ETHALINE

A COMPROMISING POSITION

The school was raging on about how Cho and Harry were dating. Meanwhile Ethaline kept to herself and went to her classes with Neville and Luna, two people who seemed to become the meaner student's targets. Luckily Ethaline was more than welcomed to let off some steam by threatening them.

"I would strongly suggest not hiding Luna's possessions," Ethaline said to a fifth year Slytherin. "My hand can slip," She made a gesture, "And cast a hex that will remind you why the Slytherin house feared me in the first place."

Arthur dropped the stuff on the ground, "Bygones." He said before smirking, "Though I imagine in doing so you'd remind us once again of who you are—Malfoy."

"You don't know anything—"

"We know what we hear, and what we hear comes from the man above, as well as his right-hand man." He said slowly, watching as Ethaline's face hardened.

He was referring to her father.

"You're bluntly telling me your alliance." She said, "Besides, I've severed ties with my father—"

"I don't think you have." Arthur said in a sinister tone, "You would have exposed your family for who they are yet you hold hope for their redemption. Draco believes you dead but your dead father hopes you'll return—"

"I won't." Ethaline said sternly, "I won't be him; I won't be you."

"We'll see." He shrugged, "You have aligned yourself with those filthy mudbloods espcially Granger, cross breads like Potter and yet—here you are by yourself. Your friends, don't care about you. You're alone, and they won't come to your rescue when you most need and when we're finally given the order to come for you."

"That mud blood you're referring too twice if not ten times the person you'll ever be." She spat, "As for Harry, I would watch your tongue."

Ethaline backed away as he took a step forward, "It's such a shame," he whispered, "Theo has told us how much of a catch you are—"

In a heartbeat Ethaline grabbed her wand that was being holstered under her robes and cast a spell, in the moment she didn't know which one as his body flew back and his head hit the wall. When the act settled in, she dropped the wand, her hands shaking as she began to panic. "No.." she rushed over to him and checked for a pulse before she scrambled to her feet.

"I didn't mean to." She cried softly out as she heard some incoming footsteps, to anyone passing it would have looked like a bloody murder—her hands were covered in blood and the wall had small pieces of it because he had hit his head.

"Ethaline?" Ron Weasley appeared from behind her, "What happened?"

He rushed to her side and also checked for a pulse, "He said...he said some things and I lashed out. I didn't mean to." She stuttered, looking into his eyes.

Ron looked around, unsure what to do before closing his eyes. "Alright on your feet, Malfoy. We'll drag him up to the infirmary." He said before he grabbed her wand and handed it to her.

Ethaline and Ron dragged him over and up the stairs before knocking on Madame Pomfrey's door and running away.

Ron didn't know why he had helped, perhaps it was the Weasley in him that adopted a struggling child or just the fact that he felt bad but he had done it. Now Ethaline sat on her bed, her face in her hands as Ron glanced around awkwardly.

"I'll be...going now Hermione needs me..." he muttered, heading towards the door.

"Thank you." Ethaline whispered, looking up at him with teary eyes.