Everybody Talks
Natalie Sharp- Confident, Outgoing, Gryffindor. Everyone knows the story of the boy who lived. This is the story of the girl who died.
"Three tall ones." I say to Aberforth, leaning over the counter of the Hogshead and slamming down the proper money. He gives me a once over, and pushes three butter beers at me. Grinning, I scoop up the drinks and carry them over to the table where Simon and Ellie are waiting. Simon had already eaten half of the candy he'd bought us all from HoneyDukes, but Ellie didn't touch a thing. Not even the Butter Beer, which she would usually swallow whole by now. She got weird about accepting things a few weeks ago when her dad was laid off. Now we practically had to force her to take the things we paid for. "Honestly, it's just some sweets." Simon rolls his eyes at her. He just assumes she's being difficult, like all the other Hufflepuffs tended to be. He was probably the smartest kid I knew, but when it came to aspects of a person's mind, he was clueless. Ravenclaws tended to be a little clueless in that department though, right?
This made me wonder what a Gryffindor would tend to do then. I mean, what did I do a lot? Stubborn, I decide. Us Gryffindors are stubborn. Our little group had every house accounted for though, I guess. If you don't count Slytherin, and honestly, I never really like to do that.
"Okay, but just this once." Ellie says, and her small hands curl around the glass. "Besides, I shouldn't be drinking anything before practice."
I roll my eyes at her. She and Simon were both Beaters on their perspective Quidditch teams, yet I never really took up the sport. I figure after four years, it's a little late now. I didn't mind much talking about it, but whenever the subject came up, Simon started going on about the air force effecting the speed of the ball, and Ellie getting all huffy about the time Simon sent a quaffle right at her stomach during a game.
"That should be fun." I dismiss the topic, even though it most likely won't be fun considering how rainy it is today, "anyway, who's up for a walk around the grounds?"
"I am." Simon nods, chugging down the rest of his drink and standing. Ellie shakes her head and slides off her stool.
"Can't." She frowns, "I gotta go meet up with that Neville boy. I'm failing that stupid plant class again." She pushes a glob of dark curls from her face and gives me an exasperated look.
"We'll come with you instead." I offer, and hop off my stool.
"No, no, you go on. Who knows how long I'll be." And with that she walks out and crosses the road over to where Neville stands. I don't know him really, but he seems nice I guess. A little clumsy maybe.
"Shall we?" Simon says, and holds his arm out to me. I take it and we start down the street towards the castle, him going on about something concerning the tri-wizard tournament, and it's effects on civilians. We didn't really go with that whole tournament lot. I didn't really have anything to do with them. Thankfully, my friends felt the same way. The first task was this week and the rest of the school seemed to be on edge with the whole Potter thing.
I snap back to myself as Simon pushes into me. I look to his other side and see Draco Malfoy walking by laughing with his friends. Simon has stopped talking, and just watches to boy walk away with repulsed eyes. It wasn't like Simon to yell at anyone for simply bumping him. Even if it was on purpose. Even if it was Malfoy.
"Just ignore him." I whisper to him, and pull him along down the road. We were almost to the school now, and the thought of falling into a warm bed was enough to drive me on.
"Yeah. That prick. I, uh, actually wanted to talk to you about something." He says, and rubs the back of his neck. I urge him on with a nod. "Well, you know the Yule ball's coming up, and uh,"
Oh no, I think, he can't be asking me to the ball can he? He wouldn't….like me right? I mean….we're best friends. And…just friends. That's it.
"I know we're all supposed to go as a group and all but uh, I was wondering…if it's be okay if I asked Ellie to go?"
I feel my stomach sink at his words. I may not have liked Simon, but still the thought of going to the ball alone, or that he'd rather go with Ellie than me kind of stung.
"You should ask her!" I say, and try to sound enthusiastic, when really all I'm thinking is 'now who the hell am I gonna go with?' Smiling at him, I jump up to kiss his cheek and speed walk the rest of the way to the school. I mean, maybe I did like Simon. Why else would I be so upset right now? I mean, he's tall and handsome, and a lot of other girls like him, so why not me? I decide that this isn't it. I'm not attracted to Simon. I just….happen to want someone to like me, is that so wrong?
"Watcha up to, Sharp?" Oliver Wood calls to me as I walk down the hall to the common room.
"Wood," I say, sounding odd, "Who are you taking to the ball?"
"Oh, uh, sorry Sharp," He rushes, and pushes into the common room. What the hell was that? Was I really that repulsive that even Wood wouldn't go with me?
"Oliver just turned me down for the ball. Am I really that hideous?" I huff to the twins, falling onto the couch next to them.
"Wellllll," Fred grins in a way that suggests I am, and George thumps his arm.
"You're just difficult is all." George shrugs.
"DIFFICULT!" I scream, flustered. Yeah, difficult….I could see that.
Well, I think, at least I'm not hideous.