Perfect Timing

Written for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Challenges and Assignments) Alchemy Assignment #5. Also written for 2 Week Drabble Wars: International Women's Day.

Task: Write about the importance of friendship.

Task: Write your character protecting someone from harm.

An entry for Word Prompt Express.

Prompt: Perfect (609)

Dialogue prompt: "I'm going to kill him! I'm going to finish him like a cheesecake!" Pitch Perfect.

"No, Marcus, I said that I didn't want to!"

"I know that you did, but deep down you mean yes."

"Stop, please!"

Lavender had heard quite enough, and she barged into the classroom, ready to get her best friend away from that vile pig. The two of them looked at her with expressions like chalk and cheese. Parvati looked tearful and relieved while Marcus was angry at the interruption.

"What do you want, Brown? Can't you see this isn't a good time to interrupt us?"

Lavender stormed up to him, not even slightly scared by his anger. "I'd say it's perfect timing, Flint; come on, Parvati."

Parvati nodded and wiped her tears, giving her friend a watery smile as she got up. Marcus tried to stop her, but Lavender silenced him with her next sentence. "Move any closer to her, Flint, and I'll practice the new withering hex I've learned on your unmentionables."

He went pale and gasped at her words. "You wouldn't… would you?"

Lavender glared at him and reached for her wand. "Do you want to find out?"

He shook his head, so the girls left the room and headed to their dormitory. Relieved to find it empty, Parvati collapsed onto her bed and burst into tears. Lavender sat next to her, gathering her into a hug and thanking Merlin that she'd overheard the two of them as she was walking past. She hated to think about what could've happened to Parvati otherwise.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lavender asked when her friend's sobs had subsided.

Parvati nodded. "Thank you; I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't of turned up. He had me pinned down, and he wouldn't listen to me when I told him to stop."

"You don't need to thank me; I'm your best friend. Do you think he would've if I weren't there to stop him?" The words hung heavily in the air between them before Parvati answered hesitantly.

"Yes."

Lavender was filled with such rage that she could probably battle a Hungarian Horntail, and win. "I'm going to kill him! I'm going to finish him like a cheesecake!" She got up to do just that, but Parvati grabbed her arm and pulled her back down.

"Please, Lavender, just stay here with me. I promise I'll tell Professor McGonagall tomorrow, but I need my best friend right now. Forget about him, for he's not worth your anger."

Lavender froze as the words sank in, and she knew that her friend was right. Marcus Flint would get his comeuppance tomorrow, but for now, the most important thing was that Parvati was unharmed, and had her to help her through this traumatic time.

"He nearly raped you, Parvati."

"I know, Lav, but he didn't, because you're the best friend in the whole world, and you never would've let that happen."

"That's what friends are for."