Ron. Just 'cause he has good looks doesn't make him a good person. And just because he's an annoying prat, doesn't mean he's ugly."

"Oh! It really is him, isn't it?! That's why you wouldn't say which house he was in!"

Hermione sighed. "I thought we already established this. Slytherin=bad. Slytherin + Gryffindor=never gonna happen. Basic math, Ron."

Ron blinked a few times, staring blankly at Hermione.

"So about this bloke..."

Somebody shoot me, Harry thought with a sigh, as he continued to listen to Ron and Hermiones flirting throughout the meal.

******************************

The next morning, Harry sat at the table during breakfast, listening to Hermione and Ron argue over whether teachers should have the right to assign homework or not.

As Harry bit into a piece of his toast, the Great Hall filled with an array of different colored owls, carrying mail to deliver to the students. One of the school owls flew over him and dropped a letter that landed on his plate, knocking off some of the eggs.

Harry picked up the plain white envelope and flipped it over, looking for a sender name. Only his name was printed in small, neat handwriting on the outside of the envelope. He opened it up and pulled out a small piece of parchment containing only a few words.

Quidditch Pitch. 11 pm. Please.

-D.M.

Harry glanced up at Draco, but he found the boy staring at his plate with a strained look on his face, as if he was trying desperately not to meet the other boy's eyes; as if he was scared to see rejection in the kind green eyes.

Harry knew Draco saw him read the letter. And he knew the letter was from him.

He also knew that he would be at that quidditch pitch, come hell or high water, at eleven o'clock.