Rose and I walked out of the library heading for class, catching up on everything we had missed over the past three months. We were talking so fast that no one could follow our conversation. We were almost to our next class when I was knocked over by my brother.
"Walk away," Rose said getting in between us.
"Well well, looks as if the little lion cub has gotten a friend again," Harry drawled.
"Shut up Harry," I said loudly. I got up to my feet, and nudged Rose forward.
We drew close to the door.
"Where's my homework?" Harry, whispered in my ear.
"Nowhere," I spat at him, "It's over, you're not gonna get to me again."
"Just wait until break my dear, darling, sister," Harry said, before walking into the classroom.
"Rose?" I asked as we walked into the classroom.
"Yeah, Iz?"
"Please tell me you have extra room over break," I said hopefully.
"I'll ask Iz. My family loves you anyway so it shouldn't be a problem," she said.
"Thank Merlin," I responded, relieved. We walked into transfiguration, taking a seat up at the front of the classroom. I looked back, waving a greeting to Albus, who in turn gave me one of the weirdest looks he'd ever given me. I decided to smile at him and turn back around, leaving him confused.
"Albus is so confused," I tell Rose, giggling.
Just as I told this to Rose, Headmistress McGonagall started class. We were beginning our review, starting with everything we had learned during the first month of classes. Rose and I finished our assignment within minutes and settled in talking to each other.
"So what happened?" Rose asked in a hushed tone.
"What happens when I'm alone Rose?" I ask quietly, leaning back and looking down.
"How are you hurt?"
"Mentally or emotionally?"
"Both I guess," she chuckles out, looking me up and down again, "You have charms covering up your appearance right now, don't you?"
I rub the back of my neck, letting out a whisper, "Yeah."
"Take them off when we get back to the room, okay?" Rose requested of me, "I should have been there for you, but I wasn't. I'm here now though, and I'm going to do everything I can."
"Um, yeah sure," I say, giving her a small smile.
"This is not social hour, ," Headmistress McGonagall said curtly, "Now may I please see your homework and parchment from today's assignment, Ms. Gregory? You too Ms. Weasley."
We each pulled a roll of parchment out of our book bags, and showed her the parchment on the table. We kept silent, trying not to giggle about being called out.
"Some of your best work Ms. Weasley," she began, "And as for you Ms. Gregory, I haven't seen work like this from you in a few months. I'm pleased to have this caliber of work from you again. Seeing as you two are done with your assignment, I shall permit you to talk. Carry on."
Rose and I return to our conversation, talking for the rest of the class about how we were without each other which was, in short, that we were both miserable. We talked all of class, probably confusing Albus to no end as he tried to focus, and when the headmistress permitted us to leave we did. We were about to keep walking when we realized Albus was still in there, so we sat against the wall outside like we had three months ago.
"I'm so tired," I said to Rose, leaning my head on her shoulder.
"How much sleep have you been getting?" she responded, trying not to move so my head could stay there.
"Not enough," I reply, yawning, "Homework for three people remember?"
"Oh yeah," she said trailing off.
"We can cover for you in History of Magic and Herbology if you want," Rose offered.
"Did you say history of magic? Because I heard naptime," I replied, adding, "I'd rather be with you guys, plus Professor Longbottom would kill me."
"So is it safe to assume Isabella is going to be joining us at our lunch table?" Albus said, approaching us as he walked out of the classroom.
"It's pretty safe to assume," Rose said with a laugh, "Although she might be asleep, by then."
"I would say you were wrong, but you probably aren't" I giggled out, with a shrug. I lifted my head off of her shoulder, and stood up, offering her my hand.
"Well then, it's nice to have you back," Albus said with a smile, carefully eyeing my wrist.
"Off to lunch then?" I ask, helping Rose stand.
"Off to lunch," Rose says, nodding curtley.
We walked to the middle of the tables in the Gryffindor row in the Great Hall. The food appeared on plates in front of us, and I grabbed half of a sandwich, eating it slowly.
"Nice to be graced by your presence again," James said, smiling at me.
"Thanks James," I replied with a smile.
I finished my sandwich faster than all of them finished their meals and I was feeling full already. I decided to put another on my plate to make it look like I had been eating. I laughed and joked around with all of my friends like not a day had passed and it made me feel better than I had in a long time.
"Why aren't you eating?" Albus whispered to me.
"I'm full," I whispered back.
"You barely ate."
"Just let it lie Al."
Albus looked at me with concern in his eyes as I didn't take another bite. He then took my second half off of my plate and ate it himself. I shoved him playfully, and he gave me a look saying that I wasn't going to eat it anyway.
"So what are you three up to later?" James asked, motioning to us.
"Honestly, probably catching up," Rose said to him, getting up from her seat, "Come on Al, Isabella, we have class to get to."
"What class?" James asked, getting up to walk with us.
"History of Magic," Albus groaned out.
"I'm hearing naptime," James said jokingly.
"It will be for Iz," Rose said, laughing.
"Oh shut up," I said, nudging her into Albus.
"Hey!" Albus called out, laughing.
"I gotta head to transfiguration," James said, "Can't be late again, Mum writes a mean howler."
"Sounds like he's gotten one before," I joked, as James took off.
"We better hurry so we don't get one," Albus said, taking off at a jog, with me and Rose at his heels.
