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ESMIE HAD BEEN COMPLETELY DISTRACTED FOR WEEKS.

No matter how hard she tried to focus, her thoughts seemed to drift elsewhere, and she couldn't quite put her finger on why.

"I still can't believe Harry and Ron are doing better in Defence Against the Dark Arts than Esmie," Grace commented one morning as their group shuffled into the classroom. The usual chatter of students filled the air, but Grace's remark seemed to cut through it, making Esmie frown as she glanced over her shoulder.

"I've been a bit... preoccupied," Esmie muttered, though her tone lacked conviction.

"She's just distracted. It's no big deal," Hope added as they made their way to their usual seats. Esmie rolled her eyes, sinking into her chair as if hoping to avoid the conversation entirely. Hermione slipped into the seat beside her, offering a supportive smile, as if sensing the unease bubbling under the surface.

"Preoccupied doesn't mean failing," Grace replied, shaking her head. "You're way too good at this subject for Harry and Ron to be showing you up."

Esmie shrugged, not bothering to respond, though she could feel the heat creeping into her cheeks. She glanced behind her, catching sight of Enzo and Mattheo taking their seats. The sight of them should have been a comfort—Enzo especially—but even that didn't quite ease the knot in her stomach. Behind them, Dani and Theo settled in, a pairing that still surprised Esmie every time she saw it. The history between them wasn't exactly smooth, and yet there they were, sitting together like it didn't matter.

As he sat down, Enzo reached over and nudged Esmie's arm. She managed a small smile, grateful for the gesture, but even that felt half-hearted. She turned her attention back to the front just as Professor Snape strode into the room, his dark robes billowing out behind him like some ominous shadow. The lesson began quickly, but despite Esmie's best efforts, her gaze soon wandered toward the back of the room, where Pansy and Draco were whispering to one another. Pansy let out a soft giggle, and Esmie felt a pang of irritation flare in her chest. She sighed, tapping her quill absently against her book, trying—and failing—to recenter her focus on the lesson.

"Stop," Hermione whispered sharply, leaning closer. Esmie ignored her, lost in her own thoughts.

"It seems some of you believe you're too good to pay attention in class," Snape's cold voice sliced through the air, instantly pulling Esmie from her reverie. Her head snapped up in alarm, her heart thudding in her chest.

"I was paying attention—" Esmie began to argue, her voice rising defensively, but she instantly regretted it. Snape's icy glare bore into her, and she shrank back in her seat, realising her mistake too late.

"Miss Grisky, come to the front and demonstrate the spell on the board," Snape ordered, his voice as cutting as ever. He gestured toward the blackboard, where an unfamiliar spell was scrawled in neat handwriting. Esmie's stomach dropped.

Her mind raced as she stared at the unfamiliar incantation. We haven't covered that, she thought in a panic. She hesitated, her pulse quickening as the silence in the room seemed to grow louder, the weight of everyone's eyes on her almost unbearable.

"Oh, this should be good," Grace muttered under her breath from the back of the room. Esmie barely heard her; the thundering in her ears drowned out everything but the sight of Snape standing expectantly, waiting for her to embarrass herself.

"Thank you, Miss Black," Snape responded, his voice laced with contempt. Esmie took a deep breath, her legs feeling like lead as she forced herself to stand. Every step toward the front of the classroom felt like a mile, and by the time she reached the board, her hands were trembling. She looked out over the sea of faces, most of which were watching her with varying degrees of curiosity or boredom, but when her eyes found Enzo, his expression softened. He gave her a small nod, mouthing, "You've got this."

Her heart skipped a beat, and for a fleeting moment, she felt a flicker of hope. She glanced at Mattheo, who gave her a reassuring look, mouthing, "Believe in yourself, you can do it."

With their silent encouragement, Esmie turned back to Snape, raising her wand in what she hoped was a confident stance. But as she opened her mouth to speak, her mind went blank. The words disappeared, the spell lost to her completely. Her hands started to shake more visibly now, and before she could even attempt to correct her stance, Snape raised his wand and fired a stunning spell at her. The impact sent a sharp pain coursing through her side, and she gasped, stumbling back.

"Come on, Esmie, don't let Gryffindor down!" Ron called out from the back, his voice cutting through the silence.

"Mr. Weasley, another outburst from you and you'll losing house points," Snape snapped, his voice venomous. He turned his wand back on Esmie, who struggled to regain her footing.

She took a shaky breath, her eyes darting to the spell on the board. It was no use—she didn't know it. As Snape prepared to strike again, Esmie raised her wand in a last, desperate attempt.

