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satansapostle6 · 6 months

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folie à deux

Sometimes poison is sweet.

Selina Romanov and Draco Malfoy met when they were only eleven years old. The two of them have always shared an intense bond, always having gravitated towards one another. But the question still remains, as the years pass by, is their connection one of passion, or delusion?

Warnings: Contains Mature Themes/Language, Themes Such As Sexual Content, Violence, Abuse, Sexual Assault, Eating Disorders

Nineteen.

It was still nonstop partying for Selina as her fourth year at Hogwarts continued. It seemed Kelly and Blaise were more determined to fry their brains with adrenaline and extravagance than usual. All of Slytherin's elite were prone to indulgent, addictive behavior, but they weren't addicted to anything that was treatable. Everyone Selina knew was just addicted to excitement.

Kelly Cross and Blaise Zabini both reveled in the luxurious lifestyles they lived as part of Slytherin's court. Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson commanded the attention of their entire school with their antics, humiliation he damned, knowing they'd rather have their dirty laundry out on display than be passed over.

Selina and Jasper knew that they both had different places in all of it. Jasper was so enamored with Selina, he hardly recognized anyone else, including himself, while Selina went insane any time she processed anything from the outside world.

The two of them worked very interestingly together, because while they both had strong beliefs in individuality, they both utilized their individuality very differently.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Selina remarked passively as she walked down the steps of the stands where they were going to be watching the first of three tasks in the Triwizard Tournament.

"You don't see what the big deal is?" Jasper questioned in disbelief. "You're drunk."

"Not drunk, tipsy, at best," she provided with disappointment in her tone. "I barely drank, and I can hold my liquor."

"You're at a school event," he argued.

"Exactly!" she pointed out. "I'm not the only one, and I'm definitely not the worst one."

"You sound like Fred," Jasper groaned.

"Everyone loves Fred," Selina pointed out.

"Fred also blows up toilets," Jasper reasoned with a dry smile.

Selina sat beside Amana and Pansy as they waited for the First Task to begin, eager to see bloodshed.

"Want any Firewhisky?" Pansy called to her.

"Had some cognac with Fred and George," she responded. "Mum says no, so I suppose I'm all set for today."

"How moderate of you," Amana said with a smile.

It seemed almost everyone at least nearly of age at Hogwarts was drinking today, heavily. It was the start of the event of the century. As students from Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang alike all watched as the four champions each took on a dragon in their objective to capture a single golden egg, the yelling and cheering was like nothing Selina had ever heard before.

This wasn't like any Quidditch game she'd ever been to, or played in. She watched as Cedric Diggory, the captain of the Hufflepuff team, took on a Swedish Short-Snout, just about everyone in their school cheering for him.

Selina inquisitively watched Cedric evade the creature with curiosity, wondering if their fantastical perception of him was similar to the way they perceived her, as Slytherin's 'star Chaser' and Amana Tesfaye's best friend. She eventually came to the disturbing conclusion that she and Cedric Diggory certainly had one that in common; they had both done everything, and nothing, to earn everyone's praise.

She then observed that, although she and Draco Malfoy definitely did not have the same sort of character, that didn't seem to matter to anyone on the outside. Draco and Selina, although being vastly different people, were still cut from the same lush, exorbitant cloth. As she watched Draco tripping a third-year Gryffindor boy as Crabbe and Goyle laughed brutishly, she became increasingly aware of the other side of how people saw her.

Sometimes, it didn't matter who she really was. Sometimes, all that mattered was what people saw, whether it was something she presented on her own, or something that was only a part of their perception.

"Hey. Something wrong?"

"Hmm?"

A bit startled, Selina looked up at Jasper, who was sitting in the seat beside her.

"No," she said quickly, "Why?"

"No reason," Jasper assured her in his soft Irish accent.

"What is it?" she wondered, not understanding the reason behind his gaze.

He just smiled, already forgetting his worries as he neatly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Nothing. Just... admiring, is all."

It hit her like a train. He looked at her the same way he looked at Freya when he played with her, as if she were the most pure, precious thing on earth.

Selina knew she had always liked Jasper simply because his perception of her perfectly matched her own; she didn't feel the need to translate herself to him the way she did with others. With him, she felt understood, like she could be at her most vulnerable with him.

It hurt Selina a bit that even after all the things she'd done, all the insane and reckless things she'd done that she'd had no business doing at thirteen and fourteen, Jasper still saw the same person he'd seen the day he met. And of course he did. He was willing to put up with Draco Malfoy to be with her; he loved her.

"Jas, I..." she cut herself off, deciding that there was only one thing she had to say. "I love you," she reminded him, hoping he knew just how much.

"I love you too," he said happily, as if waiting for her to say it.

He smiled and leaned in for a kiss, a sweet peck on the lips before they both smiled with satisfaction and returned to watching the first task with their friends. Selina eventually joined in on Amana's side conversation with Blaise, the three of them commentating on Viktor Krum's boarish performance against the Chinese Firevall he'd been assigned.

Draco Malfoy had been sitting between Crabbe and Pansy, and just happened to glance over at the two of them at that moment. He watched as their lips met and they shared a beautiful smile together as if no one else was there. He scoffed in disgust, not understanding Selina's affection for Jasper, someone he felt was decidedly inferior, and ultimately a complete and utter waste of time for her.

Tiring of seeing her and Jasper Carroll parading about together, he turned to his own girlfriend, who was returning an open flask to Daphne Greengrass in a seat in the row below them, laughing as Firewhisky dribbled down her chin. Making a face as he ignored the unflattering moment, Draco pulled Pansy's face toward him, his hand holding her face almost in captivity as he kissed her.

Selina and Blaise were laughing at something Jasper had said, and for a moment, she saw Draco. And then, she didn't see Draco, because of the way he aggressively pulled Pansy in toward him. She was a bit startled, but eventually giggled and went along with it. This kiss was nothing like the kiss Selina had shared with Jasper. This kiss was less of a kiss, and more so a declaration of war.

Draco Malfoy was violently smashing his face against Pansy's, a whole mess of tongue involved that frankly no one wanted anything to do with, even Daphne, who seemed envious of her friend. Selina was disgusted as she watched Draco desperately trying to bite, or bite off, his girlfriend's bottom lip. She was alarmed at the sight, but also concerned that she'd once been kissed by the same person.

Quickly disregarding the disturbing display, Selina did her best to discard it completely from her memory, cheering loudly for Harry with Amana as he went up against arguably the most aggressive of the dragons, the Hungarian Horntail. By the end of the first task, Selina had completely sobered up, and was headed back to the Slytherin common room with everyone else.

"Hey!"

One of Jasper's friends interrupted as Selina and Blaise stopped.

"You two go ahead," Jasper said, planting a quick kiss atop Selina's head, "I'll catch up."

Selina and Blaise turned toward the castle, just as they saw Daphne struggling to keep Pansy's hair out of her own vomit as she nearly collapsed into a bush.

"Oh. I'd better go help," Blaise said very reluctantly as he tentatively came to Daphne's aid.

"I'd better go far away," Selina decided as she turned away.

"Going somewhere?"

She let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through her hair. "What is it, Draco?" she questioned reluctantly.

"What are you, too good to talk to me now?" he questioned.

She just looked at him, flabbergasted, as he looked her in the eyes, expecting a genuine response.

"I talked to you five minutes ago," she said flatly.

"Yeah; you said 'excuse me'," he huffed.

"Yeah. I was being polite," her eyes widened with exasperation, "Maybe consider it once in a while."

"No. No, you weren't being 'polite'," Draco insisted, an air of entitlement about him, "You were icing me out."

"So what if I was?" she demanded. "You tried to get with me, and I have a boyfriend."

"Please, you're being completely ridiculous," he complained, "Why would I ever try to snog you? I have Pansy for that."

"Yeah, we've noticed," Selina pointed out, "Thanks."

"Oh. I see what it is," he laughed, a wide grin spreading across his features, "Yeah, I saw the way you looked at us, you felt a little jealous."

"'Jealous'?" she repeated. "That's what we're going with? You were sucking her teeth while Crabbe fixed your hair, and I was jealous?"

"Come on. It's okay, Sel," Draco chuckled, looking left and right to ensure that no one was around, "We've always had a little thing between us. Everyone knows it, it's nothing to be ashamed of. You're cute."

"I'm cute?" Selina stared. "I've had pictures taken up my skirt on the way to Charms."

"And I bought two of them," Draco agreed diplomatically.

She scoffed at his immaturity. Draco couldn't stand to be humiliated, especially when his audience was himself.

"Okay. I don't see any point in continuing this conversation, so I'm going to leave," she concluded.

Draco stopped her, jumping in front of her before she could try to head back towards the castle with everyone else.

"You're so predictable, you know," he added, mocking her for the sole purpose of eliciting an emotional response of any kind. "You tease me, and then you play innocent. But don't worry. I think I kind of like this little game we play," he smirked.

Selina would have punched him if she knew for certain he wouldn't enjoy it.

"This... This thing we have..." he expressed. "It's the only thing that really makes me feel alive."

She paused for a moment, regathering her composure as she realized this interaction wasn't quite as cut and dry as she thought.

"I don't want to stop this, Selina," he said her whole name. "You're fun. You keep me guessing. I'd tell you to break up with Carroll, but I kind of like watching you pretend he feels like me when you kiss him."

"Listen, Draco, I'm not who I was when I kissed you that night," Selina admitted, a mixture of feelings toward the fact. "That person... That person was reckless, and naive. That person really thought that you actually loved me, one way or another."

Draco stopped, realizing that the 'game' had been ruined for him.

"I don't know if you realize this, but I've only ever regretted being there for you to try and kiss," she snapped. "Giving you the benefit of the doubt has done nothing but bite me in the arse. So yes, perhaps I am 'icing you out'."

Selina was too busy storming off to realize that, not ten feet behind her, Fred had heard what she had hoped was only a snippet of the conversation.

"What are you looking at, Weasley?"

Draco, furious and glaring at him as he noticed him, disappeared towards the castle, fuming. Selina looked between Draco and Fred, not knowing at all how to respond to the situation. Fred's face was absent of color as he took in everything he heard.

"You and Malfoy?" Fred Weasley asked, a look of disgust in his eyes for the first time.

Selina blinked back tears, horrified. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Enough!" he exclaimed. "Seriously, Selina, you and Malfoy?! I thought that was just a rumor!"

"You thought what was just a rumor?!"she cried.

"You know what!" he gasped. "You kissed him?!"

Selina trembled as tears fell.

"I didn't kiss him!" she pleaded with him. "He kissed me, and I stopped him. Jasper knows. We got past it."

"Clearly you didn't," Fred pointed out.

"What you heard... That was just Draco being a prick, he does this just to torture me—"

"He does this, just to fuck with you?" he demanded. "Selina, that's fucked..."

"You don't know him," she sighed, "He's just a fucking arsehole, there's nothing to it."

"Clearly there is," he reminded her. "There's obviously something going on between the two of you."

"No, there isn't, because I made myself very clear to him," Selina reasoned. "He knows I want nothing to do with him."

