Villain, D. Malfoy

25. Clever Envy

Draco

"You really think we didn't know all about that little plan of yours?" Emerald asked Pansy. Her fixed glance and narrowed eyes didn't seem to please Emerald.

"Let's just say you have multiple traits, and I don't consider intelligence being one of them." Pansy shouted back.

"You might want to think that over again. Now that we all know what you did, would you mind telling us why, exactly?" I stepped in for Emerald, taking a step closer to Pansy.

"We were all convinced you were with that preposterous brunette girl," She motioned at Emerald.

"Wait, who's we?" I took a second to point my finger up at her.

Pansy struggled to look for an excuse. Her gaze constantly diverted from the wall to Professor Slughorn. That's when I noticed his gaze towards Pansy and understood one of us here was lying.

"Okay, whatever! I was convinced you were with her, so I might have told Professor Slughorn to create this fake competition for someone to be his assistant." She dismissed her right hand.

"Still doesn't explain the why." Emerald shrugged off calmly. She picked at her nails, knowing her composure would just make Pansy even more insane.

"Well, I knew the last round would have been something related to mixtures, so I was the one who gave him the idea of letting you two create the potions."

"And how did you know I was going to create a truthful serum?" My curiosity always exceeded my self-control.

"Because the week before in class, Slughorn had discussed what ingredients would take to make a truth potion. And I know you pay attention in class, so I figured you would do it."

This girl is a psychopath.

"And?" Emerald ushered so we could all receive the truth once and for all.

"And that way, Slughorn could ask for someone to volunteer and ask Emerald a question, and of course, that's when I stepped in, to see the truth behind you two." She found the floor rather more fascinating to stare at than our eyes.

"And you went through all this trouble just to see if I had kissed Draco? Seriously?" Emerald was still so troubled.

"It's a nice reminder for people like you who seem to forget they're playing in the untouchable territory." Pansy pushed me to the side to loom over Emerald.

"Oh, please," I snickered. "Who are you to be calling me your territory?" I growled behind her.

"I have more right than she does." Pansy turned around, her voice growing louder.

"Alright, enough." Slughorn broke all our battles apart.

"How the hell are you two even friends?" Hermione interrupted Slughorn's attempt at making peace, pointing at Emerald and I. This was definitely an exciting Potions class today.

"We're not. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer." Emerald and I rapidly redressed in unison. Our faces swiveled to one another's as soon as we realized we said the same thing. I looked down, scarcely sneering.

"Intimately close," She began again. "Seduce your enemies." Her sly smirk was wicked enough to piss Pansy off even more.

"Marry your enemies and poison the wedding cake." I shrugged proudly. I stood next to Emerald now, both of us smiling.

"I'm not marrying you if you're going to bring the wedding cake into it; that's just unnecessary." She spun to confront me, her furrowed brows looking up at mine.

"I agree," I said solemnly. "I went too far. I must apologize." I put my hand up to my chest dramatically.

"Please forget I even asked." Hermione rolled her eyes, stepping back as our little plan to make Pansy envious worked.

"And you're telling us nothing's going on between you two? Please," She puffed out. She was obsessed with us. Or at least with me. I get that all the time.

"I could never be with her."

"It would be a disgrace to be with him."

We both said simultaneously once again. Our energy was unmatchable. Whether that energy was filled with resentment or tension doesn't matter.

Professor Slughorn clearly had no other choice but to dismiss class. Making sure everyone else had vacated the classroom, I jerked Emerald's hand, snatching her to the back of the room.

"Bravo. I'm proud of our performance." Her arms sneakily found their way up my back. My chest palpitated at the sense of my skin breaking barriers against hers.

"Well, it certainly never gets boring for us." My fingers faultlessly wrapped her neck as if it was made for them.

"And isn't that just a beautiful concept?" She showed me her gleaming smirk.

"I like to think of you as the same." My breath hitched as I acknowledged this was the first time a compliment ever fled my lips. I always received them; I just never reciprocated them. But I didn't have difficulty declaring them to Emerald. They were all valid, after all. Her beauty transcends my dreadful pride.