Unlovable

The sharp slap of her assessment sheets being placed harshly onto Snape's wooden desk made her sit upright unconsciously in her seat, the sound seeming to reverberate in her ears unpleasantly as she stared down at her less than appealing grade – a profound “dreadful” written in bold, crimson ink. Variel could do nothing but stare at the mark somewhat in shock even though an expression of indifference was visible upon her features. She figured she wouldn't do well on her previous test, after all D.A.D.A. was one of her worst subjects, but never before had she received a dreadful.

If Wendy found out, she'd be upset.

“Ms. Helling,” Snape's voice seemed to bring her back from her earlier brooding, reminding her that they were in his office to discuss her apparently dreadful scores, “I believe that you and I both know that this mark is quite unsatisfactory, correct?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And so why did you receive this grade today, Ms. Helling? Are you no longer interested in learning about the Dark Arts?” He questioned, his voice enunciating every syllable slowly and crisply as if to make himself clear. “Looking back at your previous years, I noticed that you seemed to have always struggled in this particular lesson, however, you always remained adequate enough to maintain passing grades.”

I hate the way you talk. Everything that comes out of your mouth wants to put me to sleep. Variel confided to herself. “That's not it at all, Professor. I think the workload of N.E.W.T. assignments may be getting the better of me, but I'm sure that I'll get used to it.” Lie. “I'm still very much interested in learning.” Bigger lie.

Severus stared at his pupil almost accusingly, his black eyes locking with her blue ones to see if she were being honest. Her facial expression did not change, did not waver or flicker with any sort of new emotion other than indifference. Finally, he looked away, figuring he wouldn't get anything out of her and walked towards his office door, opening it up. “Very well, Ms. Helling. As we're still relatively new to this school year, I suppose I'll let you off with this warning. You are to not receive another failing grade – I will not allow one of my own to fail at a class that I am instructing.”

“Yes, sir. I'll do better.”

“Yes, you will. To make sure of it, I'll be assigning you a tutor that I will let you know more about at a later time. Till then, Ms. Helling, be sure to stay diligent in your studies.”

At the mention of a tutor, her eye twitched in annoyance, though she refused to make a scene. If she did, it could earn her a late night detention with the greasy haired professor and that was something that no one – not even a Slytherin – wanted. Instead, she played it off, nodding her head agreeably and murmuring a quick farewell before making her way out of his office and into the halls.

The thought of having to interact with another student was already putting her in a state of unease. Mostly because she had a feeling of who Snape might choose. He's going to choose Draco. She concluded. He had to. He always did.

Sighing, she headed towards her dormitory, deciding to ignore Snape's freshly spoken words of studying hard and opting to begin mentally preparing herself for what was to come. After all, Malfoy was still as curious as ever about the way Potter had stared at her in the Great Hall, even if it was a few weeks prior, and she was sure that he would try to see if she was hiding something from him.



Harry was positioned upon the couch in the Gryffindor common room quite comfortably, his legs propped up while his neck was supported by a cushion. Hermione and Ron were in the library, Hermione helping Ron finish his potions homework when in actuality Ron was simply copying off of her. Harry would have been there as well, but thanks to his new textbook from the Half-Blood Prince, his work was finished in due time. He always found it a little funny how the redhead would always try to sneak a peek at the book, but the brunette was adamant about the three of them staying away from it and turning it in. However, Harry wasn't having any of that. Why get rid of a good thing that was helping him master his class?

The portrait swung open, another Gryffindor from another year approaching him and extending out a piece of parchment. “Here, Harry. I was told to give this to you.”

Sitting up, his fingers took hold of the paper and gave a small, awkward smile of thanks to dismiss the boy. Opening it up, he noticed the fine, slanted writing that was etched upon the parchment and read the familiar cursive of Dumbledore's to himself.

Dear Harry,





His green eyes scanned over the few contents of the letter, his stomach slowly sinking at the thought of being a tutor – especially for Snape's class. It was also then that he remembered about that girl – Variel. After a few days, she had seemed to vanish from his thoughts without notice, but now she was back and this time she was probably staying. Letting out a sigh, he scratched the back of his head and tried to gather his thoughts.

She was another job for him. His first was to let Slughorn “collect” him like some type of trophy for whatever reason – Dumbledore had yet to go into too much detail with him about what would come after that. As for Variel, he was asked to get to know her, to maybe even become friends with her. It was rubbish in his eyes. Not only was this girl a Slytherin, but according to the headmaster, she had something “in common” with the Dark Lord. It wasn't going to happen. Harry wouldn't let himself.

He pushed himself off the couch as more students flooded the common room, ascending the small staircase to the boys' dormitory to lay in bed and prepare himself for whatever was to come in the near future. Why did the Chosen One always have to be the one who's chosen for everything?



The day had finally arrived for Variel to be summoned by Snape. He would be telling her who her tutor would be, which would undoubtedly be Malfoy. What would happen when the two of them were alone? It was obvious in those icy eyes of his that his curiosity for whatever connection was between her and Potter was starting to boil over. He probably wouldn't take her studies seriously, instead interrogating her relentlessly until she cracked.

If it were anyone else in her shoes, she was sure she might have found it a little amusing how one dreadful grade could bring about such a dreadful situation. However, since it wasn't another, she was not amused in the slightest.

