two : A GOOD DAY TO DIE

chapter ii : a good day to die.

"WHAT DID WE DO?"

THE FOUR TROUBLED STUDENTS had their own books and bags repeatedly whacking them over the head as they bolted through the corridors, a frantic symphony of thumps and frustrated yelps, courtesy of Madam Pince's potent enchantment. Gratefully, as they ran further from the library's hallowed (and now very angry) halls, the enchantment slowly, blessedly, wore off. When the last book finally dropped with a soft thud, the group decided to simply stroll around the castle, catching their breath and regaining their composure until their first class of the day began. Ron, Harry, and Eric quickly fell into easy chatter about Quidditch, their voices a comfortable drone, while Valerie's pocket vibrated with a new text message.

lover boy 9:51am

what sort of trouble did you cause now?seen

sorry what?

i saw you and ur friends being whacked by books while running away 💀

it was because eric ate chocolate in the library 😭 madam pince screamed at usseen

"We should start walking to class now." Harry suggested and the three others follow along.

lover boy 9:53am

(typing...)

i have class now, bye?left on seen

They made their way towards the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, their earlier library antics fading as a new unease settled in. Valerie, eyes scanning ahead, spotted Neville standing alone outside the classroom door, his posture unusually stiff. A knot of concern tightened in her stomach, prompting her to quicken her pace. "Hey, Neville?" Valerie's voice was gentle, "Why are you out of class early?" She wondered.

"Oh, hello," Neville's reply was high-pitched and reedy, a thin sound stretched taut with thinly veiled horror. He darted his eyes around, desperately avoiding their gazes. "I had an interesting lesson—I wonder what's for lunch, I'm starving, aren't you?"

Valerie's frown deepened. This wasn't just Neville being awkward: something truly unsettling had happened. "Neville, what happened?" She pressed, her voice laced with genuine worry. Eric, Harry, and Ron stood beside her, their faces mirroring her concern.

Had he been bullied again?

"Oh, I'm fine..." He lied, the words unnaturally high, barely a whisper.

Ron exchanged a startled look with Harry, his own face paling. "Neville, what's wrong—" The school bell's clear, insistent chime cut him off, signaling the start of the next class.

Students began spilling out of the classroom, and then Professor Moody himself limped into view. "It's alright, Longbottom," He grumbled, his voice a gravelly rumble that offered little comfort. "Why don't I get some books that might interest you quickly, before I teach my next class." Neville's wide eyes pleaded with Harry, Ron, Valerie, and Eric, a silent plea for rescue, but they stood frozen, unsure how to react. Neville had no choice but to allow himself to be steered away, one of Moody's gnarled hands gripping his shoulder.

The students filed into the classroom, the air thick with an unsettling anticipation.

They pulled out their copies of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection, and waited, a nervous hush falling over the room for their new Professor to arrive. Valerie slid into a desk beside Eric, while Harry and Ron settled into the desks directly in front of them. Eric nudged Valerie's arm, his eyes flicking subtly to her left, a silent signal about who had decided to sit uncomfortably close.

Eric casually popped a fresh piece of minty gum into his mouth, the soft chew barely audible.

Valerie's eyes followed Eric's gaze.

Her breath hitched.

There they were: Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy, seated at the desks directly beside her.

Both were grinning, those smug, knowing smiles that immediately set her teeth on edge.

Of course. She thought.

A familiar blend of annoyance and an inconvenient flutter in her stomach. He looked... irritatingly handsome, even just sitting there, a casual arrogance in his posture, his silver-blond hair catching the light.

Valerie groaned, a low, frustrated sound, and quickly looked away. "They're really trying to taunt me, aren't they?" She whispered to Eric, a sharp, frustrated edge to her voice. He gave a firm nod in agreement.

Soon, they heard Moody's distinctive, heavy clunking footsteps echoing down the corridor.

