"Why are you looking so nervous for? It's not you that's going to fail their exams -" Chloe bend her head to read the tiny lettering on her Transfiguration book.
"Of course I'm nervous! What if I got too nervous that my spells are all wrong?" Emily picked up a cornish pasty and chewed miserably on it.
"You'll be fine!" Rebecca picked the leftovers on her porcelain plate.
"Maybe not!"
"We should go now? I think we have defence against the dark arts exam.." Julia hauled them up and they quickly ran past through a couple of hallways till they reached a specific classroom.
Emily sighed. What if it didn't go well? She was used to feeling this way when it comes to exams but.. It always made her stomach went jelly.
"Hey! What are you doing outside?" Connor tapped on her shoulder.
"Oh - I- I'm actually a bit nervous,"she clutched her wand tightly.
"Nervous? Come on, you're the smartest girl in hufflepuff! Perhaps even better than the ravenclaws!" he smiled widely.
She blushed at the comment, "No.. I'm not.. Tom is the smartest."
"Let's leave the slytherin alone! You can do this, Emily. Just like how you helped me during quidditch, remmeber? Was it like - six weeks ago? I don't know... Nothing extrodinary happened..."
"I guess.."
He pulled her into a hug and she yelped, "You can do this, Emily. Have faith in yourself."
It felt nice and warm in his arms. She inhaled the scent of his clothes before pulling away, smiling a bit.
"Thank you.."
"Do you want a good luck kiss? It'll help you -"
"Nope, nope!" she hurried away, grinning, and entered the double doors to take her exams.
**********
"Hogwarts is looking like a very far off place now.." Chloe poked her head through the window, the wind blowing in her face.
"Yeah. What do you want us to say? Goodbye Hogwarts! Don't miss us!" Julia laughed.
"Shut up," she came back down and crossed her legs on the leather seat.
"What if - we hang out during the holidays? You guys can come to my house!" Rebecca said excitedly, taking out an extra parchment.
"I have four rooms, two occupied by my younger brother and my parents.. So one of you can share with me, and the other two will sleep in the guest room!"
"Sounds great," Emily agreed.
"Where's your house located again?" Julia asked, trying to make out her words.
"It's on a large, empty field.. I'm thinking of - I'm actually thinking of joining quidditch next year.." Rebecca looked up at her friends, embarrassed.
"Say what! That's awesome!" Julia shook her arm furiously.
"My mom was a skilled chaser.. Perhaps I'll go for that role," she said bashfully.
"That's great.. We can go shop in diagon alley!" Chloe suggested.
"Good, good!"
"How about -"
The doors were slided opened, and Abraxas Malfoy stood there, looking disgusted at them. He turned his attention towards Emily, "Tom has invited you to sit with him. Come along," he said boredly.
"I don't want to."
"What?" Malfoy looked incredulously at her, as if rejecting the offer would result her being thrown off from the train.
"I said I don't want to," she stood up, looking brave, "I prefer to sit with my friends. Tell him that."
She sat back down and the blond slytherin scowled."You know Tom doesn't take no as an answer. Sorry, I've got to do it," he grabbed her arm and pulled her out from the compartment.
Her friends, especially Julia, looked like she was ready to punch that git in the nose when Emily told them it's okay.
He prodded her back with his wand and made her move. She walked through multiple compartments and Emily had to stop her mind from thinking of just slashing out her wand and hexed Malfoy with it. Sadly, even if she had the chance, she lacked the courage of a gryffindor to do it.
Emily paused when she saw the slytherins inside. Tom was sitting there, looking absorbed with a book, with Brianna and all his roommates.
All of them looked up except for Tom, who wasn't surprise at anything that happened. Emily wondered how he could keep such a calm posture at all times.
"Sit," Alphard Black pulled her wrist down, forcing her to stumble upon legs as she sat down grumpily.
"Do not lay a hand on her," Tom glared at him and went back to his book, "Feel free to join us anytime, Emily. After all, you're going to be joining us for the mission, is that right?"
"No."
"No?" he raised his eyebrows.
Emily felt her skin crawling. She didn't like being surrounded by a bunch of slytherins. "I want to go back to my compartment. And I certainly do not want to join any of your missions."
Tom smirked. "You won't be going anywhere. I forbid you."
Emily looked at him in disbelief, "You have no control over me!"
No one paid attention to her after that. Emily sighed, watching the slopes that they were passing by. How sleepy she was. She hadn't slept a wink yesterday because her results were keeping her awake. Emily couldn't wait to tell her mother about it when she reached home.
She lean her head against the window and close her eyes. Drowsiness took over her and she fell asleep.
"As you know, that is such a wonderful idea. Tom certainly would be a prefect when he reached fifteen -" a quiet snore interrupted Ignatius Prewett.
"She fell asleep."
Tom glanced at the sleeping girl. The sunlight was bathing on her hair, and her face was so calm and peaceful.
He took off his scarf, "Alphard. Give this to to her," he passed it to the gaunt faced boy.
"It won't be nessecary, Tom," Brianna shot her an irritated glance.
"You keep yours. I'll give mine to her," he took his one off but Tom snapped back, "Do you think she would like to smell you in her dreams, Ignatius? Hm?"
He dropped his smirk and nodded his head, "Of course not, Tom."
*******
His crew members had left earlier, leaving him sitting alone, packing his trunk.
Tom sighed and gently shook her by the shoulder. "Wake up.. We've reached the station."
She fluttered her eyes opened, "Huh? That fast?"
"Yes."
"Is this yours?" she gently carrassed the fabric of the silver green scarf.
"You can keep it for the summer. Return to me at once when the term starts," Tom turned to leave but she stopped him.
"Wait! I- thank you.." she hugged him and without thinking, Emily kissed him on the cheek.
She hurriedly walked past him to save herself from sheer embarrassment and he stood there until her footsteps had faded away. Tom smiled to himself.
"Such an annoying girl.." he touched his face and walked off the train.