Chapter 1: Of apricots and trains.
"GETUPGETUPGETUOGETUP GET UUUUUPPPP! IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAAAYY!"
The nerve of that kid. I was going to strangle him... As soon as I got up. Which was never. Having made that smart decision, I turned over,hugging my pillow tightly. Hmmmmm comfyy... The wonderful moment was too soon interrupted by Scorp (the stupid, stupid boy) jumping on top of me. Yes, you heard right, he jumped on top of me. ME! I, being the generous person I am, resisted the urge to murder him and simply rolled over again, making him fall to the floor.
"Why did you do that?" He asked. More like shouted. Such a drama queen.
"Ummm, because you were on top of me, maybe?"
He shrugged as I walked into the bathroom, where I showered, combed my hair, brushed my teeth, got dressed and blah blah blah. Not like you would be interested in my morning routine.
I applied some dark eyeliner to my eyes (yes, that's how cool I am) , before walking down to the kitchen, where I found Scorp inhaling a pile of pancakes. I opened a cupboard to get myself a plate, when Aunt Astoria walked in. Oh shit. Don't see me, don't see me, please don't see me. But of course, she did see me, and narrowed her steely grey eyes at me.
"What are you up to missy?"
I tried smiling innocently. "Getting a plate to have a pancake?" She gasped in outrage, as if I had just confessed to commiting murder.
Wrong answer? Yeah.
"A proper lady does not eat unhealthily, and much less in private." Yeeeshh. Psycho much?
"But I'm hungry." I tried to protest.
"But you're fat."
Ouch. The word bumped around in my head, again and again.
"Here, if you're hungry have an apricot." She said, handing me the bowl.
"Hello? I'm allergic."
"Well get over it."
Crazy, that woman was crazy. I stomped out of the room, making a point of slamming the door behind me.
"We're leaving in two minutes!" I heard Uncle Draco shout from the living room.
Pulling out my wand, I shouted an "Accio trunk!" making it fly down the stairs, and conveniently crash into Aunt Astoria, who was just coming out of the kitchen. Yay for me being of age.
I bit back a laugh as I picked up the trunk.
"Can't you even control your magic?" She screeched.
"Can't you even control the volume of your voice?" I snarled angrily, before dragging my trunk over to the living room, where Uncle Draco was watching impatiently.
Scorp walked beside me, chuckling slightly.
"Bitchy much?" I smiled.
"What can I say? I am a bitch."
Uncle Draco offered me a small bowl with the floo powder, from which I took a pinch, threw it into the fire, and stepped in, yelling "King's Cross Station."
Now that I was of age (YAYYY) I could have apparated, but Aunt Astoria thought that apparating was less classy or some dragonpoop like that, so whatever.
When we got to the platform, everyone was already waving goodbye to their families, so I made sure to bow as weirdly as humanly possible (my nose almost touched the floor and it smelled disgusting) to Aunt Astoria, and dragged my trunk towards the train as fast as I could, followed by Scorp.
Once on the train, Scorp stopped in the empty corridor and handed me a wrapped up... something. Curious, I unfolded the napkin to find a few cookies. Smiling slightly, I glanced up at Scorp.
"Where did you get these?"
"Found them in the kitchen, you were busy knocking Mother over with your trunk." He smiled. For a sixteen year old, he sure knew how to think about others. The wimp. Should've been in Hufflepuff. How could someone as kind as him be stuck in Slytherin? But then again, he had been the one to wake me up this morning, so he wasn't such a great person, really.
"Oh that was fuun. Well thanks a lot, I'm starving. Stupid Aunt Astoria."
Just then, the door from the compartment beside us slid open, to reveal a lot of redhead... people. And by a lot, I mean A LOT. The Potters and Weasleys (I refused to call them Wotters as many other people did) formed a complicated net of brothers and sisters, cousins and double cousins, that I honestly couldn't understand as hard as I tried. And I didn't try at all, so I had no idea of who was who.
Standing by the door, there were two people who -BEWARE- were not redheads.
I inspected the aliens to discover that I was staring at two people who I actually knew the name of: the Potter brothers, junior and senior. Potter Jr. (pretty sure his name is Albert or Alfred. Whatever.) was Scorp's best friend, so I normally tried not to be too nasty, though sometimes I just couldn't help myself.
The other one though, Potter Senior (a.k.a Jerk) was a danger to mankind, I'm tellin' ya.
"Knocking people over now are you, princess? I always knew you were a naughty girl."
See? That right there is Potter Sr. The devil.
"Don't call me that." I warned coldly.
"Okay then, love. Don't get your knickers in a twist."
