"You know... the longer you stare the more chance you'll have of him turning around and catching you" I told Holly quietly with a smirk a few hours later as I leant against the table next to her and watched as she turned red and we listened to the rain batter off the windows around us
"Oh be quiet Amelia" she mumbled quietly as I let out a light laugh as she finally tore her gaze away from Fred who was standing laughing with George on the other side of the room as I turned to her as I passed her a glass from behind us as I took one for myself and smiled at her
"Why don't you just go over there and talk to him?"
"Because that would just feel awkward"
"How long have you liked him?"
"W-what I don't like him. Why do you think I like him? What makes you think that? Who said I even like someone? Did someone say I like someone? Was it Ron? It was Ron wasn't it?" She asked quickly as I stood there with an amused look as her cheeks turned pink
"You clearly like him, I mean.... you were staring at him unblinkingly for about three solid minutes"
"Oh fine. I've liked him since not that long into second year- happy?" She mumbled as I smirked slightly and finished my drink before walking away and towards the two who had turned with grins on their faces after I stood next to them
"Ah Amelia Black, what can we do for you?"
"Okay, first. Don't greet me like that-"
"Okay-"
"And secondly, I'm actually only here for one of you. But don't worry George, I'll be back in less than a minute, follow me Fred" I said with a small smile as I watched him throw his twin a concerned look before taking a tentative step forward as I linked arms with him and started walking to where I just was, winking at Holly as she turned pink
"What's happening?"
"Please, Fred. This is the most obvious thing in the whole world. So I swear to Merlin if you fucking hurt her, make her upset or disrespect her in any fucking way I'll be after you with a knife in hand prepared to cut you limb from limb- was that clear enough?" I asked him with a pointed look as I stopped and turned to him as he looked at me taken aback while a light pink colour had spread across his cheeks and he nodded as a smile crossed my face
"Crystal"
"Good- now listen to me Fred, I know my sister like I know my own mind. You won't find any one more kind or as trusting as my sister. Make sure to treat her well please, I share the same love for her as you do for George so I'm begging you please don't let anything happen to her" I said to him after we had started walking again, lowering my voice as we got closer to Holly as I let go of his arm
"Well I'll leave you to it" I smiled before walking off, turning my head around to give Holly another wink as she sent me a grateful smile as I walked over to George
"If he wasn't going to make a move I knew I'd have to do it for him" I told him laughing as he sent a smirk towards me while I glanced around
"Have you got my bag?"
"Yep, we've kept it from your mother and ours since we got here- and you weren't the only one trying to get him to make a move, it was far too obvious he likes her" he told me as he passed me my bag and I hugged it gratefully as we both laughed and I slung it over my shoulder
"I know, they stare at each other. It's sorta unsettling"
"I couldn't agree more. But if I walk into my dorm one day and they're snogging on his bed you're getting the blame for that"
"And I'll take the blame as long as my sister is happy" I said to him laughing as I looked at everything on the table behind him before grabbing a fizzing whizzbee and a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour beans as I hid them in my bag with a grin
"Shh"
"My lips are sealed- so what are doing the rest of this night then Miss Black?"
"Finding a bathroom to get out of this god forsaken skirt and then finding an empty room and doing homework"
"You're going to do homework on your birthday?"
"It's not my birthday. But yes, I need to. It's that or tell Charlie that I'm ready to confess our un-denying love for each other"
"I always knew you two had a secret thing for each other"
"Yeah, I mean Bill was the first to know but rumours fly" I said to him with a slight sigh before I laughed and popped a fudge fly in my mouth
"Anyway, sorry to cut this short but I'm going to go and change out of this skirt. See you later Georgie" I smirked as I walked away and offered a wave over my shoulder as I left the large room, walking down a hall as I looked at the doors that lined the wall on either side until I eventually found a bathroom. Slipping in I opened my bag and pulled out the pair of ripped blue skinny jeans as I quickly changed, thankful to be out of the skirt as I changed my top into a simple grey one as I tucked it in before packing everything away and leaving.
Finally finding an empty room I slipped in and pulled my work out of my bag as I made a start on it, blocking everything out until the door opened over an hour or so later as I looked at Nathan confused from where he stood in the doorway
"Your mother is looking for you"
"What? Why?"
"Because you just vanished" he said amused before walking over as he sat on a free space on the table
"What is it you're even doing?"
