Title: In the Mind of the Walking Encyclopedia
Chapter Five
Rated: PG
Author: tainted black (penny@twistedcandy.org)
Disclaimer: Not mine.
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The rain had simmered down to a nice drizzle and a rainbow is beginning to form overhead. Tiny rays of lights are beaming through the clouds and the animals are starting to come out again. The entire place smells of that fresh rain scent. I would even call it nice, except for one tiny thing...

"Granger!" Malfoy shouts, running back and forth in a comical manner. "This little beast won't let go of my finger. Get it off!"

I roll my eyes at him. Serves him right, hah! What cabbit in the right world would like the name Cabbit? I reluctantly grab Malfoy as he once again runs past me and kick him in the shins. He falls.

"Why did you do -that- for?" he grumbles to the ground, still shaking his finger.

"Did I do that?" I ask sweetly. "I didn't mean to--I didn't know you were -that- weak."

"Just get the bloody beast off me."

I tug at the cabbit biting on his finger. It doesn't budge. Strange. I poke at it. Nope, nothing. I sigh and pull out my wand, mumbling "relaxum"* under my breath. The cabbit releases Malfoy's fingers and it stares up at me with its big silver eyes.. Awww, it's so cute! I pick it up and cuddle it.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," Malfoy cautions, moving to sit on a rock.

"Why not?"

"I did that and it -bit- me."

"Maybe it likes the way you taste," I say sarcastically.

"Which would explain why it doesn't like your taste. I don't blame it, though. Why would Cabbit want to take a bite out of -you- when it can bite -me-?"

That was the most stupidest thing I've ever heard of. I tell him so. "That was the most stupidest thing I've ever heard of."

"Makes sense to me. I'm a Malfoy. You're a Granger," he says, sneering. "The cabbit is afraid that if it bites you, it will die of poisoning."

"In your dreams, Malfoy," I shot back. "You and I are exactly the same. We are made out of the same material. Skin is merely an ever-changing organ that contains many cells. It consists of the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous tissue. The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin and it contains five layers--" 

"Yes, yes, I know that, but so what?" Malfoy resorts to glaring at me.

I grin inwardly. "I take it I gain a point?" I stroke the cabbit and it begins to purr.

"No. Because a Malfoy tastes much better than a Granger." His silver-blue orbs are challenging me again.

"You're just a sore loser."

"Oh?" He begins to snicker. "Am I? Here, you want a taste? I'm sure those Mudblood germs will wash off in this drizzle." He lifts his arm to my face.

I stare at his pale arm.

"Merlin, you need to get out more. That color isn't healthy."

He narrows his eyes at me. "It is healthy."

I hold up one of my arms against his. "Look, you see--at least -mine- has some color. Yours is just all white! Do you even tan when you play Quidditch?"

He puts his arm down and unconsciously takes the cabbit from me, stroking its deep blue fur. "Why are we talking about skin color? We're supposed to be watching this thing."

So, he was uncomfortable, huh? I should back down, but this was Malfoy for Merlin's sake! It's not like -he- hasn't backed down when he made -me- uncomfortable. Payback time.

"You don't tan," I state simply.

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't," he says.

"You don't."

"Yes, I do!"

"Then how come you aren't tanned?"

"Why are we talking about me being able to tan or not?"

"Ah ha!"

"Ah ha, -what-?"

"You don't."

He stares incredulously at me. "You're strange. Now I know why I never bothered to talk to you before."

"What?! I am not strange. I am perfectly normal. I believe you have got it wrong--if anyone here is strange, it would certainly be -you-, Mr. Malfoy." I pluck the cabbit from his arms and pet its head. "And stop abusing the poor thing."

"Me?" He screeches. "Me?! Look at you, I don't think it wants to be touched by you either! It's practically squirming to get away."

"You're lying. It likes me. Don't you, Fluffy?" I raise the cabbit up to my face and smile happily at it.

"Its name is Cabbit. We've already established that," he says, crossing his arms.

"When it's with me, I call it Fluffy. You can call it Cabbit," I reply.

"Fluffy Cabbit?" He scrutinizes his nose.

"Sure, why not?" The cabbit suddenly jumps from my arms.

"See! I told you it didn't like it!" Malfoy declares. "Now it's running away. You go get it."

"Fine, fine!" I throw my hands up and grudgely jog after it.

Fluffy Cabbit is heading towards the blasted Forbidden Forets. Wonderful. It better not go in the forest. I start yelling at it to stop, but of course, it doesn't listen to me. Stupid animals never listen to me, even if it's for their own safety. It runs into the forest before I can put the Petrificus Totalis spell on it. I stop jogging and turn back to Malfoy--who is still standing at the same place.

"Malfoy!" I yell, frustrated. "Fluffy Cabbit went into the forest."

"Cabbit," he corrects me.

"Come on, let's go get the bloody thing," I grumble.

"How about you go get it? I'll just sit here, enjoying this lovely weather..." He leans against a tree.

I stare angrily at him. Oh, if looks could kill, Malfoy would certainly be dead on the spot. Fine, if he wants to be this way, I don't care. I turn around again and step towards the forest.

"What are you doing?" he shouts. "Don't you know anything, Granger? The forest is -forbidden-! Just leave the blasted cabbit alone, I'm sure he'll come back to that big oaf when we're gone. Besides, the sky is darkening again, we should head back to class. The hour's almost up."

"Aw, I didn't know you cared. But I'm getting that cabbit back. That poor creature, all alone in the forest with no one to protect it..." I stamp my foot. "I just cannot leave it alone. If I'm late, tell Hagrid I'll come back in about five or ten minutes."

Without another word, he nods his head and heads back towards the class.

I wait until he's out of sight before running into the forest.

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Fifteen minutes later, I realize that this is not the smartest idea I've ever had.

I'm without a doubt, lost. Lost in the Forbidden Forest. And I can't find that blasted cabbit anywhere. Did I mention I was lost? Then I suddenly remember I still have my wand. Whoo hoo, I guess I wasn't as lost as I thought I was before.

I hold my wand up. "Point me."

But lightning suddenly strikes the tree near me and I shriek, dropping my wand. And I thought this couldn't get any worse, yea, right. I drop to my knees and feel around for my wand; it's too dark to see anything.

Lightning strikes again and I spot my wand lying next to the fallen tree. I reach out for it, but stop. I see that the first tree was slowly starting to catch on fire--and the fire was spreading to my wand! Oh, no! But I need my wand back... Closing my eyes, I attempt to grab at the wand, but the fire has started to spread to my wand.

"Nooooooooooo," I wail. "My wandddddd! No, no, no!" I stomp on my wand, putting the fire out. Then I pick it up. My beautiful mahogany wand is half black now. I know it isn't totally useless, but I knew better than to wave a broken wand around. I stick it into my robe regretfully.

So now I'm totally lost in the Forbidden Forest and practically wandless. Okay, so -now- it cannot possibly get any worse.

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3/22/o3. Short chapter, yea, but I think I actually have a plot. ^___^ Mwahaha, whoo! I'm going to work on the next chapter of this as soon as I upload this one... So it'll probably be out tonight. *grins*

Oh, and the reason Hermione and Draco aren't with the class is because everyone was spread around Hagrid's hut, and those two went a bit farther away from everyone else. ^^;

* Relaxum - Latin for release, I believe. xDD 

Thanks to Krissy and C-fleurbleue for reviewing.

Please review. ^_^ in every chapter, wee.