Chapter Ten: Hair and Hogsmeade
"First trip to Hogsmeade is Saturday," Rose said as we rolled up our parchments and started to pack our bags in the Prefect lounge the first Monday of October. "Anyone ask you to go with them yet?"
"Does Goyle count?" I sighed. In the past month of being at Hogwarts, the illustrious Greg Goyle has asked me out several times. I was lucky enough to be with one of the boys every time that he asked me thanks to the attempts to injure me the first couple of days after I got the Seeker position by some of his flunkies. Scorpius and I made up after I was almost pushed down the stairs a week after our fight. He reasoned that he rather let the past be the past than me die not speaking to each other because neither one of us would crack and apologize. I used some of the money to get him a large box of Skiving Snackboxes as a way of saying I was sorry the day after he was started speaking to me. It was funny that the day after I was almost pushed down the stairs was about the time Goyle started asking to walk me to class or eat with him in the Great Hall.
"I suppose he does since he is technically considered a male," Rose laughed. "If it helps any I have been asked out by several members of the male student body that I rather not even speak to."
"Do you have a date?"
"Eamonn Finnigan," she chirped, holding the portrait hole open so I could climb over the edge into the hallway.
"Really?" I said.
"He is dreamy," she sighed, a wistful look coming to her face. "He is Quidditch captain for Hufflepuff!"
"I know," I replied, watching her skip ahead to a group of girls from Ravenclaw that happened to come out of a classroom just as we reached the main hallway. Rose was a funny girl. She seemed to date guys who were not all that bright and all looks. I wonder if it was because she was so brilliant that she felt the need to distance herself from it. My mind didn't dwell on that thought long because Greg Goyle was weaving through the crowd and making a beeline for me. I looked around, becoming frantic when I realized that none of the boys were around to protect me. His smile seemed to get predatory turn and his eyes gleamed when he got closer. The sight of me being alone probably made him ecstatic. My feet seemed to grow minds of her own and started to dash down the stairs at a break neck speed. My heart was threatening to come out of my chest as every turn on the stairwell I saw Greg still following me, even calling my name once to get my attention. The main entrance hall was empty of anyone I knew when it finally came into view. I slid across the floor when I stepped off the stairs at the same speed I started and right into James Potter.
"OI!" he roared, grabbing my shoulders and steadying me. "Watch where-" His voice faded out as he looked at my face. I bet he could feel me shaking that I didn't even know I was doing myself since I was running down stairs.
"Ah, thanks Potter," I heard Goyle say, standing so close to me that I could smell that awful cologne that he wore to cover up his stench. "I guess the girl couldn't hear me over the noise of everyone. She and I have something to discuss."
"No we don't," I muttered. James looked between the two of us with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, which is it?" he asked after a moment of us just standing there.
"I have to get to class," I huffed, disentangling myself from his grasp and giving Goyle a glare before dashing out the front doors. I heard him call out after me but I decided to just ignore him since Colin was at the bottom of the steps surrounded by a large group of Ravenclaw girls. They protested when I shoved my way through them to grab the arm of his robes and yank him along to Hagrid's cabin.
"Hey!" he yelped.
"No time," I gasped. "Goyle is behind us."
"Well then let's at least slow down and wait for Albus and Sam to catch up," he said. I stopped and turned to see the two in question running toward us.
"EMMY! I passed my Herbology exam!" she squealed, waving a parchment in my face. I snatched it from her hands and gave the paper with a large "A" at the top a once over.
"This is great Sam," I told her. It was hard for me not to be disappointed in her scores since we had been working on her Potions work as most as much as Albus and I have been, but the improvement over the usual "T" I see across her papers made me happy.
"Albus said that we could possibly start studying together since we are both being tutored by you," she giggled.
"I might be able to do that," I replied as I watched Scorpius weaving his way through the crowd of to our little group. It wasn't hard to spot him since his hair was almost white blonde and he was four inches taller than most of the males around. The only ones I have seen taller than him were Hagrid and James Potter. He also stuck out like a sore thumb in a school full of brunettes.
