'Baby you don't know what it's like to be me.' - Britney Spears, What It's Like To Be Me
Ria's POV
Shit. Shit. Shit. Fuck. Shit. Shit. Shit.
Did I not give him enough hints?
Did I do something wrong to make him think that it was me that was interested in him?
So maybe I shouldn't have sworn at him. That was a bit harsh. But goddammit, he's a Ravenclaw; he was supposed to pick up on our fucking hints and ask Emma out. They would've been so great together.
But no. He asks me.
I could hit myself. I must've done something wrong; given him some sort of 'come get me' signal by accident. Maybe I leaned too far forward or something in my eagerness to get Em a nice date, while Emma just sat next to him quietly.
But why me? Emma is fucking gorgeous, why didn't he just turn to her, and ASK HER OUT?
Em's going to be devastated.
"FORGET-ME-NOTS!" I yell at the Fat Lady, and she swings open after giving me a glare. Well, I just lost one of my many painting friends. I nearly stay behind to apologise but force myself to scramble through the portrait hole. Emma's more important; she's your best friend, so focus, Ria.
I turn to Al who is panting after chasing me here to talk to Emma. "Wait here a sec, yeah? Girl talk first."
He nods in understanding, and I pause for a second. So many reasons why I love this boy, but one of the main ones is that even though he's horrible to everyone else, he really does care about his friends.
With this thought in mind, I smile at him fleetingly then run up the stairs to our dorm. I stand outside the dorm for a moment and praise James. In third year, after running all this way I would have collapsed against the wall, but now, after all the laps of the Quidditch pitch James has made me do ('YOU NEED STAMINA TO BE A BEATER SO STOP COMPLAINING AND DO TEN MORE LAPS' (so many reasons why I love that man, but his attitude on the Quidditch pitch is most definitely not one of them)), I only need a minute to get my breath back before pushing open the door.
"Oh, Em, sweetie." I sink onto the bed beside Em and pull her into a hug, drying her tears with my sleeve.
She stiffens slightly, but then relaxes slowly and sobs into my shoulder as I hold her and shout at myself inside my head for being so fucking stupid.
When I think the crying has stopped, I gently push her away from me. "Hun, I'm so so sorry."
She just shakes her head.
"Talk to me, babe."
She wipes her eyes. "Don't worry, I'm fine."
"Sweetie, I love you, and it's obvious to me that you're not fine. I want to help you, so talk to me."
There's a long pause where she fiddles with the cushions.
"There's nothing really to say."
"I'll get some Haagen-Dazs, yeah?" Ice-cream solves everything, especially with Rosie. She falls in love so easily with every guy she sleeps with, and Ems and I have to be ready with the Haagen-Dazs (Rose has a weird hatred of Ben and Jerry's) and the Leo DiCaprio movie (she's got a massive crush on the dude) for when they break her heart.
"No, thanks." Right, refusing ice-cream and refusing to talk to me means that something's seriously wrong. Good going, Black.
Then realisation strikes me hard and I've got to say it fucking hurts. She doesn't want me here, as I'm the one who got asked out by her crush.
Ouch.
Pull yourself together and stop feeling sorry for yourself, Ria. Emma's upset and she doesn't want you, so find someone else who'll help her.
Al.
Al's POV
I look up as Ria comes down the steps slowly, her face unreadable.
I stand up from where I am sprawled on the sofa in front of the fire, and approach her cautiously.
"How's Ems?"
"She wants to talk to you."
Cue panic attack. "What? Why? What have I done?" I start pacing.
"No. She's upset, so go talk to her. Comfort her and all that jazz."
What?
"God no, I'm a macho man, I'm not built to do stuff like that. Ria, I can't."
In two long strides she's in front of me and pulling me into a hug. She buries her head in my shoulder, and as I breathe in the scent of raspberries, I relax.
I pull back slowly and she pushes me towards the stairs. "I, Ria Black, give you, Albus Potter, permission to go up the girls' staircase."
I take a deep breath and ascend the stairs before my nerve can fail me. I may be a Gryffindor, but crying girls scare me.
I throw open the sixth year girls' door and curse under my breath when I see Emma.
I slouch onto the bed next to her and throw an arm around her. "Longbottom, spill."