He entered the room, looking as strange and frightening as ever, his whirling magical eye casting an unsettling aura. He stood in front of the classroom, his gaze sweeping over them like a restless hawk. "Alastor Moody..." He introduced himself, his voice a low, gravelly rasp, before turning abruptly to the chalkboard. With a harsh scrape, he began furiously writing, the chalk screeching against the slate. "Ex-Auror." He threw the chalk away, the sharp crack echoing in the tense silence. "—Ministry malcontent... And your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I am here because Dumbledore asked me. End of story, goodbye, the end. Any questions?"

No one dared to answer. The silence was absolute, heavy with apprehension.

"When it comes to the Dark Arts... I believe in a practical approach. But first, which of you can tell me how many Unforgivable Curses there are?"

Hermione's hand shot up instantly, as usual, a beacon of academic readiness. "Three, sir." Her voice was clear, though a tremor of nervousness was perceptible.

"—And they are so named?" Moody's magical eye whirred, fixing on her.

Hermione gulped, swallowing hard. "Because they are unforgivable. The use of any one of them will—"

"—Will earn you a one-way ticket to Azkaban, correct." Professor Moody finished, scrawling the last word roughly on the chalkboard. He spun around, his gaze piercing. "The Ministry says you're too young to see what these curses do. I say different! You need to know what you're up against!" He wrote on the chalkboard once again, the sharp scraping sound grating on their nerves. "—You need to be prepared... You need to find another place to put your chewing gum besides the underside of your desk, Mr. Lewis!" He suddenly bellowed, his voice like thunder.

Every single student in the room immediately snapped their heads around to face their mortified classmate.

"No way. The old codger can see out the back of his head," Eric stated, his voice a mixture of awe and disbelief. Before he could finish, Professor Moody threw a piece of chalk directly at his head, which Eric, with surprising agility, barely dodged.

"AND HEAR ACROSS CLASSROOMS!" Moody roared. The class collectively shuddered.

message sent from lover boy

i hope ur friend gets detention 🤡seen

Valerie's breath hitched. A gasp, loud and undeniable, escaped her lips. He's here! He's in this class! The realisation hit her, a sudden, blinding certainty.

"—Miss Potter, do you have a problem?" Professor Moody's voice, gravelly and sharp, cut through the sudden silence. His magical eye whirred, fixing on her with an unnerving intensity.

Valerie rapidly shoved the phone back into her pocket, her heart hammering against her ribs. "No, sir," She managed, her voice a little too high. Gratefully, Professor Moody merely grunted, shrugging off her strange outburst.

"WEASLEY!" He bellowed, his voice echoing through the tense classroom.

Ron jumped, practically levitating in his seat. "YES, SIR?" He squeaked, his eyes wide with terror as he stared at the formidable teacher.

"Stand." Professor Moody commanded, his voice devoid of warmth. "Give us a curse."

Ron swallowed hard, his gaze darting nervously. "Well... My dad did tell me about one... The Imperius Curse..."

"—Oh, yeah," Moody interrupted, a dark, knowing glint in his eye. "Your father would know all about that. Gave the Ministry quite a bit of grief a few years ago. Perhaps this will show you why..." He turned away from Ron, a chilling implication in his tone, and Ron slowly, shakily, sat back down, looking utterly miserable.

Professor Moody then lifted the glass lid of a jar, revealing a large, hairy spider. "Hello... lovely little beauty..." He murmured, his voice surprisingly soft for a moment as the spider crawled onto his gnarled hand. "Engorgio. Imperio!" With a flick of his wand, the spider swelled to grotesque proportions, then, as if by an invisible string, it launched itself onto Caleb Bradbury's head. Caleb yelped, nearly toppling backward in his chair. "Don't worry. It's completely harmless." Moody's words were belied by the horrified shrieks from most of the class.

A nervous wave of laughter rippled through the room, though it was mostly a release of terrified tension.

