"Actions have consequences."
Nel read out loud. Umbridge had gotten her good. Not that she hadn't been expecting her to do so. According to the Professor, Elowen was a lost cause, a menace to society.
It hurt. It was cruel and humiliating. However, she seized the opportunity to note every detail in her office, anything that could prove helpful or could be viable information to hurt Professor Umbridge.
"You know deep down you deserve to be punished. Don't you, Ms. Saintday?"
'Actions have consequences,' Nel thought through gritted teeth. It was fitting, so very fitting it reminded her of her vow of vengeance.
Since her arrival, Umbridge had been appointed to the post of Hogwarts High Inquisitor by the Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge. She had begun to test and even do her own investigations into Hogwarts teachers.
Elowen sat anxiously in the Slytherin Common Room, a place she dreaded to be. All the Slytherins were all passing by here. However, she was waiting for one person.
She closed her book about Necromancy and approached Tracey when she entered the room.
"Trace!" She stopped her, bracing herself with the bit of courage she had. Daphne just happened to be behind her with Millicent tagging along, no doubt because Parkinson was out on prefect duty with Malfoy. She hadn't planned for the others to be nearby.
The Quidditch tryouts were tomorrow. Tracey was walking a little faster due to her nerves.
"Oh, hi everyone," She stammered nervously.
What Harry was said was true. If they were really her friends, they wouldn't mind what her truth was, no matter how ugly it was. She eyed Millicent anxiously, hoping she would go away. Instead, she stayed.
Crap.
"Got something to say, Elowen?" The queen of the snakes, Daphne, looked at her, bored. Her look of apathy stung.
"Yeah," She prepared best she could, gathering in some courage and a deep breath. She could really use a cigarette right about now. "I just wanted to wish Tracey good luck for tomorrow," she nodded. "I know how hard you've been working. I know this is your year," Nel smiled painfully at her best friend.
"Thanks," Tracey retreated coldly as the group began to walk away.
"That's not all," She called for them. The herd stopped, they turned to look at her expectantly. Her eyes darted around the room fearfully. Who cared if there was anybody else in the room. With Millicent within earshot, no doubt, Pansy, Draco, and the rest of the school were bound to find out.
Fuck it.
"I wanted to apologize for not writing back last summer. It wasn't intentional. Even if you don't believe me," Her voice dropped to a whisper as she continued her explanation.
"What?" Asked Daphne loudly, leaning forward with furrowed eyebrows.
"I didn't write back because I couldn't," She admitted, her lips drawn into a severe thin line.
"Seriously?"
They were about to walk away from her. This time she was going to lose them.
"I couldn't write back because I was homeless."
It felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders when she confessed. She took in a refreshing breath of air. "I was living in the streets with Muggles, vagabonding, seeking food and shelter every day. I didn't have anywhere to keep my owl or anything to write with. The little money I've saved I don't want to touch until I'm' seventeen."
The three girls looked at her, stunned with disbelief.
"I didn't want to tell you because it's embarrassing," her voice cracked, nostrils flared as she could begin to feel the heat of the shame begin to patch up her skin with unflattering blotches of red. Tracey looked like she had been punched in the gut, the look on Daphne's face was unreadable, and Millicent looked horrified.
They said nothing.
"Now you know," She spat out through gritted teeth, the lights in the room momentarily flickering at her intense emotion. "Goodbye," She lowered her head and zoomed out of the room before any of them could respond. At least she had done her part.
"You will not believe what just happened!" Millicent ran to the Great Hall. She plopped down on the Slytherin table, and Goyle instinctively scooted over. She looked shaken, almost as if she had seen a new ghost on school grounds.
"Pray tell, Dumbledore got sacked? He really is the worst thing that's happened to Hogwarts," Zabini sniggered, pushing a sausage around on his late breakfast plate.
"The way things are going with Umbridge, it's only about time," Pansy mused, raising her eyebrows.
"No," Millicent's mouth turned into an 'o'.
"You know how Daphne and Tracey haven't been speaking to Saintday since last summer, right?"
"Please do not tell me it's because she has a thing going on with Potter. She cannot get any more pathetic," Pansy rolled her large doe-like eyes.
Draco didn't want it to make it obvious, but the name caught his attention. He reached for a green apple and bit into it more aggressively than he intended to. The apple made a loud crunch, and Pansy turned to analyze his award-winning poker face, seeking any particular sign of interest or concern.
"It's because Saintday is homeless," Millicent dropped the bomb.
Zabini scratched his ear, confused. "Um- what?" He narrowed his eyes in confusion.