Variel's hand took grasp of the handle and pushed open the door to the D.A.D.A. classroom, Snape sitting at his desk while he looked over some papers before his black orbs darted to her figure to see who it was gracing him with their presence. They returned back to the parchment soon enough, his low voice ringing out as he greeted her, “Ms. Helling, I am sure you have figured out a reason as to why I've summoned you here, yes?”

“Yes, Professor. Have you found a tutor for me?”

“That is correct. However, it seems his usual inadequacy is shining through once more.” He grumbled lowly, glaring at the paper in annoyance as if it were him.

Severus's word choice and irritated tone sparked a bit of confusion within Variel. She knew that Malfoy could be occasionally late, but it usually didn't annoy him to such an extent. The Slytherin King would almost always receive some sort of light warning, never attitude such as the behavior Snape was exhibiting now.

The doors opened from behind her with a light moan, Variel taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes as she waited for Malfoy to come striding up to the two of them.

“Mr. Malfoy, whatever brings you here at this moment?” Snape questioned.

Her eyes popped open. He's not tutoring me. A sense of relief washed over her though she was then left in a state of befuddlement. What is he doing here then?

“I believe I left something in here, Professor.” His haughty voice rung out in the classroom as he strode over to his desk, picking up a book from another class. Draco's clear blue eyes met Variel's own deep ones, the two interlocking their gazes for a few seconds, almost waiting for the other to make the first move and a heavy atmosphere slowly drifted over the pair like a veil.

The doors squealed open again and a new body entered the room. “So you have finally decided to join us, Mr. Potter. Thank you for decided to grace us with your presence after all.” Snape's voice jabbed at him.

Variel and Draco's attention finally deviated from the other, their eyes landing on Harry who was gazing right back at them almost accusingly, as if he knew that they were up to no good.

Never before had Variel felt so sick to her stomach from seeing one person. She knew then and there things were going to get worse. Malfoy wasn't going to leave her alone anymore. He would watch her more fiercely than ever before, see what she was doing and make note of it. If it could allow him to see what Potter was up to, he would do it. He had to. Nearly everyone in Slytherin House knew about Draco and that he was expected to join Voldemort's army of Death Eaters.

“Mr. Malfoy, if you would excuse yourself. Potter, Helling, and I have some matters we must discuss.” The blond haired boy didn't utter a word, only issuing a nod of acknowledgment before he trudged out of the room with a dark glint in his eye. “Potter, if you would be so kind as to join us at the front of the class.”

Harry, who had been staring at the door that Draco had just left through, looked back at Professor Snape. “Certainly, sir.” He muttered sarcastically.

Severus's nose scrunched up, snarling, “Don't give me any of your cheek, Potter.” Nothing else was heard from Harry, leaving Snape to look at them both expectantly. “As I'm sure you both know, Potter here is now tutoring you, Ms. Helling. While he, himself, is no master of the Dark Arts, he should be able to, at the very least, get you back to passing your tests. Should you find him to be inadequate, I would be more than happy to find you a replacement.”

“Yes, Professor,” Variel nodded.

Turning towards Harry, Snape asked, “And do you have any questions, Potter?”

“No, sir.”

“Very well. You are both dismissed. I expect a passing grade on your next exam, Ms. Helling.”

Nodding her head, she then walked out of the classroom in a steely silence with Harry trailing a little ways behind her. As they made their way towards the Great Hall where dinner was to commence shortly, nothing was said and she could feel Harry's emerald pools staring at her back throughout their walk.

Everything about this moment seemed to remind her about how they had met a few weeks earlier. Potter had thought she would hurt him more than Malfoy already had on the train and as they trekked their way towards the castle, there was an awkward silence.

The silence was short lived though, a figure rounding a corner and a scoff resounding throughout the empty hallway. “Well, well, well, what do we have here?” Draco's voice caused Variel's stomach drop to the soles of her feet from anxiety. “Potter and Helling.”

Always the observant one.

“What do you want, Malfoy?” She responded, Harry not saying anything, instead choosing to watch the conversation between the two Slytherins unfold.

“I want to know what you're doing with Potter, Helling. I thought things were a little off about you – always did, especially when Potter made those idiotic goo goo eyes at you before in the Great Hall, but now I'm sure of it. You're up to something.”

Variel's eyes rolled about, showing her disdain for his suspicions and decided to voice her annoyance as well. “Are you mad? I'm up to something?” She knew she should try to keep herself under control, but being accused caused her to lose herself to all the frustration that had been pent up for the last few days and take it out on the blond.

“Get your head out of your arse so you can stop spewing shit out of your mouth.” Draco's smug expression fell from his face in a second, his eyes widening slightly at the vulgar way the always quiet girl was speaking and also at the fact it was directed at him. “I may be a little off – I'll give you that, but I am not 'up to something.' He is my tutor,” her finger pointed to Harry who now shifted uncomfortably after being brought into the conversation, “and that's it. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Deciding to stop herself before it got more out of hand, she sauntered off down the corridor, leaving the two boys in a stunned silence as they watched her march off, her robes fluttering gently as they moved with her steadfast pace.

Walking around a corner, Variel sat down on part of a windowsill and breathed out as calmly as she could. She couldn't believe she had just did that. She was going to regret it. She just knew it. Malfoy never took kindly to people who got on his bad side.

However, until the time came for her to regret it, she was going to smile every time she looked back on telling him off.

Because never before had Variel experienced such a heated emotion in her life.

Never before had Variel Helling felt such a passion for someone...

Even if that passion was in hating Malfoy.