"No, he doesn't."

"Fred," she sighed, exhausted by her own panic, "I told him—"

"It doesn't matter, Selina," he breathed, a defeated look in his eyes.

Something told her he wasn't just addressing her own situation.

"If he even thinks he has a chance, he's going to want to take it. Believe me."

"I didn't want this," she protested, "I never asked him to be anything other than a friend. It's not my problem if he won't accept that."

"Yes, it is," Fred told her, a faint darkness behind his eyes. "You know it is."

She didn't say anything for a moment.

"You know I hate Malfoy just as much as the next bloke," he pointed out, "But even I can see it. He fancies you."

"Please. Draco doesn't 'fancy' anyone," Selina insisted, "This is all just some power play to him."

"Yeah, it is," Fred nodded in agreement, "But that doesn't mean he doesn't feel something for you, whatever that might be. Everyone knows it; you're his only weakness. He doesn't like it, but he can't keep away, either."

"You think Draco Malfoy's in love? With me?" she scoffed.

"Well, it's definitely not with Pansy Parkinson," he remarked. "And you're friends with both of them. That's just a disaster waiting to happen."

"I can handle it myself," she told him.

"For your sake. I hope that's true."

Glancing awkwardly at him once more, Selina turned away and left, no longer having anything much to say. On her way back to the common room, Selina came upon Amana and Pansy in the corridor, accompanied by Daphne, who was whispering something as Elspeth and her friends, two Ravenclaw girls, passed by.

"I heard from Bulstrode Thomas Gray stood her up at The Three Broomsticks," Daphne barely whispered as Pansy cackled with laughter.

"Of course he did!"

Selina looked at Elspeth, who seemed embarrassed as she walked past them with her head lowered, whether she'd heard Daphne or not. Selina would have felt sorry for her if she hadn't been so cruel before. Selina knew that they'd had a falling out for a reason.

"Selina!" Pansy Parkinson yelled, immediately catching her attention.

Selina approached the girls, wondering what they were up to.

"Come look at Lavender Brown's top. It's awful!" Pansy giggled, almost as if she were trying to be heard.

Lavender looked over at the girls in humiliation, quickly closing her sweater over her top as she ran off.

"She looked like she was trying to smuggle two slugs into the castle," Daphne laughed.

"Oh my God, you're bloody brilliant!" Pansy chuckled.

"I count on her being Longbottom's date to The Three Broomsticks this weekend," she muttered.

There was a celebration for the Tournament happening that weekend.

"Oh yeah? Who are you going with?" Amana asked her.

"Miles has asked me," she told them, a haughty pride to her announcement.

"Really?" Pansy questioned in surprise. "Draco still hasn't asked me. Or even mentioned it."

Selina remained silent.

"Really?" Daphne wondered. "But you're together."

"That's what I was thinking!" Pansy agreed.

No longer comfortable standing around while they talked, Selina decided she would retire to the dorms after all.

"I'll catch up with you lot later," she decided.

They all waved to her without a second thought as she left for the dungeons. As Selina entered the dimly lit common room, she found that outside her dormitory, Blaise Zabini was there, waiting for her.

"Blaise?" Selina questioned in surprise.

He had been waiting for her, seeming very curious about something.

"Selina," he said finally, looking around to make sure no one was listening in, "There you are."

"What is it?" she questioned, not understanding.

"You and Draco. Tell me everything," he demanded, not bothering to be polite.

Selina's eyes widened slightly as she realized how much he must've known.

"Who told you—"

"Inside," Blaise hissed, following as she quickly led him into her dorm room.

Selina quickly closed the door, alarmed by how much Blaise seemed to know.

"What do you know about that?" she demanded.

He rolled his eyes at her, expecting her to understand by now. "You realize Draco will tell

me just about anything, right? Especially after a little Firewhisky."

"What the hell did he tell you?!" she demanded in horror.

"Enough," Blaise promised her, "I just don't know how much of it is true-true, and how much of it is Draco-true."

"Nothing happened. He tried to kiss me at the Valentine's Day party, and we've fought about it a lot," she admitted. "I think he tried to convince me to be with him."

Blaise seemed incredibly perturbed by the idea.

"Well, whatever happened, you've got a problem on your hands," he informed her.

"Why?" Selina asked him. "Is he going to break up with Pansy?" she realized, horrified.

"No, it's worse; he isn't," Blaise told her.

"I'm not sure I follow," she admitted.

"Listen. If Draco and Pansy stay together, even with all this, it'll become a mess we'll all have to deal with," he reasoned. "If those two keep going at the same rate, eventually, something will slip, and our entire social ecosystem will fall apart. We'll all be fucked, specifically you."

"Thanks, Blaise," Selina frowned.

"I'm serious. You have to fix this," he sighed, "The bigger the argument Draco and Pansy have, the more they tend to implicate other people. And I'm at the top of that list!" he exclaimed.

"Why do you care so much?" Selina demanded, not understanding his agenda. "You don't care about people, you care about gossip. You've never shown this much interest in anything that has anything to do with other people."

"Never mind why," Blaise snapped, "Just fix this!"

"I don't know that I can!" she pointed out in frustration. "Draco's Draco. If he wants to be insane, there's nothing any of us could do to stop him," she stated.

Blaise groaned in frustration, leaving the room and practically slamming the door behind him as he left. Glad he was at least done, Selina sat down on her bed where her cat was resting on her pillow. Why everyone seemed to have something to do with whatever was happening at any given time between her and Draco, she had no idea.

*****

Upon waking up the next day, Selina found she was in no mood to fake her way through polite conversations. Luckily, it was Igor Karkaroff, the Durmstrang headmaster who stopped her in the hall on the way to class that morning.

"You. Selina Romanov," the dark-haired man barked her down.

Selina was automatically irritated upon hearing her name so early in the day.

"Yes, sir?" she questioned.

"You," Karkaroff repeated, pulling her aside, away from the other students, "Come here."

Selina awkwardly followed him to a more secluded corner, partially concealed by a stone pillar.

"Yes?" she asked him again, wanting to leave as soon as possible.

"You are the youngest of the Romanovs, correct?" Igor Karkaroff asked her, his arms crossed.

Selina did her best not to gauge her brain out through her ears.

"Yes, I am."

"You know, many generations of Romanovs attended the Durmstrang Institute," he informed her.

She silently pleaded that that wasn't all he wanted to tell her.

"Yes, that's true," she said patiently.

"Your grandfather was the first of the Romanovs not to attend Durmstrang. He and your father would have done well at my school," Karkaroff said in his thick accent.

Selina just listened as he spoke.

"I have heard great things about you from the staff of Hogwarts," the man continued. "Even Professor Snape speaks highly of you. I would say that I am regretful you aren't of age put your name in the goblet of fire, but I'd be lying if I didn't tell you I'm very glad Krum won't have to compete against a witch like yourself."

"I see," she followed along, not actually seeing what the point of the conversation was.

"You know, Selina Romanova, I believe you, too, would have done very well for yourself at the Durmstrang Institute," he thought.

"Thank you," Selina nodded respectfully.

"Miss Romanova... I may not be able to indefinitely have you under my tutelage, but I believe you could benefit from lessons different from your current curriculum," Karkaroff explained.

Selina eyed him curiously, wondering where this idea had come from.

"What are you asking me?"

"I believe that I have much to teach to someone like you," he simplified, beady eyes staring down at her for a response, "Without Dumbledore having any part in it, of course."

She immediately knew what the High Master was offering, and decided she wanted no part in it whatsoever.

"I'm sorry. I don't think so," she replied politely, "If you'll excuse me, I've got to get to class.

"I understand. Good day to you, Miss Romanova," he nodded. "You know where to find me if you change your mind, yes?"

Selina just nodded quickly before heading off to class. Draco and Pansy had been lurking about in the hall, half watching as they held hands, judging everyone together as a couple.

"Sel. What did Karkaroff want?" Draco asked her once he disappeared.

Selina looked at him, taking a moment to decide whether or not she felt like answering.

"I don't know, he said he wanted to teach me," she relayed, "Without Dumbledore knowing. So I said 'no'."

"Why?" Draco scoffed. "It's Igor Karkaroff, he probably would've taught you all kinds of dark magic."

"You should've said yes," Pansy agreed.

"I'd rather not get on Dumbledore's radar," Selina said as they all walked to class.

"To hell with Dumbledore," Pansy rolled her eyes, "If you can become an even more powerful witch, you should do it."

"Hmm," Selina murmured, not having much to offer.

She was still completely distracted, by more than just Karkaroff's lack of respect for authority.

*****

Defense Against the Dark Arts was its own headache for Selina. She sat down alone after getting to class early, not feeling she had much to say to anyone. She had been with Jasper earlier in the morning, but that was about it. Selina sat closer to the front, in Professor Moody's line of fire, hoping that would make it easier for her to avoid anyone she normally spoke to. But this wasn't the case.

To her dismay, Draco Malfoy decided to sit down in the empty seat beside her upon entering the room, Crabbe and Goyle taking the seats behind them. Pansy sat in the back of the classroom with Daphne, no doubt quietly discussing something to do with Draco. Selina looked up at him as he sat next to her, calmly rubbing the ring on his finger that matched hers. She could feel the cool metal on her finger warming slightly against her skin.

"What do you want?" she asked him softly, not in the mood for an aggressive spat.

"...To sit down," the blond replied, choosing to play his own game. "What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing," she said coldly, facing forward as Alastor Moody began his eccentric and fairly horrifying lesson.

"Are you angry?" Draco questioned slyly, studying her as she ignored him. "I know you wanted that peach this morning, but I got to it first, you see."

"Shut up, Draco," Selina murmured, jotting down unnecessary details of the lesson as she avoided his gaze.

"That's not nice," he frowned.

"Mr. Malfoy," a loud bark interrupted their conversation.

Selina looked up at the professor in front of them, who seemed to be in a less-than-pleasant mood today.

"Do listen to your friend, and shut up," Moody snapped.

Everyone in the room, Slytherin or Gryffindor, snickered as Draco looked around at all of them in anger.

"'Shut up'?! My father'll have you sacked!" he spat unpleasantly.

"Not going down this road again, are we?" Professor Moody demanded, glaring at Draco with his one good eye.

He gulped in fear, remembering exactly what had happened the last time he decided to act up in front of the former auror. Selina shot him an irritated look, no longer amused by the attention that was being drawn to the two of them.

"Now. You'd best give Miss Romanov here a real good apology for pestering her and being an obnoxious little twat before I make you, is that understood?" he warned.

Draco glanced at her awkwardly, fearing the repercussions as he decided not to further provoke her.

"Apologize!" Moody thundered.

Some of the Slytherins were whispering and murmuring as they observed.

"Sorry, Sel," Draco mumbled unintelligibly.

"What's that?!" Moody barked. "Can't hear you!"

Draco hung his head in shame as he found he couldn't get out of this one.

"I'm sorry, Selina," he said more clearly, as the room teetered with laughter.

Selina no longer cared about the situation at all.

