I am no longer homeless! No more sleeping on couches at friends' places, no more living out of my duffel bag, and hopefully more regular updates for the future. So in celebration of moving into my new place, I figured I'd actually get my arse in gear and give you guys an update. This is the longest one yet! Hope you all had a stellar new year!
Reviewers, I really do cherish all of you: maudsfeather, shewritesforher, Zulu, anon, RainBlueWater, FrenchJuliett, mUfF MuNcHeR, StayWithMeForTheKids, BlindAsWell, ceyaro, Kaleigh Choi, The Flock's Bud, glukupikron, and youngpup – thank you for taking the time to review. I'm always interested in your thoughts.
(Zulu, I get what you're saying about Emily as beater, but just think of her slamming Cook against the lockers, she's a tough one that Emily.)
(Kaleigh Choi, I feel like if I didn't use curse words it wouldn't be believable in the context of skins, I mean Cook alone wouldn't be able to speak hah, but I understand your reasoning with how Jo wrote the HP books. Also, I've got a lot of plans for this story, so keep reading and you may eventually see some of your wishes come to fruition. I'm glad you're enjoying it!)
Also my other fic, Learning Curve – I'll try and have that updated sometime within the next week.
Emily's perspective. As always, please do let me know what you think! And thanks for reading.
I do not own Skins or Harry Potter, or anything else quite so magical.
Chapter XII:
..
..
"Hi JJ," Emily smiled as the messy haired boy approached.
"Hello Emily," he returned the pleasantry.
"Excited we're finally getting a go at Hogsmeade?"
"Very much so, though statistically speaking this is the same amount of time between the beginning of the term and a Hogsmeade visit as every other year so far, seeing as it is once again Halloween tomorrow."
"Right," Emily nodded. "Just feels longer I guess."
JJ nodded, "Where's Katie?"
"Late," Emily rolled her eyes. "Fashionably as usual." She looked round, "Where's Freddie?"
"Late," JJ shrugged, apparently that seemed to be a regular occurrence as he continued to smile. Emily liked the fact that he and Freddie, albeit a somewhat leafy Hufflepuff, were friends. Freddie seemed to look after JJ, which was what she liked; he deserved someone to have his back.
"Want to come to the Three Broomsticks and get a butterbeer with Katie and I?"
There was a scoff behind Emily, announcing Katie's arrival.
"Umm," JJ blinked, "I can't sorry, I've got plans with Fredds already." He looked apologetic.
"Oh, see Emily he can't come," Katie said looping her arm through the redheads, "Let's go."
"What are you guys doing today?" Emily asked, ignoring the pull of Katie's arm.
"Fredds says we've got business to attend at the Hog's Head," he blinked again.
"The Hog's Head?" Katie interjected. "That dodgy place a bit off the main path?"
"What are you doing there?" Emily asked curiously. She'd never been in it.
"We're to meet Cook," JJ explained. Emily had forgotten she would sometimes see the three boys together. She found them to be most peculiar trio, but it seemed to work. "His uncle Keith owns the place."
"Isn't that a Slytherin hangout?" Katie asked again.
"Not necessarily," JJ said. "Not a lot of students go in there. Though if you went by sheer numbers of the students that do go there, it is overwhelmingly Slytherin, but Fredds insists Cook insists 'more the merrier,'" he blinked again. "Though I don't know how much I believe him, while Cook is welcoming, others…like Naomi don't seem so friendly."
"That's just her face," Katie stated.
"Naomi?" Emily said at the same time before shooting her twin a look. "Naomi Campbell?" She felt her heart rate speed up.
JJ nodded, "She's been in there every time I've gone," he added, "Being Cook's best mate and all that's not surprising." He paused. "Not as friendly as Cook though," he added a bit locked on. He seemed to be becoming agitated.
"Want to come with?" JJ asked as the idea came to him, suddenly hopeful. "It would even out the ratio a bit more."
Katie scoffed. "There is no way we would go near that snake pit. Come on Emily."