Professor Moody, seemingly enjoying the chaos, continued to magically place the enlarged spider on unsuspecting students without their consent. "If she bites... she's lethal," He drawled, his eye twinkling with grim amusement.

He then settled the enormous arachnid on poor Ron's head.

Ron froze, his face a ghastly shade of green, his eyes glued to the monstrous creature scuttling inches from his nose. Beside Valerie, she could hear Malfoy's distinct, sneering laughter.

Valerie's head snapped to her left. Draco Malfoy, leaning back in his chair, was genuinely amused, a smirk playing on his impossibly perfect lips, his eyes sparkling with mirth.

He looks so irritatingly handsome when he laughs like that, she thought, a frustrated heat rising in her cheeks, immediately followed by annoyance at her own reaction. Of course, he finds this funny.

"—What are you laughing at?" Moody's voice boomed, startling Draco. Before Malfoy could even compose himself, the spider was magically yanked from Ron's head and, with a sickening thud, landed squarely on Draco Malfoy's face. The smirk vanished instantly, replaced by a wide-eyed, undignified squawk of disgust. The entire class erupted into uncontrollable laughter, a roaring wave of delight, as Draco frantically batted at the monstrous creature now clinging to his nose.

Even Valerie, despite her conflicted feelings, couldn't help but let out a surprised, delighted snort of laughter.

"—Talented, isn't she? What should I have her do next? Jump out the window? Drown herself?" Moody's voice was a chilling drawl as he scooped the now-docile spider back onto his hand. "Scores of witches and wizards have claimed they only did 'You-Know-Who's' bidding... under the influence of the Imperius Curse. But here's the rub: How do we sort out the liars?... Another? Another?" Half the classroom tentatively raised their hands, including Valerie, her own hand rising almost unconsciously.

Professor Moody's magical eye whirred, settling on her. "Yes, Miss Potter?"

"There's—" Valerie began, but the words caught in her throat. Her gaze flickered to the spider, then to the memory of Neville's terrified, high-pitched voice. The pieces clicked into place, a cold dread washing over her. She knew exactly what curse would come next, and why Neville had been so horrified. "The Cruciatus Curse," She finished, her voice barely a whisper, though it cut through the lingering tension in the room.

"Correct!" Moody barked, a grim satisfaction in his tone. "The torture curse." He pointed his wand at the insect, his voice suddenly sharp. "Crucio!"

A high-pitched, agonising squeal erupted from the spider, piercing the classroom's silence. Its multi-jointed legs spasmed wildly, twitching and scrabbling against Moody's palm as if trying to tear itself apart. Valerie felt a sudden surge of nausea, her stomach churning. The horror of Neville's earlier distress now made sickening sense. This wasn't just a demonstration: it was cruel, a brutal display performed for a room full of teenagers.

The spider's torment continued, its desperate squeals echoing, a sound that seemed to scrape against their very bones. "Perhaps someone could give me the last Unforgivable Curse?" Moody's voice was deceptively calm. The classroom remained silent, no hands dared to rise this time, everyone seemingly too disturbed, too uneasy, to answer. "No one?.... Avada Kedavra!" His wand flashed, releasing a blinding, emerald-green light that shot across the room.

The spider's squealing cut off instantly, replaced by an unnerving, absolute silence. Its legs curled inward, and it lay motionless on Moody's hand, a tiny, unblemished corpse.

"The Killing Curse..." Moody's gaze swept over the students, lingering for a moment. "Only two people are known to have survived it... And they are sitting in this room." Harry felt his face redden, the sudden weight of every eye in the room pressing down on him.

Meanwhile, Valerie's gaze never broke from the tiny, lifeless spider.

It lay there, perfect and still, devoid of any mark, exactly as it had been before the flash of green light. Her mind raced, a torrent of unanswerable questions forming. So that was it. That was how my parents had died. Exactly like that spider.

Her chest ached with a sudden, sharp pain.

