Something Worse Than Hate

The Girl in Red, The Moonstone Incident, Detention

The first thing Pansy Parkinson noticed about Y/n Y/l/n was that she was laughing. Not smiling. Not giggling politely. Laughing. Loudly. Obnoxiously. And, most importantly, directly at her. Pansy stopped walking. The entire Slytherin group nearly collided with her. "Parkinson," Draco said impatiently, catching himself before he walked into her. "What the hell are you doing?" Pansy didn't answer. Her eyes remained fixed on the group of Gryffindors standing at the other end of the corridor. More specifically, on the girl standing in the middle of them.

Y/n Y/l/n. Sixth-year Gryffindor. Top of nearly every class. Quidditch player. Professional pain in Pansy's arse. And apparently, according to the laughter currently echoing through the corridor, someone who had decided that Pansy Parkinson was today's entertainment.

Y/n had one hand over her mouth, but it wasn't doing much to hide her amusement. Hermione Granger was beside her, looking considerably more composed. Ginny Weasley was trying not to laugh. Pansy's eyes narrowed. "What?" Blaise asked. "She's laughing at me." Theo glanced down the corridor.

"Oh."

A pause.

"That's unfortunate."

"For her," Mattheo added casually.

Pansy turned toward him.

"Exactly."

Daphne sighed.

"Please don't."

"Don't what?"

"Whatever you're about to do."

Pansy smiled. It wasn't a pleasant smile.

"I'm going to say hello."

Draco snorted.

"That's not what you call it."

Pansy ignored him. She started walking. Her shoes clicked sharply against the stone floor. The Gryffindors noticed. Y/n's laughter slowly faded. For a moment, the corridor became strangely quiet. Pansy stopped directly in front of her.

"What," she said sweetly, "is so funny?"

Y/n looked at her. Then at Hermione. Then back at Pansy.

"Oh, nothing."

Pansy crossed her arms.

"Clearly."

"It's just—"

Y/n bit the inside of her cheek. Pansy's eyes narrowed.

"Just what?"

Y/n's mouth twitched.

"You."

Ginny made a strangled noise behind her. Pansy's face hardened.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

"Unfortunately."

Y/n smiled. Pansy hated that smile. She had hated it for years. There was something infuriating about the way Y/n never seemed intimidated by her. Most students stepped aside when Pansy walked down the corridor. Y/n never had. It had been that way since their first year. Six years of it. Six years of snide comments, competitions, arguments and deliberately stolen seats. Six years of Pansy deciding that Y/n Y/l/n was quite possibly the most irritating person ever to walk through the doors of Hogwarts. Pansy stepped closer.

"Do you ever get tired of hearing yourself talk?"

"No."

"Shame."

"You should try it sometime."

Draco laughed behind her. Pansy didn't.

"You think you're funny."