There's Something About Potter

Chapter 8

Aria was beginning to think that the resorting McGonagall had arranged for everyone was a welcome breath of fresh air.

She appreciated the opportunity she was given to spend more time to herself, and as much as she loved her two best friends (and she did really), she also appreciated the fact that she didn't have to witness their constant, nauseating displays of affection all the time.

At first, she was hesitant about spending more of her time with the Slytherins, worried about how Ron would probably throw a fit and accuse her of 'abandoning' him all over again. Thankfully, her concerns were settled when she noticed that Ron also seemed to be making a couple of new friends - guy friends - among the Gryffindors this year. Merlin knows how much he needed them, especially since he had just spent the last seven years of his life hanging out with two girl best friends.

So for the next few weeks, Aria found herself spending most of her afternoons with the 8th year Slytherins.

It was obvious that after Blaise's little drunken get-together in Hogsmeade, the relationship between their group had significantly improved. Most of them were actually choosing to spend their study breaks together in the common room now.

Unfortunately, as they continued to spend more and more of their free time together, everyone began to notice the 'cold war' that was undoubtedly building up between two of their housemates.

And strangely enough, it wasn't even between Aria and Draco.

It was between Neville and Pansy.

At first, it wasn't that obvious – at least to those who weren't with them on a regular basis.

But eventually, Aria noticed the way Neville would clench his jaw whenever Pansy walked into the common room. Or the way his eyes would narrow ever so slightly in irritation whenever the short-haired girl was in the vicinity. And although Aria didn't know the other girl that well, it wasn't hard to see the way Pansy seemed to be reacting to Neville's presence too, if the way she pursed her lips into an unflattering scowl whenever he passed by was any indication.

Worst of all, the two Slytherins would often end up griping and snapping at each other over the stupidest things (like how Neville was wrong because his shirt wasn't pressed properly or Pansy was stupid because her perfume was too strong) until Morag finally decided that she had enough and cast a complicated silencing charm on them both to make them shut up.

All of their constant arguing got to the point where even Draco and Blaise seemed to find it annoying. The two boys would often roll their eyes at Pansy and would cast a muffling charm on their ears to drown her voice out.

Fortunately, Aria was given a temporary reprieve from all their theatrics when Blaise approached her in the common room one afternoon and handed her the new chore lists for the week. When she saw her name listed beside Blaise, both of them assigned to assist the house elves in the kitchen after dinner, Aria breathed a sigh of relief.

"That happy to be chore partners with me for this week, are you?" Blaise was smirking when she looked up and met his teasing gaze. "I didn't know you liked me that way, Potter."

"In your dreams." Aria retorted with a scoff, though she didn't bother hiding her smile when Blaise pretended to make a face at her and winked before he sauntered off to hand the rest of the Slytherins their chore lists.

Later that evening, after everyone had finished dinner and began making their way back to the dungeons, Blaise and Aria separated from their housemates and headed off towards the kitchens to get started on their chores that night.

Thankfully, the house-elves were more than accommodating when they got there and after conferring briefly with them on how they could help out, Aria set off to work with washing the piles of dirty dishes on the counters while Blaise situated himself on the other end of the room to dry and store the plates.