PROLOGUE
𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫

✯¸.•'*¨'*•*'¨*'•.¸✯

EPONINE KEPT HER HEAD RESTING IN HER HANDS, THE TIP OF HER QUILL RESTING ON HER BOTTOM LIP. It was a terrible nervous habit that her mother had always been quick to correct her on, and for the record, quite unsanitary. She remembered how her mother would try and coerce her into quitting, telling her the ink would travel from her lip to her brain and cloud her mind. And as always, Eponine would always wittily respond by saying she did not care if her mind was clouded, for then perhaps she would end up with the Gryffindors rather than the Ravenclaws, who in her mind, had been deemed much more snobbish than the other houses.

These preconceived notions of the House System were soon proven wrong once she had finally arrived at Hogwarts. She'd always subjected to the common ideas that most people shared about each House, including her mother. In fact, when she was sorted into the same house as her mother, she thought it truly was a mistake. She didn't believe she was particularly sweet, and she often spoke out of turn and said things she would soon regret. But as time went on, she learned that many people were not the standard cookie-cutter examples of the House they were placed in.

Two cases of such phenomena were sitting right beside her. The first was a boy sorted into Gryffindor, and upon first glance, appeared particularly nervous and apprehensive. But if Eponine knew anything about him, it was that he was extensively brave. He was courageous in the small things, the little things in life that would often trip up or nerve any other person. She knew that if one was brave in the small things, they'd soon be brave in the bigger things. Neville was proof of that.

The other was a younger blonde on the other side of him. Her dreamy, fading gaze was enough to alert Eponine that her friend was not focusing on the book in front of her, but instead was thinking about other things. Her mind was a whirlwind of prose and nuances, and Eponine knew that if she had half the imagination of Luna, she wouldn't know how to manage it. She was a beautiful image of a Ravenclaw whose mind worked in a wondrous, enchanted way.

Eponine adored her friends. Thinking about them made her smile, and she thought about how the three of them would leave their next class soon and use their free period to skip rocks down by Hagrid's hut. The three of them had been a notorious pair since the beginning of the previous year, all having stumbled upon each other when they appeared at Hagrid's hut at the same time.

Eponine had been helping Hagrid tend to his animals, and Luna had been returning a magnifying glass she had borrowed. Neville was in search of a new Herbology book that Hagrid possessed, and in a matter of minutes, they all quickly bonded. None of them had quite found a way to fit in at Hogwarts yet, and therefore they latched onto each other. From that point on, Eponine made it a point for them to always sit together at meals.

The memory of how they met was boldly interrupted by a particular deep voice speaking louder than everyone else in the Great Hall. Eponine reverted her gaze upward, eyes landing on the blonde boy sitting a few feet away from her. Arm in a splint, he was proudly telling his friends about how he managed to survive a Hippogriff attack. "I'm quite lucky. According to Madame Pomfrey, another minute or two and I could've lost my arm."

Eponine shared a look with Neville, for both of them had been there to witness what Draco was talking about. It was often a choice between tuning him out when he spoke or listening in for entertainment, and today, Eponine had chosen the latter. She rolled her eyes as she listened to his antics and embellishments. She tried to focus back on the book in her hand, but his voice kept drowning out the words on the page.

"It nearly killed me. I'm penning a letter to my father, a beast like that shouldn't be allowed around students. Not everyone is as bold in the face of attack as I am," Draco continued speaking to anyone who would listen, allowing the other Slytherin girls to admire his sling. At this statement, Eponine couldn't contain herself. She audibly snorted and let out a chuckle, trying to keep her head down. However, she could sense Draco looking in her direction. "Something funny? Something you'd like to add, Renova?"

Their table, including the tables beside them, got quiet at this, for Draco and Eponine had never once spoken to each other before. Eponine sat up straight, looking him in the eye. Despite everyone looking at her, she made sure to keep her eyes on him and address him directly. "Actually, I just found the way you enhanced the story quite amusing."

