Not Alone After All

Chapter XLVI

Ginny and Laurie had split up in order to go towards their common rooms. As she was leaving the girls dormitory, she came face to face with two boys she had never seen before, and yet they were both wearing the green Slytherin robes. They seemed to be mit discussion when the black haired boy noticed her presence.

"Laura!" Her eyebrows shot up. How did they know her name?

"Do I know you?" she asked the two.

"No, you don't. I'm... Alvin, this is, erm, my brother," he stuttered.

"Scott," the blonde boy told her. Laura knew these weren't their names, why would someone hesitate on their own names?

"Right," she trailed off. "I should go." Just as she was turning around, a voice called her out from the boy's corridor.

"Potter!" it said, and Laurie immediately recognised it, sighing.

"What, Malfoy?" she shot back, ignorant to the way 'Scott' hid behind 'Alvin's back when Draco walked into the common room.

"Pretty little show you put on in the Quidditch Finals," he commented. "My father wasn't pleased with your attitude."

"Your father grabbed me with his cane," she shot back angrily. "After having hit you with it. And who am I to please your father, Malfoy?"

"I just thought you'd want to behave that's all, seeing how close friends he is with Ministry officials," Draco shrugged.

"Right, because I definitely care," she told him with an obviously fake sweet smile.

"Of course you don't," he answered with a smirk. "Now come on, you don't want to miss the feast. Father says there is something big coming." This immediately intrigued her and the rivalry was completely washed away.

"Oh, you too? Mr. Weasley almost spilled what was going on earlier this week," she said, curiosity shining in her eyes.

"Well, come on, then," he said, nodding towards the door. Laura shouted a quick goodbye at the two boys and followed the blonde boy into the corridor.

♧♧♧

Knowing she couldn't sit with her friends during dinnertime, specially during the feast, Laura followed Malfoy and sat with him and his friends. To be completely honnest  she didn't hate Draco. He didn't speak to her the way he spoke to Harry, or Hermione. However, she hated Draco's friends. Crabbe, Goyle, and especially Pansy. They were horrendous towards her, and Draco would never say anything about it when they were around. That was the main reason she didn't hang out with him much. That and the racist parents that worked for the people who killed her own parents.

Anyways, Pansy was being her usual arse self before Dumbledore shushed everybody and began his speech. First years were sorted and the excitement level of the students grew as they knew something was coming. What came, however, was not what they had expected. Dumbledore announced that the Quidditch Cup would not take place this year.

"What?" Laura exclaimed, earning a quiet laugh form Draco who was next to her. Draco was on the team, but he didn't exactly enjoy qu3idditch. He only became seeker to go against Harry back in his second year, and that's only because his father made him do so.

"Are you kidding?" Came another loud voice from the Gryffindor table that Laura immediately recognised, and apparently so did the Headmaster. Laughter erupted before Dumbledore put his hand up, signaling silence.

"No, I am not kidding Mr. Weasley," he assured the boy. Laura caught sight of said twin and she snickered when she saw his face, which was becoming redder by the second.

Dumbledore went on to explaining the TriWizard Tournament. Everyone seemed excited, until he pointed out that only students of age could participate. The booing  that followed could be heard throughout the whole castle. Laura could also hear the distinct voices of Fred and George whining, knowing they would only turn of age in April.

The headmaster told them that students from Drumstrang and Beauxbâtons would be coming over, and those of age would be allowed to pu their names into something called the Goblet of Fire. That would take place on the 31st of October, on Halloween.

"Hey, had you been born three years earlier, you'd be the exact age to participate," Draco commented, handing her the jug of pumpkin juice as the feast began.

"Yeah," Laura nodded with barely any enthusiasm. She didn't particularly enjoy talking about her birthday, seeing as it was the day her parents were killed. Draco seemed to read into it and changed the subject.

"Would you have put your name in, do you think? Were you old enough, I mean," he asked her.

"Definitely not," Laura laughed. "I get into enough trouble as it is, I don't think I'd deliberately put myself into this kind of danger."

"A thousand Galleons, though," Pansy piped in. "That could be fun."

"It's not like she needs it," Crabbe commented.

"I wouldn't know," Pansy said with a shrug. "She's always hanging out with the Weasels, basically is one. And Merlin knows they need it." Laura sent her a glare and closed her hands into fists to keep them from shaking in anger.

"You don't know them, Parkinson," Laura said, trying to keep her calm. Pansy, snorted and Crabbe and Goyle laughed along with her.

"Oh no, but you know them enough for the four of us, don't you? Spend so much time with them I can smell it on you," the girl spat at her.

Laura couldn't help the anger that built inside her and before anyone could stop her, she had stood up and walked out of the Great Hall, not caring about the silence that she left behind as half the school watched her as she left.