Hi, this took me long to update, I know, and I hope it's okay. It's not canon, and at some moments it's got nothing to do with the HP-verse at all. I was just having fun with my OC's and in this chapter you can also get to know them a little bit better. And I also wanted to introduce Lexie's family a bit, and of course I will reveal a bit how Claire's coping. Please ignore the chapter title, I'm desperate for a better one. Any suggestions?
Oh, and er...
ENJOY.
Ch. 2 Starry nights
POV JANICE DIGGORY:
For what must have been the first time of my life I didn't arrive last on a sleepover. Lexie, Bella and Hermione were sitting in the living room of Lexie's house. She didn't have the biggest house of us all, but Mr. and Mrs. Jones always liked to have us here.
It was almost seven, and we were waiting for Claire to come. "Oh, Janice," said Lexie suddenly. "I don't know if I told this already, don't mention Claire's Dad when she's around. Not even sympathized talks, we don't want her to ruin the mood-"
"LEXIE!" I said warningly.
"- don't want her to be sad, too," Lexie corrected herself.
"So what exactly is a traditional girls' sleepover?" Hermione asked.
"Drink boatloads Doctor Pepper and eat Redvines until we're sick to the stomach," Bella said.
"What are Redvines?" Hermione giggled.
"Only the most delicious snack in the world!" Bella exclaimed, pretending to be hurt.
We laughed. Except for Ron, I didn't know anyone else who could eat so much and still think about food all the time. "Oh, and watch movies till midnight," I added. "I've brought some good ones. Friends with Benefits, classic."
I held up the DVD to Hermione. She took it and read the back. "Behold the terrible phenomenon of the romantic comedy," Lexie sighed, rolling her eyes.
"There's nothing wrong with a good romcom!" I said indignantly.
"They're predictable," Lexie said. "The good guy gets the girl, always!"
"They are romantic, emotional and funny," I said, folding my arms.
"Oh yeah that's right," said Bella, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "Janice always cries with movies like that!"
"You cried with Lord of the Rings," I said in defence.
"Frodo sent Sam away!" said Bella. "That was the saddest movie-moment ever!"
"And you also cried with the dog movie, Hachi. When the owner of the dog died," Lexie laughed.
"The poor dog kept walking to the station every day, even though his owner was dead," I said.
"We're going to sleep at midnight, then?" Hermione asked.
"No, no," Lexie laughed. "The movies are only the beginning."
She eyed Bella with a perfectly wicked, crooked smile Bella returned. "After the movies the real deal begins," Bella said mischievously.
"Should I be scared?" Hermione asked.
"You have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide," Lexie grinned.
At that moment the bell rang. Lexie left the living the room and came back with Claire. The very next moment Mrs. Jones told us dinner was ready. "I hope you like pizza, Hermiónee," she said.
Mrs. Had grown up in France(the reason why Lexie could speak French as good as she spoke English), so she pronounced many things incorrectly and with a thick French accent. She couldn't get Hermione's name right.
Hermione told her she loved pizza and we went to the table. Mr. Jones was already sitting there, blonde and proud, like his daughter. Next to him sat Lexie's little sister Gabriella, mostly called Gabby. She was avoiding our eyes and nervously peeling off her green nailpolish. "You must be Hermione, huh?" said Mr. Jones, smiling and revealing two large rows of white teeth.
"Yes, Mr. Jones," said Hermione shyly.
"Mr. Jones is my father, call me Hank," he said. "It's nice to meet an other friend of Lexie, too."
"Yes," said Mrs. Jones, "you should 'ave invited 'Arry and Ron as well."
"I wanted to," said Lexie, "but then Hermione told me she's never had a girls' sleepover before."
"Oh yes, I see," said Mr. Jones, laughing. "And that is, of course, some sort of ritual every girl should have gone through."
"That, and Ron's in Egypt," said Bella.
"I bet he's learning loads," Claire piped up.
"And what about Draco?" said Gabby. "You're always going on about how fun and witty and swwet he is, I want to meet him!"
Both Gabby and Lexie went red, Gabby because her curiosity had outweighed her shyness, and Lexie because, well, I had no idea. 'So, Hermione," Mr. Jones started. "Lexie's told me a thing or two about you, you're Muggleborn too, aren't you?"
"Yes," Hermione answered. "My parents are dentists."
"My Dad's scared of the dentist," Lexie laughed.
"Watch it, young lady," Mr. Jones grinned.
"Who wants a Coke?" Bella asked suddenly.
