Tainted Blood

Chapter Nine

After lunch the next day, I walk with Harry, Ron, and Hermione to Care of Magical Creatures. Hermione is jumping from stone to stone and complaining about the Divination teacher to Ron.

"Honestly! That woman has no idea what she is talking about!"

"She wasn't that bad, Mione."

I ignore their banter and take in the scenery. Gray skies and springy grass are left from yesterdays rain. The air is musky with an earthy scent like wet dirt. I close my eyes to inhale, smelling the forest along with the three humans behind me.

"So...," Harry sidles up next to me," Why did you transfer?"

"Yeah, why?," Ron asks flanking my left with Hermione beside him. I sniff haughtily and watch the path, almost misstepping.

"As I told the Headmaster in the Hall, it's my buisness and I will deal with it."

Of course they don't have to know the talk I had with Headmaster Dumbledore afterwards explaining my situation. I glance to Harry and see him shrugging at Ron. Hermione hums, looking thoughtful.

Rolling my eyes, I step ahead of them letting my cloak billow and snap at their legs.

"You look like Professor Snape."

"Who?"

Ron chuckles and mutters something about how much I'll love him, whatever that means.

As the four of us near the clearing where the class is, I reconize a few faces. Namely Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy.

"Oh great. Slytherins," Ron sneers and Harry lets out a low growl. Hermione rolls her eyes and I huff at the three.

"What are you? A pack of dogs?"

After Ron shoots a quizzical look at me, I bound over to the Slytherins.

"Lexi! What are you doing?!"

Blaise turns at my name and his whole face lights up as he watches me approach his group; it's rather cute.

"Bonjour Mister Zabini," I greet. Blaises' face flushes and his smile shies slightly.

"Hullo again, Lexi. Gryffindor, I see."

His scent engulfs me, making me feel warm and tingly. I fidgit a little and nod. Behind Blaise, I notice Draco scowling at me. His disappreciating stare ruffles me.

"Quelle? Trop bon pour Gryffondor*?"

He sneers and retorts," Qui. Vous êtes tous ennuyeux.*"

Blaise, whom I'm guessing isn't very fluent in French, glances between us nervously as we are obviously arguing.

I growl at the blond and bite out,"Well, excusez-moi Monsieur Pompous Git! But-"

"C'mon now! Don't fight! Let's go!," Hagrid, our professor, calls to the class and abruptly ends our argument. I glare angrily at Malfoy who just smirks back, raising a sardonic eyebrow.

Blaise pats my shoulder assuringly as I turn back to Harry and the other two Gryffindors.

"I want to smack that stupid eyebrow right off his face!"

Behind my back I hear Malfoy call out," J'ai entendu cela!*"

Whirling on my heel I snarl," Bien pour vous!*"

Harry places a hand on my wrist and pulls me towards him protectively. He glares daggers at the blond Slytherin then drags me away towards the front of the class. Ron and Hermione stand to my right, effectively making a shield against Malfoy.