I told you I was shit with wailing chicks.
"Ri, Em's got something to tell you." I push Emma forward slightly, towards Ria, who is standing in front of the common room fire, expression unreadable.
Emma takes a step forward and looks back at me. I nod encouragingly.
Who am I kidding? I'm not really encouraging, but I know she's got to tell at least Ria, if not Rose too, what she told me.
Emma sinks onto the floor and looks at Ria to do the same, but Ria just stands there, expression hard.
Come on, Black, show a little sympathy and sit the fuck down.
Eventually Emma stands up again and words come pouring out. "Look, Ria, you and Rose are so pretty with your long legs and flirty words, and I'm just not. I'm short and blonde and plump. Guys have never noticed me next to you, and I'm jealous. I liked Quentin, and he chose you over me, and I hate that. I want to be like you but I just don't know how. I – I should go." She peters out, and turns and brushes past me to go back to her dorm but I hold her still.
"Quentin was an idiot." is all Ria says.
"No!" Today's officially the first time I've seen Emma annoyed. "Look at Rose, she's so perfect. Daughter of two of the Golden Trio, perfect figure and perfect hair and perfect lips that she just has to pout to get all the boys. And you; a gorgeous, tanned billionaire with hundreds of friends. You two are perfect; you both have everything and it's so unfair!
There's a long silence. Emma is breathing heavily after her rant and I am frozen, watching Ria for her reaction.
Ria's jaw tenses and I watch as her eyes turn cold and hard. "I would give anything to have a family and a past like yours. So never say that again."
The portrait hole slams shut as she storms out.
I only have time to take a breath before the portrait hole opens again.
"Hey Al, what happened? Ria just stomped past us and – Ems, munchkin, what's wrong?" Rose flings herself on Emma who is now crying again.
Slow clap for my comforting skills.
"I – I told Ria I was jealous of you and her, and she stormed out." Emma manages to gasp in between her sobs.
Rose slaps her.
"Sweet Merlin, Rose, get off her." Lysander, who has come in with Rose, pulls Emma away.
"For Hecate's sake, Emma," Rose groans, grabbing Emma again and shaking her roughly, "I've seen boys jizz in their pants over you, so what are you talking about?"
This is why we don't let my cousin comfort people.
Lysander pushes Rose away and turns to me. "Dude, what happened?"
I shrug and slump into an armchair in front of the fire. "Fucked if I know, man."
Lysander rolls his eyes and sits on the sofa, with Emma next to him, while Rose carefully arranges herself on the floor so that her skirt is as short as possible.
And we wait.
And wait.
Half an hour later, when I have given up and am just about to go find a willing girl who's skipping lessons like us, the portrait hole slams open again, and Scor and Ria walk in.
Ria stops in front of Emma and holds out a roll of sky-blue dress material as an olive branch.
We all watch cautiously as Emma takes the roll and stands up, allowing Ria to pull her into a hug.
"Em, I'm so sorry I yelled at you. I was out of order."
Emma sniffs and smiles. We breathe a sigh of relief. I may be a selfish dickhead, but I hate seeing Emma Longbottom unhappy.
"It's okay."
"But I meant what I said," Ria holds her away sharply, "Don't wish you were me, yeah?"
Emma nods and Ria smiles at her. Scor slides his arms around Ria's waist and rests his chin on her shoulder, grinning at us. "Well, since we're all besties again and clearly not going to lessons today, what say we make a trip to Hogsmeade?"
Godric, yes, exactly what I need after all this girl drama.
"No."
Bloody spoilsport.
"But Sander, come on." Rose moans. She crawls over to Lysander and pouts, making sure that he can see down her shirt.
It's like she doesn't know he's gay.
I sigh loudly and stand up. "We'll go to Tomes and Scrolls."
I can practically see Lysander's ears perk up. "Then let's go!" And he strolls out of the common room.
"Al, did you have to?" Scor whines.
I shrug. "Sacrifices had to be made, blondie."
Twenty minutes later and we are in Hogsmeade, watching Lysander pretend not to be excited as he browses the shelves of his favourite shop.
Tomes and Scrolls is a tiny shop, absolutely bursting with ancient, dusty books, and no seats for five very bored seventeen year olds.
