✔️ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐆𝐎 → ℎ. 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑛 𝑠𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑦

18 | C R A C K

will I ever be more
than I've always been?

"OKAY, I NEED a break." Panting, Ember sacked against Fred's chest, who was just about to start moving to the music of the next song of the band. "Really, Fred, give me five minutes, you hyperactive git!"

A playful pout on his lips, he sighed. "One could expect that after two hours of nonstop dancing your lazy arse has finally warmed up", he then said, but leading her away from the dancefloor to one of the tables.

"My lazy arse is glowing", Ember laughed. "Let's get something to drink, that might cool me down."

"Ah, just stay here, Mylady, I'll get us some drinks. I know your feet are probably feeling like dead ferrets right now."

"How do you know?"

"Because they smell like dead ferrets."

"Charming, Fredward", Ember snorted. "Really adorable! You were about to leave, weren't you?"

His grin was one of those things, why Ember from the very first train ride on grew closer and closer to Fred, as well as George, with every passing day. There was no chance to feel not completely delighted and happy when those two troublemakers wore their mischievous smirks, having Ember caught up in the feeling that there was nothing to worry about in this world.

As Fred walked away - not before winking at her - lost in some empty thoughts she Ember for a while watched Cedric dancing with Cho, waving at him as he caught her eyes -

"Aw, he already ditched you? It had taken longer than I would have bet on."

Head jerking around, Ember looked up into a pale face glaring down at her, lips curved into a crooked smile.

"Ah, that explains the smell of dead ferrets", Ember coldly replied, and the smirk dropped from Draco Malfoy's face. "What do you want?"

"I'm trying to have a conversation", he snarled and was about to sit down next to her. Ember's foot shot forward, linking around the leg of the chair next to her, quickly pulling it aside.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed, stopping in his movement and turning back around to glare down at Ember, who said, "And I'm trying to subtly avoid it."

"See, you can dress up whatever you want, Potter, in the end you're still nothing but a graceless little -"

Harshly grabbed by his shoulders and shoved around, Malfoy was suddenly faced with Ron - and he didn't look ecstatic.

"C'mon, Malfoy, finish that sentence", he growled, eyebrows furrowed. Satisfied, Ember noticed that Ron was way taller than Malfoy, and with that expression upon his face he made a really impressive picture.

But Malfoy just snorted. "What if I would, Weaslebee?", he commented. "You don't really think you have the balls to start a fight here in front of all of those teachers and ministry people. Your filth of a father won't be happy if his son is ashaming his bloodtraitor family even more, don't you think?"

"Wanna try to figure out?", hissed, stepping closer, fists already clenched. Ember could see Malfoy's eyes flicker across the room, scanning the crowd, surely searching for Crabbe and Goyle, but also trying to figure out his chances of being seen by a teacher; but Crabbe and Goyle were busy at the buffet, and the teachers all were sunken in their own conversations. "What is it, Malfoy?", Ron scoffed, and the Slytherin's eyes flickered back to him. "No one around to save your bloody arse? C'mon, say it! Give me a reason."

"You think I'm afraid of you, Weaslette?", Malfoy snarled, and Ember raised in her chair as she saw his pale fingers tighten around his wand. "Think you can play the hero, saving the damsel in distress? Well, she indeed is nothing but a graceless little sl-"

It happened faster than the blink of an eye, faster than a lightning bolt. Ron's fist jerked up, and the next thing Ember knew was that blood stained her dress. Malfoy's nose had made an awfully creepy cracking noise. He didn't scream, just a tiny gasp escaped his lips as he stumbled back, before his hands snapped up to cover his obviously broken nose.

"Ron!", Ember exclaimed, half shocked, half fascinated. "Are you okay?"

"Is he okay?", Malfoy moaned. "Are you kidding me? He broke my nose!"

"Yeah, and I'm sure your father will hear about that", Ember dryly replied without looking at him. "But to be honest, nobody beside him is really caring about it, so shut up, oka- oh."

"Miss Potter. Mr. Weasley." His voice as deathly as ever, of all the teachers who could have noticed Ron punching Malfoy, it of course had to be Severus Snape. Like the gigantic bat he was, he had appeared out of nothingness next to the blonde Slytherin, but not even looking at him for the split of a second. Instead his icy glare was fixated on the Hufflepuff and the Gryffindor. "Why is Mr. Malfoy's nose bleeding?"

"He insulted Ember", Ron growled, his fist still clenched, as was his jaw.

Snape raised an eyebrow over his unfathomable dark eyes, glaring down at Ron over his long, crooked nose. "I didn't know the process of a simple insult causes such injuries, Mr. Weasley. You may want to give your explanation another go?"

"It was a violent insult", Ron now retorted in a casual voice, and Ember couldn't hind a little snicker slip over her lips. Snape's mercyless black eyes immediately landed on her, and she quickly bit her lip to keep herself quiet.

"Fifty points", the potions master hissed, still staring at Ember, "from Gryffindor, Weasley." His gaze flicked back at Ron.

"What?", Ron exclaimed. "But sir, he was harassing Ember!"

"That doesn't give you the permission to practice this sort of violence. This still is an educational institution, not the playground of a muggle school! Now stop complaining, or I'll make it another fifty points. Now out of my sight!"

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