Chapter 43
Professor McGonagall's classes were more fun than Lucifer had initially thought.
They were more difficult than other classes because of how complex the work could be, but he still did well in the class.
Today for their first day back, they were tasked with turning Beetles into Buttons.
Lucifer's buttons started having small creepy legs and they all started moving towards Hermione.
And even Ron's seat, who was behind them.
Some creepy buttons entered Ron's robes and he ran away screaming from the class, "S-Spiders are eating me?!"
"I need help!!"
But, Hermione was really brave, using her book to stamp all creepy little buttons to save herself while glaring daggers into Lucifer's head.
Many students gave a small chuckle, at this debacle.
After killing all the creepy little buttons Hermione tried to perform the task of changing beetles.
But the class had already ended, "No, no-no I was just!" Hermione tried to defend herself.
"Miss Granger, I will ask you to move into Lockhart's Class"
"Why?....." She was almost spitting blood at this point, "But, Professor McGonagall, it's all Lucifer's fau-"
"Hermione, we are going to be late because of you" Lucifer shook his head at the girl, very disappointed.
"???" Hermione was now fuming inside. She just desperately wanted to bite him right now!
But, ended up giving a murderous look instead, only promising torture in the future.
Only, McGonagall was pretty cool, ignoring all her loud protests.
Ron also left his broken wand in the class, Draco even wanted to hide it.
But Harry got to it first and decided to give it to him later.
They made their way towards the Great hall, with Harry giving something to Ron, and asked, "So, what have we got this afternoon?"
Hermione said at once without pulling her schedule out from in-between her books she was carrying, "Defense Against the Dark Arts..." she made it out in a long voice, not even wanting to think about this.
"What do you think Lockhart's lesson is going to be like?" asked Lucifer after a quick look at Hermione's face.
"Awful I expect," She said this very bitterly, causing Lucifer to shake his head at her, again.
"Give him a chance, Hermione! We haven't even seen, what he can do yet...."
"Tell you what then, if we do this lesson, all goes swimmingly and he gives me no reason to complain, I will never insult him in front of you again. How does that sound?!"
"Why did you clarify in front of me?"
"Because, I have seen you reading those garbage, and laughing! It makes you a fan boy!" Hermione said, while tutting her teeth at him, not convinced by his actions in the slightest.
"Understood...."
Only, Ron had now seen something on her schedule, because he seized it immediately, "Why do you have little knife outlining each of Lockhart's lessons?" He then squinted, "Are those small love hearts, containing Lucifer's name, across the sides and top of the timetable?!
But, Hermione quickly snatched back her schedule, "That is none of your concern!" She yelled with a blush on her face and stomped ahead of them to the Great Hall.
Lucifer also sighed, then ran after her.
They ate lunch in mostly silence, with him reading another one of Lockhart's books, with Hermione just staring at her plate, no emotions.
After finishing up their lunch, they spent the rest of the period outside in the courtyard with the gray overcast.
Harry and Ron were talking about Quidditch, while Lucifer was now skipping rocks in the lake, even had a feeling he was forgetting something.
But, Hermione just watched Lucifer settle himself down, it was an odd feeling.
She'd seen him do it a thousand times before but it all seemed so enchanting now, she just couldn't look away.
The way he shifted those hair out of his face, because of the wind, and moved his palm to skip rocks.
"You just gonna stare or are you joining me?" Lucifer said with a smirk.
"Don't be so good looking and I won't stare," Hermione said without thinking, not even stammering a bit, although she could feel her face warming up.
She hadn't even thought about it, just said it.
But, then looked away from him and at her own feet, she was about to make up some excuse and scurry away when he responded.
"You're one to talk. If I'm good looking then that makes you positively radiant....." If she didn't know Lucifer's voice so well, then she wouldn't have believed it was him.
Her eyes wandered up to him in shock, and even though Hermione was still pink in the face but she was smirking at him, now.
Her chocolate-brown eyes, were now full of hope...
"You won't mind if I sit right here then, will you?' Hermione said, while settling herself down so close next to him, their legs were touching.
