There must be a mistake. Evangeline is not a Griffindor.
Applause erupts in the hall and stops just as abruptly as it started when Evangeline snatches the hat from her head and glowers at it. She feels stupid when it regards her with its impassive expression: it's a hat, they don't feel fear.
She is Evangeline A.K. McDowell from the House of Mcdowell. She has never heard of anyone that was not a Slythering in her family. The family tree is full of cunning, ruthless, great people. Slythering people to the core.
Evangeline is not a Griffindor.
Her little outburst makes a name for her, and by the second week of school they are all convinced she should be in Slythering too. Her lack of camaderie is astoundingly obvious; she refuses to partake in any group activity unless she is practically forced by the teachers to comply. She has zero interest in making friends with any Griffindor, Hufflepuff or Ravenclow. And while it is unfortunate that Slytherings do not recognize her as their own, she also doesn't give a damn about them, because they are all idiots too.
The only redeemable person is an odd girl named Chachamaru. She is quiet in nature but blunt when provoked. So far she's the only one who expressed true interest in Evangeline, unlike the parasites that wish to befriend her out of conveinence or just to find out more about the poor oddball who should be a Slythering but isn't.
By the fourth week everybody knows who she is and what she's capable of. She made sure of it when that older boy Takahata made fun of her for being short, even for an eleven-year-old. Of course it got her punishment with that dreaded Konoemon and fifty points from Griffindor. Her classmates now believe she's trying to stop them from winning the cup, but they don't give her any attitude, because they know she will give back twice as hard. And Chachamaru is pretty scary too; oddly protective of her.
Evangeline huffs as she closes the door behind her and stomps all the way to her bed. Her roommates are gone most of the time because of her (and it gives her a certain thrill), so she has time to think over the letter her mother sent her this morning.
She should feel grateful it isn't a Howler, because her mother just found the time to disown her.
It's not something she should dwell on. That is not what a Slythering does. But then again, that is not what her family does, and she's not part of her family anymore. So what does she do?
She sneers and sents back a Howler with a big fat 'FUCK YOU TOO!'. Chachamaru is waiting for her with tea in the common hall. With a weight off her shoulders she strouts to the howlery with the confidence of a Queen and then back to her friend. And she knows she has a true friend when Chachamaru gives her a cup of tea and expresses her ire, or Chachamaru's version of ire, through a series of things they could do just to piss off their mother, who is sure to receive notice of her misdemeanor until she's officially an adult.
Life is good.
And it's still good until her fourth year.
She doesn't notice her; doesn't even know her name, even if they are in the same House. She's seen her a couple of times with the boisterous redhead and the grandmaster's granddaughter. Other times she switches cliques and has chats with two Slytherins: the tan foreigner girl and the one that rarely opens her eyes (the Chinese Hufflepuff girl also joins them from time to time). She has average grades, but exceeds in Defense Against the Dark Arts. She has stoic features and a weird haircut.
"H-Hello, Evangeline." And she has a crush on her.
Her friends don't even bother with hiding anymore. They've seen this ship approach, be shot down and sink so many times it's almost routine. Chachamaru is with them as well. She won't say it but she throughly enjoys the way Evangeline squirms every time Sakurazaki confesses.
As usual, the blonde growls in response and walks away. She doesn't care for an answer anymore, since Setsuna will come back later on the same week and look at her with those hopeful eyes of hers.
It's like suddenly she grew boobs and people see her for the first time in their lives. However, Setsuna is the only one with the guts to approach her, and she has to give her points for not being crude about it. The black-haired girl has always shown the utmost respect for her and Eva is thankful for the change of air.
It starts at the beginning of the year. It's the biggest crash and burn of the decade. Eva hops on the train and takes a seat in her usual cabin, next to Chachamaru and Chao something or another (she's crazy, but tolerable. Not enough to learn her name.). Suddenly the door opens and there she is, straight as a plank and there's a pink hue adorning her cheeks. She's holding her air and suddenly explodes in the most embarrassing love confession. The worst part, aside from the yelling of compliments and awkward sentences that do not coordinate, is that she bows to her so lowly she may just break her back and it won't come as a surprise.
Evangeline doesn't reject her immediately. She's bright red and her brain is trying to catch up with the first love confession she's ever received. Her palms are sweaty and she's spluttering like a fool. Nevertheless, her temper and pride get the better of her, and they have to work a week on Setsuna's petrified body.
She had thought Setsuna's friends would come after her for that stunt, but they don't. Instead they laugh at their friend and drag her off after each curse, after each gone-wrong confession. They are all idiots, she thinks.
Soon she grows out of curses, or maybe she's tired of fighting the girl all the time and sending her to the nurse while she herself is sent to Konoemon's. Again. The headmaster has grown out of conversation topics and refuses to buy more candy, because she eats it all. And it's not like he can punish her for gluttonry.
Then she stops responding altogheter and resorts to walking away. Setsuna doesn't call after her name again; she never does it a second time because she will try again the next day.
Evangeline worries she's starting to like her attention.
It's their fifth year when Konoka Konoe and Asuna Kagurazaka approach her casually after Potions class. She takes off her glasses and sighs. They've been observing her for almost a week now and finally they are ready to speak. It's not as if she hasn't tried to confront them. They're just too good at running away.
