Martha slowly made her way down the hall, it wasn't long until she was approaching the picture of the fat lady. Just as she was about to enter, two bodies came flying out, knocking Martha over in the process.
"FRED! GEORGE! YOU COME BACK HER THIS INSTANCE! I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU HAD THE AUDASITY TO TEST YOUR PRODUCTS ON FIRST YEARS!" Hermione yelled and she dashed out of the porthole, chasing after the twins.
"They consented!" Fred responded.
"And signed wavers!"
"We even gave them each a galleon for compensation!"
"Sounds legitimate to me." Martha laughed, as George helped her up.
"I don't care if they have a signed letter from Merlin permitting them to participate in your studies! There will be none of that in this common room!" Hermione said as she exited, being sure to slam the porthole behind her.
"I wouldn't count on a lot of future business from her." Martha said lightly.
"Potter, you might be on to something." "Well it was bound to happen sooner or later." George added with a wink.
"Probably all that time she's been spending in the library." said Fred with mock disappointment.
"Don't forget that old saying, Books, they're only good for throwing."
"Hmmm." Martha started, "I don't recall ever hearing that."
"Then you have so much yet to learn."
"Oh please, teach me your ways. I want to be skilled in the art of dumbassery."
"Oh she's sassy."
"We hate sass."
"Bummer. And I was so ever looking forward to future lessons." Martha laughed. "Have you two checked out that classroom yet?"
"Not quite."
"Well why don't you go now. Hermione needs time to cool off, and you two need a new placed to operate.""What do you say Forge?"
"I'm up to it if you are Gred?" And with that the twins departed down the hall. Shaking her head with a smile, Martha entered the Gryffindor common room. Yawning she curled up on her favorite arm chair, and took a nap..
"AYE WAKE UP!" Fred yelled. Martha groaned as she felt herself being pelted with pillows.
"Oi, what time is it?" she asked sitting up. "Wee past one." George said happily.
"Then why are you waking me?"
"We need your services!" Skeptically, Martha raised her brow. "What kind of services are we talking about?" she asked slowly.
"We need another product tester. You game?"
"Yeah, that could be fun."
"Alright then, to the 7th floor!"
"Now? What if we get caught."
"Oh I'm sorry Granger, I confused you for Martha." Fred laughed.
"Fine." she said, while sending the red head a dirty look, who only chuckled in response.
The trio snuck down the hall and up a flight of steps to the 7th floor. Quietly they advanced towards the picture.
"You all look lovely today, as usual." Martha said with a smile.
"Why thank you dear." one of the woman responded, while swinging the picture open.
Just as Martha and the twins were about to enter…
"Ahem." The three shot around, and to their horror stood Umbridge, hair in rollers and wearing a bright pink bath robe, accompanied by a cackling Filch. Martha had never seen Umbridge look so delighted in her life. "What are the three of you doing out of your common room at this time of night?"
"What?" George asked, sounding appalled, "We're not in our common room?"
"By George, George, we three must have been sleep walking!"
"Thank you so much Professor for waking us, we'll just be off to bed."
Quickly the boys and Martha turned, to leave.
"Not so fast, I will see all three of you in detention, tomorrow evening." groaning, the three turned around and marched back to the common room.
"Well that went lovely." said Martha as she sunk back into her cozy chair.
"So how's detention with Umbridge?" Fred asked, taking a seat on the couch.
"A bit painful." she replied, casually holding up her hand.
"Bloody hell." George exclaimed as he surveyed it. "how does she do that?"
"There's this quill and whatever you write with it, is carved onto your hand." The twins both winced at this. "Don't worry, the pains not unbearable, and your hand will go numb after an hour or so, I mean most likely it will scar, and you'll be stuck with it forever, but I suppose there are worse things, like being eaten by a dragon."
"Well when you put it like that I can hardly wait for the opportunity."
"Sounds really rather pleasant." Fred said sarcastically.
"You two were the ones who just had to go out tonight, and besides I think they're kinda badass looking." Martha admitted admiring her hand. "And the fact that tomorrow will be my third detention, shows that I'm not afraid of authority. Which I'm hoping will intimidate Umbridge."
"Or maybe, you and by you I mean we could have a little fun of our own with her."
"Boys, I'm not so sure that's a good idea."
"This is our last year!"
"What could they possible do?"
"Give us detention?"
"Expel us?"