"Wasn't she living with the Lestranges?" Crabbe said absentmindedly. It just went to show how clueless he was.
"No," Pansy rolled her eyes swatted him with a rolled parchment she had been holding, "Saintday's a nobody. Everybody knows that," She said with a satisfied huff. "That's why she's the worst of the worse, somehow both a Mudblood and a blood traitor!"
There were some scattered laughs at her comment. "The Lestranges only took her in as a charity case, and even they couldn't stand her. Look at what happened to them. Even, Ellar," She said in a dreamy tone, "So handsome," she turned to see Draco's disgusted reaction, "But not as handsome as you," She poked his nose, "Don't be jealous."
Millicent remained serious through Pany's girlish flirtations. The girl didn't look eager or excited. Instead, her eyebrows were wrinkled into a concerned upside down 'V' "I think it's pretty serious, Pans. She didn't have any food or water. Could you imagine?"
"Good," Pansy puffed her chest. "I can't believe they allow people like her into a school like Hogwarts."
"I agree," Zabini scoffed, giving up on his breakfast. "Poor people are lazy. Why can't she just get off her ass? Go get a job, make some money," he laughed wryly.
Draco shot him a side glare. Rich coming from someone like Zabini who's mother fucks men, marries them, and kills them for a living, he bit his tongue, and it took every ounce of self-control to stop himself from snapping at his friend. Draco felt unnerved. His blood felt hot. This was why she hadn't written back to him over the summer. He was such an idiot. Merlin, for fuck's sake, he had just promised himself he would leave the poor girl alone. That he would forget about her.
"I think it would be nice if we did something for her. I can't imagine what that must've been like," the tall girl said empathetically. Crabbe and Goyle nodded their heads in agreement.
"Seriously?" Pansy glared at Vincent and Gregory.
"She helps us with homework," Crabbe shrugged.
"She charges you for your homework. All people like Saintday care about is money," Pansy combed down the sides of her hair in an attempt to compose herself and appear more sophisticated.
"What do you think, Draco?"
The Slytherin suddenly felt all eyes on him. He swore he could hear his heartbeat drumming at his eardrums.
"I don't care," He scoffed, feigning discontent tossing the half-eaten apple on his plate and shoving it forward.
"Seems like you do," Blaise tested. His dark eyes fixed on his friend pushing him. He had seen them interact with her a handful of times. Hell, everyone saw them dancing and leaving the Yule Ball together last year. Pansy panicked and looked at Draco expectantly. "Just saying, you two seemed close last year," Zabini continued to press.
Suddenly Draco regretted biting his tongue only moments earlier.
"Last year, Saintday spiked the Yule Ball's punch with a love potion. Everybody knows that. It's not our fault she couldn't find a date," Pansy avoided Crabbe's eyes as she continued pressing. It seemed like she was trying to validate Draco's actions to her content. "I mean, she even made up that rumor that she was going with Diggory and then with you."
Malfoy sighed heavily and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Frankly, I've got better things to do. See you dull lot later."
"Was it something I said?" Pansy looked at her friends, confused as her boyfriend walked out of the Great Hall.
"Sorry I'm late," Elowen said as she arrived and tossed her bag over to the other chair. "Very, very late," she sucked on the inside of her cheek.
"I told them, Harry!" She didn't even allow him to get a word in. "You were right. It was the best thing to do."
"And?" He asked. He seemed stressed or uneasy. Nel couldn't tell. "They… didn't say anything," she shrugged, putting on a brave face. "But what matters is that I did it."
"Sorry, we're at Madam Puddifoot's," Harry apologized, his ears turning pink. "I would've chosen the Three Broomsticks, but I know you're banned."
Nel looked at her surroundings. Everything was very pink with tones of lavender. The walls were decorated with flowers and dozens of tiny hearts. The majority of the clothed tables were set up with two seats only, and several older couples were sitting together.
When a hand came down on Harry's shoulder.
"Harry? Nel What a surprise," Professor Lupin greeted them.
Everyone that had been at 12 Grimmauld this summer had been warned to pretend to be a perfect stranger in public. Lupin, however, had been their teacher. He seemed to be either on a date with Nymphadora Tonks or recruiting members for the Order, probably both. They greeted the adults and had a brief conversation. Nothing too suspicious.
"Harry, you dog," Professor Lupin flashed him a proud wink before walking out. Did he… Oh, Lupin thought they were on a date. That's why Harry seemed so flustered.
Nel let out a huff, her and Harry? On a date? Please.
