m&mwp.


"Lavender Brown! Just the girl I've been looking for."

Lavender, nestled peacefully against a tree, tore her eyes from the Great Lake in surprise. "Excuse me?"

Daphne Greengrass stood over her, her blonde hair wild in the wind and her hands on hips. With a loud flourish, she dropped her book bag to the ground. Lavender watched silently, her mouth agape. The two girls had gone to school together for six years, and still Lavender couldn't remember a time when Daphne had even bothered to look in her direction.

"Honestly," Daphne huffed, crossing her legs next to Lavender on the grass. Then, with a splutter, she pulled a wayward curl from her mouth. "Who goes outside in this wind? It's bloody cold."

At Lavender's lack of response, Daphne continued, "Must be a Gryffindor thing. Brave and stupid. Anyway, I need your help with the Fire-omens essay."

"For Divination?" Lavender finally found her voice. "I can't—I'm not a very good student."

"Trelawney's not a very good teacher," Daphne countered easily. She pulled out some parchment, frowning as the wind played with its edges. "I found some useful notes in Unfogging the Future, but I can't find anything on the properties of mallowsweet."

Lavender looked over, her eyes still wide and curious. "I… um. I have some notes in my dorm."

"Inside?" Daphne asked, already repacking her book bag and untangling her legs. "Thank Salazar for that. Go get them. I'll meet you in the Great Hall."

Daphne sauntered away, her hips swaying and locks blowing. And then, because she couldn't think of a good reason not to, Lavender stood, tugging down the edges her skirt, and scuttled after her. It wasn't very often one got an audience with the Slytherin Princess, after all. Lavender would be a fool to waste the opportunity.