The book set on the table in front of me, ready to be picked up, was a hardback, with a black cover and gold writing. It has several hundred pages, each gentle to the fingertips. Skim reading the back, I pick it up in my hands, opening it to the first page. I start to pour myself into the pages, letting the characters leap out at me. Reading was like an escape from reality for me when I pick up a book and start to read, I get so sucked in that sometimes I forget my surroundings.
"Darlene?" Poppy pokes the book so it falls forward, trying to catch my attention. She looks agitated.
"Hmmm?" I smile, closing the book and placing it on my lap, ready to get back into the story once the conversation was over. I hadn't even noticed she had been talking to me for the last 10 minutes of me reading. In fact, I hadn't even noticed her join my table. She rolls her eyes, before opening her mouth to speak again.
"I said... did you know I'm not taking potions this year?" Her eyebrows raise higher on her forehead, making her high line move slightly further back.
"Err no? I didn't? You may have vaguely mentioned it in one of your letters but I thought you were kidding?" I respond, trying to contain my hurt feelings, We had always agreed to do the same classes, mostly so we can help each other out and gossip when some of the professors were more interested in themselves than the students.
"Yeah well, I didn't fancy it this year - I don think I can take another year of Snape! Bad enough he is our house leader" Poppy says in disgust. She is probably one of the only Slytherin students I know that dislikes Snape. Myself, on the other hand, gets along with him quite well. I sigh, thinking about how lonely my lessons will now be with Poppy gone. Not that we could really get away with 'too' much in Snape's lesson, but at least he let us have a chat. If one of the other houses tried to pull Half of what we do, it would be minus 100 points to detention. At least a months worth.
Poppy sighs and sits back in her seat, her eyes wondering at the scenery out of the cabin window. i pull my book back up to my eyeline and start to read, each word engraving in my brain.
"What are you reading?" a voice from behind me makes me jump. My eyes roll at another distraction from my escape from reality.
" a book" my face shows no emotion as i turn around to see Blaise with his arms resting over the back of my chair.
"Ooooo who'd had thought... Darlene can read" he whispers the end part, his hands going up in the air as if he was reading it in big letters.
"You're vile" I laugh, knocking his elbows off the seat. He gets up and sits beside Poppy, who also rolls her eyes.
"Can you go and be 'Blaise' somewhere else? i love you and all, but trying to sleep here" Poppy nudges hum away, turning her back on him.
"whoa, who put a curse on her?" he laughs, widening his eyes sarcastically at me. I shake my head at him, not wanting to egg him on further. "ok seriously, what are you reading?"
"I told you, a book" I laugh, opening it back up to the page I left, trying to get back into the story. Blaise's long fingers creep up the spine of the book and pull's it down so he can see my face.
"oooo Darlene! an air of mystery. I like it!" his laugh fills up the entire cabin, each Slytherin turning to stare. He soon pipes down, realising that myself and Poppy, were in fact, too tired for his antics. He pulls out a book of his own, his eyes skimming the pages.
"what are you reading?" I ask, curious.
Blaise leans forward, looking left and right before making eye contact. "a book" he whispers, smirking, sitting back in his seat.
"touché" I shake my head, rolling my eyes at the boy once more. my eyes move to the window. It was getting dark out, but the castle was not much further. I think back to my Grandma, hoping she will be ok on her own. I have told her I'm only an owl away but its not the same as being there to help take care of her. It's not like mum or dad are around to help. My mind moves onto my parents funeral... their closed coffins going up in flames... i shake my head, trying to remove the memory.
"you ok?" Blaise whispers, so not to wake Poppy who is now fast asleep. I nod, my lips staying closed. I try not to let myself be too open with people at Hogwarts. I keep to myself as much as i can without seeming a loner. Poppy definitely helped me come out of the shell the more i became friends with her, but there are even things that she doesn't know.
I lift my eyes up and look around the cabin. Most students in their uniform, either nattering away to each other or books in hands. I smile at a girl who is 2 years below me, only to get a scowl in return. Rolling my eyes I move away from her, thinking about how rude she seemed. If that's how the younger students are going to act this year then we have a right treat in for us. My eyes finally stop as I feel a glare right at me. His piercing eyes staring right back. I've never seen eye to eye with the boy but it has never been hostile or nasty... we just don't know each other.
"Checking out Draco are you?" Blaise whispers, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh shut up" i hiss, smacking his arm with my book. As i move my eyes back to Draco Malfoy, he had gone.
