"Good morning beautiful," Stewart said as he saw Anne step off the bottom stair. He walked over to her from where he had been standing talking to Oliver and Sean.
"Morning," she said with a smile before he leaned in and kissed her.
"Morning boys," Rebecca said. "Have any of you seen my beau?"
"I'm here," James said stepping from the bottom of the boy's stairs. He smiled as he walked over to her and hugged her kissing her on the cheek.
Nicolette was a little uncomfortable with Oliver standing there staring at her.
"I'm going to breakfast," Oliver said turning and heading out of the common room.
"Me too," Sean said as he followed Oliver.
Stewart watched his best friend leave before looking at Nicolette who was also watching Oliver.
"Hey Nic," he said pulling her attention from the portrait hole.
"Hey Stewart."
"So are we ready," James asked. "Because I'm starving."
The five friends made their way through the common room. Nicolette noticed that there were several people who were already studying and a few others were just sitting on the couches probably waiting for their friends.
Nicolette followed the two couples down the halls and stairs of the castle. She wished this year was different already and it wasn't even Christmas yet.
When they got to the great hall Nicolette followed Anne down the aisle. She sat next to Anne and across from Rebecca.
The group of friends ate and enjoyed each others company for a while before anything disturbed them.
"Oh dear," Rebecca said looking at the door to the hall. "Here comes trouble."
Nicolette turned her head and saw Suzanne walking down the aisle toward them.
"Morning all," she said cheerfully sitting down on the other side of Stewart.
"Where's my Oliver this morning?"
"Suzanne," Stewart said trying not to explode. "He is NOT your Oliver. And did you ever think that maybe you don't know where he is because that's the way he would prefer it."
"Wow," Suzanne said. "There's no reason to be rude. I just asked."
"You didn't just ask," Anne said standing to look over Stewart. "You are trying to cause a problem and we don't need that here so why don't you go find one of your little fuck buddies and get the HELL AWAY!"
Suzanne just stared at Anne shocked at what she said.
As Anne sat down Professor McGonagall came down from the staff table.
"Is there a problem?"
"No, Suzanne was just leaving," Anne replied looking pointedly at Suzanne.
"Fine," she said as she got up and went over to the Hufflepuff table and sitting with a sixth year Nicolette didn't know.
"Miss Smith," Professor McGonagall said. "Please remember that you are a prefect and you need to maintain a certain amount of decorum."
"Yes Professor," Anne replied.
As Professor McGonagall left, the group returned to their previous conversations trying to forget their interruption.
"By the way," Rebecca said quickly glancing at Nicolette. "Where are Sean and Oliver?"
"Oh," Stewart said scooping a second helping of eggs onto his plate. "Oliver said something about eating out by the pitch this morning. I didn't pay a lot of attention, but I figure that Sean is with him."
Nicolette was having a hard time swallowing the food in her mouth. She took a drink of her pumpkin juice to help the food down.
"Well good," Anne said. "He would not have enjoyed that little scene with Suzanne. And look the slut is over there all over that guy."
"Could we talk about something other than Suzanne," James asked. "I know, we could talk about how wonderful my girlfriend is," he said with a smirk as he took a bite of his biscuit.
"James," Rebecca said bashfully. The other three chuckled at their antics.
"Well," Anne said. "We could talk about Muggle Studies test on Monday."
"Wait," Nicolette said. "You have a test in Muggle Studies? On Monday?"
"Yeah," Stewart said. "Don't worry. He has already talked to Professor McGonagall."
Nicolette wasn't sure if she was relieved that he was still coming or concerned that he told McGonagall he was the father.
"Oh."
Anne, Rebecca, and James talked about what they thought was going to be on their text the next day while Nicolette thought about the meeting she would be in.
"Do you think they'll send for my parents," Nicolette whispered to Anne who was talking about televisions. Anne looked at Nicolette before responding.
"I don't know," she said. "Maybe."
Nicolette looked up and saw James watching her.
"Did he tell you?"
James nodded.
"Do you know who else knows?"
"He hasn't told Brandon," Stewart spoke for James. "As far as I know, Sean doesn't know either."
"I think he only told me because of Becca," James said.
"He told me about yesterday."
Nicolette looked at Stewart who was looking back at her.
"You shouldn't have left," he said. "You two have a lot that you need to talk about but you asked him to leave you alone, so he is."
"Nicolette is allowed to take her time," Anne said.
"Anne don't," Nicolette said. "Stewart's right and I know it. But Stewart, I'm not ready right now. There is so much going on and it is all huge and life altering. Not to mention I'm trying to keep my marks up for healer training, though I'm not sure how I'm going to do that now." Nicolette looked down at her plate with tears in her eyes. Anne put her arm around her.
"You won't have to do it alone," Anne whispered. "You'll have your parents and Oliver's parents and Oliver."
"Don't forget me and Anne either," Rebecca said from across from them as she reached her hand across the table taking Nicolette's hand in hers.
Nicolette leaned her head against Anne's shoulder.