"Homework"
"I figured that, what class is it for?"
"Charms, Flitwick has us writing one and a half rolls of parchment"
"Yet, you're nearing the end of your second sheet and your writing is tiny"
"It's not that small"
"It is" he told me laughing as I rolled my eyes with a smile as I finished my sentence
"I knew you would end up changing at one point or another"
"Do you blame me? I'm not one to wear skirts and get all dressed up, Nathan. The only time I wear a skirt is if it's part of my uniform" I told him with a light laugh as he shook his head amused and I looked about for the lid of my ink as he held it up to me and I thanked him with a laugh as someone appeared in the doorway and I looked up as mum stood there, staring between us before turning and keeping her eyes on me
"Where were you?"
"Emm... here?"
"Why didn't you tell anyone where you were going?"
"George knew where I was"
"Well I didn't ask George did I?"
"Well maybe you should've-"
"Where are your clothes?" She asked with raised eyebrows as I glanced down to the clothes I was wearing and pointed to them before glancing up at Nathan who was trying to hide the smirk on his face
"The clothes you came here in"
"They're in my bag-"
"Why? Why didn't you stay in them?"
"Nadia, if she didn't want to stay in them she didn't want to. I don't personally blame her for changing into something else-"
"Nathan can you give me a minute with Amelia please?" She asked quietly as she cut him off and he turned between us before nodding and standing up
"I'll see you later Amelia"
"Bye Nathan" I mumbled as he disappeared and I packed away my quill and ink pot before rolling up my parchment and tying it off as I felt her eyes on me as I tucked them away and zipped my bag up
"Why did you change your clothes?"
"Because I didn't like what I was wearing"
"Just because you didn't like it didn't mean you had to change"
"Yes, well, I wanted to"
"You can't always get what you want-"
"When have I ever gotten what I want?!" I asked loudly as my temper started to get the better of me and we stared at each other
"All I wanted was for you to stay in those clothes and-"
"Yes well I hate those clothes! And maybe if you wanted a child that didn't then go shopping with Holly! Or just find a whole new daughter!"
"Why couldn't you just stay how you were?!"
"... what do you mean by that?"
"Nothing nothing, can you please just-?"
"No, don't change the subject. Tell me what you meant by that" I pressed on as I stared at her and she pinched the bridge of her nose
"Amelia, I didn't mean-"
"You clearly meant something by it, otherwise you wouldn't have of said it"
"Can you just drop it?"
"No! Not until you tell me what you meant. You don't say something like that and not mean anything by it-"
"I meant I wish you hadn't changed! I wish you were still the little seven year old you that was always happy and spending time with others, not closing yourself off in your bedroom all summer! I wish that you hadn't grown up, you hadn't changed, you hadn't been sorted into Slytherin and turned out to be who you are" she said loudly as she ran her hand through her hair as she turned her back for a second and I stared at her before glancing down. Standing up I listened as the chair scraped across the floor slightly as I picked my bag up silently and walked past her, brushing her shoulder slightly as I walked down the hall
"Amelia, wait! I didn't mean that! I'm sorry!"
"Don't lie"
"I'm not lying! Amelia just wait and let me speak!"
"You've said enough" I told her quietly as I walked towards where the music was coming from as her hand landed on my shoulder and I whipped around and pushed it off
"Don't touch me"
"Amelia, please just let me explain-"
"Explain what?! There's nothing to explain! You said it all, alright? Now just leave me alone!" I said to her loudly before storming out of the hall as I sorted my bag before leaving through the doors, instantly getting pelted by rain as I walked away down the stone path, soaked within minutes as I tried to shake away the white that had started spreading around my fingers.
"Amelia!"
"Can't I just be left alone?!" I asked as I turned around and looked at who was jogging towards me as I caught sight of blond hair
"Oh wow, here to make fun of me now are you? I take it you heard all of what was said. So go ahead, insult me, make fun of me, make me feel shittier than I already do" I said to Draco as I held my arms up and looked at him as we stood there silently before I turned around and continued walking as he jogged over and stopped to walk by my side as he stayed quiet
"I'm not going to do that"
"What?"
"I'm not going to, it wouldn't be right" he said quietly as I scoffed and stared ahead
"Draco Malfoy, thinking that he shouldn't say something because it wouldn't be right- that's a first"
"Well you've got a point there. If I'm honest, I would've reacted the same"
"To what?"