Harry obviously had a type. He had a thing for sporty, athletic girls, something Elowen wasn't very adept at or even enjoyed. Meanwhile, she clearly had a thing for arseholes, something… Harry was beginning to act like.
"We can go somewhere else if you'd like," She gave him an out.
"No, no, it's fine," Harry adjusted his round glasses. "We were originally meeting at the Hog's Head Inn, but everyone left already. Ron and Hermione were here with me waiting, but they had to leave and take care of their' prefect duties,'" He said with some resentment at the word perfect.
"Hm," Nel hummed, resting her chin on her propped hands. "So, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"You see," Harry began to feel the edges of the paper menu he was holding. "Umbridge isn't teaching us, and you believe me when I say Voldemort is back, right?" He needed to make sure.
"Yes," She nodded. "I've told you before, Harry."
"So a group of us have decided to get together after class and practice our lessons. I mean, learn actual Defense Against the Dark Arts with magic. Now more than ever, we're at risk. You know what's out there."
The Slytherin nodded in understanding. "It's risky, and we'd be breaking several school rules-"
"Ha!" She couldn't help but let out a laugh. "If it'll drive Umbridge up the wall, count me in," She crossed her arms. Harry paused for a moment, "However, there is a problem."
"What is it?"
"To begin with, we don't know where to meet, and then- well," Harry wasn't sure how to say it. "I vouched for you and insisted on having you join us, but- several other members… Erm- they don't trust you."
She looked at him with sad eyes, "It's nothing personal. It's because you're a Slytherin."
"Well, I can't change that, can I?" She slapped her hand against the table, suddenly wanting to leave the tea shop and go throw herself off a cliff.
"No," Harry smiled at her, "But you can prove them wrong."
She smiled back at him weakly. He stood up, holding the menu in his hands, "I'm going to order. What would you like?"
Nel excitedly decided on a lemon lavender tea cake, and they would both share a pot of earl gray tea. The Slytherin was distracted writing on a piece of parchment any spell she could remember, which could be helpful for this class. She thought of her Patronus. However, she hadn't attempted it since last year, ultimately giving up on producing a corporal being of light.
Harry returned and took a seat. "That was fast," She muttered, looking up with a smile, eager to sink her sweet tooth into the tea cake.
Her smile quickly fell. Instead of Harry, Draco was sitting across from her.
"Really, Saintday? Potter?" He spat his name out as if it were a disease and he might catch it. He looked like he was out of breath.
She wanted to clarify that she and Harry were just friends, that it was never going to happen, she wanted to scoff at him and laugh at his jealousy, but she chose to remain mute. It wasn't his business, or anyone's who she was or wasn't dating. Besides, a part of her enjoyed torturing him. Well-deserved for being an arse.
"What do you care? You've got your precious Pansy," She rolled her eyes sarcastically. Irritated by the Slytherin's unwelcome presence.
"Is it true?" He immediately demanded to know if what Millicent Bulstrode had said earlier wasn't just some stupid rumor the girl had started.
What the hell was keeping Harry so busy? Looking over her shoulder, Elowen caught him goo goo-ga gaing at Cho, who also happened to be in the teashop. Great.
She turned back to Malfoy and glared with repulsion.
"Nel," He tried to reach for her hand from across the table, his voice softer gentler, pleading her to listen. She brought her hand back to her person and stared down at the freshly carved lesson on her skin' Actions have consequences.'
"Why didn't you say anything?" He continued to speak in a hushed tone. "I could've helped you; I could've done something. My family…" She had stopped listening to anything he said about her situation, especially his twisted family.
Boy, guess news does travel fast at Hogwarts.
Despite her stoic eyes and the tense look of her jaw, Nel looked like a wounded animal. It wasn't enough for the entire school to know that she was a nameless, penniless nobody from the streets. Of course, Draco had to come and make a charity case out of her situation.
"Why would you want to help me?" She shook her head, seeing through his bullshit.
"Why would you come to Hogsmeade with him?!" He exclaimed loudly, pointing at Harry, who remained oblivious to the interaction.
"Hm, let's see," she feigned a thoughtfulness to her voice. "Last time a boy invited me to Hogsmeade with him, said boy made fun of me with his friends and made me so angry I blew up half a restaurant. I guessed it couldn't go any worse than that," she huffed in distaste at the sour memory.
"Sounds like a git," Draco responded with a half-smile trying to make the best of the unpleasant memory. She didn't return the smile. "You called me a 'mutt' only a few weeks ago. Don't walk in here and pretend like you care about me."
"I wrote to you all summer," he said a little louder.
