Lyra hadn't heard any rumors spread for the forthcoming week. She had seen some girls from George's fan club give her dirty looks but no one said a word. She was very on edge, feeling like everyone was watching her. Siggy would stare daggers at her during lectures. Lyra just kept her head down as long as she could.
What the problem had been was when Lyra was walking by the courtyard, she noticed her brother talking to his friends. But it didn't seem like a happy conversation, Draco had on his famous snare. If looks could kill, his friends would be struck dead.
When she began to walk by the lot, she heard Draco shout Goyle's name and quickly a large body was blocking her way. She looked over at her brother with annoyance and anxiety hiding underneath the surface.
"I'm going to be late." Lyra told him flatly.
"For Binns class? I'm doing you a favor." Draco replied roughly. Lyra let her eyes roll at that.
"What is it?" She asked sternly, looking amongst his goons.
"I heard from a little birdy that you like snogging trash." He spat viciously.
She felt her body ice over with fear. But she tried her best not to show it, and to look confused. "What are you talking about?" Her hands grew clammy and her jaw felt like it was going to lock.
"Drake, I told you she was lying." Pansy spoke up from behind her brother.
"She?" Lyra felt like she was playing the part well, slowly growing upset. "What is going on? Someone tell me right now!" She stopped her foot. From the looks of them, they were fallng for it.
"Siggy Burrow," Pansy spoke up, causing Draco to tighten his jaw. "She said you snogged George Weasley."
Now Lyra's blood was boiling. "Siggy? That bitch." She growled. Causing them all to gasp to hear her swear. She never swore.
"Did you do it?" Draco asked, his voice getting real low. His eyes burning with pure rage and humiliation.
"Of course not!" Lyra replied hastily. "I would never snogged him. If anything we've spoke a few times but not snog! You know how mother and father would react to such a scandal!"
Draco seemed relieved. "We'll deal with that wench. She could have damaged our family name."
"She must hate me. Probably because I excel far past her." Lyra shrugged smugly. "Deal with it, or I will. And my method will be far from lady-like."
"We'll deal with that Ravenclaw." Pansy confirmed. "I'll talk to Daphne."
"Thanks, Pansy." Lyra shot her a smile. "Now I'm off to class." Lyra was shaking as she walked away. Absolutely shaking.
When she could. She pushed George into a broom closet. He went in to kiss her, but she shoved him away.
"Siggy told Draco." She replied with rage.
"What?"
"Siggy told Draco that she saw us snogging." Lyra hadn't noticed how much this was weighing on her until she burst into tears. "She told him! I managed to convince them it was a lie. I'm quite the actress, I think it's my calling." She tried to add humor to levitate the rising of emotions. "But she could have ruined everything!"
"I'll deal with it." He told her calmly.
"No, Pansy is getting her gang on it. Just... look disgusted when you see me." She managed to say as she wiped her still forming tears away.
"I can't do that." He replied, leaning against the wall.
"Why not?"
"Because I like you too much. It won't look very convincing."
She managed to smile up at him in the dim light. "I guess it's good I can act." She teased.
"What do we do now?"
"Wait for it all to blow over." She suggested. He nodded his head. Not wanting to tell her it may blow over sooner than she thinks.
The next DA meeting was coming up, it'd be the last before the Easter holiday. Lyra knew they were practicing the patronus spell again. She hoped Neville casted a powerful one. He deserved it. He was a sweet kid, she once complimented on one of his plants that was hard to keep alive, he did it so flawlessly. They occasionally talked about herbology, he was looking at advanced textbooks out of sheer enjoyment.
Lyra was going to meet her estranged aunt, this coming holiday, she wasn't looking forward to it. George had calmed her fears somewhat.
She joined Alicia and Katie on the walk to the DA meeting. Lyra's galleon was never far from her person. "I can't wait for this lesson. I've been practicing." Alicia beamed excitedly.
"So have I," Katie injected. "But I know Lyra won't have a problem at all."
Lyra blushed. "I blame it on the trauma and threats." She tried to laugh.
They joined the larger group, pacing the corridor until the door revealed itself to them. The students poured into the room. Lyra noticed they were one student short. She couldn't place who it was though, unfortunately.
"Alright, let's get started!" They heard Harry say in the front of the class.
All the students started casting, and this time, all were able to produce, even Neville Longbottom. Lyra was proud of him. He was praised, everyone started cheering him on. She saw his face light up, he wasn't used to compliments.
George jolted Lyra's sides, making her jump. She hit his arm as he laughed at her. He pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her. She couldn't stop her cheeks from turning bright red and frantically looked around.
"George," She muttered trying to move from his grasps.
"Love, this lot hadn't said a word, including Lavender and Parvati." He gestured to the two girls giggling and glancing over at the two.
"What's wrong?" Katie asked.
"Siggy told Draco about George and I. I managed to convince them it was a lie." Lyra explained.
Katie and Alicia gasped. They looked so shocked and worried. "I'll punch that wench!" Katie growled.
"No need. The Slytherins are on it." George injected. "Pansy and her evil lot." Lyra playfully rolled her eyes at her boyfriend.
"She's not that bad when you get to know her. She just hates... a lot of people."
"And we happen to be one of them." Alicia reminded her, gesturing to George, Katie and her.
"We'll just wait for this to blow over." Lyra sighed. She was growing tired of the scandal. She hadn't heard from Pansy but she seemed rather smug with whatever they had planned.
"Shouldn't you be practicing?" Lyra asked George as she casts once more.
"Pfft, I got it down. Fred and I are experts at this point." He boasted.
"Oh, of course." She giggled.