"What is everyone so happy about?" he asked as he put an arm around me and kissed the top of my head.
"Emmy got me an "A" on my Potions exam," Sam squealed, jumping up and down.
"Well that is a good reason," Scorpius told her as he handed her back her test result and started to pull me to the side. "Now, my dear cousin and I have something we need to discuss."
"What is it?" I asked quietly as he started to lead me back to the castle.
"We have a slight emergency you need to take care of," he told me as we moved through the students and back into the Great Hall.
"I-"
"Don't talk here where people can hear," Scorpius said while grabbing my hand. I went over everything that could possibly be wrong, and tried not to panic when I realized that it could only be one thing: my parents wanted me back. My anxiety levels rose with each staircase we climbed. I wouldn't go back to them. I couldn't go back to that life. I would run off and live in The Forbidden Forest before I would let them send me back to my parents. When we reached the seventh floor, he dragged me to a statue of a gargoyle and said "Dittany". The gargoyle leapt aside and a set of stairs appeared in front of us. I gasped in shock when both of us had our feet on the stairs and it began to move us up. Professor Sprout was waiting for us at the top of the stairs.
"You will be excused from your classes the rest of the day," she told me as she guided me over to the fireplace. She gave me a hand full of Floo Powder and motioned for me to get in it. "You will be going to the Pediatrics' at St. Mungos. They have a special fireplace for family members."
"Family…"
"Just go Emmy," Scorpius said quietly. I nodded and threw the powder down while telling it to take me to St. Mungo's. I stumbled out of the fireplace and into an orderly.
"Emmaline Moren?" he asked. I gave him a wordless nod and he pointed to the doorway. "Room 8. Second door on your left." My head was spinning with possibilities as I walked towards the room he told me, and immediately froze in place when I heard a child shriek in delight. A lump formed in my throat as I took each agonizing step to the room. What I saw broke my heart and filled it with joy all in the same moment. Mr. Potter was making shapes in the air with sparkles from his wand, the various animals dancing in the air while Gwendolyn, my youngest sibling, clapped her hands and laughed. She has just turned three on the first of May, and she had grown by leaps and bounds since then. Her bright blue eyes the same shade as mine were bright with happiness as Mr. Potter made them all act out some sort of song with them. I crept into the room, trying to not disturb them as long as possible. The attempted failed miserably, since as soon as I walked in the room one of the lambs danced over to me and bound around my head.
"SISSY!" my sister screamed, running over to me and leaping up. I caught her with ease while she wrapped her arms and legs around me. "That man made animals with glitter."
"I can see that Gwennie," I told her as I carried her back to the bed and set her down. "How are you feeling?" I asked her as wrapped her fingers in my curls.
"Pretty," she breathed.
"Yes, sissy has new hair," I said, giving her a once over. She seemed to be unharmed, a little under fed but well enough. The hospital gown seemed to dwarf her and the large bed made her look so much smaller than she was.
"Mommy went away," she told me in a sing song voice.
"I know she did," I replied, sliding on the bed next to her. She climbed into my lap instantly and butted her head under my chin. I looped my arms around her with a sigh. Mr. Potter held up two fingers and jerked his head to the door. I nodded and leaned back to look Gwendolyn in the eyes. "Sweetie, what happened?"
"Other parents bad," she said.
"Other parents?"
"When they took us from Mommy and Daddy they sent us all to other parents," she said, running her fingers over the Slytherin patch on my robes. "Other parents didn't like me. Made me eat bad food. Didn't make me take baths."
"Uh-huh," I said with a smile. Gwendolyn hated taking baths, well acted like she didn't anyway. Like most toddlers it was a war to get her into the tub, then another battle to make her get out of it.
"Then the special thing happened and I was taken here," she chirped, bouncing slightly in my lap.
"What special thing?" I asked. She suddenly seemed to find my tie extremely interesting. I tucked my hand under her chin and made her look up at me. "Gwennie, what special thing?"