He raised an eyebrow. "Enhanced?" She nodded, setting her book down. He glanced down at it, realizing that she had been using a large textbook to hide a much smaller book on the inside. Whatever she was reading, she didn't want other people to see it. He found it peculiar.

Her voice brought him out of his drifting thoughts. "Well, from the way I remember it, Buckbeak simply ripped your robes and gave you a small scratch. It was you who was in the dirt crying like a child."

Narrowing his eyes he said, "Interesting, because I don't remember you being there. I don't even know who you are."

She tilted her eyes. "Interesting," Her higher-pitched voice was a juxtaposition against his, and her sweet tone easily hid her condescension. "Because a minute ago you addressed me by my last name. Looks like I've managed to catch your attention enough for that."

He scowled as Goyle laughed beside him. "Are you really going to sit here and defend a bloody bird?"

"It didn't attack you unprovoked. You offended it," Eponine responded, frankly tired of Draco's rude remarks and distasteful attitude everyone had been putting up with for the past three years. Their conversation had now gained the attention of three particular Gryffindor students sitting at a nearby table. Eponine continued, adding "And honestly, I'm surprised Buckbeak was the first to have a go at you. It's about time."

Draco looked her up and down, fuming yet also intrigued by a sudden burst of confidence from such a usually reserved girl. He didn't know that Eponine had been listening for a while, simply waiting for the right moment to speak up. "I thought Hufflepuffs were supposed to be nice."

"I'm nice when someone deserves it," Eponine gave Draco and innocent shrug, staying calm and collected while he was shifting in his seat. "I'm many things, but a liar is not one of them. And I won't sit here and pretend like you're the most wonderful person to be around. The ferrets that Hagrid fed to Buckbeak have twice the charm you've got."

Compelled by annoyance and a desire to embarrass the girl, Draco's arm shot forward trying to grab the book she'd been trying to hide, wondering what it was she was being so secretive about. But before his fingers could touch the pages, Eponine's hand landed on top of his, stopping him without tearing her gaze away. Draco held his breath, letting her hand rest on his for half a second before ripping it away. Normally, he would dramatically wipe it on his robes to prove a point, but this time he didn't.

"If you wanted to borrow my book, you could just ask," Eponine told him before shutting the textbook and stuffing it under her arm. She stood up, giving him one last smile. "I'll see you in class, Malfoy."

Without another word exchanged, she left the table, holding her book tightly to her chest as she walked past several staring eyes. Outside, she tried to act confident, but inside, she was an anxiety-ridden mess. She wasn't one to confront people at school, for typically she kept to herself. She normally didn't speak unless spoken to, perfectly content with minding her own business. But she had to admit that it felt good to stand up to the biggest bully in Third Year.

From the table, Draco watched her walk away, completely humiliated that a Hufflepuff has stood up to him, let alone called him out in front of nearly the entire student body. He shook his head as she exited the Great Hall, knowing that from that point on, his attention would somehow always be drawn to that girl. He let out a deep breath, giving her two pitiful friends a threatening look to stop staring at him. Slouching down, he did not speak for the remainder of the meal.

That was the first time the two ever spoke, and it was the last time they spoke in their Third Year. Eventually, more exciting things had happened for people to forget the time a small, quiet Hufflepuff had confronted the loud and proud Draco Malfoy. But neither of them forgot about it, for every time they passed each other in the halls or shared eye contact in class, they were both reminded of the tension shared between each other. She had gotten under his skin, and he despised that.

They each promised themselves they would never speak again. They'd never become friends, for Eponine and Draco were vastly different. Products of two different societies, never meant to understand nor sympathize with each other.

But often times, promises are just an enameled denial of what is destined to come true.

note!

wow! hello! i am so beyond
excited to share this with you
all. you have absolutely no idea.
i won't say much right now because
i'm also posting the first chapter at
the same time and will have a longer
note there. but i hope you enjoyed
the prologue!