We all knew the house well, but none of us took 'make yourself at home' so literally as Bella. No one seemed to mind, though, and some time later Bella returned with eight Cokes. "This is delicious!" said Hermione, drinking it in one sip.
"You're going to tell me you've never had a Coke before?" I gasped.
"My parents say Coke's are bad for your teeth," Hermione answered, getting red.
"Not only for your teeth," Mr. Jones laughed. "But it's too good for me to stay away from it, I'm afraid."
"'Oo wants strawberries and ice-cream?" Mrs. Jones asked.
And no matter how bad it was for your teeth, or anything else, even Hermione couldn't resist. After that the five of us settled in front of the TV.
POV CLAIRE GIBBS:
"Okay, suggestions, please," said Lexie. "Name a movie and I've got it. Even romcoms, Gabby likes to watch that crap."
"Lord of the Rings!" said Bella. "You know that one, don't you, Mione?"
"I do," said Hermione. "I love Arwen and Aragorn!"
"I ship Fram," said Bella.
"Fram?" Janice asked.
Clueless, as always. "Frodo and Sam, you idiot!" Bella replied.
"Oh yes, the gayness between them is ungodly," said Lexie, who noticed that Bella was glaring daggers at her, quickly said, "Ungodly cute."
"Yes, Sam will always be there for his Mr. Frodo," said Bella. "He's a real superhero."
"How about a superhero movie?" I suggested.
I never was super fond of superhero movies, but I didn't want any dramas of romantic movies right now. The mention of the word superhero had lit a light in Lexie's eyes.
"BATMAN!"
"Who's Batman?" asked Hermione.
"Who's Batman?" Bella gasped, pretending to be badly hurt. "He's only the darkest, bravest, coolest, most-"
"-most beautiful, most epic superhero ever!" said Lexie indignantly.
I rolled my eyes. They were finishing each other's sentences again. Like they used to. "You're making me feel really dumb here," said Hermione.
"Wait. I just outsmartened you?" Bella smiled. "Awesome!"
"Awesome is my word," Lexie cut in. "But everyone likes Batman best, except for Janice, that dumbass prefers Superman- can you believe it?"
"Hey!" Janice protested. "Superman was the first hero! And Batman's such a dark hero! He's so angsty!"
"And Superman's just an alien dick!" Bella grinned.
Everyone started laughing, except for Janice. "And I wouldn't want Batman any other way," said Lexie dreamily.
"This one's in love," Bella giggled.
Everyone laughed again, now even Janice. "Soon I'll be Mrs. Wayne, and they'll call me Batgirl!" said Lexie brightly.
"Like a sidekick?" Hermione giggled.
"But then he'd have two sidekicks," I said. "What about Robin?"
"ROBIN SUCKS!" Janice laughed, prior to getting a Redvine against her head. "Superman doesn't need a sidekick-"
"Don't you dare talk about my dear Robin that way, you horrid bitch!" said Lexie, even though she wasn't really angry.
Once again the room was filled with laughter. "I don't really understand anything of what you are talking about," Hermione laughed. "But watching you discuss something is really funny."
"Batman Begins it shall be, then," said Lexie, putting the disk in the player.
"I'm surprised it's still in one piece, considering the infinite number of times you've played it," I said.
"And I will play it until it breaks," she smiled. "Janice, will you get a new pack of Redvines? And get the Dr. Pepper as well, you know where they are."
"I'll get them!" Bella offered.
"If I do that they'll be gone before they reach the living room," Lexie laughed.
POV BELLA MCLAGGEN:
When the movie had finished we saw it was close to midnight. We took the remaining snacks and some time later we found ourselves sitting on the ground in a circle. "Or we could just try to summon a ghost," Lexie said darkly.
"No!" Janice said immediately. "I still have nightmares from last time. It's time for Truth or Dare. D'you know the rules, Mione?"
"I do," Hermione answered. "They're not hard to understand."
"You know what would be awesome?" I said. "If we could get some sort of Truth Potion to play this with!"
"You mean Veritaserum?" Claire said.
"Well, I trust you all to give true answers," Janice said.
"You trust us too much," Lexie mocked, giving me a wink.
"Me first!" I said. "Lexie, Truth or Dare?"
"Mmm, let's start with Truth," Lexie mused.
"Who do you think is the hottest boy in school?"
"Easy one," Lexie replied. "Cedric Diggory."
"WHAT?!"
Janice almost choked (Hermione was patting her on the back, and laughing very hard) on a Redvine and Claire's face had lost all its colour. "He's hot, Janice, even you have to admit it," I laughed.