"What was that?!" the professor demanded. "Can't hear you!"

Draco cleared his throat quietly, petrified by the mad look in Moody's eyes, or rather, eye. "I'm sorry, Selina."

"For what?!" Professor Moody yelled. "Say it!"

This startled Draco.

"For... being an obnoxious little twat!" Draco cried, genuinely afraid of what he might do.

Everyone except for Pansy laughed, as Selina just looked down at the surface of her desk.

"You'd better be," Moody reminded him. "Miss Romanov here comes from a family that deserves far more recognition than your own. The Romanov family has a legacy of blood and power that no one in this room could possibly imagine," he declared.

Selina was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

"Now. Speaking of the Romanovs... Who can tell me which of the Unforgivable Curses is said to have come from that family, before we move on?"

This, naturally, was one of Selina's least favorite rumors that happened to often be brought up at Hogwarts, one way or another. She remembered that during her second year, someone had brought up the question to Professor McGonagall during a class, which she had eventually personally apologized for afterwards.

Selina saw Hermione glance at her from the other side of the room. She knew that Hermione knew the answer to the question, of course, but didn't feel like answering upon seeing the expression on Selina's face. Instead, Moody had called on Dean Thomas.

"The Cruciatus Curse, sir," he stated promptly.

"Yes. Correct," Moody nodded.

Selina saw Neville Longbottom glance over at her, seemingly realizing that one of her ancestors was said to have invented the curse that had afflicted both of his parents since he was a baby. She saw the sadness and fear in his eyes, and felt horrible. She wanted to apologize, but for what, exactly, she didn't know.

"The curse is said to have been invented sometime during the early fifteenth century by Vladimir the Wicked, but no such records or evidence exist," the former Auror explained to the class of fourth-years. "However, Ivan the Terrible was certainly noted for his use of it. Anyways. On with today's actual lesson."

Selina hated to be reminded that her father's lineage could be traced back to the very worst of the czars of Russia. Even her mother's side of the family had enough scandals to last a lifetime.

*****

"Alright. It's time for you lot to get out," Professor Moody announced gruffly at the end of the lesson. "Go on. It's nice out."

"But, sir, class doesn't end for another ten minutes," Hermione reminded him, earning her a spiteful glare from Ron.

"And?" the man questioned impatiently.

No one said another word. Draco and the others, as well as just about everyone in class, nearly ran out of the room. Only a few remained even after just a few seconds.

"Go on! Everyone out! Except Romanov."

Selina looked up at her teacher worriedly, glancing back at her friends. Amana gave her a nervous look before leaving the room with Pansy and Blaise, not wanting to be in the madman's presence any longer than necessary. Selina slowly put her leather book bag over her shoulder, approaching Moody's desk with apprehension.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" she asked.

"Yes, take a seat if you want," he muttered, still distracted by the objects on his desk. "Don't worry. You're not in trouble," he said passively, coming around to the other side.

"Then why did you want to see me?" Selina responded, figuring if she could abandon all pretenses of socially acceptable niceties with any teacher, it would be him.

"I've been made aware of your private lessons with Professor Snape," Moody informed her, leaning against his desk.

"Yes, Professor Snape teaches me advanced spells," Selina nodded.

"Interesting," Moody stated, "That it's Snape who teaches you, and not Flitwick, who, as I understand it, is the Charms professor. Why is that, Miss Romanov?"

Selina just shrugged, not providing a complete response. "He's my Head of House. He saw my work, and he took an interest."

"And does Professor Snape... teach you anything particularly off-curricular?" he asked with curiosity.

Selina did her best not to actually answer the question.

"Professor Snape teaches me things he believes I might find useful. I'm sorry, but is there anything you need from me?" she asked him.

Moody studied her carefully, the same way he would a suspect as an Auror, narrowing his eye at her. "Everyone knows you're a talented witch, Romanov. They all want to see your abilities up close, to their full extent," he told her. "Hell. I'm sure Karkaroff's going to try to poach you for Durmstrang if he hasn't already."

Selina was astounded by his perceptiveness. "You're right about that."

"I'm guessing you didn't take him up on that?"

"No," she shook her head. "He said Dumbledore can't know. I wanted no part in that."

"Smart," Moody nodded his approval. "Karkaroff's a fairly strong wizard, but he's also an idiot. Don't get mixed up in that. You're better off learning from someone who knows what they're doing."

"Professor Snape knows what he's doing," Selina pointed out coldly, trying to find a way out of the conversation.

"Yeah, but does Professor Snape let you reach your full potential? Huh?" Moody demanded, staring her down.

Selina didn't know how to interpret his unorthodox methods in that moment.

"What are you playing at?" she asked him.

Moody just looked down at her, tempting her as best as he could. "Does Professor Snape recognize the full extent of your abilities? Does he really play to your strengths?"

"I'm not sure I follow," Selina crossed her arms.

"I'll put it this way," he provided frankly. "You can learn from Snape, and learn the love-and-light approach to things, and achieve mediocrity. Or you can learn from someone who's seen it all. Someone who knows what'll save you out in the real world."

"I said no to Karkaroff," Selina reminded him, "What makes you think I wouldn't say the same to you?"

"Because. You know that I used to see true evil every day of my life. You know... that I'm just like you," Moody whispered, the craziest look in his eyes, even apart from his glass eye moving constantly. "Unlike the rest of them, I understand that sometimes, to fight evil, you have to use the same methods."

Selina went silent for a moment, considering her options. Mad-Eye Moody stared at her eagerly, with the tenacity of an entire pack of hungry dogs.

"Let's say I was interested," she said carefully, unfazed by his insanity, "What would our first lesson be?"

*****

Selina didn't return to the Slytherin common room until later in the afternoon, closer to dinner time. Jasper was waiting for her, completing his studies in her empty dorm room while Amana was off with Pansy and the others. His face lit up as soon as she entered the room, not unlike a dog waiting for its master.

"Selina. There you are," Jasper said, closing his textbook as he got up off her bed, "Where've you been?"

"Er, I had a lesson with Snape," she lied, as Moody had instructed her to.

"Really? I thought he scheduled it for tomorrow," her boyfriend remarked curiously.

"Yeah, he did. He just wanted me to have extra instruction time."

"Oh. That's oddly considerate of him," he thought. "Well," he shook his head, taking his mind off Snape.

Selina threw off her robe, trying to get comfortable in the clothes that she had on underneath.

"Want to go to the Great Hall with Amana?"

"No, I think I'll rest up before dinner," she decided. "I'm exhausted."

"Okay. We'll stay in," Jasper Carroll concluded, smiling as he sat beside her on the bed.

"Jasper?" Selina spoke up, looking at him with guilt.

"What is it?" he asked her.

"I, er... I'm sorry," she said finally, "For everything."

He took a moment to process what she'd said, not necessarily understanding the reasoning behind it.

"Why?"

That was all he had to say.

"Because... I'm an arsehole," Selina pointed out, feeling as if it were obvious. "I'm not a good person. I don't deserve you."

"Selina," Jasper murmured, cupping her face with his hand, "I don't believe that's true. At all."

Selina knew that what he said should've comforted her, but somehow it didn't. She was beyond that. Hearing him say that, she didn't immediately feel relieved. Instead, she felt strangely a bit disappointed, subconsciously realizing that her boyfriend wasn't as smart as she believed him to be.

"I love you, Selina. I really do," he told her. "You never have to apologize to me, for anything. I love you, for who you are, and I'd do anything for you."

Not knowing what else to say to him, Selina reached up to kiss him, her hands tangling into his hair. She realized she loved him, far too much to allow her own flaws to get in the way. It wasn't long before the two of them ultimately decided their friends could survive without them for the afternoon, and a tie was placed carefully on the doorknob outside.

*****

"Hey," Selina said softly, choosing not to head downstairs immediately after dinner.

Harry looked up at her as he sat on a bench in the hall. He gave her a meek smile and allowed her to sit down next to him.

"How are you doing?" she asked.

"Better, I guess," he thought after a moment. "Ron finally came around."

"Oh, yeah... Well, that's good then," she said optimistically.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Things are normal with my friends again."

"Then what are you doing down here?" she wondered.

Harry just shrugged. "I don't know. Just wanted a moment to myself."

"Fair enough," she nodded. "I suppose I kind of had the same idea."

"How are you doing?" Harry asked her. "I feel like we haven't talked in a while."

"Yeah."

"How are things with Jasper?" he inquired. "Any better?"

"Yeah. Yeah, things are better," Selina told him. "It feels like... Like it used to. Or, almost, anyway."

"I get what you mean," he offered sympathetically, looking down at his lap.

"Anything on your mind in particular?" she asked.

"The second task, I suppose."

"Yeah... That definitely makes sense," Selina thought. "I think you'll do good, though. You're good with challenges," she remarked.

"Yeah, well, maybe I'm not so sure this time around," Harry expressed worriedly. "I'm afraid this isn't like anything I've ever faced before."

"Well, you'd be stupid if you weren't," she pointed out. "At least you're smart enough to work out your disadvantages before you go up against everyone else. I think as long as you don't overcomplicate things, you'll do great."

"Thanks, Selina," he said genuinely.

"Of course," she nodded.

"Hey... I never did get to thank you for what you said in the Prophet," he remembered suddenly.

"In the Prophet?" she questioned.

She couldn't think of what he was referring to.

"What you said to Rita Skeeter," he elaborated, reminding her of the interviews that had taken place the day after the Triwizard Champions were announced.

"Oh," Selina realized quickly, recalling the interview she'd given that morning, "Yeah."

Despite how problematic Rita Skeeter's interpretation of Selina's interview was, Harry had been able to read in between the lines.

'Selina Romanov, daughter of Ilya Romanov, infamous for the murder of his wife Adeline, is a close friend of suspect entrant Harry Potter's. When asked about his upcoming participation in the Triwizard Tournament, the notoriously beautiful part-Veela responded, "I think Harry will do well. Now—" Let my record of the conversation reflect that the language that followed cannot, regrettably, be printed.

Miss Romanov's crass remarks beg the question, is there something between our royalty descendant and Harry Potter?'

"Thank you for telling Rita Skeeter to fuck off for me," Harry said appreciatively.

Selina nodded. "What are friends for?"

"I'm sorry she insinuated that there's something going on between you and me," he apologized.

"It's what she does," Selina shrugged dismissively, never having been too concerned about it at all.

"Yeah, it definitely is," he nodded in agreement. "Jasper didn't mind, though?"

"Oh, no," she assured him, "He definitely doesn't take anything that woman says seriously."

"Who would?" Harry remarked, as the two of them sat together.

Selina saw as he looked up, seeing Fred and George Weasley approaching.

"Hiya, Harry," Fred said teasingly, "Why so mopey?"

He and George both ruffled Harry's hair and sat on either side of him, as Fred and Selina made awkward eye contact for a moment.

"You're a Champion!" George reminded him. "You should be jumping for joy! You could piss on the walls, and everyone would cheer you on."

"Well, I'm not particularly in the mood to be pissing on the walls," Harry Potter considered.