"Do you want us to wait with you?" Emily asked JJ, ignoring the tug on her arm. He stood there awkwardly as the crowd of students thinned out passing through the tall stone pillars topped with winged boars on their way to Hogsmeade.
"You don't have to…" JJ began, though looking hopeful. "I don't want to be a bother if you have plans."
"Gre-" Katie began but was cut off by Emily.
"We wouldn't mind at all," she smiled before throwing her sister a look. "We were just planning on hanging out together, the Three Broomsticks isn't going anywhere." The redhead shrugged.
..
Emily let out a breath as they reached their destination. It was a clear cold fall day and her cheeks felt slightly burned from the biting wind. They had walked through the main drag and turned up a side street to stand in front of a decrepit looking building. Its battered wooden sign creaked above them as they hesitated at the door. The sign alone had Emily questioning her previous decision. It had a picture of a severed wild boars head leaking blood onto a table. With neither of her companions stepping forward, she took one last breath of crisp air before opening the door.
The Hog's Head didn't bustle. It did not hum with friendly chatter or radiate warmth from patrons packed together. Inside time dripped like honey, but less sweet. There were always the few regulars, open for business; the wayward traveller, looking for a drink; and on particular occasions, a few select packs of students.
To her left Emily saw a group of Slytherins hunched together at a table in a shadowy corner by the fireplace. They looked up as a curious Emily walked in followed by an apprehensive JJ and a reluctant Katie.
"I can't believe I let you drag me in here," Katie mumbled to her sister who looked around taking the place in, all the while scanning for a blonde.
It amazed Emily how much the inside of a building could remind her of a barn in both aesthetics and smell. The bar consisted of one small extremely grimy and dingy room. Hours of the day seemed instantly lost upon the door shutting; most of the natural light blocked out by decades worth of grime encrusted on the windows.
"You didn't have to come," Emily pointed out, "No one forced you."
Katie scoffed, "Like I'd let you go it alone." She looked around her face wrinkled in disapproval. "Just look at this dump. Who would willingly come here?"
Then she saw her, laughing, sitting at the table closest to the bar across from Cook and Freddie. Her gut did that thing again. Twisting and flipping and what not. Emily watched her shake her head at some story Cook was regaling and reach for her mug. Blue eyes met brown and the Slytherins half drank glass of butterbeer stalled at her lips. Cook turned to see what had captured Naomi's attention.
"Gayjay!" Cook bellowed and stood up upon seeing the new arrivals, "You made it! And ya brought gifts, 'ow thoughtful." Cook added throwing the two Gryffindors a trademark grin.
Katie looked affronted. Emily just rolled her eyes.
"Well I, I ran into them while I was waiting for Fredds…" JJ stuttered.
"Shit!" Freddie said from where he was seated. "Sorry mate I forgot we were meeting up in the courtyard."
JJ just shrugged with a blink.
"Aw, Jay don't care, do ya Jay?" Cook said ruffling JJ's hair. Emily watched him ball his hands into fists tightly at the action before frantically fixing his hair. She had a feeling he minded. But Emily was distracted by any further thoughts on JJ's discomforts as Cook's arms wrapped around her and Katie's shoulders.
"So ladies," He drawled leading them over to the table, "Welcome to Uncle Keif's. If there's any'fing you need, any'fing at all, you just let me know, yeah?" He winked.
"What are you doing here?" Naomi asked still sat at the table, the smile from a moment ago gone.
"JJ invited us," Emily shot back confidently. She was getting tired of Naomi's current cold front. JJ cast his eyes down as Naomi shot him a glare.
"Aw, Naomikins," Cook said steering the girls to the table, "That's no way to talk to our guests."
"What'd you do, invite the whole school?" Naomi asked as Emily took the seat next to her.
"We're not staying," Katie spat standing in front of the vacant chair adjacent to Emily, "Not in a dump like this."
"They're not our guests," Naomi tacked on, "They're JJ's." she added with a scathing look. JJ shirked back a bit, his hand on the chair next to Freddie.
"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Cook asked.
"If I wanted to hang out with the whole school, I'd have gone to the Three Broomsticks like everyone else," Naomi shot back.
