Just Ellie ⌁ Draco Malfoy (ON HOLD)

11

"Potions, eh? Potions is easy, you just need to be determined and lose the laziness," said Nikolai, as Ellie worked on painting his face. "You need to be confident and at ease."

"No, it's not that at all. I'm excellent at Potions and by that I mean I know what I'm doing, it's just - whenever I do it, it completely fails on me. I don't know what I do wrong since I know what I'm doing. I excel at theory and methods, but whenever I attempt the methods . . . I don't know. The subject hates me," Ellie sighed. "Art's always been a friend of mine, though."

"Art isn't a subject," Nikolai said bossily, reaching up to quickly scratch his head. "Can we stop now? I'm getting bored."

"Yeah, I'm just about done all I need to," said Ellie, quickly finishing his mouth and jaw. "OK. I'm done. I'll just pack up my things -"

"Stay a while," said Nikolai as Ellie packed away her things. "You don't need to leave just yet."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but I need to find Silas," she said, sighing. "I've never not talked to or seen him for this long. I'm getting worried. D'you know any spells that'll dry this quickly so I can shut my book?"

Nikolai quickly muttered a spell and the paint was dry. "Hey - that's really good! It's so life-like. You just need to do the background, though. Wow . . ."

Ellie smiled at him and tucked her sketchbook under her arm.

"Aren't you going to thank me?" said Nikolai.

"What?"

"I just complimented your work, aren't you going to thank me? You actually have no manners, my parents told me you were respectful, confident and kind. Sometimes I feel like they're talking about someone else," Nikolai said loudly.

Ellie couldn't take it anymore; he'd been so unnecessarily rude even after she'd remained calm and did whatever he wanted to do. Nikolai was a lost cause, she'd never get through to him.

"That's coming from two people who've never actually met me," she fired back, narrowing her eyes. "They might've seen me before, but have they met me? No. You're the one without any manners! You didn't help me carry my things when you could clearly see me struggling. You've been saying things completely out-of-line for no reason while I've been kind. Out of my way, rat bag."

Nikolai guarded the door, but widened his brown eyes when Ellie called him a rat bag.

"What did you just call me?" he spat.

"What, d'you need hearing aids, too?"

"Elyssa . . . let's just stop. We were getting along so well, all I wanted was gratitude for my compliment. It doesn't matter," Nikolai said calmly, stepping away from the door. "I'm really sorry if you took what I said the wrong way."

Ellie only sighed. "I'll see you in classes."

"Hey, wait," he said as she reached the door. She looked over her shoulder. "I can get someone to help you out if you want. I'm gonna be honest, I'm good at Potions, but I'm not good good, as in I couldn't possibly help you out and do my work at the same time. Would you like that?"

"Er . . . sure. Who is it?"

"Malfoy, he's -"

"No thanks, I'd rather fail," Ellie said quickly, opening the door.

"Come on, I don't want you to fail. You have to pass," Nikolai said, following her out. "I won't let you fail, Elyssa, and your parents would be real disappointed. You guys don't have to be friends, he'll just help out."

"What, you want him to help me so you can accuse me of having something going on with him as well?" Ellie snapped, softening her face when he looked at her. "Sorry. I know you're just trying to help."