C#5

I enter the common room and everyone is still celebrating Gryffindor's victory. Why can't I be happy like them? Why can't I have a life without problems? Why does this have to happen to me?

I still remember how amazing it felt when I received Riven's letter on Christmas. It was the best Christmas present someone could have given me. But it's over now. I can't go back. I want to go back. But I can't.

I walk into my dormitory and notice Elinor sitting on my bed. She looks at me and smirks.

"Enjoyed detention, I hope?" she asks. I'm so mentally and emotionally exhausted that I don't even feel angry anymore so I ignore her. I'm still going over what I said to Riven.

'Stay away from me' rings in my ears and his face flashes across my eyes. His face that didn't know what expression to show, that didn't know how to react.

"Would you mind? I need to sleep." I say to Elinor who gets up while giving me a look.

"So you were slipping Riven that love potion eh?" she asks, the malice in her voice so unnervingly clear. "Who would have thought? Miss Molly Weasley, so innocent, so good. Teacher's pet and blah blah."

I let her words pass from one ear and out the other. I couldn't give a rat's ass about what she has to say.

She notices that her taunts are having no effect on me so she rolls her eyes and leaves the common room.

I look at my bedside table and notice a stack of books that wasn't there this morning. There's a folded piece of parchment next to the books. I reach for it and opening it, I look at the familiar writing that fills the small piece of parchment.

Here are the notes of the classes you missed the other day. Give them to me once you're done copying them. If you don't understand anything just ask me. Oh, and we have to submit a two-foot long essay on the Truth serum for Potions by Tuesday.

Riven.

I collapse on my bed, shoes, robes and all. I don't know the last time I felt this pathetic. I feel so terrible I want to cry. And I try too. But the tears won't come out, which is even worse. I need to tell someone. But who?

I can't burden someone else with my problems.

There's this tight feeling in my chest, making me feel like I'm going to explode. I need to cry. Molly, please, for heaven's sake, cry. But no matter how much I force myself, my eyes remain dry.

Finally, I don't know when, my eyes close and I fall asleep.

Too much brightness. I blink, looking around. The dormitory is bathed in muted sunlight. I sit up slowly, noticing that all the other beds are empty. How long did I sleep for?

Suddenly, the events of the previous evening come flooding back, with full force, into my head, giving me a headache. I don't want to remember any of it. Please make it stop!

SHOWER. NOW.

Quickly, I jump off my bed and grab fresh clothes from my trunk and walk into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I let the bundle of clothes in my hand fall to the floor as I stand in front the washbasin, looking into the mirror that reflects a scrawny, freckled sixteen-year old with tousled brown hair and grey eyes against a pale face. I've never liked what I look like but I'm used to it now.

I close my eyes and take in a deep breath.

"Stay away from me." That's all I can think about.

What I did yesterday, telling him to stay away, wouldn't one describe that as something strong to do? I think it was. But then… why do I feel so weak?

I take a quick shower and then head downstairs for breakfast. When I reach the Great Hall, people have already begun to leave for Hogsmeade. I sit down at the Gryffindor table, alone. It's now that I begin to realize that it was rather nice, having Riven sit next to me at meals. I took it all for granted.

It's not until I'm halfway through my eggs and bacon that I notice Elinor sitting some distance away from me, animatedly talking to Jane and Annabeth, while smirking and pointing at me.

Ignore them, I tell myself.

Of course, in a matter of minutes, the three of them make their way towards me.

"Hi, Molly." says Elinor in her false, sugary voice.

"Look, Elinor, I'd really appreciate it if you'd leave me alone." I say rather curtly and she immediately looks taken aback, as do Jane and Annabeth, by my change of way of speaking.

I take advantage of the silence and get up, leaving my breakfast half-eaten and leave the Great Hall. Is this how it's going to be from now on? Am I going to get bullied? Frankly, that does not bother me. I can handle bullies.

I'm walking without looking where I'm going and I bump into someone.

"I'm sorry-" I say quickly, looking up, just to have the color drained out of my face. Standing before me are Riven and Callum Lewis, who I bumped into. Riven looks at me with a blank expression.

"No, I'm sorry, I wasn't looking-" Callum begins, but his voice is drowned in Elinor's.

"Riven!" she squeals, running up to him and latching onto his arm and he smiles at her.

"Let's go." she says, tugging at his arm. It is then that I'm reminded that they had a date fixed for today. Wait. Is he really going to go with her? Even after he knows what a bitch she was to me?

And then I remind myself that I have no right to think like that. I told him to stay away.

