Tom glanced over at Penny, who was half asleep. They were sitting in Professor Binns's History of Magic Class, and he would be as bored as Penny if he didn't want to learn so much about wizarding history. He was taking notes at lightning speed, half listening as he filled his parchment. He heard Penny's giggle and looked up a bit, to see her looking over the shoulder of that Muggle-born boy, Henry. Tom despised him. He didn't deserve to be sitting next to her like that, both of them huddled over the parchment. Didn't Penny know that he was all wrong for her? She would be fouling her blood if she associated with him any longer. He glanced at the clock, then at Penny again. The class was almost over. Good. Then they could hang out as usual before dinner. Binns looked up as if he sensed that class was over, glancing at the clock. He looked at the class, who were either asleep or nearly there. All except for Tom, of course.
"Class dismissed. I want two rolls of parchment on the Rise and Fall of Gellert Grindelwald on my desk by next Friday," he said in his monotone voice. Slowly, the class began to file out. Tom lagged behind and so did Penny, with the unwanted Henry at her side. Tom crinkled his nose in disgust. He hated the Mudblood. That was a new word he had learned from some of his Slytherin friends. None of them were like Penny, though. They weren't kind or gentle like she was. As Penny caught Tom's eye, she waved and hugged him. He took in the now familiar scent of soap and honey that came along with Penny and smiled faintly.
"Hey Pen," he said, using the nickname he'd given her in the first week of their school year. Now they were two months in and he was having the time of his life. "Hello…" His voice trailed off, pretending as though he forgot Henry's name. If only I could, he thought bitterly. Penny is supposed to be my friend. Henry cleared his throat.
"Henry. M' name's Henry, Tom." Henry said slowly, as if Tom was hard of hearing. This agitated Tom and he glanced at Penny, but she had gone to ask Professor Binns about the homework. That's why he liked her. She was unbelievably clever, but she didn't let it go to her head. And she knew that sometimes Binns felt as if he wasn't reaching his students. That's why she asked questions. Tom glanced at Henry.
"Don't talk to me, mudblood," he muttered and watched as Henry's face turned bright red with anger. Tom smirked. Just what I need, he thought, a bit of fun. "What?" He asked snidely. "Did you not hear me, Henry?"
Henry nodded slowly, as if he didn't trust himself to speak. He was smart, Tom had to admit. He knew not to respond, because it would make it seem as though he was instigating a fight with Tom. Pity. He would've liked to see what Henry had up his sleeve for him. Penny was still talking to Professor Binns, though her voice was a bit strained now. Obviously she hadn't planned on speaking to him for the rest of the night. Henry cleared his throat and looked at Tom.
"So-"
"I thought I told you, you filthy mudblood. Don't talk to me." Tom whispered quietly, his dark eyes looking straight into Henry's blue ones mischievously. Go on, Tom thought. Attack me. As if on perfect cue, Henry launched himself at Tom, sending both of them crashing into a row of desks. Tom felt his head bounce off the desk once and Henry's fist hit his eye before Henry flew backwards into the stone wall. The chandelier on the ceiling shook as Henry hit the wall, and Henry himself scrambled up and fumbled for his wand. Tom smirked, lifting his chin and thinking of Shelly Tate. Henry began choking, just like she had. That's right, he thought maliciously. Suffer. She's my friend, not yours.
"TOM!" Penny's light green eyes were wide and staring at him in horror. "Tom stop it! Stop it right now!" She pleaded, looking at him with worry. Tom felt something down in the pit of his stomach stir. He was making her upset. He didn't like that, seeing her staring at him like this. Like he was some sort of monster harming a bunny rabbit. Tom looked away from Henry, letting him loose of the choking. He glanced at Professor Binns, but he was too busy with his head stuck in one of his books. Penny ran to pick Henry off of the floor and Tom could hear her scolding him for provoking Tom like that. Henry tried to explain, but it was no use. Penny didn't believe that Tom had used such an awful word. Tom smirked at Henry for a millisecond, then frowned as Penny walked over.
"Are you okay, Tom?" She asked, brushing dust off his robes and looking at him worriedly. "You're not hurt, are you?" Tom shook his head, loving the motherly way she flattened his hair and looked him up and down for bruises. He was a bit disappointed at how she had gone to Henry first, and not him. He reassured himself however. She's mine, he thought as Penny took his arm and they walked to the Great Hall together. And he felt as if this was true.