"Maybe make us a snack for a giant squid?"
"Fact of the matter is-"
"We no longer need to be here."
"So why not have a little fun?" George finished with a wink.
Martha could only laugh, "Fine, you two sleep on it, I'm going to bed." Smiling, Martha made her way into her dormitory, clasping on top of her bed.
With much regret, Draco pushed himself out of bed. Groaning, he took a shower and quickly dressed. Slowly he made his way down to the Great Hall, not eager for the day to begin.
"Morning Drake." Blaise said, as Draco took a seat next to him.
"Morning." Draco responded moodily. "Where's Martha?" he asked searching the Gryffindor table.
"No idea, haven't seen her since DADA class."
"Me neither. I know she had detention after class, but I'm surprised she didn't try to find me. What if Umbridge still has her locked up?"
"I'm sure Potter would have come for her. Speaking of scar head, there he is now." Blaise said, pointing towards the giant double doors." Harry, Ron, and Hermione all entered the Great Hall laughing. Draco starred them down angrily, wondering where his girlfriend was. A few minutes Martha, along with the twins, sleepily stumbled in. Draco smirked at his girlfriends frumpy appearance.
"I hate that woman, I hate that woman, oh I really hate that woman." Martha said while reaching for a piece of toast and sending a glare towards the staff table.
"So Martha, " Harry started, "What's the story between yours and the twins rather pathetic appearance."
"I think we look smashing, don't you Fred?"
"Yes, too rather dashing young chaps we are." Martha only rolled her eyes and smiled.
"I have detention again tonight, along with these two." Hermione let out a gasp.
"What did you three do?"
"We were hungry."
"So we snuck out for a midnight snack."
"Only we never got a snack."
"Instead we received detention."
"From Umbridge." Martha added with a huff.
"You need to be more careful." Harry said firmly to Martha.
"I can handle it."
"The ministry already hates me, don't give them a reason to hate you also."
"What's the worse they can actually do to me?"
"I don't know, but do you really want to find out." he asked, anger rising.
"Yes." Martha said simply, and she turned and left for her first class.
Draco saw her exit as an opportunity.
"Come on, Blaise."
The two Slytherins slyly followed after Martha, catching up with her right before she went into Potions.
"Martha." Draco called, signaling towards a secluded alcove. Checking to confirm the cost was clear, Martha followed the blonde's request, meanwhile Blaise took off for History of Magic. "Where were you yesterday?"
"I had detention, with Umbridge, again."
"I knew that, I just figured I would have met up with you later."
"I know, I didn't even have dinner last night, I just sat down in a comfy chair and went to sleep."
"Can I see you tonight? I have prefects duty, maybe we can meet up?"
"Normally I would love too. But I have detention tonight for sneaking out last night."
"I thought you went to bed early?"
"Well I did, until around one when the twins woke me up, asking to help them with some product testing. We were on our way to the secret room on the 7th floor, when Umbridge found us. It was strange, almost like she knew we would be there. Freaked me out."
"Why don't the twins keep their products in their dormitory?"
"Hermione." Draco only smirked.
"Be more careful love." he replied.
"Now you sound like Harry." Martha said, still agitated with her cousin.
"I would hate to do that." Draco stated, while giving Martha a look of distaste. Laughing she gave her boyfriend a shove.
"I know he means well, but I'm a smart witch, I can handle myself. I don't need him telling me what I should and should not do."
Just then Martha could hear Hermione's voice from around the corner.
"Shove off Malfoy." Martha said angrily, while giving him a wink. Catching on, Draco flashed a sly smile.
"Potter, what makes you think I'd want to stick around. Despite your current beliefs, I've got better things to do then waste time on a blood traitor like yourself."
"You disgust me, with your purist attitude."
"I'd rather be a blood purist then a fool."
"Lucky for you then that you don't have to choose." Martha replied angrily. With one last death glare she stopped away, thankful that they were so good at that.
"What happened back there?" Hermione asked, once they all had taken their seats in Potions class.
"Oh nothing new, just Malfoy being a right git."
"Personally," Ron started, turning around from the table in front of the girls that himself and Harry were sitting at, "I think you should take a pointer from Hermione. Back in third year when she decked him, that really knocked the smirk off his face."
Just then Snape swiftly entered into the dungeons, and started writing the ingrediants for today's potion.