"I know, 'ow bout some firewhisky?" Cook waggled his eyebrows, "Otta loosen everyone up a bit."
"You can get served that here?" Katie asked surprised.
"Like I said Babe," He winked, "Any'fing at'all."
"Katie," Emily said.
"What? I'm not a prefect," Katie shot at her sister. "Not that that seems to matter to some people." She added giving Naomi a pointed look.
Naomi raised an eyebrow before returned the look, taking another sip from her mug. Emily looked between the two and felt uneasy. Maybe this was a bad idea, coming here, coming here with Katie.
"It's not even half noon," she tried.
"Who cares what time it is?" Katie said, "If I'm gona be in this dump, I'm not bloody well doing it sober."
Katie walked up to the bar next to Cook.
"That's the spirit!" Cook bellowed, "Uncle Keif, a round of firewhisky! C'mon you fuckers, who else is in?"
Katie took one look at the filthy shot glasses Uncle Keith lined up. "A clean glass," Katie said rather than asked.
"That is a clean glass love," Uncle Keith answered filling the first shot glass up.
Katie snatched the one on the end delicately before placing it on the table in front of Emily.
"Clean it," she instructed.
"What am I your maid?" Emily said giving her a look.
Katie rolled her eyes, "I can't remember the spell for it."
"Tergeo," Emily said.
"What you telling me for?" Katie asked.
"Um, I thought you wanted to clean your glass out?" Emily looked at her quizzically.
"You can't just do it?" Katie asked.
"No," Emily stated.
"But you're much better at it than I am," Katie pouted.
Emily sighed, "Fine." She took the glass and tapped her wand saying the spell as she did so. What Katie wants, Katie gets.
Katie picked up the glass, inspecting it, "Does it even look any cleaner?" Katie asked.
"That's probably the cleanest glass that's been in here in over a decade," Freddie said throwing a lopsided grin in their direction before looking back down at the table. He returned to attention to diligently rolling a spliff.
"Fuck it," Katie said abandoning the glass on the table. "Where's the bathroom?"
Cook nodded his head in the direction of the loo. "Pussies," he stated tossing back a shot. "You're all pussies."
"What happened to your shots?" Emily raised a challenging eyebrow at Katie.
"Not even alcohol could sterilize those glasses," Katie said repulsed. "I'll be back. I need to wash my hands after touching that…well everything in here." As she walked away Emily heard her grumbling about needing a shower.
"Fookin' mint, man!" Cook stated as he plopped back into the seat next to Freddie, nicking the newly finished spliff out of Freddie's hands.
"Oi!" Freddie said.
Cook just made a kissy face at him before bending forward to utilize the bare burning candlestick stuck in the middle of the table.
"You're smoking that right here?" Naomi asked disapprovingly.
Cook froze mid-action, looking up; he stared at Naomi like she'd asked if the sky was blue.
"Want some leaf?" he asked through a mouthful of smoke as he leaned back.
"Obviously not," Naomi stated.
"Aw right," Cook clucked, "the perfect prefect can't do any'fing fun." He took another drag and blew the air out slowly at Naomi.
"Cook!" Naomi snipped pushing her chair away from the table a bit. "You know I can't smell of that stuff. Can't you go smoke that outside?"
"I swear mate," Cook said turning to Freddie, "She's turnin' into more of a fookin' fun sponge than you are."
"Hey!" Freddie said, taking the spliff from Cook.
"At least I fucking care about something," Naomi shot back.
"Caring? Who said any'fing about caring?" Cook said holding his arms out wide. "Look around babe, no one here cares."
"Cook, any chance you could be a cunt outside, do you think?" Emily voiced.
"Emily…" Naomi stated softly.
"Aw, that nice, " Cook cooed, "Getting your little girlfriend to hold your hand."
Emily noticed Naomi tense in the seat next to her.
"Sweet, in' nit?" Cook taunted. "The princess and the snake, what a pair." He took the spliff back from Freddie and took a slow drag, like he was pulling back a loaded bow.
