Ch78. Study group

Hadrian walked through the corridors of Hogwarts, distractedly thinking about Dora's soft and smooth skin and her... sigh.

When he woke up in the morning, the first sight that greeted him was Dora looking at him with wide frightful eyes as she realized they had sex. It must have clicked in her mind and before Hadrian could even utter a word, she was already through the floo connection in her room.

Alas, she again forgot to close the connection and Hadrian had a good show of Dora berating herself for running away. Then it intensified and Dora started cutely punching her pillow and scolding herself for not waking Hadrian with her mouth. And his personal favorite, when she grabbed the pillow to her chest and started rolling on the bed while releasing whiny sounds due to not going for a 'second round' in the morning.

Hadrian decided to let her cool off on her own.

As he was walking, his ears were offhandedly listening to the whispering rumor mill.

"... Dumbledore is getting barmy!..."

'You don't' say.' Hadrian thought.

"...Professor Trelawney... St. Mungo... drunk..."

Hadrian just snorted at that as he continued walking.

"... yesterday Draco shat himself..."

'Oh, okay... wait, what?' Hadrian stopped but the topic was already over when the gossiping Slytherin girls saw him. Hadrian shuddered as Milicent Bulstrode made eyes on him and decided for a tactical retreat.

"... Weasley twins... scared to death..." "...kidding! Impossible..."

Hadrian straightened up. Heh, he was wondering how Dora would react to that.

"...Hagrid's hut exploded!..."

Hadrian again stopped but this time he could hear more.

"...dragon? Really?..."

"...are they going to arrest him?..."

"...no, Dumbledore..."

Hadrian tilted his head and continued on his walk to the library.

'Now that they mention it... I totally forgot about Norbert. Looks like Hagrid managed to raise him! At least until the dragon blew his hut...' Hadrian shrugged. It was none of his concern.

Hadrian finally reached the library and headed straight to the corner where his study group was having a meeting.

He turned around the corner and saw his table full of girls. There was Dora whose head was deep in the NEWT potion book but Hadrian could see her blush as the girl refused to look at him. With a smirk he looked at Susan who was intently studying... he looked closer and made sure to disperse any magic with his senses... Necromantic book in the middle of Hogwarts library, great...

Hadrian at least sighed in relief as these books had Family Magic Protections so only Dumbledore, and even that was questionable, would be able to get a slight peek at what the book is really about.

Hadrian turned to the right side of the table and saw Hermione Granger with three homework on the table, continuously swapping between them as she wrote them simultaneously.

Next to her, was a fidgeting form of someone new.

'Longbottom... Ne... Nevu... Nevul... ah blast it. He shall introduce himself anyway!' Hadrian decided and approached the table, sitting next to Dora.

The second he was seated, he saw Dora curling up into herself, her blush deepening. He smirked and was about to tease her when he felt Dora's hand reach between his legs, squeezing slightly as his eyes went wide.

'Huh... she probably heard about the Weasley twins then.' Hadrian's mind surmised as he could feel the affectionate touch of Dora that sent a shudder through his spine.

Dora leaned closer to him and pecked his cheek.

"Thank you." She whispered and fortunately her hand relocated to his thigh instead of staying between his legs. They both completely ignored the curious look of Granger and insecure peek from Ni...Na...Uh, Longbottom boy.

Susan didn't care, it seemed at the first glance. Hadrian sat on the left side, closer to Susan so he could see the very quick momentary pouty looks she was sending Dora. It was adorable.

"Something happened?" Hermione asked Done in 'I need to know!' tone.

"Nothing!" Dora answered in a teasing sing-song tone, clearly saying 'Nu-uh~, you don't'.

Hermione pouted but her eyes intently stared at Dora.

"So..." Hadrian decided to change the topic. Hermione might have been only a memorization genius but she was also quite observant. Well, she was, when she didn't do homework. The last thing he needed was her snooping around Dora and him.

"You are..." Hadrian turned to the twitching pudgy boy.

"Ne-Nevile Longbottom!" He exclaimed, louder than needed.

"Nice to meet you, Nevile." Hadrian smiled politely.

"Thank you!" The boy exclaimed.

"You like herbology, ...I heard?" Hadrian asked, getting eager nods from the boy. He took out one book from his book-case aka portable runic library and gave the ancient herblore to the boy who almost started crying while hyperventilating when he started reading it. Needless to say, Hadrian was disturbed.

He turned to Suzie and smiled at her when he saw her peek at him, making her blush and lower her head into her book again.

'The distinct difference between life, death, and unlife

by Marcellus Arcturion Romulus,

the founder of House Bones.'

Hadrian gaped at Suzan. It was the second book! Not even a week passed and she already completed the first volume!?

"Sue?" He asked. "Are you finished with the first book?"

"Yes! It wasn't that hard!" Susan nodded enthusiastically.

Hadrian felt faint. Wasn't that hard...

"Sue... look at the completely final page." He uncomfortably stated and Susan while confused, did take out the first book and looked at it.

It had a summary of the Bones family members of the past and the time it took them to complete the book.

Fastest - 'Uranus Bones - 3 months.'

The average time was one year. Susan looked at it with childish bewilderment and unconsciously mumbled.

"Damn, my ancestors were dumb..."

Thankfully it was only Hadrian and Dora who heard it and they promptly face-faulted.

"What's that book!" Hermione decided to intrude and attempted to grab it, only for Susan to squeeze her hand very painfully, making her shriek.

Hermione was about to protest and berate Susan that 'sharing is caring' but Susan's cold brown eyes stopped her in her tracks, her body unconsciously shivering as her words refused to leave her throat. Something in that gaze was... dangerous.

Even Nevile stopped fidgeting and Dora narrowed her eyes at Granger.

Hermione sat on her chair, spooked and Susan sighed in exasperation. With an eye-roll, he raised her book so the cover would be visible to Hermione. Susan knew it would appease Granger immediately. She might have 'warmed up' to the girl but that didn't mean she liked her.

Hermione may have been frightened but it was a book! It instantly cheered her up. Her eyes went to the cover. She read the cover and blanched.

'Rats, snakes, and worms and how to munch them to death correctly for potions

by Severus Wormtail.'

Well, it was Hadrian who set up that cover... The entire study group blinked, completely speechless.

"Ew..." Granger exclaimed, disgusted.

"Well... let's talk about the progress with the book-reading spell!" Hadrian awkwardly interrupted, trying to let Susan read in peace as his hand took Dora's and put it back on his thigh. If it meant suffering through her knowing and suggestive looks? So be it.

As he watched the group, especially blushing Dora and studious Susan... yes.

For now, life was good.