𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞.

V

"A Halloween Masquerade Ball? What, the Heads couldn't decide on a theme so they went with both?" Ginny criticized the conditions while walking with Hermione and me down to the Great Hall.

Hermione rolled her eyes as we made a turn to the stairs. "It's not a big deal, Ginny. This could be refreshing for everyone and by the way, you should ask Harry out."

Ginny's expression softened, filled with despair. "I'm sure he wouldn't want to go out with me. He likes Melanie if you have forgotten."

I quickly anchored my attention on her, dumbfounded as my eyes grew wide. "You heard it too?"

"Yes," Ginny arched an eyebrow. "How did you not know?"

Hermione chuckled lightly. "She doesn't believe it until she hears it from himself."

I shrugged my shoulders carelessly. "He's like a little brother. Harry should know I'm not interested if he does decide to tell me. It wouldn't work."

Ginny seemed to be impacted as she gazed somewhere else, drooping down. "Yeah, well. Nobody can change his feelings if he does like you."

Hermione blew a whoosh of air. "Don't think about it too heavy, Ginny. Those boys still haven't talked to me yet after what happened."

I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, gently tugging her in for a side hug. "It's alright, Hermione. You have us."

Hermione plastered a small smile as we all continued to walk down the last tread. I caught onto a petite brown-haired girl with coarse layers of curls swaying on top of her shoulder, standing near the staircase around the entrance to the Great Hall. She looked absolutely stunning but also frightening with her honeyed eyes staring directly at me. The badge house on her robe surely gave me an idea of her Slytherin grimace—and soon, she began walking up to us.

"Melanie fucking Belrose," The unfamiliar began, snarling at me as she crossed her arms against her chest. My friends came to a halt, and so did I, puzzled by her gesture. "Stay away from Malfoy. He's mine."

Hermione furrowed her brows before taking a step forward. "Excuse me? Who said she wanted Malfoy to begin with?"

I stood in complete shock while trying to gather my thoughts. "What's going on?"

The girl's eyes darkened, almost threatening to my knowledge. "Shut it, you filthy mudblood. I'm talking to his trashcan." She flickered past Hermione, staring eagerly at me. "If you don't stay away from him, I will ruin your existence before You-Know-Who decides to kill all of you dirty half-bloods." 

Ginny grabbed my arm gently as she motioned further toward the main entrance. "She has nothing to do with Malfoy, so leave her alone."

The brown-haired girl tilted to the left, blocking our way to the Great Hall. "Oh, but she does. This filthy–"

"Enough."

I gazed near the double door and spotted Malfoy standing in the middle of the entrance, hands shoved in his pockets as he glared directly at his Slytherin component. "If you dare to speak to her like that again, I will have no problem slicing you in half."

The girl's eyes slowly grew as astonished as she was. "But Malfoy. She's a half-blood! Surely you are not trying to protect a filthy–"

"–Are you deaf?" He hissed darkly before inching closer to her. "Another word from your dirty mouth, Shacklebolt."

A look of puzzlement crossed my face. It suddenly came to my attention that her father worked for the Ministry as an Auror. What would the daughter of a Shacklebolt possibly be doing with a Malfoy?