"What say we sneak off to the Hog's Head and replenish my store of firewhiskey?" I nudge Scor.
"You're the one who suggested we come to this shitty shop, mate."
"Yeah, but if I hadn't acted on that stroke of genius, Sander wouldn't have let us come to Hogsmeade, like the little goody two-shoes prefect he is."
"But we're here to cheer Emma up, not look at motherfucking books."
"Preach it." Ria leans her head on my shoulder.
"You'll come with me to the Hog's Head, won't you, Black?"
"Al, honey, you're too obsessed with that place."
"Yeah, 'cos I love the way the windows are so dirty you can't see out." I can feel the sarcasm dripping off my words.
"No, you love the way there's hardly anybody in there, and the few dodgy guys that are there don't talk."
"Fuck you." I growl. Bitch called my bluff.
Fine, I admit I love that pub. Godric, it's just so peaceful, compared to places like The Three Broomsticks where people decide to let out their inner banshees and scream the roof down.
"I'll take care of this." Scor smirks at us and reaches into his pocket.
Five minutes later and we are shuffling through the autumn leaves in Hogsmeade again.
"Dude, I really am sorry." Somehow, Scor doesn't sound sincere. It may be due to the fact that he's doubled over from laughing so hard.
Lysander ignores him.
"Come on, man. You've got to admit it was funny." Scor tries again.
Lysander whirls around, furious. "What, funny that you set off a Decoy Detonator and nearly set the whole shop on fire, causing the owner to kick us out and give us a lifetime ban from entering Tomes and Scrolls?"
"Yeah." Scor bursts out laughing again. Lysander scowls at him, and then stomps off.
"We're going back to Hogwarts." He calls over his shoulder.
We all groan.
"This is all your fault!" Rose yells at Scor, shoving him into a shop window.
"I had to get us out of that stupid shop somehow." He mutters, rubbing his shoulder.
Ria loops an arm through Emma's and whispers into her ear. Emma nods and skips off to walk with Lysander. She says something to him and I see him stop, then nod slowly and turn back to walk into Honeydukes, looking guilty.
Emma smiles at us, and skips in after him.
We all whoop and follow them in.
"What did you say to her?" I whisper to Ria.
"Told her to guilt trip him. Works every time; we've all got a soft spot for Ems." She winks at me and disappears behind the Cockroach Clusters.
"Mr Potter?"
Well shit. First time I bunk off school to go to Hogsmeade this year, and I get caught by a professor. I turn back to see who will be giving me detention.
"Hey, Lila." Scor casually strolls up and hugs Professor Penny, our twenty-something Muggle Studies professor who also teaches me Muggle Art, and teaches Scor and Ria Muggle Music.
"Lila!" Ria appears and also gives her a hug. Godric, I wish I could be on first name terms with this pretty lady.
Penny smiles, but then frowns when she realises she should be telling us off. "Mr Potter, you should have been in my lesson last period. So what are you three doing here?"
I see Rose's ginger hair in the corner of my eye but it swiftly vanishes when she spots Penny.
"I was feeling a bit peckish. Care to join me in The Three Broomsticks?" I hold out an arm for her to take.
"Excuse me?!" Her eyes widen.
Scor swiftly steps in front of me as Ria takes Penny's arm.
"What he means to say is –" she shoots me a glare, "I'm PMSing and I really needed some sugar, and I was afraid the house elves would snitch on me to McGonagall if I went to the kitchens, so Al and Scor offered to come to Hogsmeade and buy me some chocolate. You know the feeling, don't you Lila?" Ria pulls a pained look.
The sad thing is, with three girls as best friends, a sister, and too many girl cousins, I've become used to this kind of talk. However, the thing that really freaks me out is that Scor is nodding along sympathetically to what Ria is saying.
If he has periods, it would explain a lot.
"Oh Ria, of course. In fact, I would recommend buying a hot water bottle from Zonko's, because I can tell you from experience it really does wonders for cramps."
Seriously? She actually believed that bullshit?
"That's great, we'll go there right now! Thanks so much, Lila."
"No problem." She opens the door to go, but then turns back at the last minute. "I should give you three detentions, but I'll let you off this time as long as you don't do it again, okay?"
"You're the best, Prof Penny." Scor grins at her, and the bell above the door jingles as she leaves.
