"Devil inside, devil inside, every single one of us, the devil inside." – Devil Inside by INXS.

Chapter 3: Happiness At Another's Expense

One morning at breakfast, I was seated across from Izzy again. The past few days had been uneventful. I had teased Izzy a lot about Dominic, but that was to take my mind off the fact that I was angry that she had a boyfriend. Yep, I'm jealous, and I don't even want to know why.

She was wearing the same Nirvana shirt as I was. I smirked at her, and she just narrowed her eyes. Hey, I wasn't doing anything wrong... smirking isn't against the law, right?

I shrugged as she gave me the death glare, focusing my attention back on my breakfast. That is, until I looked up, and saw that she was staring at my chest.

I doubt that she was doing because she liked me or anything. I'm fairly certain that it was because Kurt Cobain was on the shirt. But it was still sort of... satisfying that she was staring. I wasn't the only one who noticed. Alicia Spinnet smiled at me knowingly, waggling her eyebrows. I chuckled and Izzy looked up at me, eyes narrowing.

"Yes?" she snapped, looking nothing short of peeved.

Alicia whispered something in her ear, and I watched her expression change from angry to furious in the blink of an eye.

"Don't look so arrogant, Wood. I was looking at Kurt's attractive face, so much unlike your own," she snarled, looking at me as if I had killed her family. I cocked an eyebrow at her immaturity.

"Thanks, love," I drawled, giving her a smirk. Her furious expression became even more furious, if possible. If she keeps frowning like that, she'll end up with wrinkles by the age of twenty-five. And she's so much prettier when she's smiling, anyways.

Yes, I think that she's pretty, so? She was staring at my chest, remember?

Then I realised that she was staring at me... longer than was usual. There was an odd expression on her face, as though she was confused...

I smirked again. She's checking me out once more!

She scowled and turned back to her breakfast.

I win.

oOo

At Quidditch practice the next day, Izzy failed to turn up. Maybe she wasn't bluffing after all.

To say that I was angry was an understatement. I don't know what point she is trying to prove... I'm not being mean when I train her harder than the rest of the team, and if she stopped focusing on herself for one bloody moment, she would be able to see it. That's like asking for a miracle, to be honest.

After practice, I sat in the changing rooms, angry and annoyed. My bitter thoughts about a certain Nirvana-loving girl were broken as a distraction in the form of Angelina Johnson appeared.

I like Angelina. Respect her. When I leave next year, I'm going to appoint her as captain, purely because of her authoritative nature.

"Wood, sorry to interrupt your thoughts about my best friend-"

I narrowed my eyes. "I wasn't thinking about Iz- Carter."

She rolled her eyes and sat down next to me. "Sure, Wood. Anyway, I just came to say that Izzy isn't bluffing this time. She is definitely not coming back this time."

I guess I sorta knew that. She's very steadfast and stubborn, Izzy is. It didn't stop me from being furious, though.

Doesn't she realise how much talent she has! How stupid it is for her to be quitting purely because she can't push through the pain! Even if I explained the situation to her... she's too stubborn and thickheaded to see it.

Well, Gryffindor are screwed now.

Winning has always meant a lot to me. Being the leader gives a sense of purpose, and nothing is better than seeing my effort paying off. I wish that Izzy could see things my way. That would make my life a whole lot easier.

Anger started to bubble in my veins. I decided to rant about this to Angelina, before I took my anger out on someone, in a much worse way than ranting.

"She's such a brat! She must have been raised to expect she gets everything the easy way, because after a bit of sweat and pain, she goes all sissy! And she isn't a sissy, but I just wish that she'd start acting with more... regard towards everything. It's starting to really piss me off."

Angelina blinked a few times, an angry and annoyed expression crossing her features, before speaking.

"You have it all the wrong way, Oliver. You want to know why she's so angry? It's not because she doesn't get her own way all the time. Well, partially it is, but not in the way you expect. Her parents... they don't really... love her? I don't know the word. Sure, they care, but the food, the money, the presents... I think it's given to her more out of obligation than love. She fights with her Mum all the time, and her Mum isn't the nicest person. Izzy's never had anyone who really, truly loved her, in the sense that they would protect her, hold her when she's upset, and accept her fully. Alicia and I try, but it isn't enough. If she wasn't so bitter about everything, she would be crying all the time, I can assure you of that. So before you judge her, consider the reasons why she acts the way she does. She isn't spoiled; in fact, she isn't loved enough."

For a few moments, I sat in a numb sort of shock.

I couldn't imagine what it would be like for my parents to not love me. Really, I can't. They've been there for me through everything...

Despite the fact that I really dislike that girl, I couldn't help but feel bad. In fact, my heart ached for her.

I decided then and there that I would try and make more of an effort.

"It's her birthday tomorrow," Angelina said. "Maybe you could be nice to her? Birthdays are always hard, especially nowadays, when her relationship with her parents is on edge. And Wood... what you've said to her before... it's hurt her a lot. She'll pretend otherwise, but please, make an effort."

With that, she walked out of the change rooms.

I was conflicted. I felt bad, but then again... it's no excuse. I mean, my family issues (ie: Lily not being alive) haven't made me angry or stubborn or rude, right?

