No Good Deed

"You're gonna be popular!
I'll teach you the proper ploys
When you talk to boys
Little ways to flirt and flounce
I'll show you what shoes to wear
How to fix your hair
Everything that really counts"

Popular - Wicked

CHAPTER 5

As Severus and Gertie made their way down the abandoned and secluded street in Hogsmeade, each shared glances at each other in turn. Gertie only wished that things could be the way they were when they were children. Life was simpler back then, even if a bit painful.

The two came upon the tiny house down in the valley, only to be shocked by the scene in front of them. Gertrude's house was on fire, nearly charred to ashes. As the pair ran the remainder of the distance to her house, Mudungus Fletcher could be seen apparating from the side of the house.

"Oh gods, Severus! Quick, we need to put it out!" Gertie said in a panic.

"Aguamenti!" Severus shouted as a stream of water came jetting out of his wand. Gertie did the same, until the fire was put out. Nearly in tears, Gertie put her wand back in her pocket and began surveying the damage.

"Gods, this is horrid!" Gertie yelled, now upset.

"It will be all right." Severus said in attempt to comfort her.

"All right? Severus, does this look all right to you? Since when did you become an optimist?" She said as she blasted the door open with magic, so that she could see if there was anything left to salvage.

"If it makes you feel better, I have a hunch that it was Mudugus Fletcher who set fire to your house."

"How would that make me feel better?" She snapped.

"At least it was not the Dark Lord. Apparently word of your defect has not reached him yet." He said lifting a charred pile of newspapers off what was left of a small coffee table.

"I suppose, but it is obvious that everyone will do anything they can to see that we fail." She said walking over to her bookshelf rummaging through the debris looking for the book which would get them into Hogwarts.

"It is, unfortunately, the life we have been forced to lead."

"The book is ruined. We will have to think of another way into Hogwarts." She said, still shaken.

Severus nodded, and continued silently to wander through the remains of Gertrude's house. He walked into a small bedroom off of the master, which she had apparently converted to a den. On the desk he saw bits and pieces of parchment as well as a picture of the two of them, taken on the day they had graduated. Severus took the singed photo and stuffed it into his pocket, thankful that something had survived.

Severus continued to make his way around the room and saw there on the shelf a toy wand. Amazed that she had held on to it, he wrinkled is forehead in sadness and confusion. He had given it to her, the day he found out.

"I see you found my office, or what is left of it." She said, Severus quickly turned around, but not fast enough for Gertie to take notice of what he was looking at.

"I couldn't bring myself to throw it away." She said softly.

"It was a long time ago." He said plainly.

"Yes, I know, but I kept it just in case. Just in case someday when the war is over and we both survive, we can start a family together. The way we had planned before everything took a turn for the worst." She said saddened.

"Those are lofty dreams, Gertie." He said somewhat pessimistic.

Gertie walked over to where Severus stood, and looked at what sat next to the small wand. It was her sister's tiara.

ooo

"Gertie! There you are. I have been searching the castle for you." Cecile said excited.

"What is it Cecile?" She asked as she looked up from the book. Gertie was now in her fifth year, and busy studying for OWLs as well as doing some extra research on the side.

"Did you hear, there is going to be a Yule Ball this year! Oh I am so excited." She said.

"Cecile it is just another stupid excuse for snogging in dark corners or in the flower bushes." She said continuing to read.

"Gertie, you are just upset because no one's asked you." She said now mad at her sister.

"Look, I am busy, go find someone else to talk to about the dance." She said annoyed.

"Gertie, is this the book you were looking for?" Severus said as he rounded the corner.

"Hello Cecile." Severus said as he saw her.

"Ancient and Dark Potions and their Containers." Gertie said as she read the title of the book.

"Hello Severus." Cecile replied.

"This could be quite helpful Severus, where did you find it?" Gertie asked.

"In the restricted section." Severus replied.

"The restricted section, how did you get permission?" Cecile questioned.

"That is none of your business Cecile." Gertie responded, knowing that Severus most likely nicked it.

"I have to go to Dark Arts, see you tomorrow in Potions." Severus said as he slung his bag over his shoulder.

"Bye." Cecile said, nudging her sister in the arm, to say good bye as well.

"Yeah, thanks, bye." She said preoccupied.

"Gertie, you aren't doing anything illegal are you?" Cecile whispered.

"I am just reading Cecile, there is nothing illegal about that." She said annoyed at her sister again.

"Fine, I am going to go work on my Astronomy homework." Cecile maneuvered her way out of the library, and wheeled down the hall.

On the other side of the library Lily was having a conversation with another boy in a long line of many.

"Excuse me, Lily, well I was wondering if maybe you would like to go to the Yule Ball with me?" Regulus asked.

"I'm sorry, but I have all ready told Severus that I would go with him." It wasn't that Lily actually wanted to go with Severus, but she was trying to make a certain Gryffindor jealousy. Severus was of course clueless that all Lily saw in him was friendship, and still idolized her, much to Gertrude's displeasure.

