This is definitely my favorite chapter to date, please read it and let me know what you think.
Chapter 10: Burned
It felt strange to be with Nagisa outside of Potions. Her hair sparkled in the sunlight like tinsel at Christmas-time, though her fair complexion appeared more suited for the darkness of the dungeons than for the oppressive sunlight of the grounds. She put her hand over her eyes to shield them from the brightness.
"How long has it been since you've last seen sunlight?" I teased her.
"Hmph. Just because you've only seen me in the dungeons… For your information, I love the outdoors. I can't stay out long though, my skin burns too easily," she added ruefully.
"Haven't you ever heard of sunscreen?" I asked.
She looked at me blankly.
"It's something Muggles use to protect themselves from the sunlight," I explained. For a second, I imagined myself applying sunscreen to the creamy skin of her delicate face, her long neck, her graceful arms, her thin, supple legs. I blushed. Fortunately, Nagisa didn't seem to notice.
"Ah. We have the Impervious charm, but it wears off quickly," she said.
"What about this?" I stopped, ripped a branch off the nearest tree, and Transfigured it into a parasol.
"Here," I said, handing it to Nagisa.
"Thank you, Tom," she replied.
After Nagisa and I had delivered the fertilizer to Professor Longbottom, we made our way to Care of Magical Creatures. To my surprise, we ran into Ted, Lily, and James outside of the Forbidden Forest.
"Hey guys," I said. "I thought you were taking Advanced Wizarding Administration."
"Hi Tom," Ted said slowly, with a wary glance toward Nagisa. James snorted and Lily said nothing.
"You know, I think I've forgotten a book back at Potions class. I'd better go get it," Nagisa said. A second later she was gone.
I rounded on Ted. "What was that about?!" I demanded.
"You didn't tell me you were friends with Nagisa Black," said Ted. It sounded like an accusation.
"I didn't know she had any friends," Lily muttered.
"What's wrong with that?" I asked, glaring at Lily.
"Nothing," Ted said quickly. "It's just that Nagisa never seemed interested in making friends. She spends all of her time alone in the library."
"So she studies a lot. Very suspicious." I said sarcastically.
"Yeah, cause Moste Potent Dark Magick is right up there on the DADA reading list," Lily shot back.
"You have to know what you are up against in order to fight it," I said coldly. "Even Mad-Eye said so."
James snorted again.
"D' you have a problem?!"
"No," he said. "I don't care if you want to snog a Death Eater."
My fist moved of its own accord. The next thing I knew, James was swearing loudly and clutching his nose, and my right hand hurt like the devil.
"Don't you ever use that word again," I said, shaking with fury.
And the plot thickens! Tom's friends don't seem to like each other much, and our main character is caught in the crossfire. Who should Tom trust, if anyone? Stay tuned for Chapter 11: Snakespeak.