"Of course I won't...."
"That means I can do this, right?" Hermione, now let her head drop onto his shoulder, past anger about McGonagall's class just forgotten altogether.
Lucifer then picked up another nearby stone to discard into the lake.
Hermione pretended to stare, but her mind was miles away.
She'd just accidentally flirted with Lucifer, and not only had it not made her a weirdo.
He'd done it back! Even called her good looking, or to use his words, radiant.
She'd always thought his previous comments had been teasing, or jokes, but had he actually been flirting with her this whole time?
Meaning, she can do it too!
Hermione was brought out of her thoughts, when someone said, "All right, Harry? I'm-I-I'm Colin Creevey," he said breathlessly, taking a step closer to him, "I'm in Gryffindor too, d'you think - would it be all right if - can I have a picture?" He asked, raising his camera.
Lucifer was having a hard time following what Colin was saying because he kept skipping rocks.
"A picture?" Harry repeated blankly.
"So I can prove I've met you!" He said excitedly, edging further forward, "I know all about you, everyone's told me! About how you survived You- Know-Who when he tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've got a lightning scar on your forehead," Colin was in overdrive, "and a boy in my dormitory said that if I get this film developed in the right Potion the picture'll move!" Colin drew a great, shuddering breath of excitement and then said, "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic until I got my Hogwarts letter.
My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either! So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him, and it'd be really good if I had one of you-" he looked at Harry imploringly, "-maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then maybe you could sign it?"
"Signed photos?" came the second most annoying voice Ron had ever heard, right after Lucius Malfoy, "You're giving out signed photos, Potter?" Draco Malfoy asked, quite loudly at that.
He stood right behind Colin, flanked on either side by his two meat-head followers.
They were large, thuggish looking cronies that Malfoy liked to use for intimidation tactics, but Ron liked to think it didn't work on him.
"Everyone lined up! Harry Potter is giving out signed photos!"
"No I'm not!" Harry yelled angrily, clenching his fists, "Shut up, Malfoy!"
"You're just jealous," piped Colin, whose whole body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck.
"Jealous?" Malfoy snorted, who had no reason to shout anymore as the whole courtyard was now watching them with great interest.
"Of what? Having a foul scar on my forehead? No thanks, why would I want that? I don't think getting your head cut open makes you special myself."
Crabbe and Goyle snickered stupidly.
"No, it's the ridding of a Dark Wizard that does that. Not that you would know what it's like!" Hermione said, looking right at Malfoy, like her mortal enemy or something.
Malfoy was now thinking of a good retort.
"Eat slugs, Malfoy," Ron said angrily. Crabbe stopped laughing and started rubbing his knuckles in a menacing way.
"Be careful, Weasley," Malfoy continued on as though nothing was happening, "You don't want to start any trouble, or your Mummy'll have to come and take you away from school." He then put on a shrill, piercing voice, "If you put one more toe out of line-"
A knot of Slytherin Fifth years nearby roared with laughter.
"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," smirked Malfoy, "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house-"
But, it was now Lucifer, who interrupted, "Defense Professor's coming this way."
"What's all this? What's all this, huh?" Gilderoy Lockhart was indeed striding over towards them, his turquoise robes flowing behind him as he walked, "Who's giving out signed photos?" Harry started to speak but Lockhart was quick to fling an arm around his shoulders and he thundered jovially, "I shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry."
Harry was pinned to Lockhart's side and his cheeks were burning with humiliation.
Malfoy slide back into the crowd as he sneered at Harry.
"Come on then, Mr. Creevey," Lockhart said, beaming at Colin, "A double portrait, can't do better than that! And we'll both sign it for you!"
Colin fumbled for his camera and took the picture just as the bell rang, signaling the start of afternoon classes.
"Off you go, move along there," Lockhart said to the crowd.
Lucifer, Hermione, and Ron all walked ahead of Harry and Lockhart, waiting for them to show up as they entered the classroom for Defense Against the Dark Arts.
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