"But you should be!" George encouraged him. "Come on. Cheer up, mate!"

Fred stood and turned to Selina, who was somewhat surprised he had anything to say to her.

"You want to go to the library?" Fred asked her.

She frowned. "That's the first time I've ever heard you say that."

"It's private," he shrugged, offering her an escape. "Plus, Madam Pince is too busy closing up shop to pay anyone any mind."

"Alright," Selina agreed, accompanying him. "Let's go."

He nodded with a soft smile, nodding to his twin as the two of them separated from the group. They were both awkwardly silent for a moment, before Fred decided to interrupt.

"I hope you didn't think I was judging you, before," Fred said politely. "I know, of all people, I have no right to judge."

"It's alright," she said quietly, in an attempt to retire the subject.

The two soon found a private corner in the library, as far away from Madam Pince, and anyone else as they could get.

"You know I don't care about the thing from the other day anymore, right?" Selina asked cautiously. "You and I, we're fine."

"No, this isn't about that," Fred promised her, "What, we can't just talk?"

"I never said that," she told him. "If this isn't about yesterday, then... Why'd you ask me here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Fred grinned, the conversation taking a happier turn. "I've got gossip for you. We're friends, after all."

Selina smiled as the two of them shared a simple, pleasant moment, as she sat beside him, listening to his story about Angelina Johnson.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, eager to feel like just a teenage girl again. "She definitely fancies you!"

"I know. I just... Don't know what I'd do if I fucked it all up," he admitted.

"I'm afraid there's no real way to avoid all that," she said truthfully. "Fucking up is unavoidable. However, fucking up and being the arsehole is completely avoidable. Speaking from experience, of course," she provided.

Fred grimaced guiltily. "I'm sorry. That's not what I meant to say..."

"No, I know. But it's true," Selina sighed. "I fucked up in an insane, avoidable sort of way. And I know you wouldn't do the same," she provided kindly.

"You're not a bad person, Selina," Fred promised her. "You... You're just a good person, who gets mixed up with bad people."

She smiled, genuinely appreciating the way that he cared.

*****

"Did Igor Karkaroff offer to give you private lessons?!"

Selina frowned. "What happened to 'hi'? 'Hello'? 'How are you'?"

"This isn't a laughing matter, Romanov, now answer my question," Professor Snape commanded impatiently.

"How does everyone keep finding out about that?!" Selina cried. "Yes, he did. But I said no."

"Good," Snape nodded as the two of them stood in the middle of the hall. "Do not trust that man."

"Why?" Selina questioned inquisitively. "Because he was a Death Eater?"

Severus Snape scowled at her sarcasm. "Because he's untrustworthy," he replied simply.

"Great. Very informative, thank you. Can I go now?"

"Yes, go," he waved her off, cloak billowing behind him as he rushed off.

She just shook her head, ignoring the interaction completely as she continued about her day. The school was crawling with people, no matter what school they were from. From what she saw of Fleur Delacour and Viktor Krum, she assumed that a Hogwarts student would eventually be named Triwizard Champion.

She figured although Harry had a decent chance of winning, Cedric still could easily win. Selina Romanov didn't actually know Cedric Diggory very well. She had played against him and the rest of the Hufflepuff team on the Quidditch pitch multiple times, and knew that he was dating Cho Chang, but other than that, they'd had no actual contact.

After it had been announced that Hogwarts would have two Champions in the Tournament this year, Draco Malfoy, like many Hogwarts students, favored Cedric Diggory purely because he wasn't Harry Potter. But even from what little Selina knew about Cedric Diggory, she knew that this wasn't the type of attention Cedric had intended to garner as a Triwizard Champion.

Cedric was a Hufflepuff, and a seemingly decent sort of person. Everyone knew him to be kind, responsible, and humble. Cedric didn't boast, and he certainly didn't look down on others the way Draco and some of the others did. He was a genuinely kind person who treated everyone as equals, on and off the pitch. Selina had observed that he had a very sportsmanlike attitude, even in situations that had nothing to do with sports at all.

She figured it was the reason he was so popular. He was handsome, and talented, and whatever else, but he was also just likable. Selina had been mostly indifferent to Cedric, until the day she saw him coming to Neville Longbottom's aid.

"Come on, Malfoy, please!" Neville complained, trying to grab his book bag as Draco, Theo, and Goyle played catch with it. "I need to get to class—"

"Guess you'd better get running then, eh?" Draco grinned.

Selina rolled her eyes as the boys continued playing with the bag, taunting him as they threw it over his head.

"Draco, don't be a prat," Selina remarked in a bored tone.

"Come on, Sel, you're such a bore nowadays!" he groaned. "You used to love torturing Longbottom."

"Twat," she said under her breath.

"Slag," Draco joked, coming across as even less funny than he'd intended.

He caught the bag from Goyle, and threw it back to Theo. Before Selina could say anything, a voice interrupted from behind her.

"Hey. Give it back to him," Cedric Diggory intervened.

Draco's amusement slowly faded as he saw it was Cedric who was stopping him. Stone-faced and trying to avoid conflict with one of the most popular boys at Hogwarts, he begrudgingly threw the book bag back at Neville, who was startled by the sudden movement. Looking back and forth between Draco and Cedric, Neville took it and ran. Draco took another look at Cedric before taking off.

Cedric just shook his head, noticing Selina.

"Romanov. Are you alright?" he asked, seeming livid on her behalf.

"Yeah, I'm fine, thanks, Diggory," Selina said politely. "It's okay."

"Are you sure?!" he questioned. "That was awful, what he said to you."

"It's fine," she assured him, hardly surprised, "Really, it's just Draco."

"I don't care who he is. You just don't talk to people like that," Cedric pointed out.

Selina thought it was almost endearing how simplistic his view of the world was.

"It's okay, Cedric. Really. That's just how we are," she promised him.

Cedric nodded, respecting her wishes, but still adamant about his views. "Still. No one should talk to a girl like that," he insisted.

"No," Selina agreed softly, considering what he had to say. "They shouldn't."

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satansapostle6 · 6 months

Text

folie à deux

Sometimes poison is sweet.

Warnings: Contains Mature Themes/Language, Themes Such As Sexual Content, Violence, Abuse, Sexual Assault, Eating Disorders

Eight.

Quidditch practice was awkward, to say the least. Selina hadn't spoken to Draco much at all since what she referred to as 'the incident'. She prudently decided that it would be best if she didn't tell Jasper anything at all about what had really happened at The Three Broomsticks, especially given that they weren't in a relationship. It was fairly difficult, but Selina knew that it was what was best for everyone. No matter what had happened, Selina regretted kissing Draco, and certainly never planned on doing it again, so she figured there was no point in telling him about it anyways. It only would've made things more difficult for everyone, including Jasper. Selina had also decided to keep what had happened from her other friends as well, realizing that telling the girls would only complicate things further. She figured she'd be safe as long as she didn't tell anyone, considering Draco would most likely be far too embarrassed to tell anyone about what had happened between the two of them, not to mention it could ruin his chances with Pansy Parkinson. Unfortunately, someone still found out about what had happened with Selina and Draco, especially considering that the two of them hadn't spoken in almost a week.

Selina had decided she'd sit next to Blaise Zabini during Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Lupin, desperately hoping to avoid having to speak to Draco. Her friends both laughed along with her before they entered Professor Snape's class, hardly paying attention as Draco Malfoy stormed off past them. Selina sat down behind the girls, waiting for Blaise to take the seat next to her. She silently wondered where Blaise was, urging him to get to class as soon as possible. But surprisingly, it ended up being Draco who took the seat. Selina sighed, knowing it would be a particularly long class. She mostly sat there in silence, rushing to complete the assignment Lupin had set so that she could avoid having any homework.

"So," Draco spoke nonchalantly, distracting Selina as she read from her textbook, "I think I'm going to ask Pansy out on a date."

These words made everything stop for Selina. She froze as she tried to process what he'd just said to her, dropping her quill as she looked straight ahead. She was furious and unable to meet his gaze at first. Flabbergasted, she just barely resisted the urge to slap him across the face. Her worst fear had just been confirmed. She could feel herself getting hotter and hotter as she tried to process the betrayal.

"You-You what?" she asked, her voice so quiet he'd hardly heard it.

"I'm gonna ask Pansy out," he announced casually.

Selina Romanov was furious, to say the least. She turned to look at him, a calm yet resolute expression on her face. She was now sure that what he'd done was cruel and inconsiderate to say the least, and chose not to ignore his lack of respect as she usually did when he was rude or annoying.

"What the fuck are you playing at, Draco?"

"What?" he asked, as if he had no reason to anticipate a negative response from her.

She stared at him in disbelief, completely unable to understand the nerve he had. She knew that he, in reality, wasn't a good person, but Selina had always known she could trust him. Draco had always stood by Selina's side, even if it was in ways she hadn't necessarily expected. Draco always insulted people for her, stole for her, and threatened to fight the other boys for her, and to her, it was all she ever needed to know that he cared. Draco wasn't perfect. He was mean, and idiotic, and forgetful, but he always kept Selina in mind, always trying to impress or please her, which she had always loved. But this time, Selina saw none of the kindness in his eyes that she remembered.

"You kissed me not a week ago, and now you're telling me you want to ask out the one person I can't stand?" she summarized furiously. "Are you serious?"

"That's what this is about?!" he demanded, finally aware. "Bloody hell! That was nothing, the other day! Just a bit of fun, is all. Relax."

"Really! 'Just a bit of fun'?" she repeated. "Then why did you throw a fit and storm out?!"

"I did not!" he cried. "Besides, the only reason I felt like kissing you was because Pansy wasn't around."

Selina glanced over at Pansy on the other side of the room, catching a mischievous grin spread across her face as she listened in on their conversation.

"Oh, really?" she laughed, genuine anger in her eyes.

Draco nodded, responding without trepidation in his voice. "Yeah. I wanted to hang out with her, because she doesn't try to convince me that I care about someone's bloody pet bird, and she doesn't act like I'm an idiotic loser! She treats me well, and I wanted to go to Hogsmeade with her, but she wasn't there. So, I just settled for you," he scowled down at her.

"You settled for me?" Selina scoffed as her friends both gasped in shock at what they overheard. "That's rich."

"And so am I," he agreed, "And smart, and funny, and cool! And she actually tells me so," he declared pompously.

"Well, I hope you two are happy together," Selina said. "Congratulations, and get tested."

Without another word, she stormed off toward the front of the room with her completed assignment. Conveniently for her, she ended up in line at Professor Lupin's desk right behind a rather smug Pansy Parkinson. She watched, utterly humiliated, as Pansy handed her assignment in to Professor Lupin, stepping aside as she addressed Selina.

"So, I hear Draco's through with you, Selina," she remarked with a sickly sweet lilt to her tone. "Took him long enough."

"Ladies," Lupin interrupted. "Assignments, please?"

"Yes, he'll be back to pretending to like your 'Pansy Malfoy' doodles in no time," she assured her. "Now leave me the hell alone."

