Being a Seventh year at Hogwarts meant that my step-sister and I pretty much ruled the school. Obviously we weren't the only ones, but the two of us were what everyone else called 'teacher's pets', because we were good students and the teachers loved us. What most kids didn't know was that my sister was in love with Luna Lovegood. Most people didn't know, but those who did were not comfortable with it. Not at all. You can't help who you love, though. You just can't.
"Bee, are you ready yet?" Gabby asked. "We were supposed to leave for Kings' Cross five minutes ago!" She cried, fearing we'd be late and miss the train. "Come on!" She screamed up the stairs as I was putting the last of my things in my trunk.
"Alright Gabs, I'm ready. Let's go!" I said as we rushed out the door and were driven to Kings' Cross. We got to the station just in time since the conductor in the station was calling his last all aboard as we ran through the wall. We hurriedly put our things on the train and jumped onto the bottom rungs of the train.
"Bee, that was a close one." Gabby said, wiping away imaginary sweat from her forehead. We found a compartment at the very end of the train. We passed Draco's compartment and I saw Pansy in there and wanted to scream. She was always around Draco, even though everyone could see he had absolutely no interest in her. I sighed and Gabby knew exactly what I was sighing about. "Bee, come on. You and I both know that the only reason she's in there is because she knows it upsets you…"
"I know, but still. It's only been like a fucking week since he broke up with me. The least she could do is not rub it in my face!" I said slamming down my purse on the seat as Gabby sat down across from me. "I'm not even over him! I don't think I ever will be! I mean, look at this drawing!" I said, showing her the drawing he'd done when we were sitting in Transfiguration together. "Look at this drawing! It's of children! OUR children!" I screamed, tears beginning to fill my eyes.
"Bethany, calm down." Gabby said, petting my hair. "Everything will be okay. He'll come back. There's no way that he doesn't love you. I can see it in his face every time he looks at you."
"I don't even care anymore. Whatever. I'm going to take a nap." I said, laying down, turning myself away from Gabby and my feet pointing towards the door. It would be awhile before we changed into our robes, so this position wasn't showing anything off that it shouldn't be. That would be saved for later, when I was going to try and make Draco jealous.
"Bee, come on…" Gabby started. She sighed, patted my side twice, and then laid back in her seat as well. She pulled out her sketch book and began to draw. That was one of the things we were both good at. Drawing and singing was what drew us together as children, and it's what has helped us form the sisterly bond that we still have today.
"Bethany Cassandra Austin!" I heard Gabby yell at me. "Come on, now. You have to get up. We're almost there, put on your robes."
"Alright, alright, I'm up!" I said, cringing at the sound of my full name. Gabby was the only person who could call me that and I wouldn't hit them. "Hand me my carry on, will you?"
"Here." She said, handing it to me. "Now hurry, McGonagall will send someone any time for the Head Girls."
"Ah, crap." I said. "I forgot about that. Ugh, I don't want to have to go to that meeting. I don't want to have to see Hermione. She always looks at me like she's so much better than me."
"I know. But you have to show her that just because you're a Slytherin does not mean that you're a terrible person. Because you're not. You're like, the best person ever." Gabby responded.
"Buh, stupid meeting. I'll be back soon." I said, walking down the hallway of the train. I passed Draco's compartment again and couldn't help looking through the window. Just at that moment, he glanced out, saw me, started to smile, and then remembered that he had broken my heart. I'm sure he could see the sadness in my eyes as I quickly looked away and practically ran down the hallway.
'That was a close one.' I thought, as I caught up to Hermione. "Hermione." I said in acknowledgement.
"Bethany." She said with a sneer. "It's good to see you again."
"Yes, you too." I said. We walked in silence to the Head compartment where Professor McGonagall was waiting for us.
"Hello, ladies. As you can see, this year we have two Head Girls, instead of one girl and one boy. You two are the top of your class this year, so naturally you're the Heads. Any questions so far?" Neither of us said anything, so McGonagall continued. "As you know, it is your job to make sure that the Prefects are all doing their jobs, and that all the students are behaving. As Head Girls, you two are the only students with the rights to take away or award house points. You need to keep up with your studies, make sure that you hold Prefect meetings, and that your Quidditch and other extracurricular activities are in order as well. Miss Austin, you'll also need to make sure that the Slytherin Quidditch team always has notes if the pitch is booked by another team, and that all the equipment is returned to its proper place when you're finished."
"Yes ma'am." I said, nodding.
"I think that's it. You're both dismissed." We exited the compartment, and began to walk down the hall. Hermione nodded at me, and then began to walk in front of me, so that she could get back to her compartment.
'Bitch.' I thought as she shut the door. I walked back to my compartment, lost in thought as I passed Draco's door again. This time I didn't notice that the door was open and he was standing in the door, waiting for me. I think he began to say something, but as soon as I noticed the shoes that I'd bought him for our one year anniversary, I bolted down the hallway into my compartment.
As soon as I got in, I slammed the door shut making Gabby jump. "Jesus, Bee, what's wrong?" I sat down across from her and had to stop myself from crying.
"He's wearing my shoes." I whispered. "The shoes I bought him. For our anniversary." I looked up at my sister and could tell she was trying to think of something to say to comfort me. "Together for two and a half years, and he just… breaks it off. Like it was nothing."
"Bethany, sweetie…" Gabby started to say.
"Gabby, don't. Thank you for trying, but don't. Nothing is going to help right now." I sighed, wiped my face, and stood up. The train was slowly coming to a stop, and I knew that I'd have to go face the rest of the student population. "I'll see you at the feast, okay?"
"Alright. I love you, sissy." Gabby said as she left the compartment to find Luna to go up to the castle with. I watched her walk down the corridor, sighed again, and left the compartment myself. I walked quickly past Draco's compartment, so as to not allow myself time to notice him, and inadvertently ran into Granger.
"Oh, I'm sorry." She said, helping me up off the ground.
"My fault. Avoiding someone." I responded quickly. "Let's just get this over with."
"Agreed." She said as the doors to the train began to open. We walked onto the platform at the station in Hogsmeade and waited for the other students to come out of the train. Hermione kind of did what she was supposed to, while I just kind of walked around the platform, checking kids and answering questions.
"Excuse me." A first year said to me. "Which way do I go? I've never been, I'd never even heard of Hogwarts until I'd gotten my letter."
"Okay, do you see that big tall man over there? In the brown mole-skin coat? You go with him. He'll bring you to the castle later."
"Oh, thank you! Thank you, so much. I'm Regina, by the way. Regina Blake. Good bye!"