Had they been unblemished and unmarked too? Had they simply seen that terrible flash of green light and heard the terrifying rush of speeding death, before life was wiped from their bodies?

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ♡ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

THE CLASS SPENT the rest of the lesson in a hushed, uneasy silence, diligently taking notes on each of the Unforgivable Curses. No one dared to speak above a whisper until the bell's jarring ring finally cut through the tension. When Moody curtly dismissed them and they spilled out of the classroom, a torrent of pent-up talk burst forth, loud and immediate.

Most students were chattering excitedly, as though the gruesome lesson had been some sort of spectacular, albeit morbid, show. Valerie, however, felt a deep, persistent ache in her stomach.

As Eric walked to their next class with her, he immediately noticed her unusual quietness. "You alright, V?" He asked, his voice laced with concern.

Valerie snapped out of her grim thoughts, her eyes wide with lingering disgust. "How could he do that?" She whispered, referring to Professor Moody. "It was... highly inappropriate for him to perform that. I-I mean, didn't you see Neville's face?"

"I know right!" Eric exclaimed, shuddering dramatically. "Classes with Moody are officially my least favourite now—" Eric and Valerie were about to step through the classroom door when their path was abruptly blocked by their Potions Professor, his black robes billowing around him like wings of a bat.

"Not so fast, Miss Potter and Mr. Lewis." Professor Snape's voice was a low, silken sneer. "Into my office, now!"

The duo stared, wide-eyed with disbelief. "WHAT DID WE DO?!" They complained in unison, but followed their teacher, resigned, into his notoriously dark and stuffy office.

The heavy door slammed shut behind them with a resounding thud, echoing the finality of their predicament. Professor Snape turned, his dark eyes glittering with ill-concealed triumph as he began to scold the young students. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you two manage to brew on these school grounds?!"

"Yes." Valerie and Eric answered in unison, their voices flat. At least they were honest, even if it didn't help their case.

"Especially the little stunt you two pulled on me last year..." Snape drawled. Eric and Valerie couldn't help but exchange a quick, mischievous glance, a shared smile tugging at their lips as the memory resurfaced.

FLASHBACK - YEAR THREE POTIONS

Eric and Valerie were currently standing, shoulders slumped, in front of the classroom beside Professor Snape, serving their punishment for not paying attention.

They had been busy stifling explosive bursts of laughter over Eric's phone.

Somehow, they snapped a picture of Snape through a hilarious photo filter that made his eyes bulge out like a startled pufferfish.

Every stolen glance at the screen sent fresh tremors of silent amusement through them.

Eric was biting his cheek, his face contorting into a silent scream of mirth, while Valerie had tears welling, her shoulders shaking as she pressed a hand over her mouth.

One particularly unfortunate snort from Eric caused Snape to pause, his gaze sweeping suspiciously over them.

They instantly adopted expressions of exaggerated studiousness, Valerie furiously scribbling on blank parchment, Eric feigning a coughing fit.

The sheer absurdity of it all only made them want to laugh harder.

It was a tiny, utterly stupid distraction, but in Snape's oppressive classroom, it was the funniest thing in the world.

Professor Snape continued lecturing the class, his monotone voice droning on.

Eric nudged Valerie's arm.

She glanced down, and he smirked, subtly revealing a small vial filled with a shimmering pink, glittery potion. Valerie grinned back, a spark of mischievous excitement in her eyes, and allowed him to pour the sandy substance onto the palm of her hand.

Valerie glanced at the Professor, who was preoccupied with his lesson, waiting for the perfect moment to add their unexpected ingredient. Harry, seated next to Hermione and Ron, shook his head 'no,' a silent but stern warning.

Hermione, meanwhile, wore a familiar expression of disappointed resignation, while Ron's eyes gleamed with eager anticipation for the imminent stunt.

As Professor Snape turned to search for another potion, Valerie seized the opportunity, completely ignoring Harry's warning. She quickly tipped the pink glittery sand into the cauldron. Instantly, the moment Professor Snape added his next ingredient, a violent pink explosion erupted, splattering directly into his face.

