In Other Words

Chapter 6

"Excuse me, but is there room here? Everywhere else is full." I stand before a group of Slytherins who look around my age, attempting not to make eye contact with them as I desperately ask for a seat. Eventually, a smiles at me kindly and gives me a nod, indicating I can sit down. I gratefully take the seat and finally look at the the people I'll be sharing the long journey with. I meet eye and she gives me a scowl, before latching onto the boy on her left possessively. A boy with platinum blonde hair.

"Oh, Draco," I say awkwardly, "I didn't notice you."

"Leave him alone, Yaxley," Pansy snaps at me, "He doesn't want to talk to you."

"Pansy," Draco speaks up, looking at me although I am not addressed, "Can you please let go of my arm, or do you want it to drop off so you can keep it?" And with that, Pansy meekly withdraws her grasp of Draco's arm and looks down at the floor.

"You must be Scarlett Yaxley," the stranger boy says to me, "I've heard a lot about you."

"Including?" I ask with curiosity.

"Well, you're the part-Veela child prodigy, aren't you," he says with a grin, "Incredibly gifted, exceptionally beautiful."

"No one says that, Parkinson," Draco scowls, and then turns to me, "He's just pulling you're leg, that's Noah Parkinson, Pansy's older brother,"

"Older brother?" I repeat confusedly. Who'd have known that Pansy's brother could be so attractive and charming?

"Only by a year," Noah says with a small smile, as though in reassurance that the age difference is minimal, "And don't mind Draco, I meant everything I said." But before I can respond I am interrupted by Pansy.

"Don't get any ideas, Blood-traiter," Pansy retorts, "He's my brother for gods sake!"

"Don't call her that, it's not her fault that she was too smart to join Slytherin," Malfoy answers for me, and I give him an appreciative smile.

"And trust me, I'm definitely not getting any Ideas, Pansy, no offence Noah," I say, and Noah gives me a smirk, "It's just that I'm hardly even a teenager, I don't need to overcomplicate my life with this sort of thing."

"Take notes, Pansy," Noah grins, "Maybe you should think the same way, instead of chasing after Draco over here." Pansy rolls her eyes and glares at me, before getting up to leave.

"So soon?" I ask, with mock disspointment. Pansy huffs and crosses her arms at this.

"I'll have you know that I have other friends besides my brother and my boyfriend," she states, and it is now Draco's turn to roll his eyes, "I'm going to find them." At that, she turns her heel and leaves the compartment, causing a strange silence amongst the three of us.

"Maybe I should go too," I say awkwardly, shifting in my seat. I get up and make my way towards the compartment exit, "Oh, but it was lovely to meet you, Noah, I'll see you around." Noah gives me a nod and Draco gives me...nothing. Draco pretends to ignore me, as he so often does, and I leave the compartment in order to find my friends.

"Hermione!" I exclaim, meeting her in the corridor. She gives me a sweet smile and a wave, which I return. Despite her hating my guts earlier in the year, Hermione has grown to become one of my closest friends, and I missed her very much over the holidays, as I was unable to send her any letters.

"Why don't you come join my compartment?" She asks, "I'm just on my way back there." I follow her down the narrow corridor and into a compartment with India, Lisa, Michael Corner, and Neville Longbottom in it. The last two of whom I know very little about. Despite Lisa claiming that she would dump Michael in the first week of the holidays, they seem to still be on very good terms with each other, and I wonder if she went through with her plan at all.