It wasn't too terribly long before the first Quidditch Match of the year, which was between the Gryffindor and Slytherin teams. I had no intention of going to the Match at all. The idea of sitting in a crowd of screaming people watching people fly on broomsticks did not appeal to me.
The morning of the Match, I sat alone at the Slytherin table looking around at everyone else. A group of Slytherins were seated nearby wearing dark green robes. Some kids had their faces painted green or red, some with names, others with random designs. Then, there was Luna. How I love that innocent soul.
There she sat, at the Gryffindor table (despite the fact that she was a Ravenclaw), talking to the trio. On her head, she wore a huge lion hat, which was so tall, it nearly doubled her height. I took a lucky guess that she was supporting Gryffindor. I finished off the muffin I was eating, before getting up, and heading toward the Great Hall's exit.
"Violet!" Hermione's voice called to me, causing me to turn around. She, along with Harry and Ron, were waving me over to the Gryffindor table.
"I hope you're not wearing that to the Match, you'll freeze to death," Harry told me as I plopped down in the vacant spot across from him.
I looked down at my Slytherin t-shirt and dark blue jeans, shrugging. "Who's to say I'm going, Potter?"
"Wait, you're not coming?" Hermione gasped, shooting me a rather surprised look.
"I'd rather bury my own corpse," I mumbled, grimacing.
"I think we'll do without her sarcasm anyway," Ron said from beside me.
"Ouch."
"Why don't you want to come, Violet? It'll be fun," Harry asked.
"Let's see here. I've got an overdue essay for McGonagall that she's giving me a hard time about, books I want to read, a warm bed awaiting me, and of course the fear of my approaching death weighing down on me more and more by the minute. That enough?" I answered.
"Violet, your death is still pretty far off," My bushy-haired friend told me.
"Hermione, Voldemort is this close to finding out that I betrayed him," I said, pinching my thumb and forefinger together. "He's also that close to killing me for it."
"I think a good Match will distract you from your thoughts," Ron suggested.
"Yeah, by making me more miserable!"
"Alright, fine, don't go then. But, we have to get going, Ron. We can't be late," Harry announced, getting up. The redhead stood up as well, sending us one last wave, before the two left the room.
"Have you ever noticed how often Lavender Brown stares at him?" Hermione muttered to me once the boys were gone.
"Who?" I questioned.
"Ronald, of course. It's disgusting! Everywhere he goes, she just...pops up!"
I smirked at her. "Somebody's jealous."
"I'd love to see how jealous you'll get once you see Ginny flirting it up with Harry," She taunted.
"Let her," I said, surprisingly unfazed by what she had just told me. "She's liked him longer than I have. Besides, I'm still not sure on how I want our relationship to turn out. Maybe it'd be better if we just remained friends."
"I'll be sure to bring that up at your guys' wedding. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Quidditch Match to attend."
>>>
I couldn't have been more pleased with my decision to stay indoors during the Match. Practically everyone was there, so I was left peacefully alone in the Slytherin common room. I had an entire couch to myself, where I curled up and, for the first time, put some real effort into my homework. The fire danced merrily in the fireplace, making a calming crackling sound. Who knew our common room could be such a relaxing place?
Much to my disappointment, someone entered about twenty minutes into my peaceful supposed-to-be hourlong alone time. I looked up, only to see Malfoy standing there.
"To whom to I owe the pleasure?" I asked, boredly.
"He knows," The blonde boy stated, his voice heavy with fear. "He knows what you did. He's gonna kill you!"
My heart sank, and my throat went dry. Malfoy began to pace, his eyes bloodshot and tearful. How was he so afraid? He wasn't the one about to die. Suddenly, my eyes widened.
"You ratted, didn't you?" I growled, standing up. My book and essay fell from my lap and onto the floor, but neither of us gave it any attention.
"N-No, I really didn't! I had no reason to!" He cried, backing away from me as I slowly moved closer to him.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"We agreed that neither of us would tell if the other didn't. You didn't spill, so neither did I!"
I looked into his grey eyes. For the first time, they looked genuine and truthful. Something in me said that he was being honest. After all, I'm sure someone like Malfoy would be proud to have done something like snitch on me to Voldemort.
"If I ever find out that this is your doing, I will kill you!" I barked, knotting my fingers in the roots of my hair. "What else do you know?"
"All I know is that he's looking for a way to get to you. I'll try to keep you updated, but there isn't much more I can do than that."
"That's all I'm asking from you. Can I just...have a second alone?"
Without another word, Malfoy turned and left. I was doomed, and there was no denying it. I was a goner, and it was all my fault.