"Expelliarmus!" she shouted, her voice trembling. To her horror, Snape's wand flew out of his hand, clattering onto the ground with a deafening sound in the otherwise silent room. Esmie's eyes widened in disbelief as she lowered her wand, realising what she had done.

The look on Snape's face sent a chill down her spine.

"Take your seat, Miss Grisky. Ten points from Gryffindor for your disrespect," Snape said icily. A collective groan erupted from Ron, Grace, and Hope, but Esmie barely registered it. She felt numb as she returned to her seat, her face burning with humiliation.

"Esmie, you're supposed to gain points, not lose them," Grace whispered harshly, though there was a teasing edge to her voice.

Esmie forced a grin. "What can I say? Losing points is way more fun."

"Es, we can't afford to lose any more," Hope muttered, leaning forward in her seat.

"Will you two shut it? I'm already in enough trouble," Esmie hissed under her breath.

"MISS GRISKY!" Snape's voice boomed across the room, startling her. She turned to face him, her heart sinking further.

"Professor, I didn't—"

"Detention," Snape cut her off, slamming his hands onto her desk with enough force to make her flinch. His cold eyes bore into hers for a moment longer before he turned and strode back to the front of the room, leaving Esmie staring at her textbook, her cheeks aflame.

Before she could process what had just happened, Enzo stood up. "Professor, this isn't fair," he said, his voice filled with frustration. "How can you give her detention for a spell none of us have learned yet?"

"Mr. Berkshire, sit down," Snape replied, his tone dangerously low.

"No! You've been targeting her for weeks. This is the third time she's gotten detention for something ridiculous," Enzo continued, his voice rising.

"Thirty points from Slytherin, and I'll see you in detention as well, Mr. Berkshire," Snape snapped.

Enzo sat back down with a thud, his jaw clenched in anger. Esmie turned to him, her voice barely above a whisper. "You didn't have to do that."

"I'd do it again," Enzo replied, meeting her eyes with a steady gaze. "You were being treated unfairly."

A warm blush spread across Esmie's cheeks, and she looked away, feeling butterflies swarm in her stomach. Despite the trouble she was in, Enzo's defence made her feel lighter, like maybe she wasn't entirely alone in this.

"Esmie, what's really going on with you?" Hermione asked softly, concern evident in her voice.

"Nothing," Esmie muttered, glancing nervously at Snape. "I just don't want to get into any more trouble."

"Miss Grisky," Snape's voice cut through the air once more, laced with warning.

"Sorry, Professor, I'll be quiet," Esmie replied quickly, sinking lower into her seat. Snape shot her a final glare before turning back to the lesson, and for the remainder of the class, Esmie kept her head down, too exhausted to say anything else.

As soon as the lesson ended, Esmie gathered her things and walked over to Enzo, a wry smile playing on her lips. "Looks like we'll be spending detention together."

"It was worth it," Enzo grinned, wrapping his arms around her and planting a soft kiss on the side of her head. Esmie's smile widened as he pulled away, the brief moment of affection grounding her in a way nothing else had all morning.

They walked together toward the door, where their friends were waiting.

"Esmie, we love you, but seriously, stop losing points," Hope said with an exasperated sigh.

"If you keep this up and Gryffindor somehow wins the House Cup, Slytherin's going to owe you big time," Theo chimed in, his smirk making Esmie roll her eyes.

"There's no way we're letting Slytherin take the cup from us," Grace added, her voice confident.

"Slytherin's going to crush Gryffindor, and Esmie's making it way too easy for us," Danielle quipped with a mischievous grin.

"Dani, there's no way Gryffindor's losing the cup this year," Esmie shot back, feeling some of her old fire return.

"Slytherin's got it in the bag," Dani retorted, her smirk growing wider.

As the group left the classroom, Esmie lingered behind for a moment with Theo. The tension between them was undeniable, the weight of their last conversation in Hogsmeade still hanging over them.

"He's worried about you," Theo finally said, breaking the silence.

"What?" Esmie asked, caught off guard by Theo's words.

"Draco's been worried about you," Theo said softly, his tone gentle. "He was hurt when you ran off that day, and since then, you've been avoiding everyone, especially him."

Esmie's heart clenched at the mention of Draco, but her frustration flared up before she could stop it. "You heard what Pansy said. Why would Draco want anything to do with a nosy Mudblood like me?" she snapped, her voice sharp and brittle. As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a wave of horror wash over her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Draco still seated at his desk, his eyes locked on her. He had heard everything.

Theo's expression softened, but he looked pained. "Esmie, you don't really believe that," he said quietly, his voice full of concern. He took a step closer, trying to reassure her.