When the thick, sweet-smelling pink smoke finally dissipated, it revealed Professor Snape, his usually sleek bob of black hair now a startling, vibrant shade of shocking pink.

A stunned silence hung in the air for a single beat, then every student in the classroom burst into uncontrollable laughter, a roaring wave that echoed off the dungeon walls.

END OF FLASHBACK

           "—I have to admit," Eric ventured, a twinkle in his eye. "You did look rather glamorous with pink hair."

Valerie nodded, stifling a grin. "You slayed the look, Professor."

"ENOUGH!" Professor Snape roared, his face darkening with barely contained fury. He spun on his heel and rushed out of his office, his black cape dramatically floating behind him as it always did, a dark, theatrical flourish. The duo scrambled to follow him, a fresh wave of anxiety washing over their lingering amusement.

The chattering amongst the students in the classroom instantly ceased at the sight of their furious teacher, their faces turning into masks of innocence.

"Since Miss Potter and Mr. Lewis cannot behave themselves," Snape announced, his voice laced with venomous satisfaction, "I'll be partnering them up with the two top students in this class, which they must stay with for the rest of the year."

Top two students? Valerie frowned, genuinely confused. "I thought I was the second top student, right after Hermione in first place, sir?"

Snape stared down at his student, his expression stern, but a hint of malicious glee played around his lips. "To my dismay, you are one of the top students... However, you place third place. Miss Granger is in first and Mr. Malfoy is in second."

"Malfoy?!" Valerie quietly whined, the name a strangled sound that was half protest, half internal groan. Across the room, Draco Malfoy was already grinning widely, a look of infuriating triumph on his face. He had always assumed he was far more intelligent than Valerie, often making snide comments about it, but it had never been definitively confirmed until now.

And he was clearly relishing the moment.

Out of nowhere, Eric, with surprising speed, made a beeline for the empty seat beside Hermione. "I claim to be partnered with Hermione!" He announced, planting himself firmly.

"There's no way you can allow that, Professor!" Valerie exclaimed, truly in disbelief. "I want to be the one partnered with Hermione!"

"Too late, Miss Potter," Professor Snape argued, a barely concealed smirk twitching at the corner of his mouth. "He did get to her first... As for you, Miss Potter, you will have to sit with Mr. Malfoy for the rest of the year." Snape actually failed to hide his grin this time, a flicker of pure satisfaction crossing his features.

Valerie's jaw dropped slightly. How much worse can this first day of school possibly get? In the beginning of today, she embarrassed herself in front of Draco, had herself chased out of the library by her own books and bag, watched her new teacher disturbingly perform the Unforgivable Curses, and now she had to be partnered up with Draco for the rest of the entire school year...

What a good day to die, she thought to herself, a wave of dramatic despair washing over her.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ♡ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

MUCH TO HER DISMAY, Valerie Potter felt a lead weight drop into her stomach as she trudged towards the two desks at the back of the classroom. There sat Draco Malfoy, leaning back with infuriating ease, while Blaise Zabini was already gathering his stationary, a triumphant smirk on his face. He was clearly relishing giving up his spot.

"—You must be excited to sit beside the man of your dreams," Blaise muttered, loud enough only for her to hear, before strolling away.

"Very funny," She muttered back, though the heat rising in her cheeks betrayed her. She deeply sighed, a sound that felt far too dramatic for merely sitting down.

The familiar, subtly musky scent of his signature cologne wafted over her as she slid into the seat beside the blond, and it immediately taunted her. It was annoyingly, undeniably good, and her stomach did a ridiculous little flip.

Valerie braced herself, preparing for the barrage of insults she highly expected would start any second now.

She instantly wished that Eric and herself had never pulled that catastrophic stunt on Professor Snape. If they hadn't, maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't have to endure being partnered with Draco Malfoy for the rest of the entire school year. She already knew, with chilling certainty, that he would make every single Potions lesson a living hell.

