m&mwp.
for mew because of obviously obvious things.
* slight au in that Marietta is present for the Patronus lesson.
Marietta doesn't care about Dumbledore's Army. She honestly just does not give a flying fuck about it. She's not the kind to believe something just because a smartarse Gryffindor told her so; she has to see, hear, smell, taste or feel. She needs proper evidence. For all she knows, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is dead and gone—never coming back. She's not Harry bloody Potter and she's not Draco flipping Malfoy. She hasn't got a place in this feud (they call it a war, but that seems too serious for something that seems so childish in Marietta's eyes).
But Cho had begged her to join. And Cho hasn't shown interest in anything (Harry Potter not included) since Cedric. Marietta couldn't exactly going to say no, was she?
So she does the stupid spells and pretends to be impressed as Granger gushes about all the wonderfully clever things Harry Potter has done in the past six years.
She bites her tongue, too. She refrains from telling Potter to back the fuck off because Cho is vulnerable and only a prick would take advantage of that. She swallows her words when she watches Weasley and Granger duel because everyone can feel the sexual tension between them and it's the most sickening thing she's ever seen. She doesn't question Potter when he says that this spell saved him from this and that and she stops herself from screaming how stupid the whole thing is.
"Expecto patronum!"
It's really not fair that Potter's forcing her to be happy while simultaneously boring her half to death.
"You could at least pretend to be having a good time."
Her head snaps up and she regards her company carefully. She recognises the boy as Lee Jordan. He's the Gryffindor who, she thinks, would be much better off never commentating a Quidditch match ever again, for her sake as much as everyone else's.
She considers ignoring him. It would be easy to turn away. But Cho's looking at her from the other side of the room and if she does, she knows Cho will question her about it later and putting up with Cho is hard enough as it is.
"I am having a good time. It's hard not to when I'm thinking of my happiest memories."
"So do you just never smile?" Lee replies, apparently completely at ease in asking extremely rude questions.
She gapes openly at him, wand arm dropping to her side. When she's gathered her wits and her jaw she snaps, "Maybe I just never smile when I'm around you."
"I've known you for six years," he counters easily. "And I've never seen you smile, around me or otherwise."
"So you're stalking me."
Lee laughs and it surprises Marietta. She hadn't meant to be funny. She's trying to tell him to piss off without actually saying so. She takes a deep breath; it's clear that he's going to keep annoying her with chatter and she feels like she has to mentally prepare before he opens his stupid gob again.
"I prefer to call it taking an interest," Lee says, still chuckling. "So, you're Cho friend, aren't you?"
Suddenly she doesn't care so much about being polite. She's tired of everyone bombarding her with questions just because she's friends with the girl who's boyfriend got offed in mysterious circumstances.
"Yes," she replies stiffly. "Anyway, I'm leaving."
"You're what?"
He looks confused, but she doesn't pity him. She does, however, believe in small mercies, so she explains, "I'm tired of this conversation. I'm leaving."
Much to her dismay and slight annoyance, he just laughs. He's still laughing when she strides away from him and when he calls out to her, she has to force herself not to come to a sudden stand still.
"You'll smile one day, Edgecombe! And I'll be watching when you do! Hell! Fuck that!" He pauses to shush a berate Hermione Granger who's scolding his language. "I'll make you smile! Hear that? Challenge accepted!"
Cho is almost smiling in the corner and Marietta wants to die of humiliation. She spins around, just to glare at him, before making her way towards Potter and demanding when their lesson is going to end because in case he's forgotten, they have other classes—proper classes—to study for.
"I...uh," he stumbles over his words and blushes, the poor thing. And before dearest Granger can come to his rescue he says, "Right. Of course. We're done for the day."
They leave the Room of Requirement methodically. Usually, upon leaving these meetings, Marietta feels relieved and thankful that she's finally been released from yet another hour of tedious learning things that'll probably never come in useful. This time is no different; she's pleased as she walks down the corridors and towards the Gryffindor common room.
There's a difference this time. The difference is that for the first time, she can't help but notice that she sort of can't wait for the next meeting. It'll be interesting, she thinks, to watch Lee Jordan attempt to fulfill his promise.
Lee hasn't the faintest idea what he's gotten himself into. After all, she has brilliant poker face. It's a challenge he probably won't succeed with, but Marietta has a feeling that it'll be extremely amusing to watch him try.