"I'm hungry Emmy," she said, the happiness dimming in her eyes.
"Why don't you stay here and I will find you something to eat?" I told her. I set her back on the bed and stood to go tell a Healer that she was hungry, but she grabbed my hand in a vice like grip.
"Don't leave me again sissy," she whimpered.
"I am just going out in the hall," I said, trying to pry her fingers off my hand.
"But they might hurt me for being bad," she cried. I bent my knees a little to get on her level and looked into her eyes.
"What do you mean bad?" I asked her.
"I sometimes do things that God said is bad," she whispered. "Like that special thing I did to my other daddy."
"It is time for your nap," a Healer said as she came bustling into the room with a fuzzy pink blanket. I stepped back, Gwendolyn's fingers finally letting go of me, and watched the Healer cover her with a blanket. Gwendolyn immediately fell asleep as the Healer looked on with a smile. "These blankets are just a small soothing charm. Nothing too strong."
"She needs it," I said numbly before walking out to see Mr. Potter sitting on a chair nearby. My legs were so shaky I am surprised I made it to the chair beside him. We sat in silence for a few moments before I had to ask. "Do I want to know what the "special thing" is?" Mr. Potter laughed and shook his head.
"Oh trust me, you want to know," he told me before leaning forward and beginning the story.
"She made him bald?!" Scorpius hooted in our carriage that Saturday as we rolled towards Hogsmeade.
"It isn't funny Scor," I whined. It was the first chance he and I had to speak alone about this current turn of events without the possibility of someone overhearing us. "She is terrified she is going to be punished for it."
"I bet Uncle Harry had a good laugh about it," he chuckled.
"You could say that," I sighed, looking out the window at the approaching village. My sister's foster parents were Muggles and apparently one of those overworked couples who took in as many young children as they could to help pay their bills without using the money to take care of them properly. Gwendolyn apparently had spilled an expensive bottle of hair products that her foster father used to keep his hair so luscious, and his punishment was a spanking and no dinner for a week. Her magic manifest targeted that hair and caused him to fly into a rage. He was beating on her bedroom door while waiting for the foster mother who went to find the keys to unlock it from the outside when Gwendolyn somehow Apparated herself to the local wizarding law branch. Since I was the only kin in the wizarding world, they sent her to the United Kingdom for me to try and make arrangements. I will never forget the look on Astoria's face when I told her Gwendolyn could sleep in my room to save some space and we could share on my breaks until I had a decent job to support us.
"She will have her own room darling," Astoria told me while we looked at Mr. Malfoy trying to understand my sister's babble over tea in the kitchen. His eyes were glazed over as she went on and on about some sort of cartoon character featuring an alive yellow sponge. I couldn't help laughing at his confusion. Gwendolyn had a lot to learn about the magic world and I suppose it will be hard for her to adjust to not having a television. However, the look on her face when she saw her room was worth every Galleon they probably spent on her this past week.
"I get my own room?" she asked me breathlessly as she spun in a slow circle to take in the large bed and dresser set that were in the large room across the hall from mine.
"And Astoria will take you shopping for some clothes tomorrow," I told her.
"New clothes?" she said with wide eyes. I nodded and she gave me a grin. "This is the best day of my life!" It hurt my feelings a little bit that she didn't even cry when I had to come back to Hogwarts. Astoria taught her how to send me letters to school and I have been getting mail everyday with pictures she drew about what she did the day before. Vincent would probably have to start flying around the castle in circles to work off all the treats he had gotten in the past couple of days. Astoria told me that she was being a good girl and it was still hard for the little girl to understand that God wasn't going to punish her for being a witch. I knew the eventually she would forget it all and it would just be a thing of the past, but I hope that she will be able to at least get through this part of the transition without any major issues.
"You plan on sending her some things from Hogsmeade today?" Scorpius asked me as the carriage came to a halt just outside the village.