He hadn't meant to call her a mutt or anything like that, but it was in the spur of the moment. Harry had spoken cruelly to Pansy. What was he supposed to do stand and take it? And from Potter?
"I don't care!" She raised her voice at him. It was too late for him. "Not anymore! Not when you call me names and fight my friends!" People around them started to look their way which made Draco sink into his seat.
It didn't matter to her how much he claimed to fancy or care about her. It didn't matter how many good deeds he did behind her back.
What he had with Pansy- walking hand in hand on the hallways, visiting each other's homes over the holiday, having posh dinners together, it nauseated her because they would never be able to have that. It wasn't possible, and it would never be, not unless something changed.
Not unless he started treating her as his equal.
"Nel, I wrote to you all summer," he pressed in his persuasion, hoping to meet her eyes. "After the way, things ended last year," he swallowed the nervous knot that had begun to form on his throat. "I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to see you. I needed to when I didn't hear back from you. I thought you wanted nothing to do with me, so I moved on."
"You're not even listening to me," She scowled at his disrespect. "Also- that wasn't much of a wait, was it?" How long could it have been? "A week? Maybe two?" She glared at him begrudgingly. Couldn't he have waited a month to see her then snog Parkinson?
"You expected me to wait at your beck and call like a saint?" Draco chuckled dryly in disbelief. That would've been unrealistic. "Clearly, you didn't," He shot daggers at the back of Harry's messy head.
She heard a loud voice behind her and knew Harry was approaching the two, judging by the sound of hurried footsteps.
"Actions have consequences Draco," She warned in a chilling tone. "I'm not going to put up with you anymore. Grow up and stop acting like a brat! We're not twelve anymore. Merlin," She finished and caught her breath. Her heart was hammering in her chest, hands were shaking underneath the table.
"Malfoy," Harry seethed, glaring at the Slytherin with hatred, "What do you want?" He dropped the tea tray and pastries on the table, making the porcelain clatter loudly, and all the eyes of the tea shop turn to look at them. The tea cakes that once sounded so appealing now looked to Elowen like dried sponges. Harry looked at his friend's livid expression and then back at the blond.
Harry didn't need an excuse to fight Malfoy; he had been wanting to sock the git in the face since the beginning of the school year. This just happened to be the drop that spilled the glass.
"What did you say, you foul git?"
Draco stood up, shrugged coolly, and readjusted his black designer jacket and cashmere wool sweater.
"You two nutters are perfect for each other," He huffed with bitter resentment as he began to walk away. "Oh, and Potter," he stopped for a moment, a nasty smile stretching across his pale features. "Just know that- when you kiss her, she'll be thinking of me."
Harry moved so fast Draco didn't have time to flinch. He landed a punch on Malfoy's mouth, tearing at his bottom lip. Malfoy fought back, pulling at Harry's sweater, and he stumbled backward on the tea table-flipping over the tea tray and cakes. The porcelain loudly crashed on the floor, spilling hot tea everywhere as the two teens struggled against each other's hits and kicks. "Stop it!" Nel shouted. Cho stepped in with her friend to help pull the two boys apart.
"You couldn't let me have one good thing, could you?" Nel said resentfully, arms crossed over her wet chest as she sat soaking from the tea waiting for Dumbledore in his office.
"Thanks to you, I'm now not only banned from the Three Broomsticks but from Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop too. I wonder what will be next Zonko's? Honeydukes?" Nel stood up and walked over to the fireplace in hopes of drying herself. "It's a miracle the town hasn't put a trespassing order on my name. Thank you for that Draco," She looked at him ugly.
He returned the displeased look, his lower lip swollen and bleeding from Harry's hit.
"My father will be hearing all about this."
Harry was about to respond with a snarky remark when Snape returned to the room. "Delinquent Potter, numskull Malfoy and of course Ms. Saintday," Snape gave her a disapproving look, "Why am I not surprised?"
"Seeing as the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall are out on business, it resides on the school's High Inquisitor to determine your punishment."
Oh fuck.
A moment later, Professor Umbridge entered the office. She had a large smile stretched across her round features and stood prim and proper wearing 5 different tones of pink that made Nel want to vomit. One of them even matched the snake bite on her face.
Snape's black eyes zeroed in on his students. "You two are an embarrassment to my House and to the Slytherin name!"
The students tried to explain to Umbridge what had happened, but she wouldn't listen. She claimed she had already heard it all from Professor Snape.
"Mr. Malfoy," She began. "Seeing as you were provoked and happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, you will not be stripped of your title as prefect. You may go now, have Madame Pomfrey take care of you," She finished with a girlish giggle. Was she… flirting with him? Disgusting.
