Nobody ever asked my birthday

Chapter 133

Daphne Greengrass and her sister cast next, and theirs together didn't hold a candle to the other two. But still, they had a flicker. Harry's eyes studied them, noting how they looked at each other. Perhaps... a bit of physical contact? Maybe... it wouldn't hurt.

Vincent Crabbe didn't even have that much to show for himself, he mangled the spell, and tried again, and mangled it again.

"Let me try," Draco Malfoy ordered, stepping in front of the lunkier boy. "Expecto Patronum." Draco Malfoy intoned, his voice crisp and clear, as if he'd decided that today, he'd order magic around, and it would obey, simply because Draco Malfoy hadn't even the concept that it wouldn't. Harry Potter found himself wondering how much of that was just crafted pretense, and how much was self-fulfilling prophecy. As far as he knew (which, admittedly, wasn't much), Malfoy had stepped onto the Hogwarts Express wanting for nothing except opposition. Hmph. What do you give the person who's got everything? An opponent. Harry rather vaguely had the idea that Malfoy would enjoy the joke, if only it wasn't Harry Potter telling it.

Draco Malfoy's curtain of silver was man high, and wider than Crabbe. Goyle's in contrast, was small, but surprisingly scintillating. It had the look of rain falling through sunlight, all sparks and flashes.*

"Beautiful..." Harry said, in a voice soft as a whisper. Goyle nodded slightly, before letting the spell dissipate, leaving Harry with the uncertain knowledge that Goyle'd heard him.

"Expecto Patronum!" Blaise said with a flair, and his patronus seemed like it was trapped in the sliver wall, half emerging, half fading behind it.

"You're doing great!" Hannah said, looking at Blaise, who preened under the attention. Harry thought, 'I have never seen Zambini try that hard in class. Granted, I generally only see him in Potions... That's got to be it, or at least part of it,' Harry thought, straightening and his face brightening, 'Snape asked why he'd encourage an illicit class... Well, now I'm seeing why...'

*The japanese call this Kitsune's Wedding, and Americans' a sunshower. Just as beautiful as a rainbow.

[a/n: well, that's at least one reason.

Writing Harry Potter as a decently intelligent, yet non-literary person is challenging. Hopefully I'm showing he's got a modicum of wit, at least.

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