C#2

"Professor McGonagall said to hand this to you, Miss Weasley." said a Gryffindor third year, handing a small envelope to Dominique.

"Thank you" Dominique smiled, making him blush.

"I think you've got an admirer, Dom." Roxanne laughed, after he had gone away.

"Oh she's got plenty of those, Roxy." James grinned.

It was true. Dominique was one of the more attractive girls of the lot. Of course, being part Veela had its effects. But no one dared to mention that part. Her entire family knew of her hate for being part-Veela.

Dominique opened the envelope and unfolded the piece of parchment inside it.

It had Minerva McGonagall's loopy handwriting on it.

Dear Miss Weasley,

Please meet me in the Trophy room after the feast.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall.

She folded her note. Wasn't there a prefect's meeting just the next day? Why did McGonagall need to see her now?

The morning's event in the Prefects' carriage played in her mind. It had been terribly childish of her to slap Aidan. Even though it was his fault to begin with. Still, she had to apologize. Even if it was just for the sake of being a good Head Girl. She didn't want to begin the year on bad terms with him.

After the start of term feast ended, the prefects lead the first year students of their respective houses to their common rooms while the other students began to leave the Great Hall. Dominique looked across at the Slytherin table and saw Aidan get up. She got up too and made her way to the Trophy room.

Professor McGonagall was already in the Trophy room, waiting for them.

"Good evening, professor." they greeted, together.

"Good evening to the two of you. You must be wondering why I called for you. Well firstly, I wanted to congratulate you on becoming Head Girl and Boy. I have full faith in my decision of appointing you two." she said, and Dominique noticed the faintest smile on her usually stern face.

"Secondly, I wanted to inform the two of you about the Traditional ball that will be held in March. You know, of course, that this event takes place once in seven years, so it will be a very sumptuous affair, and it will be upon the two of you to make it one."

The Traditional Ball? Of course, she had heard so much about it from Victoire who had attended it in her fifth year with Teddy. It did sound exciting and she couldn't help a smile from forming on her face. The smile was not missed by McGonagall who, this time, smiled in earnest.

"I'm glad that you are looking forward to it, Miss Weasley. It will be a huge task, given it's your seventh year, but I know that the two of you will not disappoint me."

"Yes, professor." Dominique and Aidan said together and momentarily looked at each other before looking back at McGonagall who seemed to have finished what she wanted to tell them.

"Well, then I suggest you both go to bed now. Your common room password is Mediam Noctem." she said and the two got up, wished her goodnight and left the trophy room.

Dominique quietly walked alongside Aidan, who said nothing. She glanced at him and saw that his cheek was still a little red at the place she had slapped him and felt slightly guilty.

"Mediam Noctem." said Aidan, once they had reached the portrait of an old wizard with fair hair in navy blue night robes. The old wizard yawned as the portrait swung forward to reveal a large hole leading into what was the Heads' common room.

It was a square room; slightly smaller than the Gryffindor common room, but quite large for two people alone. There were two chintz armchairs near the fireplace that already had a fire. A tapestry against a broad wall showed all the ex Head girls and boys. Dominique walked up to it and found her father's name and uncle Percy's name as well as Victoire's.

Dominique sighed. How did her becoming Head Girl matter? After all, Victoire had done it first. Victoire had always been Miss perfect. Perfect at Quidditch, perfect at studies, perfect for Teddy, perfect at everything. Dominique hated competing against all that. No matter what she did, it didn't matter. Victoire had done it first.

Aidan sat down on one of the puffy armchairs, yawning. Dominique turned her attention to him.

"Davis." she muttered.

"Hm?" Aidan replied without looking at her, twiddling his thumbs.

"I'm sorry about today."

Aidan didn't reply, instead focusing his attention on the orange flames that were dancing in the fireplace. Dominique waited for a couple of minutes before letting out another sigh and walking towards her bedroom door, when-

"So, you want to be friends then?" he drawled. Dominique turned her attention to him for a second time before asking, "What?"

"I was being serious then and now. I don't think this year's going to go by very smoothly if we keep having a go at each other. And well, we're not thirteen anymore. So, what do you say?" he asked, finally looking at her.

"You want to be friends?" Dominique said, raising a thin eyebrow, digesting his proposal.

"I thought I'd made it plain enough, ginger."

Dominique considered him. It made sense. Perfect sense. He was right, they weren't thirteen anymore. She had to grow up. And what was wrong with being friends with him? Nothing at all.

