Chapter 2 – Robes on Fire
After their meeting on the Hogwarts express conversations between the two of them were limited. Tom enjoyed being in Slytherin. He and his new friends studied the Dark Arts religiously. Ruby, on the other hand, preferred Transfiguration. They had classes together but Tom would sit with his friends and Ruby would sit with hers. They might say pleasantries to each other in the corridors… but that was it.
As Christmas break was almost upon us, Profesor Slughorn, the potions professor, began inviting some of his favorite students to his infamous Christmas party. To Ruby's surprise, she received an invitation at the end of her Friday potions class.
"But I don't even like potions class." She muttered, folding the fancy parchment in half and throwing it on her bed.
"Yeah, but you're good at it." Olivia chirped. Being put in the same house the two girls had become close friends. They were very different however. Ruby liked her studies and could be found in the library most of the time whereas Olivia was often lounging in the common room with blank pieces of parchment across her lap, doodling away or sketching random objects.
"But who am I going to go with?" Ruby continued.
It was obvious Olivia had become lost in the sketching of a hippogriff she was working on so Ruby angrily gathered up her books and left for the library. She stomped up the stairs a little louder than normal, taking her frustrations out on the floor. She wasn't the partying type. She wasn't necessarily popular and figured the party would just be an embarrassing endeavor. Everyone would have dates and Ruby would feel even more out of place without one.
Ruby was getting close to the library when the stairs she was tromping up shifted and she tripped and fell, books scattering everywhere. Her copy of 'Hogwarts, A History' slipped towards the edge and almost fell off when it was caught by a pale hand with long fingers. Ruby looked up to see Tom, standing over her with a small grin on his face.
"You dropped something." He said, stooping over to help her pick up the rest of her books.
"Oh thank you, Tom." Ruby sighed, taking the books from him.
"Headed for the library? I'll join you." He said, not even waiting for her answer. "I have to finish my essay for Transfiguration."
The walked along in silence. Not many people were in the corridors. Snow was falling outside and the students were enjoying the crisp December air in celebration for the weekend. Ruby glanced sideways at Tom as they walked. His green Slytherin tie patted against his chest with each step. His face was not as sunken in as it was when they met on the train, but there was still a mysterious look in his eyes. He had made a good number of friends and seemed to be doing well in his classes. Hufflepuffs had potions with Slytherin and Professor Slughorn never stopped praising Tom's work. With that thought, another hit Ruby like a rouge bludger.
"Tom, are you going to Professor Slughorn's Christmas party?" She asked.
"I was invited, yes." He looked at her. "Why?"
"Well," She started, "I was invited too and everyone's taking dates so I was wondering if you maybe wanted to go with me, or us go together."
"You would want to go with me?" Tom questioned.
"Well, yeah, we're friends right?"
Tom didn't answer right away. They had reached the library. Tom's face didn't show any emotion as he opened the door and allowed her to go through first. "Of course we are." He finally replied. "I would love to go with you." The smile slowly crept across his face again.
Ruby beamed. "Oh, I'm so excited now! We'll have loads of fun!"
Tom didn't respond but the smile never left his face. They found a table near the back of the library and settled down to do their work. Tom left Ruby to go and look for a book he needed while she stayed and started on her homework. She was so relieved to have that off her chest. She had a date and was going with someone she knew would make the party somewhat fun for her. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.
A much older and wiser Ruby set the book down at the memory. Oh how naïve she was to think nothing would go wrong. Tom was a Slytherin, one growing in popularity at that, and she was a Hufflepuff. The woman remembered the seventh year that teased Tom, saying bringing 'the Hufflepuff' was as bad as bringing a mudblood.
Ruby laughed to herself recalling the look on Tom's face just before the seventh year's robes burst into flames. A quick aguamente charm from Slughorn put it out but Tom had to do a detention with Dumbledore. His only detention if she remembered correctly.
It was a mutual understanding after that episode that their friendship wasn't exactly tolerated. The sinister new Slytherin and the classic ginger Hufflepuff girl were not allowed to be friends. Ruby had figured that would be the end of their friendship, but she was wrong.