"Uh, what is wrong with those three? Is it really that hard to just keep quiet and ignore us?"
"Hey, it's not all three of them," Sophie said fairly. "It's just Rhys and Riley. Besides, Malfoy…he is cute."
Sophie Lily Potter! You're supposed to be on my side! You're supposed to say they're arrogant pigs who need to grow up. All three of them."
"They're arrogant pigs who need to grow up. All three of them," Sophie said in a monotone, mocking her best friend.
Lainey half-smiled. "A little late, Soph, but I'll take it."
Lainey Weasley and Sophie Potter were walking through Diagon Alley, headed to meet their parents at the ice cream shop down the street. They had just left Madam Malkin's after their latest run-in with Thaddeus Malfoy and his two sidekicks. Malfoy, his father, and the sidekicks just happened to be shopping for robes at the same time as Lainey and Sophie. They just couldn't resist themselves when they saw the girls. Lainey knew they treated everyone this way, but it didn't stop her feelings from being hurt. And she couldn't help but notice the way Malfoy's eyes had changed when his friend had called Lainey "the offspring off a Mudblood." It almost seemed like he cared.
Okay, so maybe Malfoy wasn't so bad, but his friends were absolutely horrible. Rhys Parkinson and Riley Zabini were his two friends. They followed his every order. Maybe Malfoy wasn't shouting insults, but Rhys and Riley definitely were. Anyone within speaking distance was susceptible to their rude remarks. Lainey knew Malfoy could silence them with a word, but he didn't. And why not? He knew how much it hurt and she had just seen something in his eyes. Why didn't he just tell them to stop? It couldn't be because his father was around because he was never there during their five years at Hogwarts together. Malfoy could have told them to stop anytime, but he didn't.
No matter how much Lainey wanted to hate Malfoy or how many bad things she said, if she was honest with herself, she knew it was because she had a crush on Malfoy. She'd been harboring it since the first time she saw him during their first year at Hogwarts. They were on the Hogwarts express, buying candy from the trolley. His sparkling green eyes first caught her attention. They were the exact same color of an emerald. His pale blond hair had that perfectly tousled look. Just the opposite of his father's sleek hair, she noted. He also had an heir about him that just attracted attention. Lainey couldn't keep her eyes off him.
But this crush was just a small one. Miniscule, really.
Thaddeus's looks were part of the reason that Lainey kept this crush to herself. He was perfect and she always just considered herself average. Brown hair past her shoulders, but with just the right amount of curl. Average height at 5'5", she didn't stand out in any crowds. Lainey found two very redeeming features about herself, though. They were both traits from her parents. She loved her blue eyes from her father and her intelligence, form her mother. Although she was by no means vain, she liked to look nice and presentable, especially when a certain Slytherin boy would be around.
This crush was a hard thing to keep because it broke two standard rules. One: Gryffindors do not associate with Slytherins. Two: Weasleys did not associate with Malfoys, no matter how harmless they may seem. Lainey's father always warned her about Malfoy every year on September 1st before she boarded the Hogwarts Express. "Watch out for that Malfoy," he'd say. Her father, mother, and Uncle Harry had been best friends since their Hogwarts days and apparently had some trouble with Malfoy's father, Draco.
Still, it was hard not to look at him and think about him. His eyes were so easy to get lost in and-
"Lainey? Lainey? You okay?" Sophie said, snapping Lainey out of her reverie.
"What? Yeah, fine," Lainey said, pretending like she had been paying attention.
"You haven't been listening, have you?"
"Yes, I have."
"Okay then, I've been talking for almost five minutes. What was I saying?" Sophie stopped walking and turned to Lainey, crossed her arms, and raised her eyebrows.
"Uhm," Lainey racked her brains, trying to pick a few words out of Sophie's ramblings. "You were saying something about your robes?"
Her friend sighed and continued walking. "No, Lain. I was saying that I'm going to ask my dad for new gloves for Quidditch. Do you think he'll get them? That is, if Mum says it's okay. I kind of don't want to ask because I just got a new owl-"
"Soph, I'm pretty sure he'll get them," Lainey said, cutting off Sophie as she had to constantly. Sophie tended to ramble. "Anything to do with Quidditch…"
"I hope so. So, what was so important that you weren't listening to me?" Sophie joked, but expected an answer.