"Okay then. You can't ever call me a Veela." she said, frowning slightly.

"Cross my heart." he smirked, getting up and walked to her, holding out his hand for what was the second time that day. This time, however, Dominique shook it.

Dominique opened her eyes and turned to look at her alarm clock. Eight thirty-two.

"Shit." she cursed, scrambling out of her bed quickly and rushing into the bathroom. She took a quick shower and changed into her uniform and pushed an alice headband through her hair. Before leaving, she took a quick look at her reflection in the mirror. In reality, Dominique had never thought herself to be pretty. Not like Victoire at least. She was slightly snub nosed with the traditional Weasley freckles covering her cheeks. Her blue eyes clashed against her red hair that had always been kept short, as opposed to her sister's long and silvery blonde hair. If there was one thing that Dominique loved about herself, it was her hair. Unlike her cousins' fiery red hair, Dominique's hair had a rather unique blend of copper and strawberry blonde that reached below her ears and bangs that covered her face, almost like she was hiding behind them.

After she had completed her self-inspection, Dominique walked out of her dormitory into the common room to find Aidan sitting on one of the chairs, his bag already on his shoulder. As she walked out, he looked at her and said, "You're up early."

"I'm sorry, I was awake for quite some time last ni- hang on," she paused. "What are you doing here so late? I thought you'd be on your way to class."

And then, she realized.

"You were waiting for me?" she whispered.

"Does it look like that? Then yes, maybe I was." Aidan said, grinning. Even Dominique couldn't deny that he was rather good looking.

"What for?" she inquired, puzzled.

"I thought we were friends," he said, walking to the portrait hole as the painting on the other side slid open.

"We are, but, you could have been late for class, and… you haven't eaten breakfast either, have you?" she said, following him and walking out the portrait hole.

"Don't flatter yourself too much, ginger. I just wasn't hungry." Aidan replied, nonchalantly.

"I'm not flattering myself! I just asked if you had eaten! Jeez, Davis!" Dominique said, slightly embarrassed.

"No need to shout, ginger, I'm right next to you. And it's Aidan. Stop calling me by my surname."

"I call everybody by their surname."

"Good for you. Problem is, I don't come under the 'everybody' category. So try using my name, okay?"

Dominique stared at him. He had somehow… changed. Overnight. She chuckled at the thought of him making an effort to be nice to her.

"So, Dommie, we hear there's going to be a ball at the end of the year." Roxanne said, at dinner that night.

"Rose!" Dom shouted, glaring at Rose who went red.

"Roxy!" Rose shouted at Roxanne in turn. "I told you to shut up!"

"Don't blame her Rose. You shouldn't have told her." Dominique sighed. By this time tomorrow, the entire school would come to know about the Traditional Ball.

As though Lily had read her mind, she said, "Oh hush, Dommie. The whole school will know by now. I'm sure Rosie isn't the only one who opened her mouth."

"Don't you go protecting her, Lil." Dominique warned and Lily kept quiet.

"It's all done now, let it go." Said Fred, joining them at the Gryffindor table along with James.

"So, Dom, how was your first day as Head Girl?" James asked, helping himself to some steak and kidney pie.

"Not bad…" Dominique said, looking at her plate and playing with her carrots. "I've managed to call a truce with Aidan Davis."

Fred dropped his spoon.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" he asked.

"Chill, Fred. It's not a big deal." Dominique replied dryly.

"You loathe the guy, Dom." said James, who was as surprised as Fred was.

"I loathed him, yes."

"Well, what happened then?" Fred asked incredulously.

"I grew up."

"James, she's scaring me."

James and Dominique began to laugh.

"Seriously, Fred, if she's okay with him now, it's a good thing no?" James said, patting Fred on the back.

"He could have used the Imperius curse on you." Fred suggested.

"Fred! Give it a rest." Dominique sighed. She was tired. She hadn't been able to have a break the whole day. It had been her first day back and she already had a five-page Potions essay to write as well as the Transfiguration spell that had to be perfected in three days time. Not to mention her Head Girl duties.

"I'm heading back to the common room guys." she said, stifling a yawn.

"Oh, okay." James and Fred said together and Dominique bade the others goodnight.

"Mediam Noctem." Dominique said to the portrait of the elderly wizard and he let her pass.

