"I'm tired,"Chloe rested her head on her arms," I think I might rip his girlfriend's blond hair off if I saw her again!"
"Just eat," Julia pushed the plate of treacle pudding to her, "This will cheer you up."
But Chloe just got more angry at her offer. "Excuse me? I'm fat enough already! Do you think food is going to help me again, hm?"
"She's just trying to help you," Rebecca massaged her shoulder while she shoot daggers at the girl with strawberry blond hair.
"No one says that you're fat. You're just thinking in your way," Julia eyed her, "And stop looking at me like that! I have my own troubles, all right?"
"That's right. You're not fat. No one said that. You've got to stop telling yourself that and embrace your own body," Emily gave her friend a small smile and went back to her essay.
Chloe merely nodded and scooped the pudding, practically swallowing it, "I mean, Emily, how could you handle such stuff? Tom Riddle had many girls, don't you feel like this somehow? Especially that girl with tanned skin with the long black hair. I say that she's his soulmate. Probably just as evil as him."
Emily looked up from her written parchment and stared at the girl sitting next to Tom. She had just arrived last year, and was one of the most powerful duellers in Hogwarts. She had a lot of comebacks, and was definitely Tom's kind of girl. Surely she came from Ilvermorny, did she? Emily couldn't remember which school it was.
"Hello princess," Connor came from behind, kissing her cheek so suddenly that she almost slapped him.
"What do you want? Go back for training," she shoved his arm playfully, smiling.
"I just came here to grab some toast. How's your day?"
"Pretty alright.. Got to do some patrolling, you know, being a prefect and all," Emily sighed and polished her badge.
"My match starts three months later. Got to have all the practice I need to win points,"he grinned and munched on the sausages sandwiched in white loafs of bread.
Emily glanced at him." You're going to do great, "she touched his cheek.
"I know. I know I'll do great when you're with me," he held her hand on his face. They exchanged smiles before leaving for their own ways.
Emily bid goodbye to her friends and marched through the hall, the cold air outside inviting her as soon as she set foot on the green lawn.
A few slytherins were practicing quidditch, and their captain seemed frustrated at the beater who couldn't avoid a bludger properly. That made her think of Connor. Hopefully he's doing great, getting Rebecca all good as the role of chaser.
"Excuse me, but are you suppose to bring that here?" she spotted a young gryffindor boy dropping a dungbomb to the ground, and it exploded, sending a wave of toxic smell in the air.
"Er.. No?"
"That's right. Five points from Gryffindor. Don't do that again," Emily ruffled his messy hair and continued walking.
A group of Gryffindors were crowded together, chattering excitedly over a thing. She peeked inside a bit, curiosity taking over her, and saw them holding a very familiar ring.
Emily felt alarmed. That ring belonged to Tom Riddle, the only thing he ever got from his parents. What were they doing with it?
"Is that yours?" she went up to them, a bit angry.
The gryffindor looked up, grinning, "Course not. This isn't really my style, is it? Well fancy that! Riddle left it on his table, and I quickly took it. I'll get rid of it before he could find it again, as a repay for making my girlfriend upset."
"Give it to me," Emily made a snatch for it but he was quick to withdraw it back.
"Not. So. Fast. You think I don't know who you are? You're the pretty girl that always follow him like a dog. I'd say that you're pretty pathetic doing that, considering that the hufflepuff seeker likes you,"the boy laughed.
Emily gritted her teeth." Give it to me. That's from his parents! It's valuable!" she made another try to take it, but the boy threw it far away and landed in the black lake with a little splash.
"No!" she screamed. She panicked for a split second and without thinking, she did what she had to do. Emily rushed towards the lake and dive into the water, leaving the gryffindors surprised.
The water was murky, and seaweed floated in it with a wave like motion. All Emily could see was blurry green and the sunlight penetrating through the surface, leaving rays of it behind.
She held her breath and squinted her eyes, but everything was dancing in her vision. That's when she saw a certain black ring shined.
