Nessa Black
It's Monday morning. I am not allowed to hide anymore. Sunday was enough. I spent the whole day in bed, napping and overthinking. Pansy was absent till the late hours of the evening. The excuse: she was studying in the library. But Pansy never studies in the library. She hates that place. When she returned to the dorms she took a shower and then got straight into bed. I exchanged several looks with Bella, but she was also confused about what we should or shouldn't do. Pansy has a, let's say, specific temper. When she is furious, you better not get close to her. Trust me, I've learned it the hard way.
She woke up early this morning and went to the Great Hall before without saying a word.
'I wonder if she's still here', says Bella as we enter the Great Hall.
'She is', I confirm.
Bella rises on her toes and stretches her neck.
'You are so tall, I hate you!', she frowns and beats me with her bookbag.
We start laughing. Today the Great Hall is bursting at the seams compared to Saturday morning. There are students all over the place. Nonetheless, there are exactly two seats left for me and Bella in the section we typically occupy, near the very edge of the Slytherin table.
'Morning', we both say as we sit down. Me next to Bella and she next to Blaise. In front of us are Draco, Pansy, and Theo.
'Good morning, ladies', a wide smile appears on Theo's face.
Draco lifts his head and strikes me with a rushed glance, then takes a big sip from his pumpkin juice. Pansy doesn't bother greeting us. She must be really upset about something, but I genuinely can't figure out what could that be.
'Ew, ew, ew', Theo starts waving his hands in the air.
'Blaise, Bella, why, why? Snogging so early in the morning!?'
I turn left only to see the two lovebirds all over each other. I can't help but laugh. Then suddenly someone bangs their cutlery on the table.
'Yes, I'm like totally fed up with you two', it's Pansy. She has finally lifted her head. Her usually pale cheeks are the reddest I'd ever seen them.
'I'm going to spew from all this lovey-dovey shite', she suddenly returns to the porridge in front of her while the rest of us remain silent not knowing what had just happened.
I can see Draco getting tense in his seat. His hands are clenched in tight fists, the veins on them threatening to pop out. He quickly loosens them and proceeds with his breakfast.
Theo clears his throat and is the first to dare speak again.
'So, have you seen the board? We'll have a visit to Hogsmeade this Saturday.'
I raise my brows in surprise.
'For real? Finally!', I have been waiting for the next visit to Hogsmeade. I adore visiting that place. It's always entertaining at Hogwarts, but right now I need to have a walk somewhere else. I just feel trapped in the castle.
'Yup', Theo nods.
'Would you like to go with me?', he asks.
'Why would you ask her?', Draco suddenly interferes. I hear his voice for the first time this morning.
'Mate', Theo starts laughing. 'You just told me you couldn't come this weekend. Blaise is taking Bella on a date, and Pansy is completely narked.'
'Yeah, sure', Draco gulps and looks away.
'So?', Theo raises his brows waiting for my answer, but I am cut off by Pansy's chuckle.
'What now?', this time Theo's question is meant for her.
She glances at him for a second and then stands up from her seat.
'You're doomed, I hope you understand', she says while leaving the table.
Theo shakes his head in disbelief.
'What in Merlin's beard happened to this girl? I am sure she consumed something other than firewhiskey at that party!'
'I'm coming', I confirm easing the tension.
Theo claps his hands in excitement.
'You saved me, Nessa! Otherwise, I would be third-wheeling Blaise and Bella. I owe you a butterbeer or whatever you fancy.'
I begin answering, but I am rudely interrupted by Draco's edgy tone.
'Let's go. We'll be late for Potions.'
He is already up from his seat when Theo shoots a question at him.
'Since when do you care so much about being late, Malfoy?'
'It's none of your bloody business, Nott', Draco says with a deathly stare and starts walking toward the exit of the Great Hall.
The four of us share glances.
'Mate, I swear I have no clue what's going on', Blaise tells Theo.
'Let's just get going', Bella says and we all follow her.
***
The waters of the lake are strangely dark this afternoon. Or is it just darker inside me? Everything seems blurrier and murkier. I move away from the dorm window and slouch down on my bed. A deep sigh leaves my chest.
What a Monday it was!
The ambiance in the Potions class was tense and suffocating. I could feel Pansy's fury all over my body. I wouldn't be surprised if flames started going out of her nostrils and ears. Draco was silent and completely concentrated on the lesson - preparing Felix Felicis or Liquid Luck. I totally messed up the potion and it ruined my mood even more. I had never failed a potion so badly. On the other side, Potter prepared the most perfect potion according to Professor Slughorn, and gained a vial of Felix Felicis for himself.
For the first time, I matched the mood of Hermione Granger. We were both envious and pissed off that someone overshadowed us in class, and we were the first to leave the Potions cabinet.
Divination was even worse as I was obliged to sit next to Pansy. It's useless to mention that we didn't exchange a single word. She was staring at Draco's back, who was sitting in front of us again, during the whole lesson.
Trelawney continued her lesson on name meaning and numerology and then had us try giving her a tarot reading. Thank Merlin that the class ended as soon as she landed at our table. I didn't have the energy or patience for anything.
'Next time we'll start with you, Ms. Black', Trelawney said as I started going down the staircase of the North Tower.
'Sure, Professor', I said reluctantly.
Pansy and Draco were nowhere to be seen during lunch and I started having the gut feeling that they have had some sort of a conflict or I don't know what exactly. It was too suspicious that both of them were so moody.
