A few weeks had passed and now everyone was more focused on exams rather than Snape and Quirrell. Quirrell hasn't shown any signs of cracking while Snape is looking just as bitter as before which proves he mustn't have it. I've been spending nearly everyday in the library with Lavender and Parvati and sometimes Padma who will come study with us occasionally. Hopes that this would just blow over and we could all hang out and then leave for Summer break filled the air.
Currently, Seamus and I sat on the couch in the common room after dark playing slaps like Seamus and his dad do while waiting up for Harry and Ron who went to help Hagrid with something. It was Seamus' turn to try and slap me. I rested my hands on top of his. When he twitched to try and trick me I didn't move a muscle.
"You're pretty good at this." He said as I moved my hands in time to prevent being slapped.
Before I could take my turn Harry and Ron burst into the common room. They sat down on the couch looking displeased.
"What's the matter?" I asked moving away from Seamus and sitting on the coffee table in front of the boys.
"We got detention." Ron said grumpily.
"For what? What did Hagrid need help with?" Seamus asked sitting beside me eyeing them jokingly.
"We just sent a dragon to Romania." Harry said casually.
"Um, want to explain?" Seamus said.
"We saw Hagrid looking around in the dragon section of the library so we thought maybe there was also a dragon protecting the stone. But it turns out Hagrid just has a baby dragon. So we sent it to Ron brother Charlie in Romania. Filch caught us and McGonagall caught Draco." Ron explained yawning and standing up. "I"m going to bed."
"Yeah, me too." Seamus said standing. "G'night Ash."
"Night." I said standing up and walking towards the girls dorm.
"I guess I might as well too." Harry said standing up.
xxxx
The next morning after a short talk with Neville I stormed in the Common room. "One hundred and fifty points!?" I yelled across the common room at Harry and Ron. "How did Neville lose points? What didn't you tell me? What didn't you tell us!?" I asked outraged. "People are ignoring Neville. How did you get him into this? What happened last night?" I asked covering my face with my palms and pulling my hands down until they rested on the back of my neck.
"Well, exactly what we said happened. We just left some out." Ron said looking at his hands.
"After Parvati and I calmed Neville down this morning he wouldn't say anything." I said keeping my hands behind my neck and looking at the ceiling letting out a big breathe. "I'm really disappointed in you and what's this about resigning Quidditch? Are you trying to get everyone in Gryffindor to kill you in your sleep?" I asked crossing my arms and looking at them harshly.
"Ashlee? Are you ready to come study with us?" Seamus asked walking down the boys dorm steps with his books.
"In a minute Seamus. I'll meet you in the library, okay? My books are already there with everyone else." I said quickly before turning back to the guilty looking boys on the couch. "Wood came to me today asking me to talk some sense into you. First you lose points, it happens, then you quit Quidditch which was a fast way to earn them back. It's hard to forgive people who don't try." I sighed before looking behind me. "It would've been different if you'd told us. We would've helped you! We would've stood up for you but you kept this from us. We have never kept anything from you. What happened to no secrets? Where did that promise go?" I held up my hand as Ron opened his mouth. "It went down the toilet... with our house points and your loyalty."
I quickly turned around and left the common room. I practically flew down the steps and towards the library. I stopped when I saw Draco leaning against the wall. I could almost feel my blood boiling. I stormed over to him and he stepped towards me but I pushed him back to the wall.
"Draco! You ruin everything." I whispered in a yelling manner. "They were trying to do the right thing here! You couldn't look the other way. Not once, wouldn't want to turn out any different than daddy would you? God, you're so predictable. I hope you realize that eventually your dad will drag you so far down you'll end up like Filch! Yelling at kids, being miserable and the only light in your life will be a freaking cat! And your cat will be miserable too!" I stomped a few steps away before turning harshly. "Why can't you leave us alone?" I whispered before leaving towards the library.
I walked into the library and saw all of my friends sitting at a table studying quietly except for Dean and Lavender who were quizzing each other with whispering voices. I walked over and grabbed a chair from the table behind them. I sat down between Lavender and Seamus and Lavender looked away from Dean to smile sadly at me and slide my books over to me. Everyone looked at me expectantly.
"I'm sorry I lost us points guys." Neville said suddenly causing us all to look at him.
"No way Neville, it wasn't your fault. If any of us had heard that we would've done the same." Parvati said putting her hand on top of his encouragingly.
"I just can't believe they didn't tell us." Dean said shaking his head.
"Be quiet, my sister is coming." Parvati whispered quickly and we all looked at her.
"Do you mind if I join you guys? Cho went somewhere and I can't seem to find her, we were supposed to study." Padma said standing at the corner of the table.
"Of course we don't mind. Please, grab a chair." I smiled at her and opened my textbook, A History Of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot.
We sat in silence as we all wrote down things we thought would be important later and Lavender finished quizzing Dean and began to quiz Padma. I closed my book and stood up. I pushed the chair in and leaned over the back rest of it.
"I'm going back to my room guys. I'm going to grab my herbology book." I said quickly before leaving the library and heading back to the Gryffindor tower. I passed the Fat Lady with the password and a quick chat about her memories before running up to my room and grabbing my book. I slowly descended the stairs and Harry and Ron were standing in the doorway of the common room.
"Ash!" Ron said running over to me. "I know you're mad but listen! We think Quirrell-" I cut him of with a disbelieving laugh.
"You've lost our lead on the house cup, your respect and a third of the school hates you, but you still won't drop this?" I asked trying to walk around him but Harry stopped me.
"We think Quirrell might have cracked and told Snape everything." Harry finished for Ron forcing me to look at him.
"So? Fluffy is still protecting it and three headed dogs might all have different weak points. Besides, Hagrid has said time and time again that Snape is the good guy. Why won't you just drop it!" I asked trying to leave but Harry blocked my path again.
"If we just do a little poking around-" Ron started from behind me.
"We've done enough poking around! You guys seem like you're a two man team now. Figure it out! Meanwhile, I have to study for exams. I hope you've been studying hard. They're in a week." I said walking back to the library to study some more.
Sitting at the breakfast table the next morning Harry and Ron walked in sluggishly. They looked at me and I waved them over. They sat on either side of me and waited for me to speak.
"I'm sorry for being so harsh. I just, if you lose anymore points... can we not just keep an eye on things without poking around? We've lost a lot of house points. One hundred and fifty in one night is a serious blow." I said slowly popping a piece of egg into my mouth.
"We've agreed on it. We came to tell you today." I looked across the table and saw Neville reading a piece of paper with his detention details.
Neville looked at Harry and left without saying a word. I sighed and stood up before looking down at them.
"I'm still disappointed and mad. Neville is definitely still upset with you." I said leaving the table and walking down the corridor to the library to study with everyone else who were already there.
I walked into the library and sat down. Lavender started to quiz me about ingredients to certain potions and after nailing all of them she handed me a different textbook and I quizzed her on different dates of historical importance in the wizarding world.
Later that night, well past midnight, Seamus and I sat side by side on the couch with a map sprawled out in between us. We listed of things for each other to find and had a bit of a race. One would think we're studying but realistically we were both waiting up for Neville. At about two o'clock at night both Seamus and I gave up and went to bed. I laid down on my side and pulled the covers right up to my chin. I drifted off before two minutes had passed.