You're My Flower || Tom Riddle

Chapter 20: Helping A Friend

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"We have to tell Connor."

Julia looked like she would slap her, "No! Are you crazy?"

"But he's Jonathan's friend! And, you want him to go Hogesmade with the five of us, am I right?"

Julia huffed, "Of course! But, it's not easy to just let him like me... He hated me too, remember?"

"Yes well, we'll get it settled quickly!" Emily promised her friend and went off to the common room.

The day finally came and Emily woke up extra earlier. She found a sand white swing winter coat and some light gray sweater on. The weather was still freezing outside, and the windows were coated with frost.

Pulling on some brown pants and gray, sorel boots, she followed her friends and took the form out from her dressing table.

Connor was waiting outside, dressed in a brown duffel coat and some black pants. He waved happily at the four of them, and behind them came Jonathan.

Emily could feel her friend tensed when she saw him. She knew how it felt. She would've tagged along with Tom if he wasn't still mad.

"Come on, let's go!" Chloe pulled her friends along and went out of Hogwarts, feeling free at last.

Hogesmade was up to business. All of the shops were opened, and inside was buzzing with excitement and laughter. The brick roads were packed with students, going into shops for butterbeers and sweets.

Emily wished she had her mother with her. She had gotten lost in Diagon Alley once when she was just seven and from that onwards, she held onto her mother's hand when there is a heavy crowd.

Rebecca had forced everyone to go into a shop full of clothes, especially women's clothes, and the two boys looked around, feeling bored.

Emily ran her hands through the linen of clothes, and spotted a rather pretty dark green, halter dress. She took quite a long time looking at it, but Emily didn't bought it. She wouldn't want to spend her savings on such an expensive dress.

Perhaps she had spent too long in the shop that she didn't know where her friends went. Where did they go? Emily thought, they couldn't have went too far away!

She looked at the large crowd blocking her way. What if she got lost and never managed to get back to Hogwarts? The gates would be closed!

Reluctantly, Emily joined the swarming students and pushed around, trying to find a familiar figure.

She suddenly felt very afraid. There were too many strangers and students she didn't know, and Emily stood there, paralysed.

Her legs felt numb from walking. Her fingers trembled in the cold and when someone shouted her name, Emily had to strained her ears to find the voice of it.

She saw Julia's straight hair bobbing in the crowd. Zipping past a few older ravenclaws, she sighed loudly in relief as she rejoined the group.

Jonathan looked annoyed. "Oh great.. We had spent twenty minutes searching for her.. Where have you been?" he snapped loudly.

"I - I was in the shop -"

"In the shop? Didn't you see us going?" he accused her.

"That's enough! It's not her fault!" Julia shielded her, holding her arm protectively.

"I'm sorry! I -"

"There's no need to apolagize," Julia comforted Emily, and send Jonathan a death glare. Emily didn't want her friend to go against her crush just because she had some childhood fear.

"It's totally fine! We can -" she started, but he interrupted her.

"Well guess what?" Jonathan balled his fists, "I should've stuck with my other Gryffindors than hang out with all of you! If it wasn't for Connor, then perhaps I'll straight off reject the offer!"

Julia looked so hurt that Emily felt even worse. Her friend's hands trembled so badly that when she screamed, Emily flinched and backed away a little.

"I didn't planned to just bring you along so you can complain, you idiot! I wanted -" she hesitated, red in the face, "I WANTED TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU!"

He looked flabbergasted. "What?"

"I WANTED TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SPENT THE REST OF MY YEARS IN HOGWARTS KNOWING THAT YOU HATE ME WHEN IN FACT I DON'T ANYMORE!" Julia felt her throat gone dry, "I liked you a lot."

Emily didn't know if Julia cried because of anger or sadness. Perhaps there were more than that just simple crush feelings.

She stormed off, shoving people out of her way and the group looked around, feeling awkward. Jonathan still hadn't process what she just said properly.

"Let's head back and get some rest.." Rebecca insisted as everyone had no better plan to go anywhere.

Emily felt guilty and Connor comforted her a bit.

"It's not entirely your fault.. At least she confessed, didn't she?"

She nodded her head and they melted back into the crowd again. "Can I -" Emily thought of the action, "Can I hold your arm?"

He smirked, "We can hold hands if you want."

"No!" Emily turned pink in the face, "None of that sort. Just wanted to hold your arm.."

"Okay,"he pulled his hand out and Emily clutched onto it. She felt safer than just now, having someone here with her.

"Let's go back, we need to see if Julia was alright."

Connor smiled," Whatever you say. Let's go!"