The New Year had come and with it new resolutions and high expectations that it should be somewhat better than the previous. Although the festivities had long since ended there was still a sense of lethargic energy amongst the students as the thought of returning to the usual daily routine of classes was more depressing than a History of Magic lesson with Professor Binns.
Nestled between sky high piles of books and parchment scribbling rapidly with quill in hand sat Mildred Bowen, her hand was beginning to ache due to writing for the past two and a half hours. Clearly leaving a two foot long essay about Albanian Werewolves and how they differ from the average Werewolf to the very end of the holidays was the decision she made as it left her now posing the challenge of finishing it to the best she could and to then hand it in at the end of the day which left her with roughly an hour to check it over.
As she finally finished with proof reading the parchment she felt hands place onto her shoulders. Almost jolting in shock, she was rendered silent by the feel of warm lips pressing against her neck.
"I wondered where you were." Alphard crooned as he felt Mildred rest her head lazily against his chest as he continued to kiss her exposed neck.
"You shouldn't be doing this." She said through a smile. "Especially not here." She said as she finally detached herself away from him. Alphard strolled over and sat on the desk in front of her in an almost taunting way.
"I don't see you complaining" He smirked. Mildred gave him a playful look as she replaced the lid back onto her ink bottle and gathered her parchments and books before returning them to her bag. "I would just like to thank you for wearing that lovely red underwear set the other night-" By this point Mildred had flushed deep magenta. "I was sat in Astronomy thinking about it and then I ended up with the worst… you know."
Mildred sniggered loudly which caused a few students who were quietly studying to peer up momentarily.
"I'm glad you find it funny Bowen. You do realise that you now have to come with me and sort this out once and for all." He said in a half serious tone as he jumped back onto his feet.
Mildred didn't think he was being serious until he grabbed her by the hand and pulled her up quickly and with quite a lot of force which only confirmed in her mind that when Alphard wanted sex, he wanted it there and then.
"Alphard I can't I'm meant to be meeting Rufus" She quietly groaned although Alphard could clearly see that in her eyes she didn't want to.
"We won't need that much time." He replied with a mighty smirk before giving her bottom a quick squeeze.
Both giggling as they hurried out of the Library, they were so unaware of the people around them in their bid to find a disused Broom Cupboard that as they passed Veronica they didn't even give her the time of day.
As she stared after the pair with a confused expression etched onto her face she soon came colliding into an oncoming body.
"Watch where you're going." Snapped a high shrill voice.
Drawing her attention back to the obstruction in her path she was unhappy to find her cousin Walburga stood before her, baring her an unwelcoming smile.
"Watch out yourself." Veronica retorted back in a similar tone as she repositioned the books she was carrying.
Walburga clicked her tongue loudly before eyeing Veronica with a loathsome expression before directing her attention to the fading giggles in the distance. "What's my brother doing with that commoner?" She drawled.
"Don't call her that." Growled Veronica. "And the last time I checked, Alphard didn't have to tell you every detail about his life to you."
"I'm sure both our parents would love to hear that neither of you are actually taking the engagement seriously. Even more so, that you're both engaging with non Pure Bloods." She said in a matter-of-fact way as a cruel smile twisted its way onto her thin lips.
"Mildred has both magical parents; it's only her father that was born to Muggles." At this point Walburga rolled her eyes. "And I am in no way involved with anyone let alone bothered by their blood status. The same goes for Alphard as well before you ask."
"I heard about you and Flint Veronica. Fraternising with a MudBlood, have you no standards?" She looked as though she had smelt something disgusting at this point. "Oh and let's not forget about Riddle. You can't go anywhere without hearing about what happened between you and him at that stupid Yule Ball. He's a Half Blood or am I mistaken?"
"I'm not even going to respond to that." Veronica seethed. "You can think what you like Walburga. All in all, I know I'm above you in every sense of the word. You may be a brainless drone that can't stand up to mummy and daddy but don't be jealous of someone you know nothing about. I don't give an ounce of thought to what you get up to in your deluded little life and that should be reciprocated. And as for me and Tom," at this point she came close to Walburga's face with an equally sadistic smile emanating onto her angelic features. "well let's just say a lot as been sprouted from jealousy and those who wish to think up such nonsense. If you want the truth to be confirmed by Tom himself, by all means ask him. I'm sure he'd love to hear the sheer rubbish that comes out of your mouth. But something tells me you wouldn't get the same enjoyment out of it as you would when you're taunting me."
It was a first for Veronica. She was standing up for herself where Walburga was concerned. Yes she had her moments with her parents and even with Tom but she had never so much as thought to stand up to her cousin. After the years of constant snide remarks the restraint had finally slipped, whether that was due to being ridden of her purity or just simply growing tired of it all, she wasn't too sure anymore.
"You'll try your fucking hardest to tarnish everything what our father's have built. You don't deserve to even be a part of this family." It was Walburga's last feeble attempt at stinging Veronica with her acid tongue before she stalked past her, making sure to knock into her harshly as she did so.
Veronica glared at her cousin with a loathsome look as she watched her waterfall of deep raven ringlets disperse into the sea of students eagerly switching from class to class. Almost instinctively she felt eyes upon her though she sensed some form of familiarity from it as odd as that sounded.
Peering up through her darkened lashes she saw them, the cold grey eyes she knew all too well. A swelling increased within her chest, a sort of tightening effect making it hard for her to breathe. This and the feeling of her stomach dropping made her both nervous and ill. Tom was glaring at her with that same cold stare she had seen so many times before. She wondered perhaps if he had over heard the conversation with Walburga but she quickly dismissed it. Not only was Tom over at the other side of the corridor but the sound emanating from the many footsteps and chattering students was almost intolerable. There was no way Tom Riddle could have over heard what they were talking about. Snapping away her eyes almost instantly from his, she began to move her tiny body in the opposite direction to him, trying with all her might to avoid him. She might have been going in the completely wrong direction to her next class but it was worth it if it meant staying away from Tom. A daunting thought fell over her as she had realised, mid-stride clutching a copy of 'The art of curing magical bites and attacks' that that was the first time she had encountered Tom since Christmas Eve.