Belladonna 10

Just a Word

Later that day

Ana was tired and sore, but she knew she'd feel better after a short shower. Practice was grueling. Marcus had put them through the ringer trying to test the limits of their new brooms. When Ana was soaring from one end of the pitch to the other, she could almost forget about the dirty money that was used to purchase the brooms.

Draco had used his father's money and the promise of new brooms to buy his way onto the team. Ana had no doubt of that, especially after their run in with the Gryffindor team before practice. Ana hated the idea and was disgusted that Draco was fine with it; nay, he was proud of it. But she decided she wasn't going to let Draco Malfoy and his father's money ruin something she loved. So she accepted the broom and decided not to think on it anymore.

Ana stepped out of the locker room shower, slipped into some clean clothes, and pulled her still wet hair into a side braid before making her way to Hagrid's hut. She was picking up some salamander saliva for Sev's potion stores. Professor Kettleburn always got the diluted version; Hagrid knew how to get the potent stuff.

Ana knocked on the front door, but instead of hearing Hagrid's booming voice inside, she heard Fang bark from around the back. An instant later, the friendly boarhound came bounding up beside her and offered her slobbery kisses.

"Hey, Fang," she greeted, rubbing him behind the ears. "Is he back there then? Well, let's go see him."

"Who's ther, Fang? Oh! Hello, Ana."

"Hey, Hagrid. I came for…" Ana trailed off. She wasn't the only one who had decided to pay Hagrid a visit that day. Harry Potter and his two friends were there too. Ana contemplated for a moment what she should do, what might irritate them the most. She decided just to act like they weren't even there for the time being.

"…The salamander saliva for Professor Snape. Oh, Hagrid! Are these the pumpkins for the Halloween Feast this year?"

"Yea! Tha's them." Hagrid beamed with pride.

"They look remarkable! So did the potion I made work out alright then?"

"Sure did. Fixed 'em right on up. Tha's quite the skill yeh have."

"Thanks, Hagrid." She smiled. "But considering I was raised by the best Potions Master this side of the Atlantic—"

Ron scoffed, burping up a slug, and mumbled under his breath. Ana narrowed her eyes at him before continuing.

"—then it's hardly a surprise that I'm good at potions too."

"I 'spose that's true. I was no good at it meself."

"Potions isn't for everyone, but that's alright. I know there are things you can do that Sev could never dream of doing. And growing the largest pumpkins in Britain is only one of them."

Hagrid beamed behind his large beard, and waved off Ana's compliment with a hand. Just beneath his half-lidded eyes, Ana saw rosy-red cheeks. There was a moment when no one said or did anything.

"Hagrid?" Ana said softly.

"Hmm? Yes?"

"The saliva please."

"Oh! Oh, yeah! Tha's right. Sorry 'bout that. Lemme go an' get it for yeh."

He shuffled off inside his hut, leaving Ana alone with the Gryffindors. Ana reached out to scratch Fang behind the ears in the silence that followed. She knew they were watching her every move.

"It's just a word, you know," Ana said, still scratching Fang. When she finally looked up, it was to three sets of eyes exchanging curious looks. She focused on Hermione.

"Mudblood…" Harry and Ron each took a step towards Hermione; Ana rolled her eyes. "It's just a word, like…pumpkin, or tree, or…spider-legs."

"Spider-legs?" Ron questioned.

Ana turned on him in an instant. "The last person to call me that ended up in a bed full of spiders."

"That's awful," Hermione said.

"That…was an accident. I was eight and the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad cleared everything up. The family simply thought they had a bad pest problem, but that's not the point. The point is…It's just a word; it only carries weight if you give it weight."

"Th—thanks…I think," Hermione said.

Ana rolled her eyes. "Please, don't turn all sentimental on me, Granger. And don't allow a prick like Draco to ruin your happiness; I'm certainly not."

"Why would you care about our happiness?" Harry asked.

"I said nothing about your happiness, Potter, and I don't care. Do what you will with it. But if you must know…" Ana looked to Hermione again. "I saw you in the library a lot last year; you...impressed me."

"Oh!" Hermione said, clearly surprised. "Thanks, I…"

"Yeah, I didn't know Gryffindors even knew what the library was, let alone how to find it."

Ana smirked but was met with silence. Fred would have had a comeback of his own for that one. Ana found herself thinking about Fred a lot recently. From his smile, to his laugh, and to his clever comebacks. Ana just couldn't stop herself, and she was beginning to not even try.

Ron, however, only seemed to annoy Ana to no end. He stumbled over, looking more than a little green, and said, "Keep away from her…you," he burped up another slug, "…Wicked Witch."

Ana rolled her eyes. Honestly, she was getting a little tired of people calling her that.

"What would you know about that?" she asked.

"My dad works at the Ministry of Magic," he replied, a little smugly. "So I know all about your little inquiry last summer for terrorizing that Muggle."

"You didn't!" Hermione exclaimed.

"She did, 'Mione. It was all over the Daily Prophet."

"I remember now," Ana said. "Your dad works in the Department of Misuse of Muggle Artifacts, doesn't he? Tell me, wasn't he recently investigated for performing illegal charms on a Muggle Car, enabling it to fly? The same car that you two decided to tear the Whomping Willow apart with? What? Is the Hogwarts Express not good enough for the great Harry Potter anymore? If I were you, Weasley—and thank Merlin I'm not—I'd be a little less worried about my 'inquiry' and more so about the stability of your dad's job after his."

Ron turned a shade greener and both Harry and Hermione stepped in front of him. Ana simply laughed. Thankfully, Hagrid returned at that moment with a large vial for Ana. She stepped away from the Gryffindors with a sudden smile, and held the vial up to the sunlight. The clear liquid inside caught the sun and cast a golden-red sheen.

"It's perfect, Hagrid! Thanks. And this ought to last us at least a year."

"It was no trouble, Ana. I was happy ter do it fer you."

"I'll see you later, Hagrid. Bye."

Ana waved to Hagrid and gave Fang a parting scratch, but she paid no further mind to the others. For once, however, she was glad that Fred wasn't around. What would he have done if he heard her say those things about his dad? Hadn't they agreed to leave family out of it?

She thought about turning around, trying to explain herself. She wanted to tell them how she was only "wicked" to those who deserved it. She wanted to tell them that the Muggle she "terrorized" wasn't only talking about Ana's mother, but that she was also bullying another mother-less girl around the corner. But she didn't; she couldn't. For whatever reason, Ana could not bring herself to turn back. She couldn't bring herself to tell them why she really did it. She hardly cared what a couple of Gryffindors thought of her; there was only one who's opinion mattered, and she hoped that if he ever found out, that he wouldn't care much either.