Charmolypi

Seven

          " You will be working with partners," Snape states, his voicing dragging as usual. Ron and Arabella look at each other when he says that, only for that smile to be crushed with Snape finishing his sentence, " of my choosing." 

          " Mister Potter, you will be working with Mister Zabini. Miss Granger, you will be working with Mister Weasley," Snape begins to list off groups one by one as Arabella slouches over onto her hand. She groans as she realizes all of her friends had been paired off. " Draco Malfoy. . . and Arabella Greenwater." The two make eye-contact for a moment, Draco rolling his eyes as Arabella complains.

          " He hates me!" Harry, Ron, and Hermione all look towards her. " What?" Ron questions, laughing. " Snape, he hates me!" Arabella fusses and mutters a few things under her breath, before letting out an exasperated shriek and falling back into her chair. The common room in Gryffindor was fairly silent around this time, the students in the house all studying or out around the castle with friends, or preparing for the tournament. Harry chokes back a laugh, watching Arabella get flustered. " Just because he partnered you with Draco doesn't mean he hates you, Arabella," Hermione reassures, sitting beside her. " Snape knows about what happened with Draco and I when we were younger, and that we haven't said more than 20 words to each other in 3 years! He did this on purpose. . . he hates me," Arabella slouches back, crossing her arms, which finally makes Harry let out his laugh. " It'll be fine, I'm sure of it," Harry consoles. " And if it's not," Ron starts, " I'll beat him up." Hermione and Arabella look at each other for a moment before bursting into a joint laughter. " You? Beat up Draco? Ron, you aren't serious!" Hermione picks on Ron as she laughs, Arabella finishing her remark, " Draco nearly knocks you over when he looks at you, let alone actually fights with you!" Ron sarcastically smiles at Arabella, the group all beginning to laugh together. 

          " Draco?" Arabella trails behind him as he makes his way down the stairs to the Slytherin dormitories. " Draco!" She shouts a little louder so that he hears her. Her voice echoes through the stairwell. Draco stops walking, about ten steps below Arabella, yet he doesn't look back at her. " What do you want, Arabella?" His voice shoots daggers, and Arabella is unsure why. What an angry soul Draco can be, and you would think that with knowing him most of her life, Arabella would understand that. " We have to talk to each other at some point. We need to do this assignment together. . . " Arabella trails off, stepping down a second step closer to Draco.  " I'll do it myself," he grunts, beginning to walk again. " Draco stop!" The girl demands, now running down the stairs to catch up with him. " Shove off, Arabella," Draco turns his head to direct his voice towards her as she creeps up behind him. " Draco!" He tries to walk faster but Arabella gets close enough and grabs his wrist, " Draco you can't keep avoiding me!" Draco turns towards her to take his hand away, but before he can the two get caught in yet another stare. The two step up advantage that Arabella has makes her the same height as Draco, which is a bit unusual for the girl that's around a foot shorter than him. The two continue to stare at each other, finding it hard to look away. Draco knows that if they stay there, he would give into his warmer side. . . and that he didn't want her to see. " Meet me in the Astronomy Classroom later. . ." Draco hushes, not looking away from the stare, that is until Arabella nods. She slowly drops his hand, straightening her stance. Draco looks at her for one more moment, before turning and continuing his way down the stairs. Arabella watches his back, but only for a moment, before she too turns to leave. 

          " It keeps happening," Draco says, walking into Snape's classroom. " What, exactly?" Snape groans, walking towards Draco. Draco closes the door behind him, his hands shaking. " Arabella, we keep doing this thing and," Draco starts to stutter, Snape shutting him down, " I don't have all day, Draco. . . " Draco looks up at Snape, trying his hardest to stop his hands from shaking. " We keep doing this thing, anytime we look at each other it's like-" Draco tries to explain but Snape cuts him off, " But you can't look away. I did the same, towards Lily." Draco shakes his head, " But I like looking at her like that, and I hate it!" Snape raises and eyebrow, eyeing Draco's shaking hands. " Stop that, Draco," Snape commands, tapping his hands with the edge of his wand. Draco forces his hands into his pockets, trying once again to stop the shaking, " My father would be furious if he knew the way I felt." Snape doesn't responds, and turns back towards the front of the room, walking away from Draco. " Go work on your assignment, Draco." Draco's eyes go soft for a second, " but-" The door swings open behind Draco. " Now, Draco!" Snape commands once more. Draco stands there for a moment before finally turning to walk away. Once again, Draco was shut down and alone. Left with only the dark thoughts in his head.