With the screech of wooden chair legs against wood floor, Naomi stood and bolted out of the pub. Emily hesitated only a moment before throwing Cook the dirtiest look she could muster and following the blonde outside.
Emily opens the door. She didn't understand how Naomi and Cook were best mates sometimes; he could be such a dick.
"Will you stop following me?" Naomi demanded. She was leaning against the side of the building next to the door.
"I didn't…" Emily tried. She toed the ground with her foot. She didn't know what to say, she just had to check and see if Naomi was okay.
"Right."
"Are you alright?" Emily asked.
"Emily, just leave me alone," Naomi, said exasperated.
The door swung open and Katie emerged.
"Were leaving," she stated matter-of-factly.
"We just got here," Emily replied.
"Yeah well, and now we're leaving."
With one last look over at a Naomi with angry eyes, Emily slumped her shoulders and followed Katie down the road.
..
..
"I can't believe you made me go in that dump," Katie stated.
"Again, no one made you do anything," Emily repeated, "You chose to come along."
"Oh right, cos if you had needed protection that mong was going to give it?" Katie laughed. "He's the one that needed protection. Nearly wet himself with one look from Campbell. Course I had to come." Katie stated. "Choice…" the older twin mumbled shaking her head as she sipped her butterbeer. They were now in the much finer establishment that was The Three Broomsticks. "At least she has the sense to know better than to want to hangout with him," Katie said.
"There is nothing wrong with him," Emily rolled her eyes, "And why do you say that?"
"You just – " Katie sighed as if this were a tired conversation over a simple matter. "You don't want to be seen with the wrong sort, that's all."
Emily snorted, "You sound like Mum."
"Yeah well, she's got some points."
Emily rolled her eyes, "This isn't the twentieth century Katie, as much as Mum wants to believe it is. And besides, JJ is about as pure blood as you can get. He's more than you or I."
The older twin scoffed. "Blood? You think that's what this is about?" Katie tutted, "He's social suicide Ems, that's what. Potter heir or not, you may as well associate with a tuberworm."
"A what?"
Katie rolled her eyes, "A tuberworm – didn't you pay attention in care of magical creatures – never mind. That's not the point. He's a loser so don't talk to him anymore."
"We should band together not tear each other apart," Emily said putting her mug down with a thud. Some of its sweet contents sloshed over the sides. "Our differences make us stronger, not weaker."
"Band together?" Katie said indignantly, "For what? There's no war, there's no threat. Why, why should we all band together?"
"Because all that fighting wasn't so we could pettily bully each other."
"No ones bullying, Merlin's beard, you're being ridiculous." Katie rolled her eyes, "Band together…co-house unity…you sound like Granda."
Emily opened her mouth to speak.
"Captain Fitch, Fitch," Nick Levan greeted as he halted in front of the twins table.
"Levan," Emily returned, appreciating the halt in conversation with Katie.
"What'd you want?" Katie asked.
"Just thought I'd bring you to fine birds some butterbeers," he said through a toothy grin.
"We've already got some," Katie pointed out.
"Right…" he said.
"But, we'd love another, wouldn't we Katie?" Emily said.
"When have I ever said no to a free drink?"
"Exactly," Emily said.
"Excellent. Well, cheers to our first victory," the third year lad said holding up his own glass. "The first of many under our fine Captain."
With the roll of her eyes Emily clinked glasses and took a sip. Katie's totalitarianism had paid off – not that anyone on the team would ever admit it. Certain things needed no encouragement, and Captain Katie Fitch was one of them.
"And what do we have here?" a cocky looking bloke said putting his arm around Levan. "Keeping all the fit ones to yourself are we?" he hit Levan in the stomach with a smirk.
While Emily found Levan's attempts at flattery harmlessly endearing, this other kids she did not. She saw a very specific smirk appear on Katie's face and silently wished the smarmy lad luck.
"And who's this?" Katie said with the arch of an eyebrow.
"This here's my mate Ryder," Levan introduced, "He also tried out for the team."
"Oi!" Ryder said to the other boy before turning his attention back on Katie. "Well, lot of talent this year, bet I'll be on the team next."