"I don't have to admit anything!" Janice shrieked. "He's my cousin! That would be incest!"
We laughed about her reaction. She always overreacted when it came to this. "However, Blaise Zabini isn't bad either, you know," Lexie said.
"Everyone can see he's handsome," Janice admitted. "With those high cheekbones and clear brown eyes."
"Too bad he's a snobbish, purebred, stinking git, though," I said.
"He's not as bad as the rest," said Lexie, "he's never said the word Mudblood before and he even seems to think Hermione and Claire are okay."
I snorted. "What about me? I'm just a blood-traitor to him, am I not?"
"Oh, he hates you," she answered. "But that has nothing to do with that. He just thinks you're arrogant, hot-headed, and ridiculously convinced of your own righteousness. As I said, he's not that bad."
"Oh yes, compared to Malfoy, Zabini's a sweetheart. What did Malfoy call me again? Savage?"
"Leave Draco out of this."
"I'm sorry," I mocked. "The words 'purebred' and 'git' made me think of him instantly."
"Draco may be a little prejudiced against Muggle-borns, but-"
"That's an understatement," Claire huffed.
"-but that how he's raised," Lexie continued. "He doesn't know any better."
"But that still leaves us with his terrible personality," I said.
Lexie gritted her teeth. "Draco Malfoy is witty, funny, clever and caring, always there and always makes me feel better. He's my best friend."
"Your best friend, huh?" I snapped.
"Do you two really have to turn everything into a fight?" Claire said, sounding annoyed.
"Can't we discuss this some other time?" Janice pleaded.
"Okay, now it's my turn," said Lexie. "Hermione, Truth or Dare?"
"Truth," Hermione said.
"Oh, I was hoping you'd say Dare," the blonde girl moaned. "Mmm, okay easy question. If you had to kiss one boy, who would it be?"
"Uh- Well- I don't like anyone in particular," Hermione spluttered.
"You have to, or you'll die," Lexie said sternly. "And don't say Ron, or I'm going to laugh and piss my pants."
Hermione had just turned a bright shade of magenta. "Come on, that was mean," I said.
"Oh come on," Lexie mocked me. "If two people are meant for each other it's them."
Hermione's face went even pinker, so pink that it seemed like all the blood from her body had gone to her face. "Stop saying that, you'll make things awkward for them," I said.
"Jealous? Because I didn't say the same about you and Harry?" Lexie grinned.
I felt an embarrassing feeling fluttering my stomach, and something else, too, and I couldn't really tell what it was. "I don't know what you're talking about," I said quickly.
"He's always protecting you, like that time with the snake, remember?" she said.
"I wouldn't have needed protecting if SOMEONE hadn't conjured the snake in the first place!"
"It doesn't matter," she said, "there must have been more times."
The red blush on my cheeks gave me away. I remembered that time in the infirmary, and his arms wrapped around me. "You know I see stuff like that," she sniggered. "Especially with you little Gryffindors, who always wear their hearts on their sleeves. Somebody has got a crush on her best friend."
I started to panic. Make up a good comeback, Bella, please… "Yes," I spat. "And that somebody is you, Lexie."
POV LEXIE JONES:
"He's just a friend," I said, trying to look back in Bella's green eyes as fierce as she was looking in mine.
"You're defending him," said Bella, "always making up excuses for him…"
She was right about that. But I did that for him because we were friends. Good friends. Best friends. "And you know what they say, love blinds us to an extent."
She was wrong, so wrong. I knew Draco wasn't perfect, he was just a human being. But I saw his many good sides, and they didn't. They didn't know him like I do. But I knew some of their insults were right. He was mean, he was a purebred.
No he's not, I thought, he doesn't know any better. This is how he was raised, and how his parents were raised. They do it out of fear, fear for others who do it out of fear for them.
"It doesn't have to mean she's in love with him," Claire reasoned.
"Thanks," I sighed.
"But that doesn't mean it couldn't easily become something more."
I raised an eyebrow. "There exists such a thing as friendship, you know."
"Oh come on," said Bella. "He's always touching you in some sort of way, always giving you compliments-"
"Or paying me insults," I muttered, grinning.
"- He's set up a trap and you've fallen in it!"
"I don't fall into traps," I said coldly. "I'm the person who sets them."
"What did we say about fighting!" said Janice. "I'm sick of you doing that all the time."
"But she-"
"But she-"
"I don't want to hear it!" Janice commanded. "Everything that has to do with Malfoy or Harry is forbidden topic from now on."