"I'll catch up," I said to them, slowing down. The running had been making my legs hurt and my head feel light.
"You okay?" Rose asked me, dropping back to walk with me.
"Just need sleep," I said.
"Okay," Rose said, as we finished the walk to class.
Once we got into class, we saw Albus saving a desk for us, in the back, while one of the Scamander twins saved a seat for him. He had gotten Rose and I a desk with no one behind us, and when he got up, and met my eyes, I mouthed a silent thank you to him. He only nodded, and walked over to his seat, waiting for class to start.
Once Professor Binns start class, I started to fall asleep. Rose told me I could copy her notes, and I passed out. Almost all of the class time had passed, when I felt Rose jabbing me in the side. I sat up slowly, trying to seem inconspicuous, and watched as Professor Binns moved up the steps. I tried to look more awake and alert than I normally would right after waking up.
"Do you have homework for me Ms. Gregory," Professor Binns drawled out, making me feel sleepier all of a sudden.
"Yes, professor," I said, pulling out a roll of parchment. I handed it to him, and let him look it over.
"Thank you Ms. Gregory," he said, in quite a monotone voice, "I expect this caliber of work from you for the rest of the year."
"Yes sir," I responded with a nod.
With that he moved on, collecting homework from everyone else, while we all waited for him to assign us more work. The whole class groaned as Professor Binns assigned twelve inches on Emeric the Evil and the things that he did. It was going to be due in a few days, which meant almost no one was going to do it until the last possible moment. Professor Binns finally excused us, letting us leave onto our next class.
I walked out alongside Rose and Al, heading towards herbology. I was happy that I would get to thank Professor Longbottom in person for bringing me my friends back. I only hoped that I wouldn't pass out before or during his class. I took a breath of the fresh air as we walked out of the corridor and towards the green house. When we walked through the door, I made eye contact with Professor Longbottom, giving him a small smile as he nodded to me in greeting. I nodded back, mouthing a silent thank you and following Rose to the front of one side of the tables where a few other first year Gryffindor students were waiting. As we were waiting for the rest of the class, I pulled out my parchment, looking over the work I had done the night before, trying to make all of my answers were correct and well written.
I looked up after hearing a scuffle at the door, only to see Scorpius sprinting through to a place across from us on the Slytherin side of the tables. He made eye contact with me, giving me a look I hadn't seen before.
"Stay together," Scorpius said quickly, while watching the door, "Harry, well, Harry isn't doing so well." Scorpius rubbed the back of his neck.
"And why should we care about him?" Rose asked curtly.
"Rose, stop," I let out in a hushed voice, "He's not saying we should care, he's giving a warning. Thank you Scorpius. Thanks for helping as much as you can."
Scorpius only nodded, seeing as Harry had just walked into the classroom. Scorpius moved to the back of the class, waving Harry over to him. As Harry passed us he was glaring darts of hatred at us.
"When did you become so close to Malfoy," Albus spat out in a hushed tone.
"Al, he's not that bad," I spat back in a whisper, "He was there for me these past three months, not that you were. And his name is Scorpius."
"What, because you let other people so close to you those three months. People who wanted to help?" Albus asked, sounding hurt.
I got quiet, looking over to Professor Longbottom, hoping for the start of class to come sooner. I didn't know how to explain it to Albus and Rose, Scorpius was my friend, I mean in a way. Yeah he was still mean to me, but he also tried to protect me, at least in a way. He would warn me when he could and attempt to draw Harry's attention away from me.
"Al, you know that's not what Isabella meant," Rose said, scolding Albus.
"Yeah, I know what she meant," Albus replied crossly.
Professor Longbottom began class before Rose or I were able to respond. I knew I would have to fix this, but I wasn't sure how I could. I knew I had left Al without talking to him at the stairs, but I wasn't sure if I could fix it.
The professor had us pass up our rolls of parchment before beginning our class review, beginning with our lessons on bouncing bulbs. I couldn't focus with all of the things running through my mind. Between Harry and Scorpius and then Albus and Rose, everything that had been happening was confusing and took up the majority of my thought process. Luckily, Professor Longbottom was lecturing for the day, and all we had to do was take notes, which, luckily, I could do mindlessly. Once class was dismissed I stood up slowly, grabbing my book bag and slinging it over my shoulder.
"I'm sorry Al," I muttered out, heading for the door with my head down.
I walked out of the the green house, not even bothering to look up. I felt a hand on my shoulder, but I just shrugged it off, making my way to the Gryffindor common room. I didn't know if it was Rose and Al that were following me, but I could only hope they were. I did know that I felt bad for bringing out that side of Al. I got shoved against the wall, and I knew what I was in for.
"Just get it over with Harry," I let out, "Your last chance for a while so you better make it good."
"Why didn't you listen to me?" Scorpius whispered, holding me against the wall.
"What do you mean?" I replied, looking up to realize that Harry wasn't there.
"You're alone, I told you to stick with them. Why are you alone?"
"I don't know, I thought they were with me. I said something stupid, I mean I was defending you, but offended Al in the process. I don't know where they went."
"Just be more careful," Scorpius said, throwing me against the wall, letting me drop to the floor this time, "Now get to your common room before Harry finds you. I'm serious."
I got up slowly, groaning and rubbing the back of my head. I kept making my way to the common room, moving faster than I had been before.