Riddle's Plea

Small Smiles*

(T.M.R. September 2nd, 1943)

    I have to admit, I was honestly impressed with the girl sitting across from me. It wasn't very often that I found myself being impressed with anyone, and I barely even know this girl. She was quietly eating her porridge, trying and failing to avoid eye contact with the people around her. I also have to admit, I was not pleased with her appearing in the hall with Malfoy. "Did you sleep well Vienna?" I ask her, gathering her attention away from her breakfast. "I suppose I did." She replies, brushing her white curls out of her face. "You suppose?" I ask curiously. Her eyes roam around the table before falling upon me again. "Madame Ducane," she begins, and I could see her contemplating what to say, "she gives me a sleeping-draught, to help me sleep." She finishes quietly. I nod in understanding at her words, and she gives me a tentative smile. There's that weird feeling again. Shaking it away and averting my gaze, I catch Malfoy looking at Vienna questioningly. He opens his mouth to ask her something but is interrupted by a figure clearing their throat behind him. 

    Vienna looks over Malfoy's shoulder and gives a tight smile to Professor Dumbledore. How odd. "Good morning children," Dumbledore says, meeting the gaze of all of us at the table. There goes my almost pleasant mood. "Good morning Professor Dumbledore." Vienna is the only one to reply to him. "Ah. Miss. Marcus. I hope you slept well. I have been looking for you." He gives her a knowing look, and she glances around the table, meeting my gaze for a moment. "Whatever for Professor?" She asks him. "I have your schedule here. I'm sure with your time spent here over the summer, you'll be able to find all of your classes. If not, I'm sure some of your housemates will help you." He meets my gaze for a moment and hands Vienna her class schedule. "Thank you, Professor. I'm sure I'll be well taken care of." She says, unrolling the parchment in which she just received. "I'm sure. I also want to remind you of our meeting on Friday." He says with an odd look on his face. Vienna's eyes snap up to the Professor in astonishment, before wiping her face clean. "Of course Professor." He gives her a nod and walks away from the table. 

    "What was that about?" Malfoy asks beside her, taking a peek at the parchment Vienna had handed to him to go over. How chummy. "It's sort of...difficult to explain." She answers his question hesitantly. "What do you mean?" I ask her, my voice coming out harsh. She meets my eyes and raises a perfectly sculpted eyebrow in my direction. I find my face softening at her expression. "I'd rather not talk about it." She says, giving me a glare. The familiar anger I usually felt, was rising. How dare this girl speak to me in this way. "It's alright Vienna. You don't have to explain." Malfoy says besides her, and my murderous gaze lands on him. "It looks like we have all the same classes," he begins, giving her a smile and causing my anger to flare, "Potions is first, are you ready to go?" Vienna nods at him and returns his smile. They both stand, and I find myself doing the same. Malfoy sends me a hesitant look, and I give him a smirk. 

     We begin our journey back down to the dungeons to the Potions classroom. Vienna was a few steps ahead of Malfoy and I. "I'm honestly surprised." Malfoy says under his breath to me. I send him a questioning look. "Vienna," he begins, motioning to the girl a few feet ahead of us who was oblivious to our conversation, "I thought she'd be more...broken. I guess." He says scrunching up his face by his own words. "Why do you say that Malfoy?" I spit out the question, tone harsh and a glare on my face. He gulps before cautiously answering me. "You heard her. Her parents were murdered when she was only a toddler, her old school was attacked and she almost died. I thought she'd be a little more unstable than what she is now." My eyes fell on the girl ahead of me. 

    Malfoy was right in a way, and it annoyed me that he was. From what I knew, Vienna should very much be unstable, but instead, here she was. She was walking with her head held high, her violet eyes were inspecting every little detail they could gaze upon, and every student that passed us, she sent a smile too. This girl was confusing me by her actions, her kindness, and her light. "She's powerful," I say, almost to myself, and Malfoy nods his head in agreement. Vienna Marcus was everything I had grown to hate over my lifetime, things that I could never achieve, things that I definitely never received. For some reason, I couldn't bring myself to fully hate the girl in front of me, and as she looked over her shoulder and threw me a smile, my heart involuntarily stuttered and my face moved into a small smile by its own accord.  As soon as Vienna turned back around, I shook off the smile, and my face fell back into its usual emotionless state. If there is one thing I know for certain, is that Vienna Marcus was dangerous.