To be honest, I was glad they weren't present at lunch. It was so much easier for the rest of us. Especially after the fiasco in the morning.
We discussed the trip to Hogsmeade. Blaise and Bella were going to visit Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop for their date. Theo also tried to convince me to accompany them, but I was unwavering in my unwillingness to go there. We eventually decided to visit Honeydukes and then grab a drink at the Three Broomsticks. I also wanted to go to Tomes and Scrolls bookstore. I had something on my mind.
Luckily, I had no other classes on Monday, which was the greatest news for the day.
I went to the dorm straight after lunch, met Pansy in the common room, again, without saying a word, just exchanging quick glares, and headed to our room.
The door squeaks and I glance at it horrified that it might be Pansy, but it isn't.
'I'm back', Bella's wide smile makes me smile back. She's the most charming person I've ever met.
She throws her bookbag on the bed nearest to the door and suddenly frowns.
'Sixth-year Ancient Runes are going to be the end of me', she hides her face in her tiny palms and shakes her head energetically.
I laugh at her despair.
'I told you', I say cockily.
Bella grabs a pillow from her bed and throws it in my direction. I manage to bend forward before it lands on my head. The pillow eventually lies in the gap between mine and Pansy's beds.
'Anyway, I have to study hard because, you know', Bella glances at me.
'Granger', we say simultaneously and start laughing.
Bella rests her back on the wall behind and stretches her hands in the sky.
'We are doomed to defend our house's pride because of all those slackers. If they believe that five years of wizardry education are enough, then they may just drop out', Bella pouts and I can't help but smile widely.
Then she suddenly gives me with an anxious look.
'What are we going to do with all that?'
I raise my brows in confusion.
'Pansy', she clarifies.
'I have no clue', I sigh.
'You know you can tell me everything, right?', Bella stands up from her bed and comes toward mine, sitting right next to me. Her hazel eyes are welcoming and willing to help.
I nod and spontaneously take her in a warm and tight hug.
'What did you do on Saturday night after I left you in the common room?'
Bella is no stupid girl. And it's not that I don't want to tell her. I just know that I can't share the whole story with her, which makes me anxious. I am not used to lying and hiding things, especially from my closest people. And Bella has become one of the people I appreciate the most.
'I went to the Astronomy Tower', I say, still in a hug with Bella.
'With Malfoy', I add as I pull back and face her.
There is a slight surprise in Bella's eyes, but it quickly disappears, replaced by curiosity. I remind her to speak quietly as soon as she opens her mouth and she nods.
'You went with Malfoy to the Astronomy Tower on Saturday night? But why?'
I realize how weird it sounds. We could have stayed in Slytherin's common room if we had something to discuss. It was empty anyways. Why we had to meet in secret at midnight at the highest spot in Hogwarts? How do I even explain myself? Now that I think about it it really looks suspicious.
'You know, I spoke to him at the Friday party but remembered nothing. He teased me about that conversation during breakfast on Saturday and told me to come to the Astronomy Tower at midnight if I wanted to find out more about it', I spit. I can't remember talking so fast ever in my life.
Bella raises a brow.
'And what did he tell you?'
Actually nothing? I totally forgot about that. We didn't discuss our conversation at the Friday party. The only topic that was possibly part of our couch chitchat was me lying about my Amortentia scent.
'Actually, not much', I say.
'Just', I start again but hesitate to continue.
'Just about my Amortentia', I finally spit it out.
The confusion on Bella's face grows even bigger.
'Sorry, Nessa, I just completely lost it', she giggles.
I glance down. I am so embarrassed by what I am about to share, but there is no other way. Having someone to talk to about all these will ease my anxiety and confusion. I can feel my cheeks warming up.
'I lied about my Amortentia in class. I must have confessed that in front of him during the party. He appeared to know the real scent of my love potion.'
My eyes are fixed on the fluffy green blanket underneath. I am afraid to raise my head and face Bella. I've not felt so ashamed in years. I can even feel my ears burning from all the tension.
To my surprise, Bella starts laughing and then pats my head.
'Oh, baby, you must have been so drunk to spit it out in front of Malfoy. But why did you lie in the first place? Did it smell of Theodore? I was sure that it would eventually happen...'
I interrupt her.
'It was not Theodore', I finally gain the confidence to meet eyes with Bella's.
'Then who?', her mouth is opened in astonishment.
I take a deep breath. This is going to hurt. I hadn't realized up until now how hard it would be to say it out loud in front of anyone.
Sober.
'Mafloy. It smelled of bloody Malfoy', I nearly shout in despair.
Bella's eyes grow bigger in shock at what she just heard. She covers her mouth with one of her tiny hands.
'Yes, I know', I mutter.
'But how? I...', Bella is left speechless, which let's be honest doesn't happen often. She always has something to say.
'I am clueless, Bells. Clueless.'
'So...', she starts but I finish what she wanted to say.
'My Amortentia is the same as Pansy's, yes.'
My best friend rushes for another hug and starts stroking my back gently.
'Ness, that's so odd.'
'I know', I whisper.
At the same time, the door of our room opens and we both turn toward it. Pansy has just entered, still pretending that we don't exist.
Well, I managed to update the story twice in a day, I really hope that you're enjoying it until now <3 What do you think, what's the issue of Pansy? Spoiler alert: the conflict is going even more dramatic in the next chapter!