Emily dived deeper, hoping that she wouldn't run out of breath. The ring was falling down again, and her fingers brushed on its gem before drifting downwards.
She desperately kicked her legs behind her, urging her body to go forward. The bubbles came out of her nose, and her limbs felt tired. Emily managed to grab hold of it in her palm but she was far too deep down.
She choked on the murky water, trying to go back up, but her legs felt as hard as metal. Emily was starting to lose control. She couldn't think properly, and for a moment she thought she would never make it.
The thought had already drowned her mind out. Laying helplessly, she stopped struggling and she closed her eyes, putting the ring deep down into her robes. All she could hear was a faint splash of water from above and she blacked out.
Emily jolted up from the wet grass, spurting water out from her mouth as she choked on it. She had never been more glad to breathe the air again in her life.
Connor had an arm around her, and he immediately pressed her head on his chest, draping a white towel around her.
"Why did you do that? Were you trying to drown yourself?" he asked strictly, like a father scolding his children.
"N-no.. The ring," she took it out and gasped for air. There was a circle of mixed ravenclaws and gryffindors, watching curiously at the both of them.
Emily narrowed her eyes at the crowd and saw Tom very far behind. She stand up and Connor held onto her arm, supporting her weight so she could balance.
"Emily - not so fast!" he protested, but she pushed people out of the way, trying to get to him. Connor was left stuck in the crowd when she managed to break through the swarm of ravenclaws.
Thankfully, he was all alone. She went up to him with small, doubtful steps, and she cupped the ring in her hands and handed it to him.
Irritation and anger was written all over his face. The sight of her made him angry. Drenched hair, sparkling eyes, wet clothes, and that smile. That comforting, annoying smile.
Tom went forward and took her by his arms, burying his face into her wet hair. He had never been so afraid for someone's death before. She was definitely something he couldn't lose. After all, his only source of love lays with her.
"Tom... Your ring.." she muttered, waving her hands behind his back, trying to get a comfortable position.
"You really are a good for nothing hufflepuff, aren't you?"
Connor walked furiously to them, looking thunder struck, "Stay away from her."
Emily never heard him sound so angry before. The cool, goofy face was long gone after he had saw him embracing her. She quickly pulled away and tried to go to Connor, but Tom held her back, taking her by the waist.
"How about.. No?"
"You git! She almost died just to save your bloody ring!" his face glowed red.
Tom was smiling. He was obviously taking his anger as an entertainment. "I'm sure she did," he drawled, "A very stupid yet heroic act, don't you think, Marshall?"
Connor felt his jaw tightened. He walked straight up to him, grabbing him by the sweater, "You don't deserve her love. You don't deserve anything at all, you evil little scum! Look at you, looking all amused. Just leave Emily alone. Leave her. You have lots of girls for you, just stay away!" he shouted.
"Finish?" he looked at him boredly as if he was just an annoying fly, "Well I must say that you really do fancy her, don't you?" Tom raised his wand and pointed it at his chest.
Connor stumbled back at the sight of it. "Of course I do. Unlike you, ungrateful bastard!"
He went closer to the hufflepuff. "Just a friendly reminder, Marshall, that I'll like to keep... What's it called? Ah yes.. Rightfully mine."
"You idiot!" he charged and raised his fist at him.
"Stupefy," Tom waved his wand lazily, stunning the seeker backwards, falling onto the grass.
"Connor!" she screamed, trying to go for him but Tom pulled her arm back.
"He's fine. Tough guy, is he not?"
She glanced at him with her icy blue eyes. They reflected his face like water. Clear, crystal water.
"Please leave him alone," she pleaded quietly, holding his arm with her small fingers.
"Come with me," he took her hand and for the first time, he sincerely held it, lacing his long fingers with hers. Emily glanced back at the furious Connor, wishing that she had helped him even if Tom stopped her. But she didn't, and the reason is simply because her heart seriously had an undying love for the cruel slytherin.