Chapter 10- Exploding Snap and Ink
The rest of the day passed uneventfully, which Annie was grateful for. She'd got homework in all her subjects which was to be expected in 7th year, but apparently all the others thought this was completely unfair on the first day back at school. Niamh had managed to set fire to all the charms books simultaneously which had caused a good amount of disruption and hilarity, but Professor Banks didn't seem to flustered as she dutifully put out the fires, Annie understood it had become a regularity with Niamh in charms.
She had enjoyed Herbology greatly, and due to completing her task early of clipping the unwell leaves off of her Venomous Tentacula she had ended up chatting to Neville in her spare time at the end of the lesson, whilst Dom looked shot her evils as she was still struggling to fend of her Tentacula's vines.
They were all now sat in the common room, their homework spread out on the tables and floor around them, as they sprawled on the sofas and chairs, nursing their overfull stomachs after another gorgeous dinner. Since Fred had been put as her partner in Defense he had not so much even looked at her, which Annie didn't take as a good omen for their duelling project. She had decided to get on with her work as she still had dance practice and fitness to do later that evening, she wanted to be at peak health for her quidditch tryouts and dance exam, and although the latter was far away, Pierre was flooing over to England in a month to begin their practices.
Fin and Alice were also dutifully getting on with work, but the others appeared to be in no rush and had instead started a game of exploding snap.
The evening wore on as Annie battle with her homework, finally completing it all by 9pm, and rushed up the stairs to change into her workout gear. She bumped into Lou in the dormitory who studiously ignored her whilst reading Witch Weekly. After having changed and dumped all her work on her bed she rushed back down to the common room. The others had given up their game of exploding snap and were now working after Niamh had managed to explode the tower most dramatically and singed Charlie's eyebrows. Fin and Alice were providing help to the to people that were struggling as they had finished their work around the same time as Annie.
"You done already Annie?" Niamh asked, looking up from her Transfiguration homework, ink smudged across her cheek from where she had apparently rested her head on her paper when her work had become taxing.
"Yeah, I'm off to go train, I shouldn't be too long." Annie called over her shoulder as she walked towards the portrait hole.
Niamh gave a knowing nod in her direction and went back to her work, Annie's exit going unnoticed by the others.
Annie jogged down the corridor until she came to the tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy teaching Trolls how to dance, and focusing hard on her training room, opened the door that had appeared in front of her. She quickly put on 'Fighter' by Christina Aguilera, a personal favourite when she wanted to push herself and get rid of unwanted emotion, and began to dance.
Dom finished her work first after Annie had left, and the others swiftly followed, until they were all lying on the sofa in front of the fire, chatting about the upcoming Quidditch Trials at the end of the week.
Charlie was sat next to Niamh quizzing her on Annie's quidditch ability, and Dom, expecting to see Annie not too far away blushing ridiculously, realised that Annie was nowhere to be seen.
"Niamh where's Annie?' Dom asked abruptly, interrupting their conversation.
"Training" Niamh replied, before returning to her chat with Charlie.
"But training for what?" Dom persisted, "She's not on the Quidditch team yet and even if she was there's no training to go to, look Fred's still here, if there was any training at all possible for him to do I'm sure he would already have started it, so would James, them both being Quidditch nuts."
"She's just… training, as I said" Niamh replied defensively, a sure sign she was hiding something Dom noted.
The others had started to pay attention now and were looking on curiously.
Dom opened her mouth to continue with her questioning, but just as she was about to start on her tirade, Annie bounded through the portrait hole, in fitness gear and looking sweaty.
"Where HAVE you been?" Dom rounded on Annie as she entered, a surprised look on her face as the portrait hole closed shut behind her, at the ferocity of Dom's question.
"Training" Annie replied casually, as she moved over to the group.
James, Charlie, Fin and Alice were looking at her with curiosity, Fred, stubbornly avoiding her eye contact as usual, Niamh was giving her an apologetic glance, and Dom was staring with a determined glare.
Annie nodded to Niamh surreptitiously, subtly asking whether Niamh had told them, Niamh shook her head minutely and Annie relaxed. She wasn't sure why she didn't want the others to know just yet, but she didn't know what they would say, or what they would think. She was sure it wouldn't be bad, but dancing felt like part of her life in France that she still solely kept as her own, the others probably wouldn't understand.
"Yes but training for what?" Dom persisted, cutting into Annie's thoughts.
"Just general training, I like to keep my fitness up." Annie lied back calmly, but feeling the warmth flooding to her cheeks, she hoped that none of them would notice.
"God you're dedicated" Dom replied, turning away and picking back up her magazine, apparently satisfied with her answer.
"Ok so interrogation over? I'm going to have a shower then go to bed, Night everyone." Annie said as she turned away and headed up the stairs towards the Girls dormitory's. Everyone called "Goodnight" after her and then returned to their previous conversations, everyone apart from one, whose chocolate eyes instead watched Annie's retreating back, as she made her way up the staircase, his gaze full or curiosity, laced with resentment.