By the time Tom had emerged from the boys dormitories later that evening I'd completed all of my homework and had even managed to compose myself from almost being kissed (even though it was only him teasing me) by none other than the Slytherin Prince himself.
"Kayla," he greeted quietly, silently appearing behind me.
I started in mild surprise, having not expected anyone because - although everyone had returned from their Hogsmeade trip- no one had spoken to me or even acknowledged my presence in the crowded Common Room, it seemed that everyone was making a point of blatantly ignoring me.
"Tom," I smiled, weakly, at the only Slytherin student that appeared to be talking to me. "Hungry?" I questioned -not knowing what to say - I internally grimaced at my dull tone of voice.
He didn't immediately reply -for an awful moment I thought I'd lost the only housemate that would even talk to me -, instead he sat on the arm of the armchair I was sitting on in front of the fire, and turned his body to face me.
"What's wrong?" he demanded for the second time that very same day.
I shrugged vcasually, not wanting to bore him with the details. "Same old, same old."A disapproving frown tugged at the corners of his lips as he studied my face, clenching his jaw in concentration. I quickly dropped my eyes to the floor, avoiding his studious gaze. "Let's go to dinner," I suggested going to stand up, but I was refrained by Tom's hand on my shoulder, and the other going under my chin.
"Liar," he hissed disapprovingly, tilting my chin upwards with his index finger, so that we were making direct eye contact. "Tell me the truth and then we'll go to dinner."
I glared at him, refusing to back down. I was way too stubborn to back down to anyone, I was a Slytherin, after all.
Problem was he was also a Slytherin, so he was equally as stubborn as I was. We probably would have sat there glaring at each other all night if it hadn't been for my brothers interrupting our silent glaring match.
"Kayla," Asher grinned, sitting on the armrest that Tom wasn't occupying. "What's this I hear about you having not one, but two, boyfriends?"
"Yeah, please tell me you aren't with that Lupin idiot," Anthony joined in.
"I don't care who you go out with," Andrew piped up, running a hand through his blond hair, "but, come on now, Kayla, you're related to this ," he gestured to himself, "sexy beast."
I rolled my eyes, but before I could reply, Anthony piped up. "Why, thank you, brother dearest!"
"Big heads," I stuck out my tongue out at them.
"Don't mind them, Kayla," Ash smiled, rolling his eyes at our two blond brothers, while fidgeting with a lock of his black hair -whereas I and the rest of our siblings had taken after our mother, he looked more like our father, only not -, raising his brown eyes to meet mine, he stated seriously. "They're just jealous they're not sex gods like myself."
I let out a laugh, hearing my three thirteen year old brothers talking like that was strange -well for me at least - but Tom didn't seem to think so because he merely rolled his eyes and smiled fondly at the trio.
"Conceited much?" I jokingly asked.
"Well, if I wasn't, who else would be conceited for me?" he shot back, playfully crossing his arms.
"Most girls and some boys," Tom drawled, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Ooh," Drew gasped. "Ash, Tony, did you hear that?"
"I did indeed, brother," Tony grinned, nudging Ash in the side, prompting him to say something, carrying on the joke.
"We're very sorry, Kayla," Ash apologised, all three of my brothers turning to face me, sad, apologetic expressions on their faces.
