The Carnival ⌁ Draco Malfoy [1/4] ✔

37

The fireworks and trouble Fred and George had struck up for Umbridge was the most exciting thing Emma had experienced all term, and it seemed that way for the rest of the students as well as all the teachers who hadn't even bothered to stop Fred and George. And the distant echo of Fred's words were stuck in the back of Emma's had, but that was not what she was the thinking of at the moment. Nor was she thinking of the exciting fireworks. Nor was she thinking of the way Peeves had saluted Fred as he and his twin flew out of the school on their broomsticks. Nor was she thinking back to the amount of times Fred glanced over his shoulder to spot her in the middle of the crowd.

No, she was feeling absolutely bewildered about something that had happened before Fred and George had even set off their fireworks...

She'd been in the Great Hall, trying to start up at conversation with Sabrina who was, surprisingly, in a much better mood than usual. She was talking back conversationally, looking Emma in the eye, and her lips had twitched into a small smile here and there. And it relieved Emma to have noticed that Sabrina's normal skin colour was back. Perhaps she was finally overcoming the fear of her parents escape and she was finally accepting it...or finally figured out a plan of some sort...or thought of what she'd do when the term came to an end...

"No, no, I'm not worried about failing," said Sabrina in a very quiet voice, as she stirred her lunch around her plate. "Even though I've missed quite a lot of lessons, I've still managed to study in the dormitory. Daphne would come in all exhausted and just start blabbering about how horrible her day was, and out would come what she was taught in her lessons. I summoned a couple books and did my reading. I'm confident that I'll pass. You don't need to worry about me. What about you, though? You haven't even talked about you or how you're coping with all the lessons and the crammed homework."

"I will in a moment," Emma breathed - she couldn't help but blurt out questions and keep Sabrina talking in fear that she'd suddenly stop and crawl back into a hole. "How haven't any of the teachers been on your arse?"

Sabrina frowned, then shrugged. "Dunno. Just told them I was feeling ill. I was - of course. I've been feeling ill for the last couple of weeks but Madam Pomfrey couldn't figure out what was wrong with me. But," she grinned, "not to worry; I'm all better now."

The grin had certainly assured Emma that Sabrina was, indeed, OK again, and she could finally see the happiness shining in Sabrina's eyes again. She was glad her friend had finally come around; she'd really missed talking with her this much. She'd barely had anyone to talk to other than Draco, who was annoying, and Daphne, who had only just come round to forgiving her. But, deep down, and though Emma would never truly admit it and quite possible not to herself, she'd choose Sabrina as a friend over Daphne any day.

"Well, I'm glad," Emma smiled, quite aware that her food was going cold but all she could focus on was the major difference in Sabrina, who was swallowing her food happily. "Because it's been absolutely boring without you."

"So...uh...you and Potter, huh?" said Sabrina awkwardly. "I can't even believe I couldn't recognise the resemblance...but then again, you two barely look alike. It's only the hair and eyes that are the same."

Emma forced a smile, though her stomach had really lurched at being reminded, and she knew she'd probably never get over the sinking in the bottom of her stomach that would suddenly burst at the reminder of being related to Harry Potter rather than the people who had raised her for the last fourteen years.

"I'd...er...rather not...talk about that," said Emma truthfully. "At least not out in the open. At least not with our voices. On paper, maybe. But voices, no."