Slytherins, Kisses and Other Disasters
Copyright© 2026 by Caroline Stanton
Chapter 3: The Question
Victoria returned to the Slytherin common room in a worse mood than when she’d left. Which was saying something.
She’d spent the last twenty minutes walking through the corridors, trying to decide exactly whom she was angry with. Potter was the obvious choice. He’d started this whole bloody business, after all. If he hadn’t approached her yesterday, she wouldn’t have half the school whispering about her.
But Potter hadn’t spread the story. She had. And Georgina had helped, although Victoria couldn’t really blame her for that. She’d told the story herself because she’d thought it was hilarious. At the time, it had been. Now she wasn’t so sure. Draconia was sitting in her favourite armchair near the fireplace, reading. Georgina occupied most of the sofa, her legs stretched out in front of her and a half-finished essay balanced on her lap. Both looked up when Victoria entered.
“Back already?” Georgina asked.
Victoria grunted.
“Nice walk?”
“Shut up.”
“That good, then.”
Victoria dropped onto the sofa beside her. Georgina moved her legs.
“Oi. Some of us are working.”
“You’re staring at a piece of parchment.”
“That’s part of working.”
Victoria folded her arms. Draconia glanced over the top of her book.
“Feeling better?”
“Fine.”
“You don’t look fine.”
“Didn’t ask.”
Draconia shrugged and returned to her reading. For several minutes, the three girls sat in silence. Victoria stared at the fire. She was still thinking about Potter. Not about the rumours, or Weasley’s ridiculous reaction, or even the possibility that Potter might actually ask her out. She was thinking about the way he’d looked at her. He’d stood there, looking straight into her eyes, and told her she was beautiful. And he’d meant it. She was certain of that now. That was what bothered her.
She knew she was pretty. What she couldn’t understand was why no one else seemed to notice.
She liked the way she looked. So why had nobody else ever seemed to notice? She glanced at Draconia. Her friend was beautiful, too. And boys certainly noticed her. They always had, although most were careful about how they approached her. Then she looked at Georgina. Georgina was just as pretty as either of them. She had a lovely face, thick hair, and a figure that would have attracted plenty of attention if she hadn’t spent most of her time threatening to rearrange people’s teeth.
Yet Victoria couldn’t remember Georgina ever going on a date. That was odd. She frowned.
“Draconia?”
“Hmm?”
“Can I ask you something?”
Draconia lowered her book.
“Of course.”
Victoria hesitated. Then she decided to get it over with.
“Am I beautiful?”
Georgina stopped writing. Draconia blinked.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Well, yes. Of course you are.”
Victoria looked at Georgina.
“What about you?”
Georgina frowned.
“What about me?”
“Do you think I’m beautiful?”
“Yeah.”
“Really?”
Georgina stared at her.
“Vic, have you gone mental?”
“Just answer.”
“I just did. Yes, you’re beautiful. You’ve got a gorgeous face. Happy?”
Victoria looked down at her hands.
“No.”
Draconia closed her book.
“Victoria, what’s wrong?”
Victoria took a breath.
“If I’m beautiful, why has no boy ever told me so?”
Neither girl answered immediately. Victoria looked up.
“Well?”
Draconia opened her mouth, then hesitated. Georgina shifted beside her.
“That’s a good question, actually.”
Victoria gave a short laugh.
“Brilliant. Thanks.”
“No, I mean it.”
Draconia leaned forward.
“Victoria, surely you know you’re attractive.”
“Yes, I bloody know! That’s not what I’m asking!”
“Then what are you asking?”
Victoria threw up her hands.
“Why nobody seems to bloody notice!”
Draconia looked taken aback. Victoria sighed.
“Look. We’ve been at Hogwarts for six years, right?”
“Obviously.”
“How many boys have asked you out?”
Draconia hesitated.
“A few.”
“A few,” Victoria repeated. “And how many have told you you’re beautiful?”