Esmie bit her lip, her emotions swirling. "Just drop it, Theo," she replied firmly, trying to shut down the conversation before it hurt even more. Theo sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly, but he leaned in to give her a quick, affectionate hug before leaving the room.

Esmie hesitated, her gaze flicking back to Draco. He was still sitting at his desk, his expression unreadable. Steeling herself, she took a tentative step toward him. "Draco, can we—"

"I have to go," Draco interrupted, his voice clipped as he stood up, snapping his books shut. Without another word, he walked out of the room, leaving Esmie standing there, her heart sinking lower with each step he took. She watched him disappear into the corridor, the ache of regret settling deep in her chest.

With a sigh, Esmie turned her attention to the front of the classroom, where Professor Snape was standing, observing her with a hard, unreadable expression. She hesitated again before taking slow steps toward him. As much as she didn't want to face him, she knew this confrontation was long overdue.

"Miss Grisky, is it truly that difficult for you to focus in my class, or do you simply believe yourself too skilled to need my instruction?" Snape's voice was cold, laced with disdain. His piercing gaze fixed on her, cutting into her like a knife.

Esmie's eyes filled with tears, her emotions overwhelming her as she stood there facing him. She couldn't hold back any longer. "Coming to see you over the holidays after learning the truth was a mistake," she said, her voice trembling with the weight of her anger and pain. "I thought... I'm supposed to be your daughter. Not someone you just bully and treat like nothing." Her hand shot up, pulling back her sleeve to reveal the partial mark on her arm, still faint but unmistakable. "They did this to me! They tortured me, held me down while I screamed. And you—you handed me over to them. You let this happen!"

Snape's eyes flickered with something—regret, maybe, or anger—but his face remained impassive. "How dare you speak to me like that, Miss Grisky?" His tone was cold, unyielding.

Esmie's fury boiled over. "How dare I? How dare you? I'm telling the truth! You handed me over to the Death Eaters, and they tortured me! And now... Enzo's right. You've been treating me unfairly for weeks, constantly calling on me, taking house points for no reason." Her voice grew louder, more defiant with every word. She could feel the tears spilling over, but she didn't care anymore. The dam had broken.

"Miss Grisky—" Snape began, his tone still icy, but Esmie wasn't done.

"I'll see you in detention," she snapped, cutting him off before he could respond. With that, she spun on her heel and stormed out of the classroom, her heart pounding in her chest. The anger and hurt still swirled within her, but for the first time in weeks, she felt a small sense of release, of standing up for herself.

Esmie headed straight for the Great Hall, where students were gathering for lunch. The noise and bustle of the hall hit her as she walked in, but it felt like a distant hum compared to the turmoil in her mind. With a heavy sigh, she spotted her friends and made her way to their table. Sitting down, she grabbed her vanilla yogurt topped with pineapple—one of the few things she could stomach these days—and took a small bite.

"Ew, I don't get how you can eat that," Grace grimaced, watching Esmie dig into the yogurt with a frown of disgust.

"I love it," Esmie replied with a nonchalant shrug, taking another spoonful. She was too drained to offer any further explanation.

"I can't believe Snape gave you detention again," Harry said as he slid into the seat beside her, shaking his head.

"I can," Grace chimed in. "Enzo was right—this is, what, the third time in just a few weeks?" She glanced pointedly at Esmie, who only sighed in response.

"Yeah, it's like he has it in for you," Hope added, glancing at Esmie's mostly empty plate. "Are you planning on eating anything besides that yogurt?"

Esmie poked at the food on her plate halfheartedly before shaking her head. "I'm not really hungry," she mumbled, taking a sip from her goblet and setting it down with a soft clink. "And I don't know why Snape's been targeting me. It's like he's got some personal vendetta."

Esmie sighed again, picking at the edge of her plate. She had always been discreet about her special meals, making sure no one noticed her allergies, but now she wasn't sure if that even mattered. She looked up at Hope and shook her head. "I just don't understand it either," she admitted, her voice quieter. "I don't know what I did to make him so mad at me."

"Maybe it's not about what you did," Grace suggested, reaching over to give Esmie's hand a squeeze. "Snape's always been unfair, but this feels different."

Esmie nodded, her thoughts still spinning. Between Snape's anger, Draco's avoidance, and everything else weighing on her, she wasn't sure how much more she could take.

"Esmie, could you please start earning house points instead of losing them so Gryffindor actually has a shot at winning the house cup this year?" Ron chimed in.

"We're not just aiming for a chance—we're going to win the house cup again this year, and nothing, not even Esmie, is going to stop us," Grace declared as Maddison and Josie joined them at the table. While students usually sat with their own houses during meals, lunchtime was often an exception, with many opting to sit with friends from other houses.