"Nothing," she lied.
"You're right. It was someone," Sophie deduced. "You had that same look on your face that you used to get when you would think about that Ravenclaw boy. Who is it?"
"No one!" Lainey said, a little too quickly, turning the corner towards the ice cream parlor. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Sophie turned to glare at Lainey. "Alright. I'll drop it for now, but I will find out. Come on, let's go in."
They turned and walked into the parlor. As they opened the door, a bell rang, alerting their presence. Quickly spotting their family at a large table in the corner of the restaurant, they hurried over and took their seats. Lainey sat in an open seat next her little sister, Rachel, and Sophie sat next to her little brother, Adam.
"Glad you girls decided to show up," Lainey's father, Ron, teased.
Sophie glanced at Lainey. "Madam Malkin's took a little longer than we'd planned."
Sophie's mother, Ginny, spoke now. "Did you get your robes?" she asked, suspicious at their lack of shopping bags.
"We can pick them up in half an hour," Sophie answered, nodding.
The girls ordered banana splits from the waiter when he stopped by. He quickly brought them back. Everyone seemed to be almost finished with their own ice cream, so Lainey and Sophie tried to hurry and finish.
"You guys are going to get a brain freeze!" Adam said, pretending like his head was freezing despite the warm weather.
"Yeah, and then you won't be so smart, Lainey!" his twin, Edward, added.
Lainey rolled her eyes. "Well, if I'm not smart, who will help you with your homework? They load on first years like you guys."
Sophie suppressed a laugh as the twins and Rachel, who was also starting Hogwarts this year, looked scandalized. They started whispering amongst themselves. Lainey turned to her mother.
"Mom, did you get me and Sophie's books?"
"Yes, I have them right here. No, wait, they're in here," Lainey's mother, Hermione, said looking through a few bags from Flourish and Blotts. "Those are your sisters. We still need to get your things for Potions, since you'll both be starting NEWT classes. If you two will pick up your robes, you'll be all set. Rachel just needs her Potions materials and a wand." Rachel perked up at the mention of a wand. Hermione smiled at her. "Maybe we'll even get her a new pet, since it's her first year. Ginny, what do Adam and Edward need?"
"They both need wands and-"
"Mom?" Adam interrupted. "Can I have a new toad? Hopper's getting old. He doesn't jump high like he used to."
Ginny looked at him for a moment, thinking about it. "Well, I suppose. Your brother has been wanting an owl. Harry, you did get their books, right?"
"What's that, love?" Sophie's father said, turning away from his conversation with Ron. "Oh, yeah. I have their books right here."
"So, only a few more stops and we'll be good to go home for dinner, Hermione," Ginny said.
Even though everyone had finished their ice cream, no one seemed to have any intention of leaving soon. The younger kids were talking excitedly about wands and pets. The four adults were talking about a new law the Ministry was passing and the rising costs of school robes. Lainey and Sophie were talking about their NEWT classes and the added amount of work they were expecting.
"Okay, Mom, when will we be leaving?" Sophie asked mischievously.
Her mother narrowed her eyes. "Why? What do you want to do?"
Sophie shrugged. "Well, I thought that Lainey and I could go pick up our robes and then stop by Uncle George's shop," she said innocently.
"Alright, but we are leaving in one hour. Meet us in front of the apothecary."
Sophie's father came back into the conversation. "Do you need money?"
"No," they said together.
"Okay-"
"You do know that Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products are banned at Hogwarts?" Lainey's mother asked, knowing that they were well aware of this rule.
"We know, Mom. We'll meet you in an hour," Lainey said as she stood up from her chair.
Sophie and Lainey excused themselves and left the ice cream parlor. They headed back towards Madam Malkin's, Lainey hoping they wouldn't see Malfoy again. She also hoped Sophie had forgotten her previous interrogation. Her hopes were crushed when Sophie turned to her.
"Now, I think it's time for you to tell me who you were thinking about earlier."