Chapter 2
Tom woke up to the sound of Malfoy walking downstairs. He sat up and pulled back the green curtains of his four-poster bed; he sat on the end of it and pulled on his clothes. He brushed his straight white teeth and splashed his handsome pale face with water. He walked down Slytherin tower and into the common room. He looked around and noticed his notes sitting on an armchair. He strode over and picked them up. There was a note attached to the front, written in small neat writing;
"Thanks for the lend of the notes, think I'll be able to keep up.
Skyler N."
He looked down at the note, not sure what to think. He traced his finger over the "N", wondering what it stood for. He put his notes away in his bag, carefully folded the note and put it in his pocket.
He walked downstairs to the Great Hall; some girl tried to talk to him as he walked down the many flights of stairs but he ignored her, passing her off with a compliment and a smile which left her looking dazed. He shook her off as he reached the Great Hall. He walked in, feeling the usual swoop of eyes upon him. Everyone knew him as the playboy of the school, a powerful wizard, interested in the Dark Arts and one of Slughorn's favourites. He felt a little boost of confidence as he walked over to the Slytherin table and wasn't paying attention to where he was sitting. He looked up, and across the table from him sat Skyler, eating a piece of toast.
Tom was still filled with adrenaline, pumped and overconfident.
"Hi." He said in a voice that made all of his girls fall into his arms. There was no reason that this one should be any different. He could get her as easy as any of the others.
She looked up at him, saw his smirk, his attitude, and something inside of her switched off.
"Hello." She said coolly.
Tom tried to flirt with her but she was totally unresponsive. Tom sighed and ate his breakfast. Skyler finished her own and stood up.
"Wait!" He said as she started to walk away. He gulped down the last of his orange juice and scrambled to his feet. He fell into step beside her, looking totally cool and calm, making a completely smooth recovery from his earlier slip-up.
Skyler walked outside the castle and through the grounds. She sped up a little, trying to walk ahead of Tom. He used this opportunity to look at her legs. Suddenly Skyler spun round, grabbed Tom and pushed him against the nearest wall. Tom spluttered, completely taken aback.
"Why are you doing this?" Skyler said fiercely.
"Doing what?"
"Oh come on!" She said, her accent turning slightly American. "You know exactly what you are doing. And it won't work." She glared at him, her delicate features hardening.
"Ok, I'll lay off you." Tom said, raising his hands in a surrender. Skyler relaxed her grip on him slightly and he spun her round so now he had her against the wall. "A little." He said, grinning.
Skyler made an exasperated sound. Tom let her go and ran off, laughing, to tell Malfoy all about his latest exploits with the new girl. He had been barely phased by Skyler's rage but he admitted, quietly to himself, that she was pretty strong, for a girl.