"Yeah, come on." he smiles and waves goodbye to Callum, ignoring me.

I stand there for a couple of seconds, my mind blank.

"Molly, right?" says Callum. I look up at him and it's the first time I properly notice the other boy who's been standing here this entire time. I nod in reply.

"I'm Callum. Callum Lewis" he smiles.

"I know." I smile back. Fake smile, duh.

"You going to Hogsmeade?" he asks.

"Well, I don't have anything else to do. So, yeah, I think I'll go." I reply, not wanting to do my Potions essay just yet.

"Oh, then, if you don't mind- want to go together?" he asks and I look at him. "It's okay if you don't want to." he smiles, when I don't reply.

"Oh, no, no. I was just- well, okay. Let's go." I say. There's nothing wrong in going with him, is there?

The walk to Hogsmeade is quiet without being awkward. I'm socially awkward, so I don't generally feel too comfortable around new people but right now, I'm not feeling uncomfortable at all. Once we reach, we go to the Three Broomsticks. The pub is pretty full today. Maybe because the weather is a bit better than it usually is. My eyes search the pub for the ash-blonde haired and grey eyed boy, but he isn't here. Of course Elinor would have dragged him off to Pudifoot's.

"What will you have?" Callum asks me, once we sit down.

"Um… a Butterbeer I guess." I reply. The barmaid come to our table and asks for our orders.

"Two Butterbeers please." says Callum.

As the barmaid drifts off to another table, he turns to me.

"Riven and you are good friends I see." he says.

"What makes you say that?" I ask, slightly surprised at the suddenness of the question.

"Nothing, just that I've seen you two together a lot this past month." he replies simply.

"Oh…" I say, looking away. "Well, we're not good friends. Not now at least." This is not the conversation I want to have with someone I've just met. Especially when said someone seems nice.

Callum looks at me but says nothing. The barmaid brings over a tray laden with tankards of Butterbeer, sets two of them down on our table and leaves.

"Molly, what do you say to you and I becoming friends?" Callum asks. I stare at him.

"Why?" I ask and he chuckles. He really does look nice. His bright blue eyes set against his raven coloured hair have an almost angelic feel to them. His voice is deep and if I might add, very sexy. He's tall, though not very muscular, but I've never really had a thing for muscular guys anyway.

"Why not?" he grins, revealing several pearly white teeth.

"Because I hardly know you." I answer honestly.

"That's kind of the point of befriending someone. You get to know the person better." he replies, still grinning.

"Touché." I smile, in spite of myself. "Okay then."

"Great. So, as you know, I'm Callum Lewis, but most people just call me Cal. I'm in my seventh year at Hogwarts and I want to become a broomstick designer. I'm an above average student when it comes to academics and I'm Captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. I'm halfblood- my Mum's pureblood and Dad's halfblood." he says rather quickly.

"What was that?" I ask, bewildered.

"Just telling you a bit about myself." he answers.

My lips curl into a smile. This boy is unlike any other I have ever met. He's funny in an odd sort of way. But I've just met him, so I can't formulate an opinion so soon.

"You'd want me to tell you about myself too, wouldn't you?" I say and he shakes his head.

"Not unless you want to. You seem kind of reserved, so that's okay." he responds.

Wow. Is it that easy to tell that I'm reserved? I look at him as he sips his Butterbeer and there's a certain childlike innocence in him, even though he otherwise looks very mature.

I breathe in. "I'm Molly Weasley, sixth year Gryffindor prefect. I'm pureblood. Um… I like reading and I plan on becoming a healer. I have a younger sister. What else?" I finish.

"Oh, I have a younger sibling too! A brother- Damion. What year is your sister in?"

"Lucy starts at Hogwarts next year."

"Oh, so- six years? My brother and I are five years apart. He's in second year. Slytherin though."

"Slytherin? Really?" I ask, my eyebrows raised. I don't know why but I've always liked Slytherin house. I remember wanting to be in Slytherin at one point in time. But dad doesn't know that.

"Yeah, my mum was in Slytherin. Tracey Davis. And dad was in Gryffindor. Ethan Lewis."

"Cool." I say and he laughs.

"Do you want your sister to be in Gryffindor too?" he asks.

"I do, actually. I can't see her being in any other house. Not Ravenclaw because she hasn't inherited my mother's brains. I was surprised I wasn't sorted into Ravenclaw myself. I was a hatstall between Ravenclaw and Gryffindor."

"Oh yes, I remember." Callum says and I'm not surprised that he does remember. "That was the one that crossed the nine-minute record."

