SpellBound (Camren)

Under Your Spell

She intrigued her. Very much so. But her deep-rooted pride didn't allow her to let the smallest emotion of curiosity flicker across her mostly indifferent face.

Lauren swiftly shut her book in displeasure, not able to concentrate in the library with some of her admirers unabashedly watching her every move. She didn't want to be observed while she herself was observing someone. And that someone was the reason why she even bothered to enter the library despite knowing that all eyes would be trained on her the whole time.

Annoyance was almost a constant expression on Lauren's face, appearing so often that she was apprehensive of the wrinkle between her eyebrows becoming a constant, too. From time to time she would subconsciously touch her forehead, reassuring herself that there were no permanent wrinkles marring her otherwise flawless face. Other times she wished there were wrinkles, so people would stop following her around because they deemed her as perfect.

Lauren didn't spare her stalkers a glance as she placed her book back onto the shelf; it would only encourage them. When she left the library, there was only one person she graced with her gaze. And that person didn't even notice the lingering look she received since her nose was buried deep inside of a history book.

-

"Mila, we still need a Seeker for our Quidditch team," was the first thing Zayn Malik decided to say once he sat down at the Slytherin table in the Great Hall.

"That's nice Zayn, and what am I supposed to do with that information?" Camila Cabello absently replied as she looked for a plate of food that wouldn't rest heavy on her stomach. A helping of fried tomatoes and roast potatoes would do. While she reached for the vegetables, her fellow Slytherin helped himself to beef casserole and lamb chops.

"I know you got a Firebolt for your birthday, the package wasn't really hard to figure out." Zayn put a generous amount of mashed potatoes onto his already full plate. "So I'm coming to the conclusion that you can fly."

"I'm afraid you came to the wrong conclusion," Camila merely remarked and shortly sipped on her pumpkin juice. "My father's just a little bit deluded about my actual preferences. I believe he misinterpreted my metaphorical wish to reach the stars. All I wanted was a book about astronomy."

Zayn's full mouth slowed down in its chewing motion. He wanted to retort, but once he saw the warning look he received, he decided to finish chewing first.

"Unbelievable," Zayn coughed out once he swallowed his bite. "I won't comment on how crazy you must be, wanting a lame book instead of a Firebolt that is too expensive for me to even touch."

"You can have it," Camila was quick to reply, her offer meant genuinely as she held no interest in it.

"No way, or I'll be forever your house-elf," Zayn brushed it off, ignoring the criticizing look he received for mentioning the little creatures. "I want you to put it to good use and win us the Quidditch Cup this year. Man I'm sick of those gloating Gryffindor faces."

At the mention of their house rivals, they both looked up from their plates and sent disdainful glances across the hall.

"Just look at Weasley Junior - thinks he's great shit because his dad helped Harry Potter to defeat the Dark Lord," Zayn grimly muttered. "If his sister Rose wasn't so hot, I would've beaten him up after that Quidditch match. Lousy Keeper."

Only half-listening, Camila's judging eyes were trained on Lily Potter, the youngest child of the Chosen One, sitting at the Gryffindor table. The grudge that she held against her wasn't personal. They were both Prefects of their respective houses, the pride and joy of Slytherin and Gryffindor, and the competition between them was on an academic level. They always tried to outdo each other.