line without a hook

CHAPTER 2. A STUPID DRAGONHEAD OR "NOT EVERYONE CAN UNDERSTAND YOUR JOKES"

***

"I wonder... How would our life be if we were muggles?"Mark was talking, lying on Erin's knees while she was reading another borrowed library book. "Hey, are you listening to me?"

"Certainly. I'm just trying to be like all those Ravenclaw girls you always pick up. Maybe one day you'll notice me",Erin answered thoughtfully.

"Well, maybe... If you wore a blue tie and robe..."Mark said, copying her intonation.

"Didn't know that you're a fetishist. So what were you asking about Muggles? How would our life have turned out? Well, listen," she said and put down the book and took a short pause in her thoughts. "If we hadn't known each other since childhood, we might never have met. We would go to school now, study, read about magicians only in books in literature lessons. Well, either we could bully each other, as we are doing now. Or..."

"We could be a couple..." Mark said, interrupting her.

"A couple of friends you mean", Erin said and tried to read again.

However Mark snatched the book from her hands and began looking through. The girl tried to take her book back, but she wasn't successful. Mark pushed her off, so she almost fell from the sofa. Some of the Slytherins looked at them but no one said a word.

"Are you reading about dragons? Really?" Mark said loudly. "I didn't know that you're crazy about it. 'People who love dragons', sounds interesting. Preparing for the Tournament? Don't worry, they won't let you take part in it because you're not tall enough. And especially they won't let you take part because you're too young for it".

"Are you sure dragons will be there?" she asked. "No one could know what's going to be there. Just so you know, it's written about how to take care of dragons but not how to fight. You should read books and not look at bright pictures in them. Sometimes I get surprised when you're able to do your homework by yourself. And dragons live in our motherland, I'm just saying. If you listened to the lessons, you would know about it. Oh, I forgot. You look at girls in blue ties at the lessons. Although somebody's been trying to flirt with you for ages".

Mark raised his eyebrows. He raised both, because he was not able to raise them separately from each other. Jokes about boys and girls were kind of routine in their life. But none of them had the aim to find a partner. Moreover none of them did not notice someone was flirting with both of them.

"At least I don't spend all night long with cocky ginger..." Mark said and stopped because Erin was ginger as well. "With cocky Gryffindor boy whose name's Fred Weasley".

"As if I wanted it so much. I still regret that I found myself on Friday evening near the Great Hall, where this a red-haired clown of the kind of faggots was fishing for his cheap jokes. I won't even apologize. Have you ever looked closely at him?"

"I haven't. But I think you have. Do you like him or something? Has the day really come when you fell in love?"

"Who! Am I? If I wanted to, I would have fucked him a long time ago. But he's not my type. Anyone has a chance, except Weasley. And you, of course".

Mark rolled his eyes, but decided not to continue the controversy. He settled back on Erin's knees and closed his eyes, wondering who could have any feelings for him. He was always cold and indifferent to the feelings of others, passionate about his studies and his life goals, which clearly did not include a relationship with anyone. Obviously he already knew who he had to marry at the age of twenty one. Mark clearly knew that until this age he would not approach the girl with whom he was obliged to link his life, at least because he himself did not need it for personal reasons and already clearly defined plans. First study, then work in the Ministry, and only then the family. Practically the same thing was bequeathed to him by his parents.

***

"Hey, you. Are you still gonna sleep there?" Erin said, waking up Mark.

"How have you got up and not wake me up?" he asked, still watching his dreams. It was the first dream without any nightmare.  

"Maybe you have a superpower to sleep like a log? Get up, come on. What are you gonna do at night? Imagine Ravenclaw girls and become a new form of nymphomania?"

"You, a stupid dragonhead. Aren't you tired of bullying him?" Pansy Parkinson said. Her goofy voice was hard to distinguish from any other.

"Does it fuck you at all?" Erin said, smiling at her. Meanwhile, Mark did not just get up, but rather jumped up from the sofa and stood a little behind his friend, as if protecting her back from any stab.

"In fact, I only hear your vile screams at him every day. Aren't you tired of it yourself? You've already got everyone and everyone with your stupidity. You think you're the coolest in school, but you act like a poorly educated servant. Shame and shame. You're an eyesore in Slytherin."

"How could I be such a bitch!" said Erin. She put her hand on her forehead and pretended to faint. "Hold me, I'm about to die from how disgusting I am... hey, Zabini, am I really annoying you by bullying Mark?"

"What?" he answered.

"Nevermind. Forget it. Thanks," she said and turned back to Pansy. "Well, are you gonna stand here or will you accept your wrongness, and we will tactfully disperse? The last thing I want right now is to fight with you. Tomorrow morning we have potions, I want to be in contrast with Snape with my at least normal mood, if not excellent".

"Stop it, girls", said Mark. "Parkinson, you clearly don't understand the whole essence of our friendship. Our communication is quite normal in this style. Ri, can you hold your horses a little? Not everyone understands your jokes sometimes. And what can we say about whether they are pleasant? You never know, they cling to someone's subtle mental organization".

Erin tried to keep quiet while Pansy melted from every word Mark uttered. Holm looked like she was being scolded by her parents, every sentence in raised tones made her laugh. And the fun was really the right reaction to Mark's last phrase, which he said in the living room that evening.

Parkinson continued to stand in disbelief. She looked as if a bucket of ice water had just been poured over her, and slop was sprinkled on top. Pansy felt really superfluous, but somewhere deep in her soul she felt sympathy for these two. She always wanted to join their company and look as cool as Erin and Mark, even though they didn't consider themselves that at all.