"Chronicle," Blaise looks me up and down as I slide into my seat next to Malfoy.
"Hello," I say, avoiding eye contact with him.
"See ya later Malfoy," Blaise tells the boy next to me however I still feel his eyes burning into the side of my head.
"You ready for our presentation?" Malfoy asks.
"I mean, we've been working on it for ages, so I hope so," I tell him as I look through my notes. "I'm bloody nervous though."
"Oh God, whenever you say that you sound like Weasley," Malfoy groans.
"And?" I ask, looking up at him.
"Nothing," he shakes his head. I then turn my eyes back onto the piece of parchment to try and memorise the bits I don't have down. Moments go by before he speaks up again. "I think you'll do great, no need to be nervous."
"Thanks, Malfoy," I say, holding back a smile as I keep focus on my notes. "You as well."
"You know, there's going to be no reason for us to meet in the library once we're done with our project," I hear him say under his breath.
"Yeah, I guess so." I let out a deep breath as I come to a rough conclusion: Malfoy and I are just friends. Not only are we just friends, but he doesn't even like to be around me. He probably feels obligated to hang out with me. There's no way a guy like that would ever-
"Chronicle." A voice shuts out the overwhelming thoughts surrounding my self-conscious. I look up at Malfoy. "Did you hear me?"
"Erm... yeah," I lie but it's obvious that it wasn't the truth.
"Wow, you're a good liar," he smirks. "I said I guess we'll have to find another reason to see each other then."
"Oh yeah?" I ask with a scoff and a smile as I look up at him. "And what's that?"
"I'll get back to you on that," he raises his eyebrows before looking back at his hands, playing with a ring on them.
"What-"
"Morning class, today is the day: presentations!" Professor Burbage says, taking her place in the front of the classroom.
"I guess that gives you more of a reason to see me tomorrow after school," Malfoy whispers to me as he leans closer. He leans back and doesn't keep his eyes off of Professor.
"Any volunteers?" She asks, looking down a page of parchment that's levitating in front of her before looking back out into the seats. As presentations are underway, I can't stop thinking about Malfoy and what schemes he has planned for tomorrow afternoon.
"Miss Chronicle, Mr. Malfoy, would you like to go next?" Professor asks and eyes are laid on us.
"Yes ma'am," I say back with a nod as Malfoy and I both stand up from our seats and grab our notes. I feel Malfoy's eyes on me as we walk down the aisles and up to the front of the classroom.
My head keeps repeating the following: "Don't get sick, don't get sick, don't get sick."
________
"Looks like all that studying paid off, Emmaline," Genevieve smirks at me as we sit down in the Hufflepuff common room. We're sat in a cozy area upstairs, away from the few other students.
"Oh, stuff it," I roll my eyes. "I just hope there isn't any bias playing into our marks. Burbage hates me and Malfoy for no reason."
"No reason, eh? Youse two chatted for the first two weeks of school, non-stop," she laughs as she shakes her head. "I still can't believe you would ever even talk to that loaf. He's just such a... character."
