Fatality

Chapter 5

Pansy smirks, "I think I'll keep it. You should also have watched your wand. I could have taken that too but, why not watch you

fight?" She jumps off the counter like a cat. I keep my wand steady.

"Pan-" with that a large crack smoke protrudes rapidly in front of me. I choke when I suck in air. I whip my wand and the smoke clears. I can hear Pansy's shoes slapping against the ground.

"Stupefy!" I cry out. Red sparks rush dangerously past Pansy. She exits the bathroom and fires back. I have to throw myself into a stall to escape the spell. I curse as I can't find Pansy. But I am not about to give up. I run down the stairs, trying to be quiet so I won't get in trouble. I make the split decision to go left. I barrel sideways but before I can see down the hall I hit someone and sprawl backwards. Just in case it is Pansy I start to reach for my wand. I get up as fast as possible.

"I swear to god I-". I meet grey eyes that are not Pansy's at all. "Sorry I was just..." I stop, realizing that Pansy is gone. I take another look at the person I ran into. I remember people taking about him.

Draco Malfoy.

His smile is tilted on one end, he is clearly amused. His light blonde hair is pushed back and his grey eyes dance. Suddenly he turns serious and grabs my hand, pushing me further back into the hallway.

"What are you doing?" I whisper. He holds a single finger to his lips. I lean back against the wall. Just great. Pansy has my mothers ring. That's all I owned. I feel a warm tear slide down my right cheek.

"Are you crying?" Draco asks with a small laugh.

"No." I lie. "Now can you please let me go?" My voice wavers and betrays me.

"First of all, you're a terrible liar. Second, do you not realize we're all supposed to be in our common rooms by now? I just saved you from a teacher."

I grip my wand, "that could've been Pansy!" I try to pull my arm free.

"Trust me." Draco insists. "That was not Pansy. Anyways, why are you looking for her?" He lets go of me.

I cross my arms and respond with a question in defiance. "Why are you out this late?"

"Why are you?" He responds.

"Whatever." I huff. I'm leaving.

"No thank you?" Draco smirks.

"Nope."

**

It wasn't until potions until I saw it. Around Pansy's finger is the ring. She must have dismissed the chain and just slid that ring right on her finger. I grip my wormwood ingredient so hard I crush it. There was nothing I can really do now in class except talk.

"Hey!" I say, talking a seat at her table. I notice that boy from last night was there, Draco.

Pansy looks up from her cauldron.

"I've realized we don't like each other but you've honestly crossed the line. You see that's my mums. That's all I have from her, so can you please just give it back?" I beg. I don't care if I have to grovel at this point.

Her expression passes as confused. "What are you talking about?"

My temper is beginning to drain. "The ring. I need to have it back."

She shakes her head. "This was a present." I fight the urge to reach across the table and spill her bubbling potion all over her.

"Look, don't make her cry again." Draco interrupts. I fold my arms. I had a right to cry last night.

Finn appears at my side. "That's Adria's ring."

"We've established that." Pansy says, clearly bored.

"You need to give it back." Finn demands.

She sticks out her lips. "We've got a protective boyfriend haven't we?" Neither Finn or I said anything. She slides the ring off her finger and looks at it painstakingly long. It's snatched right out of her hands by our new potions teacher.

"Quite pretty." He says as he hands it over. He's a plump sort of fellow and wears a jolly grin. I'm positive his name is Professor Slughorn.

"Thank you!" I say earnestly. I have no choice but to put the ring on my finger, the chain is clearly gone.

Pansy bursts, "you were listening in!"

But Slughorn maintains his jolly smile. "Of course Ms. Parkinson. I like to be able to be connected with all of my students." He then puts a hand on my back and guides me away from a pouting Pansy. "Would you like to come to a party of mine?"

A teacher throwing a party?

"I do it for bright students and promising children." He looks expectantly at me. "You can think about it. Invitations will arrive.

They're very fancy- designed them myself!" Slughorn looks quite proud of himself.

"It sounds lovely." I say politely. I tried not to show how foul I'm feeling. Pansy is so immature. And that Draco, the only thing he seems to like is to mess with people. It's annoying how easily those grey eyes get stuck in your head.