No Good Deed
"Don't wish, don't start
Wishing only wounds the heart
I wasn't born for the rose and the pearl
There's a girl I know
He loves her so
I'm not that girl"
I'm Not that Girl - Wicked
CHAPTER 4
"We need to speak to Professor McGonagall." Gertie told Severus as she stood in his bathroom brushing her hair.
"And how do you suppose we are going to do that?" Severus asked as he pulled on his black slacks.
"I still have my invisibility cloak. We could sneak in and hold her hostage." She suggested.
"I thought the whole point of this was so that we could prove that we weren't hardened criminals." Severus smirked.
"It was just a suggestion." She said defensively.
"Do you still have that book we found in our seventh year?" Severus asked.
"You mean the one with the twin that we charmed?" She asked, a light going off in her head.
"Yes, precisely." Severus grinned.
"We would have to you dark magic. It's twin is still in the Room of Requirement, is it not?"
"I never moved it, and yes we would have to use dark magic, but I would say that it is about par for us."
"Will the Ministry be able to trace it back to us?" Gertie asked as she sat next to him on the bed.
"Please, the Ministry has its hands full with the Dark Lord, no one will question a little ancient magic. Besides when did you start caring what the Ministry thinks?" Severus said a little too cocky.
"Very well. I suppose it would be the quickest and easiest way to get to Hogwarts. We will have to apparate to Hogsmeade. The book is at my place." Gertie said.
"Hogsmeade? You have been at Hogsmeade the entire time?" Severus asked incredulously.
"Yes, well some one had to keep an eye out for you." She said smiling.
"And I suppose, Dumbledore knew the entire time as well?" He said growing angry.
"I really shouldn't have to say this, but Severus, Albus is dead, you cannot continue to blame him for things that are in the past."
"Has he told you how I treat the Potter boy?" Severus said sarcastically.
"Yes, well, let it go, I have had my fair share of pranks played on me, and you don't see me holding grudges, do you?" She asked. At this Severus scoffed.
"Please, you still haven't let me live down the fact that I liked Lily first." Severus said as he put on his coat and readied himself to apparate to Hogsmeade."
"Tiny, insignificant detail." She said as she apparated away.
ooo
Our first Hogsmeade trip Gertie, can you believe it?" Lily asked as she came back from classes.
"I am thrilled, can't you tell?" Gertie said grumpily. Her third year at Hogwarts had started off as well as her last. Cecile was making friends, while she still had only one, Severus Snape.
"Oh, I do wish you would lighten up Gertie, have some fun for once."
"I am transparent, how much lighter do you want me to get?" She said jokingly.
"Oh, Gertie, you make me laugh. Severus asked me to go with him, did you know?" She said laughing.
As she heard this, Gertie was shocked. So last night's conversation in the library over a "hypothetical" girl, was not her, but Lily. Gertie now understood, Severus liked Lily, he was using her to get to Lily.
"Did he?" She asked trying to show indifference.
"Yes, can you imagine? I suppose he thinks we're friends being in Potions together and all. Oh well, I suppose we mustn't be picky." Lily said, clueless to Gertrude's feelings towards Severus.
"Shouldn't you be getting dressed, McGonagall said we were leaving at 5." Lily said noticing that Gertie was still in her school clothes.
"I'm not going." She stated.
"Suit yourself." Lily said as she grabbed her clothes out of the closet.
A few moments later, a tawny owl came fluttering in the room, with a letter attached to his leg. The owl settled itself next to Gertie. She quickly untied the letter, and read:
Dear Gertrude,
"I have admired you from a far, but now alas I wish for you to meet me face to face. Meet me at Fortesques Ice Cream shop tonight at 5:30. You will know it is me by the flower on my lapel.
Your Secret Admirer."
When Lily saw that Gertrude had received a letter, she quickly rushed to her side to see what the letter contained.
"Oh, Gertie, how romantic, you must go!" Lily proclaimed.
"I don't know, who would ever admire me." Gertie responded.
"You doubt yourself too much Gertie. Quick get dressed, we only have a few minutes." Lily said.
Reluctantly, Gertrude complied, and found herself following the other upperclassmen to Hogsmeade. She nearly threw up when she saw that Severus had slicked back his hair in order to impress Lily. She knew in the end that she would break his heart. After all the while Beauty fell in love with the Beast, she surly would have left him eventually if he had not turned into the handsome prince.
She had told herself that it didn't matter, that she did not have feelings for him, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't help but feel a pang of jealously as she passed by the tea shop seeing him try to talk to her.
As it neared 5:30, Gertie took a seat outside of Fortesque's ice cream shop and waited. She waited, and waited for nearly an hour, but no one showed. She finally got up to leave around 6:45 as Lily's friends passed.
"Waiting for your 'secret admirer' Gertie?" One cooed.
"Who would love someone as hideous as you?" Another one echoed. It was at that moment that it was all a joke, there was no secret admirer; there was no boy with a flower on his lapel. As the girls continued to taunt, Gertie ran past, almost knocking over Severus and Lily.
"What was that all about?" Severus asked.
"I don't know. I'll go find her." Lily said truthfully.
Lily walked down the high street until she came upon Gertrude huddled on the street corner wiping away her tears.
"Gertie, what happened?" Lily asked.
"Go away, I hate you, I hate you and your stupid friends." She yelled.
"What are you talking about Gertie?" Lily asked confused.
"Please, like you weren't in on the joke. Make hideous Gertrude miserable, well, well done, you done it." She said angered.
"I didn't know Gertie, honestly, I didn't." She said.
"Go away." She coughed.
"Look, I am sorry about the girls, but I honestly didn't know, and I don't want to hurt you." Lily said.
"Are you two all right? McGonagall is looking for you." Severus asked as he saw the two girls sitting on the sidewalk.
"We're fine Severus, go tell McGonagall that we will be there in a few minutes."
"Lily, all I have ever wanted was to be normal. I just wish for one day I could be normal. I swear I am going to study hard, and find away to fix this." She said gesturing to her face and arms.
"You are a good witch, I am sure you will be able to." Lily tired to comfort.
"And Cecile deserves to be normal too. I will find a way to fix her as well. So help me, I will." She said no longer upset.
"That's the spirit. Come on, let's go back to the castle. I can give you a makeover!" Lily shrilled in excitement.
"Oh, no that really isn't necessary." Gertie said somewhat fearful of what her preppy roommate would transform her into.