"Why are you being so protective, you're not like this with anyone else!"
"You wouldn't understand!"
"Well then I'm going to be on my way."
"No!"
"Then tell me!"
"I have to look out for my-"
Poppy suddenly woke and looked around the room. The light was pouring through the gaps in the window. It was just a dream. Poppy decided to let the girls sleep in a little while longer and headed down to the common room, taking a book she loved. Ellie questioned her for reading it so much but that never stopped her. She sat down on the sofa where herself, Ellie and the twins normally sat. The fire was still alight and made the common room warm and home like. The young girl was there for what felt like hours but was only minutes when a certain redhead made his way next to her.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING OUT OF BED?!" Poppy jumped out of her skin, turning to see George clutching his stomach from laughing.
"GEORGE WEASLEY. ARE YOU ASKING TO GET YOUR ARSE KICKED?!" Poppy hissed, her hair turning a fiery red. "You'd better run, Weasley." George did as asked, and went darting laps around the common room. Poppy facepalmed, but nonetheless found herself tailing him anyway. After about ten minutes of running like maniacs, George decided to finally take action. He turned around and stopped abruptly, causing Poppy to run into him. He then grabbed her shoulders and shoved her with all his might, making her tumble onto the sofa.
"GEORGE!"
"I'm sorry! I couldn't resist." He said, reaching a hand out to help her up. She took it.
"Thanks." She said sweetly, before yanking on his arm, hard. This made him clumsily fall onto the sofa next to her, face first.
"Alright, alright. You win." George laughed, Poppy with a smug smirk plastered onto her face. "But, in all seriousness, what was wrong?"
"Who says there's something wrong?"
"Your terrible lying."
"Yeah yeah. Nothing to worry about. Bad dream." Poppy assured but it was clear something was bothering her. Like REALLY bothering her. George let it slide, as he didn't want to piss her off even more. So, instead, he silently pulled her into a tight hug. It was a simple gesture, but it sent electricity coursing through Poppy's veins - as much as she'd hate to admit it.
"Ow, Fred!" Poppy and George quickly pulled apart when they heard an all too familiar voice hissing from behind the door.
"Come out. Right now." Poppy yelled, and a sheepish looking Ellie followed by a smirking Fred emerged from behind the wooden door.
"Calm down, Mrs Weasley." Ellie said, making Fred burst out laughing. "Anyway, down to business! I knew it! You cannot deny it any longer, Poppy Weasley!" She said excitedly, Fred high-fiving her. Fred and George seemed to be having a silent conversation with their eyes, while Poppy merely narrowed daggers at a triumphant Ellie.
"Right then, Poppy. Let's go to bed before you explode." Ellie giggled. "Night, twins." And with that, Ellie dragged Poppy up the stairs, no doubt leaving Fred to freely take the piss out of George.
Poppy began to grow fed up with Ellie teasing her ear off, so tried to take the spotlight and point it at her friend.
"Hm, must've been very cramped in that small space behind the door. With just you and Fred there." Poppy said, smirking. This made Ellie's eyes widen and her cheeks go red, but she denied it nonetheless.
"We are talking about you, honey." Ellie said, and continued to tease. When they arrived at their dorms, they froze as they saw a groggy looking Hermione just beginning to wake up.
"What are you girls doing out of bed?" Hermione groaned.
"Midnight feast! Nothing to worry about, Mione!" Ellie chirped and Hermione settled back down.
"Right, now that we're in private I CAN KILL YOU!" Poppy exclaimed, raising her hands. Ellie's eyes widened and she darted into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.
"I'll stay in here all night if I have to."
"I can't be arsed with this. I'll murder you in the morning, El." Poppy rolled her eyes and got into bed, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
When Poppy woke up, she looked over to Ellie's bed, and it was empty.
"Uh.... Ellie?" Poppy called. No answer. "Ellie!" She yelled more loudly, and she heard a loud bang from the bathroom. She made her way over, and saw Ellie sprawled out on the bathroom floor.
"You scared me." Ellie giggled sheepishly.
"Oh Merlin, you actually stayed in there all night, didn't you?" Poppy rolled her eyes, laughing at the dishevelled girl on the floor.
"What? I am a woman of my word." Poppy rolled her eyes and helped Ellie off the floor.
"Let's go get breakfast before we're late." Poppy pointed out whilst dragging Ellie down to the Great Hall.
"Jesus Poppy, for some one so small you don't half walk fast!" Ellie exclaimed out of breath. Both girls took a seat at the table, Ellie grabbing a slice of toast and Poppy taking an apple.
"Well, well, well," came a voice from behind, "the dragon was able to drag her arse out of bed this morning," Fred said, Poppy glaring at him and Ellie flashing him a smile. Fred came and sat next to Ellie, slipping an arm around her shoulders. "Good morning, fellow matchmaker." He said, making Ellie laugh.
"Today we will be repotting Mandrakes." Professor Sprout began the Herbology lesson. Neither Poppy nor Ellie paid much attention, they'd crammed about this before the year even began specifically so they didn't have to pay attention in lessons. They spent the whole lesson repotting the little squealing Mandrakes, only three girls escaping with their full hearing ability.
"Can you believe that man!?" Poppy ranted as she walked into the Great Hall with Harry, Ron and a seething Ellie.
"Well we're alright now, aren't we?" Ron said, rather terrified of the two crimson headed girls.
"Thanks to us! That man is an incompetent, egotistical git and if he doesn't get the sack soon I'll bloody make sure he's unable to work for the rest of his pathetic life!" Ellie growls, all three of them looking at her with surprise. It was rare for Ellie to get this worked up over something.
"Merlin, you're worse than me today!" Poppy exclaims.
"Rightly so! Did you see poor Neville on the chandelier?" Ellie said.
"You've been getting rather close with Neville, recently, haven't you?" Poppy said, absentmindedly.
"Yeah, he's a good friend once he comes out of his shell." Ellie shrugged.
"And how close, may I ask, are they?" George said teasingly, making sure to observe his brother's reaction.
"Cut it out, Weasley." Ellie chuckled, playfully punching George on the shoulder. Poppy caught on to what her friend was doing, and quickly carried it on.
"Actually, they've been very close. What would you think of them together, Georgie?" Poppy teased.
"Well, Poppy," George grinned, "I think they would make a fabulous couple."
"Yes, a match made in heaven!" Poppy exclaimed dramatically, looking to Fred for a reaction. He was doing a good job of hiding his anger, so Poppy pushed it even more. "What do you think of Ellie and Neville, Fred?" His anger was clear now. Ellie knew what they were doing from the start, so she intervened.
"Knock it off, leave poor Freddie alone," she sighed. She couldn't deny it, she rather liked what they were doing, but she felt bad for poor jealous Freddie. So she reached up and put an arm around him. "I only have eyes for Freddie." She said jokingly, making Fred blush, but laugh nonetheless. Fred smirked triumphantly, quietly thanking Ellie for saving his arse.