"Fine," Bella and I said in unison.
"You guys have brought swimwear, haven't you?" I said to change the subject. "We're going swimming tomorrow."
"I've brought my bikini," Janice said. "It'll be very hot outside tomorrow, so maybe we'll see some familiar faces!"
"Let's hope Michael's not there," Bella huffed.
Fear flickered across Janice's face and I rolled my eyes. "Good job, Bella," I hissed.
She knew to cut the exact topic that made Janice tremble with fear. She had her reasons, mind you, he was terrible to her at school. But it wasn't smart to start a conversation about him. That moment there was a knock on the door and Gabby peered her head inside.
"C-can you t-talk s-softer? I can't sl-sleep."
"We're whispering already, Gabby," I sighed. "Just close your eyes and go to sleep."
"That's n-not fair," Gabby moaned, "you know I n-need to be f-fit for the violin c-c-contest tomorrow."
"Go to sleep, annoying little brat," I hissed.
Everyone gasped. I had said it in Parseltongue. "What are you speaking Parseltongue for?" Claire asked.
Gabby's eyes, which were so much like mine, were wide open and her lip was trembling. "N-not f-f-fair," she cried. "D-don't use w-w-wizard stuff on me!"
"You're scaring her!" Janice said sternly.
I rolled my eyes. I hadn't even used a spell. Gabby was so annoying sometimes. "Just plug in some headphones, put on some Justin Bieber and you'll fall asleep in seconds," I advised her.
"You're a f-freak," she spat.
That was enough. "At least I don't stutter!" I snapped.
She looked like she was about to cry and closed the door behind her. I was so angry right now.
"You shouldn't have-"
"Don't get me wrong," I said. "I love her, I really do, but she's really a pain in the ass sometimes."
After some more chatting, Janice fell asleep on top of her bed and we decided to turn off the lights and go to sleep. My bed was right next to the window, and the curtains were still open. The stars were shining brightly in the ink black sky, and I started thinking.
Was Draco really just a friend to me? Could we be something more? I did enjoy spending time with him, and he always made me feel better. He seemed to understand what I needed much better than anyone else.
But then I should've felt something when he touched my arm, shouldn't I? And no matter that Bella says he's touching me all the time, he's never even hugged me once. Like me, he understood hugs lost their meaning when given too frequently.
I suddenly wondered what it would feel like if he would hug me. Would I feel 'butterflies' in my stomach then? It was almost too silly to think about. My train of thoughts was disturbed by a disgusting noise.
It sounded an awful lot like puking. I tiptoed out of the room and approached the toilet, where the noise was coming from. The door wasn't even locked. I opened it.
Claire.
She was bending over the toilet holding her hair up with her right hand and her other hand was in front of her mouth. I realized she must have been using her finger to make herself throw up. I was careful not to make too much noise, and I carefully took Claire's left hand and moved it away from her mouth.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Her voice sounded to weak. Not at all like the fierce but blunt Claire I knew. "Don't be," I whispered back.
I did her hair in a ponytail and gave her a wet towel to wash her face with. "Does that feel better?" I asked.
Claire nodded. Her face was still looking pale and she seemed to fragile.
"Look, you're not fooling me, I knew you did that on purpose."
Her forgot-me-not blue eyes grew seemed to grow three times larger. "Don't tell anyone," she whispered sacredly.
"I'm not going to," I calmed her," but never do that again."
She nodded and a sob escaped her lips and she threw her arms around me. Though I wasn't convined, I decided to leave it for what it was. For now. I just let Claire hold onto me tightly, and I absent-mindedly stroked her frizzy hair.
I know it's not my longest chapter, but I hope you still liked it.
1. I feel like I'm terrible in writing Hermione? Has anyone got tips how to write her better?
2. I know you've just 'met' her, but in my head Gabby is like the cutest freaking thing in the entire world. What d'you think?
3. Do you like this sort chapter? I'll do them more often if you like them.
Oh by the way, I'm doing a new sort of system. If, as soon as this fic's finished, I have 50 reviews or more, I'll do some one-shots. About one of the four girls, romance (any pairing you like, just not incest please) , friendship or angst.
Example: If you think you'd really like Claire and Malfoy paired up but you have a feeling they're not going canon you can request a one-shot about them. You can put it in the review for the last chapter, you just have to say your genre (Romance, friendship etc.) and the OC you'd like to see in it and another HP character.
If it's not clear, ask me and I'll write you a PM. If you have any other questions, just ask.
Bye lovelies!