"Oh I remember you," Katie said looking him up and down. "And unless you learn how to handle a ball properly between now and then, I highly doubt that."
"Right," He said after a moment, "Well I've got a set we could practice with if you want to do some one on one, babe." He winked.
"I'm not the one that needs to work on my ball skills, babe. But I suspect you get lots of solo practice in. Best of luck with that."
Emily just looked between the two; sometimes she really did appreciate her sister. Ryder opened his mouth to speak again.
"You can fuck off now," Katie cut him off.
"Hey, Parry!" Emily called as Cora Parry, the other rookie Gryffindor walked by the table. "How bout you take your teammate here somewhere else before he earns us all a double practice."
The girl's eyes went wide for a brief moment before she grabbed Levan by the front of his shirt leading both him and his mate away.
"Are there no good men left at Hogwarts?" Katie moaned.
Emily just shrugged taking a sip of her free beverage.
"Hi Emily!"
"Oh, hello Panda," Emily said looking up from her mug of butterbeer, happy to avoid the impending discussion of boys.
It was a crowded day in the Three Broomsticks as it usually was on a Hogwarts visiting day. Panda, with a silent Effy tailing her walked toward their table from the bar her hands full with mugs of butterbeer.
"Care to join us?" Emily asked as an excited group of third year Gryffindors pushed past Panda and veered around Effy.
Katie gave Emily a look that said "seriously, you're going to do this to me twice?" as the spirited Hufflepuff took a seat.
"Whizzer! Thanks," Panda beamed. "See Eff, I told you we'd find a table."
Emily watched Effy watch Panda prattled on. They really were the most peculiar duo. Yin and yang she guessed.
"Hi Effy," Katie said about halfway through her free mug of butterbeer, much to Emily's surprise. It's not every day Katie willing spoke to a Slytherin.
The brunette's eyes left her mug for a moment, casting Katie a measured glance before returning to her beverage.
Katie threw an incredulous look from Effy to Emily. Katie wasn't accustomed to being ignored.
Effy took a smile vile out from her robes before dumping its contents into her mug.
"What'd you just do?" Katie asked. Again Effy didn't reply, instead sipped her now tampered with beverage.
..
"She's a freak. They both are!" Katie hissed. "What was today, loser day or something? What did I ever do to you?"
"They are not. And I'm impressed you even attempted to speak to Effy. I thought you didn't associate with Slytherins?" Emily said.
"I don't." Katie said continuing after a skeptical look from her twin. "She's Tony's sister, yeah? Figured maybe she'd put in a good word."
Emily stared at her sister, "Did you forget she doesn't speak, yeah?"
Katie rolled her eyes, "You know what I meant." She walked a head of Emily a few paces down the path to Hogwarts.
..
..
Of course. Of course Halloween fell on a Monday this year. And of course that was the Monday Emily had rounds with Naomi. Of course it was Halloween on a Monday when they had rounds when the day before had been a bit weird between them.
It was the time of night where students were supposed to be back to their dormitories for the night. Though Halloween was always a bit forgiving, with the feast, and festivities that always ensued. Even for Halloween, it was getting on late enough that the non devious stragglers should just about all be tucked away in bed. Or muttering their passwords to their secret entrances at least.
Emily rounded the bend onto the second floor corridor, where the girls' bathroom was always out of order, next to Naomi. Ahead there was a small pack of Slytherin boys standing by themselves. They turned at the noise of footfalls and paused. It was silent for a moment.
"Alright, Campbell," A tall dark haired boy gave her a nod.
A particularly gloomy looking boy behind the one who'd spoken shifted slightly, eyeing Emily up. She felt a bit uneasy by the look she received from a few, they didn't seem like the friendliest bunch.
"Alright, Dolohuv," Naomi returned, she took a half step forward. There was a pause, neither Naomi nor the group moved. "I'm assuming you all were down on your way to the dormitory."
"'Course," The same guy, Dolohuv, said. It was silent again as the group slowly past the girls. Naomi watching them the entire way, Emily kept shifting her gaze from Naomi to the Slytherins.
