Underwater Calls

Next morning, Laura woke up earlier than she expected to. Stretching, she knew that no matter what, she wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep. Sighing, she crawled out her bed and towards the bathroom – she intended to have a shower first to get the sleepy mist cleared around her. Stripping to her skin, she set the water on boiling hot and stepped into the already steaming shower. She shook herself as the water hit her bare skin, the hot needles pricking at her.
Sighing in content, she stepped out and began to dry her hair with her wand; being able to do magic now that she was back in Hogwarts was such a relief. Her birthday wasn’t till February, and that meant she couldn’t do magic unless she was in the grounds of her educating school.
Ten minutes later, she was down at the Great Hall, amongst the small crowd of early birds that loitered each table. Those keen to study were there too, eating breakfast as they read over their notes or textbooks. She sat down at her house table, and grabbed some pumpkin juice for herself. Her schedule wouldn’t be handed out until most of the years were at breakfast, so Laura just watched the enchanted ceiling as she saw the clear skies and the birds that were flying, dancing around and creating lazy pictures in the sky.
“Never seen you down here so early, Laura,” a voice broke her out of her watch, and she smiled as Blaise Zambini seated himself opposite her. He had always been like a brother to Laura – protecting her when she didn’t need it, aiding to her problems when she couldn’t handle them on her own, and being a pillar to her when she was tired of being one. No one would know how grateful she was for Blaise, and no one would guess just how good friends they really were.
“Woke up way too early than I would have preferred, but I decided just to come down and witness this once in my whole Hogwarts existence,” she laughed, and Blaise rolled his eyes at her. Picking up a piece of toast, he topped it up with jam and pushed it her way. She raised her eyebrows, staring at the piece of bread as if it was foreign.
“Eat,” he said simply, “you can’t survive on pumpkin juice with that stomach of yours.”
Laura sighed, picking up the toast. She knew better than to argue with him – he always found a way to make her do what he wanted her to.
“Is Pansy Parkinson here this year? I don't remember seeing her little pug nose around,” she encountered, causing Blaise to snort into his goblet. Coughing, he shook his head. She certainly did have quite blunt remarks.
“Nope, she’s not coming back this year. Pansy ran herself into some trouble, and her parents don't want her to be here anyway – they know she does nothing but chase the male population, and they’d rather have her at home, where at least she’ll be useful for something,” he said, rolling his eyes. He didn’t mind Pansy, as he had set the record straight with her, but he didn’t like her behaviour. Nor the uneasiness he felt, knowing just exactly what sort of trouble she had got herself into.
“Well, I certainly don't mind her absence. She always rubbed the wrong way on me,” Laura said, taking a bite form her toast again. “After all, she was the one who spread those horrendous rumours about me and you.”
Just as Blaise was about to answer, another voice interrupted their conversation.
“Oh, those rumours? Were rather entertaining, I must say.”
Laura sighed, rolling her eyes as she continued to look at Blaise and not at Malfoy. She didn’t feel the need to waste her precious breath on someone who annoyed her just as much as Pansy Parkinson herself.
“Since when do you raise early, Draco?” Blaise encountered, and Draco shrugged, pouring cereal into a bowl for himself. He wasn’t going to admit what had kept him tossing and turning all night when the reason he had been tossing and turning was seated right opposite him.
“Didn’t feel like being lazy today. Went for a run and then decided that I might as well get to breakfast after I showered.”
Laura coughed a little as the pumpkin juice had difficulty going down her throat. She saw an image of Malfoy himself, in his towel again, looking impossibly perfect like a Greek God.
“You okay, Moon?” Draco asked indifferently, flicking his gaze over to her. She nodded, before standing up and excusing herself. Maybe it was time that she went to see Professor Snape and get her schedule individually – she didn’t think she could stand being in Malfoy’s presence for much longer.
“Professor?” she asked, catching his attention. He nodded curtly at her, not letting a smile etch into his face.
“I presume that you’re here for your schedule?” he said, looking through the seventh year names to find hers. She tucked her hands into the pockets of her jeans, as she had decided against a skirt when she saw the wind outside. She wasn’t going to be flashing anyone anytime soon.
“Here you go,” he said, handing it over to her. She quickly scanned it, before nodding and thanking him. Making her way back over to the Slytherin table, she grabbed her bag.
“See you later, Blaise - Malfoy,” she said, remembering that she had been brought up with manners. Blaise smiled at him, and Malfoy didn’t even acknowledge her words. She walked out the Hall, inspecting her schedule with more attention this time round. She had decided to take Ancient Runes for her N.E.W.T’s, and enjoyed the lessons. She saw that today she had Transfiguration first, followed by double Potions and double Charms. All in all, it was a rather calm day – there wasn’t subjects were she wasn’t capable of something, though she wasn’t anywhere near Hermoine Granger’s abilities. No matter what House she happened to be in, she admired that girl’s brain and her bravery, not to mention her loyalty.
It wasn’t a secret, but it wasn’t obvious to everyone that she did talk to Hermione Granger during Ancient Runes.
Laura was taught not to fit any stereotype, and she made it certain she didn’t.