Bruises ~ In editing

~4~

I wake up to ice cold water.

Sputtering and gasping for air, I jump up, my eyes springing open. I hear laughing as the Slytherins in front of me all look down at me in malice.

"This is what you get you little Griffinpuss!"

"Where's Potter when you need him? Huh Black?"

I recognize the faces and can name some, but others are just bodies to me.

"Hope you slept well. The password is pure blood, by the way. Have fun trying to get ready in time huh?"

I watch as the mass walk quickly away, laughing the whole time. I push myself up, my hands burning in the process.

I walk to the door and say the password, anger burning my throat like bile.

I quickly find my trunk, sitting in the middle of the floor. Many words carved into the sides.

I sigh as I try to ignore them, opening the trunk quickly.

I watch as a snake flies out, a scream rising in my throat. I feel my panic fade as the snake slithers around, happy to be free of the trunk. Sadness sits on my chest as I pick it up, "Poor guy, how long have you been in there?"

I hold the snake softly in my hands as it slithers around my wrist, nestling into my skin.

I sigh, stroking its scaly skin when I feel it start to tighten. I narrow my eyes curiously until I see the snake start to spark.

I feel panic rise as I watch it swell then suddenly explode into fireworks. I feel the singeing of my skin, flailing my arm around in pain, "What the fuck is wrong with them?!"

I hear chuckling as I look up, seeing Draco Malfoy standing above me, "You should have known Black. No one wants you here."

I sigh in frustration, "I've found that out by now." My chuckle is sarcastic and short as I stand, shaking my arm painfully, "It's not really like I have a choice though, is it?"

I see Draco's eyes flicker in an almost understanding, but I'm sure I just imagined it as I drag my defaced trunk up the stairs to my dorm, my arm stinging in the process.

Once I'm up there I change as quickly as possible. I don't see anything wrong with my robes so I pull them on and quickly race out of the dorms to my first class.

Once I enter the Herbology lab, everyone looks over at me.

"Nice of you to finally show, huh Ms. Black? 10 points from Gryffindo- I'm sorry, Slytherin."

I feel the heat rise to my cheeks as I make my way to the back of the lab, everyone whispering amongst each other.

"Now class, were going to split up into pairs and begin some planting. Everyone find a partner."

I watch as everyone begins to run towards their friends, quickly choosing a partner when I realize, we have an uneven class.

I stand silently as everyone begins to grab their seeds.

"Ms. Black. Do you not have a partner?"

I look up at Ms. Sprout and shake my head, "No ma'am, but I'd rather work alone anyway."

I watch her eyebrows crease together in apparent concern, "Well alright, if you want."

I've never been one to work alone and she knows this. Despite my sometimes cool exterior, once you get to know me I'm bubbly and outgoing. Working alone has never been something I would do.

I grab a bag of seeds and a shovel as I follow the others to the field, getting down to dig small holes and plant the seeds.

Time flies by quickly when I focus on my work, standing to put away my seeds when Ms. Sprout says it's time to clean up.