Hestia's Kindness

Ha ha okay this is a very dramatic chapter you know how teenage drama goes! Bare with me it will get lots better!

Chapter 2

Whomping Willow Woes

It's raining again the next day. Harder even then the day before and now there is thunder and lightning. I'm excited; it's as if I can feel the electricity coursing through me. I go up and get my rain gear again. I head out the door much slower this time, don't need another spill. I jog down to the grounds and burst out the door into the chilly air. No one else is really around; most Brit's don't like the rain having grown up in it. It just makes me love it more, reminds me of home and childhood. Again I make my way around the lake waving to the squid and skimming stones across the bubbling lake. Finally I decide it's time to get back to homework.

I pass the Whomping Willow on my way; its leaves are beautiful shades of red and yellow. Of course it's autumn though, so it would make sense. Ahh yes, my favorite season too. It's been a good day, I think. Splashed in the rain, and realized that Halloween in fast approaching, also my birthday although that won't be anything special I'm sure! I stop in front of the great tree… everyone says it has a nasty temper, I think it's just a big push over myself.

I love Willow trees, I brought it a vial of special happy grow water my first year when I had heard about it. It hasn't given me any trouble since. In fact it usually… ahh yes. It usually wraps a vine around me for a hug, like now. I love running my fingers over the soft bark and smooth leaves. It lets me go slowly, almost reluctantly, as if it needs a friend as much as I do. It lets me go just as I hear someone yelling my name.

"GRACE, GRACE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING GET AWAY FROM THERE!" I turn around smiling and waving to my now old friend as I go to meet the person calling me.

"WHAT! I'M NOT DOING ANYTHIGN WRONG!" I catch up with them and realize it was Lupin and Black calling to me.

"Grace! What are you doing that thing could kill you if you get to close!" He has to yell because of the pounding rain.

I can't help but laugh, stupid boys just can't see past the obvious. "That old softy wouldn't hurt me if I begged it!"

Blacks face goes slack first, he's looking at me like a giant spider crawled in my ear and laid eggs. Remus' face on the other hand looks outraged.

I raise one of my eyebrows at them then proceed to push past them to head back up to the castle, now thoroughly soaked threw. I get a good three yards away when I hear footsteps pounding behind me. Someone tugs my arm roughly. I turn around, my face lighting with anger now, I enjoy the rain, but I have no intention of getting the flu, the potion to cure it is ghastly!

"Grace, I'm serious, stay away from it. It could do some serious damage to you if you aren't careful." Remus looks pissed. It's an expression I haven't seen on his face before. Sirius looks equally as upset, but his face always looks that way... unless he's with a bird or bloke.

"You two are total gits! I told you, that tree wouldn't hurt me. Maybe it would hurt you two because you're too thick to just try some common decency toward the poor thing, but I like him, and he likes me."

Sirius scoffs at me, he actually scoffs, only Slytherin's do that! "You're crazy; you sound as if you're dating it! You really are a freak."

I can feel anger and annoyance well inside me, there is something else too that resembles sadness and acceptance for the fact that I already knew that! Remus turns his angered face towards Black, I barely notice as my sadness and rage mingle and explode.

"I'm sorry that not everyone thinks I'm a god like they do you Black, I don't have that luxury! My only friend is always off with your mate James! And I sure as hell am not going to stop Lily from being happy, so I have to be alone all the time!" I can feel tears well up in my eyes. "I'll take my friends where I can find them! And if that means a tree then fuck you; I'm going to be friends with a TREE! I don't care if that makes me a freak! At least the Willow won't say hurtful things like STUPID BOYS!"

Thank god for the rain, it's masking the tears spilling down my face. I turn as fast as I can and run not bothering to wait for their responses or see the looks on their faces. I run until I can scream the password at the startled portrait and hurtle myself through the opening. People are staring at me as I run past them sobbing, I am usually unnoticed, but tonight, I've broken down, my loneliness I didn't even realize I was carrying has finally crushed me under its weight. I grab a pair of P.J.'s and run into the bathroom to start a hot shower. I hop under the scalding stream and sob until the water gets cool. I turn it off reluctantly and climb out, my body is sore from the cold, and my head hurts from all the crying. I change as fast and my weak limbs will allow and get into my warm bed. All my thoughts of homework vanish.

I can vaguely hear Lily come in and ask if I'm still awake. She probably just wants advice on James, and I am defiantly not in the mood for a Marauder. I pretend to be asleep, although that's not hard since I was just about their anyway. She climbs into bed and I can hear her rustle around a bit before finally settling down, something must be really bothering her, she usually gets into a position and falls off to sleep instantly, but tonight she tosses. It's making me feel bad, she needs to talk to me, but I'm being selfish!

Damn it Grace, this is that too nice thing you do, she'll get to sleep eventually, it's not your job to be her mom! She's a big girl; she can take care of herself. Stop this and go to BED!

Thanks inner monologue, you're right, she can deal without me this one time. I've earned a break; I have been there for her for every boy, every 'E' and every other stupid problem! So, tonight I will be strong willed and ignore her, I'll help her in the morning when I am feeling better.

With that I can feel myself drift off into a nice sleep.

~GL&RL~

I wake up the next morning to all the girls running around trying to put on their make-up and fix their shirts, find the right sox, I climb slowly out of bed and put on my already laid out perfect outfit and slip it on. I run a brush though my hair and pull it back in a gray ribbon and head out the door before anyone else.

As usual the only ones in the common room are boys. I go sit on one of the couches and pull out a comic and start reading, waiting for Lily to come down so I can say hi before she disappears for the rest of the day with James.

I'm halfway though my comic when I feel the couch dip beside me. I keep reading, probably just some kid trying to get some studying in before class, but then I hear my name.

"Grace?" It's not Lily, it's a male voice, I put down my comic to see Remus staring at me. I can feel my face heat up with anger. I clear my throat and fold my comic up and put it back in my pocket.

"Tell Lily I went down to breakfast and I hope to see her later if she's not too busy snogging James." I say it with as little malice as I can muster, I don't want Lily to think I want her to stop seeing James, my anger is purely for the other two Marauders.

I can see Remus stand up out of the corner of my eye. I brush past him quickly and head for the door. I race down the stairs and to the Great Hall, if I can make it their without him catching me he can't make a scene… to many witnesses.

Alas, my clumsiness kicks in just before I turn the corner that will put The Great Hall within my grasp. I tumble to the ground landing on my hip hard. I can feel the bruise swelling as I get up, picking my books up with me. Just as I stand fully up, Remus arrives.

"Grace, please, just wait."

"Why?" My eyes sting from the want to cry from the pain shooting through my side.

"Because I need to talk to you."

"Why, you never felt the need to before in the last five years, why should things be different now? I'm the freaky lonely girl who sits in a corner and reads comics and makes obscure movie references." Remus' face would be priceless if I wasn't so pissed.

I stare at him for a long moment… he doesn't say anything, "that's what I thought." I turn on my heel and stomp into the Great Hall.

I like my rant with Grace and Sirius… the poor girl is just too damn nice all the time! Lol let me know what you think. I get a surprisingly small amount of comments and although I do LOVE when you fav. A comment is a nice way for me to know specifically what you guys want!

And I forgot to mention this in the first chapter but the story is already done. I don't like when authors don't finish the story so I make sure it's done before I even think about posting something. So yes I just need to beta it and it will be up when I have internet!