Little Bird

Chapter Fifty-Four

            With a sick feeling in my gut, I followed him out of the kitchen.

~*~

Eve

            On a misty Thursday afternoon, Professor Sprout decided to assign Zabini and me to be partners for planting the Wormwood seeds. I couldn't keep my jaw from dropping at my bad luck when she called our names, but it was obvious she was just doing it so no one else in the class would have to work with either of us. Zabini and I were the only Slytherins in my Herbology class, and none of the other Houses seemed to have any interest in working with us. Ginny wasn't even looking my way as she moved to work with Luna.

            Keeping a calm expression yet silently cursing Sprout, I refused to look Zabini's way as I moved to his side of the greenhouse. I knew he was grinning as I reached under the table covered with pots of dirt for the seeds, and as he pulled on a pair of dragon-hide gloves, he said to me, "Look at this, we're working together again. It's like fate, don't you think?"

            "No," I replied flatly, tearing open the top of the bag and pulling out a handful of seeds. The greenhouse was full of talk and laughter from the other groups, but I couldn't have felt more bitter. I'd barely slept at all last night, and dealing with Zabini was the last thing I needed.

            "I haven't talked to you in a while," Zabini continued easily, poking holes into the dirt with his thumb. "You're avoiding me, Hawkings."

            I rolled my eyes and leaned forward to dump a few seeds into the dirt, refusing to even glance his way. Coldly, I told him, "Maybe I am."

            He was smirking again, but he was finally quiet for half a minute as we planted the seeds. Zabini snorted loudly as he reached for a second pot, laughing, "Did you see Longbottom after his detention? Carrow actually broke his nose."

            "It isn't funny," I snapped hotly, finally glaring over at him. "Just shut up, would you?"

            "Okay, okay," he shrugged, raising an eyebrow at me as I angrily threw more seeds down. "I forgot you had a thing for him."

            "I don't have a—" I broke off furiously before my voice could rise any higher, since Lavender Brown had already glanced over to see why I was nearly shouting. Exhaling in anger, I turned back towards the plant pot before I could let my temper get the better of me.

            Zabini was laughing as I practically whipped more seeds into the dirt, but he suddenly broke off and exclaimed, "Wait, what the hell is that?"

            I turned exasperatedly to see that he was pointing to my left hand, the sunlight reflecting off of the gold band on my ring finger. His eyes were wide and a shocked laugh was escaping him, but I turned back to the seeds and responded dryly, "It's a ring."

            "No shit, Hawkings, you're getting married? That's priceless, I—"

            "Can you shut up for two seconds and help?" I seethed, pointing to the dirt angrily. "It's none of your business, and I need you to make more holes for the seeds."

            Zabini was shaking his head and looking down at me in shock, completely ignoring me and forgetting about the assignment. "This is mad. Why would you want to get engaged to Malfoy? Your taste in men is shit, I can't even believe this."

            "What's that supposed to mean?" I spat angrily, my hands tightening into fists around the bag and causing some seeds to spill onto the greenhouse floor. Discussing the promise ring with Zabini was just about the last thing I could take right now. "I don't remember asking for your opinion. Do me a favor and fuck off."