"I'm just going to try and embarrass him the best that I-"
"Potter, enough talking! Ten points from Gryffindor!" Snape barked. Martha huffed, and pulled out her quill, careful to take notes. After that point, the class seemed to pass at an agonizing slow speed.
"I don't care if he's on our side or not," Ron started "I hate that man."
"He's on the Orders side. Not ours." Hermione said without looking up from her book.
"Would it kill him to lay off a little." Harry asked.
"I think he'd rather be confronted with shampoo." Martha added with a laugh.
"Well I'll be off, I have Ancient Ruins to get to!" Hermione said, as she took off down the hall.
"I'm sorry for what I said earlier, it's just I worry about you. Especially with Voldermort being back, you're the only other Potter left," said Harry.
"I know." Martha said, giving her cousin a hug. "But I'm smart, and I know how to push someone without going to Azkaban." she laughed, "At least I haven't yet."
" I know, just try to be a bit more cautious, for my sake." Harry pleaded.
"All right. I'll see you two later, I have Muggle Studies." Martha said, as she took off down the hall. In a comfortable stroll, Martha made her way to class. Just as she rounded the corner, she bumped into two red heads.
"Just the girl, we've been looking for!" Fred said with a smile.
"Boys, I'd love to talk, but if I don't hurry, I'm going to be late for Muggle Studies."
"Muggle studies?" George questioned.
"Haven't you grown up with muggles?"
"Which is exactly what gives me an edge."
"Well," Fred started, "It seems as if the pupil has become the teacher."
"Wasn't expecting that, though I think it's fair to say, we're both impressed."
"And I am more honored by that then anything." Martha said with an eye roll as she quickened her pace down the hall.
"Potter don't tell me you've never been late to class before." George asked.
"No it's not that, I just haven't been on time yet this year!" she exclaimed, stopping as she got to the door. "I will catch up with you two later." Martha replied, just as the bell began to ring. "Damn it."
"There's always next time." Fred said with a chuckle.
Martha walked into the classroom and quietly took her seat.
"Miss Potter, due try to be on time next time, it seems as if the rest of class has started a betting pole."
"Hey!" piped another student, "You're only saying that because you have a galleon on next week!"
With a small chuckle, "Please turn to page thirty six." The Muggles studies teacher said, ending the discussion.
The class droned on as usual, and Martha was happy to finally leave. Slowly she made her way down the hallway to Professor Binns classroom. Taking her usual seat next to Harry, she laid her head down.
"Long day?" he asked with a laugh.
"When's lunch?"
"Now you sound like Ron." Hermione said as she took the empty seat next to Martha. "And what's wrong with that?" he asked.
"I just want to eat, get through Herbology, and sleep the rest of the day away." she replied with a groan.
"Only we have that essay due to McGonagall tomorrow." Martha only shrugged her shoulders, "And you have detention."
"Damn it. I forgot about that. I better sleep now, it's going to be a long night." Hermione looked appalled but Harry only smirked. Closing her eyes, she swiftly fell asleep. What felt like seconds later, she was being awoken by Hermione, who was gently shaking her. Yawning, Martha sat up. "How was class?" she asked with a smile.
"Boring, but very informative." Hermione answered, indicating her notes.
"Let's go get some lunch." Martha said and the four departed for the Great Hall.
Draco and Blaise exited McGonagall's class, groaning about the essay they were just assigned.
"Well, all plans I have this evening are canceled." Blaise complained.
"I remember when I use to have free time." Draco started, "Three was the golden age." Blaise chuckled.
"Well how about some lunch?" And the two let their hungry stomachs lead the way. When
Draco entered he noticed Martha was already eating. Quickly the couple made eye contact, and a swift smirk was exchanged between the pair.
"Come on mate." Blaise said with a shake to his head, dragging Draco towards the Slytherin table.
"One class to go." Martha said with a big smile.
"Thank Merlin!" Ron exclaimed with a mouthful of food.
"Ron, will you ever learn manners?" Hermione asked.
"Probably not." Ginny answered as she joined the table.
"Our lunch break is only so long." Ron said in his defense. "This way I can talk and eat. It's brilliant really." Hermione laughed.
"Potter!" Fred called, beckoning Martha towards his end of the table. Martha got up and took a seat in between the twins.
"We've got a plan." George said quietly.
"A plan for?"
"Umbridge." Fred replied in a whisper.
"Alright, let me hear it."