"Pray tell," I looked up and tried to hide my amusement. He'd been holding true to his statement about thinking of ways to get rid of Harry and Ron, though most involved them dying very violent, painful deaths.
"If I challenge them to a wizards duel, and tip off Filch," Malfoy smirked. "There's no way they'll turn me down."
This piqued my interest as the only idea Malfoy had had that wasn't entirely ludicrous. Maybe he'd been testing the waters with me, trying to make sure I didn't tell. I figured it was more likely I was giving him too much credit.
"They might make poor decisions, but they're not plain stupid," I frowned at him. "I doubt your plan plays out the way you hope."
"You say that now," he said arrogantly. "I'm sure you won't doubt me when they get expelled for being out during curfew."
"I'm not stopping you," I told him, though I bit my cheek. If it came down to it, I certainly would stop him. As much as Harry and Ron had given Hermione and I the cold shoulder, I still liked them. "I'm just saying that maybe you're underestimating his intelligence."
"Are you underestimating mine?" He scowled at me.
I shrugged. "You've had better ideas."
"I suppose," he admitted. "But it's the best one I've had yet. The others weren't too realistic."
Well, at least he was self aware. He appeared satisfied with himself, a conspiratory smirk on his face.
"When exactly do you plan on doing this?" I asked. I kept my expression neutral as he scrutinized me.
"I'm not sure," he tore his eyes off of me and glanced at Ron and Harry, who were too busy struggling horribly with their Befuddlement Draught to notice. "I think I'll just have to wait for an opportunity to present itself."
"Patience is key," I mused, though now my guard was up. An opportunity did present itself the day we had flying lessons.
Ron was outraged by the fact that we had them with Slytherin. He had complained about it all morning. Hermione and I couldn't really care less, except she had read loads of books on flying itself to see if she could give herself an advantage. I had read along with her, but there was nothing that really seemed of any use to me. Something told me that flying couldn't be learned from a book.
The mail came in the middle of Hermione reminding the table (mostly herself) of some of the tips she learned from Quidditch Through the Ages. Willow dropped another letter from my father to me. I opened it excitedly, wanting to see what he'd written.
Dear Lila,
I'm glad to hear that you've been making friends! I'm sure that Harry and Ron will come back around. Boys can be frustrating sometimes, I would know. Hermione sounds like a lovely young lady, and I would really like to meet her someday. About this Malfoy boy; don't give up on him. Something tells me that he just needs a good friend.
I'm also very glad to hear about how well you've been doing in your classes and all of the points you've been winning for your house. Gryffindor, sounded the most impressive from what I remember. I'm not surprised that you're doing well in your classes — I knew you would. Owl me back about any updates, and I'm looking forward to seeing you back home again! Keep up the good work!
Love from,
Father Holmes.
In the afternoon, I walked with the other Gryffindor first years to the courtyard. The Slytherins were already there, as were twenty two brooms on the ground in neat rows. Madam Hooch appeared soon with the sound of her whistle.
"Well what are you all waiting for?" She barked. "Claim a broomstick. Hurry up, now!"
We all scrambled to find an empty space. Hermione gulped nervously from beside me. Unlike her, I wasn't afraid to fly. In fact I was excited, but the whole Quidditch thing I was rather indifferent to.
"Stick out your right hand over your broom, and call "UP!" Madam Hooch ordered. There was a chorus of "UP"s, but only a few people's brooms, including Harry's and Malfoy's, flew into the air. I tried again with more intent and this time it flew quickly into my hand. Hermione's just kept rolling, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Ron's hit him in the face, much to my amusement.
"Now when I count to three and blow my whistle," Madam Hooch began after some drills on the ground. "You'll kick off the ground, hard. You'll ride a few feet and then come immediately back down. Ready, one, two—"
Before she even said three, Neville Longbottom was up in the air. Twenty or so feet, spiraling up and up without stopping. His broom came back down, but we all watched in slow-motion as he slipped off the side and fell onto his face with a thud. I put a hand over my mouth.
