RIVALRY | Co authored with Kirstenenn

E L E V E N

Liliya had laid in her bed, covering loosely over her as she thought of events surpassed and events to come. Not only two hours ago she had showered, washing in her best scents and shaving places she wouldn't usually have. She wasn't sure why exactly she did; she told herself she just wanted to.

But deep down she knew exactly why she did. She blushed just thinking about it.

As soon as the clock hit eleven fifty, she silently crept out of her bed, careful not to wake the sleeping Pansy. A hoodie over her head, she crawled towards the entrance and slipped on her shoes before tip-toeing to the door.

But as soon as her hand grabbed hold of the door handle, a light behind her switched on. Liliya freezer.

"And where are you sneaking off too?" Pansy's voice echoed behind her.

Liliya slowly turned, "on a walk. Can't sleep."

Pansy's hair was a neat mess, her mascara smudged under her eyes and yet she still looked elegantly pretty. She tilted her head, eyes thinning, "see this is why we can't be friends. Because you lie. I wouldn't trust you with anything." she shrugged carelessly, a playful grin on her lips.

"If we were friends, I would tell you where I'm going," Liliya responded with a sarcastic smile back, "for now though I'm afraid my late-night adventure will remain a mystery to you."

"That's alright," Pansy laid back down, switching off the lamp, "I always have a way of finding out things."

Liliya opened their dormitory door, and chuckled playfully as she replied, "good night, Parkinson," and then closed the door behind her.

Maybe it's a good thing Pansy and Liliya are not friends—because if they were—they would cause nothing but trouble. A part of Liliya wonders what trouble they could cause.

Her curiosity is shoved aside as she walks out of the common room and toward the astronomy tower, toward Theo.

—

"Why are you spraying aftershave on yourself at eleven at night?" Blaise asks from his desk, looking up from his book and at Theo.

This also caught Draco's attention from where he stood by the window, cigarette in his hand.

"I have myself a little date," Theo flashes them both a mischievous grin. "Not my fault you fuckers are ugly."

"With who?" Draco asks, ignorant of the insult, as pulls a cigarette to his lips and inhales sharply. Perhaps a little too harsh, but he doesn't let the other see him sway in his feet.

"Pretty little Liliya, of course," Theo grin widened as he raised his brows, turning around and leaning his back on his draws.

Draco pauses, his cigarette wrapped tightly between his lips. It was a dangerous stare, challenging each other's dominance through the thick air of their dormitory, as if a whole box of cigarettes was alight, ironically.

Draco finally exhales his smoke and throws his cigarette into the ashtray.

"If it's a date, why so late at night?" Blaise leans back in the wooden desk chair, closing his book.

Theo's only response was a widened smirk.

Blaise chuckles, shaking his head, "For god's sake."

Competition between the two was always at a high pitch, Blaise being the brunt that would be turned to if the argument would act for too long, but even then, all Blaise did was arch his brows and ignore the two.