Seeing the pang of disappointment on his face, she quickly added, "Why don't you ask Cecile? She is in your year. She is very pretty you know." Lily said trying not to hurt the poor boy.

"Oh, well, Lily I really would rather go with you." He said hurt.

"I will tell you what, if you take her, I will save a dance for you." She said in compromise."

"Really?" Regulus said gleefully.

"Yes, she's just left, why don't you go ask her right now."

ooo

It was the afternoon of the dance, and Gertie sat on her bed taking notes on another book. Lily was lying on her bed charming her dresses to come out of the closet on parade.

"Gertie, what are you wearing tonight?" Lily asked bored.

"I suppose what I always wear." Gertie said, she was being forced to go as a Prefect, she had no choice.

"Gertie, you wear too much black."

"Haven't you ever heard the saying that black goes with anything?" She said.

"Yes, but no one is going to ask you to dance if you wear that old dress." She said gesturing to her dress she had hung up on her dresser.

"What do you suggest, if you haven't noticed the dance is in a few hours." She said.

"Let me transfigure it for you!" She exclaimed as a light went off in her head.

"I don't know, have you ever done that Lily?" Gertie asked concerned.

"No, but how hard can it be?" She said as she started to twirl her wand in directions in which Gertie had never witnessed. The dress, while remained black, transformed into a thin spaghetti strap dress, full of silver glitter, which when it caught the light caused a rainbow full of colors. It was beautiful, but Gertie became nervous as she put it on and saw how much of her skin was showing.

"You look amazing Gertie!" Lily exclaimed.

"I don't know." She said shyly.

"Here, let me do your hair." Lily said as she motioned for Gertrude to sit on her bed.

Lily began taking Gertie's long brown hair and twisting it up into a beautiful twist full of curls and glitter. For the first time, Gertie was showing her face. While, still shocking, the glitter in her hair and dress went strangely well together.

"Thanks." Gertie said softly.

"We are friends, it is what friends do." Lily said.

"Friends?" Gertie asked surprised.

"Of course, we have lived together for five years Gertie, we have been potions partners for four years, yes I think we are friends." Lily said as she looked in the mirror and finished her own hair.

"I hope Cecile found someone to take to the dance." Gertie said to no one in particular.

"Oh, yes, I think Sirius's brother asked her." Lily said looking over her shoulder at her profile.

"Regulus?" Gertie said surprised.

"Yes, why not?"

"He is kind of a push over, don't you think?" Gertie said.

"Gertie, you are much too protective of her. But I know what it is like being a younger sister. Just give her some space." Lily said.

"I ddin't know you had a sister. What house was she in." Gertie said.

"Oh she didn't go here, she is a muggle, my whole family is." She said nonchalantly. Gertie's eyes widened.

"Your, you're a mud.. I mean muggleborn?" Gertie said shocked.

"Yes, is there something wrong with that?" Lily said slightly laughing.

"Yes, I mean no, well it is just that everyone thinks..." Gertie stumbled.

"What they don't know won't hurt them. I hear what they call witches and wizards like me." Lily said.

"But that is misleading." Gertie said.

"What does it matter what my parents are? I am a witch and there is nothing anyone can do to change that." Lily said somewhat upset.

Gertie wanted to tell her that it was because of witches and wizards like her that she was the way she was. Her mother was a muggleborn witch, it was bad blood. Gertie kept her mouth shut, but knew that if Severus, or any of the other Slytherins found out what she was, it would ruin her popular image.

"Are you ready?" Lily asked a few minutes later.

"Yes." The two of them did not speak the rest of the night.

ooo

Gertie spent most of her evening around the punch bowl, watching as her sister talked nonstop to Regulus. He had given her a beautiful tiara as a gift for that evening. Cecile was beaming, if only she felt the same. She watched as Severus attempted to dance with Lily, however she was busy keeping her eye on Remus, her latest love interest, whom she spent hours on end discussing how sweet and gentle he was.

It was around eleven o'clock when Gertie had made her sixth trip around the grounds, when she saw Severus standing alone at the punch bowl.

"Having a good time?" She asked.

"Yeah, wow, you look..." Severus said noticing her for the first time that night.

"Yes, well, I suppose it was for nothing." She said sadly.

"Have you danced yet?" Severus asked.

"No one's asked me." She replied.

"Well I suppose, if you want I can dance with you." Severus said noncommittally.

"Yes, well I don't need your pity." She said.

"It's not pity, I thought we both agreed that we did not like pity." Severus said in response.

"Okay, well if you're sure Lily won't mind." She said.

"There you are Severus. Come on we have to go back out on the dance floor." Lily said rushing towards him, apparently according to her friends, Remus had been spotted watching her, along with the rest of the Gryffindor boys.

"Would you mind if I danced with Gertie this time?" Severus asked Lily. As he said this her face scrunched up in disappointment.

"Severus, you can dance with Gertie later, come on." She said, ignoring the fact that Gertie was right next to her.

As Lily dragged Severus away from her, she got angry. So angry in fact, that she shouted:

"She's a mudblood Severus!" The whole hall heard her. The music stopped, and everyone stared at the three of them.