Hosie - Hogwarts Au (Harry Potter / Legacies)

Chapter 30

Hope watches as Josette moves frantically around the bathroom. Her thoughts are still racing from the sequence of events that had gotten her here. It almost feels like some kind of weird dream—one where she had walked in on the muggleborn, kissed her, and then nearly got caught.

"I'm sorry," Josette apologizes, reaching for a bundle of clothes on the sink countertop Hope hadn't noticed before. The girl tucks it underneath her arm distractedly, her messy bun completely unraveled. Hope's eyes dilate at the pretty picture in front of her. "I couldn't risk Lizzie seeing you."

"No, I get why," the pureblood murmurs, her voice too soft, and she clears her throat in an attempt to keep her resolve. She's already appeared too weak tonight. She can't allow herself to do so again. Hope stands up and twists the hem of her dripping-wet shirt out, and swings a leg over the tub. Her pants stick to her uncomfortably. "You couldn't have just done a cloaking spell or something?"

"Oh, I kind of forgot about magic." Josette smiles sheepishly, still not meeting Hope's eyes. Had she regretted everything? Does she think the kiss was a mistake? "But I tried to get rid of her as quickly as possible if that makes you feel better."

"Thanks," Hope nearly bites out, her mind buzzing. Does Josie still hate her? Her throat bobs with the intensity of her heart attempting to jump up it. She takes a step forward and tries to painstakingly shimmy out of her tight pants. Merlin, it's so hard. She can barely focus on something so simple. She wants to ask all kinds of questions, but settles back into sarcasm instead. "Your kindness knows no bounds."

Josette turns around to fix her with an exasperated look, and quickly turns back. Hope knows she's blushing. "Oh my god! What are you doing?"

God. That wasn't the first time Hope had heard the muggleborn say that, yet she still finds herself confused. Is it a muggle term or something?

The pureblood drops her pants to the floor with a heavy, slick thud and reaches at her neck for the tie that had started to choke her in the past couple of minutes. "Changing."

"In front of me?" Hope almost smirks at the expression on her face. "You didn't even bring any clothes with you."

Hope just shrugs, slowing down her movements a little. Josette sighs, a heavy, embittered sound. "Ugh, nevermind. I—I have to go. Lizzie had another...episode."

An episode?

Josette flashes across the room to the door before Hope can blink, and—for just an instant—she panics.

"What?" Hope breathes, furious at herself for even calling after the other girl. "You're just leaving?"

She loathes how desperate she sounds—absolutely abhors the fragile tint to her voice, completely despises the pleading trembling in her feet like she might just chase after her.

Josette stops in front of the door. She taps her fingers against the handle like she's frustrated, before looking over her shoulder back at Hope.

"Are you going to apologize to Sebastian and Lizzie?"

Hope falters.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Josette ignores her.

"Are you?"

She opens her mouth, but no sound makes it way passed parted lips. She doesn't respond, but she doesn't have to. Her reply is clear without words. Josette sends her one last, painful look of disappointment before sliding herself through the door and disappearing entirely.

Hope locks the door after her, and only then does she begin to catch her breath. It comes to her like a blizzard, all at once and unrelenting. She sits down on the edge of the bath to steady herself, wondering if, if—