I woke up with a jerk the next morning. The room was covered with the rays of the early sun. I wasn't alone now, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Neville were also in their respective beds sleeping, and there was someone in the far corner... Umbridge?
I already feel loads better than yesterday, physically at least, apart from the gaping hole in my chest. My hand was in a cast though it no longer hurt. Madam Pomfrey was not at her desk, so this would be my best chance to escape from here.
I quietly sneaked out and reached my common room. The events from last night playing in painstaking bits and pieces. Flashes of light and clamor everywhere, most of the order was down, and Sirius... the ghostly look on Harry's face as though nothing else mattered, all of it was stuck in my head like a wrenchful symphony, and I kept shaking my head as if it would get it out.
I took a deep breath before going in. Slytherins were the farthest thing from early birds which is why I was surprised seeing two people near the fireplace. One of the two raised up their head to look at me.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Took you long enough," Xan said dryly, his dreary eyes flickering back to the fire place,
Xanthus Sayre was one of the two best friends I had the privilege of meeting in my life. On the outside a cool, collected and detached guy, on the inside he's a clown with a heart the size of the sun.
Oh my god, was he sitting here the whole night waiting for me? I should've at least told him I was going somewhere.
Before I could reply, he gestured towards the platinum blonde sitting opposite him.
Thank god, I almost spilled information to the lecous ferret.
Draco Malfoy was staring at the fire, his fists clenched and his knuckles white. I tried to glare at the back of his head, but for the life of me I couldn't summon the hatred I harbour for him today, so I turned my head away.
Xan stood up and gestured for me to follow him out. None of us spoke for some time. Xan seemed very put together and calm about the whole ordeal which scared me even more. He flips out when I go to the library without telling him, and I was missing for a whole evening.
"Look I can explain," I started before he could get a chance to start. The day I got to know I was Hayley Potter and not just Hayley was the day I started hoarding lies against Xan and Jae. Times when I meet Harry, or places where I spent my holidays. The tiniest things really.
But it stops now. I no longer have the grit to lie through my teeth, and I didn't have the mental stamina to deal with anything today. No more lies.
"Try to be a bit creative this time won't you? " Xan mocked me, not even looking at me, he was angry and rightly so.
Xan and Jae knew I kept things from me, but they haven't questioned me, not once, because they trusted me. And I kept the truth of who I was from the only people who cared enough to be friends with the weird girl in our first year.
