We're more alike then we might think ||Pansmione||

3

"Saw you at the stands today."

I looked up from my phone. Parkinson sat at her desk, taking off the humongous amount of make-up she had put on her face this morning. She looked at me through her mirror. "Hm." I answered and directed my attention back to my phone. My parents had me hosting an event I had to write a speech for. I hate public speaking, so my preparations needed to be perfect.

"You cheated."

I sighed and looked up again. "Come again?"

"I saw you. You made that guy miss the ball so Weasel got in the team." Parkinson spoke. She didn't even grant me the courtesy of looking at me. I felt my cheeks warming in embarrassment, but scoffed. "What, are you watching me now?" Parkinson made that bitchy face she often makes, but didn't speak. She met my gaze again and raised an eyebrow.

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about." Parkinson smirked, showing her perfect teeth. She continued wiping the mascara off her eyes. "Don't get your knickers in a twist, I like it. You actually got some balls." I frowned and started typing on my phone again. I had no desire to do anything that that girl would enjoy. Parkinson let out a bored sigh and turned around in her chair.

"So are you, Weasel and Pothead like a threeway —"

"Can you shut up? I need to focus."

I could see Parkinson grin from the corner of my eye, which only angered me more. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying some benefits, Granger, though I doubt your innocent little brain could handle two guys fucking you from —" "oh my god please stop!" To my annoyance I felt my cheeks heating up, and prayed Parkinson wouldn't notice. She chuckled. "Ugh, you're such a prude. No wonder you couldn't find any friends besides a little boy with a hero complex and one who's brain can't be larger than a pea."

I simply decided not to listen to any words she had to say anymore and directed my focus back to the speech I was writing. After a while, Parkinson sighed and turned back to her mirrors. "So boring." She muttered, picking up some new tissue or cloth or whatever and wiping her face.

............................

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably.

I knew when professor Slughorn invited me to a 'dinner party' it'd be horrible. I'd heard of his so called 'collecting' of students based on their family's name or achievements, which means he was about to be horribly disappointed with me. My only solace was that Harry and Ginny would be there, but Harry sat in complete silence, eating his sorbet and Ginny hadn't even bothered to show up.

Slughorn was talking to McLaggen about his uncle in Siberia. "In fact I'm meant to go hunting with him and the minister of magic for the holidays." McLaggen spoke, glancing at me for approval every now and then. I focused on my ice cream, trying to eat enough to not be rude but not to eat too much so everyone would think I'm a pig. "Ah, be sure to give them both my best," I glanced at Harry, but he didn't seem to be listening at all.

"What about your uncle, Belby?" Slughorn asked. I honestly had no idea who the Belby kid was, but I think he was a Slytherin student. He had been gorging on his sorbet and looked up like a deer spotting a hunter when he was asked a question. "For those who don't know, Marcus' uncle invented the Wolfsbane potion. Is he working on anything new?" Excitement basically springing off his voice.

Marcus Belby decided to keep on stuffing himself while talking. "Dunno. He and my dad don't get on. Probably cause my dad's potions are rubbish. His only potion of his that's worth something is a stiff one at the end of the day." I very nearly laughed, but managed to keep my composure. Slughorn was obviously disgruntled, but spoke after a small moment of silence.

"What about you, miss Granger. What exactly does your family do in the muggle world?" Suddenly all eyes were on me. I never appreciated the reminder that I'm muggle born in public, especially during these times. A few students at the table were known to hate muggleborns, which made this simple question nerve wrecking to answer.

Thank Merlin for Harry.

He put his hand on my leg and squeezed softly, letting me know he was there and everything was okay. I swallowed. "My parents are dentists," The silence was deafening. I wasn't sure if it was the fact that they didn't know what a dentist was, or just the hatred of all things muggle and my association with them. Harry looked around the room with an expression that pretty much said 'yeah that's what she said, do you have an issue with it?'

The silence went on too long for my comfort, so I decided to explain further. "They attend to people's teeth." "Fascinating. And is that considered a dangerous profession?" Slughorn asked. I was a little dumbstruck by the question, because, what? I could just feel Harry grinning. "No," another uncomfortable silence. "Although, one boy, Robbie Fenwick did bite my father once. He needed 10 stitches." I made it worse. I laughed awkwardly and cursed myself internally. Nobody else laughed.

The door opened and — thank Merlin — everyone averted their attention there. Ginny walked in. "Ah! Miss Weasley, come in, come in." Slughorn insisted. Ginny looked adorable in the black dress she was wearing, but she moved stiffly and looked down at the ground. I frowned when I noticed her eyes were puffy and red after further inspection.

"Look her eyes.. they've been fighting again — her and Dean." I whispered to Harry, who couldn't stop staring at the redhead slowly walking towards the table. I wondered what happened this time. Last year, me and Ginny were very close. We told each other nearly everything. But now, she won't let me know what's going on with her and quite frankly, I'm worried Dean isn't a great fit for her.

Ginny cleared her throat. "Sorry, I'm not usually late." Ginny apologized softly as she arrived at her seat. I gave her a comforting smile, which she didn't really respond to. Suddenly, I heard a chair scrape the floor and Harry got up from his seat. Confused, everyone waited for him to say or do something. He didn't. Ginny frowned and sat down. Harry glanced around the room, not knowing what to do. "No matter.. just in time for desert," Harry sat down.

"That is if Belby's left you any." Slughorn chuckled at his own joke, looking around the room and waiting for a response of the students around him that didn't come. I looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow. "What?" He asked. I smirked. "Nothing."

Across the table McLaggen made a very inappropriate gesture at me. I quickly looked away.

This night cannot get any worse.