Draco's Charm

2 - The rude Malfoy

As I entered the castle alongside Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the intriguing girl named Luna (who I was quickly starting to adore for her pure and sparkly aura, not to mention her non-judgmental nature). 

I made a mental note to keep certain details about my half-brother Blaise to myself. I'd learned that Harry and Ron had a deep-seated dislike for Slytherin, so I decided to spare them the news.

As we were walking and laughing at Harry's joke somebody bumped into me and I almost fell.
 
''What the heck?'' I huffed and tried to compose myself as I met a pair of silver eyes glaring at me.

''Watch where you going, stupid girl.'' the rude boy sneered, his gaze piercing.

I could feel my blood boiling at his impudence, but before I could retort, he continued, "Oh, you're the new girl, right? Well, I see you've already made the wrong connections, you blood traitor." With that, he swiftly walked away, leaving me with a seething mixture of anger and bewilderment.

''What a fucking wanker. Don't give him the satisfaction of reacting to his cruel words, Romy,'' Hermione said angrily but offered me a reassuring smile.

I smiled at her back as I said a quiet 'Okay' and we started walking towards the Great Hall again. Ron tried to lighten up the mood by saying that I won't have to put up with the 'blonde ferret's' bullshit as much as the others because I will be always safe and sound in the Gryffindor tower. Oh my sweet Ron... I agreed and smiled at him but I felt the pitch in my stomach because I knew that wasn't the true.

Who in the wizarding world was this enigmatic blonde guy anyway?  He looked so familiar but I didn't dare to ask about him. The others didn't look like they wanted to talk about him. Pure hatred on both sides, I quickly realised.

He was gorgeous though—pale skin, cascading blonde hair, and an appearance that could rival that of a fallen angel, albeit a tormented one. His features were strong, yet his eyes and lips held an unexpected softness and allure. When those silver eyes bore into mine, laden with hatred, I couldn't help but feel the pain that lay beneath.

Why could I read him so easily?   

Who was he? 

Should I charm him?

***

The Great Hall left me in awe. It was a vast, enchanting space adorned with rich, deep colors, soft candlelight, and a sense of age that somehow made it feel cozy. Despite my nerves about starting a new school, I couldn't help but love the ambiance. Maybe Hogwarts would turn out to be enjoyable, after all.

As the Sorting Hat proceeded with its task, I found myself among the first years, which felt a tad embarrassing, but I brushed it off. An old witch dressed in all black called the first year's names one by one and then it was just me.

''Romanette Maribelle Greengrass''

Everyone stopped their chatting and looked at me while the Slytherins started to gossip immediately.

Did I miss something? 

I gulped, mentally preparing myself to sit down on the chair in front of everybody. It was nothing really... maybe they were just gossiping because of my nice siren aura?

Or maybe not, as a sly voice whispered.

I jumped, startled by the unexpected intrusion into my thoughts. "So... are you scared of what they're saying? Hmmm?" the Sorting Hat prodded.

"Not really," I calmly replied in my mind.

The Hat continued its probing. "Oh, and why is that? Is it because you are so sure you can make all the rumors stop just by asking a few boys to do your dirty work for you?"

My heart raced. How did the Sorting Hat know about my siren gene?

"You know I can see your every thought... I remember your mother."