Not So Innocent

E L I Z A

Sixth year. I'm honestly surprised I made it this far. It has been a long six years—boring too. But I guess that's my fault because I made no effort to make friends. I did try in the second and third years but fourth year, I gave up and just kept my head down. No one really noticed me anyway.

However, there was a moment in first year when I befriended a trio. But that did not last long. Not when I was sorted into my house.

Slytherin. When they found out they looked at me like I was some sort of monster who had betrayed them. But believe me, I was just as confused. I didn't fit in with anyone in my house. They were all so outgoing and didn't care about anything. All they did was party and have fun. But me. . . all I did was stay in my room with a book in my hands.

However, there was one girl who I occasionally spoke to. Daphne. But most of the time I think she was just trying to be nice. I think she feels bad for me. But I always chose to ignore it and no matter how lonely I feel, I always keep my head up. At least I try.

And now, as I walk through to platform nine and three quarters I realize I have to endure another year of this lonely life. I hugged my parents goodbye and I stepped onto the train with a book, I plan to read, in my hands.

I walked down the busy compartments. Students waved to their families as I struggled to squeeze past them. I continued walking, looking into each compartment but each one was filled. And I was too focused searching for a seat, I didn't see the body that walked out of one of them, and I walked right into his broad chest.

"Watch where you're—. . .going."

I looked up, my hand was placed firmly on his chest and I quickly removed it. I stumbled back and looked up and. . .

Fuck! There's no fucking way I just crashed into Draco Malfoy.

"Sorry—My fault," I quickly walked past him, embarrassed.

It wasn't that I was scared of him, well, I'd say more intimidated by him. Maybe it was the his friends or his family. Or maybe it was because he had a high reputation of being an arse to everyone at this school. Luckily, I was never one of his victims, I think I was too quiet for him to notice me. But now, now I'm fucked.

I don't think I've ever walked away from a situation faster in my life. And I didn't dare look back.

D R A C O

Intriguing.

I've never been one to be lost for words, especially when a pretty girl has her hands on my chest. But who was that? A new girl, perhaps? But she has Slytherin robes on. She only looked at me for a second but the green of her eyes pierced right through me. I could still smell her sweet perfume as I watched her walk away and not a single person looked her way as she hurried past them.

E L I Z A

I could feel my cheeks burning as I tried to force the embarrassment away. I continued searching for a sit, even more desperate now but I was giving up. I was starting to think I was going to have to stand for six hours. But then I saw a familiar face sitting alone in one of the compartments.

"Hey Luna," I said as I opened the door "can I seat with you?"

"Oh, hello Eliza," she chirped, "of course you can seat with me."

Luna was never one to be judged and was someone who got along with everyone. Or at least tried and showed kindness to everyone, even the ones who would tease her or pick on her for being, as they say, weird.

"Cool glasses," I said with a smile, sitting in front of her.

"Thank you," she smiled and by the brightness of her smile, I had a feeling I was the only one who thought so.

The rest of the train journey went by fairly quickly. We didn't speak much. There wasn't much for us to talk about. So instead I read while she flicked through a magazine.

D R A C O

I walked into the great hall with my hands in my pockets. In my opinion, this was the worst part of the year. Everyone caught up, laughing and squealing about how great their summer was. It's annoying. I sat down with Blaise, Theo, Crabbe and Goyle sat around me.

I picked at the food in front of me. Sipping my drink and listening to Crabbe and Goyle complain about a party they had in the summer. I was about to get up and leave. . .

But then the girl from the train walked in and I wanted to stay. I was always silently curious. Especially about a pretty girl I'd never seen before. I watched her, watched as she awkwardly took a seat a few spaces down the table and I could still see her perfectly.

She sat there like a ghost. Nobody noticed her or talked to her. She opened her book and immediately, it was like she had entered another world entirely.

The boy sitting next to her was laughing with his friends when his arm budged her, nudging the stance she seemed to be in. And it almost irritated me that she didn't react to it. Like she was used to it. It irritated me more that he didn't apologize.

"What are you staring at," I looked up and saw blaise watching me.

"Nothing mate," I said looking back at my food and trying not to look up at her again. But Merlin, it was hard.

Dinner and the sorting ceremony were over and the hall quickly filled with students making their way out. For a moment, I lost sight of the girl from the train and I thought she already made it out. But then I saw her. Students shoved past her and they didn't even notice they had done so and she did nothing but ignore them too.

I made a reckless decision to go after her. If I was at her side, no one would dare budge past her like she was dirt on their shoe.

As I walked after her, I couldn't help but shove my shoulder hard into one of the students who walked into her. I kept my face cold like I always did and when I heard the boy start to groan, I turned my head slightly over my shoulder and he went silent.

When I looked back she was gone. I'd lost her and I realized I was foolish for chasing after a total I didn't know.

E L I Z A

I arrived at my dorm and instead of unpacking, I decided to lay on my bed and read. I read and read for hours. Daphne, my roommate, came in about half an hour after I did. Probably having been hanging out with her friends, socializing, like I should have been doing.

"Oh hi, Eliza, how was your summer?" she questioned me, greeting me with the usual sweet smile she always had on her face.

"It was good, I just spent time with my family," I said. But that was a lie. I read. Rode my horse a few times. I Wandered the woods near my home and read some more.

"Sounds like a blast," she smiled.

Yeah, right. To me my summer was a blast, but to her, I knew it sounded like a bore, she was just too kind to say it.

"How was yours?" I asked.

"You know, the usual," Daphne sighed, sitting on her bed and I knew she thought she would make me feel bad if she told me how her summer really was, "Just went to a few parties with a few friends. And I went to Italy with my family."

"That sounds nice," I smiled and a part of me wished I got to experience all of that.

"Yeah," she threw her hair into a bun and then looked at me again, with a time of her head and said, "you know I've never seen you at a party."

"Oh," I tried to think of something that wouldn't make me sound like the most boring person in the world, I realized, I most likely am, and I sighed, "partying isn't my thing."

"How do you know it's not your thing if you've never been?" she raised a brow.

I breathed in a heavy breath, "you have a point."

"Then it's sorted," she shrugged and before I could say anything she said, "there is one this Friday. You are going."

I shook my head, "That wouldn't be a good idea."

I would only be in the way. Like an ugly, out-of-place ornament in a house.

"Why not?" she frowned.

I couldn't think of an excuse. At least a reasonable one or one she would understand. I realized that If I went, then maybe I would make some friends or people would know I exercised, and this year would feel as long or as boring as usual.

"I'll think about it," I told her.

"I'll settle for that," Daphne grinned.

Maybe this year will be better? Or maybe I was delusional and it would be like the rest.