“Victoria—”
“How many?”
“I haven’t counted!”
“Exactly!”
Victoria turned towards Georgina.
“And you?”
Georgina looked at her.
“What?”
“How many boys have asked you out?”
Georgina’s expression changed slightly.
“None.”
“None?”
“No.”
“Not even once?”
Georgina gave her an irritated look.
“Did I stutter?”
Victoria stared at her. She knew Georgina had never had a boyfriend, but somehow she’d always assumed that boys had at least tried.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.”
“Not even to Hogsmeade?”
“No, Vic. Not even to bloody Hogsmeade.”
Victoria sat back. For a moment, she forgot her own irritation.
“But you’re beautiful.”
Georgina shrugged.
“Apparently not beautiful enough.”
“That’s rubbish!”
“Well, tell that to the boys.”
Draconia looked between them.
“Georgina, you know perfectly well you’re attractive.”
“Do I?”
Draconia frowned.
“Of course.”
Georgina set her essay aside.
“All right, then. Vic’s got a point. If we’re both so bloody beautiful, why has nobody ever bothered asking either of us out?”
Draconia opened her mouth. Nothing came out. Georgina raised an eyebrow.
“Thought so.”
Victoria looked at her friend. For the first time, she realised that Georgina might have been wondering about exactly the same thing. They’d never discussed it. Why would they? They had Quidditch, classes, their usual arguments with Gryffindors, and plenty of other things to occupy themselves with. Neither had ever admitted to wanting a boyfriend. But that didn’t necessarily mean neither had wanted one.
“Does it bother you?” Victoria asked.
Georgina looked at her.
“What?”
“Never being asked out.”
“Sometimes.”
Victoria waited. Georgina sighed.
“All right, yes. Sometimes it does.”
Draconia looked genuinely surprised.
“You’ve never said anything.”
“What was I supposed to say? ‘Oh, Draconia, I’m terribly upset because no bloke wants to snog me’?”
Victoria almost laughed. Georgina continued.
“I mean, look at us. We’re not exactly ugly, are we?”
“No,” Victoria said firmly.
“And we’re not stupid little girls who need boys telling us we’re pretty every five minutes.”
“Definitely not.”
“But it’d be nice if one of them bloody noticed occasionally.”
Victoria nodded.
“Yeah.”
Georgina looked at her.
“Yeah.”
For a moment, they understood each other perfectly. Draconia sat quietly, watching them. Then she said, “Perhaps they’re intimidated.” Victoria turned.
“What?”
“The boys. Perhaps they’re afraid to approach you.”
Georgina snorted.
“Oh, come off it.”
“I’m serious.”
“Why would they be afraid?”
Draconia looked at her.
“Georgina, last week you threatened to shove a boy’s head down a toilet.”
“He was being an arsehole!”
“And Victoria nearly broke another boy’s nose for making a joke about her Quidditch performance.”
“He deserved it!” Victoria protested.
“Perhaps he did. That’s not the point.”
Georgina folded her arms.
“So we’re supposed to let people insult us?”
“Of course not.”
“Then what?”
Draconia sighed.
“I’m not saying you should change yourselves. I’m simply suggesting that your reputations might discourage boys from approaching you.”
Victoria frowned.
“Your reputation’s just as bad.”
Draconia gave her a pointed look.
“Not quite in the same way.”
“Oh, rubbish.”
“Victoria, you and Georgina have both punched boys.”
“They deserved it.”
“I’m sure they did. But I generally prefer not to hit people.”
Georgina grinned.
“You just tell us to do it.”
Draconia gave her an offended look.
“I do not!”
Both girls stared at her. Draconia sighed.
“Not always.”
That earned a laugh. But Victoria wasn’t finished.
“All right, then. If it’s our reputation, why do boys ask you out?”
Draconia hesitated.
“Well...”
Georgina leaned forward.
“Because you’re a Malfoy.”
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