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He heard murmuring, it was always murmuring. She was asking him something, what was it? He looked to Vince, hoping for a clue. Vince’s eyes darted to Hagrid then back. Greg lifted his shoulders and gave an uncomfortable smile before quickly looking away from Umbridge and back towards his feet. Whatever she asked, his response must have worked, he thought, as she turned her back on the class and walked back up towards the castle.
Regret settled in Greg’s gut. Creatures was actually an alright class. There wasn’t really a lecture, it was all hands on work. Sure, caring for blast-ended skrewts and flobberworms wasn’t the most fun, but it wasn’t like he had to strain to hear and attempt to read the half breed’s lips through that giant bushy beard all lesson. Hopefully Umbridge didn’t fire him.
Turning his focus back on the soft mound of dirt he and Vince were watching, a little nose emerged. Sweet, beady eyes followed along with two grubby paws clenching a small pile of gold. Nifflers were definitely better than blast-ended skrewts. Picking the little menace up, he gently stroked the dirt from the furry beasts head. The niffler exhaled at the touch, relaxing into the affection.
That was the other good thing about Creatures, they didn’t judge.
Greg slowly worked the gold from the Nifflers clutches and shoved it in his pockets. He’d return it to Hagrid at the end of class – Merlin knows the half breed could use the Galleons.
The heavy vibration of a baritone voice caught Greg’s attention. Turning his gaze away from the Niffler and towards the source, Hagrid was saying something. Squinting slightly Greg tried to make out what he was saying.
“Leprechaun…worthless…”
Greg, still focused on the beard covered lips, sighed. Hagrid shook his head and moved towards Weasley, who was making a fool of himself, jumping all around holding his terrified looking Niffler in the air. Poor creature.
Vince shuffled closer, knocking shoulders to get Greg’s attention. First making eye contact, Vince waited for Greg’s gaze to shift to his whisker free mouth. Vince’s tongue darted out to moisten his dry lips, unconsciously, Greg’s body mimicked the action.
“You alright, G?” Vince mouthed.
Greg nodded once and shrugged his shoulders. Holding out the gold his clever Niffler had discovered for Vince to inspect. Large hands reached out and gently grazed the coins in Greg’s hand, dragging slowly across them and over the calluses built up from his beater’s bat. Greg inhaled sharply, he could feel his magic tinging as Vince continued his lazy caress. Sighing deeply, Vince removed his hand from his best friend, waiting again for Greg’s eyes to catch his lips.
“Ready for lunch?” he asked.
“Yeah” Greg responded quietly.
He quickly returned the coins to the table near Hagrid’s hut, and settled his little Niffler on the pile of soft blankets in the pen next to the table. Signaling to Vince he was ready to go with a slight nod, the two began their comfortable, silent amble up to the Great Hall.