Lovesick Witches

Study Session

I wandered back to my seat in the potions classroom and Hecate sat down on the seat next to me. 

"Detention? For running in the corridors after I told you not to?" Hecate laughed after listening to me hopelessly attempt to make an excuse for why I had to stay in the classroom after the lesson to my friends. 

I joined Hecate in the laughter and instantly felt a warmth insulate my entire being as if it was the first time I had spoken to this beautiful witch, all over again. After the comforting enlightenment, I leaned over to Hecate and rather than leaving a kiss on her cheek like I usually did, I wrapped my arms around her and held her as close to me as I could. Hecate hesitated at first due to the unexpected hug, but soon placed her arms back around me and embraced the wonderful closeness. 

After the cosy cuddle fell apart, I scooped up my girlfriend's hands in my palms and held them gently as my eyes united with hers. 

"What was the hug for, darling?" asked Hecate. 

"I don't know," I said, producing a slight frown. "I suppose I just don't want to lose you." 

"Why would you lose me?" 

"Well, I'm leaving this school soon. I'll be gone and you'll still be here." 

"I will make sure we stay in touch, Ana," Hecate said, her outer eyebrows dipping. 

"But -" I started, trying to continue voicing my point. 

"Ana," Hecate interrupted, raising her index finger and pressing it softly against my lips, her skin, icy, and long nail unintentionally tickling the bottom of my septum. "Don't worry. I will make it work. I promise." 

My girlfriend's mouth formed the shape of an upside-down bridge and I copied her as my worries faded away with her promise. I trusted Hecate with everything and I knew that she wouldn't break a promise, so after she assured me of this, I gained a huge amount of hope for the future. If I was able to have a future with Hecate in it, my life would be perfect. 

"Anyway," said Hecate, changing the subject, "we have some final exams to study for." 

I groaned as Hecate's hands detached from mine and found themselves on the dirty-looking cauldron waiting patiently on the desk in front of us. 

"I suppose we should probably do some studying," I admitted. "This is supposed to be a study session and not a 'let's hug Hecate' session, after all," I laughed, receiving a giggle from my girlfriend. 

"Invisibility potion," Hecate decided. "We've made this in class before so you should know this one." 

"I do," I confirmed. 

"Go ahead," she said and I headed over to the shelves to, once again, collect the necessary ingredients. As I lowered the ingredients into the cauldron and began to brew it, I chatted to my girlfriend to make the potion mixing less boring. 

"I heard the conversation you had with your friends in my potions class, Ana," said Hecate. 

"Yeah, I know," I replied, a proud smile appearing on my lips. 

"What?" she questioned. 

"I know you were listening. It was fairly obvious." 

"Oh. Well, anyway, I must say I did feel for Mildred Hubble when she stated she may go back to the non-magical world after she leaves Cackle's." 

"Yeah, me too," I agreed. 

"I don't believe I have mentioned this before, but I can tell how close your friendship is with Mildred. I... admire it. You are a very good friend, Ana. And I'm sure Mildred Hubble, as well as Maud Spellbody, Enid Nightshade and the fourth years as I know you are good friends with them too, are very lucky to have you as their friend." 

"I don't know about that," I said, doubtfully, "but I am definitely very lucky to have them. Which is why I don't want Mildred to have to return to the non-magical world. She doesn't belong there." 

"I know. I know she doesn't," agreed Hecate. "When Mildred Hubble first came to this academy, four and a half years ago, I wasn't the most... welcoming... towards her. I was always very hard on Mildred. Probably harder on her than I should have been. You see, we didn't realise she was from a magical family until the end of her second year here. All that time I had spent thinking she didn't belong here. But I was wrong. She does belong here. She always has. Mildred Hubble is a witch. And she shouldn't have to go back to the non-magical world." 

"Wow," I said, taken back by Hecate's courage to admit that she was wrong about something. 

"Wow?" 

"Yeah. Thank you. As you say, Mildred is my best friend. I love and cherish her so much. So to hear the love of my life say that about her really means a lot to me." 

"Oh," Hecate said, finding my response quite unexpected. "Well... you are welcome, I suppose. But, yes, I care for Mildred. Like all of my students, I want her to be happy." 

"Me too." 

"I also heard you say to Enid Nightshade that you think I am the most brilliant teacher," she said as I carefully added more herbs to the red, bubbling fluid in my cauldron and mixed them in with a ladle, steam rising into the air. 

"Of course," I said, beaming. "You are the most brilliant teacher, Miss Hardbroom." 

"Well, thank you. I am glad you think so." 

I let out a laugh at my girlfriend's response. It was like she didn't expect me to say that, even though I was in a relationship with her, and I found that fairly amusing. 

"It's round four of the head girl competition tomorrow, isn't it?" I asked, suddenly remembering the contest was still going. 

"Indeed it is." 

"What will the round be?" 

"I'm not sure yet," Hecate replied. "Miss Cackle and I will discuss it tomorrow morning." 

"Okay," I said before noticing the angle in which the light was hitting Hecate's long dress. It bounced off the embroidery and flowers of blue and green shone through the dark fabric. "I like your dress, Hecate." 

"Thank you, Ana. I often wonder if other people approve of my style of clothing in general. Do you?" 

"Of course I do," I answered, smiling sweetly at her. "But you don't need to wonder that. There will be people, like me, who adore your style. Who find it gorgeous and unique. But there will also be people who don't like what you wear. But that isn't specific to you, it's like that for everyone." 

I glanced down at my potion to see that it had turned purple, which was how it was supposed to go, so after confirming to myself that I was brewing it correctly, I continued to talk. 

"You see, beauty is a very subjective thing, Hecate. Which is why you shouldn't care what anyone else thinks. Because there will always be people who find something to dislike about a person's appearance. But, believe me, when someone points out someone else's flaws like that, it says a lot more about them than it does about you. So all I'm saying is that you don't need to be insecure. People love you, darling. I love you. I think that you are perfect in every way. And that is enough. Always be you. Dress however you want to dress. Do whatever you want to do and be whoever you want to be. And there will be people who don't like that. Who knock you down. But you are brilliant. You are strong. Ignore whoever says that because they're just jealous that they aren't you." 

"Thanks, my lovely. That... I really appreciate that." 

"Ah, I do love you, my precious Hecabae," I giggled. 

"Hecabae?" 

"A nickname. Do you like it? I think it suits you. And I'm quite proud that I came up with it, honestly." 

"Hecabae," she repeated to herself, contemplating on it. "I suppose it isn't the worst nickname."  

We both laughed and I was filled with glee as we continued to talk for hours as I brewed many potions. That was definitely a lot more fun than study sessions were supposed to be.