Not bothering to come up with a response, I muttered a quick "Jerk" and adopted the HMP (high and mighty position) which consisted of me basically acting like the queen of the world, and nodded my head at Potter Jr. (Told you I was nice to him), glared at Potter Sr. and pointedly ignored the others, turning to Scorp.
"So I'm gonna try to find Liv, thanks for the provisions."
"Yeah yeah, you're welcome. By the way, I still have to give you your birthday present."
I held up the napkin that was wrapping the cookies. "This isn't it?"
He simply stared in response, at which I ruffled his hair.
"You know you're my favourite cousin, right?"
"I'm your only cousin."
"That's what you think."
I waggled my eyebrows before saying "happy birthday to me" and strutting down the corridor.
After looking through a few windows, I finally found Liv in a compartment... surrounded by people.
Get out of here the voice in my head told me. Run, run for your life!
To those of you who think I'm overreacting, well sod off, because I just couldn't handle being around that group of loud, screechy girls. But I did convince myself to swallow my pride for a bit, and slid the door open.
Liv jumped up from her seat as soon as she saw me, hugging me enthusiastically, while yelling 'happy birthday's and 'I missed you's in my ear.
She dragged me out of the compartment to the corridor, where we had a short conversation that consisted of me convincing her to be with her "friends" and letting me be alone. Anyways, I already knew all about her summer, thanks to her never-ending letters, which had been my main (and only) source of entertainment during the summer.
So, after a very tight hug goodbye, I found an empty compartment. Well fine, I'll admit it; I forced some firsties to leave, threatening their lives. But hey, it was their fault for being in the best compartment. Don't blame me!
I curled up against the window, pulling out a book and one of the cookies Scorp had given me.
And no, don't stare. I'm not expecting any pity from you, because I felt completely fine reading, on my own. Maybe I was used to it, or maybe it was just better. Being alone with a book was better than being in a compartment full of people. Books don't expect anything from you, and books don't hurt you. Books don't leave you.
I'm not sure of how much time I spent sitting there, reading while munching on one of my cookies. But I do know, that I was interrupted way too soon, by... Potter Sr.! Yipee (Please note the sarcasm).
He slid the door open, hair even more ruffled than usual (I didn't know it was possible but apparently I was wrong), and glasses at a weird angle as he closed the door behind him, sighing in relief. He seemed to not have noticed me.
"Hello?" I asked, staring at him pointedly.
"Oh hi, didn't see you there." He flashed me one of his winning grins, as I stared at him in disbelief.
"What are you doing here?"
"Oh you know, just dropping by for a friendly visit, princess."
"You can go now." I smiled sweetly. I was in a book-induced good mood and didn't want him to ruin it.
"Can't do that, love." He answered, always with that arrogant and hateful smirk of his.
"Why not?"
"There's a group of my fans in the corridor"
"Please tell me you're kidding?" The Potter fanclub consisted of a group of insufferable teenagers who had a way-too-creepy obsession with Potter, and followed him around EVERY SINGLE HOUR OF EVERY SINGLE DAY. No wonder everyone hated them, even Potter ran away from them.
He sat down comfortably. "I'm not. But I don't think they'll come in here, they hate you."
"Oh trust me, the feeling is mutual."
"So you're letting me stay here?"
"Only because I'm a generous bitch. Say one word and you're out."
He gave me what I guess could be called a grateful grin, but never ever a smile, because as everyone knew, Potter never ever smiled. He either smirked or grinned. End of story.
Just as I was turning to my book again, the doors to the compartment started moving (Potter had thankfully closed the curtains). So, fast as a leopard (aren't they super super fast?), I pulled out my wand and cast a disillusionment charm on Potter ('cause I'm just that awesome), and turned my head to the door.
Bitch mode: ON
At the door stood Sarah Nott, second to top in my to-murder list. And let me tell you, she deserved it. Twig skinny, sharp red nails, giggly and annoying. And of course, she wasn't alone. Sarah Nott was never alone. Hmmm, I wonder if she showers alone. GAHHHHH DISTURBING IMAGESSSS, OUT OUT OOUUUTTT.
As I was saying, behind Sarah there were at least ten other girls, all looking at me curiously. Sarah herself looked around the compartment before setting her eyes on me, face full of disgust.
"Malfoy. Have you seen my Jamesie-Poo?" I bit back laughter at the name and acted impassive.
"I'm afraid I can't help you. I'm not familiar with this Jamesie-Poo of yours."
Her eyes narrowed. Oh, how I loved annoying her.