"If I find something she might like," I told him as I glanced over the crowds of students. Everyone was milling around and waiting for their friends to exit the other carriages. I caught a glimpse of the Clan standing fairly close to each other and talking excitedly. It was very amusing to see all of them together since most of them had various shades of red hair. Scorpius helped me out of our carriage and we walked over to them just in time to see Samantha dragging Albus towards the village excitedly.
"She found out that there is a special going on in one of the clothing shops," Colin told with a grin. "There is a desperate need for her to have some new shoes apparently."
"Shoes?" Lily chirped, coming to stand beside us. "Who has a sale on shoes?"
"No one," Colin and Scorpius said at once.
"But I would really like some new-"
"How about I buy you lunch at Three Broomsticks?" Scorpius said as he took her by the shoulders with both hands and started to lead her towards the village.
"I take it we don't want to go shopping with her," I muttered as we followed behind them.
"We promised Uncle Harry we would keep her away from the shops this year in efforts to save their fortune," Colin sighed. "The Potters and Weasley's are very wealthy, but she doesn't need six different pairs of high heels."
"I don't even need one!" I said.
"Hey guys! You wanna go see Uncle George before running around the rest of the place?" Rose asked as she came up with us with a smile. "He said that he would be here."
"The George Weasley?" I said.
"I take that as a yes," Colin laughed. The three of us weaved through the crowds of student and down the street to the store with the large "W" on the front of it that was shooting fireworks from the top. Out front there were children playing with toys and young girls squealing over some magazine while students in Hogwarts robes filed in the store past them. I dodged some of the children and followed Rose to the alley way next to the store where she pulled out here wand. She tapped the windows on the door connecting to the side of the shop in a certain order and the door swung open. The three of us trooped inside, the door closing behind us without a sound, and I looked around in amazement.
"Uncle George gave me the special code to get into the research lab," Rose told me as she watched me take in all the cauldrons and various other projects on the table. It was like being in a mad scientist's laboratory.
"I take it you won't let Albus and Scorpius in here," Colin said.
"She isn't in Hufflepuff for a reason," a red-headed man chuckled as he came around the corner of a pile of joke wands. He held out his hand to me with a smile. "George Weasley. Heard you came from cross the pond."
"Emmaline Moren. I love your products," I breathed as I shook his hand. "You make the best fireworks."
"Always nice to hear from my fans," he told me.
"I especially like the new formula for the Skiving Snackboxes," I gushed. "Replacing whatever you used before with Abyssinian shrivelfig to cause the stomach to shrink and expel the contents instead of a nausea agent. It is a lot easier to swallow the other half of the pill when your stomach is just smaller."
"How did you…wait. Potions whiz," he sighed, shaking his head. "I need to learn to mask the ingredients better than I used to with the leaps and bounds in intelligence that you kids seem to make these days."
"So, anything new lately?" Colin asked, picking up a fake Galleon and turning in his hands a moment.
"Nothing really pressing," Mr. Weasley sighed. "Why don't you guys go into the shop? Since the lovely Miss Moren is such a fan of my work, put whatever you purchase today on the house. My treat. Just promise to send some products across the pond."
"Promise," I said. Rose gave her uncle a hug before taking my hand and leading me through the workshop, ignoring my protests as something interesting caught my eye. "Uncle George won't let you touch anything so don't bother stopping. Just enjoy the shop and take advantage of his generosity."
"I suppose-wow," I said, my feet taking root to the floor at the sight of the shop before me. All of the levels were crawling with Hogwarts students trying out the various pranks on each other while others were running around with joke candy overflowing their pockets. There were toys flying around and crashing into each other much to the delight of the people controlling them. I let myself wander aimlessly through the various sections, picking up various toys that would amuse Gwendolyn without scaring her out of her wits, and ended up in the WonderWitch section of the store. These were the types of products that I would have liked to have been able to purchase for myself the last couple of years, but never could justify spending any money I could save on products to make myself look beautiful. Plus, I didn't have anyone I wanted to look at me back home. There wasn't anyone that I wanted to notice me here either, but I couldn't help but notice the hair sleeking products. My hair was a constant frizz ball because of the humidity in the dungeons and it was difficult to control my new found curls. This product promised to keep my hair smooth for over 12 hours. I picked up two of them and added them to my stack of items before making my way to the register.
