Cynical Relations

Detention had come sooner than Lacie had wished and although it wasn’t her first, she still found it tedious. She was stood beside Ron at the sinks, both of them scrubbing cauldrons until their hands were red raw. Snape was sat at his desk, keeping a close eye on the two whilst he graded papers, making sure that they weren’t slacking.

“Why did you help me with my potion?” Lacie was surprised as she heard Ron speak and turned her head to look at him briefly.

“It would have exploded and then Snape would’ve gone ballistic at you,” Snape glanced up at the two briefly.

“Yeah but you’re in Slytherin and I’m in Gryffindor,” Ron stated confused as he placed another clean cauldron to the side.

“All of Slytherin hates me so I hardly think what house your in matters to be honest. The rivalry is stupid and childish if you ask me,”

“I didn’t think you’d be anything like this,” Surprise was evident in Ron’s voice as he glanced to her.

“Mmm,” She replied half heartedly as she cleaned her final cauldron, “As soon as your put in Slytherin you seem to get a reputation, even if it isn’t one that’s true.”

“You know, you should hang around with Harry, Hermione and me sometime,” Lacie was hugely surprised as the words left Ron’s mouth.

“Are you serious?” She asked, not being able to help but grin widely as she looked to the red head.

“Yeah, I don’t see why not. I mean you don’t seem like those other girls in Slytherin,” At that Lacie scoffed.

“Believe me, I’m nothing like them,” The two looked up to Snape when the man cleared his throat.

“You’re dismissed,” He uttered, eyeing the two carefully as they grabbed their belongings and hurried from the room.

“I’ll see you around,” Ron said as they left the potion’s classroom. Lacie nodded with a wide smile and they went their separate ways.

***

After she and Ron had left detention, Lacie had decided to quickly head to the library to search through the few muggle books that they had in there. Having found what she had been looking for, she was walking back to Slytherin common room with her robes flowing behind her.

She couldn’t wipe the smile from her face; after five years of being alone, Lacie might actually be able to start telling her parents the truth in her letters and say that she had friends without it being a lie. Her current year at Hogwarts was becoming her best . The Slytherin students were noticing her for the first time - even if it was in a negative way - and finally other people were seeing her for who she actually was and not just some Slytherin girl.

Lacie wasn’t particularly paying attention as she walked down the halls, humming softly to herself. She couldn’t deny that her mood was at it’s highest thanks to Ron but when someone suddenly grabbed her hand, it faltered fast. Lacie yelped in surprise as she was yanked into one of the school’s few desolate classrooms and the door was slammed shut behind them.

“Hello sweetheart,” Her eyes shot up and met with those of Justin Chanmot. His cropped brown hair and defined cheekbones made him stand out among the Slytherin boys with he seeming to be far more vicious than even Draco Malfoy at the best of times.

“Justin,” She uttered in surprise as he stood before her, sneering. Lacie took note of how he was alone with none of his usual cronies behind him. Her heart was hammering against her chest as she glanced to the door briefly, planning to make a run for it.

“Don’t even think about it,” He hissed as Lacie suddenly felt his wand stabbing her in the throat.

“What do you want?” She questioned with wide eyes.

“You,” Justin stated, lowering his wand but stepping forward so that there was little room between the two.

“What?” She questioned in complete and utter confusion.

“I want you Lacie. I always see you staring at Draco and it drives me crazy. You’re just so,” he paused, trying to think of the correct word to use, “tempting.”

“I don’t stare at Draco,” Was Lacie’s lame reply which just made Justin roll his eyes. Sure she watched him sometimes out of interest but she did that to everyone, she liked to people watch.