Hermione slowed her walk as she neared Sam and I causing Ginny and Ella to do the same. The three of them looked less than happy, but Hermione in particular had a spark in her gaze that said I was in trouble.
"Can we talk?" She asked in a clipped tone that sounded less like a request and more of a demand.
"Sure," I said with a glance to Sam who seemed to feel just as bombarded with this change in events as I was.
"This classroom look's empty," Ginny said, nodding to an opened door behind us. I followed Hermione through the door and heard Ella close it behind us, with Ginny and Sam rounding out the group. Two ghosts in 18th century flocks looked up at our entrance and, sensing the tension, dropped their preverbal books and disappeared through the wall.
"Alright let's hear it," I said, breaking the building silence. Ginny, who had sat down on a desk was the first to speak.
"Is it true?"
"Yes," I said back bluntly, "to an extent." Ginny looked away with a sigh while Ella returned to the group and sat next to Ginny. Hermione remained standing to watch until now.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"Why do you think?" I responded. "I know you guys would act like this and to be completely honest I didn't think this thing with him would go on as long as it did."
Hermione caught on to meaning of my last words with interest, and took a step toward me unconsciously.
"Did? Does this mean you two are done?" Ginny and Ella looked up to me while Sam remained calmly by my side, listening.
"I- I don't know," I said back honestly. "This is the problem, I know you guys don't like him and I'm aware how it looks but-"
"But what Ava?" Ella cut me off, looking deeply concerned. "This isn't a hard choice to make. Draco Malfoy is not a good guy. He is literal rubbish and you know that. You've seen what's he like to the others. Even to us. Like think back to what he's said to just Hermione!" I didn't have the heart to glance at Hermione who had remained silent through this.
Hermione cleared her throat before asking the question that I supposed was her real intention of coming here.
"Did you tell him about the meeting in Hogsmead?" I shot up to her in outrage at the audacity to think I would be so stupid but it was Sam who surprised us all by answering.
"You better take that back Hermione Granger. You should know better than that to think Ava would do anything of the sort."
"Fresh of you to say that Sam," Ginny said back in a cool tone. "You don't seem to be the least bit surprised about Ava and Malfoy. I suppose you knew?"
"Of course I did," Sam defended. "I do share a common room with the pair. You'd have to be a dimwit to not notice the signs, even outside Slytherin."
"You should have told us," Ella said, but turning more so to me in earnest. "Now there's almost no way for us to host this club with Umbridge sniffing around. She obviously got a tip off-"
"Why would I tip her off when I was the one to help Hermione come up with the idea of this club in the first place?" I said to the lot. "It doesn't make sense."
"Maybe not on purpose," Hermione began, "but if you had unintentionally told Malfoy or if he followed you-"
My heart dropped at the idea. Draco following me after I told him off was something I could see happening. In the end, for all I knew, it was possible that I was the cause of this order from Umbridge.
"What bullshit." Sam snapped, breaking me from my thoughts as she glared at all of them. The other three started at the rashness of Sam's words. Even I questioned what had gotten into her.
"If Ava says she didn't tell Draco, she didn't. You guys are her friends for merlin's sake, you should know better than to question her word. Especially when there were more than enough strangers in that bar who had a higher chance of telling Umbridge than Ava. In fact," Sam went on with a sarcastic chuckle that told me she was far from done.
"The fact that you three are going after Ava just because she has bad tastes in guys when the likes of that piss pot Hufflepuff chewing out Harry at the meeting is not under question, or that ridiculous redhead friend of Cho Chang's who looked ready to out the meeting even then or better yet if we do want to invade this friend group further, Ginny's boyfriend Michael who seemed pretty chum last I recalled on calling Harry out is frankly insane."
Ginny reddened at the mention of Micheal and Ella looked close to tears. Only Hermione remained composed though her eyes gave away that she was hurt by Sam's words.
"I didn't mean it like that Sam. Honest, I was just pointing out the fact-"
"That since Ava is dating a guy who has every reason to tattle on this group you immediately sought her as your scape goat. Got it," Sam snapped in a nasty tone making me immediately pull her sleeve to cool off.
"It's okay Sam. I appreciate what you mean, but Hermione," I said turning on her," I mean it when I say I didn't tell Draco. As for him tracking us on our way to the meeting, there's no way he would have been able to hear what was going on unless he was in the room. That bar door was closed shut and the place was more than dim enough for me to think all those windows covered in dust had never been opened."
Hermione thought this through and then nodded, seeing the logic.
"If anyone was to have heard anything, it would have been the conversations people said leaving the bar."
"Which also would not have been Ava nor I given that we were walking back worrying about my little sister who thanks to your brothers by the way," Sam said turning on Ginny, "managed to sneak into a secret passageway and almost make it into the meeting had it not been for McGonagall taking her back to the school."
Ginny had been there to see it happen too but Sam didn't have the chance to elaborate further as Ella stood up looking upset. Her eyes were red but any possible waterworks had been masterfully hidden.
"You don't have to be so mean about this, Sam. You're making us out to be heartless-"
"And to put blame on Michael like that is a far cry to the likes of Draco Malfoy," Ginny added with malice that Hermione looked to with warning.
"Ginny, it's fine-"
"No it's not," Ginny reacted quickly. "Michael may be somewhat jealous of Harry for whatever reason but he's not Malfoy. Putting the two in the same category is wrong."
