Disclaimer: Anything recognisable from the Harry Potter series are not mine.
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Angelina Johnson was the kind that helps others except her rival. I am her rival—on the Quidditch pitch and in our classes.
Angelina Johnson is Gryffindor's top Quidditch player until Potter shows up; but as a Chaser, she still shines above the two others. Once during their practice, I saw her grabbed the Beater's bat from one of the Weasley twin and went off to attack them because she was annoyed. I admit, she wouldn't be a bad Beater and if anyone is to physically hurt the Weasley twins, it should be her because after they finished their practise session, the twin she hit was still rubbing his upper arm out of pain.
Angelina Johnson has a bad habit of biting her inner lower lip and the only form of make up is her lip gloss. Sometimes I wonder if the skin on her inner lip has peeled because of her habit.
Angelina Johnson's competitive streak is unhealthy; she becomes obsessed and gets preoccupied out of it. Once or twice or even more in our seventh year, I seen her nearly breaking down when she felt a sense of defeat with her Quidditch team. She would refuse eating her meals and instead, she buries her face into the palm of her hands. And whenever she caught my sight at the Great Hall, she looked away as quickly as possible, unable to withstand my jeers.
Angelina Johnson is that girl who baked cookies on the last day of summer holidays for her to give to her classmates on the first day of classes. In our sixth year, we both took the same classes. She was handing out her baked goods and somehow ignored me and my fellow Slytherin's. During her last class, Arithmancy, she probably noticed I was the only Slytherin taking the subject. By the look of her face, she was trying to get rid some kind of annoyance and then she went up to me.
She forced a smile, extended her hand halding a plastic container which had her cookies and asked me if I want some. I raised my eyebrow and she gave an innocent shrug. I took one and she gave me a napkin if ever I need to wipe any chocolate chip smears on my hand.
I still have the napkin.
One night, an hour before curfew, I was heading for the prefect's bathroom. After telling the password and gaining entrance, I saw her in her underwear and her back was facing mine; she was damp from the bath she just took. I stood there paralysed at her figure. She turned her head to see who entered, gave a small gasp and grabbed her towel to cover her body.
"Sorry," she flushed, "didn't know anybody would go in here this late."
I snapped back to reality and hated myself for it.
"Me too," I answered indifferently, "Aren't you a little late for a bath, Johnson?"
"I like late baths," she answered as she grabbed her clothes, "I should say the same thing to you, Montague. Aren't you here tad bit too late also?"
"I also like late baths," I said, trying hard to draw juxtaposition between us.
She smiled at me; not the kind of smile she gives me during matches. Not those mischievous or revengeful smiles but an honest one. The one that she gives to her friends. And with that smile, she went to the changing room behind her and appeared a few minutes later as I was loosening the knot of my tie,
"The mermaid is feeling extra giddy today," she told me as she pointed up the mermaid picture. I looked up and Angelina was right, the mermaid looked extremely happy so I shoo-ed it and with a scowl, the mermaid jumped down to the water on the bottom of her picture.
"Impressive," Angelina said with an approving nod, "I should do that next time. Thanks for the tip, Montague." All I did was rubbed the back of my neck. "Anyway," she continued, "be careful of the floor. I got it a bit wet and slippery. The bathwater overflowed a little. I don't want you to get a concussion on my behalf. Good night, Montague."
"Good night, Johnson," I replied, "See you around."
Angelina Johnson. She is my rival. She attends the same classes as I do, she gives me cookies when the presences of other Slytherins are not around and most of all, she gave me a warning about things I am least aware of. After that incident, our way of conversing differed from before although we were still opponents.
An unspoken mutual agreement tells us that we are each other's rival—in class and on the pitch. But the glances we give to each other tell us something else, another unspoken agreement:
I am Angelina Johnson's favourite Slytherin and she is my favourite Gryffindor. And if we ever need to partner with someone from another House, we know who to look for.
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A/N:
-First attempt on Montague/Angelina story.
-The title 'A Minor Detail' comes from the band Hidden in Plain View from their album 'Life in Dreaming'.
-If reviewed: thank you very much.