Once Upon A Time | Book 1

E l e v e n

As I sat alone in Professor McGonagall's classroom, I couldn't help but continue to cry. My own mother didn't believe me. Luke and dad did, but she didn't, and she was the most understanding person I've ever known.

"Miss Austing, is there a problem?" The elderly woman asked me, looking up at me from the papers on her desk.

"N-No, Professor. I'm fine," I told her, plastering a fake smile on my face.

"I understand that Howlers can be a bit upsetting. Your mother will come around." 

"You heard it?"

"I'm quite sure I did. Don't let your mother's emotion get the best of you. She's just worried about you, is all."

I sighed, and nodded my head. "Thank you, Professor McGonagall. I'll keep that in mind."

"Don't mention it, dear. I have a reputation." 

The two of us laughed softly. Then, students began filing in.

>>>

"Violet!" Someone called from behind me, as I walked down the corridor.

I turned around, only to see Malfoy running up to me, holding my bookbag. I scowled, as he stopped in front of me. 

"You forgot your bookbag in the Great Hall after lunch." He told me, breathlessly.

"What did you do to it? I'm really not in the mood," I snapped, snatching it from him.

"What's wrong? Think I can't be nice?" He sneered.

"No, as a matter of fact, I don't think you can be nice. You've never been nice to me before, nor have you been to anyone else."

"I compliment you all the time!"

"Yeah, being called spit-up girl is every girl's dream."

"No, not that. You know, there's a reason I call you pretty, and everything else. Not that you care anyway."

With that, he left, leaving me standing there, completely stunned.

But, I only stood for a second, before someone came up beside me. 

"Did he really just say that?" Hermione's voice asked me.

"Yeah, he did. I didn't know Malfoy had feelings." I replied, making her laugh.

"You learn something new every day."

>>>

"Ah, there's your problem. You're cutting the Mandrake roots way too small." I said to Harry, as we worked together in Professor Snape's classroom. It had been the night in which we were scheduled for a tutoring session, and the two of us were enjoying ourselves greatly. "Try this,"

I placed my hand over the one Harry held his knife with, and demonstrated how to cut the roots. The feeling of his warm hand under mine send shivers up my arms.

"Er...right. I'll keep that in mind," He said, looking at me. Our eyes locked for a moment, causing my cheeks to heat up.

Harry quickly looked away, and continued cutting the roots, now in a more precise way than he had been previously. "Hermione told me about what happened with you and Malfoy."

"I still don't understand why he calls me pretty. Is that his weird way of saying 'I like you' or something?" I responded, shrugging.

"Well, he's not wrong," He muttered under his breath.

"What?" I asked.

"What?"

"Did you just say he wasn't wrong?"

"N-No! I said you're not wrong! As in, it was his weird way of saying 'I like you!'"

I smirked, and hit his arm. "Alright, alright, no need to get defensive. Let's finish up this potion, and head back to our common rooms. It's getting late."

I felt a bit disappointed about what Harry had said. I knew what he whispered under his breath, but he didn't seem to want me to know for some reason. It felt as though he regretted what he said.

I looked up from the frog legs I had been dicing, at my raven-haired friend. But, he was already looking at me. 

His face quickly turned red, causing mine to do the same. I quickly looked back down, trying to hide my very apparent blush, and he followed in suit.

With that, we continued brewing the potion.

>>>

As if nothing ever happened between us, Malfoy continued being an ass to me the next day.

"Hey, spit-up girl! A troll wrote, and he wants his face back!" He shouted at me, as I walked past him.

"Satan called. He wants his personality back." I replied, bluntly, continuing to walk. 

A few people began laughing, while others shouted things like: "She got you on that one, Malfoy!" and "That girl is on fire!"

I smirked, feeling a bit of a bounce in my step as I walked. Nothing was better than beating Malfoy in an argument, especially if you were the only one willing to do it.