NEMESIS || Draco Malfoy

35

Pansy to my left and Gwen to my right, the three of us strolled out of the great hall and towards the dungeons. We had finished dinner early, leaving the rest of our friends to themselves.

Pansy and Gwen didn't cross paths often — they weren't friends, per se — but when they just so happened to spend time together — usually because I forced them to — it was like Pansy suddenly turned into a thirteen-year-old herself.

She enjoyed the gossip — even fed into it sometimes — and, seeing as Gwen disliked Harry Potter and his little friends just as much as the rest of us, it's become normal for half of their conversations to revolve around him, and how he didn't catch that snitch that one time, how McGonagall gave him and Weasley detention and whatever else he had messed up that week.

It wasn't uncommon for Gwen to call him four-eyes before I reminded her time and time again that both me and her wore glasses, too.

And so, when I saw Potter, Weasley and Granger turn the corner into the corridor we walked along, I knew it meant trouble before the rest even laid their eyes on them. When they did, Gwen grinned widely.

"Look who it is," She mocked, loudly enough for them to hear as if she wasn't a whole three years younger than them. It worked to her advantage, though, seeing as they were decent enough not to insult a mere child.

I had to give them that much credit.

Potter's brows furrowed, exchanging a look with his two friends before his eyes flickered back onto me. Recognition struck him as his gaze flew over Pansy and Gwen, and it was almost with a smile that he asked, "Isn't there one person missing to complete your little fan club, Hayes?"

He came to a halt, though I didn't bother as I brushed past him with nothing more than a spat "Must be you," escaping my lips in passing.

The boy huffed, the small sound laced with so much self-righteousness; I almost turned around to strangle him right then and there. And I almost applauded myself for simply ignoring the irritating boy and his friends before he opened his mouth once more.

"'Talking about Malfoy, of course. You two seem rather cosy, lately."

With a sigh, I came to a halt, turning around to face the boy. "And you're interested in that why, exactly, Potter?" My voice was dangerously calm, something he most definitely took notice of. "Nothing more interesting going on in the chosen one's life that he has to watch what I do, instead?"

A scoff escaped my lips, and my sister watched the older group carefully. Contrary to what I had expected, Pansy didn't say a word; stood beside me a little too stiffly for something that would usually be one of her favourite pastimes.

My eyes flickered over to the raven-haired girl, and I wasn't quite sure how to interpret the uncomfortable glances she threw before her head cocked to the side completely. I opted to ignore it.

"Sounds like you're a little obsessed to me." My head tilted innocently as he scoffed.

"You know I'm right," He hissed, voice lower as he ignored my words skillfully. "There was a time where you could stand him almost as little as we could." His voice was laced in confusion, and my brows raised at the observation. "'Could say you hated him, almost. Now it seems you're just as far up his arse—"

"Watch your mouth, Potter—" The words slipped past my tongue effortlessly, my tone so dangerously low and venomous, Granger took a step back as I took one towards the group. "I still do, don't get it twisted."

Eyes narrowed, my wand was by his throat mere moments later, my hand moving so fast he didn't have a second to even react. Weasley followed Granger's lead, took a step back as he waited for his friend to do the same.

I knew Harry Potter wouldn't even think of it.

"It's just—" I continued, the corners of my lips twitching into a smile as the tip of my wand traced along his shoulder playfully. "Some people grow up; mature out of meaningless third-year rivalries, you know?" My eyes batted open to look at the boy, the tense look on his face covered up by a vicious glare. "Though, who am I kidding? You're still stuck in first."

A singular laugh escaped my lips as the boy jerked forward, inevitably making me take a step back as I lowered my wand. My sheer amusement only riled him up further.

"You wouldn't dare hex me, Hayes," He spat, gaze darting down to my wand in a suggestive manner. I rolled my eyes.

"That's a great observation," I huffed sarcastically. "Who would've thought I wouldn't just blindly attack you in the halls, Potter. You're real smart, aren't you?"

"Let's go, then—" He challenged, though was quickly cut off by Granger, a horrified expression on her face.

"—Harry!" She muttered from behind him, my eyes snapping onto her and noticing the slightly bewildered look. Her attention wasn't on her friend, though, but rather flickering back and forth in between Gwen and me before lingering on Pansy.

The latter still awfully quiet.

"Hermione," Potter warned, throwing a glance over his own shoulder to give her a warning look.

A snicker passed by my lips as they curled upwards into a cruel smirk. "Oh, is it going to be you, instead, Granger?" Her attention diverted off of Pansy as her eyes snapped over to me. "I never duelled a Mud—" My words were cut off by the raven-haired girl beside me.

"Adreanna," She exclaimed, almost as if she was in a hurry with the way she blurted out my name. With furrowed brows, my eyes landed on her. "Don't waste your time with these... blood traitors," She continued, voice a little lower and eyes nervously darting around the corridor— avoiding eye contact with every person in it. "They're not worth getting into trouble for—"

She interrupted herself as she cleared her throat, suddenly shaking her head as if she wanted to snap herself out of her own thoughts. "You don't want to hurt Dumbledore's golden boy, do you?" Her voice was sterner now, and she took a deep breath before she said, "We all know what would happen if you went up against each other."

And maybe she was right.

So, with a single glance spared — watching as Granger tugged on Potter's robe to get him to turn around, too — and an extra nudge from Pansy, the three of us turned to continue our way down to the dungeons.

"Never took you for the deescalating type, Pans," I admitted after we turned the corner, and Gwen nodded vigorously in agreement as well as disappointment.

"Well, was I right or not?" She laughed nervously, head cocking in my direction as she raised a brow. "That's what I thought," She shrugged. "So, give me a thank you and move on."

With a stern hand on my back, she urged me down the steps into the dungeons, and with a groan, I obeyed.

"Thank you so much, Pansy Parkinson. I'll forever be in your debt," I joked, a laugh slipping past my lips and echoing through the dark corridors the dungeon offered.

Pansy huffed in amusement. "I know," She said, coming to a halt before muttering the password to our common room.

A/N: I almost forgot to upload this today kljhc sorry I'm just so awfully busy it sucks :(

Hope you enjoyed it tho! 

See you. <3