Anima

Chapter 12

Draco was draped over the bench in the car that he was sharing with the two girls. Hermione was reading through her advanced potions book for university class and Ginny was scribbling furiously into a small parchment. He was entertaining himself with card tricks. He broke the deck and sorted the cards fluidly, shuffling them before flipping cards from hand to hand. There was a knock at the sliding door and all three of them froze, glancing as Harry cautiously peeked his head in a second later. The girls almost visibly relaxed while Draco just grew more tense.

Ginny’s gaze shifted back to her parchment, ignoring him and the brunette took a hesitant step in with a ducked head. Draco silently groaned, knowing Hermione would chew him out if he started a fight. A tiny frown line of concern appeared on Hermione’s brow, something that he caught and he realized making her happy meant playing nice with the Golden Boy. This time groaning out loud, he pulled himself into a sit and huffed to himself before pulling out his wand. Transfiguring a match into a small table, he deftly put his wand back up his sleeve and placed two sets of cards on the table while half growling at the silent boy, “Close the door, sit down, and pick up your cards, moron, before someone follows you. I assume even you know 5-card poker.” Harry looked startled, glancing at Hermione questioningly but the graduate was just smiling at Draco proudly if a touch warningly. After a tense moment the brunette slunk inside and picked up his hand, quickly shuffling his cards around while Draco just sighed again having spotted Hermione’s warning look and knowing he’d been skating the edge of breaking her rule of trying to be nice, “Everyone knows not to do that.”

Harry looked up with a frown, “Wha-...”

Gesturing vaguely at his hand, his voice flowing of condescension and a slight air of Hermione’s know-it-all tone, “Never shuffle your cards, you’re broadcasting your hand. If you’re bluffing that’s one thing otherwise don’t do it. Figure out what you have and keep track of it...now, how many?”

Harry thought to respond to the way Draco was talking to him, but he noticed Hermione had an almost ferocious interest in the bi-play between the two of them. If he started a fight, she’d never forgive him. Swallowing his pride and his irritation, glancing at his hand before pulling out two cards and putting them face down on the table. Draco nodded and passed him two, taking one for himself. He immediately shuffled his hand and Harry raised an eyebrow, “I thought everybody knew not to do that.” Without even looking at him, he put down his hand. A royal flush. Harry’s jaw just dropped while Ginny put aside her parchment and stared with interest, “How’d you do that?”

Grinning to himself, he pulled back his sleeves to show three cards up them. Harry scowled in disgust but Draco just shrugged, “Never play against a Slytherin unless you know how to cheat. And you’d better be good because we can spot a mark at a hundred meters.” Picking up cards, “I’ve played against every house except Gryffindor and so far only the Ravenclaws are a challenge.” Giving Harry an up and down glance, “Especially if you’re the rule and not the exception to how a Gryffindor plays.” Hermione raised a silent eyebrow at him. He shrugged at her since it was the truth and he wasn’t about to lie to soothe the Golden Boy’s fragile ego.

Throwing down his cards lightly, “Why did you ask me to play, then?”

Draco just shrugged to himself, reshuffling the cards before handing them back out, this time including Ginny in the deal. Harry realized with quiet clarity he’d done it to make Hermione happy. His begrudgingly given respect for the Slytherin went up a notch.

With a slow show Draco pulled back his sleeves to show he had nothing up them before picking up his hand. Hermione silently watched his hands as he handed out cards, acting as dealer before smoothly putting down a Royal Flush once more. Both of them threw down their cards in disgust before Harry pointed at him, “You cheated. You had to.”

With a grin Draco reached across the table and pulled a 3 out of Hermione’s hair. Harry and Ginny were just staring at him. All of them had been watching for a slight of hand movement and nothing. The trio glanced at one another before the redhead asked the question, “How?”

Wiggling his fingers mockingly, “Magic.”

Ginny scowled at him and Hermione frowned a bit, trying to figure it out, “Your wand’s still up your sleeve.”

He silently gave her a small grin and a nod. Harry blinked twice before jumping back slightly, “You used wandless magic!!”

Draco’s face was a smooth picture of composure, “Wandless magic is impossible. A myth.”

Harry scoffed, “I’ve done it by accident so I know you’re lying.”

Ginny squinted, “Draco?” Hermione looked just as curious but she wasn’t going to push.

“The Ministry labeled it a myth three hundred years ago so I’d hardly call it a lie.” Glancing at Ginny and sighing softly. He’d always been a bit of a soft touch with people he liked and as much as he didn’t want to admit it he was starting to like Ginny. Thank Merlin she was only one of three people he did like or his reputation would be destroyed, “It’s the only wandless magic I know. Can’t do anything against enemies but I can win at poker every time with it.” Her brow furrowed in concentration as she tried to puzzle how he moved the card from his hand to Hermione’s hair, “I just...think about it going somewhere...wish for it.”

Frowning, “I wished for perfect OWLs but I didn’t get them.”

“Neither did I. Like I said, for me it only works with poker.” He shrugged again, “My magic’s probably not strong enough for bigger things.”

Harry frowned at the blond, never hearing him insult his own abilities. If anything, he’d always heard the blond broadcast every advantage he had, “What are you talking about, Malfoy? Your magic-...”

“Is nothing compared to yours. Or Hermione’s. The Professors.” He smirked to himself with depreciation, “Hell, most of the younger years are probably more powerful than I am.” It was the truth so why fight it. He could easily regurgitate anything in the books but his actual skills with a wand lacked and he knew it. It was Hermione’s turn to frown at his lack of confidence in his own magical abilities. The Slytherin prat they’d all known had always been full of confidence that he could handle anything. A bluff, maybe. Harry and Ginny both jumped while Draco just rolled his eyes as a rooster popped into existence and crowed obnoxiously loud. Hermione looked sheepishly apologetic to her friends, dismissing the magically produced alarm, “I’ve told her repeatedly that’s the most annoying alarm in the history of magic.”

Sticking out her tongue, “Did a comparative study, did we oh wise of all Slytherin?”

Snorting as he stood up and stretched, taking out his wand to disperse the table, Ginny quick to grab the cards as the couple bantered lightly back and forth, “Considering I’ve had how many heart attacks over the summer, I’d say I’m an expert.”

Raising a single eyebrow, “Draco, the day you’re an expert of anything is the day...well...” She faltered, trying to think of something comparible and the train started to jerkingly come to a stop.

Draco looked at his bare wrist as if looking at an imaginary watch, “I’m waiting for that comeback, Granger.”

Glaring at him lightly, “Is the day you’re best mates with Harry.” The two boys glanced at one another before snorting in unison and looking away.

Ginny pocketed the cards, deciding to give them back later considering the blond Slytherin was now distracted. She just rolled her eyes and moved for the door, pushing it aside and leaning on it. Draco was tugging Hermione close who was trying desperately to contain her giggles, the pair of them staring into one another’s eyes. She felt a momentary pang, remembering how she used to get lost in Harry’s eyes...she shook her head once to rid herself of the thought. The past. It was in the past and that’s where it would stay.