Heliophilia; d.m

II

VIOLET

That evening, when I entered the room that was to be my bedroom for the next few years, I saw a girl flipping through a book, lying on her stomach on her bed. She was twirling a strand of honey-blond hair between her fingers, and as soon as I stepped into the room, she sat up enthusiastically, tucking her legs under her.

"Hi, Violet." Her lips formed a charming smile, and she tilted her head to the side, looking at me as if she was waiting for something.

"I'm Kristen."

Her voice was so velvety, it was associated with honey or liquid caramel, which, in a sweet, warm wave, covered me with my head, making me feel comfortable. I liked Kristen immediately, she radiated an inner warmth, and I was overjoyed that we got along from the first day.

She was very talkative, curious, funny and interesting, I had never met such people, and in my heart I breathed a sigh of relief, noting that I might not have to be alone until I finished the school.

The next morning was my first day as a Hogwarts student and I didn't even know what to expect.
I knew a lot about magic and more, but I was still a little nervous walking through unfamiliar corridors for my first defense against the dark arts class. There was a tight knot of nerves in me that made it hard for me to breathe or hear anything but my heartbeat.

I entered the classroom and took a seat at the last desk, because I thought that in three years, everyone had already been assigned to their desks and in pairs, so I didn't want to argue with anyone about taking someone else's seat.
But after a few minutes, I felt someone sit down next to me. Someone with heavy breathing.

I turned and saw a guy in Slytherin robes, who looked familiar, but I definitely didn't know his name. He fussed over his book and continued to breathe loudly and heavily. Then he looked at me as if he'd just noticed that he wasn't sitting at that desk alone.

"You're new. Violet, right?" His breathing calmed a little, and his eyes were focused on me, waiting for my answer.

I nodded slightly, feeling the look in his small eyes made me feel uncomfortable.

"I'm Vincent Crabbe." He spoke almost proudly and held out his hand, a smile spread across his ruddy face, and it made my thoughts that he was a little intimidating at first push away.

I gently placed my hand in his, feeling how soft and warm his skin was, and giggled when he shook it hard.

He seemed like a droll fellow to me, and even the memory of the previous day, when he and his friend had stood on either side of Draco Malfoy, as if guarding his master, could not make me think otherwise.

"Did you run the morning cross?" I asked after a while, watching with interest as he clumsily pulled out his class supplies from his backpack.

"What?"

"I mean, why are you breathing like that?"

"Oh, I overslept and was late everywhere. There's a new Professor, he scares me a little. So I was in a hurry." He whispered, looking around nervously, and frowned, realizing that most of the people in the class weren't there.

"Well done. You made it." I tapped him on the right shoulder while someone tapped him on the left one at the same time.

"There you are." A familiar male voice spoke, and the next second a blond head appeared in front of my eyes. This Draco took the desk in front of ours, half-turned.

"Violet Sombrey." He said in a slightly haughty tone when he noticed me. "It's impossible to catch you, I can see."

His long fingers tapped the wooden surface of the desk, and his overall posture was relaxed.

He exuded confidence and ease, looking at me from under half-closed lids, with a slight smirk on his lips, and his blond hair falling over his forehead. He looked... good, I thought but immediately cut these thoughts off.

"And why would you want to catch me?" I raised my eyebrows and rested my chin on my hands clasped in front of me.

He looked a little confused but he quickly pulled himself together and put on a cheeky smile again.

"Don't flatter yourself, I'm just curious about you. For example, your blood status... you know, I don't really like hanging out with non-purebloods." He shrugged, exchanging glances with his friends.

"But what makes you think I want to hang out with you?"

The question that came out of my mouth made his jaw clench, his eyes narrow; I could feel like I was playing with fire, but I had to admit that fire always attracted me with its warmth, so not a muscle moved on my face, even though everything inside me was exulting.

"Watch it, you—"

"Time to study, kids." The professor, who had entered the classroom, put a hand on Draco's shoulder, silencing him in mid-sentence, and with a wry smile, limped over to his desk.

"Maybe next time." Before Draco turned away, I whispered, smiling triumphantly.

DRACO

That girl. That girl... I didn't even have the words.

She'd only been there two days and she'd already pissed me off. Together with the new professor, who was rude and aggressive, with too loud a voice and abrupt gestures, they did not inspire me with any desire to learn this subject.

I groaned inwardly and took a deep breath. This was just the beginning of the day, I had to be patient.

"So, can anyone tell us these curses?" The professor's voice snapped me out of my deep thoughts after a few minutes.
I missed almost everything he was talking about, but I had no regrets about it, I already knew everything.

His eyes then scanned the entire class, choosing who would answer his question from those who raised their hands ready to answer.

But then he fixed his gaze on someone in our direction.

"Yes, miss...?"

"Sombrey." Her voice came from behind me, making me roll my eyes — I'd be surprised if she didn't want to prove herself and her intelligence.

"Ah, Violet Sombrey, yes, I know you."

I frowned, turning my head slightly in her direction, noticing that she pursed her lips at his words.

She quickly told him the three unforgivable spells without thinking for a second and fell silent for the rest of the class.

I didn't really care much about her, but I was wondering why only the professors knew her, why Dumbledore had said they were waiting for her there, as if something was stopping her from starting at Hogwarts from the very beginning, and why her name was completely unfamiliar.

She was like a second Harry Potter.

And there was something strange about her.