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"Maybe you shouldn't bait him so much," Hermione whispers as we leave Potions, another thirty points gone from Gryffindor.
"I just… can't help it," I lie. "He upsets me." Not quite a lie.
He doesn't teach me Occlumency any more. I'm learning something more dangerous now. I don't know what it's called. Manipulation, control… connection… Children play a mirror game, face to face, copying each other's actions, the only rule being "no repeats." I've found a new version.
Class is almost over. We're measuring our potions into glass phials. Our eyes meet.
I grin. He scowls. My eyes widen. His narrow into slits. I pout. His lips tighten. I stammer. He insults me. I glare. He sneers. I stomp. Five points from Gryffindor; round one to Potter.
I flush. He arches an eyebrow. I stick out my tongue. He hisses. I bump my cauldron. He swoops over to me. I flinch. He chuckles. I twist to face him. He smirks down at me. I stumble backwards. He catches me, stops the cauldron from spilling… ten more points for round two.
I jump away. He grabs my sleeve. I yank it back. He steps toward me. I step back. He raises his wand. I grab the tip. (The whole class gasps.) He starts to speak. I pull hard, fall down holding his wand. Fifteen more points… and then he sees how I've fallen.
Knees up, legs apart. Right hand behind me to brace me upright. Left hand at my hip, his wand across my thigh. He stands at my feet, back to the classroom, and meets my eyes.
He swallows hard. I bite my lower lip. He blinks once, slowly. I start to sit up… my foot bumps his. He quivers. I reach for him. He steps back. Our eyes meet, and I smile. I've already done that one.
I twitch his wand, to remind him what happens next. He scowls in defeat. I finish standing, and face him. His face twists to anger. "Get out," he hisses. He turns away from me, snarls at the class. "All of you, get out."