"Oh, hey." greeted Aidan, looking up from a scroll of parchment.

"Hey." said Dominique, as she put down her bag on the divan. "Potions essay?" she asked, pointing at the parchment and Aidan nodded.

Dominique opened her bag and rummaged for her potions book and a quill, some parchment and ink. She set her things on the table along with Aidan's and began her work. For what seemed like an hour, the room was quiet except for the sound of quills scratching on parchment.

The flowers of aconite are used to make the Wolfsbane potion, but its leaves are toxic… Wolfsbane, if properly brewed will relieve the symptoms of lycanthropy… potion gives out a faint blue smoke… Damocles invented…

Suddenly, a tapping sound distracted them both. Dominique looked at the window to find her barn owl tapping on the glass window, a letter clasped in his beak.

She quickly opened the window and the Owl flew in.

"Hello, Earl." Dominique greeted as the Owl dropped the letter into her hands and went to sit on Aidan's shoulder.

"Yours?" Aidan asked, stroking Earl with a finger and Dominique nodded, opening her letter.

Dearest Dominique, the letter read.

How was your first day as Head Girl? Who's the Head Boy? Do you get along with him? I'm writing to tell you that Vic's going to start her job at the Department of International Magical Cooperation! We're all so happy for her! Isn't that great? She worked so hard for this. Uncle Percy's really happy too, his Department and all. Also, Mum and she are going to shop for her wedding dress tomorrow. We'll send you pictures when she gets it.

You take care now.

Love,

Dad, Mum and Vic.

"What is it?" Aidan asked. Dominique shook her head and folded the letter. Then, without warning, she crushed the letter angrily and threw it on the floor.

"Woah, ginger, what's wrong?" Aidan asked, surprised at her sudden change of mood.

"I'm going to bed." Dominique replied.

"Going to sleep angry isn't a good thing." he said, getting up and walking to her.

"I'm not angry." Dominique denied.

"Sure you aren't." Aidan replied and picked up the crushed parchment, smoothing it.

"Is Vic your sister?" he asked, reading the letter without permission.

"Yeah."

"I don't see what's got you so upset." Aidan said, as he finished reading.

"Forget it." said Dominique and pushing past him, went to her room and threw herself on the bed. It was always about Victoire. Always. Victoire's was a shadow that she could never grow out of. Not that she wasn't happy for her sister. She was happy. But why did everyone seem to pay so much attention to her? And why did they have to drive the nail in further by telling her about the wedding? She had already put up with her mother and Victoire going on about it all summer. Couldn't they cut her some slack now that she was back at school? Of course, they wouldn't have understood why Dominique was the only one who wasn't happy about Vic and Ted's wedding. They didn't know. Why would they? Dominique had never told anyone.

"You, um, sure you don't want to share?" said Aidan, standing at the door. Dominique looked up.

"What makes you think I'll share with you something I don't share with anyone?" she asked.

"That's precisely why. I've always found it easier to talk to people who don't know about the situation."

Dominique bit her lip and sat up slowly. What he said made sense. But it wasn't like she really knew him. How could she share something so personal with someone she hardly knew? But she needed to vent. Now more than ever.

"I'm just so sick of everyone. It's always about Victoire. Victoire's perfect. Victoire was Head Girl first. Victoire was the top student. Victoire's so pretty. Victoire's so well behaved. Vic this, vic that! Why can't I get all that, huh? What's so special about her? I try so hard for everything and no one notices. I'm so sick of trying so hard! What's so bad about me? Why can't anyone pay attention to me for once? 'Oh you're Victoire's sister aren't you?' WHY DO I HAVE TO TRY SO HARD TO GET MY DUE? WHY CAN'T ANYONE SEE IT'S HURTING ME GODDAMNIT!" she screamed, her voice shaking, her face red.

Aidan stared at her, slightly taken aback. Dominique took in a deep breath. A few minutes of silence, then-

"Does that feel better?" Aidan asked.

"Loads." Dominique replied.

"Good then. I'm going to get back to my essay now. You should get some shut eye." he said, turning away when-

"Thank you, Aidan." Dominique murmured without looking at him.

"For what?" Aidan asked.

"Just, listening, I guess." Dominique replied.

"Well, then, you're welcome." Aidan smiled. "And, uh, if it's any comfort, I think you're really pretty." he said, and without waiting for a reply, went back to the common room, leaving Dominique staring after him, slightly pink in the face.