"Yes, Miss Parkinson, I would also advise you to please leave her alone," Professor Lupin echoed awkwardly, holding his hand out for Selina's piece of parchment.

"Certainly. After she leaves my boyfriend alone," she agreed.

"Miss Romanov, please tell me that you at least have the sense not to engage her," Lupin hoped exhaustedly.

"Oh, he's your boyfriend?" Selina asked in a mocking, saccharine tone. "Does he know that?" she knowingly patronized the girl.

"Back...off, Romanov," Pansy Parkinson grinned, "Or I'll slap that stupid look off your face."

"Miss Parkinson," Professor Lupin warned.

"Go ahead. If you can reach it," she replied, crossing her arms as she raised an eyebrow at her teasingly.

"He loves me!" the girl insisted, stepping towards her, "Not you."

Selina tried her best to ignore the ludicrous statement she'd just made.

"Don't worry," Selina scoffed, a cold anger filling her eyes, "He's all yours."

She courteously handed her assignment off to Professor Lupin, who said nothing to her as he watched her leave. She silently sat back down in her seat, mindlessly flipping through her textbook as an insolent Draco Malfoy sat beside her, his arms crossed in anger. Professor Lupin dutifully made his rounds throughout the room, watching as everyone completed their assignment. A thumping noise suddenly interrupted the quiet atmosphere of the room. Selina Romanov looked up, particularly surprised to see that Lupin had "accidentally" slapped Draco upside the head with a book he'd been holding. Hardly stifling a giggle, Selina glanced over at Blaise, who seemed thoroughly amused by the situation. Once Defense Against the Dark Arts was over, Selina was one of the first people out of the room. She and her friends had left the room so fast, she didn't even notice someone casting a charm, wetting the floor just as Draco and the other boys ran out of the room. She also hadn't noticed that, out of everyone in the room, it was Professor Lupin's wand that was sneakily aimed at the ground.

"Hey!" a loud voice filled the hall as Selina and her friends stopped.

"Oh, hey, Draco," Elspeth Laurier greeted him.

"Guys, I'll just catch up with you later," Selina said knowingly, giving him a warning look.

"Okay," Amana smiled, as the two of them left.

Selina discreetly led Draco into the hall, looking around to make sure no one was looking.

"Hey, what the hell?!" Draco Malfoy demanded.

"What?" Selina whispered. "You don't get to be angry at me."

"The hell I don't!" he argued. "What the fuck did you say to Pansy?"

"Nothing she didn't have coming," she scoffed dismissively. "She fucking came to me first!"

"So you didn't tell her anything about what happened between us?" he questioned expectantly.

Selina was completely flabbergasted. "Why the fuck would I tell her about that?"

"I don't know, maybe you wanted to brag or something," he exclaimed, "How should I know?"

"Are you insane? Why would I want anyone knowing about what you did?"

"What I did?!" Draco cried.

"Whatever! I didn't tell Pansy we kissed, I didn't tell anyone. You really think I want Jasper to find out?" she reasoned.

"Well, if you didn't tell her, than why does she seem so cross?" he asked her.

Selina sighed. "How should I know? Could be anything with her."

"Why do you hate her so much?" Draco scoffed.

"Me? I hate her because she's been picking fights with me! Or, did you forget that she stole my clothes while I was in the shower? Or, that time she stuck gum under both of my shoes? Or that time she spilled pumpkin juice all over the front of my pants."

"Okay, okay, point taken," he sighed.

"Why! Why did you have to kiss me right before you asked Pansy out!" she cried.

"Really? You still want to talk about this?!" he questioned.

"Yeah, clearly I have no choice!" she exclaimed. "I hate you! God! Why did you have to do this...! You were my friend, I thought we were friends! You humiliated me, and I—I cared about you!"

"Then why did you have to leave right after we kissed!" he shouted with desperation, a tortured look hidden behind his eyes.

"Leave?!" Selina yelled. "You left me in The Three Broomsticks!"

"I'm not talking about The Three Broomsticks!" he screamed at her. "I'm talking about after that!"

"After that?" she questioned.

"After I left The Three Broomsticks, I walked around Hogsmeade. Then I went back, to look for you," Draco Malfoy said.

Selina felt a pang of guilt in her stomach, struggling to breathe as she crossed her arms out in front of her, trying to steady herself. She tried to think, not understanding what Draco was trying to tell her.

"I went back to look for you, and you were gone."

"Because you threw stuff at me, and left me!" Selina exclaimed. "What did you expect me to do, sit around waiting with all the strangers you embarrassed me in front of?!"

Draco tried to swallow to stifle the rough lump in his throat that just didn't seem to go away.

"What's the point of all this anyway?" she demanded. "If you just want to be with Pansy, then go be with Pansy. I certainly won't stop you," she pointed out.

"Right," Draco said, "Of course you won't."

"Why, because I won't let you make a fool of me anywhere and everywhere?" she asked. "You say that like it's a horrible thing, you say that like I've done something wrong!"

"Right, because you could never do any wrong!" he yelled at her.

"You're turning this around on me?" she scoffed. "Just because you're not getting your way?"

"Fuck you!" he huffed.

"I'm not dealing with this, you're just turning this into another reason to be childish, and blame everyone else instead of just saying what it is you want?!" she demanded. "That's it. I'm not waiting around for you to actually talk to me anymore, I'm done."

"Sel! Sel!" Draco yelled after her as she walked down the hall.

But she couldn't take it anymore. She didn't have the energy to try for the both of them anymore. Selina had always known that, when it came to her friendship with Draco, she would always have to be the mature one. She had always tolerated being the calm one, since she preferred to avoid all the unnecessary drama that came with arguing with him. But this was different. This was unavoidable, and on a completely different level. Draco had crossed a line this time, at the very least. She couldn't take it anymore; she felt as if she were about to break, right there in front of him. Selina hurried away from him as fast as she could, crying the entire way back to the Slytherin dormitories. She briskly walked as fast as she could without anyone having anything to say about it. She hoped to avoid everyone she actually knew, no longer able to tolerate any more humiliation. Selina Romanov ran to the bathrooms, locking herself in a stall.

*****

Over an hour had passed before Selina was able to calm herself. She had emerged from the girls' bathroom with bloodshot eyes, furiously washing her face in the sink before Quidditch. Selina met Jasper in the common room before the game, where the other Slytherins were also hanging out before the match.

"Hey. Are you alright?" Jasper Carroll asked worriedly. "I couldn't find you anywhere... what happened?" he asked gently, holding onto her hands out of concern.

"I got into a stupid fight with Draco... he said a lot of things, and it just got worse."

"What did he say?" Jasper asked her.

"Let's just say we argued about Pansy, and it just escalated," she sighed, "I don't want to talk about it. I'll see you after the match."

"Okay, good luck," Jasper said, hugging her as he kissed her in the cheek, "I'll see you later."

Selina forced a smile, trying to appear confident as she headed off to play her second game of the season. She walked to the pitch alone, without Draco to talk to. Selina wasn't too bothered by the fact that she wouldn't be arriving at the pitch without him, so long as she didn't have to see Montague on the way down. It had been very uncomfortable seeing him at practice, to say the least, after she had never really hung out with him again after their date. It was awkward, but after a while, he had gotten the hint. Selina wasn't looking forward to today's game, not enthusiastic about watching Slytherin's team go up against the Hufflepuff team, especially with Cedric Diggory as their chaser. However, Selina forced herself to remain focused and optimistic, working as hard as she could to score points in the game. Selina spent a decent amount of time in the changing room on her own, bracing herself for human contact before she joined Flint and the rest of the team in the tunnel. She didn't bother to look back at Draco at the end of the formation, glad to not have to make eye contact with him. Selina dutifully took her position beside Montague, who didn't seem to want to look at her either, waiting to fly up onto the pitch just after Flint. Madam Hooch was currently making her way onto the pitch for the start of the game as Lee Jordan commentated.

"Slytherin won narrowly against Ravenclaw the last game they played, but will they have the same luck against Hufflepuff?! Here comes the Hufflepuff team now, led by Captain Cedric Diggory! Oh, this is going to be a good match!"

Selina mounted her broom, signaling for everyone else to follow suit. The tunnel door lifted open, as Flint soared up ahead of the team. They circled the pitch a few times, as most of the crowd cheered.

"And now, here come the Slytherin team, with Captain Marcus Flint!"

Selina and the other players all took their positions hovering above the field, behind their respective team captains. Everyone waited impatiently, antsy for the two captains to shake hands with one another before the start of the game. Flint shook Cedric Diggory's hand, a malicious smirk on his face as he nearly crushed Diggory's hand. Selina chuckled softly as she watched him grimace with discomfort, waiting for the game to officially start.

"The Quaffle has been released! There goes the Golden Snitch! And the game has officially begun!"

Selina took off into the air, strategically covering the field with the distance between her, Flint, and Montague. She watched Montague and Flint chasing after the Quaffle, flying through the air after the Hufflepuff Chaser's, as discussed with Flint and the others before. The game continued as she employed a rather offensive strategy, successful in dodging Bludgers as she wove around both teams.

"Here comes Romanov, charging towards Macavoy, one of the best Chasers Hufflepuff's seen in years, giving Slytherin quite the edge! My, do they sure have quite the rivalry going already!" Jordan's voice boomed.

Selina eventually succeeded in single-handedly taking Heidi Macavoy out of the game for good, without even earning the team a foul of any sort. Macavoy was sent flying off her broom, with everyone gasping and wincing as she slowly spiraled towards the ground.

"As we predicted, ladies and gentlemen, Selina Romanov's eliminated one of Hufflepuff's star players! What will they do now?!"

The game carried on rather horrifically, even worse than the first game they'd played against Ravenclaw that year. Both Flint and Montague had refused to go along with Selina's plays, insisting upon winning the game using only the strategy of taking out Hufflepuff's players. Selina was, for a while, the only Chaser actually working towards score goals. After Selina had taken out Macavoy, Flint and Montague had managed to take out one of Slytherin's Beaters as well as another Chaser. Unfortunately, Cedric Diggory was still in the game and chasing after the Snitch, along with Draco Malfoy. Selina whipped past Diggory's broom as she rushed to the Quaffle before the Hufflepuff Chasers, hoping he'd accidentally fall off of his broom. She had made contact with him, but unfortunately, he remained hanging into his broom, hardly shaken by the bump. Selina eventually secured the Quaffle by catching it after Derrick hit a Bludger that flew towards the Hufflepuff Chaser closest to it. Selina flew up and down, outmaneuvering the Hufflepuff players closest to their goalposts. Selina managed to score by tricking their Keeper, strategically avoiding a foul since Slytherin was already on its third foul of the game, thanks to Flint's leadership.

"Another goal scored by Romanov! Slytherin's still in the lead, 60 to 20! Flint's offense-heavy strategy seems to be working for the team!"

