Disclaimer: I only own my personal characters.
Note: Things are starting to look up!
Back to Normal?
"Late!" Fred said jumping up the last step and running over to join me by the couch, George behind him. "Overslept, sorry" he added. I smiled and looked over at George who nodded.
"I'll see you two you later" he said with a wink before running out.
"Come on, before we miss breakfast completely" I said to Fred hopping down off the couch and nudging him to move along.
Breakfast was uneventful; I paid little attention to the eggs and bacon as I scanned the Great Hall. I nudged Fred again and pointed out Draco's absence. "Where you do you think he is?" I asked, feeling slightly concerned.
"Who knows" Fred replied taking his fifth piece of toast and putting two eggs on it. "Maybe he's skipping to bully a first year" Fred suggested practically eating the toast whole. I made a face and looked over at the Slytherin table again, Draco still not in sight. "I'm sure he's fine…c'mon, eat" he said pointing at my plate, as he took another piece of toast.
"Okay, stop, you're making me so full I feel sick" I said holding his wrist away from his mouth. He raised an eyebrow and gave a smile and the opened his mouth, moving his hand toward his mouth anyway. "I hope you explode" I joked shaking my head as he put another egg on the toast.
"You'll feel awful if I do…especially knowing the last thing you said was that you hoped it happened. I can see it now in the Daily Prophet: Hogwarts School: Too Much Food?" he said spreading his arms out as if pretending to title a newspaper. "Seventh year student explodes after his seventh helping of toast and eggs, ex-girlfriend wishes death on him moments before. Looking back of course she wishes she never uttered such words, but now she'll live the rest of her days in misery and guilt. She now says…" he trailed and quickly grabbed a fork and held his hand out, palm up as if pretending to write. "Miss, do you have anything to say?" he asked, giving himself a high pitched voice.
"No comment" I joked pushing his hand away. "I'm leaving" I teased pushing my plate away as he continued to pretend to write.
"I'm….le-a-v-i-n-g…" I shook my head and grabbed my bag so I could head to class, even though I would be early.
Fred quickly caught up with me, still pretending to ask for an interview as I turned a corner. I only stopped laughing when I noticed someone was off in the corner. I looked around, thinking maybe it was a lost first year but he looked oddly familiar. "Be right back" I told Fred as I walked closer to the boy. As I did I realized he wasn't a first year but rather tall, older, blonde hair. I stopped, realizing it was Draco. I looked back at Fred who looked at me curiously. "Draco…?" I asked slowly, touching his shoulder.
"I'm fine" he instantly responded.
"Okay…then, er, what are you doing in the corner?" I asked as I looked around again. "Facing the opposite direction" I added.
"Nothing" he said loudly, though his voice sounded stifled. I furrowed my eyebrows, maybe I had imagined it but I was certain I heard him sniff.
"Alright…well, I'm going to go to class…I'll see you later?" I asked as he nodded; now leaning his head on the wall.
"Yeah, whatever" he said trying to sound snotty. I took a step back but noticed the sniffing again. Suddenly, my brain caught on. "Draco…" I asked moving closer. "Draco, are you—are—are you crying?" I asked placing a hand on his shoulder trying to get him to turn around but he didn't move.
"No" he responded, wiping his face.
"You are crying" I replied, trying not to sound so surprised. I turned to look back at Fred but he was already standing close behind me, covering his mouth as he turned away from me when I glared. "Hey, it's okay…" I said patting Draco's back but he quickly shook me away.
"I said I'm fine" he repeated. "I just, I hate this, her with him, how I always get so close and then screw things up" he said as he took a deep sigh. "Come on" he said starting off. I looked at Fred who just shrugged and we quickly followed Draco. "I just thought, you know" he said stuff sniffing, his voice strained.
"Maybe it will work itself out. On the plus side it's not like you'll have to see them together anytime soon" I reminded him as we ran up the steps toward Transfiguration. I gave Fred a small smack as I heard him trying to stifle a laugh.
"Oy!" he said rubbing his head. "I'm sorry, but, it's funny" he whispered as he pulled himself together upon Draco's glare.
"No it's not" I told him giving Draco an apologetic look which he ignored.
"Oh c'mon, you know he'd laugh at me if I cried" Fred insisted as we started walking toward my class.
"It's true I would…" Draco said flatly. I shook my head and rolled my eyes.
"Like you cry Fred" I said sarcastically glancing over him.
"Not recently…and not in public" Fred admitted quietly. I started to say something but Draco's abrupt stop made me stop. I looked around him and at the sight of Melinda. Then George, who had his arms wrapped around her and they happily entertained each other just out of sight near the Transfiguration classroom.
"Awkward" Fred sang, a wide grin spreading across his face.
I went to look back at Draco but he was no longer standing next to us. I wanted to ask Fred if he thought Draco saw but based on his amused expression the answer was yes. "Your brother looks like he's having a good time…" I said glancing back over at Melinda and George.
"Yep" Fred replied bouncing on the heels of shoes.
"They look really happy too…I wish I—" I cut myself off and looked in the opposite direction feeling embarrassed. Fred pretended he had not noticed and continued bouncing. "Are you going to go over there and stop them, we have class." I looked again at Melinda and George whom seemed to forget anything existed besides them.
"Nah…" Fred said as he finally stopped bouncing. I sighed and heaved my bag further up my shoulder as I walked over to them.
