The Mudblood

Chapter 73 : Year 4

The fanart of the Slytherin Six was made by https://www.quotev.com/dylobrin

Fortunately, after a painfully lengthy amount of time spent listening to the peculiar noises of Ashley and Bletchley's snog session, Harper barged into our dormitory with the intention of bragging to Melody about how he'd flirted with a pair of twins, but his motive was quickly deterred when his eyes met the unpleasant actions that were unfolding in the top bunk that was my bed. The couple's sensual setting was quickly extinguished, and finding my paralyzed body lying in the corner of the room only added to the aura of discomfort. None of the three knew how to counter Melody's Full Body-Bind, of course, and after an extended argument, they finally agreed to fetch Adrian, who was rather reluctant but eventually agreed to free me. Because I did not wish to sleep on the bed contaminated with snog-cooties, I laid down on one of the common room couches, staring at the distant ceiling with blank eyes, hearing the snores of passed-out-drunk students with deaf ears, and contemplating which of the many appalling events of today could be considered the worst with my numb brain.

The next morning, Umbridge cornered me in the Great Hall to announce that I had the wonderful pleasure of serving another detention with her that Monday evening, this time with Fred Weasley. Unwillingly, we attended and endured her medieval torture methods; I managed to feel almost no pain when her cursed quill cut through my skin due to the distraction of Fred's enchanting presence. I was almost satisfied with having spent quality time with Fred in detention, even if it meant I'd again been scarred with the words "I must respect my superiors," until I realized that the bloody wound on my hand would not heal until I encountered the touch of Draco Malfoy.

With a marginal amount of blood oozing out of my wounded hand into the white gauze that encased it, I entered the Great Hall on Tuesday morning to be immediately greeted with the resentful scowl of Malfoy himself. After detention the previous night, he'd cornered me in the common room and demanded to heal my injury, but, being as I was eternally peeved about his relentless inconsistency and unshakeable arrogance, I declined as not to give him any sense of self-worth. Needless to say, he was now eternally peeved with my adamant stubbornness.

Due to the fact that many of the Slytherins were still cross with me for pummeling Crabbe, I chose to sit at the Gryffindor table, which was where I'd been eating meals since the incident on Saturday. As I approached my friends, George was just sitting down next to Hermione and Harry, while Fred was standing on the opposite side of the table, bantering with Ginny and Ron. Walking down along the Gryffindor table, I heard a snippet of Angelina complaining to Alicia about her annoyance with the three Quidditch-banned boys, and as I stepped up next to Fred, I saw that George was gazing down at his girlfriend with sulky eyes.

"Doing all right, George?" I prompted, snapping him out of his dreary daze.

"Peachy," George grumbled dully before stabbing his fork into a sausage on his plate. Raising my eyebrows, I gave Fred a sideways glance, but he just shook his head at me.

"Er—are you doing all right, Lainey?" Hermione piped up from where she sat stiffly next to George. "I mean—er—last night—your hand—it just looks...awful, really."

All six pairs of eyes fell on my bandage-covered hand, and I hastily attempted to hide it behind my back.

"Oh—it's nothing," I assured them breezily, shuffling with discomfort. "I'm fine, really—"

"Fine?" Fred questioned, grabbing my forearm and pulling my hand back into view. "Really, Fitz, are you? Sure you're not bleeding under that bandage?"

I bit my lip, glancing down at Fred's hand that was wrapped firmly yet gently around my wrist. "It's fine—"

"You are still bleeding then?" Ginny interrupted with narrowed eyes. "What is it that Umbridge does to that quill that disables you from healing? She must only do it to yours—look at Fred's hand—it's almost completely gone."