Four

The Gryffindor girl spun rapidly on her foot, her eyes filled with venom. Her tangled mess that she called a hair-do swirled around her alongside her robe, as she began to growl surprisingly well. "And, to what do I owe the pleasure, Malfoy?" she asked.

Pansy Parkinson sneered, as she snapped, "Don't you talk to him like that, half-blood! We're not only prefects, but we're also a part of Headmistress Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad! So, since we're being ever so nice to you, you're going to tell us a little bit about that Army you had all formed!"

"And what makes you think that I'll tell you anything about that, Parkinson?" Kagome huffed.

"We've been given special permission by the Headmistress to bring anyone and everyone that was seen in the Room of Requirement for questioning. But," Pansy snickered slightly, glancing at her counterpart, "if you do as I say, I don't think there'll be the need for us to hex you until you have to be dragged there. Do you understand, or am I speaking too fast for you?"

Draco blinked, glancing at his fellow Slytherin from the corner of his eye. While it was very slight, he recognized the difference in her tone and knew instantly that he did not like it. "Pansy," he said, "Professor Umbridge will not be pleased if you bring in another student that needs to be sent to the Infirmary instead."

The girl huffed slightly, pouting as she said, "But, Drakie-poo!"

"Don't call me that," he snapped back. His attention was immediately pulled away, however, when he noticed that the Gryffindor had returned her glare upon his person full force. A light smirk crossed his face upon noticing the red tint to her cheeks, but it quickly shook itself away when he spoke. "Now, Higurashi, while it would be my pleasure to carry you there—"

"Ah, how cute, you want to carry me?"

Pansy sneered at the Gryffindor girl's audacity.

"—after making certain you're immobile," he nearly rolled his eyes at her childish head bob, "I'm certain that you wouldn't wish to get Trelawney in anymore trouble, now would you?"

Kagome's deep blue eyes narrowed.

"Dumbledore isn't around to protect your favorite Professor anymore," he reminded her. "Professor Umbridge absolutely hates her and her ridiculous claims that she has any form of foresight, and I'm certain that she is more than capable of removing her from the castle now that she is Headmistress. Would you really risk that because you refused to come quietly?"

The Gryffindor moved suddenly, coming toe-to-toe with the Slytherin boy. Her head tilted back, allowing her to glare up into his gray eyes with the height difference. Her face flushed, she poked a straightened index finger into his chest firmly. Then, making sure to jab the finger again, she said, "Don't you dare talk about Professor Trelawney that way."

"You dirty little half-blood!" Pansy shrieked. Her wand was immediately in her hand, as she pointed it toward the other girl. "You have no right to touch Draco like that!"

The Higurashi girl was startled, however, when the Slytherin Prince reached up to twirl a strand of her hair between his fingers. His smirk was familiar, forcing her eyes to cloud slightly with foresight, but she quickly shook away the feeling of the inevitable. "Don't touch me," she growled, swiping his hand away.

Draco simply ignored her, smirking at the flush that colored her cheeks. If she had been a Slytherin, he may have admitted that she was rather pretty on the eyes. "Well," he asked her, "would you?"

Pansy stiffened, confused and uncertain about the exchange between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Her wand lowered a little, as she angrily switched between the two of them with her eyes. The girl had always been off-limits, deemed as Draco's personal person-to-torment, and only ever thoroughly riled up when the Malfoy heir was concerned. But, as far as she knew, Draco had never acted this way with the Gryffindor.

"Of course not," Kagome huffed. She looked away from him, knowing that this time he had won the battle. Professor Trelawney had been distraught when Professor Umbridge had attempted to remove her from Hogwarts, and she could only imagine how her mental state would handle being taken from her home. "Unlike you and your Slytherin brood, I'm not cruel."

"Excellent," Draco said, spinning on his foot. "This way then, Higurashi."

Pansy stayed back for a moment, allowing her grip to tighten on her wand at the sight of the tiny Gryffindor falling into step behind the Malfoy heir. Her lip lifted into a snarl, displeased with the familiarity and disrespect that the Gryffindor showed at every turn. If she had anything to say about it, she would hex the girl the next time she—

"Pansy, are you coming?" Draco called.

"Yes, of course!" she nodded.