Selina couldn't help but rolled her eyes as she continued in the game, until the score eventually reached 160:130, still in her team's favor. Out of the sixteen goals scored by Slytherin, Selina had scored ultimately almost half of them on her own, only assisted by her other teammates several times. It was after a few minutes at that point that Draco had reached the Golden Snitch before Cedric Diggory, securing a victory for Slytherin. All of Selina's teammates celebrated where they stood on the Quidditch pitch, showing off in front of everyone watching from the stands as Draco held the Snitch up victoriously.

"Draco Malfoy has caught the Golden Snitch, earning another thirty points for Slytherin, securing them a surprisingly fair victory of 190 to 130! That's their second win of the season, everyone! Will the Slytherin team be able to keep up this winning streak when they play against Gryffindor in the final match of the year?!"

Selina was far too exhausted to enjoy the celebration of their victory, fatigued and drenched in sweat as she tried to recover as quickly as she could from scoring seven goals, as well as eliminating three of the opposing team's players. Needless to say, Selina Romanov was furious with Marcus Flint for refusing to change up his strategy, which they had disagreed on the entire year. It was a brutal hour or so that she'd spent in the air, which was certainly significant considering that Selina was in optimal athletic shape for someone her age. She stood still in the air on her broom, trying to catch her breath as the other Slytherin players flew victory laps around the pitch.

She breathed aggressively with her hand rested on her chest, trying to satiate her need for oxygen. Her eyes felt as if they were bulging out of her head as she tried to steady herself. Selina was the first player to return to the changing rooms, exhausted from playing. She didn't feel sorry at all for the Hufflepuff players she'd sent to the hospital wing, not feeling much better off than them herself. She held onto the wall as she stumbled into the girls' changing room, her legs completely limp from tightening around her broom for over an hour. Selina sat on the bench for a moment, heaving constantly until she found herself capable of moving. She quickly threw off her wet Quidditch robes, storming off to the showers with her towel and clothes to cool herself off. She was enraged at Marcus Flint's arrogance as she rinsed herself off and dried her hair, leaving without speaking to anyone. She made her way outside of the pitch, where Jasper waited for her with the girls before they all went to the party in the common room.

"Selina!" Amana Tesfaye cheered. "You were amazing! You carried the entire game!"

"I think she's aware," Jasper smiled sympathetically, kissing her on the cheek. "Are you alright?"

"I'm okay," she assured him. "Just fucking pissed at Flint, and in need of some Firewhisky."

"If you say so," Jasper sighed, wrapping his arm around her as they all walked together. "I'm really proud of you, you know," he said close to her ear, so only she could hear.

Selina sighed, her voice still faint. "Thank you..."

"I mean it. Not only did you play along with Flint's awful strategy to help the team, you still did the hard work and scored half our goals. You played like a pro, hell, you played like a star," he raved passionately.

"At least you think so," she remarked. "Flint's probably gonna take all of the credit, as usual. I bet he won't even mention my name throughout the whole party."

"Well, he's a fucking narcissistic twat, what do you expect?" Jasper comforted her. "Just take comfort in knowing you're league worthy as you are now, and Flint could barely hold his own against the new players as both a seventh-year and the team captain."

"Speaking of team captain, did you notice Snape in the staff box?" Elspeth questioned.

"No," Selina shook her head, why?"

"He was totally keeping an eye on your broom," Amana Tesfaye informed her with excitement, "And I think with Flint's last season as a player, he's probably looking to appoint a new team captain for next year."

"Yeah, I think you definitely have a real chance," Jasper nodded with certainty.

"Well, if Flint was captain," Selina rationalized, "I think my cat has a real chance."

She let out a wry chuckle as they made their way to the Slytherin party, Selina's outfit consisting of a simple tank top and jeans. Naturally, she had arrived in the common room to find Pansy in a rather formal black outfit, quite literally throwing herself over Draco on the couch. She averted her eyes immediately, adjusting her focus and making a beeline for Flint.

"Hey. Flint," Selina frowned, approaching her team captain as Jasper stood by her side protectively.

Elspeth and Amana stood across the room with everyone else, getting something to drink with a few of the other Slytherin girls. They whispered to each other continuously as they spied on their friend.

"Oi. Romanov," Flint snickered, already having taken multiple swigs from one of the bottles of whiskey supplied by one of the seventh-years. "Missed the chance to score us our two hundredth point, eh?"

"What, scoring seven goals for your lazy, stubborn arse isn't enough?" she confronted him.

Flint laughed, cocking his head as he glowered down at her, not willing to tolerate anything he perceived as disrespect to his fragile ego.

"What's got your knickers in a twist, Romanov? Did you make a bet on how quickly you could get booted off the team?" he provoked her.

"Please. If I had to bet on someone getting kicked off the team, it'd be you," she replied boldly.

Marcus Flint was flabbergasted, a glimmer of hatred in his eyes. "And why's that, eh?" he stepped closer to her, clearly seeking conflict.

Jasper glared at him, stepping up behind Selina as he prepared to defend her. Selina had to admit that she liked that about him, that he was willing to stand up for her physically as well as verbally.

"Because you manage the team like a brute," she said flatly, not even fazed by the taller, older boy. "You're too daft to come up with actual maneuvers and plots to score us points, so you rely on all of us to take out the other players altogether, because it's the only way we'll win with you as captain. No one does their job, they just fuck off all over the pitch racking up fouls because you can't do yours, you pathetic twat."

"You watch your mouth, little girl," Flint hissed threateningly, "Especially when our team's been inside of it."

"Oi, you watch how you talk to her, mate," Jasper warned, his hand roughly sitting on Selina's shoulder.

"You watch how your slag of a girlfriend talks to me," Flint sneered at him, turning back to Selina, "You need your boyfriend next to you to run your mouth?"

"Fuck no, I don't," Selina murmured, "Jasper, leave us."

"Selina," he began, still eyeing Flint.

"I said 'go'," Selina repeated, "I can handle myself."

Debating whether or not he should listen to her, Jasper Carroll slowly retreated, heading over to find Amana and Elspeth as he kept an eye on the situation between Selina and Marcus Flint. He could tell she had already committed to destroying him.

"See?" Selina cocked her head at him. "The only little twat here is you."

"Yeah, I'll say," Flint said, "From what I hear, yours has got to be pretty ran through by now."

There were many various gasps and laughs and other audible reactions coming from onlookers. Everyone was now fixed on their argument, no longer doing anything else. Even Draco and Pansy had stopped whatever in the hell they had been doing to observe, although with completely different reactions. Draco was left frozen and dead silent, although Pansy was practically bursting at the seams with laughter, audibly cheering Flint's name as if the Quidditch match was still going.

"It's alright, Flint, I know you're just stuck fantasizing about mine because you can't get any from anyone your age," Selina told him. "I don't blame the girls in your grade, though. There's enough room for their shit to get caught between your two front teeth."

"Oh, go on Flint, end it!" Draco Malfoy shouted from somewhere in the middle of the room.

Selina and Jasper were both seething. Selina in particular was irate, however unable to focus her anger on anyone other than Flint at the moment.

"How dare you, you used-up slag?! Fucking cunt!" Marcus Flint bellowed, reaching behind his head with the bottle in his hand.

"Hey!" Jasper boomed, intervening as he stepped between them, pushing Flint back. "Get the fuck away from her!"

Selina breathed angrily as she pulled her wand out of her pocket, ready to curse Flint.

"It's alright, Carroll," Flint spat, a disturbing grin aimed at Selina Romanov. "Enjoy her before she goes for the rest of the team. Maybe she'll make her way across every House team before the end of the term!"

"That's it, throw out those meaningless rumors about me just because you know you're not a real captain for shit!" Selina challenged him further. "Just watch, Flint, soon enough this slag will be team captain, and we'll actually win! We won at one-ninety today, next year, we'll be winning at two hundred, and two-twenty!"

"Why don't you fuck off, Romanov, it's what you're good at, anyways!"

Flint actually seemed to be about to hurl the full liquor bottle at her head. Still, Selina did nothing, her gaze locked onto him as Jasper prevented him from being able to throw anything at her head. Flint eventually backed off, still smirking as he made his way about the party again.

"Selina. Hey. Look at me, it's okay," Jasper murmured, holding her out in front of him. "Just let him go, he's not worth the trouble."

"Fuck Flint," Selina spat, still staring daggers at him across the room. "I should be captain of this fucking team, and he knows it."

"Yes, you should," Amana nodded, trying to calm her down, "But getting into it with Flint won't do you any good. Don't sink to his level."

"I agree, just let him say what he says. You know you can't reason with Marcus Flint," Jasper reminded her coolly, "Do you want to go rest in your dorm? You must be tired after the game."

"No," Selina refused confidently, determined to let out all of the suppressed rage that she'd accumulated over the past couple of weeks, as well as throughout her entire life. "Somebody get me a bottle. I don't care what's in it."

"Selina," Elspeth Laurier frowned, "You should really settle down, maybe take a seat," she began, only to be cut off.

"Fuck settling down, Flint isn't settling down. Somebody get me a fucking bottle, now!" she boomed, startling half the room.

Lucian Bole tossed a bottle of bourbon to Selina, who took aggressive swigs out of it as her friends watched, concerned. Everyone else proceeded as if nothing had happened at all, celebrating into the night. The party in the Slytherin common room got rowdier and rowdier, with a few team members having even surfed the crowd, including Draco. Selina had had a decent amount to drink. Crabbe and Goyle had also contributed to the situation, which worried Jasper. He and the rest of her friends tried not to drink at all throughout the party, trying to keep a close eye on her. But, eventually, Elspeth and Amana had given in too many times, and ended up stumbling back to their dormitory to pass out. Jasper had stayed with Selina for a while, both keeping her company and making sure she didn't get into any trouble. But as the night dragged on, he grew increasingly tired. Selina had told him she was going to wander off to get a drink from one of the fifth-years.

"Alright, I'll be here," Jasper Carroll nodded, trying to watch her.

He quickly lost her in the large horde of people in the common room, unable to see her as she disappeared behind dozens of people.

"Try this," one of the fifth years told Selina, handing her something dark poured into a cup.

"Don't have to tell me twice," she practically belched out.

Selina tipped her head back completely, downing the contents of the cup. She gulped multiple times, wincing slightly as she finished the drink, slamming the cup down on the ground as she narrowed her eyes, trying to steady herself. The room was spinning entirely, with odd shapes being created by the darkness her eyes perceived. She stuck both of her arms out to steady herself, convinced that the floor was tilting left and right like a rocking boat floating out at sea. She tried to maintain her balance, sure that she was about to be knocked down by a moving dungeon floor.

"Oi, Romanov," Flint called to her, approaching her with a grin on his face, "You alright there?"

"I'm fine," she gulped, still horrified by the floor. "Fuck off."

"I'm not here to fuck with you, I'm over all that shit from earlier," he laughed merrily, holding a hand out to her. "Come on. You look tired. Come to my dorm, I'll make sure you're alright."

In that moment, Selina was pretty sure that, normally, she wouldn't really want to be anywhere near Marcus Flint, especially alone. But right then and there, as she failed to balance on a flat surface, she suddenly felt a desperate, overwhelming urge to find someplace to sleep soundly. She just wanted sleep, and nothing but sleep, no matter the costs. She was desperate for rest.

