POISON IVY & SPIDER WEBS

By Clara and Evil

CHAPTER 1

Hogwarts…mighty castle in the woods of Scotland, the house of hundreds of students and the best school for young wizards and witches around the world… the quill wrote on a piece of parchment in a beautiful handwriting and in green ink.

Clara sighed heavily, passed her long braid towards her back and looked at the huge building in front of her, amongst trees and mountains and heavy clouds that menaced to cover the entire sky. It was the beginning of her sixth year in the "mighty" school and her History of Magic Professor already asked for an astronomically long assignment on Hogwarts. She cursed under her breath and rolled the piece of parchment, placing it in her bag. Today was not a day to write that assignment.

Her attention was suddenly drawn by movement in front of her. She stood from under the tree she had chosen as shelter from whoever might have decided to get at the edge of the Forbidden Forrest and looked attentively. She raised an eyebrow as a Gryffindor crest appeared before her eyes, along with the school robes and the moving body of one of her schoolmates. She huffed and waited for him to approach.

"Not that I'm a prefect or something, little cub…but isn't the Forbidden Forrest…errr, forbidden and," Clara begun in a bored tone and took out a silver pocket watch, opening the small casket, "almost curfew?" she continued, looking at him.

The boy shot her a grin, a bit blushed. "Well, I was just out for a walk. What are you doing here if it's forbidden and that late?" he cheekily asked. "And I am a prefect, by the way…" he added, looking at her and pointing to his chest with a wide grin.

"I know you are one, Malum Kendrick," Clara replied, avoiding answering his question and shaking off a little shiver. She should've brought her school robes but chose to only have her school uniform on.

The Gryffindor shot her a surprised look. "You know my name…and you didn't answer my question…" he said.

"Just because we're on different houses it doesn't mean I don't look around me," Clara said and picked up her school bag. "We should go, there's a storm coming."

"What storm?" Malum asked, looking up and stepping forward, almost knocking Clara down as she too stepped forward to head towards the castle.

"Watch it!" Clara snapped, although the warmth of his body when they touched made her blush.

"Sorry," he said with a sheepish smile and yelped in surprise as a big drop of rain hit his nose.

Clara snickered and shook her head as the rain started. "Come on, let's shelter under the tree," she said to him and hurried under the tree she had used.

Malum followed her, wrapping his school robes around him. Clara glanced at him shortly and looked at the pouring rain.

"If there's lightning we're toast," she muttered as she crossed her arms under her chest.

"Your're right," Malum said with a serious face. "But if we try to make it to the castle we'll be soaked before we say "Quidditch"," he added.

"Not to mention we'll get caught...the Professors have already started their evening patrols," Clara replied with a pout.

Malum snickered at that. "So, afraid you'll get caught with a Gryffindor?" he asked, raising an amused eyebrow at her.

Clara looked at him from up to down and then up again with an arched eyebrow, secretly admiring the shoulder-length, black hair, his hazel eyes and those so-soft-looking lips, his well-shaped body after five years of Quidditch.

"Hmmm.....don't flatter yourself," she just said with a straight face and looked away.

Malum chuckled. Clara rolled her eyes at that and bit her lower lip, lost in thought.

"We could go deeper in the forest, there's a cave not far away...that is if you're not afraid to spend some time with a Slytherin until the rain stops," she said to him with a smirk.

"Only if you tell me your name...I don't want to call you Noctus or the Dark One," Malum replied with a grin.

"Dark One? Is that the nickname this year?" Clara asked with disgust.

"Hey, don't look at me, it's your own house that gave it to you!" Malum said in defence. "And that's the nickname you were given since first year, if I recall correctly..."

"Oh..." Clara said with a sigh, looking at the rain drops falling from the branches with sad eyes. "It's Clara..." she added.

Malum smiled at her and extended his hand. "I'm Malum...nice to be finally properly introduced to you," he said.

Clara extended her hand too and shook his, smiling back. "Now let's go," she said sharply and led the way, not wanting him to see the blush in her cheeks.

Soon after, they arrived at the entrance of a small cave and Clara entered with her wand lit.

Malum came right behind her, his wand out as well. "Well, seems pretty cosy and warm," he said while shaking the rain off himself.

"Yeah," Clara said and sat on the floor, trying to gather her uniform skirt around her upper legs as she was starting to turn a bit purple with cold.

Malum sat near her, there wasn't actually a lot of space and looked at the Slytherin girl shivering.

"Here, take my cloak..." he offered and started to take it off.

