Legacies

Vengeful Potions

Romina tugged on the ribbon bow of her high pony-tail. She turned her head towards the window of the compartment and looked at her reflection. She shouldn't have done it, but she did. And in secret again. Using transfiguration as soon as she stepped on the Hogwarts Express, Romina changed her hair all over. Instead of it being incredibly short, it was now incredibly long. Bright red shined on the tips of her hair. She'd done her best to look as different as possible from her mother.

According to Pansy, it had not been enough.

"Oswell," Pansy Parkinson proved to be a pain once you were on the recipient side of her wrath. She had Milicent Bullstrode on her side, also proving they were getting thick as thieves. "You decided to come back? And with a new hair-do? It's not going to work. You'll always look like Mummy-dearest."

Romina looked into Pansy's eyes, searching for anything that would give a sign of doubt, or at least regret, but there was nothing. Pansy now looked at her the same way she looked at Arden: with hatred. They were no longer friends. A part of Romina did lament the fact but she wouldn't let herself fall, especially to the likes of Pansy.

Romina did a small nod as she accepted the new reality. "So that's how it's going to be, then?" Pansy raised an eyebrow, not quite sure where Romina was going with the question. "Fine," Romina shrugged. "Hate me. But if you're going to do it, then be prepared for a good game because I'm not going anywhere." Pansy smirked, but it appeared she was more amused than threatened. "And fair warning, you do anything like what you did before Christmas again, and I might just have to live up to my parents' reputation."

"You? Okay!" snorted Pansy. Even Millicent snickered behind.

Romina didn't let that make her falter. Instead, she just smiled. "And just remember that I do also live with muggles so I've picked up on a few things that can and will make you hurt in a different way. Starting with..." she brutally stomped on Pansy's foot, making the girl shriek. "Scuse me!" she then moved around the girls, making sure her black suitcase knocked them against the glass door of a compartment.

Yeah, that kind of felt good.

All the way towards Hogwarts, Romina had spent it alone. No one wanted to sit with the daughter of Elora and Caplan Oswell apparently. It was fine. It gave Romina more hours to accept what might be waiting for her at school. When the train finally stopped, she got her suitcase and headed for the horseless carriages waiting for the students. Despite her best efforts to be aloof, she couldn't help notice that everyone passing by would give her a certain look, along with hushed whispers.

Romina had never felt so alone in those few minutes...

"Hey Oswell, I thought you weren't coming back?" Romina heard behind her, pulling her out of her darkening thoughts.

Draco had recognized her bright red ombre tips a mile away. He picked up his pace to catch up with her and seeing this, she stopped walking.

She rolled her eyes as the young platinum blonde came up beside her. "You'd like that wouldn't you, Malfoy?"

"Well, it does sound rather appealing. No more constant badgering for my more-than-clever Muggle jabs and Potter insults. Would make my life a lot easier, frankly."

Romina rolled her eyes and looked away as a smile crossed her lips. His playfulness was heartwarming. He chose to ignore everything and still treat her the same. There were no overwhelming questions like the "are you okay?" or the damned "how are you feeling?" one she hated the most. He chose to be himself with her. His rude, snarky self but himself nonetheless.

That's all she wanted.

"As if," she shrugged casually, though her smile was growing by the second. "Then who'd you have as a potion's partner? Dare I say..." she pretended to gasp, and even stopped for dramatics, "Hermione!"