The Hufflepuff

Twenty One

The weekend after the Transfiguration exam Eleanor spent with Cynthia and Susan in the common room. They had returned there on Friday night to find Eleanor in tears hidden under her covers, Ollie curled up in her lap and Cynthia was told about the dream.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Because Reggie is your brother, I didn't want to put you in some awkward position and make you choose. And I hate myself for it, I hate that I betrayed him I know I'm in the wrong-"

"El, you're my best friend. Reggie might be my brother but that doesn't mean he's my priority. I choose my friends and family and his attitude towards George, not to mention the fact that he wrote home to my parents who are now threatening to disown me because he's told them all these lies about George, makes him about as much family to me as Filch."

"So, is it over?" Susan asks, holding up some chocolate for Eleanor.

"I don't know, he just walked away. But he wanted me to stop spending time with Malfoy, and I told him even if I didn't need to study with him I wouldn't promise, that must've made him mad."

"Promise me something? No matter the boy any of us are with, you will always tell me what's going on?" Cynthia says.

"I promise."

"And trust me El, if he breaks up with you then he's the one losing out, and you can do so much better," Susan says firmly.

Despite their comforting Eleanor still felt awful for much of Saturday and Sunday, anxiety for her exam on Monday building up and though she knew she needed his help to get the grades for alchemy, she dreaded the idea of studying with Malfoy knowing it would only upset Reggie and feeling guilty because she knew when they were together her mind would be taken off of him.

"Come on Eleanor, there's no point avoiding him just because Reggie wants you to. Go. Study with Malfoy and tomorrow you will ace this exam." Cynthia says, pushing her out of the door of the common room. "I'll drag you the whole way up there if I have to."

"Okay okay I'm going." A small smile tugs at her mouth at how amazing her friend is and she stops resisting, adjusting her grip on her potions books before heading up to the library where Malfoy is there waiting.

"I didn't know if you were going to come or not," he says, a little too softly for it to be normal.

"Why wouldn't I?"

"Because your boyfriend doesn't want you here. For some reason."

"You saw that huh?" She asks, sitting on one of the lounges tucked away in the library, deserted except for them.

"Yeah."

"Is that why I've been here for a whole minute without you cracking a smart ass joke or teasing me?"

"Just thought you could use a break tonight."

"No. I just need you to be yourself. No special treatment, and promise you won't let me fall asleep before we get all this revision done."

"I can do that," he smirks, opening the first book for them to begin.

_____

"I'm never going to get this," Eleanor groans over an hour later.

"Stop being stupid and you'll be fine."

"You're a real source of knowledge and encouragement," she bites back.

"Look, you already know this, you wrote about it in one of the essays from before christmas, you just have to remember."

"You helped with that, it's just me tomorrow."