"Keep it on you, the temperature will drop more," Clara said and placed a hand on his arm to stop him. She quickly removed it when she saw his surprised look. "Errr...the best would be, if you're ok with it, that...errr...I come in your arms, so we'll both get warm..." she said, blushing madly.

Malum blushed as well and gulped. "I don't mind," he replied in a husky voice.

"Right...spread your legs," Clara instructed him, gulping as well. Oh, get over yourself! she said to herself and sat between his legs, her back turned at the Gryffindor. She gently lent on him, gathered his legs around hers and crossed her arms on her chest, trying to calm down her breathing.

Malum bit his lip when he felt her hands on his legs but let her get comfortable. He grinned and wrapped his arms around hers, softly inhaling the floral scent that came from her. He was actually surprised on how he reacted to this girl since he had spent the last five years thinking how odd she was, always sitting on her own at the Slytherin table or in a shadowed corner, how he used to laugh at the jokes he heard about her being such a weirdo...

"Getting warmer?" he asked softly after a few moments of silence between them.

"Yes, thank you," Clara replied softly, feeling the blood invade her cheeks and lips. "Are you comfortable?"

"Yes..." Malum replied, clearing his throat. "Some heavy rain, huh?" he said, looking outside and seeing that the night fell already.

"We might have to spend most of the night here," Clara said. "We have Potions together tomorrow morning..."

"Oh, damn it!" Malum exclaimed all of the sudden.

"What?" Clara asked, turning her head to him and almost hitting his nose with hers. "Sorry," she said, embarrassed.

"It's ok...I just remembered we had Quidditch practice tonight," he explained, locking his eyes with hers.

Clara quickly turned her head, inhaling deeply without realizing that he felt that reaction of his body. "They probably cancelled it anyways..." she muttered.

"I doubt that," Malum replied, unconsciously wrapping his arms tighter around her little body. "No matter, I'll find an explanation..."

Clara sighed, leaning back against is chest again. "Can't you get one of your conquests to cover up for you?" she asked.

Malum blushed at that. "I suppose..." he replied with a chuckle. "Do you come around here often?" he asked her, moving her braid to the front delicately.

Clara shivered a bit at that and closed her eyes. "Yes, I do...I found this place in my first year. I like to come here to do my assignments, when the weather allows it because it's quiet..." she replied.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Malum asked in a low voice.

"Ask away," Clara said with a sigh.

"How come you're not spending time around the others from Slytherin?" he said. " I mean, not that I'm stalking you or something," he added quickly," but we do have a lot of classes together and you're always alone..."

"Not that my Slytherin life would interest you, Mr. Popularity," Clara begun bitterly, "but after the war that ended twenty four years ago, Death Eater's kids are sort of secluded," she said. "And I'm not part of the popular group of Slytherins."

Malum raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You parents are Death Eaters?" he asked.

"Were Death Eaters...they're dead now...well, Kissed..." she said sharply.

"What do you mean kissed?" Malum asked, confused.

"Kissed by Dementors...their soul taken away from them," Clara explained.

"Oh..." Malum said in lack of words. "Sorry to hear that..." he added.

"Yeah...well, it happened long ago, I was just a kid so I don't remember them much," Clara said, inhaling deeply the fresh scent of wet earth.

Malum regretted that he had asked that question because now the silence fell over them again. He closed his eyes and soon drifted off. Clara was lost in thought and didn't realize when her eyes closed on their own. She opened them a few hours later, startled by voices that came their way. She was wide awake in a few seconds, realizing that her arms had felt on Malum's legs and his hands were resting on her chest. She quickly removed the boy's arms from her which made him wake up.

"What..." he begun to say but she clapped a hand on his mouth, gesturing with her index finger that he should keep quiet. He nodded and she removed her hand but it was too late as two Slytherins were standing at the entrance of the cave, smirking at them.

In a split of a second, Clara grabbed her wand and cast Incarcerous at both of them, anger all over her face. She stood and looked down at them with disgust. They were two of her house mates, both in the third year.

"If I hear one word about this or catch you around here again, I'll have you both hanged by your cocks in the middle of the Great Hall and thousands of furious wasps on you, is that clear?" she said in a sweet voice that made Malum open his eyes wide in shock and shudder.

The boys both nodded, visibly believing her. She swished her wand and released them. "Leave," she said to them and picked her bag from the floor with her back turned to the entrance. She smirked at Malum and blew him a kiss, then exited the cave and made her way back to the castle, shivering in the morning mist.

~.~