OLD DRAFT, ella-rose, a strong-willed gryffindor, had always known james. they had been best friends since they were born and it's only when seventh year rolls around that the true nature of their friendship comes to light and drama rocks their once...
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CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE. ( DISCOVERIES.. )
The rest of the week went by slowly for Ella and all she could do was pretend to be okay. Her smile didn't feel as true anymore and her behaviour was more closed off than she had ever been. To most outsiders, she seemed fine. She sat down with her friends, engaged when they spoke to her but always seemed distracted. Her head buried in a book or her mind somewhere else.
Most days, she was quiet and too distracted by her work. The Marauders, Lily, Marlene and Layla all obviously noticed but if they tried to talk to her about it, she brushed it off. She made an effort to seem fine but it wasn't long until she drawn-back again. On their prefect rounds, Remus, Lily and James had all tried to bring her out of her shell but it only served to frustrated Ella more. Not Remus but the others trying.
It was like a kick to the gut. She only felt how she did because of James and Lily and they knew that but it didn't make them stop. They seemed determined to keep at it until she opened back up again. Even her father had kept trying to talk her, most times she had been saved by Marlene taking her away from Herbology.
But her father was persistent, he had turned to finding her other times to finally just talk to her. He wanted to talk to his daughter and Ella understood that but his behaviour made her even more reluctant. He hadn't even spoke to her mother about everything, he hadn't apologised and Ella wasn't going to talk to him until he did that. She didn't have the energy.
However, Herbology wasn't even the lesson that Ella dreaded anymore. Astronomy was what she dreaded. It had happened twice since the incident at Hogsmeade and it was unbearable. She would usually have stuck by James but instead she found herself sitting as far from him as she could. Sitting by him and being alone with him only hurt more. It reminded her that she could never have him. She wished she had the courage to cut ties with him completely but she didn't. Life without James wasn't worth anything in Ella's eyes.
And that thought had led to many sleepless nights. Ella staring at the top of her bed as she just let her mind wonder. There was nothing she could do to quieten her mind. Even sleeping potions didn't work. She usually woke up within an hour having one nightmare or another. It was awful and Ella found herself getting increasingly more tired.
By the time the first Herbology lesson of the new week rolled around, she was exhausted. Barely paying attention and nearly hurting herself accidentally with the secateurs more than once. Marlene - who was still working next to her - notice and she was concerned. She had been concerned since the previous weekend but it was getting worse. Everything was getting worse.
So once the lesson finished and the two left, Marlene pulled the brunette away from the crowds and into one of the hidden alcoves. They were out of sight and hopefully out of hearing distance of most people. Ella not saying anything as she stared up at Marlene, a single eyebrow raised as her hands rested at her sides.
