After the Willow Tree | Theo Nott

CHAPTER EIGHT

"Do you think Draco and Theodore will be displeased to see us in the room with them? I know this wasn't necessarily part of the agreement you worked out with Headmistress McGonagall." Neville wrung out his hands.

"How do you know about the agreement?" Pansy asked.

Neville's cheeks flushed, but it was Dean who spoke up. "She told us about it while telling us about our room placement and password. She figured we might have some questions about the house and year mashup."

Pansy nodded slowly.

"The boys won't give you any trouble," Daphne cut in with a promise, "and if they do, the two of us will personally handle them."

Pansy nodded enthusiastically. "I'm sure even Lorelei would get in on it if Draco were to bother either of you."

"I would what?"

All four of them whipped around in time to see Lorelei step in through the painting without Luna in tow. The younger Ravenclaw did in fact have food poisoning and would spend the night in the hospital wing to recover.

"I made a promise on your behalf that the three of us will handle your soulmate if he bothers Neville and Dean because of this living arrangement," Pansy explained.

Lorelei giggled. "Draco won't bother you."

"Thanks, Lorelei," Neville said.

Dean smiled at her brightly.

Pansy noticed the way each of them lit up while looking at Lorelei. She didn't realize Lorelei knew either of them.

"Well, I want to unload my trunk before dinner," Pansy cut in. "I'll see you boys around."

All five of them slipped into their rooms, and as expected, the girls found their trunks sitting beside each bed, fully packed of their belongings and ready to support them for another year's worth of academic antics.

"Do you girls mind if I sleep in the bed away from the window?" Daphne asked. "I like the way that corner is a bit darker than the rest of the room."

Lorelei nodded, her eyes briefly shifting over to the bed Daphne was asking about.

"Of course. I like being closer to the door anyway," Pansy said.

Pansy plopped her trunk down at the foot of the bed nearest the exit to their room and their room's own personal bathroom. It was a good spot for sneaky getaways, which was why historically, she'd always chosen the bed closest to the door. Slipping out at night to kiss random boys or smoke cigarettes in the astronomy tower had been common occurrences for her before the war took over.

Maybe she could find more Slytherin parties to attend that year, Pansy thought to herself absently as she started to unpack her clothes from her trunk.

Lorelei picked up her trunk, capturing both Pansy and Daphne's attention. She stared at the bed under the window with a faraway look in her eyes and slowly hauled her trunk onto it.

The room was so silent that Pansy swore she could hear the gentle footsteps of students hurrying up and down the staircases outside their dorm hallway's portrait. It was unnerving to see Lorelei like this. Absent despite being physically there. Silent when she normally would be exploding with exuberance and joy.

Daphne found Pansy's eyes, and they had a silent conversation with their slight facial expressions. One of them needed to offer up their bed to Lorelei. It was clear she didn't like the idea of sleeping under the window.

But, just as Pansy was opening her mouth to ask if Lorelei wanted to swap beds with her, a faint smile found its place on Lorelei's lips.

"It will be nice to be near the window when we have storms," she murmured, starting to softly hum as she unpacked.

Daphne and Pansy made worried eye contact. Nothing was the same. 

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