"Please, this is Ravenclaw's year to win the cup," Maddison said confidently.

"Oh, no way! Hufflepuff is definitely taking it this year," Josie stated loudly. Esmie rolled her eyes, smiling as her friends began debating who would win the house cup. The lively conversation was a welcome distraction from what had happened in Snape's class.

As she listened, Esmie glanced over at the Slytherin table and noticed Draco talking to Pansy. She frowned, but when Draco caught her eye, he stood up and walked over to their table. Esmie looked up at him, unsure of what to say.

"Uh, hi..."

"Hi. Would you like to walk to class with me, Esmeralda?" Draco asked. Esmie felt her cheeks flush as all her friends turned to stare at her. A part of her hesitated, especially after what Draco had overheard that morning.

"Shove off, Malfoy. Why would Esmie want to go anywhere with a git like you?" Ron sneered.

"Ron, it's fine," Esmie replied, surprising everyone as she nodded. "Yes, I'll walk to class with you." She stood up, and as they walked out of the Great Hall together, a few heads turned in surprise. Enzo, noticing them leave together, felt a pang of jealousy.

They walked in silence for a few moments before Esmie finally broke it. "You heard me talking to Theo this morning."

"You've been avoiding me because of something Pansy said?" Draco asked.

"I... I guess."

"I thought you were better than that, Esmeralda," Draco said, his voice tinged with disappointment.

"Well, what was I supposed to think, Draco? You weren't there to tell me the truth, and none of your friends, not even Delilah, said anything to make me believe you didn't call me a nosy Mudblood," Esmie snapped back.

"I didn't. I would never call you a Mudblood," Draco told her firmly.

Esmie scoffed. "And how am I supposed to believe that when you've called me a Mudblood before?" She glanced over and spotted Pansy watching them from a distance. Shaking her head, she looked back at Draco. "I should go."

"Esmeralda..." Draco started, but Esmie turned away from him and headed into the classroom, taking a seat beside Grace.

"What did Malfoy want?" Grace asked curiously.

"I'll tell you later. Right now, I think I should focus so I don't lose any more house points," Esmie said, trying to brush it off. Grace nodded, and Esmie did her best to concentrate throughout the day, but her thoughts kept wandering.

Later that evening, as they walked into the Gryffindor common room together, Harry noticed something was off. "Are you okay?" he asked gently.

"I don't really want to talk about it, Harry," Esmie replied, her voice heavy with the weight of the day.

"Well, I'm here if you ever do want to talk," Harry offered, and Esmie smiled, teasing him.

"Wait, you mean you'll actually put down that potions book you've been glued to for the past few weeks to talk to me?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Just that you've been so absorbed in that stupid potions book lately. I've missed talking to you," Esmie said, her tone light but sincere. Harry looked at her, and she shrugged before deciding to change the subject. "I really don't want to go to detention with Snape."

"Why does Snape have it in for you?" Harry asked, concern in his voice.

"I wish I knew, Harry," Esmie sighed. Just then, Grace and Hope walked into the room, and Esmie smiled at them.

"I still can't believe you have detention again tonight," Hope said as she sat down beside Esmie on the couch.

"Don't remind me. And even worse, I embarrassed myself in front of the entire class," Esmie groaned.

"Well, at least it shows our DA lessons from last year paid off," Harry grinned.

"Harry, that's definitely beside the point. I was supposed to demonstrate the spell Snape had written on the board, and instead, I shouted 'Expelliarmus' at the top of my lungs," Esmie grumbled.

"It was pretty funny," Harry laughed.

"Pretty funny? It was hilarious," Grace chimed in with a smile. "Well, except for the part where you lost house points."

"Oh, let it go already. I'm going to get ready for dinner," Esmie grumbled as she got up and headed to her dorm room. After freshening up, she returned to the common room, where her friends were waiting.

"It's about bloody time. I'm starving, but Hermione said we had to wait for you," Ron complained as Esmie joined them.

"Are you ever not hungry, Ron?" Esmie teased as they all left the common room and headed to the Great Hall together. As they entered, Esmie spotted Enzo and Theo. She walked over to them, smiling as she hugged Enzo, who hugged her back before heading over to the Slytherin table with Mattheo.

"Can you please talk to Draco?" Theo asked quietly as he hugged Esmie, whispering in her ear, "He won't stop going on about how you think he called you a nosy... well, you know."

"Was it true? Did he call me that? It wouldn't be the first time," Esmie said, pulling away to look at Theo.

