Of Wings in the Night

4

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Because of the Mudblood. Draco was late for his next class. And he was not happy about it. Although Snape didn’t take any points off or even reprimand him verbally, the lank-haired professor did send a displeased warning glance towards Draco. From there, the day got progressively worse. Draco didn’t pay attention and scalded his hand when he stirred the contents of his cauldron too strongly, making them slosh around; he got a quiz in Transfiguration he hadn’t studied for and guessed every single question; Professor Binns was exceptionally boring in History of Magic but caught Draco napping all the same; at Quidditch practice, Draco made a surprisingly inexpert turn and almost tumbled off his broom, missing the practice Snitch completely. No, Draco Malfoy was not happy.

With today’s luck, Mala won’t come tonight. he thought darkly. After terrorizing a few second-year Hufflepuffs on the way to his room, he practically growled at Crabbe and Goyle, “Out!” They had long ago learned to avoid him when he was in one of his moods. Quickly changing into his feline form, he tensed and made a graceful leap onto his bed, curling up for a catnap until moonrise.

Draco’s eyes snapped open. Glancing out of the window, he saw that it was indeed almost moonrise. After quickly grooming himself, he made his way quickly down the hall, prowling in the shadows, to the assigned meeting place. Mala wasn’t there, and his whiskers told him that she hadn’t been here since they last met. Was she late? Was she even coming at all? To his surprise, his heart seemed to contort strangely. It was only natural, he supposed; after all, although he reveled in the solitude it could get tiring. And Mala seemed to know just when to talk and when to shut up. That was a rare quality, indeed.

Yes... he mused. Mala’s a rare cat. She’s good company. And I don’t have to worry about whether she’s pureblood or not. This had become somewhat of an annoyance to Draco lately, having to make certain his acquaintances were pureblood. Although she seems aligned with Gryffindor, he thought wryly. Well, I don’t suppose I can count that against her. It isn't as if she is actually a Gryffindor.

As un-Slytherin as it sounded, he was looking forward to a fresh start with someone who didn’t know who he had been, just who he was; someone who didn’t have a past with him and judge him on that; someone who’d see what he’d become without their vision being distorted by unchangeable shades in his past. A part of him sniggered. Look at you. Pathetic. You really should have been put into Hufflepuff. He scowled at himself. I am only human. The part of him that had sniggered before laughed. And feline. “That’s not the point!” He realized he’d spoken aloud, and his voice echoed faintly back at him from the dark hall.

“What’s not the point?” Mala’s eyes betrayed her amusement from the patch of shadow she crouched in, and despite himself Draco relaxed.

“Where’ve you been, Mala?” he asked, then cringed at how eager and slightly whiny he sounded.

She shrugged. “I was held up. So do you want to go for a walk again?”

“Nah. I mean, it was nice last night, but that’s done. Of course,” he added hastily, “if you want to go for another walk...”

She was grinning. “You read my mind, Ranger. So...how long have you been at Hogwarts?”

“About six years, a little more.”

“Me too. What made you come to Hogwarts?” Something seemed to occur to her, and she looked as if she’d like to bite the words back.

Draco noted her expression absentmindedly; his mind was racing, trying to figure out what to say. “I was just...you know, wandering around, and this seemed like a good place.”

“Do you belong to anyone?”

The question was fired at him so fast, he didn’t have time to ask, “How about you?” though he realized belatedly that that was the point. Still, he didn’t want to press her for personal issues. “What do you mean, ‘belong to someone’?”

“You know. Are you...associated with any students or teachers here?”

Her meaning dawned on Draco. “You mean am I a goddamn pet? Hell no!”

“Come on, you don’t need to take that attitude. Pets are people too. I mean...” She dissolved into giggles and, after his mind tried to get around her last phrase, Draco gave up and laughed with her.

“Pets are people too? Mala, I thought you were supposed to be the brilliant one.”

“Oh, shut your furry mouth.” He did, obligingly, and Mala actually rolled over on the ground in helpless laughter.

They talked so late that Draco almost missed the rising of the sun. With a strangely substantial feeling of regret, he broke off the conversation and hurried back to his dorm where Crabbe and Goyle were snoring.

.

Hermione was practically bouncing off the walls. She desperately wished she were sharing a dorm with Ginny--Hermione was aching to talk about Ranger. With considerable effort, she calmed herself down enough to present a reasonably sober front to her classes.

Just before lunch, Ginny caught Hermione and pulled her aside. “Hermione, are you ever going to tell Harry and Ron? Because they suspect something. I mean, you’ve been unusually happy and bouncy and...I hate to say it, but almost ditzy for the past few days, not counting the time after Malfoy was being a git. To me it makes sense, but they’re wondering and if you’re not careful they might think there’s--there’s a boy involved or something.”

Hermione giggled. “There is, just not a human one.”

The redhead laughed, but didn’t drop the issue. “Hermione. You need to decide what to do.”

With a slightly defeated sigh, Hermione said, “I know. Just--not today.”

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