"Are we here to argue about Draco or my hand in Umbridge finding out?" I asked, sensing a shift in the conversation. To my surprise, all three had different answers.
"The meeting," Hermione said.
"Both," Ginny admitted.
"Malfoy," Ella said last causing a silence to fall on the group. Finally, Sam broke the silence but with a steadier tone, lacking her agitation.
"Look, I'm not saying Ava has a great taste in guys because I mean, look at her dating history. Fuck boys and players as far as the eye can see-"
"How is this helping?" I muttered darkly but Sam waved me off and returned to face the trio.
"But that's just it. How old are we all? Is it normal for everyone our age to date good guys exclusively? Someone's got to date the rubbish ones every once and a while. Think of it as a disservice if you will."
"Sam I get that you're trying to lighten the mood but this isn't funny," Ginny stated logically which I agreed on.
"Yeah I know, just listen," Sam cut in, getting to the point. "Everyone has a friend who date's bad guys. And like almost everyone in our age range, these relationships don't last. It's only a matter of time for this, let's say it as it is, toxic relationship, to end. And when it does, we," she waved her hand at the three of them, "Ava's close friends who love her through thick and thin, will be there to pick up the pieces. And only then," Sam concluded, turning to Ella in particular, "can we have the right to say I told you so and point out every damn flaw that tool, Malfoy has. Kapish?"
Ella seemed to relax a fraction at Sam's words and Ginny didn't seem as red as before. Even Hermione surprised us by showing a shadow of a smile at Sam's words.
"We don't have to hang out with him now do we? Because I don't want to," Ella said sheepishly, looking to me as if asking for permission.
"You can't force me to even if you tried," Ginny warned before I had a chance to answer.
"I wouldn't dare get you guys involved in whatever mess I have with him," I clarified, and I watched as Ella relaxed completely at these words. Ginny looked a bit smug following this but she nodded in agreement at last, leaving Hermione with a final question.
"Even with that as the case, should the club continue we need to have measures to keep people from potentially telling Umbridge anything else."
"You mean we are going to continue the club?" Sam asked in surprise. Hermione nodded as if this was a given fact.
"If we can find a place that's safe enough, absolutely. Just because Umbridge is threatening with expulsion doesn't mean she can go through with it. She may act all high and mighty but technically she doesn't have the power to kick students out of the school. Only the headmaster has that privilege."
"And Dumbledore wouldn't dare expel any of us for trying to learn," Ginny concluded with a nod. Sam looked to me with a raised brow and I nodded, agreeing with this assumption.
"I assume you have some ideas, Hermione?" Ella asked, turning the conversation back to its point. She nodded though she looked less than pleased.
"I've been looking for spells that would cause anyone in the school who tries to snitch to Umbridge would get a form of a jinx to befall them but that's a pretty wide net and I don't have something to hone in this entire school for such a spell. Not to mention the last thing I'd want is to accidently jinx a Professor."
"It would be hilarious though," Sam mused quietly, causing Ginny to eye her quietly.
"But," Hermione went on, "I do have that list of signatures from the meeting, so I was thinking of putting a spell on that so that anyone who snitches gets the jinx."
"Which jinx were you thinking of?" I asked curiously. Hermione shrugged, truly unsure.
"Haven't figured that part out yet. Any ideas?"
"Do something visual," I said aloud. "Something that for the sake of this conversation to not ever happen again, would make the likes of me wish to never open my mouth on the topic to anyone."
"Ava," Sam warned but I shook her off and returned to face Hermione who was frowning at my words.
"Ava we don't have to do that. We trust you-"
"Yes but what's to say Draco does try and pull something. At least then we would know. And this jinx could be a great use to keep someone like me or that prissy red head or even that stupid Hufflepuff in line."
At the corner of my eye I saw Ginny watch me, as if taking note of the fact that I had not mentioned Michael.
"Besides, I don't judge you guys for checking to see if it was me. If I were to stay with Draco, he will be someone I have to tip toe around on this conversation. I should come up with a lie to tell once we find a place for the club to meet. But until then, form that jinx accordingly."
"Okay," Ginny said, standing up. "What's something that you would absolutely dread happening as a jinx?"
"Give me a moment," I said, turning pink at the task.
"Disfiguration," Sam said at the exact same time, making me turn on her. Her face was blank, a sure sign that this change in topic had greatly honed in her interest.
Taking my reaction as a good sign, Ginny motioned Sam to expand on the topic.
"Make whoever snitches become disgusting at the sight. I'm talking pimples and scarring. Maybe even warts-"
"Warts?" I repeated in horror. "On the face?"
"Uhuh," Sam said with a growing smile at the thought. Ella burst out laughing, completely breaking whatever little tension was left in the group and spreading to Ginny who smiled openly for a change.
"What say you, Hermione? Disfigurement sound okay?" Hermione shrugged but agreed before turning to her journal and quill. I watched her write it out, as if this was just another homework assignment to her. She then looked up to me.
"So that's settled. Are you alright with that, Ava?"
Everyone turned to me expectantly giving me no other option but to nod in submission.
Sometimes I really hate how I dig myself into these problems.
-
Would you look at that. I managed to post on time for a change. What a change in character on my part.
I'll see you on Tuesday for my next post ;)
-WG-