Leo et Serpentia

CHAPTER FOUR: Midnight Encounter

The clock showed 12:46 p.m.; Malfoy was feeling restless. And, though the night’s dinner had been excellent, he was hungry. So he did what any normal, red-blooded, fifteen- year-old wizard would have done in his place: he went down to the kitchens in search of a snack.

He was nearing a sculpture of a witch with a kielbasa attached to her ear when he heard footsteps coming from both directions. With Slytherin’s defeat in the House Championships two years ago still fresh in his memory, Malfoy took a none-too-agile leap behind a transparent tapestry of a drunken hippogriff. He held his breath, waiting silently. The first person to reach the tapestry was Riley O’Connor, the stuck-up Gryffindor. She gasped when she saw him.

“Hush!” said Malfoy quickly, clapping one hand over her mouth. She narrowed her eyes at him. “Come on,” he directed, shoving her behind a giant suit of armor. “I really don’t need any more detentions and I’m sure you don’t want any either.” She rolled her eyes.

They crouched behind the armor, he with one hand over her mouth, other hand clamped on her wrist. The footsteps grow gradually closer.

Riley struggled to make herself comfortable. Malfoy, sensing what she was doing, twisted her wrist behind her back, causing a sharp yelp of pain. “Be quiet,” he hissed.

“Mmph trph,” she shot back.

Suddenly, Justin Finch-Fletchley turned the corner into their corridor from the adjoining hallway. The chubby Hufflepuff gingerly held a glass vial containing a purple liquid.

Justin? thought Riley wildly. At this time of night? What was he doing out of bed?

Justin stopped and checked the corridor for teachers and other students. Approaching a large painting of a bowl of fruit, he tickled the pear. It twisted and giggled and slowly became a doorknob. Justin looked over his shoulder once more and quickly entered the kitchens. The hallway was once again deserted.

Malfoy got slowly to his feet, taking his hand from Riley’s mouth. “I wonder what Justin was doing out here at this time of night,” she said, rising.

Malfoy shrugged. “Probably just got hungry,” he said unconvincingly. “What are you doing out here, anyway?”

“Nothing.”

He cocked a skeptical eyebrow.

“Well . . .” she sighed. “George pulled the Canary Cream stunt on me. I was looking for something to hex.” She pulled a handful of Honeydukes chocolate bars from the pocket of her green plaid pajama pants. “This was all I could find, but he’ll probably eat it if I leave it lying around. Even if George isn’t the one who finds it, it’ll still be amusing – for me.” She grinned mischievously.

“Geez O’Connor, you’re not a bit as innocent as you seem, are you?”

She sighed dramatically. “I know. More’s the pity. Hey, want some chocolate?”

Malfoy took one of the bars, but didn’t eat it. “Didn’t you say that you were going to hex these?”

“Yeah, but I haven’t done anything to them yet. Duh. I just came out of the kitchens. They’re still innocent bars of chocolate.”

“Okay, whatever you say. I don’t trust you, but I need a bit of fun now and then.” Riley had her head tilted to one side and was discreetly studying his face. “What?”

“Nothing.” She shook her head. “You know, Malfoy, you’re not bad when you’re not in public.”

He smirked. “And you’re not nearly as annoying or rude when you’re not around Potty, the Weasels or the Mudblood.”

Her eyes flashed. “Don’t diss my friends.”

“Your friends, O’Connor, are precisely the reason why someone like you –” he pushed the tip of one finger into her shoulder, “ – can’t have someone like me.”

“Don’t cry, Malfoy,” she said sarcastically. “I’m sure I’ll get over it.” She turned and strolled down the hall, presumably in the direction of the Gryffindor dormitories. Once Riley was sure Malfoy couldn’t see her face, she allowed herself a very self-satisfied grin.

Malfoy’s eyes followed the way her slender form swayed down the hallway, then mentally slapped himself on both cheeks. Get a grip, he told himself. O’Connor is a Gryffindor. She hangs out with riffraff like Potty and the Weasel. Definitely not my type.

He glanced at her retreating figure, a contemplative expression on his face.

***

Riley woke early the next morning. It took a second for her brain to register that she couldn’t roll over and go back to sleep; Quidditch Captain Katie Bell had wanted a word with her before the Gryffindor team’s practice that morning.

Throwing on a pair of jeans and a polo shirt, Riley quickly pulled her hair up on top of her head. She grabbed her broom, the Rebel (winner of Broom Wars 2002) and ran straight down to the Quidditch field without bothering to stop for breakfast. Riley hesitated to wear her school uniform to Quidditch practice – as her mom had once said, “There are some stains even Magical Mess Remover can’t touch, and I’ll be darned if Riley O’Connor can’t find all of them!”

When she got to the field, she immediately noticed the lone figure in green Quidditch robes, flying high above the stands. Presently he came down. Much to Riley’s surprise it turned out to be Malfoy.

“Malfoy! Why aren’t – I mean –”

He chuckled amusedly. “Why aren’t I in the infirmary? I decided to give that ‘innocent chocolate’ of yours to Goyle. He’s had frogs coming out of his nose all morning. Madam Pomfrey can’t figure out what to do with him.”

“ Oh, forget it. It doesn’t matter what they bloody do to him. He won’t stop sneezing frogs until about four tomorrow morning.”

Riley saw Katie Bell approaching from the other side of the field. Distracted, she attempted to brush past Malfoy, but her elbow was seized in an iron grip.

“Let go of me, Malfoy, I have to go talk to Katie!”

His voice was soft. “I don’t like people who try to hex me.” Dangerous. “I’m letting you off easy, O’Connor, but watch your step.” He released her. By the time Katie had reached the edge of the bleachers, he was gone.

“What was that all about?”

“Oh . . .” Riley shrugged. “Malfoy being Malfoy, I guess.”

“Oh.” Katie laughed and shook her head.

“So what’s up?”

Katie grinned. “I meant to tell you before this, but I thought this would be a more appropriate time.”

“Appropriate time for what?” said Riley, puzzled.

“For this,” said Katie mischievously, pulling something from behind her back – scarlet Quidditch robes. “Welcome to the team!”