The Queen of Vipers || Fred Weasley

II.XV

Electra snapped around, but he was already upon her.

Hadeon's body nearly had her stumbling back had he not grabbed her upper arms and pinned them to her body, keeping her in front of him. His grip was tight enough to cut off the circulation to the rest of her arms.

"You stupid bitch!" he shouted, shaking her hard. "Look what you've done to my face!"

Electra had a strange feeling of satisfaction wash over her. Hadeon had two black eyes and a deeply bruised and slightly crooked nose, no doubt from when he face-planted after Krum stunned him.

Electra couldn't fight the evil grin that pulled on the corners of her lips. "I don't know what you mean," she crooned in vindication. "You've never looked better."

He snarled and shook her again. Electra's eyes darted around them and noticed a few people stopping in the arcades and around the edges of the courtyard, watching the commotion. "You—"

"Let me go, Hadeon," she warned.

Instead he pulled her into him so they were nearly nose to nose. "You're going to pay for what you did," he snarled. His lips curled, his teeth flashing like a rabid animal. Ice rushed through her veins. She could see the rage blazing in his blue eyes. Her heart beat furiously in her chest.

Electra tried to rip her arms free, but Hadeon was stronger. She was trapped. Electra looked around the Quad. People were gathering now. "Let me go, you're making a scene," she fumed through her teeth.

"I don't give a damn!" roared Hadeon. "You'll pay for humiliating me not once, but twice! No one makes a fool of Hadeon Müller!"

"You're doing a pretty good job of it yourself, if you ask me," said Electra easily.

"LOOK AT MY FACE!" Electra flinched.

Her face skewed up in disgust, glaring from one black eye to the other. "Get a fucking grip, Hadeon. Your face wasn't my doing. Though give Krum my kindest regards, will ya?"

"You stupid slut!"

Electra bared her teeth like he did and reached up as far as his grip allowed, digging her nails into his elbows. She'd had enough of this. "You release me now or you'll pay."

The smile on Hadeon's face was nothing short of insane. It sent a spike of fear through her. "How do you intend to do that?" For effect, he tightened his grip on her. Pain shot up her arms, making her gasp. "Show me who the infamous Electra Black is."

Hadeon's hot breath fanned out over her face as he sniggered. She had a sudden flash of the dark forest and the Death Eater, his bone mask shining in the wandlight. Fear froze her, chills running through her core. Her breath quickened. The twist in her gut made her want to vomit.

No, she shouted to herself in her brain. No, not again. This time she was going to be brave.

In a second's decision— before she lost her nerve—, Electra jerked her leg up and kneed Hadeon in the balls. His forehead smacked hers as he doubled over and his grip on her loosened. Electra shoved him away and stumbled back, reaching for her wand tucked into the knot behind her head. Her wet curls cascaded down her shoulders and back, slapping her skin. She could see her breath coming out in small clouds, but she didn't feel the cold anymore.

"You little bitch!" he bellowed, straightening up. In an instant, he reached into his cloak and whipped out his wand, pointing it at Electra. "Expelliarmus!"

"Protego."

The scarlet spark of his spell hit the flagstones at Electra's feet, erupting like a tiny firework on impact. Electra would be damned if she made the same mistake twice. The shock on Hadeon's face wasn't lost on her. In fact, it gave her a backbone. Yes. She was determined now.