Toujours Pur | Euphemia Black

Chapter 25 | Under Pressure

Euphemia didn't say this to Pomona though, she didn't want her friends knowing about her dark childhood and the punishments that lay in store for her actions. If they found out, they would be horrified and might not want to be Mia's friend so that they didn't risk her health or safety and that was the last thing that Euphemia wanted to happen. Mia couldn't allow that to happen because some of her happiest times were with the gang - she felt content and relaxed and that was a feeling that she never got in her childhood or when she was forced to hang around with her family and their 'approved acquaintances.'

Her friends were what mattered most to her in the entirety of the world and Euphemia knew that if she lost that safety, that love that she had found in them she would be like a snail without it's shell. She had never had great connections or friends within her family's select circle and had always felt uncomfortable around them because they hadn't chosen to be friends but instead had been forced to hang out with each other.

Clover and Justin had been the only true friends she had actually had in her childhood and even their friendship was based off lies and Euphemia always felt like she had to be looking over her shoulder for a disapproving stare from her family whenever she was playing with them. It had been great hanging out with Clover and Justin and confirming her doubts that muggles were all evil and scum of the earth had been exhilarating to say the least.

And now she had again landed true friends in half bloods and blood traitors - it seemed to be a recurring theme with Euphemia that she always made friends with people that her parents would look down on. What did it matter anyway? Friends would be friends, right until the end no matter what blood status or family reputation they carried, if they were a true friend then they would stay thus and nothing Druella or Walburga did or said would change a thing about it.

"Mia?" Pomona urged her, leaning forward as the girl had trailed off and proceeded to look into the distance in a rather off-putting way which made Pomona concerned for her friend. "What were you going to say?" she asked gently and Euphemia brushed her off, standing up on shaky legs and quickly wiping her eyes where tears had begun to form once again.

Seeing as Mia didn't say anything in reply to Pomona's concerned questions and qualms, the Hufflepuff simply raised herself off the ground and stood beside Euphemia in support, wrapping her arm around Mia's shoulder. "Nobody's perfect, you know. Nobody has to be perfect - making mistakes..it's part of being human and if your parents are not letting you be who you want to be and forcing you to be perfect then...they aren't human, Mia," Pomona told her softly, concern shining out from her blue eyes as thy widened upon seeing Euphemia's shaky composure.

"It's not that..." Mia replied hoarsely, wincing at how unused and sore her voice sounded as it cracked in the eerie silence of the library. Pomona didn't speak, she looked at Euphemia quietly and let her friend carry on talking, she knew it was important that Mia was able to speak without any interruption in order for her get her story and point across.

"My parents, they....don't exactly approve of my choice in friends," Euphemia eventually said, albeit extremely slowly and carefully, as if she were picking her words selectively so as to not reveal anything just yet. Pomona raised an eyebrow but didn't contradict her as she knew there was truth underlining Mia's statement, just the way she expressed it made concern well up inside Pomona because something...something wasn't right here but she didn't know what it was.

A silence ensued then from both girls but it was in no way awkward - in fact, the silence was somehow comforting and spoke for itself, it was peaceful in a way where you could feel calm and know that no matter what was happening, the other was forever there for you. This was showed through the simple movement of Pomona reaching out her hand to grasp Euphemia's and the two girls sat there in the comfortable silence for a short while, holding onto each other for support.