"What was that about?" Emily asked looking skeptically between her blonde Slytherin companion and the retreating group of green and black clad lads.
"What was what all about?" Naomi countered giving the group a last moment of attention before they disappeared toward the dungeons and she resumed her pace.
Emily didn't follow.
"That," she stated blatantly pointing between the blonde and where the Slytherins had vanished.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Naomi reiterated. She stopped her movements realizing the Gryffindor had no intention of following.
"What'd you mean what? 'Alright Campbell,' 'Alright Dolohuv,'' Emily mimicked the boys hollow voice. "That was weird."
The blonde sighed, "Their just some stupid Slytherins whom think highly of themselves."
Emily laughed, "Don't all Slytherins think highly of themselves?"
Naomi shot her a look. "Like I said, they're just a stupid group of Slytherins who think they're a bit better than everyone else. I'm sure you've got something of the same in your house."
"A group of Gryffindors who think they're better than everyone else?" Emily questioned.
"Right, my mistake," Naomi said offhandedly, "that's all of them."
Emily made an offended noise causing Naomi to smirk.
"Says the Slytherin," Emily rolled her eyes.
"I've already admitted," she glanced at the redhead, "some think they're better."
"Some?" Emily deadpanned.
"Yes," Naomi looked at her firmly, "Some. You can't tell me all you Gryffindors are selfless saints. You lot think you're better than everyone else."
"We do not -" Emily protested.
"You do," Naomi continued, "Ravenclaws are steadfast but too stuck up in their own heads; Hufflepuffs are true and loyal and just…" Naomi trailed mockingly.
"Well they are," Emily interjected, "What's wrong with that?"
"Nothing, nothing at all," Naomi assured. "But it's like when someone asks you if a girl is fit and you say she's 'a really nice girl.'"
Emily rolled her eyes.
Naomi continued on. "And then there is Slytherin," blue eyes glinted deviously, "Dark, misguided Slytherins, too smart to be kept out of site. Too ambitious to be let into the light."
Emily rolled her eyes again. "You know you're not as badass as you all think you are?"
Naomi gave her a wicked smirk, "And then, we have Mighty Gryffindor." She stated highly, "Founded by the Godly Godric. Smart enough to do the job but not too smart to be stuck in the clouds. Just enough to seek what is fair while bold enough to do the dirty work, but you're good enough to know you're supposed to feel bad about it."
Emily gave her a disbelieving look. "Is that really what you think?"
"Not what I think," Naomi corrected, "What you Gryffindors think."
"We do not think that," Emily said.
"Can you really say that, about all of you? Like say, your sister for example?" Naomi corked an eyebrow.
"That's not how we all think," Emily repeated.
"Ravenclaw smart enough to conjure new things; Hufflepuff smart enough to have friendships bind; Gryffindor smart enough to forge battle plans; But, Slytherin, smart enough to stay alive."
"Some twisted sorting hat you are," Emily retorted. She didn't believe Naomi was being completely forthcoming about the group of Slytherins but they didn't appear to be chummy, more tolerant of each other. So she let it go, for the time being. Maybe she was being paranoid; she'd been spending too much time with Katie.
"Oh," Cook said as he turned round the corner, coming into view. Starting them as much as himself. "Oh, it's just you two, lovely." He grinned rubbing his hands together. "Thought I was gona 'ave to talk my way out of this one for a moment there."
"Cook-" Naomi began.
"No, no," he interjected throwing his hands up as if to ward off her words. "You didn't see any'fing." He waved his hands about more and like the Cheshire cat disappeared around the corner; grin last.
The two prefects looked at each other for a second.
Naomi sighed, "Don't do anything too stupid," she called out to her delinquent best mate. It seemed as though whatever tiff they'd had yesterday had since been sorted.
"Reckon we should go after him?" Emily asked.
"I think he'd like that," Naomi rolled her eyes. "You should have seen what he did this morning. Took nearly all of breakfast to free all the first years." They continued down the corridor, the opposite way Cook had gone.
"Free?"
"Yes, free," Naomi huffed. "He conjured up a massive spider web all round the first years dormitories. Jinxed it like devils snare, more they struggled the more caught up they got."
