Secrets & Slytherins

Chapter 38: Hard Facts

Winter was quickly approaching. Chilly days led into colder nights, making Grace linger by the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room more often than not.

It had been almost two weeks since she last talked to Noah. It would have been hard trying not to speak to him if they kept running into each other, but Grace hadn't seen the Slytherin boy around the castle in quite some time. He stopped showing up to classes, he skipped meals, and he was never found roaming the halls and grounds like usual. He was nowhere to be found.

Grace wanted to speak to Draco, just to check in. She was sure one of Noah's best friends would know his whereabouts, but she couldn't seem to locate Malfoy either. The boys were either really good at avoiding her, or something was going on.

Gliding her quill across the parchment, Grace quickly finished her Care of Magical Creatures essay, looking across the table as she sat in the quiet library.

"You're already finished?" asked Rachel. "How do you know all this information? It's a bunch of nonsense." The girl looked down at her parchment with only a few words written on it.

"This-" Grace started, sliding a large book across the table. "-is a textbook, Rachel. Believe it or not, if you read it, it gives you the answers."

Rachel rolled her eyes, sending Grace a fake laugh and stroking the spine of the textbook before opening it.

Grace stared at the blonde girl sitting across from her. Noah warned her about Rachel, but she seemed harmless. It was just a little help with homework. Besides, Noah didn't get to decide who Grace spent her time with. Not anymore.

"Rachel, can I ask you something?" Grace began in a hushed voice, moving her chair in closer.

Rachel merely nodded, snapping the textbook closed, clearly not wanting to even attempt her assignments.

"I swore I saw you with Ryan at that party in the Room of Requirement. I was really messed up that night, but is it true what I saw?" Grace asked, scanning the girl's expression.

"So what if it is?"

"Look," Grace sighed. "Ryan was-" She shook her head. "Ryan wasn't a good boyfriend to me. I just want you to be careful. You don't know what he's capable of. I would hate to see another girl get stuck in a bad relationship with him."

"I'm not in a bad relationship," Rachel explained, narrowing her eyes.

"Maybe it seems great right now, but-"

"You don't know what the fuck you're talking about, so just drop it."

Grace's mouth snapped shut. She was really taken aback by how this conversation was going. Of course, she completely understood how easy it was to fall blind to abuse, but Rachel was going to get herself hurt.

"I know exactly what I'm talking about. Trust me, I wish I could say I didn't," Grace admitted.

"Enough about me," Rachel continued, putting Grace on the spot. "What about you, huh? You and Dolohov looked cozy at the party."

"That's over with," Grace confessed, her voice just above a whisper as she stared down at her hands.

"What happened?" Rachel asked, raising an eyebrow as she pushed to know more.

"Just a stupid little argument. You know how that is."

"I don't actually," Rachel answered. "I'm in the best relationship of my life." She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "It's funny, really. I was with Noah before, now I'm with Ryan, and things have never been better. You, however, were with Ryan which sounded like a mess, and then Noah, which was yet another mess. You know, I'm starting to think that you're the problem, not them."

Grace felt fury rush through her veins. "Why are you being a bitch? I've been nothing but nice to you."

"I call it as I see it. I'm not afraid to speak my mind, Parker. That's something you have no idea about."

"Oh, you want me to speak my mind?" Grace scoffed, standing up from her chair to look down at Rachel. "You hop from guy to guy like it's nothing. You treated Noah like shit, and I promise you Ryan will do the same to you if you keep this up and stay with him."

Rachel chuckled to herself, smirking at Grace. "Is that it? Is that the best you've got?"

"You don't deserve my best," Grace spat, packing up her things and swinging her bag over her shoulder. "Have fun with Ryan," she added, walking away from the table. "He's a dick."

"At least he isn't stupid enough not to realize when someone slips something into the drink he's getting for a girl," Rachel called in a tone of satisfaction.

Grace stopped in her tracks, her heart racing. She slowly turned around to face the Slytherin. "What did you just say?"

"How were you feeling that night at the party, Grace? A little groggy? Did something happen to your punch?"

"How do you know about that?" Grace asked, her fists clenching.

Rachel smiled triumphantly. "Whose idea do you think it was to have O'Connor slip the potion into the drink Noah was holding for you?"

Grace's stomach flipped. Rachel was the root of all her current problems.

"Do you know how much damage you've caused?" Grace asked with a furrowed brow.

"You're already damaged. What does it matter?"

Grace laughed in annoyance, digging her wand out of her pocket and pointing it at the textbook on the table.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Grace voiced, flicking her wand to make the heavy textbook rise up to the ceiling of the library and come pummeling down on Rachel's head. Hard. "I hope that didn't damage your brain too much. Although, perhaps it's already beyond repair." Grace shot her a sarcastic smile before leaving the library, finishing, "Good luck with the essay!"