"Thanks," she whispered.
"Come on," Stewart said. "It's pretty outside. Let's go sit by the lake. We can talk about anything except Nicolette's problems. You girls need to be happy not sad."
"I think I'm just going to go back to the dorm."
"Oh Nic," Rebecca said. "Please come with us, don't be sad."
"I can't think about anything else until after tomorrow and I don't want to bring you all down," she said as she stood. "Don't worry after tomorrow, no matter what comes I will be better company. I think I just need to get it all aired out."
"Okay love," Anne said as she stood and gave Nicolette a hug before Nicolette turned and walked out of the hall and up to the Gryffindor common room.
When she got there she found there were very few people left in the common room. She also knew that all her roommates were downstairs, so she went up to her dorm. As she sat on her bed she wondered what she was going to do. It wasn't even ten o'clock yet and she had all day.
She laid back on her bed thinking about what Stewart said. She knew there was a lot that she had to talk to Oliver about, but after remembering the little she did, she wasn't she if she could see him without getting a little hot. She couldn't help but think about his hands on her skin, and his lips. Those lips could drive her crazy. Nicolette rolled over in frustration and closed her eyes wishing she could get back some of the sleep she missed on this morning.
"Nicolette."
"Nicolette, wake up."
"Hmmm," she groaned rolling over toward the voice.
"Good morning sunshine," Rebecca said with a smile. "Lunch is almost over. I thought that you might want to eat."
"Can't I just sleep," she said groggily.
"How about I bring you something up," Rebecca said.
"Thanks," Nicolette said rolling back over and falling asleep again.
Rebecca smiled and left her friend to her peace.
Nicolette was sleeping peacefully and dreamlessly when she smelled meatloaf. She tried to find it but she couldn't reach it.
"If you want it you have to wake up," she heard an overly cheerful voice say.
Nicolette opened an eye to find Anne standing in front of her holding a plate full of meatloaf and potatoes.
"Give," Nicolette said as she sat up and took the plate. "That was mean," she said before taking a bite of the food.
Anne and Rebecca laughed.
"So did you catch up on any of that sleep that got a little hot and bothered last night," Anne asked with a smile.
"Shut up," Nicolette said trying to not smile. "You can't use my dreams against me," she took another bite. "Besides they do that on their own."
Rebecca and Anne laughed again.
"So," Nicolette said taking a sip of the juice they had set on her night stand. "What have you two done while I was sleeping?"
"Honestly," Anne asked loosing her smile.
Nicolette nodded.
"Talking to Oliver," Rebecca said for them. "We didn't say anything for you, he…"
"He's scared Nic," Anne finished for Rebecca. "He is worried about you after Friday in potions. I don't think he knows anything about pregnancy and is scared because he doesn't know."
Nicolette looked at her plate while she ate knowing exactly how Oliver felt. She didn't know what to expect and had never asked her mum about what she went through when she was pregnant.
"You should go back to your boys," she told her friends looking up at them. "I'll probably just go back to sleep."
"We can't," Rebecca said as she sat on the edge on Nicolette's bed. "They went down to the pitch with Oliver to fly. I think that most of the team went with them too."
"Oh," Nicolette said.
"Can we hang out with you or should we find Lacey," Anne asked sitting on the edge of her bed.
"I would love to hang out," Nicolette said with a smile. "Especially if I'm not taking you from the boys, but where is Lacey."
"I saw her down stairs with Brandon before we came up," Rebecca said.
"Oh yes," Nicolette said as she finished her lunch. "Her Brandon needs me date."
The three girls sat there talking about nothing in particular before they were interrupted with a loud crack.
"Hello Miss."
Nicolette looked around for the voice.
"Down here Miss," the voice said again.
Nicolette looked to right of her bed and found a small elf standing there looking at her.
"Hi," she said. "Who are you?"
"Dobby Miss," he said. "I comes for your plate Miss."
"Oh," Nicolette said reaching for her plate and cup on the nightstand on the other side of the bed. "Here you go," she handed them to Dobby. "Thank you Dobby."
"You're welcome Miss," he said before he disappeared with a loud crack.
"So," Anne said. "What were your plans for the rest of the day?"
"Well," Nicolette said. "I'm all caught up on my studying, and I don't have class until after lunch tomorrow. I have that meeting in the morning but nothing to do for it, so I guess I don't really have anything planned."
"Hey," Lacey said as she came in the door to the dorm. "Nicolette?"
"Yeah?"
"Will you go talk to Brandon," she asked. "He's worried that you're still mad at him."
"Yeah," Nicolette said getting up and walking to the door.
"Hey Nic," Anne said. "You should go check your hair."
Nicolette looked at her questioning.
"You have bed head," Anne said with a smile. "While some may find it charming others may be offended by it."
"Shut up," Nicolette said as she went into the bathroom and fixed her hair before returning. "Better?"
"Yep," Anne said.
"Good," Nicolette said. "I'll be back." Nicolette left the three girls in their dorm and went downstairs to see Brandon.