deceptive disposition || a harry potter inspired rini au

09. curious...

the next day, nina was seated at the slytherin table for breakfast in the dining hall, reading her potions book that she'd remembered to bring this time, ensuring she wouldn't forget it to her lesson today considering that the last time she had to share a book with ricky bowen was definitely more unhelpful. she reckoned she could've gotten more done in the most peace without a textbook

"you're not actually going to go through with this are you?"

nina shot her head up suddenly in worry, her eyebrows furrowing as she stared down carlos and gina who were taking their seats in front of her.

"go through with what?" she snapped suddenly, shutting her book wearily

"los told me that your paired up with bowen?" gina said

nina exhaled a breath she didn't know she'd been holding "oh...that. right. well, there isn't much of a choice is there?" she rolled her eyes "though i'm honestly sure that we won't get any work done because he's the most arrogant person i've ever seen. if i fail potions, it'll be on him."

"true, but he is cute. i mean, you get to stare at that face for a whole hour and twenty minutes." gina gushed

nina raised her eyebrows "you realize he's a gryffindor right?" she asked "they're lot literally donate their time to pranking us and being annoying."

"hey, if they all looked like him i'd take it any day." gina shrugged, serving herself some breakfast

nina opened her mouth to retort at how silly and unreasonable she was being until ej slumped down beside, causing for the three to stay silent in an unspoken agreement.

the girl glanced up to the gryffindor table to see her curly-haired classmate who was laughing at something one of his friends said. she continued to look at him as a red-head boy threw a grape at his friend who caught it in his mouth and bowed dramatically.

suddenly though, she caught him look towards her, not knowing that he'd sensed that someone was eyeing him and when she noticed he was staring back at her, the girl quickly rolled her eyes and looked back down at her bowl of cereal.

nina didn't notice that ej had caught the glances and glared between them, shaking his head as he stood up.

"i have to go to the library." he muttered grimly

the brunette looked at him in confusion before shaking her head as she gathered her belongings "right, i have charms." she informed carlos and gina who had waved her bye as the girl walked away.

as she continued her way down the hallway, nina could hear a light pair of footsteps behind her and furrowed her eyebrows, turning around and seeing the curly-haired boy walking behind her.

she came to a stop, folding her arms "are you following me?"

ricky bowen chuckled, his smile as charming as ever — which only made nina want to slap off of his face.

"relax, salazar. i've got my own class to get to." he told her simply

"ricky bowen heading to class early?" she said in a mock gasp as she began to turn around "has the world turned upside down?"

nina began to walk once again, this time ricky was catching up to her "keeping tabs on me, are you?"

she laughed "oh please, is a bezoar used in a wiggenweld potion?"

"is it?"

she came to a stop to look at him for a few seconds, only now just noticing how tall he really was compared to her but she still kept her cold composure "no."

ricky grinned as he let her walk towards the entrance to professor flitwick's classroom "always a pleasure salazar!"

"never is for me, bowen." she replied before disappearing behind the door.

ricky stayed a few seconds, staring to where she was before exhaling in disappointment "dammit."