"Hey guys, we um, have class in a few minutes" I said quietly, standing a few feet away. Neither one seemed to hear me so I moved closer by an inch. "Guys!" I shouted, but still nothing. I looked over at Fred who reluctantly made his way over tapping his brother on his shoulder.
"Stop it" he said tapping George again. George, who still made no signs of moving away gave Fred an inappropriate gesture to which Fred raised an eyebrow at and then shook his head. "Well if you want to be like about it…" Fred said jokingly stepping over to my side.
"Alright, well, I'll be in class if you get tired" I told Melinda as I made my way around Fred to head into class.
"See you later" Fred shouted at them as he followed me. "Think they'll follow?" he asked as we leaned on a wall a few feet away from the Transfiguration door. I shrugged as I watched a few students walk in.
"I should go ahead in; Professor McGonagall is going to be handing back our essays on the seven benefits to being a werewolf over an Animagus" I told Fred glancing into the classroom.
"We get those back today?" Melinda's voice said. I looked at Fred who looked at me and we both gave a laugh.
"Yeah" I told her as she finally broke apart from George's embrace.
"I'll see you later" she told him giving a kiss goodbye before making her way toward me. "Come on, maybe if we're first she'll give us our papers back" she said dragging me into the room as I quickly waved bye to Fred.
Sure enough once we sat down Professor McGonagall handed us our papers. I frowned at the E as I scanned my paper. "I don't think she liked my explanation that werewolves can make awesome professors" I told Melinda who just gave me a weird look and then looked down at my paper.
"Who told you to write that?" she asked making another face as she read through the rest of my assignment.
"Fred" I said with a laugh. She shook her head and read over her own paper, a bright O in the top right corner.
"And you listened to him because why?" she asked even though she was smiling. I knew she was glad we were at least on good terms.
The rest of class seemed to be enjoyable, we worked transfiguring insects, at least the rules behind it, it was a fun lesson, I left in perkier spirits.
Later that night, after leaving the boys to "hang out" I found Abby and Matt playing chess. I pulled up a chair but was careful to not interrupt their game. "So, you and Fred, you're back with him or do you just like his kissing?" she asked, point blank. "Not that I don't approve of that, he is cute," she added with a laugh.
"We're working on whatever we're working on" I replied. Since the hospital it was never made clear if we should try again but we seemed friendlier, we hung out, we walked around together, we flirted; but we weren't together. "I told him I was sorry what happened in Hogsmade but if he didn't get back with you soon I was going to kick him" she said as I looked at Matt.
"Where?" Matt asked in amusement.
"I left that up for his imagination; so, if he asks you out anytime you better say yes" she said cheerfully. I couldn't help but laugh. "On the plus side, Charity has been really upset, like, Courtney was her bff. She hasn't talked to Matt in forever and every time she sees Fred she runs off crying. We've grown to see it as live entertainment" she said.
We continued like this for the remainder of the evening, I couldn't remember the last time I had met someone as kind and young as Abby. She was indeed wonderful, a little outspoken, but I could tell why the twins wanted her in their shop. And I could see Matt admired her too. I think he saw her as the sister he was supposed to have, the one he used to know.
The next day in Defense Against the Dark Arts Draco made great effort to pretend he had never felt a negative emotion in his body. I took every ounce of strength to not hit him with my chair. Thankfully my thoughts switched once Professor Madison—Burnner walked in.
"Does she look different to you?" I asked him nodding toward Professor Madison. He looked over at the Professor who did indeed look different. Tired; she was wearing bags under her eyes which had seemed to lose their excited glint. She moved slowly, stopping to quietly sigh and winched a bit if she turned too fast.
"What do you think is wrong with her?" Draco whispered. I shrugged and we fell silent for a moment as she handed back our papers; not even giving me a snickering look as I looked down at my O.
"Probably drained of energy" I suggested watching her head to the front of the room to sit in the chair instead of on the desk like she usually did.
"Page ninety one please, work quietly; if you need assistance raise your hand, otherwise you're free to work with the person next to you or in a small group of three or four." She said, her voice exhausted. A few students looked around, as if confused. Professor Madison never failed at holding our attention or making herself the center of attention.
"Maybe she's a werewolf…" Draco suggested pushing his textbook between us. I ignored him as I looked longingly over at Hermione, Ron and Harry who all seemed to instantly group together. At least Hermione turned to me and gave me an apologetic smile and shrug.
"She's not a werewolf…" Matt said dragging his chair to the other side of Draco just as a few other students had done around us so they could be in groups.
"How do you know?" Draco asked bitterly.
"It's a full moon tonight, there's no way she'd be teaching today, didn't you do the Transfiguration homework?" Matt asked with a small smirk.
"Some people perform very well under their circumstances as a werewolf during a full moon; there are loads of them that carry careers and live their lives fully" Draco explained, then, looking slightly embarrassed quickly added "Not that they should." I rolled my eyes; he almost made it through a conversation without trying to insult someone. "It would be nice if you paid a little attention" Draco said bringing me out of my thoughts.
I focused my attention back on the lesson and made some random conversation with the boys. I was happy when class was over; though the rest of my morning classes seemed extremely uneventful. Though boring, I was glad we were getting a break.
At lunch I sat with Hermione, Harry and Ron enjoying the food until Hermione—who thoughts had been elsewhere—got up.
"Where are you going?" I asked as she grabbed her bag.
"Library" she, Ron and Harry said.
"I'll go with you, maybe I can find something" I said grabbing an apple and following her out, waving at the twins and Lee as I passed.