"Did you see the Slytherin Slut? She came out one of the storage room doors with Rose Weasley," I heard someone an aisle over say. I froze as the conversation continued.
"Geez, she went through all the men in the Potter-Weasley Clan so now she is moving on to the women?" I heard Melody Peakes say.
"Honestly, how can she even walk straight?"
"Probably got used to it," Melody sniffed. "Pure-blood households try to pimp them out when they are young you know. I bet she and Scorpius have been screwing since she came during the summer."
"I bet her being short is a result of inbreeding," the other girl said in hushed tones.
"And her parents are probably cousins," Melody giggled. I barely heard what she said next because they must have walked away. My body was numb as I walked to the register to tally the purchases for Mr. Weasley's records and ship the toys home to Gwendolyn before walking out the front door. The toys buzzed around my head as I look through the crowd for someone, anyone to talk to about what I just heard. A glimpse of shocking red hair sent me in the direction of a grouping of trees where I saw Rose talking with Martin. As upset as I was the sight of the two of them together made me pause in awe.
I never realized before how Martin looked at Rose when she babbled, the gentle smiles and how he would nod with everything she said. His dark eyes were hidden behind those coke bottle lenses, but the look on his face was all anyone had to see in order to tell that he was absolutely smitten with her. What really startled me about the whole thing was how clueless Rose was about the whole thing. She was animatedly talking about some sort of process she was working out in Transfiguration to change something into something else, her hands gesturing with her words trying to demonstrate what she was trying to do as a waitress came up to them and asked if they would like something to eat. I barely made out Martin asking for Rose's favorite hot chocolate before turning back to Rose, who hadn't stopped speaking the entire time. It was adorable in a way to see the two of them interact with each other.
"Think she will ever notice?" Louis asked me as he handed me a bag full of chocolate frogs.
"Are you kidding?" I scoffed, shoving the bag in my satchel. "I am shocked she is even talking to him."
"She and Martin have a special gift for Transfiguration," Fred told me. He handed me a large bag of candy with a grin. "Dad said that since you were interested in Potions to see if you can improve these candies for him."
"I think I can," I said, catching a glare from Melody Peakes before she turned to her group of friends and whispered something to them that sent them all into a fit of laughter and giggles. My face turned bright red as I shoved the bag of candies into my satchel. "I need to get back to the carriage."
"But the day isn't over yet," Louis said. "You haven't even eaten lunch."
"Well the Slytherin Slut doesn't need to be seen out and about with you guys," I mumbled as I ducked my head and started towards where the carriages were parked. Fred grabbed my arm and turned me to face him.
"What was that?" he asked, his eyes hard as he looked down at me.
"Ummm," I replied while looking over at Rose, willing her to stop talking to look at me.
"I believe she said Slytherin Slut," Louis said calmly.
"Do I want to know who you mean when you say Slytherin Slut?" Fred replied. I couldn't speak. It was too embarrassing to say what I heard. What those girls said about me was just too embarrassing to admit. I never thought about all the time that I spent with the guys because most of my classes were with them. My silence must have been sufficient enough of an answer because Fred started muttering a string of curses so impressive that even I hadn't heard some of them before. Louis just stood there, looking at me, which oddly frightened me more than Fred's cursing.
"Who made Louis mad?" Dominique asked as she came up behind us.
"What made him mad?" Lily asked.
"I am guessing the girls at the table over there that won't stop giving Emmy weird looks and whispering to one another," Albus said as he walked up with Samantha at his side.
"Those girls?" Louis asked me with a quiet but steady voice.
"Yes," I whispered, trying to pull away from Fred's grip so I could escape to the safety of the carriages. He gave me a nod before taking a deep breath and striding purposely over to the table.