"To what happened in there"
"Yes well, you wouldn't have to think of a reaction because your mother actually cares about you and wouldn't have a reason to say anything like that" I said to him as he continued to walk by my side quietly
"Why are you walking with me?"
"One, I thought you would like the company, two I didn't want to be in that place any longer-"
"You and me both"
"And three I thought I'd make sure you were alright" he added as I snorted and turned my head to him
"I'm sorry for how this is going to sound... but are you okay?"
"What do you mean?"
"Well for one you're actually not bothering or insulting me, two you aren't being a prick, three you followed me, four you thought I'd like the company, five you were wanting to make sure I was alright, six-"
"Alright, alright, you can stop listing things" he said cutting me off as he let out a light laugh and I walked with a confused look on my face, waiting on him changing and sending an insult my way
"Are you not cold?"
"Not really"
"So where were you wandering off to then?"
"I was going to head home"
"And how far is that?"
"Walking from here? Around six or seven miles"
"Really?"
"Yeah"
"Well lucky you because you've got me for company the whole way there"
"Jesus"
"Yeah you're welcome"
"What's your mother said about you disappearing to accompany me home then?"
"She's fine with it"
"She is?"
"Yeah, she said she'd get me once I get to your place" he said as I nodded and we walked quietly for awhile
"Who would have of thought I'd be having a civilised conversation with Draco Malfoy?" I asked as I held a small smile on my face and he glanced at me with a small smirk
"I was going to ask you something"
"That both scares and worries me"
"I'm not surprised"
"Well come on then, enlighten me as to what it is"
"I was wondering if you wanted to start over"
"I'm sorry, what?"
"Like we were in first year- except this time I won't be an absolute prick. And you won't be either" he explained as he stopped in his tracks and I turned around to face him as my confusion grew and he looked at me, hands in his pockets as he waited on me saying something
"So?"
"Did your mother put you up to this?" I asked suspiciously as he let out a laugh, a smirk forming on his face
"I'm not surprised you thought that but no, she didn't"
"Then why? All of a sudden do you want to be friends and get along with me?"
"I feel like I should" he answered simply as I raised an eyebrow
"Look, I'm not one to say nice things about people-"
"No shit-"
"I'm trying to be nice right now Amelia-"
"That's a first-"
"Amelia-"
"Sorry"
"So can I carry on?" He asked with raised eyebrows with a small smile as I nodded
"Thank you, now like I was saying. I feel like I should, we are on the same quidditch team after all, in the same house, in the same classes and we also share the same friend group so I don't think it would be fair if everybody got on with everyone else apart from us two. So what do you say?" He asked as he held his hand out and I stared at it before looking back up to him with a surprised look
"Holy shit you're being serious"
"I am" he said with a quiet laugh as I glanced between him and his hand with a slightly confused look
"I won't stand here all night you know"
"Yes you will, because if we're going with what first year could have of been like you don't want another rejected handshake" I said with a growing smirk as he shook his head, trying to stop me from seeing the smile on his face as I reached my hand out, about to shake his when I stopped and he glanced up at me
"I have a couple of conditions"
"Okay..."
"Number one, you do not insult me, my family or my friends from other houses if I'm there- or at all for that matter. Number two, you piss me off I will not hesitate in cursing you from then to the next week. And number three if any stupid shit happens, you're going to get the blame" I said as he stood there, thinking it over before glancing back up at me and taking ahold of my hand as he shook it
"I can work with that" he told me with an amused look as I rolled my eyes slightly with a smile as I turned around and carried on walking before stopping and turning to him as I looked at him
"How much have you grown?"
"How much have you not grown?" He asked laughing as he stood glancing down, just over half a head taller than me as I stared at him, trying not to laugh as it got the better of me and I walked away shaking my head as he caught up with me
"Wait, why are you even here?"
"My mother had to sort something with your mother and I was forced to come along"
"Oh, right. Also, I'm just warning you now that I do some weird shit"
"Oh I know"
"Wait you do?"
"Yeah, Blaise told me about how you hit yourself with the spoon and then went on to threaten it"
"Ah...right. Fuck you Blaise" I mumbled as the rain continued to bounce off the ground around us and I heard him laugh quietly
"I hope you know that we weren't in the hall when that happened. It was just us two in my dorm"