The class fell silent as Professor Snape, his face still a thundercloud, began lecturing. Meanwhile, Valerie, with practiced stealth, stacked two oversized books in front of her.

Not for notes, but as a flimsy shield to slightly hide her phone from Snape's hawk-like gaze.

As if on cue, a message from her best friend popped up, causing her heart to do another frantic little drum solo. She swiftly lowered her phone's brightness to an almost invisible dimness, praying Draco wouldn't lean over and catch a glimpse.

eric the baddest b 👑11:11am

🤪🤪seen

i will slap you for doing this to me 😐

GIRL HE SMELLS SO GOOD THO, HIS COLOGNE 😩😩

TELL HIM

NO ARE YOU CRAZY?

tbh i don't know whether i'm mad at you for doing this to me or happy about it....

NEVER MIND I AM MAD AT YOU

HELP I CANT CONTROL MYSELF SITTING BESIDE HIM HES SO HOT

HAHAHAHAHHAHA

OKAY BYE WE SHOULD GO BEFORE WE GET IN TROUBLE AGAIN(message liked)

Valerie shoved her phone back into her pocket, the heat still in her cheeks. She finally forced her attention onto Professor Snape's lecture, her mind still buzzing. About fifteen minutes later, Snape magically passed down thin, parchment booklets for everyone to answer, and the classroom broke its tense silence, filled with the low hum of nervous chatter.

Millicent Bulstrode and Ivory Davis were seated on the two desks directly in front of Draco and Valerie. They were whispering, deep in gossip about Viktor Krum, while pretending to figure out the questions on their own booklets.

Millicent slightly pushed her glasses up her nose and turned around. "Hey, Val, have you noticed the group of girls that's been following Viktor Krum around since this morning?" She murmured, and Valerie felt Draco subtly shift beside her, definitely trying to eavesdrop as he pretended to be deeply occupied by jotting down meticulous notes.

"Of course, I have," Valerie answered, recalling the sight of the group of squealing girls practically stalking Viktor Krum behind a bush earlier that morning. "I bet they'll continue stalking him for the rest of the year too..."

"It's quite embarrassing!" Ivory muttered, wrinkling her nose. "I've seen them practically squabbling to get his autograph since he first arrived."

"—He's not even attractive in my opinion," Millicent added, shrugging. "What do they even see in him?"

Valerie offered a very rational explanation, one she knew deep down applied to a certain blond sitting next to her too. "He's a Quidditch player, that's why." The two girls nodded in agreement before thankfully returning to their class work.

A low, familiar voice purred from beside her. "Is that another reason why you like me?" Draco smirked, his eyes glinting mischievously. "Because I'm a Quidditch player?... A very skilled one too, for a fact."

Valerie felt her face flush instantly. "I don't like you, Malfoy," She lied, her voice perhaps a fraction too sharp. She kept her focus glued to her booklet, desperately avoiding eye contact. "What you heard me say earlier this morning was pure sarcasm."

"I don't believe you," Draco grinned, clearly enjoying her discomfort. "But if you say so..." His voice lingered on the last word, filled with amusement.

Valerie tried to drown him out, focusing intensely on figuring out the answer to Question 16 from her booklet, her mind a frantic scramble. She could feel his presence beside her, the slight shift of his weight, the scent of his cologne. Silence stretched between them for sixteen agonising seconds, each one feeling like an eternity, until he unexpectedly broke it.

"Speaking of Viktor Krum..." Draco spoke, his voice surprisingly conversational. "You know, my father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts... But my mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away."

Valerie felt a jolt of confusion. Draco was... trying to start a normal conversation? With her? The urge to comment, 'Oh, it would've been lovely if you hadn't attended Hogwarts in the first place,' bubbled up, a perfectly timed joke, but she bit it back. She knew he'd take it personally.