"Sure," she blurted out, barely able to speak.

She felt her entire body going numb.

"Alright. Come along," Flint smiled, dragging her by the hand off to his dorm room as she stumbled through the halls.

He shook hands with and whispered a sly 'good one' to someone they passed, who Selina didn't recognize as the fifth-year boy who had given her the last thing she'd drank, which had tasted unpleasant as she'd expected, but not necessarily in the way that alcohol was supposed to taste. Selina haphazardly bounced back and forth off of the walls on either side of her, without the ability to control her direction. She knew on some level she would probably wake up with plenty of dark bruises, given that she was very forcefully propelling herself forward under the influence.

"Here we are," Flint smiled, opening the door to the room he slept in.

Meanwhile, out in the common room, Jasper Carroll was confused, making his way around the room.

"Oi. Montague. Have you seen Selina?"

He received a shrug and an inaudible noise from the boy, who was definitely drunk at this point.

"Miles! Do you know where Selina is? ...Selina Romanov, your teammate! Damn it, Dorian, have you seen Selina!"

Yet another clueless 'no'.

"Peregrine, have you seen Selina?!" Jasper shouted.

"No, mate."

"Shit... Fuck me."

Jasper thought he'd made about four laps around the dark Slytherin common room, lit only by the faint green light from the Black Lake above. He made a beeline for Malfoy, who was his only hope.

"Hey. Draco!" Jasper gasped, ready to beg. "Have you seen Selina at all?!"

Draco shook his head, blankly looking up at him from his spot in the couch. "No, I haven't," he slurred, clearly inebriated.

"Fuck! I don't know where she is!"

Selina had entered Flint's dormitory, not paying any kind to him as she slumped down onto a bed, only able to half sit up. She began to fall asleep already, not noticing him as he took one of his friends' school ties, sticking it onto the doorknob to ensure that no one would try to come into the room. Selina began to fall back, her eyes only slightly open.

"I'm...sleepy," she mumbled dreamily, feeling herself slip further away from consciousness as Flint leered over her.

"Yeah, just go to sleep, little girl," Flint sneered at her domineeringly, laughing to himself as she reached out at nothing, her hands falling unsuccessfully. "This should teach you to fuck with me."

She was unable to shove him away as he came toward her, his face nothing but a dark shape at this point. Selina was no longer aware, of anything. She felt many different things, physically and otherwise, but couldn't make out any of it at all. She slipped away from herself, leaving her own body within seconds. She was out cold within the next minute.

*****

Selina Romanov didn't know how much time had passed before she regained consciousness. Judging by what she saw as her eyes first opened, it had been a lot. She had finally woken up, heavily disoriented as she forced her eyes open, fighting the exhaustion. The first thing she noticed wasn't something she saw; it was something she felt. The skin covering her entire body burned, as if she'd fallen and scraped her entire body on stone. She had woken up in the hospital wing, seemingly smothered by people, which included Jasper, her friends, and Professor McGonagall, who all seemed extremely upset, to say the least. Jasper looked distraught as all of their faces hovered above her.

"Guys?" Selina murmured, trying to sit up. "What happened...?"

She was still in a daze, becoming more and more panicked as her eyes adjusted. She felt immense pain coming from everyone on her body, but she was still unable to relax herself to ease her pain.

"Don't sit up too fast, Selina," Professor McGonagall said immediately, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Slow down..."

"Ow..."

Selina touched a hand to her shoulder, where the skin on her collarbone felt bruised.

"What happened last night?" she asked.

Elspeth and Amana exchanged concerned looks. She could tell by looking at both of their eyes that they'd been crying, and Jasper wasn't far from it at that point.

"Sel," Amana began slowly, trying to articulate, "There's something you need to know..."

"What the hell happened to me last night?!" Selina exclaimed, her heart beating faster and faster. "Jasper? Amana?! Someone...?!"

"Selina, hey, it's gonna be okay," Jasper squeezed her hand, tears falling from his eyes as he was unable to hold them in any longer, "You're okay, you're safe now," he insisted, holding her hand in both of his.

"Why won't anybody just tell me what's happening?!" Selina screamed. "What the fuck happened to me...!"

She began wailing uncontrollably as she felt her body temperature growing higher and higher, causing her to feel extremely sick.

"Perhaps I should give her something and let her sleep a while longer," Madame Pomfrey suggested urgently.

"It's alright, Poppy," McGonagall murmured, "Please escort the others out, I need a moment alone with Miss Romanov."

"Yes, of course," the woman nodded quickly. "Come. Give them some privacy," the school's Healer said as Jasper and her friends reluctantly left her.

Selina automatically turned to Minerva McGonagall, sobbing.

"Professor, what happened to me?" she croaked out.

"Miss Romanov, I am so sorry," the older woman began with the utmost sincerity, tearing up as she spoke, "I honestly have never had to have such a... difficult, and frankly devastating conversation with any of my students before."

"Professor McGonagall," Selina begged, blubbering desperately, "Please...! Just tell me what happened to me, everything's hurting!"

She couldn't exactly feel where her pain was coming from, as Madam Pomfrey had fed her something earlier to lessen the pain as much as she could.

"Selina... can you please tell me the last thing that you remember from the night before?" the professor asked her. "And don't concentrate on any consequences for what you might have done..."

"All I remember is I took a drink from one of the boys," Selina said, "I don't remember who, but I didn't know him. Then I woke up here."

Professor McGonagall nodded grimly, looking down for a moment as she bit her lip stressfully.

"Well, you never went to Herbology this morning, so eventually Miss Tesfaye and Miss Laurier were sent to look for you, in the dormitories," she explained slowly. "And, eventually... they both discovered you unconscious in one of the boys' dormitories. Completely undressed," she relayed quietly.

Selina's eyes widened at her words, filling with dread as everything around her returned to being absolutely nothing again. Selina was deep inside of her own head, barely hearing anything Professor McGonagall said.

"Daphne Greengrass informed us that she saw a fifth-year-boy, Henry O'Connor, hand you a drink just before you disappeared. Madame Pomfrey said that it had to have been a badly brewed Sleeping Draught, which is why you were asleep for so long, and why you're so disoriented. Lucian Bole had said that he last saw you heading off into the dorms, with Marcus Flint, and your friends have come forward confirming that Flint had been threatening you early on during the party in the common room," McGonagall explained. "Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore are speaking with Mr. Flint right now."

"Oh my God."

Selina was completely paralyzed, unable to move from where she sat in the clothes Amana and Elspeth had gotten for her when they found her unconscious in the dorms.

"Again, it pains me very much to have this conversation with you. I can't imagine what you must be feeling, but I was hoping you'd be able to shed light on the situation, and tell me anything you might remember," she said hopefully. "The bruises on your body and... other injuries have given us some idea of what might have happened to you last night."

"I... Ow!" Selina gasped, feeling a sharp pain. "Ow! Fuck! Fuck!" she screamed.

She slowly looked down, finally beginning to realize exactly where the most unbearable pain she felt on her body had been coming from. She stared down at her lap beneath the blanket, horrified. Selina yelled out in agony, tears of rage streaming down her face as she realized that her body had been ripped open and was stinging horribly. Selina felt her mind beginning to cave in on her as she tried to process that she'd been violated while she slept.

"Oh my God!" she wailed, falling forward as Professor McGonagall frantically got ahold of her, wrapping her arms around the young girl as she kicked and screamed. "Oh my God, oh my God! No!" she sobbed, collapsing into her professor's arms.

Selina could hardly bear, let alone describe, the different levels of pain that she felt. She felt as if her heart had been ripped from her chest, and shoved down her throat. Everything hurt, and her mind was screaming at her. She wanted the pain to end desperately, and would have been willing to do unspeakably things just to end it.

"I am so sorry, Selina," Minerva McGonagall whispered, hesitantly brushing Selina's hair back from her face as she cried. "Truly. I'm so deeply sorry that someone did this to you..."

"It was Flint!" she sobbed, "It was Flint! It was Flint."

"It's alright," Professor McGonagall told her, trying to calm her, "You're safe. He's not here, I am, alright?" she said, hugging Selina.

"Flint did this to me...!" Selina Romanov choked out.

"I know," McGonagall said, swallowing her wrath as Madame Pomfrey watched beside the Deputy Headmistress with tears in her eyes. "I promise you, that boy will not get away with this. But for now... you're safe with me," she sighed, letting Selina break down on her shoulder.

"I'm gonna kill him," Selina whimpered.

"I wish you could," Professor McGonagall whispered, meaning for this moment to be entirely between the two of them. "I really do."

"This is horrible, Minerva," Madame Pomfrey spoke up, "Despicable. Tell me they'll expel him," she said worriedly.

Professor McGonagall looked up at her, aware of Selina's presence in the room.

"You know that if he had been one of my students, he would be... but I can't promise that," she reminded the other woman. "You know how these things go..."

"I do," Madame Pomfrey nodded, "And it's disgusting. Downright shameful, if I'm being honest. That's why I fear for the poor girl," she said finally, rushing off to leave them alone.

Professor McGonagall had sat with Selina for quite a while, abandoning the rest of her duties for the remainder of the school day, having them delegated amongst the rest of the staff as she sat in a chair beside Selina's bed. Selina had been dead silent for almost the entire time, frozen and unable to speak much. Professor McGonagall was completely lost, and had nothing helpful to offer to the distraught student. She felt incredibly guilty, having such a horrible thing occur at the school she worked at, the way she always did when these things happened. Her heart ached for Selina, and all the other girls before her that she'd come across. Still, even after all these years, Minerva McGonagall never found anything to say that would ease the pain. Selina figured she must have sat there for hours before she actually spoke again.

"Professor McGonagall?" Selina said finally, a dark, distant look still in her eyes.

"Yes, dear?" the woman said quickly, worried that she might need something.

"Do I have to talk to Professor Dumbledore?" Selina looked up at her, her eyes red and puffy.

"Are you feeling up to that?" Professor McGonagall asked, genuinely concerned for her wellbeing.

"I, erm... I think that if I don't do it now, then I never will," Selina's voice cracked, tears still left in her eyes.

"Alright," Professor McGonagall nodded, "If you feel comfortable, Professor Dumbledore has requested you see him in his office. But do not feel pressured if you're not up to it—"

"No," Selina protested, a burning determination in her eyes, "I want to go."

"Would you like me to take you?" the professor asked gently.

Selina just nodded exhaustedly, allowing the woman to lead her out of the hospital wing to the Headmaster's office, completely numb to the world. She allowed Professor McGonagall to softly steer and guide her through the halls of the school, not saying anything to anyone as she walked with her. She allowed Professor McGonagall to handle all of the 'excuse me's' and 'pardon us's', unable to speak to anyone. They finally reached the tower, as the professor spoke the password, revealing the entrance up to Professor Dumbledore's office.

"Would you like me to accompany you?" she asked thoughtfully.