"Well, all rules aside, that's a bit impressive isn't it? A fifth year doing that?" Emily giggled.
"Quite impressive if you knew his study habits." She shot Emily an amused look. "Professor Saar wasn't so keen on it, having to spend her breakfast trying to convince the last struggling first year that there wasn't actually a giant arachnid lurking in the corner with the intention of eating him."
Emily laughed.
"Yeah, you wouldn't be laughing if you missed morning porridge cos of it," Naomi stated, a small grin cracking her stern face.
Cook was a wanker but Emily had to admit she liked his effect on Naomi, relaxed her a bit, loosened her up, most of the time.
"Its his favourite holiday," the blonde rolled her eyes again. "Let him have his fun," She shrugged.
"I am equally surprised he doesn't currently have detention," Emily mused.
Naomi laughed, "You have to get caught to get detention."
Emily corked an eyebrow, "And no one caught him? I thought you said he did it?"
"Oh, everyone knows he did it, just no ones got the proof."
"How does that work?"
"You ever just know something?" The Slytherin asked, catching Emily's eye.
"Yeah…"Emily managed after quieting her loud mind. "Yeah."
Naomi smiled at the other girl's agreement.
..
Of the mayhem Emily expected, so far the night wasn't bad. They had run into Cook, a few harmless delinquents looking to pull a prank or simply to stay out late just so they could say they had. It still wasn't that late, so maybe she was jinxing herself in thinking so.
"I didn't know you and Freddie were friends," Emily said.
"What?" Naomi asked looking confused. "We're not."
"But you were hanging out at the Hog's Head."
"He was hanging out with Cook." Naomi clarified.
"And you were hanging out with Cook?"
"Yes."
"But not Freddie, who was also hanging out with Cook."
"No."
"That makes no sense."
"Cook and I are mates. Cook and Freddie are mates. Just because your mate is friends with someone, doesn't mean you are."
So are we friends? Is what Emily wanted to say, but she didn't know which answer she was more afraid of.
"Just…do yourself a favor," Naomi told the redhead after a moment's silence, "don't go to the Hog's Head again."
"Are you telling me I can't go there?" Emily asked indignantly. She was tired of Naomi acting hot and cold toward her. She couldn't take Naomi telling her what to do.
"I'm just saying it's not really your scene."
"But that's your scene?"
"More so mine than yours, yeah."
Emily huffed, "And we can't possibly have the same kind of scene, can we?" Emily said tiredly.
"Not really, no," Naomi shrugged.
"You can't tell me what to do, you know?" Emily stated.
"No, that's Katie's job, isn't it?"
Emily gave the blonde a scathing look before walking off down the corridor. She stopped about halfway to the bend. She was furious. Katie badgering her was bad enough; she wasn't going to take in from Naomi as well. She turned around and stalked back toward the still blonde.
"You're so full of shite!" She stared into surprised blue eyes.
"I –"
"No!" Emily yelled again, unable to contain her frustration any longer. "You're full of shite. And you're not going to speak. You say you're not telling me what to do, then you're forbidding me to go somewhere. You say Gryffindors are the ones that think too highly of themselves, yet you Slytherins are the ones with places the other houses can't handle. It's shite. You ignore me in class but then tell me about the stars on the pitch. Us Gryffindors may be 'stupid' but at least were not scared!"
Naomi opened her mouth then closed it again.
"And just so you know the first thought when I see you is not I want to fuck that girl. We've kissed, twice. And it was nice, but it's also nice just being with you. When you're not being a prick that is."
"Okay…" The Slytherin managed once she finally swallowed the surprise and the truth. "Then you should come by the Hogshead again sometime…if you want." She added.
"Fine then, I will." Emily stated. Resolved she began walking again this time followed by the quiet Slytherin.
"It's a seedy place," Naomi broke the silence a little later.
"What?" Emily asked.
"The Hog's Head," Naomi elaborated. "It really is a seedy place…just so you know that."
"Right," Emily replied, a small smile playing on her lips.