But I decided to attempt at being nice, even if I knew that it would be thrown back in my face.

oOo

The next day, I woke up early, with one thought in mind: we needed a new Chaser.

It was last minute tryouts, but most of Gryffindor turned up. Sadly, they were all hopeless, the least hopeless out of all of them being Jennifer Collins. She's nothing on Izzy though, in terms of Quidditch.

Crap! Speaking of Izzy...

I decided that my first attempt at being nice to her was by teasing her with my Nirvana tickets, which as far as I knew (from Angelina's information. If her parents hate her so much, I doubt that that they would have gotten her tickets) she didn't have. Okay, so that isn't very nice, but I'll also wish her a happy birthday.

I found her in an empty corridor a few minutes later. She was walking swiftly, from the Owlery, I presumed. She looked really angry.

"Oi, Carter!" I said, getting her attention quickly. She turned around, and I saw a look in her eyes... a defeated look. It made her look vulnerable.

"What do you want, Wood?" she asked in a dull voice, taking me aback.

I smirked. Maybe the great Izzy Carter isn't so great.

"Just to wish you a happy birthday," I said simply. She narrowed her eyes; she didn't buy it for a second. I didn't blame her.

"What do you really want?" she asked.

I pulled out the Nirvana tickets from my pocket, and watched her expression change from angry curiosity to fury in the matter of a few seconds.

"Wood..." she murmured, looking at the tickets as though they were tickets to heaven.

"Two tickets... just thought I would let you know, even though you obviously have your own. I mean, come on. You're a true Nirvana fan, right?"

Maybe that was a bit mean of me, but don't think that after what Angelina said, I would suddenly be nice to her. Not after the way she's acted for so long.

A strange expression crossed her features, before she answered.

"Of course, Wood. I'm going."

She's such a horrible liar that I couldn't help but smirk.

"Then you wouldn't want to have my spare ticket, would you? I have no one to go with me... shame."

That wasn't exactly the truth. I was planning on going with Zach, and like hell I was going to actually take Izzy. But, I wanted to see her reaction.

I could have seen it coming. Of course she would stick to her guns. Of course she wouldn't admit that she was lying.

"Have fun at the concert, Wood. I'll see you there," she said blankly, walking away. I frowned after her figure, watching the way her legs moved and her cute little butt...

I brushed away the moment of insanity. God, I was not just noticing things about Izzy.

oOo

Quidditch that afternoon sucked. Alicia and Angelina were in an angry mood, and I knew why. It was because the new chaser, Jennifer Collins, was about as good at flying as Snape was at being nice. I was really, really pissed off. I had worked so hard for so long, perfecting our game play, making sure that everyone was trained correctly... and Izzy Carter ruined it. She's a wreck, that one.

She's ruining my life for more than one reason. Firstly, the Quidditch aspect, and secondly, because she's hotter than she deserves to be, and it infuriates me. I can't help but notice it, and I really don't want to.

Maybe I'm being a dramatic girl, I don't know.

After Quidditch practice, I went into the locker rooms to have a shower. When I got out, clad in only a towel, I was shocked to see Izzy standing there, looking sort of upset and embarrassed.

When she saw me, her eyes widened a fraction. Very openly, she began to check me out, and I couldn't help but feel... satisfied at the thought of it.

After a few moments, she locked her eyes on mine. I raised an eyebrow. Okay, so yeah, I was pissed at her, and yeah, I hate her guts. But it is her birthday, so I decided to be nice.

"Yes, Carter?"

She looked embarrassed again. "Um... I just wanted to see if you were okay..."

I stopped short. She looked so innocent and...adorable when she said it, and I wondered if maybe she isn't as bad as I thought...

She then tried to flatten her wild curls, which confused me. She doesn't give a damn about her appearance.

"Okay?" I said, the statement coming out as a question. If you've known Izzy as long as I have, and you have the history that I have with her, you would know that it is very unusual for her to be being so friendly.

"Yeah... well, I just wanted to make sure that you were fine and all, about me resigning... and other things."

My thoughtful attitude dispersed completely. I realised that I was very, very pissed at Izzy. For everything that she had ever done, for everything that she had ever said, for everything that she had ever made me feel. Most of all: for completely confusing me.

I grabbed her wrist and looked her in the eye, before beginning to speak. "Seriously, Carter, you resign three weeks prior to the game, which throws training completely off schedule, affecting the whole team and Gryffindor's chances at winning, and then you go asking if I'm okay? Sort your priorities out, woman! You should be focusing on more important things, not making sure if your bloody enemy is okay, especially since your goal in life is to give me hell!"

An expression crossed her face: hurt. For the first time in all the years that I had known her, Izzy looked hurt. But it only lasted for a second, before she replied scathingly.

"You really aren't one to lecture me on priorities, Wood. Have fun losing."

With that, she yanked her wrist out of my grasp, and stalked off.

At least now I know that she is human, and that she can feel more than anger. What I said was pretty cruel, and I guess it is even crueller to say that seeing her appear to be hurt made me pleased.

A/N:

Hello, readers. I'm really enjoying writing this, even if I'm not so great at writing in a guy's POV... anyway, please leave a review, whether it be nice or not, and make my day! Any sort of review will make me happy!