"You know who I mean. James? James Potter? Harry Potter's son? Gryffindor seeker? Wonderfully fit? Great eyebrows?-"
"The fact that the first thing you know about him is his father's name is weird, and that you think his eyebrows are 'great' is simply disturbing, but whatever. I hope you find your Jamesie-Poo, but not in my compartment. Byee."
With that, I waved my wand making the compartment doors close, and very conveniently catching Nott's hair between them. When I heard her shriek in pain, I couldn't help but smirk.
"Sorry, but not sorry." I muttered, before turning to my book again.
"Nicely done, princess. Can you make me visible now?"
I didn't let him distract me from my book, as I waved my wand without even moving my eyes. You guessed right; I'm a darn good witch.
The compartment was silent for about five seconds of glory, before Jerk decided to interrupt once again.
"I'm bored."
"Jump out the window."
"Why would I do that?"
"So that I could read."
"Reading is boring."
Hearing that, my eyes snapped up to his face, narrowed into slits. "Take that back." He stared at me, with an amused expression.
"Nope."
"Do it."
"Or what?"
"I will throw you out to the blood-thirsty fangirls."
"You wouldn't."
"Oh but I would."
"Fine. You win. Reading is great."
"Wasn't so hard to admit, was it?" I smirked, before getting up.
"Where are you going?"
"To the restrooms. Can't a woman pee anymore? And you should change into your robes, I don't think we're far." I, being brilliant and smart as I was, had put my uniform on this morning, and now didn't have to be bothered with actually doing something, thank Merlin.
As I left, I could hear him answer. "Your wish is my command." I didn't dignify it with a response.
Stupid sodding Potter barging into my compartment like he ruled the world. Ugh.
The bathroom was thankfully free of make-upping bitches, so I didn't have to endure people as I stared at myself in the mirror, pinching at my too-big thighs. Double ugh.
I eventually made my way back to the compartment, to find that Potter hadn't decided to disappear mysteriously (sigh) but at least he had decided to change into his uniform.
"A prefect came by. We should be there in about half an hour."
"I don't think I'm going to survive that long." I said, sitting down again.
"My sex appeal too much for you?"
"More like the urge to murder you."
He stared at me, head slightly cocked to one side as he chuckled lightly. When I was starting to get scared by his lack of blinking, he finally said something.
"You're so... different."
Ooookay. I was not expecting that.
"I'll just take that as a compliment." I finally said, once I had recovered from the shock.
"I meant it as one."
Weird. I gave him an awkward half smile. "Well thanks. Now shut up."
Having finished that awkwardly -dare I say it?- cordial conversation, I finally returned to my book, mind still reeling from the weirdness of it all. While I read, I could see him out of the corner of my eye, pouring over some weird parchment.
What seemed like seconds later (time flies when you're enjoying peaceful silence), the train came to a stop and a raised my eyes to see Potter sleeping, mouth slightly open, and old, blank parchment still in his hand. How utterly adorable.
"Jerk"
Nothing.
"Jerk"
"Jerk"
"POTTER"
Still nothing.
I got up, and slapped him. Hard.
"WHAT THE FUCK?" What an overreaction. It wasn't as if he had given me much choice, had he?
"Get off your ass. We're here."
He grumbled something that sounded very much like 'bitch', but I ignored him, too busy getting my trunk out of the compartment, Jerk following my example. Having been the last ones out of the train, we had to share the last carriage.
Jerk appeared to be in a good mood, sporting a huge (and slightly psychotic looking) smile, and jumping up and down impatiently. When he saw the castle his eyes opened wide, and his smile got even bigger. He looked like a little kid in Christmas morning.
Me, I wasn't in a good mood. Not that I ever was but shhh - it's a secret. I didn't want to go back into the mass of judgemental teenagers that did nothing but gossip and put pressure on the other teenagers. Going back to Hogwarts meant the consant feeling of being stared at, of being whispered about, of not meeting the expectations. The voice in my head whispering you're fat, you're not good enough always got louder and more insistent while at Hogwarts, and I didn't like it.
But I didn't want to be at the Malfoy Manor any longer. Malfoy Manor meant silent and awkward Uncle Draco, and insufferable Aunt Astoria. More judgement. It seemed that everywhere I went, the pressure to be perfect followed me, weighing down on me, and it would eventually make me fall down. I knew by now that it was too late to save myself, and who would want to save me anyway?
Oh wow. Hey. I haven't even introduced myself yet. How rude. My name is Rebeckah Malfoy. Nice to meet you. (Not really but whatever).
You might have realized by now that I'm a bit of a bitch. That's all you need to know. You'll learn everything about me soon enough.