Star Crossed

Chapter Thirteen- The warning

"Grisha, are you even listening to me?" Amber poked me hard in the arm, causing me to blink and refocus on her wide eyed expectant expression, I bit my lip. I had heard nothing of what Amber had been telling me, my thoughts had once again drifted, drifted to Tom and the lilac folder.
"Charming," she huffed, ruining the effect however by smirking.
"Sorry," I replied, "Forgive me?" I asked with puppy dog eyes.
"Hmm, only if I get to know what or who it is that is stealing your attention?" She asked playfully,
"Ha it's nothing scandalous I'm afraid just school work," I relied, hoping that I had sounded convincing.
"I saw you talking to that handsome Slytherin the other day," she smirked, obviously she had instead completely disregarded my explanation, Amber had an uncanny ability to know all of the gossip around Hogwarts and never missed anything.
"Who?" I asked innocently trying to buy myself time to think of a convincing story.
"That Tom Riddle of course! I could understand you thinking about him! Ah I think about him and I don't even know him." she looked off dramatically into the distance looking dreamy. 
"I thought you had your eye on Craig Thomas?" I asked, trying to take the focus away from Tom.
"Oh I do, but you know I have two eyes, so there is always an eye for someone else," she replied, we both laughed. Our conversation however was brought to an end as a sour faced blonde boy stood over us, looking down on us. 
Amber's face instantly changed from one of laughter to a deep scowl.
"Malfoy," She hissed at the boy before us.
"Weasley," He replied sharply.
"Is there something I can do for you? Point you in the direction of hell perhaps?" Amber snarled, it was no secret that the Weasley and the Malfoy family did not see eye to eye.
"Humorous as ever but it was in fact your friend here that I wished to talk with," Malfoy leered averting his eyes to me. Amber looked ready to protest when I intersected.
"Fine," I stood up from my place beside Amber on one of the courtyard benches and looked Malfoy dead in the face. We stayed like this staring at one another for a few minutes until he began to walk away, I followed behind him across the courtyard until he came to an abrupt stop in a shadowed corner of a deserted corridor and turned around to face me. 
"McLaggen," he addressed, screwing up his nose as if my name carried with it a bad smell.
"As you well know Malfoy, what is it?" I asked, agitated by his insufferable attitude.
"A warning," he replied, his grey eyes staring into my own blue ones, I scoffed at him.
"I'm serious McLaggen, you cannot fathom what a wizards of a certain calibre are capable of at this school,"
"Wizards of a certain calibre? I hope you're not talking about yourself there Malfoy," I laughed. 
"Shut up and listen to me," He hissed back, narrowing the gap between us.
"You know who I am talking about." He continued, his expression stern.
"Do I?" I questioned, yet I feared I knew exactly who Malfoy was talking about. My thoughts turned directly to the night in the corridor, where Tom had been confronting Malfoy about something and where Malfoy had addressed him as... 'My Lord'.
"You do not belong McLaggen," his voice was low as he looked around them to make sure they were still alone.
"I don't belong do I not? Well I do not force anyone to spend any time with me Malfoy. I feel as if this is a conversation you need to be having with someone else." I emphasised my words to make clear who exactly I meant by someone.
"Ha you don't understand do you? You are risking everything," He smirked.
"What do you care?" I hissed.
"I don't. I just don't want you to be an unnecessary messy interference," he replied hostilely.
"Are you threatening me?" I blurted, my blood beginning to boil, my voice raising.
"Malfoy," a severe voice called from out of the shadows. Malfoy tensed, his expression turning from one of confidence to one of fear. Tom was stood just a few feet away from us, looking murderous.
"A word," He said to Malfoy, as he looked between me and him questionably.
"I..." Malfoy began but was cut off instantly by nothing more than a look from Tom. Malfoy shot me one more look of pure loathing before turning reluctantly to follow Tom down the corridor. 

What had all that been about? Why did Malfoy want me out of the picture so much? It was as if he was jealous in a strange way of Tom spending any time with me. Was it really just because I am a Gryffindor?
"What was all that about?" Amber had now thought it safe to join me and stood beside me in the now empty corridor.
"Oh nothing," I replied brushing her off.
"Nothing? A likely story. Whatever he said to you Riddle looked furious," She grinned, pursing her lips together as if she knew something no one else did.
"Look it's nothing okay," I huffed. I wasn't in the mood for Amber's immature gossip right now. I would have liked to say that Malfoy's threats had not bothered me but I would have been lying. after all the other things I had unwittingly witnessed, my suspicions that something was going on behind closed Slytherin doors were only strengthened. 

    Later that evening myself, Wiglaf and Lazarus had sat in the Room of Requirement going over the recent news articles searching for links proving that Grindlewald was planning an attack upon Britain, yet I could not concentrate throughout the whole meeting. Tom had once again not showed up, to both of the boy's annoyance and yet I couldn't help but think about what had happened earlier that day. I didn't dare tell Wiglaf and Lazarus about it, they would instantly look into the situation and although I was almost sure there was nothing in Malfoy's threats I did not want to put either of them at risk. Tom was handling the situation I convinced myself, my hand absentmindedly reaching for my pendent.
"Grisha, what is wrong with you? You might as well also not be here," Wiglaf stated, an exasperated expression.
"Sorry, I'm just not feeling too well," I lied, guilt bubbling up inside my chest.
"What's wrong?" Lazarus asked, looking concerned.
"It's just a headache, I think I'm going to turn in though actually," I replied, standing up and quickly packing my belongings into my satchel.
"I'll see you both later," I added as I made to walk out of the room. I caught a glimpse of Wiglaf as I left and saw that his face was a mixture of concern and frustration. I bit my lip as I shut the door behind me and hurried off back to my dormitory, I wanted nothing more than to just forget about today completely.