Chapter 1
"Skyler!" The other boys jeered as the girl walked past. "That's a pretty stupid name!"
"Your's is pretty stupid as well, Malfoy!" She shouted back, spinning round to glare at them.
Tom ducked behind his comrades, looking past them to the furious girl down the hallway. It was her first day at Hogwarts. Apparently, there had been some incident involving her father and the Astronomy tower so she had to be transferred from her home where her father was teaching her, to the fifth year at Hogwarts. Ever since she had arrived, there had been whispers flying around like wildfires. He was disgusted with himself, staring at her as she stormed away down the corridor, her jet black hair looking purple in the afternoon sun.
He saw her again later in class. She turned up late, saying she couldn't find the classroom. The teacher was abnormally sympathetic and told her to pick a seat.
The only spare seat was next to Tom.
He leaned down on his quill as he heard her walking to up to the desk, her strange black shoes tapping along the wooden floorboards. She slid onto the seat beside him and a sweet scent flooded Tom's senses. It smelled of vanilla. It reminded him of the ice cream he got at the very first Hogwarts feast he attended. He had been fascinated by the food and had eaten three whole portions. He remembered how happy he had been and felt another familiar shot of bitterness pour into his heart. He blinked and snapped back to the present.
He looked down at his roll of parchment and saw that he had leaned on his quill so hard that it had snapped and spilt ink onto his perfectly neat notes. He groaned quietly and swore under his breath. He crumpled up his piece of parchment and got up to put it in the bin. When he returned to his desk, a fresh sheet of parchment had been left on his desk.
He sat down and looked at the girl. A faint smile graced her mouth.
Tom realised that she had left it there.
"Thanks." He muttered.
"Don't mention it." She whispered back, her accent sounding slightly different.
"Next week, we will be having a test on everything we have learnt so far this term. Skyler, you will obviously be exempt from this until you have caught up with what we have studied. Someone will need to lend Skyler their notes to copy up from, Tom I think you would be the best for that task." The professor said.
Tom jumped slightly and nodded, "Oh, um. Yes."
"Good."
The school bell rang, signalling the end of lessons for the day.
Tom stood up and packed his things away, shifting his bag onto his shoulder. The girl, Skyler gave him a glance over with her indigo-coloured eyes before turning and walking outside.
Wait, Tom thought. I need to give you the notes, you stupid girl. He strode outside, turning and walking down the corridor towards the Slytherin common room. Just before he reached it, a voice called out to him. "Aren't you going to give me the notes, then?"
Tom spun round, feeling irritated. The girl was leaning against the wall opposite him, arms delicately folded, her hair hanging down around her hips. He handed her the notes silently and walked into the common room. God, he thought irritably as he flopped into a green armchair, she was full of herself for someone who had only just arrived. He shook his head and tried to drive the girl out of his mind with some wizard chess, which proved to be unsuccessful.