Chapter 9

Concrete Angel

Cedrella Black tapped her fingertips against the Slytherin table as she looked longingly at the Gryffindor table. What she would have given to be there with her friends, laughing merrily at the stupid jokes that Charlus and Septimus often chortled. She grimaced at the quiet and awkward atmosphere that surrounded her own house table. The females were quiet and always had a look of revulsion present upon their faces as the boys were quietly talking amongst themselves as if they were discussing important business with smirks or repulsive faces.

She glanced a weary glance over at the infamous Tom Riddle and frowned as she noticed his eyes were distant, as many of her housemates yearned for his attention. The girls always fawned over him as they giggled and blinked their eyes in constant batter as if that were completely attractive to him. One girl of course, Olive Hornby had a strand of lock of pale blonde wrapped around her slender finger as she cooed for his attention.

She supposed she could see how many girls fawned over him, with the ungodly attractive features that graced his appearance that any girl of any age would have killed to bed. However, Cedrella was never interested in him, with her finding him completely overrated as he was constantly chatted about amongst the school population. Let's not forget, he was definitely a favorite amongst the professors of Hogwarts and was constantly a reminder to other students that he was certainly the best.

She watched as his icy pale blue eyes drift from afar distance, to a certain Gryffindor whom she had recently befriended. What she saw in his eyes surprised her, he was interested.

Surely, Tom Riddle wasn't interested in a Gryffindor, let alone a quiet petite girl such as Arianna Abel.

She studied him closer before her lips fell into a deeper frown as she blinked; Tom Riddle was surely a mystery to be solved. However, what didn't concern her was the way he looked at her, but what ran through the Slytherin's mind.

The cold bitterly bit into Arianna's skin as she settled herself by the Black Lake with her ever favorite Burgandy and Gold scarf wrapped tightly around her neck. She gently opened her notebook as she took out a quill, she smoothed the empty page with her finger tips. There was nothing she loved more than the feeling of fresh parchment beneath her finger tips. She dipped the quill in ink as she slowly began to draw her heart away, reaching her peak of inspiration as she drew her view of her home, Hogwarts.

The sound of crunching leaves could be heard from behind her as she paused in her work, glancing behind her shoulder to spot the ever familiar sandy-blonde hair that bobbled closer to her. He came to an abrupt stop as he plopped himself beside her, one knee curled closely to his chest as the other laid out lazily in front of him and sighed.

"What do I owe to the pleasure of your presence, Mr. Finnigan?" She cooed quietly, looking back down at her current work.

She heard him huff from beside her as she let a small smile break her once passive face, somehow she just knew it was about a certain Laura Vine. She heard him grab some leaves from beside him and crush them in his grip. This caught her attention as she looked up at him, noticing the discouragement that enshrouded his expression.

She gently grabbed his clenched fist and slowly, yet firmly unravelled his finger. Together they watched as the crushed leaves fell to the ground, in pieces.

"What happened?" She asked quietly.

Owen didn't say anything at first, he just stared out at the black lake, and his expression was stoic. In response, she gently squeezed his hand in encouragement as she felt him reluctantly squeeze hers back.

"I don't know what to do anymore," he quietly responded, as he finally let him gaze wander back to her.

She frowned with confusion as she questioned, "About what?"

He was silent at first before he sighed, "Laura Vine."

Arianna felt her smile drop slightly, but in return, weakly smiled at him.

"Let me guess, you want me to try and play match maker?" She asked him, cautiously.

He looked in deep thought, as if contemplating whether that was exactly what he wanted to confide in her about. Secretly, Arianna wished somewhere in the back of her mind that he would say no. If things truly did go her way, than she wouldn't be the Gryffindor misfit for nothing.

After what seemed like an eternity to her, he reluctantly nodded and in return, she felt her stomach make a pitfall. She studied him as he looked back at her with a small smile.

Arianna weakly smiled at him.

It was nearing evening when Arianna finally made her way back to her common room. The cold corridors of Hogwarts slightly chilled her to the bone as she thought about the past events that had occurred not even a few hours ago. She shook her head slightly at the thought of it all.

She was not even a minute away from her Common room portrait when she saw a familiar platinum blonde hair bobbling back and forth from the portrait. She frowned as she sighed, as if things could not have gotten any worse.

She stopped and cleared her throat, catching his attention. She watched him freeze as he stopped his mid-way pacing and swiftly turning to face her. His blue eyes studied her closely as he straightened himself, not taking his eyes away from her.

"I've been waiting for you, Abel." He drawled, as he brushed a long lock of blonde hair away from his eyes.

Arianna raised a brow as she sneered, "And? Didn't I tell you to cut your hair if it was bothersome?"

He sneered back as he narrowed his eyes down at her, "I do not like to be kept waiting,"

In response, she snorted sarcastically as she rolled her eyes at him, "Does it look like I care, Malfoy? Don't be waiting up for me if so then,"

His pale blue eyes flashed with seething anger as he stepped not even an inch away from her, snarling, "You are my fiancé, Abel. I will not tolerate your smart aleck ways or your pestering ways. I demand you respect me."

She felt her jaw clench as anger consumed her, glaring deeply into his eyes, "Bite me, Malfoy. I could give a flying fuck about you Malfoy, you are nothing more than a bloody git. I refuse to acknowledge you as anything more than a low life scum."

She watched as he clenched his fists and jaw, in a flash she was pushed against the wall, sandwiched between a seething Malfoy and a wall. She tried to push against him as he pushed her further into the hard wall behind her.

"Get off me!" She snarled as she constantly pushed his chest, but he refused to budge.

She could feel his chest heaving as he glared down at her. He moved closer to her, he was not even an inch away from her lips as he quietly hissed at her.

"You are to go to Hogsmeade with me for the upcoming trip." He sneered once more as he leaned his lips towards her ear. "Disobedience will not be tolerated."

Arianna bit her tongue hard to hold back what she desperately yearned to snarl at him, but merely nodded. She could feel him smirk against her ear as she felt him inhale slightly once more before he pulled away, letting her legs collapse from beneath her.

She watched him from below as he spared her a smirk once more as he turned and walked away, back to what she could assume was his common room.

Her face was stoic as her world had begun to collapse all around before her very own eyes.

Author's Note

Apologies for the lack of updates but I have been extremely busy lately, however in the Summer I will have more time to update. I had a writers block once more, but I got a sudden inspiration from watching True Blood and The Vampire Diaries. I have a sudden obsession with vampires once more... sadly.

This chapter wasn't all that much of filler like the last one, it may feel like it in some parts but they all play a great part to the main plot of the story.

I found this chapter quite sad as we tend to venture more into poor Arianna's story as the plot gets thicker. So, it may be an extremely early question but who's for Team Abraxas, Team Tom, or Team Owen?

Haha just kidding, really.

Awesome news though, this story is actually getting more exposure and I'm really thankful for that!

Many thanks to everyone for the awesome reviews, alerts, favorite story listing, Alerts, and Favorite Author listing!

All is very much appreciated and The more I get, the more I will update.

Sincerely,

TragedyoftheWriter.