101 Ways to ditch the Date | SIRIUS BLACK

No. 27

"Hey Emmeline..." Emmeline, with the world's biggest eye roll sat up in her bed, glancing over at Ora who was sitting on her bed, hugging her knees to her chest, "Are you awake... wait, nevermind you're glaring at me."

"Ora, usually I don't glare, you know that," Emmeline said with a sigh, "But I value sleep, can this wait until the morning?"

"I guess. Sorry for disturbing you."

If Ora had replied sharply and sarcastically, Emmeline would have felt no guilt in going back to sleep but something was wrong. Ora sounded dejected and strangely scared, very un-Ora like."

"God, I am an amazing friend," She murmured as she sat back up again, illuminating the room with her wand, "What is it?"

"It's fine, Em, I said I was sorry, we can discuss it in the morning," Ora said, hastily diving under her covers. From underneath the thick blue blankets, Emmeline heard a tiny voice say, "Night."

Without making a sound, Emmeline stood up from her bed, creeping across the floor to her best friend. Ora was bundled up into her covers, like a caterpillar and Emmeline jabbed her fingers onto her friend's shoulders, causing Ora to shoot up as if on a spring, squealing loudly.

"Em, please sleep," Ora said, her voice wavering slightly, "I don't want to annoy you too."

"Well, I'm already annoyed, damage is done so you might as well tell me - "

"Don't say that," Ora said, her voice suddenly wavering. Usually when she was sad, Ora would start to speak loudly and quickly, often making no sense but there was one thing she never did: cry. This is why concern immediately filled Emmeline to the core as a fat tear trickled down Ora's cheek.

"I'm sorry for being rude earlier in the library," Ora gulped, her words stopping and starting, "And I'm sorry for waking you up now too, I'm sorry for annoying you, I really am. I know I'm a pretty lousy friend most of the time and you... you do so much, I really am sorry."

"I'm not annoyed, I'm really not - "

"Oh my God, shut UP!" The two girls turned to see their dorm mate, Cassandra sitting up, her brown eyes narrowed into a firm glare.

"Piss off, Cass," Emmeline snapped, "We're clearly having a moment, can't you see that?"

"Bloody hell, have it somewhere else for the love of Merlin! Some of us are trying to sleep..." Cassandra's eyes drifted over to Ora's tear stained cheeks, her eyes widening alarmingly, "Ora, are you... crying?"

"What?" Ora hastily wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, "No, I'm... sleepy, you're crying."

"On second thoughts, maybe we should have this moment elsewhere..." Emmeline said, slowly getting up.

"Oh, but it's warm here," Ora replied and Emmeline gave her a look as if to say what the hell are you doing?

"Yeah but we also have Cassandra breathing down our necks," Emmeline hissed. The girls' gaze drifted over to Cassandra who was most definitely eavesdropping. Ora nodded slowly, getting up after Emmeline, the two girls quickly walking out of the dorm.

The common room was near deserted other than one fifth year, asleep on the desk over a textbook. For a moment, the girls considered waking him up but decided against it, one problem at a time. It was only once they were on the sofa, that Ora felt safe to talk again, making sure to check for Cassandra who was known to go to extreme lengths for gossip.

"Okay, why are you crying? Was it Lily, James or as I suspect, Sirius?" Emmeline asked, matter of factly.

"Nobody did anything," Ora said, sniffing slightly, "Well, I did and I think I messed up badly. You know how I kind of like Sirius - "