The Sunrise of My Heart
Chapter Fourteen: Professor Moody
The next day, my misgivings increased as I entered Defense Against the Dark Arts. At first, I wasn't sure what had made me feel so tense and nervous, but then I started to realize what it was. Each time Professor Moody would walk past me or look at me, my skin would start to crawl and I had to try hard not to walk out of the classroom. What was it about him that made me feel so odd? Sure, he was pretty much insane, but I knew that wasn't it.
"Riley? Are you okay?"
"Huh?"
"You really need to stop getting lost in your own head."
"Draco, you're so negative. I like getting lost in my head. The people there are so friendly and kind!"
"You're bloody demented," he muttered.
"And yet you're dating me. What does that say about you?"
"I'm probably demented too."
"Mr. Malfoy! Is there any reason you're not paying attention to my lesson?" I fought back a shudder when I realized Professor Moody was standing right in front of us.
"I was asking Riley for help with some Potions homework," he muttered. His hand was sitting by his side and he clenched it tightly into a fist.
I lightly rested my hand over it, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Calm down," I whispered softly to him. He clenched his jaw and forced himself to relax some.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, maybe you can save that for after my class next time, eh?"
"Yes, professor," he muttered, scowling.
"Be nice," I whispered.
"I'm trying," he muttered, although he didn't appear to be trying very hard.
"Good boy." He shot me a glare, causing me to smile innocently.
"What were you thinking about earlier?" Draco asked me softly.
"I was just wondering... Does Professor Moody give you the creeps or weird you out or something?"
"What do you mean? Sure, I don't like him, but I don't really get the creeps from him. Does he give you the creeps?"
"I don't know. There's just something about him that I don't trust..."
"Hmm... Well, you might be right. But who knows?"
DADA ended and we gathered our things, getting ready to leave. As I walked from the classroom, I felt a penetrating gaze on my back. I turned to see who was watching me and saw Professor Moody staring intently at me.
"Um Professor Moody is there something that you need?"
He continued to stare at me, and then took a deep swig from his flask. "Good-bye, Miss Carson."
"Good-bye, Professor Moody."
As I walked from the classroom, I couldn't help but feel that he'd heard what I'd said, and that I had a reason not to trust him. The look he'd given me really creeped me out. Not in an 'I'm-a-pedophile-stalker-who-preys-on-young-children' kind of way, but in more of an 'I-will-kill-you-if-you-learn-my-secret' kind of way. I quickened my pace, my heart thumping in loudly in my chest. What was Professor Moody hiding? What was it about him that made me want to hit him and run?
"Riley? Are you okay?"
"Huh?"
"You really need to stop getting lost in your own head."
"Draco, you're so negative. I like getting lost in my head. The people there are so friendly and kind!"
"You're bloody demented," he muttered.
"And yet you're dating me. What does that say about you?"
"I'm probably demented too."
"Mr. Malfoy! Is there any reason you're not paying attention to my lesson?" I fought back a shudder when I realized Professor Moody was standing right in front of us.
"I was asking Riley for help with some Potions homework," he muttered. His hand was sitting by his side and he clenched it tightly into a fist.
I lightly rested my hand over it, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Calm down," I whispered softly to him. He clenched his jaw and forced himself to relax some.
"Well, Mr. Malfoy, maybe you can save that for after my class next time, eh?"
"Yes, professor," he muttered, scowling.
"Be nice," I whispered.
"I'm trying," he muttered, although he didn't appear to be trying very hard.
"Good boy." He shot me a glare, causing me to smile innocently.
"What were you thinking about earlier?" Draco asked me softly.
"I was just wondering... Does Professor Moody give you the creeps or weird you out or something?"
"What do you mean? Sure, I don't like him, but I don't really get the creeps from him. Does he give you the creeps?"
"I don't know. There's just something about him that I don't trust..."
"Hmm... Well, you might be right. But who knows?"
DADA ended and we gathered our things, getting ready to leave. As I walked from the classroom, I felt a penetrating gaze on my back. I turned to see who was watching me and saw Professor Moody staring intently at me.
"Um Professor Moody is there something that you need?"
He continued to stare at me, and then took a deep swig from his flask. "Good-bye, Miss Carson."
"Good-bye, Professor Moody."
As I walked from the classroom, I couldn't help but feel that he'd heard what I'd said, and that I had a reason not to trust him. The look he'd given me really creeped me out. Not in an 'I'm-a-pedophile-stalker-who-preys-on-young-children' kind of way, but in more of an 'I-will-kill-you-if-you-learn-my-secret' kind of way. I quickened my pace, my heart thumping in loudly in my chest. What was Professor Moody hiding? What was it about him that made me want to hit him and run?