After a moment, Selina nodded, stepping into the empty stone entrance as it magically ascended. Looking down at her for a moment, Professor McGonagall gasped, suddenly wrapping the girl in a tight hug as they went up together. Selina froze into the hug. She wanted to hug the woman back, thanking her for her kindness, but nothing had come out at all. She couldn't speak, and she couldn't move. She was just frozen ,completely lost as she just stood still.

"I'm so sorry about what that awful boy did to you," McGonagall expressed, "I hope you know that had anyone known—"

"Don't worry about it," Selina murmured, beginning to be able to numb herself to the entire ordeal as the statue separating them from the Headmaster's office rotated, allowing them to enter.

Professor McGonagall frowned, unable to help any further as she walked Selina into Professor Dumbledore's office, where loud voices had been carried all the way through to the corridor.

Dumbledore sat at his desk, looking over at Professor Snape to his left. The two had evidently been arguing, loudly. Selina was dead to the world, and had only caught a few things, the words being 'disciplinary action' and 'obstacles'. Both Snape and Dumbledore were startled to see Selina walking in, their eyes widened as she entered the room alongside McGonagall.

"Miss Romanov would like to speak to you now, Headmaster. She has expressed that my presence would be helpful," Professor McGonagall said calmly.

Professor Snape looked at Selina for a moment, as she was unable to identify the exact word for what she saw on his face. It was a look she'd never seen before. He seemed perfectly composed, except for the darkness in his eyes and slight trembling of his lips as he still remained silent.

"Of course, Minerva, thank you," Professor Dumbledore said courteously, "Miss Romanov, please have a seat, if you'd like."

Selina said nothing, slowly walking to the chair in front of the desk as she sat down, her face empty and expressionless.

"I'm very sorry to have to have this conversation with you, but I'm afraid Professor Snape and I are going to need your perspective on the events that took place between last night and this morning, given Madame Pomfrey's findings upon examining you," Dumbledore said quietly. "Given the severity of the situation... I must insist upon hearing from you directly, unfortunately."

"Erm, that's—that's okay," Selina said slowly, looking him in the eye with no emotion whatsoever. "I don't actually remember anything that happened between me and Marcus Flint..." she said slowly, the incoherent flashes from the night before haunting her memory.

Professor McGonagall stood behind her, sympathetic towards her young student.

"As I told Professor McGonagall, all I remember from last night is getting a drink from that boy. I finished it, and... I think I ended up going off to the dorms, with Flint," Selina gulped, humiliated. "I fell asleep, in his dorm... and then I just woke up in the hospital wing."

"This is outrageous!" Snape boomed. "We cannot allow something so cruel and heinous to go unpunished—"

"Severus," Professor Dumbledore murmured, interrupting his thought.

Professor Snape was reluctantly, fuming as he listened.

"Miss Romanov, I must express that you have every right to determine if you ever feel this conversation to be too much for you, but I'm afraid I must tell you... eventually, there is something I must ask you, that I dread having to ask any one of my students," the school's headmaster said earnestly.

"What is it?" Selina looked at him, brows furrowed.

Albus Dumbledore glanced down at his desk, struggling to get the words out. "Miss Romanov... do you have any recollection, any recollection at all, of being raped or otherwise assaulted by Marcus Flint, and if not, could you somehow confirm whether or not this is what happened after you were given the Sleeping Draught?" he asked gravely. "Madame Pomfrey's physical examination is sufficient evidence of rape and other physical abuse, I'm afraid. The only thing we need confirmed by you is whether or not the person responsible is, in fact, Marcus Flint."

Selina just stared at him for a moment, the fact dawning on her that this was the first time that she'd heard the horrible word actually spoken aloud all day.

"Yes," she whispered, the night before flashing before her eyes as she spoke. "The last thing that I remember is Marcus Flint bringing me to his dorm...and then coming towards me. It was him, I remember enough."

Severus Snape look absolutely appalled as he listened to her, shocked.

"He was the one who.... did this, because he and I had argued right after the match ended," Selina said, eerily composed. "I was intoxicated, and then I drank the Sleeping Draught, and then he brought me to his dorm room."

She was in shock, unable to process anything that happened as she spoke. Not reacting in order to keep the situation as calm as possible, Professor Dumbledore nodded as she spoke.

"I see. Now, I must ask you, are you looking to attempt to press charges?" he asked. "I can give you as much time as you need to consider it—"

"Yes," Selina murmured, trembling with rage, "Yes. Press charges," she said with the utmost seriousness.

"Yes, as we should!" Professor Snape thundered. "Flint should be expelled, and subjected to legal disciplinary action of the highest degree—"

"That's enough, Severus," Dumbledore said quickly, not wanting to worsen the situation. "Miss Romanov, I must naturally inform you that, should you proceed, you will be required to give repetitive statements, before as many as, potentially, the entire Wizengamot—"

"I don't care," Selina decided finally, her voice small but perfectly clear. "Whatever it takes. I won't change my mind. Nothing could," she promised them, a violated, hungry look of despair in her eyes.

"Of course," Dumbledore nodded, "Thank you, Miss Romanov. Words cannot convey the regret I feel that something so awful has happened to a Hogwarts student. For that, I am deeply sorry."

"Thank you," Selina croaked out, forcing herself to speak.

"Just know that, soon,

"May I be dismissed?"

The professor nodded. "You may. Please, feel encouraged to go to Professor McGonagall, myself, or Professor Snape with any information, or concerns that you might have... Again, if you find that you would like to forego with the legal action, do not hesitate to speak to any one of us. Given the opportunity, I must also assure you that, in light of what has happened, I find myself unable to even think about punishing any of my students for the possession or consumption of alcohol on school grounds, and will simply ask that all students exercise caution in the future. Again, you have my greatest sympathies, Miss Romanov. If you ever find that there is anything I can do at all, please, do not hesitate to ask. Although I could never understand your pain, I can say that what has happened to you affects me greatly as the headmaster of this school."

"Thank you," she nodded, leaving the office as she left the three professors still inside, dead silent for a while.

She headed down from the Headmaster's Tower, running into Jasper and her friends in the corridor. They all looked exhausted.

"Selina," Jasper said. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she nodded slowly as she hugged him, "I'm fine... In every way that matters, I guess."

"What Flint did to you was evil," Elspeth said in disbelief, "They should expel him immediately."

"I told Dumbledore what happened. I told him I wanted to press charges," Selina said quietly.

"Good. You should," Amana told her. "What he did to you... Look at you. You've got bruises all over, and I heard Madame Pomfrey say there was internal bruising..."

The girl trailed off in tears, unable to stomach the mere thought of what had happened to her friend.

"Hey, I'm okay," Selina promised her, numbly giving her a hug.

Her best friend broke down in her arms, crying softly as she held onto her friend.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry, Selina," she sobbed, "You're my best friend, if anything happened to you... Elspeth and I... If we would've known—!"

"It's not your fault," Selina reassured her firmly, holding it together for her friends.

"But it is! All of our faults!" Elspeth said tearfully, "We left you. We never should've left you."

"No one could've prevented this," Selina sighed, "It would've happened one way or another."

These words stung for Jasper Carroll. His eyes burned with genuine hate as he thought about what had happened, unable to forgive himself for losing track of Selina.

"Not if I could've helped it," he told her. "I would've done anything to protect you, Selina, if I had known, I would've... I would've made sure he never hurt you. But I didn't, none of us did, and I'm so, so sorry for that. But nothing can change what that... that fucking brute did to you."

"I'm okay," Selina promised him, "I'm right here, nothing happened to me. I'm alive, that's all that matters, okay?" she asked, her voice faltering as she tried to suppress the feelings of shame and weakness that she'd felt ever since she woke up.

"I'm sorry, it's just... hearing about how the girls found you, helpless, and just left there, completely naked... it scared me. It scared all of us," Jasper sighed, his eyes bloodshot.

"We love you, so much, Selina," Elspeth said in despair. "We... We're just so relieved you're at least here," she confessed.

Selina thought for a moment, for the first time, that she could have easily died the night before. That could have been the end of it for her. The disturbing thought gnawed at her as she froze, receiving multiple hugs out of distress from both the girls and Jasper. They were all overwhelmed with emotions after what Selina had been through, but somehow, she found herself feeling mostly empty. She couldn't muster any anger, or despair anymore. All that was left was emptiness, she feared.

"Do you want to go with us?" Elspeth asked her. "To the dorms?"

"Erm, no, no," Selina said finally, sure of her choice. "Not yet."

"That's okay," Jasper promised her. "Do you want to go somewhere else? I'll go with you."

"I think I just need some time alone right now," Selina told them all, overwhelmed by the emotions.

"Yeah, that's perfectly understandable," Jasper nodded quickly. "You just take all the time you need, er... We'll just head back to the common room. Come find us if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay," Selina nodded, no expression on her face.

Her friends watched worriedly as she walked away, heading out of the castle hoping to get some fresh air. Nothing felt real whatsoever as she walked the halls of the castle, feeling as if she were stuck in some dreadful nightmare. But she knew that, whether she liked it or not, her reality was the nightmare. Selina Romanov was tormented by the thoughts that circled her head as she walked, half numb to everythin, half overwhelmed by all of it. She aimlessly wandered out to the courtyard, everything that had happened that day weighing on her. She began to notice some people staring at her as she walked by. Selina was aware of her puffy face and disheveled appearance, but what she hadn't been fully aware of were the noticeably visible bruises on her neck and shoulder, in addition to the ones beneath her shirt. Selina was deep in thought, hardly paying attention as Pansy Parkinson, of all people, was calling out to her from a stone bench beneath the trees.

"Romanov!" she said loudly, from the bench where she sat with Draco Malfoy, who was laying his head on her lap.

Draco seemed startled, turning to face her as he sat up, his attention completely fixed on Selina. She met his gaze, realizing that she should probably tell him about everything before he heard from Amana and Elspeth, or worse, Dumbledore or Snape.

"Where the hell have you been all day? My new boyfriend and I have been worried sick about you!" she taunted her.

Selina just shook her head, unable to deal with Draco's disastrous love life at the moment.

"Not now, Pansy," she said distractedly, "Draco, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"What is it, Sel?" he asked, concern in his voice as he stood up. "What's wrong?"

Crabbe and Goyle stood around the bench, watching as they had no idea what was really going on.

"I need to speak to you. Privately," Selina said finally.

"God, you're not trying to win Draco from me, are you?" Pansy Parkinson sighed.

"Not now, Pans," Draco told her, focused on Selina as he walked the two of them away from the others, increasingly unnerved by her appearance. "Sel, is your neck bruised?" he asked her.

Selina had no words, staring at the ground as she tried to articulate everything to him.

"Selina," he said worriedly, his eyes widened, "Is that a handprint?"

Selina bit her lip, finally meeting his gaze as she broke down, ever so slightly. She was no longer able to contain everything she'd been thinking for the past few hours.

"Draco... About last night... There's something you have to know," she began, sighing as she slowly braced herself, her breath shaky and unsteady. "There's something I have to tell you."

Draco looked at her in confusion, his heart pounding in his chest as he listened to her speak.

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