Draco Malfoy and the Muggle Contraption

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Chapter 3

Computer Boy

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Malcolm Baddock stepped back to look at the list he had just posted on the Slytherin Bulletin Board. After a week of observing the classroom tendencies of their fellow Slytherins, Malfoy and himself had selected the seven students who were to participate in the training for Operation Hacker. Malcolm only had a few moments to admire his work before the rest of Slytherin House rushed into the common room, exhausted from dinner and preparing to do their work. The students who had signed up for Operation Hacker rushed over to the list to see if they had made it. A few people walked away with satisfied looks on their faces, but most of them walked away looking upset.

Draco Malfoy and his girlfriend, Pansy Parkinson, walked into the common room a few minutes after the rest of the house. Pansy went over to the list of accepted students for Operation Hacker to see who she'd be making fun of for the next few months. While she was doing that, Draco went over to talk to Malcolm about the next phase of the Operation.

Draco and Malcolm talked for a few minutes. They were interrupted by a scream from Pansy. "Oh my god! I can't believe it! How-- How-- How could he do that?"

Draco rushed to Pansy's side to see what was wrong. "Get away from me, you . . . you muggle!" Pansy screamed. "I can't believe you signed up for that computer thing! I thought you were a true muggle-hater like us true Slytherins!"

"Pansy," Draco said in a pleading voice, "please tell me what's wrong. I can help you."

"No, you can't," Pansy said angrily. "I'm done with you, Computer Boy. I'm done with you FOREVER!"

"Pansy, please!" Draco called, but it was too late. Pansy had already gone storming up to her dorm. "Thank you, muggles," he muttered. Draco then stormed in the opposite direction out of the common room.

He walked through the hallways, not looking where he was going, thinking about what had just happened. He was walking down a familiar looking corridor when he heard three all-too-familiar voices.

"Oy, Herm, how do you know how to use these garbage machines?"

"Ron, almost every Muggle-born person has used a computer; they're fairly common. Ask Harry, I'm sure he's used them before too."

"Sure, Herm, once or twice," Harry said reluctantly.

"Once or twice?" Hermione asked, a note of surprise in her voice.

"The Dursleys were afraid I'd break their computer, so the only time I got to use it was a few times at school. But when Aunt Petunia found out about that, she called the school and told them not to let me near the computers anymore."

"Oh," Hermione answered. A silence erupted over the room, which lasted until Draco made his way in.

"Well if isn't Potty-boy, Weasel, and the Muggle Crap-- I meant her, not the computers."

Ron stood up and pulled out his wand, ready to attack Malfoy. Harry and Hermione quickly pulled him back down.

"No need for that," Draco said. "I was just leaving anyway. I'd rather get detention than sit in a room with Gryffindors." Draco then left the room.

"What a git," Ron said, loudly enough that Malfoy could hear him.

"Right back at you," Draco responded.

Draco walked back into the Slytherin common room, wondering why he had wandered to the computer lab, of all places. He guessed it had to do with the fact that Pansy had broken up with him because of computers, so they were on his mind. He accepted that explanation and went to bed.