Clara Diggory, Girl of Secrets - a HP fanfic

Chapter 8 - Ghosts and Mrs Norris

October arrived fairly quickly, with Lara too mortified by her pink hair to try anything for now, and most people with colds having to be cured by Madam Pomfrey. Percy and I had pestered Ginny, who had been looking quite ill, into taking Madam Pomfrey's Pepperup potion, which worked instantly but left the drinker smoking at the ears afterwards. Ginny had glared at me as I'd tried to conceal my laughter; and then she'd been the one laughing, because I caught a cold too and had to take the exact same cure.

The rain never seemed to stop; great big drops of rain that turned the outside to mud. Every time we had Herbology I got soaked; but it was better seeing Malfoy walk in after quidditch practice with his blonde hair dripping all over the place.

One time I'd laughed he'd come over and sat next to me on one of the couches that were placed in the common room; I'd stared at him, confused and defensive.

"What do you want?"

He sighed. "I want to apologise."

I'd just looked at him, too shocked to say anything.

"I teased you about something incredibly personal, in front of a whole load of people, which... Was wrong, and upset you, and I'm extremely sorry, and I have no idea where I'm going with this but I'm just going to keep talking because your facial expression isn't changing at all -"

"It's okay." I interrupted. He smiled, relieved.

"Really?"

"... Yeah. I, uh... I accept your apology."

I heard him mutter "Yes!" Under his breath. I smiled despite myself.

"This - this doesn't mean we're friends or anything," I said hurriedly. "Just that... I don't completely hate you."

He nodded. "Good enough for me."

He got up and left, and I felt weird. We weren't friends, we weren't enemies, so... Where were we now?

***

So, I was just minding my own business, walking past a classroom, when I hear a massive CRASH from inside. I peer in and see Peeves the Poltergeist laughing, and the wreckage of a black and gold cabinet.

I sighed. "Great..."

"Ooh, sorry about that," Claimed Nearly Headless Nick apologetically. "Had to distract Filch, you see."

He then eyed me carefully.

"You're a Slytherin," He said.

"Oh, thanks," I muttered.

"Do you happen to be in contact with the Bloody Baron?"

"Do you ask that to every Slytherin pupil you see?"

"No," He said indignantly.

"Well -" I was interrupted by Filch entering the classroom and glaring angrily at Peeves.

"Oh, I'll have you this time, Peeves!" He yelled, causing me to flinch. The Poltergeist simply pointed at me.

"It wasn't me!" He lied. "It was her!"

I just looked at him, frustrated.

Filch stared at me, as if I were a foreign creature.

"That true?" He asked me, glaring.

"No!" I sighed, exasperated. Filch stared at me for a few seconds, then walked back out of the classroom. Nick turned back to me.

"So, you don't know the Bloody Baron, then?"