"So what was that at lunch today?" Fred asked his twin that night in their dormitory.
"I have no idea what you're talking about", George stated, thinking back to when he met Ashleigh.
"Don't lie. You know exactly what I'm talking about", Fred said. "What was going through your head mate?"
"I dunno", George sighed. "Did you see her eyes?" He asked Fred. He thought back to when Ashleigh looked at him. "She had the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen", he gushed then froze. "Did I just say that out loud?"
"Yes, you dork", Fred laughed as George blushed.
"Pretend you didn't hear that", George said and got under his covers to go to bed.
Over in the girls' dorm, Hermione and Ashleigh were talking about the first day.
"Did you think Professor Moody seemed strange?" Ashleigh asked Hermione.
"Yeah. But that's why they call him Mad-Eye Moody", Hermione told her.
"I never heard that. Is it also because of his funky eye?" She asked. Hermione nodded. "Ohhh. Anyway, what was with that guy George staring at me? It kinda weirded me out", Ashleigh asked.
"Honestly, it looked like he took a liking to you. But boys never admit it for a long time. Doesn't matter their age", Hermione laughed. "Why the look of shock?"
"I've never had someone take an interest in me as a friend, let alone a boy actually liking me", she said.
"You're kidding, right?" Ashleigh shook her head. "That's outrageous. You're beautiful, especially your eyes, they're stunning", Hermione said making Ashleigh blush.
"Oh, thank you. The only people who ever said anything like that to me, were my parents", Ashleigh told Hermione.
"Well anyone who has ever seen you is crazy then", Hermione told her as they shut the light off to go to sleep.
"Thank you Hermione. I think I'll like it here, all because of you and your friends", Ashleigh smiled.
"You're welcome", Hermione smiled back. Ashleigh fell into an easier sleep than the night before and didn't cry.
The rest of that week went by pretty quickly and it was the weekend in no time. Hermione was really the only one who she saw through the week. She saw the others at meal times, but that was about it. It was Saturday morning when Hermione and Ashleigh walked down to the common room and the boys were laughing at something.
"What is going on down here?" Hermione said, noticing the red face of George Weasley.
"Oh, nothing", George said.
"It's not nothing. Fred can't keep a secret to save his life, so naturally he's told me and Harry something really interesting", Ron laughed. Hermione suspected she knew what it was.
"Ronald you keep your mouth shut. Come on", Hermione said pulling Ashleigh and Ginny with her outside the common room.
"What's wrong Hermione?" Ginny asked.
"I'm pretty sure the boys were making fun of George for his reaction when he saw Ashleigh on the first day. And no doubt Ron was gonna scream it to the whole common room. So I wanted to save Ashleigh from the embarrassment", Hermione explained. Ginny nodded.
"Thanks Hermione. I don't know how many times I've said that to you this week", Ashleigh laughed.
'It's fine. What are friends for?" She smiled.
The girls spent the day talking and getting to know each other more. Ashleigh told them about her life back home and that her mum is a witch and dad is a muggle. She told them about all the horrible stuff she endured at muggle school and then at her magic school.
"I suffer from anxiety and depression now because of it. And then just over a month ago…" She paused, the tears coming. They didn't rush her. "M-My parents were killed in a car accident. A transport truck ran a stop light and crashed into them", now she was fully crying. Hermione and Ginny both grabbed her in a hug.
"Oh my goodness. It's okay, let it out. Is this why you were sad your first night here?" Hermione asked. Ashleigh nodded her head. She cried for about twenty minutes but finally stopped and finished her story.
"So when I was told they'd died, I had to get into contact with mom's sister and other family that still lived in England. They knew about me and I them, but we'd never met. They came to the funeral and they knew I'm magical so they asked if I wanted to live with them. I had no other family except my dad's, so I came here. I didn't want to quit my magic studies so I couldn't go live with muggles. They couldn't know about me".
"Wow, you poor thing. That's a lot to deal with at 14". Hermione said. Ginny nodded.
"I know. But thank you for listening. It's nice having someone to talk to. I only had one friend back home, but she was famous for telling everyone everything, so I couldn't confide in her with anything. But with you guys, I just feel so much, like I can trust you", Ashleigh finished.
"You can", they both said and hugged her again. By this time it was supper time so they headed back to the school from there tree by the lake. They walked into the Great Hall and found their friends sitting there already. Ashleigh sat beside Hermione and across from Fred & George.
"So I hear you've taken a liking to Ashleigh", Ginny whispered in George's ear as she walked by him. This caused him to spit out his big mouthful of juice, all over Ashleigh and Hermione.
"Smooth!" Harry, Ron, Fred and Ginny laughed like hyenas. Hermione and Ashleigh on the other hand were all wet and sticky from the juice and weren't too happy.
"It's your fault Ginny", Hermione said.
"I know", she laughed. "At least I didn't scream what I said, only you guys heard", she added. George looked at the girls apologetically.
"I'm so sorry. My brat of a sister doesn't know when to shut her mouth", George said, grabbing napkins to help them clean up.
"It's okay", Ashleigh laughed slightly. None of them had heard her laugh yet. "I got it. But thank you George", she smiled sweetly at him. It didn't go unmissed.
After supper, Hermione and Ashleigh showered and then did some homework before having girl talk. Ginny came to their dorm so they could have their girl talk.
"So, we saw that smile you gave my brother today", Ginny said. Ashleigh blushed.
"So, what about it?" She asked innocently.
"You were flirting with him", Hermione said.
"No, I certainly was not", Ashleigh kept trying to deny it. "Fine, okay, maybe I was. He's kinda cute", she finally admitted. Her face went as red as a tomato.
"You know, I think he thinks you're cute too", Hermione smiled.
"I told you though; I've never done this before. I've never had one guy ever like me and I still doubt it anyway. My brain is wired to doubt things because of my lack of self-confidence", Ashleigh said.
"Well you need to rewire your brain because I know my brother pretty well, he likes you", Ginny smirked.
"I dunno. It all kinda scares me to be honest".
"Don't let it scare you. We'll be here for you", Hermione told her. Ashleigh smiled and hugged the girls.
"And you Hermione, we all know you like Fred and he likes you. You should go for it", Ginny said.
"All it will do is hurt Ron", Hermione told her younger friend.
"Who cares what Ronald thinks, he can suck it up. If you like Fred, you need to go for it", Ginny encouraged her.
"You know what, maybe I will", Hermione smiled.
"Good", Ginny said, hugging her friend. They talked a little longer but then Ginny had to go to bed. Hermione and Ashleigh went to bed after Ginny left.