"No, he didn't call you that—not this time, at least. That was just Pansy trying to get under your skin, and it looks like it worked," Theo explained.

"I don't get why she's trying to get under my skin. I've tried to be nice to her, but she still does everything she can to keep me away from Draco."

"I thought it was obvious why."

"It's not."

"As far as I know, she has a crush on Draco, but he focuses a lot of his attention on you," Theo said.

"I'm not sure—"

"Esmeralda, will you please just talk to him?" Theo pleaded.

"Have I ever mentioned that you're a total pain in the ass?" Esmie retorted.

"Yeah, you tell me all the time, but I know you still love me," Theo grinned, teasing her.

"Uh-huh," Esmie rolled her eyes but smiled back at him before heading over to join her friends.

"What did he want?" Ron asked as she sat down beside him.

"Oh, he just had a question for me," Esmie shrugged, not wanting to elaborate. Her friends gave her curious looks before returning to their conversation.

As they ate, Hope reached over with her fork and stole some food from Esmie's plate. Esmie laughed, pulling her bowl away and playfully pushing Hope back. "Get your own food, Hope."

"Why would I do that when yours tastes better?" Hope quipped. While Esmie tried to fend off Hope's attempts to steal more, Grace slyly swiped the bowl away and started eating from it herself.

"Hey!" Esmie protested, laughing as Grace joined in on the playful theft.

"Hey!" Esmie exclaimed as Grace took a bite of her food and smirked at her.

"Come on, you should know by now not to let one twin distract you," Grace teased, making Esmie roll her eyes. Harry pushed his plate towards her.

"Here, you can have mine," Harry offered.

"Uh... thanks, but I'm fine. I'll just stick with my yoghurt," Esmie said, grabbing her yoghurt and opening it. Harry raised an eyebrow at her, but Esmie simply focused on finishing her yoghurt while everyone around her ate and chatted. When dinner ended, Esmie stood up and smiled at her friends.

"I guess I'll see you after detention."

"Try not to lose any more house points," Ron mumbled through a mouthful of chicken, and Esmie nodded.

"I'll try," she laughed before noticing Enzo waiting by the door. Smiling to herself, she said goodbye to her friends and walked over to join him. The two of them left the Great Hall together.

"You know, you shouldn't even be joining me for detention tonight, Sweets," Esmie said.

"You shouldn't have been given detention either, Mie," Enzo replied. As they walked, their hands occasionally brushed against each other, and Esmie glanced down, smiling to herself. When they reached the dungeons, Esmie took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Enter," Snape called. Enzo walked in first, but Esmie hesitated, nervous about facing Snape after their earlier confrontation.

"Are you alright, Mie?" Enzo asked, noticing her hesitation. Esmie hadn't told anyone about the confrontation with Snape earlier that day, but the thought of facing him again made her anxious.

"Uh... yeah," Esmie nodded as she stepped into the classroom, and Snape looked up.

"You two are to pack these potion materials away for the next hour," Snape instructed. Esmie nodded and began packing the materials with Enzo. As she worked, she glanced at Snape, wondering if she should try to talk to him again. But the memories of what had happened over the holidays and her earlier confrontation flooded back, and she began to panic.

"Mie?" Enzo asked quietly, noticing her distress.

"I—I shouldn't be here. I can't be here—" Esmie started to hyperventilate, and Enzo quickly realised she was having a panic attack.

"Miss Grisky—" Snape began.

"Professor, she's having a panic attack!" Enzo interrupted, helping Esmie sit down and crouching in front of her. He took her hands and squeezed them gently. "Mie, I'm right here. Just focus on my voice. I've got you, you're okay."

"Mr. Berkshire, take Miss Grisky back to her dorm," Snape said, dismissing them. Enzo nodded and helped Esmie up, leading her out of the classroom and back to his dorm room. He guided her to his bed, where she sat down, sniffling. Enzo fetched a water bottle and handed it to her.

"Here," he said softly. Esmie nodded gratefully, taking a few sips before Enzo gently wiped away her tears with his thumb.

"What happened, Mie?" he asked.

"I—I confronted Snape after Defence Against the Dark Arts," Esmie admitted, placing the water bottle aside. "I told him about... about my m-mark and how they t-tortured me, and all he could say was how dare I speak to him that way."

"Oh, darling," Enzo murmured, pulling her into a tight hug. Esmie sighed softly, feeling comforted by his presence. As they lay down together, Esmie, not wanting to leave just yet, drifted off to sleep in Enzo's arms. Enzo glanced at her and smiled, feeling at peace with her by his side and hoping she would always be a part of his life.

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Enjoy! Xo

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