"Hey guys, what's Louis mad about?" Scorpius asked, coming to stand beside me.
"You are just in time for the show," Fred said while turning me slightly to watch.
"Why is Louis heading over to the tables at the coffee shop?" Rose asked as she and Martin came to stand with the rest of us.
"Oooo I haven't seen him do something like this since fourth year," Fred said with glee.
"Calm confrontation? I saw him do that last week in Potions," Martin replied.
"But that is in the classroom," Dominique groaned. "Where teachers are around to hear what he has to say. This is in a social setting."
"Shhhh I wanna hear him," Fred hissed while tightening his grip on my arm. The girls were all tittering and primping as he glided closer to the table.
"I thought there weren't any male vela," I whispered to Scorpius.
"There aren't," he whispered back. "That is why I am infinitely glad that we are a safe distance from the tables."
"Why?"
"Because when we say that he takes after his Gran in temper, we aren't talking about the Delacour side of the family. No offense to Grandma Weasley, but I rather face the wrath of a veela than be the subject of her anger," he told me. My eyes were glued to Louis as he stood in front of the table of girls, all blushing as the spoke to him. I could barely hear his voice, and I couldn't tell what he was saying, but I could tell that it wasn't what the girls expected to hear. Melody's face went white, her make-up standing out markedly as Louis leaned forward, placing both hands on the table. She said something to him, protesting something. He shook his head and her voice grew louder, taking on a desperate tone. I saw him rap on the table with one of his fists, and her shrill reply was so high pitched and fast I couldn't tell what she said to him. What she said seemed to have satisfied him because he straightened up and came back to the group.
"Emmy, I think you and I should go to Honeyduke's," he said as he took my hand.
"But you got me enough chocolate frogs to last a lifetime," I protested. Fred let go of me but followed close behind as did the rest of the group.
"No, I think we all need to go to Honeyduke's," Fred stated.
"Oh good," Rose chirped, coming to walk beside me with her hot chocolate in hand. "I was getting bored anyway."
"I will let James know we are going back to the castle," Albus said, breaking away and heading over to Gladrag's.
"How are we-"
"If you want to at least make a stop in the shop to purchase some of the candy you need to stop asking questions and follow us," Louis clipped as he pulled me through the crowds of people toward the candy shop.
"That's pretty cool that you guys know a way into Hogsmeade from the castle," I said at dinner that night in the Great Hall. All of us, including Martin, Colin, and Edmund, were sitting at Gryffindor's table eating since the Slytherin table didn't welcome anyone from the Gryffindor House. Louis was feeling rather snippy, and I didn't want to push him when he insisted that I eat dinner with the family. That, of course, turned into all of the boys sitting at the table with us and causing a huge enough ruckus that Professor Sprout had to come to our table and politely ask us to keep out voices down. Now, it was drawing closer to when Prefects had to make their rounds, and I still hadn't thought of a solution to the rumors.
"We try to not use it as often as we like, but sometimes we just have to get some candy," Roxanne told me.
"And supplies from Uncle George," Hugo snickered as he piled his plate with mashed potatoes. "I bet Filch loves that," I sighed, remembering a glimpse of the old Caretaker and his cat I caught one night on my way back from the Astronomy Tower. He was muttering about children being a nuisance that needed more discipline with a wistful tone about someone named Umbridge.
"Melody is looking an awful shade of purple," Rose pointed out with amusement. I glanced down the table to see Melody and her entourage of friends staring at us, and all looking about to burst from trying to keep their mouths shut. Louis must have said something awful to them to keep them quiet, but he wouldn't budge on what. He and James were sitting with Lily at the Hufflepuff table instead of with the rest of us probably since Lily needed help with some homework and we were too chaotic for her to study. "I just wish I knew who was starting rumors about you," Rose said, taking a bit of her chicken. "It has been killing me not knowing who it is."
"Too bad Louis couldn't get her to tell him who it was," Albus said.
