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Chapter 51

Spectacle

P.O.V – Maria Le Fay

I swear, a pen could have dropped when I entered the Great Hall and everyone would have leapt from their seats at the sound. What on earth is going on? I wondered to myself, my gaze following in the general direction towards which everyone had turned, the Slytherin table; where I could clearly see the pug towering, a furious expression on her face, over Draco.

"Why you arse!" I heard her shriek, her voice ringing throughout the hall.

Wow, what had Draco…uh…I mean Malfoy, done to set her off? Last time I checked, Parkinson thought he hung the moon.

Suddenly, the pug raised her head, her eyes locking onto mine from across the Great Hall; putting me on the receiving end of her vicious stare.

"It's because of her, isn't it?" She shrieked, raising her arm and pointing it directly at me.

I froze, as all eyes in the hall turned to me.

To think I thought that this place had seemed too crowded before…how exactly did I get dragged into this again? I wondered rapidly, my heart thudding against my chest, as I suddenly began to long for my old cell in solitary.

"Who?" I heard Draco reply coolly, my eyes immediately searching for his as he spoke. Anything familiar to stop the utter panic building in me, though my stubbornness did not allow me to leave.

Almost casually Draco raised his head, his eyes meeting my own, and I felt the sudden bizarre urge to wave. Only halting myself by remembering our last few encounters; perhaps it would be more appropriate if I yelled out, 'how's your hand?', instead?

"We've known each other for years, Draco. Years!" Shrieked Parkinson, drawing the gazes of the hall back towards her; I let out a sigh of relief, and made a move to inch towards the shadow of a nearby statue. As I was yet unwilling to make my way towards the table or leave the hall, "You've only known this little tramp," Continued the pug, "for a week and you're dumping me for her?"

At her words, all eyes jumped briefly back to me from Parkinson, apparently I hadn't hidden myself as well as I had thought. I took a deep breath, willing myself to focus on Draco's face, he was what? I wondered, my heart skipping a beat.

"I never said that." Replied Draco…Malfoy, I mean, coolly, his expression emotionless.

The pug raised an eyebrow, "What?" She replied sharply.

"I never said that I was dumping you for Sinclair." He began smoothly, as if he was stating the obvious, "What I believe happened, was that you asked me if I cared for you and," Malfoy rose to his feet, his voice beginning to lose its emotionless edge, "and after knowing you for all those years, Pansy." He said sarcastically, "I can safely say, I don't." Malfoy took a step closer to the pug, a smirk building on his face, "Not. In. The. Slightest." The smirk shining off his face in full form; however, it only lasted for a few seconds as Parkinson swiftly raised her hand and slapped him hard across the cheek. The sound of the impact echoing around the hall.

"I'll make sure you never forget this, Draco." She hissed, "Mark my words." Said the pug, glaring at Malfoy with venom in her eyes. Before she made her way slowly past him, her eyes not leaving his, towards me and her way out of the hall. Her little entourage getting up from the table to follow her.

I remained still; unwilling to move or back down as she walked towards me. The pug's eyes filled with hate as she glowered at me,

"Seems that you've won this round, Sinclair." She spat loudly for everyone to hear as she neared me.

My jaw tightened, as I matched her glare. Parkinson stopped upon reaching me, leaning in close to my ear, "I wouldn't count on the next one." She hissed, before her and her groupies swept out of the hall. Leaving me standing there with every gaze in the room fixated solely on me. Well, all except Malfoy's, as he was stubbornly looking in the opposite direction towards the professor's table.

I pursed my lips. I already have my father to contend with. Who exactly is this Parkinson person again? There's nothing that she could possibly do that could be worse than what he's already done to me.

I took a deep breath and, refusing to cower in the shadows any longer, stepped further out into the hall; giving everyone a stiff glare as I did so. I've dealt with worse things than simply walking over to a table after all. No matter how far away the table appeared to be…I thought to myself, as everyone in the hall began to whisper and point in my general direction. Though, the loudest of them seemed to be coming from the very table that I was headed towards.

I bit my lip. Perhaps it would be better if I starved…I mused to myself before a sudden tug on my sleeve jerked me from my thoughts. My eyes widening, who dared touch me? I thought angrily as I turned to look at the offender. Only to feel my mouth fall open slightly in surprise, "Hermione?"