There was a sudden pop. Lyra could have sworn it was her old house-elf, Dobby. No, it was him! What was Dobby doing? "Mr. Potter! She's coming!" He squealed before disappearing.
Lyra couldn't process his words, George grabbed her hand and rushed for the exit. Lyra picked up her bag just in time. She heard people screech and scramble out the door. Lyra still couldn't process the situation until they heard Professor Umbridge in the distance. George didn't stop running, basically dragging Lyra away. He opened a broom closet and threw Lyra inside before hiding himself. Both of them breathing rapidly.
"W-what, how?" She whispered frantically.
"I dunno. I don't think you were seen." He replied, still struggling to catch his breath. "Are you alright?"
"Yeah... that looked like my house-elf."
"It is, Dobby was freed by Harry by tricking Mr. Malfoy. He also gave Ginny a cursed diary, possessing her to open the chamber of secrets."
"What," She gasped. "I-I had no idea."
"Yeah, I know." He replied with no malice on his voice. "I didn't think Mr. Malfoy would share that kind of intel."
"He just said he got rid of him. I was quite dreadful to him, I feel awful. I should apologize."
"Shush," He didn't mean to be rude, he was still very much on edge. He pressed his ear to the door. "I don't hear anything. C'mon." He opened the door and looked, he spotted Draco round the corner, hearing him laugh darkly. "It's clear." He exited first, still looking before letting Lyra actually exit.
"Thank you." She said softly.
"I wasn't going to have you get caught and get in trouble. Go to the library or something. Just get away as far as you can. I'll give you news if there are any."
"What about Alicia and Katie, what if they got caught!" She exclaimed nervously.
"I'll look. Don't worry." He kissed her head. "Get going, hurry!"
Lyra didn't hesitate, she fled him, running down the corridor, trying to get away from the scene. She arrived at the library, she sat down at a table, just staring off into space. Just trying to get everything in order.
She felt this sharp pain in her chest. This unbelievable pain, she knew it was anxiety rising up within her. She tried to take deep breaths and got up and calmly exited the library.
She tried to calmly walk towards the Slytherin common room. When she arrived in the dungeons, she sat down on a sofa near the door. When Draco enters, she would calmly ask why he was so happy- she knew he would be.
She pulled out a book, but couldn't read anything. Her hands shook. If she was seen, she'd be beaten, oh... she'd be killed. She would be a traitor. A blood traitor. The word didn't seem so bad now. It just meant she was tolerant and not a prejudice.
Finally the door swung open, Draco and his goons came in laughing. "What are you so happy about?" Lyra asked, hoping to sound calm and not worried as she was.
"We caught Potter, Marietta Edgecombe squealed like a pig when Umbridge threatened to fire her mother from the ministry. She told us about Dumbledore's Army, she said Potter was running it. Turns out that old loon had Potter do it. The coward ran away and now I think Umbridge will be the headmistress, finally a competent person is in charge." He sat down next to Lyra, lounging out happily. "You missed the fun."
"Yes, seems so. Well, I'm trying to read. I'm going to my dorm. Goodnight." She got up and put her bookbag over her shoulder and raced up the stairs. She couldn't be in that room any longer before she gave away her anxieties.
The next day, she went to the Great Hall for breakfast and found Umbridge sitting in Dumbledore's place. She stared for what felt like a long time. She seemed so smug, so happy. Only trouble would happen. She's a terrible woman. She'd fire Hagrid because he's half-giant. He got most of his human traits, he was too gentle, it's pathetic to fire him. He's so passionate about his job, though she didn't enjoy nearly dying in his class, she liked him as a person. She finally moved her legs and sat down at the table. She started eating. She felt the ability to swallow was too hard.
Professor McGonagall seemed as upset as Lyra and most of the students. Only Snape remained indifferent. Of course he would. She noticed Harry wasn't expelled, that made her happy. She liked those classes, now what?
Lyra and George met during their free period. George seemed really nervous but determined. Lyra knew something bad was coming.
"I-I know what happened, Draco told me." Lyra told him, hoping to relieve him of stress, but his expression didn't change. "You're making me worried." She let out a weak laugh.
"Fred and I were talking and... we aren't staying here until graduation." He told her.
"What?" She had a small confused smile on her lips, was this a joke? This must be a prank, but his expression didn't change. "What about your NEWTs? What-"
"We have everything figured out, we are getting our shop started. You know how much this business means to us- to me. We don't need anymore schooling to start our shop. And with this toad in charge, we don't want to be here."
"Oh," she said softly, she sounded so disappointed.
"But, I don't want to stop seeing you." He reached out and grabbed her hand. "I'll send letters like crazy, I want to hear about every mundane detail of your day." He cupped her face. "Okay?" She just stared at him, unable to say a word. "Love, okay?"
"When are you leaving?" She asked weakly.
"Fred and I planned to make a big exit. We're leaving when we come back from break. We have some things to workshop." He stroked her cheek. "Stop frowning at me." He begged. He used his fingers to make her smile, making her to actually smile briefly before she swat his hands away.
"I thought I had all this time with you, but I don't." She sighed. "That sucks, George. That really sucks."
"I know." He sighed. "But we'll only be apart for a few weeks and then we'll be together again. Okay?"
"Okay," She said in a small voice.
"I-I love you, Lyra." He said looking into her eyes, he seemed nervous again.
"I love you too." She replied as a smile grew on her face. She played with the buttons on his shirt. "I am still upset. Everything is happening so fast. I feel like I'm not given time to process anything. Everything is changing and I don't like it."
"Sometimes change is good." He replied optimistically.
"Maybe," she sighed.
He kissed her softly. "Everything is going to be okay." He wasn't talking about him leaving, and she knew that. It was about everything.
And Lyra didn't believe him at all.