Tension has been high at Hogwarts since I woke up. Pansy and the girls have still hovered around me every spare second they can, though by now I know everyone else is aware that I'm okay. These ones just won't leave me alone, they hang around me and chat away with each other expecting me to join in. Like we're... Friends.
"I'm so glad it's the weekend tomorrow, I feel overworked." Tracey says, arching her back with her hands applying pressure to her lower back.
"Tell me about it, I'm so tired." Pansy replies.
"I don't even want to think about the exams."
"That's only at the end of this month, Tracey."
"And Eris got here three months ago already, time is vicious."
Wow, have I really been here that long already..? I've got my focus set on the corridor ahead of me as we walk towards Professor Snape's classroom, it's the last class of the day, Potions. Finally, I can't wait to go and rest and prepare to enjoy my weekend. Around the corner we turn and enter the classroom, stopping abruptly face-to-face with my nemesis.
"Magot," He greets.
"Malfoy."
The first word I've said all day, and it had to be his name... He sneers behind his work desk, watching me walk to mine. The way he looks at me, I feel like a target. I'm not safe here, not anymore.
"Partner up," Professor Snape instructs as he walks through the door.
Pansy hooks my arm with hers and begins ushering me toward another free table, leaving Daphne and Tracey paired.
"Malfoy and Harris," Snape calls us.
My heart stops the way he looks at me. Please don't say it--
"As punishment, you'll be paired together until the end of next term. No exceptions."
I feel my entire body tense. Pansy slowly lets me go, giving me a thoughtful smile before walking back to the other girls. Malfoy arrives next to me soon after, looking miff as ever. Frankley, I don't think he has a right to be upset about this.
"Just do as I say, Magot." He hisses so that only I could hear.
I feel a sense of amusement at his order, smiling wickedly as he turns his back to me. This git doesn't understand a thing in this classroom, he is failing potions after all. And today, we're brewing a draught of peace potion. If it is brewed incorrectly, the creator could fall into an endless and in the worst cases an irreversible sleep. Frankly, it sounds ironically perfect for karma's sake. I had to be dreaming of the horrible event that put me in this position in the first place for four whole days and this one got detention. How sad. At this rate, I hope he messes it up.
He begins adding the ingredients and so far, so good. He hasn't messed up just yet, good for him. He's refused to let me help so I'm standing here with my arms crossed watching him. He's been alright at this task as far as I can see, until I see something just not right. He's made it all the way to step thirteen of eighteen and he's about to mess it up. For this step, he needs to add an entire powdered unicorn horn in order for the potion to react correctly and turn pink. I can see on the other side of the pot that the horn isn't powdered, it's still solid.
I watched him raise the horn up halfway to the lip of the pot when my instincts just couldn't help it. I lunge toward him, bumping him out of the way and snatching the horn from his grasp. I already know how furious he's going to be, but he'll thank me later... Or not. I raise my wand and angle the horn over the pot, and with a wave of my wrist it's turned to dust. Elegantly it trickles into the pot, the mixture turns pink and a sigh of relief follows me as I step back where I was.
Draco looks at me dumbfoundedly.
"As you were," I tell him. "This time, don't curse yourself to an endless sleep."
"I had it under control, Magot!" He snaps.
"I may have just saved your life, you lummox! After what you did to me, I should've let you!"
"What did you just call me?!"
Professor Snape bangs his hand on our desk, causing our attention to be focused on him.
"Save the bitterness till after my class, you're disturbing my students."
Once again, I find myself looking around and realizing the attention I've attracted.
"And, if it weren't already obvious to you two, you're paired as a team to do this together--as much as you hate it I'm afraid you're just going to have to get used to it."
With that last statement he begins his examining route around the classroom, leaving Malfoy and myself burning with anger. How dare he! I should've just left him to screw up and fall asleep forever, save myself the pain of dealing with him every single day. Now as my potions partner too, I'm going to go mad!
He bites his lip and steps closer to me, it's as if I could smell the fury on his clothes.
"This is your last warning, Harris. Next time--"
"--What? You'll kill me?" I butt in.
His lips stay sealed as he peers down into my eyes. I can see his anger but I also see a glint of something soft, something tender... He looks away from me with a scoff and continues what he started, this time being careful to read the instructions. The two of us remained quiet as he managed to finish the potion correctly. Professor Snape rewarded us three point to Slytherin for finishing third, giving us an inquiring stare as he looked over both of us. Something certainly was weird about that situation, but it doesn't change a thing. I will make him pay.
The bell rings for the class to end, dinner time is in about half an hour. Pansy and the girls follow after me as I attempt to actually get away from them. I appreciate whatever it is they're trying to do, I know they mean well and it's really sincere. But I have got to get a moment to breathe... Spotting a door ahead of us, an idea sparks in my mind. I wait for the moment to drop my book, allowing the girls to walk past me. Quickly, I slip through the door and hide. I hear the girls calling for me from the other side.
"Eris! Where did she go?" Tracey whines.
"I swear she was just here..." Pansy says.
"At least this gives us time to discuss recent events," Daphne begins. "What do you think she wants with Draco? That whole curse thing for attention, what was that all about?"
"You really think she planned it? But she could've been killed if it went wrong." Pansy defends.
"The moment she got here she had all eyes on her and was pretending to be all shy, but we all know she's got a thing for attention giving everything that's happened."
"Daphne, I don't think she planned that. We know how Draco can be," Tracey sighs.
"What happened to her being sketchy and we needed to keep an eye on her? We don't even know who she is?!"
"You're right and we are, nothing's changed." Pansy explains, "We just have to keep her in our clutches a little longer. It shouldn't be long now until we find out who she really is and what she's capable of."
"Are you sure this is a good idea? Maybe this is all a misunderstanding," Tracey whispers.
"Don't tell me you're starting to like her, she's not our friend... Or girlfriend."
"What--I knew that." Pansy laughs nervously.
"We've got to stay vigilant, we can't trust her." Daphne retorts.
I step away from the door when I hear them finally walking off. I close my eyes and bite down on my bottom lip hard... I knew it, and thank god I did. I could've been roped into a fake friendship capable of dangerous things. All because they want to know who I am, which must continue to remain a secret from everyone, including me. I must find a way to divert their suspicions. I have to be careful, anything I do now is being observed.
