𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐄

𝟐. 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲

𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞.

White fog blanketed the furthest end of the black lake, making the castle appear as though it was balancing on top of the clouds. A thin film of wet mist trickled over my exposed forearms as I reached down into the murky water.

I put off my herbology project far too long, and now I was knee-deep in shallow, near-frozen water, pulling up weeds and submerged plants in a desperate search for a somewhat presentable specimen to bring to class.

Goosebumps rolled down my arms in waves. At least no one else in their right mind was out on the castle grounds today. It had rained all morning and the thick, obscuring fog was enough to ward off even the densest students from leaving school. Fine by me. I could use a break from the snide, passing remarks from Malfoy and his goons.

It was just me, the black lake, and the sweet girl who politely begged to tag along with me.

I looked up to where I had left you on the waterfront. You were splayed out on your blanket that had been woven to resemble your favorite tapestry in the castle. You were lying on your stomach, your legs kicking lazily in the air behind your head.

With gentle precision, you reached over the bank and swirled your fingertips through the cold water. Your movements were delicate, barely forming ripples on the water's surface.

The long black tailcoat that I shed just a few minutes prior was draped over your shoulders, dwarfing you completely in its warmth. You were doing exactly what I instructed when we first came down to the water's edge — just sit there and look pretty.

And you were doing a bloody good job of it, too.

You were humming to yourself, reading through your thick, ivy green book and flipping through the pages with your free hand. A gentle breeze floated by and whistled through the willow tree branches that parted over your body in a natural arch. Even the forest knew that you were an unearthly creature—something to be worshipped.

And you were so obedient.

It wasn't your fault that Malfoy and the others discovered this before anyone else. It wasn't your fault that they took advantage of your kindness and generosity, using it to tote you around like a puppy on a tight leash. They showed you off to everyone else, just so they knew what they couldn't have.

"You alright, Nev?"

Your voice was sickeningly sweet. I could almost taste it on my tongue—like caramel and strawberries. It had been a few moments since either of us had spoken. I let my thoughts run wild and nearly forgot that you were still there with me and not just a figment of my imagination.

"'M fine," I said, wincing as my voice cracked halfway through. I hastily looked back down at the weeds. You were distracting me, but that wasn't your fault either. As much as I would have loved to stop and stare at you, this assignment was due tomorrow and I had yet to find a single scrap of this magical aquatic plant.