"Why do you hate Setsuna so much?" It's the brunette that questions her. It's not agressive in any way; she's truly curious. Eva is slightly baffled by the question itself.
Why, indeed. Aside from the incident in the train there is not reason for her to hate Setsuna. In fact, and she's scared to admit it, she almost admires her for her courage and insistence.
It's two minutes before she gives them an impassive look and answers, "I don't hate her."
They seem to mull over her answer. They don't seem surprised at all. You can actually see the corners of Konoka's lips twitch up in a mischievous smirk as she glances back at Evangeline.
"Why don't you go out with her then?" The brunette asks frankly. Asuna, on the other hand, grows bored and walks away to bother Proffesor Negi while her friend takes care of this.
Evangeline purses her lips in annoyment, "Because I do not want to, obviously." She's truly her grandfather's granddaughter if she's able to get her this worked up so quickly over a simple question. It must be the knowing smirk they always seem to carry, she thinks. And the way they stick their noses into everybody's business like it's a common ocurrence.
"But why?" And when Evangeline opens her mouth she discovers that she has no answer to that one. So she takes her books and storms out of the place without a word. Konoka's smirk only widens as she skips back to Asuna. She's done her job as a friend, now it's up to Setsuna not to give up and for Eva to stop being such a troll.
And Lord, does she stop.
Because after that conversation Evangeline has her own with Chachamaru (and Chao, because she's nosy and Eva has taken a liking to her), she comes to the horrifying realization that she actually likes Setsuna. And Goddammit, she blames it on being a Griffindor.
The next time Setsuna approaches her, she just stays there, staring at Setsuna splutter longer than ever before now that she has the chance. She listens to everything she says, which is a more elaborate, less nervous version of the first confession. Setsuna herself is quite happy that Evangeline is listening, though she can't figure out why the sudden change.
"-so I thought we could get to know each other better. A-as friends, if you want. You're very pretty, so I would like to be more, but friends is good. A-and you're very pretty... I already said that, didn't I? Oh, Merlin, kill me-"
"Alright-"
"No! Don't kill me!"
"We should get to know each other."
And Setsuna, after a small panic attack, does her thing again. She goes rigid as a plank and bows to her before stuttering different forms of 'thank you' in non-sense sentences and marches away like there's a stick hidden somewhere in her arse. Eva cannot yet believe that's the kind of person she's into.
She thinks about it for a second and frowns. No, Setsuna is not like that. She's always so serious and dignified, unless she turns and looks at Eva. Then she's an idiot. Eva is not sure why, but she kind of likes that she's the only one to evoke such reaction from the usually stoic girl.
The loud cheers and clapping are heard all the way to the dorms. Konoka and Asuna make sure every-damn-everyone knows Setsuna finally convinced their resident Ice Queen. However, late at night when Setsuna walks into the common room looking happier than ever before, Evangeline allows herself to smile and thinks that it's not such bad thing after all.
It's so damn awkward.
It's a beautiful day outside. They are drinking their butterbeer in total silence. Madam Rosmerta was so kind as to give them for free. Because, obviously everyone knows of Evangeline and Setsuna. They're the kind of gossip they love; the kind of anecdote they will tell their children when they grow up and ask for love advice. Something like: Well, there were two girls once. And let me tell you: you couldn't do worse than them.
However, Madam Rosmerta's kindness is not the real issue. By now they have both realized how socially impaired they are, and they're struggling to make chit-chat like the other friends (and couples) around them are doing. But Setsuna's stoic in nature, and Evangeline's a bit of a bitch, so it's a bit tricky.
"So..." Setsuna laces her fingers together, halfway through her buttlebeer already. Eva arches a perfect eyebrow, but her companion fails to deliver more than one syllable. She buries her face in her palms and groans.
"The Hell! We suck at this!" She bitterly gulps down the rest of her drink and slams the cup down. "Say something, dammit!" She barks as Setsuna continues to stare at her in silent awe. Evangeline feels a blush creeping up her face because of the embarrassment.
"You're... beautiful." Setsuna exhales, and Eva wants to punch her teeth in and kiss her at the same time. Such contradiction is so foreigner to her that she's lost for a moment. Then it occurs to her that she has a question for the taller girl.
"Say..." She purses her lips and diverts her gaze elsewhere. "Why... why me?" It's cute how Setsuna tilts her head to her side and gives her a small coy-ish smile.
"I don't know," Evangeline deflates instantly and Setsuna is quick to correct herself. "I- You were getting on the train. I saw you and I knew you were the most beautiful girl around, so I had to say something." Eva smirks, her confidence and cunning coming back to her.
"So you made a fool out of yourself in front of everyone?" Setsuna blushes and fidgets. Her next confession will completely thaw Eva's heart.
"It was our first year. I only gained enough courage on the fourth year, and we know what happened." Eva doesn't know what spirit possesses her body, but she leans across and tentatively rests her hands on top of Setsuna's. It's the first time they touch, and it's even more surprising that she is the one to initiate. And it feels damn good, being able to reciprocrate what Setsuna's been conveying apparently since they were eleven.
"Tell me more?" Setsuna almost beams after the shock passes. Eva isn't so sure she isn't doing the same. And maybe being a Griffindor is not that bad after all.
I don't even remember checking the grammar in this one... It may be completely unprofessional of me, but I may just do it later.
Updated: 22/11/2015