"Oh dear," Madam Hooch rushed over, tutting. "Broken wrist. Come on boy — you're alright. Up you get." She helped him up off the ground, turning to the rest of us. "None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch!' "
She led him away, back to the castle. There were a few moments of silence. My guard up at her last words, I made eye contact with Malfoy. He mouthed "watch this." I frowned at him, because if this went his way he could actually get Harry and Ron expelled. Before I could protest, he started to laugh.
"Did you see the look on his face, the great lump?" He chortled. The other Slytherins laughed as well. I grimaced at him and crossed my arms disappointedly.
"Shut up, Malfoy," said Parvati Patil, expression hardened.
"I suppose you 'd look about the same after falling from six feet in the air, Malfoy," I quipped. Harry and Ron looked at me, surprised I was standing up to him, but I ignored them. "I don't think you'd like to test that theory."
"Sticking up for Longbottom?" Pansy sneered at both of us. "Never thought that Gryffindor girls would take a fancy to fat little crybabies."
"Look!" Malfoy said suddenly, holding a glittering white ball. It turned my attention away from Pansy enough not to snap at her. "It's the stupid thing his gran gave him."
"Give it here, Malfoy," Harry said, voice dangerously low. Everyone froze to watch the battle take place.
"I think I'll just leave it somewhere for him to find," Malfoy tossed it tauntingly and caught it. "How about, up a tree?"
Before I could stop him, he mounted a broom and rose into the air, still confidently holding the Remembrall. "Come and get it, Potter!" He taunted.
"Now, don't be stupid—" I tried to say, but Hermione pushed in front of me.
"Madam Hooch said not to move! You'll get us all in trouble!" She exclaimed. Harry ignored her, instead pushing off the ground in pursuit of Malfoy. They were talking to each other, but we couldn't hear what they were saying. Much to my surprise, Harry seemed to be a natural flier.
"What are we going to do?" Hermione said worriedly. I looked down from the boys in the air and to her.
"Nothing," I said. "Malfoy wanted a rise and Harry took the bait. That's not my problem."
"Cold, aren't you?" Ron scoffed.
I nodded. "Heartless."
I watched as Malfoy threw the Remembrall and landed safely on the ground. Harry dropped into a steep dive, catching it just before it landed and safely getting to the ground as well. However, like the Remembrall, he was caught.
"HARRY POTTER!" Professor McGonagall had appeared. "Never, in all my years at Hogwarts! You could have broken your neck!"
We tried to protest, but it wasn't long before the two of them were walking away into the castle. Malfoy was grinning triumphantly, the other Slytherins congratulating him and whispering excitedly. I cleared my throat. He looked at me, eyebrow cocked.
"Don't get so excited," I frowned at him. "They won't expel him. He's Harry."
"It's the rules," Malfoy argued with a smirk. "Just because he's the Golden Boy doesn't mean that he's an exception."
"Then maybe I should tell McGonagall to expel you too," I narrowed my eyes at him.
"I thought we had an agreement, Holmes," Malfoy's face swiftly turned sour. I snorted.
"Right, you thought," I stared him down. "And that was your first mistake. We didn't agree on anything. If anything, I told you it wouldn't work and you did it anyway."
"Is that a threat?" Pansy Parkinson sauntered up to me. I was considerably taller than her, so I wasn't intimidated. Admittedly, it was sweet she was so protective of Malfoy. I looked down at her, indifferent. "And so what if it is?"
"I'll have your head, Holmes," she told me.
I chuckled dryly. "I'm not afraid of you."
"You should be," she said quietly.
"Cut it out, would you," Ron walked towards the both of us, grabbing my elbow to drag me away from Pansy. "Glad to have you back," he said to me, patting me on the back. "We should go check on Harry."
"That's a good idea," I agreed. "I do hope that he's not expelled. I can't believe that he was so stupid to make that mistake."
"Hopefully he'll learn from it and won't make it again," Hermione piped in.
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