"Someone wants me," I whisper to Fatima as she's about to turn down the aisle to go sit down.
"What?" She asks and I motion back to Malfoy. "Oh God. Don't go please. I can't be alone with Neville."
"I'll only be gone for like a moment," I say and she gives me pleading eyes. "I promise. Seamus will be there too! Just, if you get nervous, talk to Seamus."
"Alright, but if I piss myself, I'm gonna blame you," she says making me laugh.
"Alright," I say with a giggle before turning around and going towards Malfoy as he walks into towards the corner. "What, Malfoy?"
"Looks like you're getting comfortable with Longbottom, eh?" He asks with mischief in his eyes. Oh please.
"Can I not get to know new people?" I scoff as I hold my books against my chest.
"Be my guest, but I wouldn't want to get with someone who lives with his grandmother," Malfoy smirks.
"I'm sorry, what does this have to do with you?" I ask, annoyed.
"Nothing would be better than to embarrass you, Chronicle," he says.
"Well, have fun with that," I say and try to turn around but he grabs my wrist and turns me around.
"I'm not joking, Chronicle. You will not forget me this year," he tells me as he lowers his voice.
"How pleasant," I say with a fake smile before shaking out of his grip. I turn around and walk towards the table and I roll my eyes. What broomstick is stuck up his arse?
____________________________________
"Morning, Emmy!" Luke says as he comes up to me at breakfast. I'm rubbing my eye and turn to him as he sits down next to me. "You're the only one up so far, huh?"
"Yeah, Genevieve is braiding Tora's hair while Fatima is trying to get every last second of sleep in. I wanted to get a moment to myself anyways this morning," I say as I look down at the book that I was reading.
"Oh, am I interrupting?" He asks me, bracing himself to stand up.
"No, of course not! Please, join me," I say with a smile.
"So, Malfoy? Has he been pestering you?" Luke asks as he grabs a muffin off the breakfast platter on the table.
"Not too bad. He's just annoying," I say with a shrug and tuck my hair behind my ear. "I just am more confused on why me? Why this year? I don't get it."
"Well, I figure he's mad about you sticking up for me. That never happens," he tells me. "He usually just calls me those names when I'm alone and no one can help."
"What a prick," I say shaking my head.
"But still, I can't wrap my head around why he took that small act so heavily," he explains.
"That's what I'm trying to figure out!" I tell him eagerly. "It's just... I don't know. It makes me mad that I don't know!"
"Well, don't worry. We can figure this out," Luke says putting his hand on my shoulder. I look up at him and he's smiling at me. What is this all about?
"Thanks, Luke, but you really don't have to do that," I say, trying to put him off but in a nice way. He takes his hand off my shoulder but is still grinning at me.
"Of course I do! I'm the person that got you into this mess. If you weren't walking with me, you wouldn't have even been put in that situation," he says with an empathetic smile.
"It's not your fault Malfoy is the worst!" I say, maybe a bit too loud. I look around and make sure no one was looking at me.
"True, but I feel like I should help," he says with a shrug. "Unless you don't want me to."
"Of course I want you to! I just don't want you to feel obligated," I say with a smile.
"Alright, let's get down to business then," he says whipping out a piece of parchment and a quill.