"Yup." I reply, recollecting how the entire Great Hall stared at a nervous me who still had the silent Sorting Hat on my head for the longest time I had known and how Riven kept mouthing 'It's okay' to me for the entire time that I sat on the three-legged stool.

Don't think about him, I tell myself.

"Anyway, getting back- she definitely won't be in Hufflepuff because she isn't hardworking nor is she patient. Slytherin… well, she does have a good chance there."

"How so?" Callum asks slightly surprised.

"She's really determined for one. Very cunning when she needs to be and she has good leadership qualities too. Actually, now that I think about it, she might just end up there."

"And your parents would be okay with that?"

I look at Callum and I can understand why he's asking. Some people still think that Slytherin is a nasty house to be sorted into. But I don't think that. I love the qualities Slytherin stands for- traditionalism, resourcefulness, ambition, leadership, determination, intelligence and very importantly, self-preservation. Which is one of the main reasons why I don't like Gryffindor. Sure, it's nice to be brave and chivalrous, but sometimes you need to know when to turn away from something that will harm you, in order to protect yourself. Even if it may seem cowardly. There are times when I find unnecessary bravery terribly stupid. But that's just me.

"I don't know. Mum would. Dad- not so sure." I answer with slight hesitation.

"Why not?"

"Because he's Percy Weasley. Weasley. When Victoire- you know Vic, right?" I ask and he nods.

"Yeah, so when Victoire was sorted into Ravenclaw, you should have seen the family. It's not like they minded exactly, but it's always been Gryffindor for my family and this was something different. And if it was like that with Ravenclaw, I think you get how it'll be with Slytherin." I say, shrugging.

"I think Slytherin's a pretty good house." he says, slightly defensively.

"I think so too. Chill out." I smile and he smiles back.

"I just thought-"

"That I'd think like my family." I finish for him.

"Yeah."

"It's only natural. But I differ with my family on a lot of things and this is one of them." I say. I don't know why I'm telling him all this, given that I've just met him but he's easy to talk to. And he seems like a nice guy.

After that we begin to talk about Quidditch and how I think it's rather overrated and how he disagrees. The talk then shifts to our plans after school and he asks me why I want to become a Healer.

"I don't know, really. It's not because I'm interested in social service or anything. Its just that- I've never really thought of anything else. Ever since we were small, Vic and I have wanted to become Healers. I mean, I'd definitely not want to work at the Ministry." I answer. I hate politics. I know that's a child's answer, but I don't want to have a controversial work line.

"Yeah, me neither." Callum chuckles.

"So, broomstick designer eh?" I grin and he tells me all about it.

It's nearly an hour later that we leave the Three Broomsticks, having paid for our drinks. Time sure flies by fast.

"What are you going to do now?" Callum asks me.

"I'll go back, I guess." I say, looking at the castle in the distance. "You?"

"I think I will too." he replies, looking up. "Ah, it's snowing."

I look up too. Thank heavens it isn't windy today. I love it when it snows without the wind. It's beautiful.

The snow continues to fall as we make our way up to the castle.

"I'll be going to the pitch." says Callum as we enter the Entrance Hall.

"Oh, okay. I'm going upstairs." I reply.

"Thanks for the company." he smiles and I smile back.

"Thank you. I had a nice time" I say and am almost turning around, when-

"Molly."

"Yes?" I say, turning back to face him. He looks at me for a couple of seconds and I feel like he wants to say something, but…

"Nothing." he says, smiling again and walks off. I wait in silence for a couple of seconds as my eyes follow him till he turns right and is out of view.

What did he want to say?

I shake the thought from my head and make my way to the Gryffindor common room.

"Oculus Draconis" I recite and the portrait of the Fat Lady swings forward, allowing me to walk into the common room that's empty except for a few first years. I go up to my dormitory, extract my Potions book, some parchment, a quill and a bottle of ink from my bag and make my way back downstairs. I lay my things on a table, pull up a chair and begin to work on my essay. I finish the first page when the portrait swings forward again, admitting Riven inside. I look up and we make eye contact and I feel my throat going dry.

He looks at me for a moment, before looking away and going up the boys' staircase.

I look back at my essay and tear falls on the parchment, smudging the ink.

Don't cry. Don't. You had the time to cry yesterday but you didn't. So don't you dare cry now, Molly. Please be strong. Please stick to the decision you've taken. Please don't become weak.

But it's no use. I gather my things and before the first years can realize that their Prefect is an emotional wreck, I dart up the stairs, enter my dorm, dump my things on my bedside table and throw myself on the bed, screaming into my pillow.

Thank you for reading! :) Please review.