Maybe, you're gonna be the one that saves me.
♫ | Wonderwall - Oasis
"Miss Wallis! Miss Wallis, are you listening?" Slughorn's voice echoed in Julia's ears.
Even though she heard the professor calling out to her, her mind was somewhere else. She hasn't spoken to Tom since the incident. Their eyes would sometimes meet, but not for long.
Even though she hated him, a part of her wished that he would be there with her. Hatred never stopped her from missing him.
"Miss Wallis!"
Julia flinched, directing her gaze towards the professor. "I-I'm sorry, professor. What was the question?"
"What are the ingredients to the Cure for Boils?"
Julia flashed a sad smile. She remembered her second private lesson with Tom, when she learned how to make the Cure for Boils. "Horned slugs, snake fangs..." she always forgot the third ingredient.
"Porcupine quills." a familiar voice answered. It was Tom, sitting at the back of the class.
"Very good, Mr Riddle. As for you, Miss Wallis, I would appreciate it if you would pay attention in my classes. I know that Potions isn't your forte, but a little effort wouldn't harm you now, would it?" the professor had a strict, yet friendly tone.
Julia nodded, sliding down in her seat. Her face was burning of embarrassment.
"I won't give you homework, for I wouldn't want to spoil your Christmas holidays."
The students all cheered at Slughorn's statement. He never tortured them with work during the holidays, for which they were very grateful.
"Have a Merry Christmas! Class dismissed."
~
"What will you guys do during the holidays?" Aaliyah asked her closest friends.
"I'm going to my grandparents this year." Pandora answered.
"I am celebrating with my brother. How about you?" Julia asked.
"I'm going home to my parents, as usual." Aaliyah chuckled. "And I really hope I'm getting that cookbook I asked for. What did you guys ask for Christmas anyway?"
"Nothing. I'll be fine with whatever I get." Pandora answered.
Julia smiled. "A broom."
Both her friends looked at her. "A broom?" they asked.
"I decided to join the quidditch team." the girl said confidently.
Aaliyah's eyes widened. "Lia, that's amazing! But... isn't it too late for that? I mean, you're in your seventh year."
"And the NEWTs are coming. There's a lot to study." Pandora added.
"Yes, but I can always try. My mother always encouraged me that no matter what, I should always follow my dreams and desires. Also, I could study with you guys."
Pandora and Aaliyah looked at each other, then back at Julia.
"Yeah, about that...some Gryffindors asked me to help them with studying."
"Oh, that's fine. Pandora?"
"I promised Lestrange that I would study with him."
"To Study." Aaliyah winked, but seeing Pandora's death-glare, she quickly looked away.
"Oh." Julia said, once again flashing a sad smile. "It's alright. I could ask Longbottom."
"Sorry, Lia." the two girls apologized.
Julia nodded, signalizing an 'It's okay', then leaving the Great Hall to see the quidditch practice.
"Davies!" Julia called out to the team's captain, making her way to the pitch.
The captain turned his head, looking confusedly at the girl running towards him. "Wallis? What do you want... again." he rolled his eyes.
"Sorry to interrupt the practice, but I wanted to ask you something."
"Oh, Merlin. No."
"Huh?"
"No."
"I didn't even ask you the question!"
"I know exactly what you want to ask, Wallis. You are not joining the team."
"What? Why?"
"I already told you. Now stop bothering, will ya?"
"The bloodline doesn't define whether you will play or not. So I'll ask again."
"The Ravenclaw quidditch captain title was passed through generations in my family, and it will continue the same way. It was always like this. Someone like you won't change the rules. Now go."
"Please, Davies. It was always my dream to become part of the team and it will continue the same way."
"Go, Wallis. Stop wasting my time."
"But-" she tried to negotiate, but Davies already left her.
"Screw you." she muttered under her breath, a tear of anger forming in her eyes.
She ran off the field into the school's library, where she found Longbottom reading a book, as always.
"Oh, hey!" he greeted the girl, who sat beside him.
"Would you mind studying with me for the NEWTs?"
Longbottom was surprised at Julia's spontaneousness. He happily agreed, closing the book in front of him.
"When and where do we start?" he raised his eyebrow.
Julia put her hand on her chin, thinking. "Let me see...How about we meet here after lessons?"
"That's fine with me." he smirked. "What have you been doing anyway?"
"Nothing much. Mostly studying, reading, sometimes painting. You?"
"Just reading." he put his hand on her thigh. "Can I ask you something?"
She raised an eyebrow, looking down at his hand, feeling uncomfortable. She didn't have a problem with Longbottom, in fact, they were really good friends. And she hoped that they would stay just friends.
"Why did you suddenly disappear at the party?"
"I uhh-I felt sleepy, so I went to bed." she sat up, making his hand slip away from her leg. "I should go, gotta catch up with the lessons. See you tomorrow."
Julia left Longbottom, walking past the tall bookshelves. Just as she was about to take a turn, she bumped into Tom, his books slipping out of his hands.
One of the books slightly scratched Julia's legs as they fell down, causing the girl to hiss.
"Merlin! I'm sorry." she knelt down, trying to collect them up. She didn't want to look at him.
He grabbed her wrist, stopping her from what she was doing. "It's alright."
Tom picked up the books from the floor. When he stood up, his gaze traced through her legs, noticing the small scar.
"You should take care of that." he gently touched the scar, without crossing any lines of intimacy, which Julia appreciated.
"It's fine. That's just a small scar." she brushed it off, leaving as quickly as possible, not wanting Tom to see the slightest shade of pink that formed on her cheeks.
Just as she was about to go up the stairs to the Ravenclaw tower, she remembered leaving one of the books in the library. Sighing, Julia rushed back to grab that remaining book.
When she entered the library, her eyes widened. She saw Tom gripping on Longbottom's tie, looking as if he was threatening him.
"Tom!" Julia shouted.
Tom's body froze, letting go of the grip. He turned around, looking straight into the girl's eyes. She was now walking towards him, shooting death glares at his eyes.
"What do you think you're doing?" she asked so that only he could hear.
"What do you think I was doing?" he was towering her. "You're smart enough to guess."
"What. Did. You. Say. To. Him?" her voice was cold, something he never heard before.
"I told him to never touch you again, for he was being very impulsive and descriptive of his thoughts. I only did it to prevent him from hurting you, though I know that you won't believe me."
"Can you not act up? For once? You think people are so afraid of you that they would do whatever you tell them to do?"
"Are you sure about that? Because the last time I told Davies to let you in the team he agreed to do so."
"Wha-Were you following me?" Julia whisper-shouted.
"No." Tom replied suspiciously fast.
Julia cocked her eyebrow. "Oh really? Then how do you know that Longbottom touched me?"
Tom clenched his teeth. "Listen here, Julia. You do not, ever blame me for things I didn't do! And for your information, Longbottom was the one to enlighten me about what happened. He told me he will enjoy studying with you."
"The let him enjoy it. For what do you care anyway..." she wanted to go, but Tom grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her close to him.
"I care because I fucking miss you and I have no idea of what you've been up to since we fought." he whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine.
She looked him deep in the eye, analyzing his dark irises. "Well I don't care."
She pulled her hand out of his grip, rushing out of the library and running to the common room as fast as she could.
I hate him. I hate him. I hate him. She whispered, but deep down she knew the truth.
She loved him.