God, this was such bullshit. Harry was a time bomb ready to explode at any moment. Nel was biting her tongue. Her eyes were about to gouge from her head out of rage. None of this would've happened if it weren't for Malfoy.
"Ms. Saintday," Umbridge began, "A bit of modesty would suit you," She said shamefully, eyes raking down her body disapprovingly.
She stood up and exited the room. She knew if she stayed, she would lose her cool. Nel needed to distract herself. She needed to go down to the library and continue researching the origins of magic and how Necromancy worked. That or to begin planning a way to get Umbridge the fuck out of this school.
But how did one do that?
She pulled out a cigarette and lit it, disregarding the Head of her House, and Umbridge were literally behind the door that was in front of her. She needed to calm down before she broke something. It was best to wait for Harry.
It wasn't fucking fair. She wished McGonagall were here or even Dumbledore.
The smoke immediately relaxed and filled her with a faux sense of calm. She took another long drag when she saw Draco stepping out of the office. Merlin, she didn't even want to look at him. She turned away, claiming her space. After all, she had been standing here first.
"I'm sorry, Nel."
She froze. Never had she ever heard Draco apologize to anyone, much less to her. She honestly thought his ego and pride were so swollen he wasn't capable of apologizing.
She finally looked at him. His hair was unusually messy from the fight, his hands were in his pockets, his sweater was ruined, and he seemed genuinely apologetic.
She looked at him with disbelief, cigarette loosely hanging from her lips. Nel leaned against the wall and watched him with suspicion.
"I owe you an apology," He scratched the tip of his nose.
"For what?"
"For everything," He walked towards her, taking slow, confident strides. "I've been a real git."
He got closer to her. She dropped her cigarette to her side, not daring to break eye contact, afraid of what he might do if she blinked. She breathed the last cloud of smoke to his face hoping he would take a step back, but he didn't. Suddenly, she couldn't find the words to tell him to stay away. She wanted to hear him apologize.
"I won't be unpleasant anymore, I promise."
If that's what she wanted to call it. She fought the urge to roll her eyes at him. She wanted to believe him. She really did, but the odds weren't in his favor, and actions always speak louder than words.
"I'll believe it when I see it."
He leaned forward, hoping to close the gap between them but was stopped by a barrier.
Her wand.
She raised her wand and pointed at his face. He noticed how the edge of her lips turned up just slightly, just enough to show a small smile.
"Episkey," She cast, healing his swollen, bloody lip.
He smiled back at her, revealing his perfect teeth and healed lips. She stepped away from him.
"Don't for one second think I care about you, Malfoy. I don't want to see you try and get any more attention," she laughed.
It's true. He could be such a peacock somethings. Especially when wounded. She would probably never forget what a diva he acted like when Buckbeak attacked him a couple of years ago and his stupid claims of seeing his life flash before his eyes.
"Nel, there is one thing I won't apologize for."
She gave him a disregarding look before focusing on reaching for another cigarette. Feeling hands on her face, she turned surprised and met his lips. And let me tell you, they felt better than a cigarette...
She almost allowed herself to give in to the breathlessness-
"Draco, what the fuck!" She pushed him away, angry. Her face felt like it was burning.
He clearly had no shame. He wore a coy smile on his mouth. Pleased by her reaction. Getting a rise out of her was one of his favorite past times. He loved seeing her raw emotions, how her skin would flare up in tints of red and would reveal itself in vulnerable patches she tried so hard to hide.
"You're with Pansy!" She spat, wiping her lips with the back of her hand. She wasn't about to be that girl. God, Draco could really be such an arse sometimes.
"You're with Potter!" He rebutted.
She wasn't! She really wasn't, but she didn't want to correct him. She liked seeing him so angry at such a petty thought. She would never publicly admitted, but she enjoyed seeing the usually composed Slytherin lose his cool. At the same time, she felt insecurity begin to prick at her. Is that why he made a move on her? Just because he thought she was dating Harry?
"Stay away from him, Nel. Things are about to get really ugly, and the further away you are from him, the better."
Was he referring to You-Know-Who's return?
"Funny," She let out a sharp breath. "He could say the same about you."
Both were in the middle of an intense starring context, thinking about what to say next to one-up the other when the door opened, and Harry finally stepped out. Draco ducked and immediately left the corridor, going down the stairs.
Harry was livid. He was red in the face and looked like a volcano ready to explode and insisted he didn't want to talk about it and attempted to leave, but Nel stopped him. He ended up getting banned from the Gryffindor Quidditch team and from going to Hogsmeade for the rest of the year.