"So..." She finally made eye contact, a risky move, but curiosity won out. "Why did your father want you to attend Durmstrang in the first place?"

Draco seemed to practically preen. He visibly swelled with contentment that she seemed genuinely interested in a topic he'd brought up. Moreover, he absolutely adored talking about himself. "—He says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defence rubbish we do... Well, except this time, our new teacher for the Dark Arts actually takes it seriously, which I like."

"What he performed last period was quite disturbing and highly inappropriate," Valerie countered, glancing away again, a firm grip on her quill. The memory of the screaming spider still unnerved her.

"Were you scared, Potter?" Draco teased, a predatory glint in his eyes.

She glared at him, a flicker of defiance. "I said it was inappropriate and disturbing, not scary." Valerie quickly thought about another topic, anything to avoid the suffocating silence that threatened to descend or, worse, another of his thinly veiled jabs. Her gaze fell on her open booklet. "—What do you think about the Triwizard Tournament?" She asked, quickly adding an answer onto the parchment.

"Oh, I knew about the Tournament wayyy before Dumbledore announced it." Draco bragged, a smug smile spreading across his face. "My father told me about it, as he heard it from Cornelius Fudge himself. But then, Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry..."

"Impressive," Valerie replied without meaning it, forcing the word out. She didn't know how to respond to him showing off without sounding sarcastic or annoyed. Her foot tapped restlessly under the desk. "—Would you compete in the Tournament if you had the chance?"

"Well... I am quite daring, clever, and skilled at magic, wouldn't you say?" Draco expressed, utterly oblivious to his own rising cockiness, puffing out his chest almost imperceptibly. "However, no... I would have better things to do rather than have my attire and hair filthy from competing in the tournament." He wrinkled his nose in distaste, a genuine complaint that, to Valerie's surprise, made her crack a small, involuntary smile. "—Besides, the prize money is only one thousand galleons... What about you, Potter? Would you compete?"

"No thanks," Valerie uttered, shaking her head. "It's not my cup of tea either."

"—Mostly, people join the tournament as they want fame and glory." Draco mentioned, seemingly engrossed in writing an answer onto his parchment. "I have to admit... You are quite skilled with magic... and brilliant enough to survive the tournament... Although, you're already famous anyway... There's no reason for you to compete."

Valerie froze, quill hovering over the parchment. Why is Draco suddenly being... nice? Her mind reeled.

He'd just complimented her, not once, but three times!

She felt her face redden, a fiery blush spreading across her cheeks.

Thank Merlin, she thought frantically, Draco was occupied writing an answer onto his parchment and couldn't see her blushing.

As Draco was writing, a flicker of self-awareness hit him.

He noticed that he was acting a lot nicer than usual, realised he had actually complimented Valerie about her positive qualities. Fuck, am I being too nice?! He thought, a wave of internal panic washing over him.

He quickly cast about for something, anything, he would usually say to reset the balance. "Does your brother want to enter?" He glanced at Valerie, his expression hardening, falling back into familiar patterns. "I supposed he does. He never misses a chance to show off."

Seriously? Valerie felt a sharp stab of disappointment, the blush fading to a cold irritation. At the same time, she wasn't surprised: he had been acting too good to be true merely seconds ago.

Draco continued, oblivious to her shift. "I bet Weasley wishes to compete so he could try and bring a bit of glory to his family name... There's money involved as well, he'd be able to afford some decent robes if he won."

Valerie rolled her eyes, a silent, frustrated groan escaping her. She pointedly ignored him by focusing back on her work, her jaw tightening. She decided, firmly, not to speak with him again for the remainder of the lesson. What he had said about her brother, and especially Ron, had offended her majorly.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ♡ *:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

( entire chapter rewritten - june 21st 2025 )

- please remember to vote and/or comment if you are enjoying because i love hearing from all of you !

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i try my best to reply as well :)

- venus xoxo

word count : 5,010