"I am pretty sure I have a good idea of who started that rumor," I grumbled as I looked over a Goyle. He was chatting with his friends and shoveling food in his mouth at breakneck speed while the Slytherins who were on my side watched him warily. A lot of the older boys in the dorm were upset with the rumors because they had no doubt they were outright lies, but the younger boys followed Goyle without question since his family had a lot of influence in the pure blood community. "I just wonder why he would do it."
"He is probably pissed off because you didn't help him do what his mother wanted," Scorpius told us while he refilled my pumpkin juice. "As much as he wants everyone to believe that he is a big bad ass, he is a Momma's Boy through and through."
"Oh Greggie," Colin said in a high pitched falsetto. "Could you help Mummy with fixing dinner?"
"Would you like for Mummy to help you bathe?" Roxanne said.
"Does Mummy need to wipe your ass for you?" Ed fawned in a high pitched voice. That statement sent all of us over the edge, the laughter so loud even the Ravenclaws looked up from their books to stare at us. Once everyone quit laughing, the subject turned into a lively debate over the Quidditch match that was between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tomorrow. I, however, kept an eye on Goyle. It was amusing to think of his mother like that, but I knew there was more to the story. Over the last couple of weeks I had learned how the pureblood families worked, and most of the time the children just wanted the approval of parents. The first years were hesitant to do anything without the morning owl dictating what they were supposed to do that day. I bet Goyle was beyond that point, but he would do anything to please his mother. My refusal to date him was probably a thorn in his side because his mother was adamant about us being together "to merge two strong pureblood lines" as she put it in the last letter she sent me.
It hit me like a bludger the solution to ending all of these little rumors. I stood with a smile and walked cheerful over to the Slytherin table, feeling everyone's eyes on me. Goyle's friends prodded him in the side as soon as I was a few feet away. The Great Hall was almost silent as he stood and walked over to meet me. "Emmy," he said, his smile large with his hands in his pocket. "This is a change from the normal, you coming to meet me."
"Well I figured you were owed an answer for why I have been avoiding you these past couple of weeks," I replied with a voice loud enough to carry through the hall. "It mostly has to deal with your mother."
"Mum?"
"Yes, you see I know you have been wanting to ask me on a date, but I am afraid I can't without the approval from your mother," I told him. His eye grew wide.
"Oh, but my mother loves you," he insisted.
"For now," I said, trying to look contrite. "I am sure that you have heard the rumors about me-"
"I don't take any stock in the rumors around here," he assured me, taking one of my hands in both of his and gazing into my eyes. It was hard not to laugh at him trying to look understanding. The look didn't suit his face at all. "I do not believe a word of the gossip, and anyone I hear saying anything about it I tell them that none of it is true."
"Of course it isn't true Gregory," I replied. "However, you know how things get back to parents in this place. Owls are sent out hourly."
"My mother knows you Emmaline," he protested as he gripped my hand to probably emphasis his conviction to his words. "She would never ever believe anything about what might be spread around here, especially with the rumors I have been hearing."
"Unfortunately, I can't believe that Gregory," I sighed, prying my hand from his grasp. "Until we get to the bottom of who spread these awful rumors about me and why, I am afraid you and I cannot be associated romantically in anyway. Your mother wouldn't want her one and only son dating the Slytherin Slut."
"Emmaline…"
"I do hope that eventually we can be friends once all of these rumors have calmed down," I told him.
"I will personally see to helping you with that at once," he ground out before turning on his heel and marching back to the Slytherin table. I turned slowly, catching a glimpse of him leaning to his friends and talking low to them before I walked back to the Gryffindor table with a grin as the conversations started back up with renewed volume.
Author's note: I am so sorry it has been so long since I have posted a new chapter but I have had some serious writer's block on this one. It is amazingly hard to write a chapter when you have so much going on in your life. Once I had the first part sitting in my files for the better part of the year, I opened it this week and it came to me.
Once again I love all of you for your reviews and encouragement. Please let me know how you feel about it again.