Arms eloped, Rory, Harry, Hermione and Ron rushed through the streets of Hogsmeade. Rory insisted that they walk linked, and although they strode in a horizontal line, she of cource led them. Pulling her younger friends along, she spoke so lively.
"Broomsticks for breakfast? Or - ooh how about we go to honeydukes!" Running on the spot, she giggled to herself, her friends grinning fondly at her Rory - like attitude. They'd missed it too.
"Broomsticks surely." Ron chided in, his opinions heavy on the matter. The ginger headed wizard refused to skip his maple syrup infested waffle breakfast, his favourite part about Hogsmeade.
The group of Gryffindors made their way through the noisy and active streets, politely pushing through the small crowd in search for their favourite bar. The food served there certainly topped the bland Wheat-bix they would've been eating for breakfast if they had stayed at Hogwarts.
Snow easily crushed under their shoes. The thick blanket softening as the chilly season approached closer to its end. Small hints of spring surprised them as the season of flowers neared, small flowers began to bloom and the snow lessened. It was about time, Rory thought.
The golden trio and Rory welcomed the warm air of the indoors with open arms. Pleased to find sanctuary from the still cold air that was outside. Their eyes rimmed for room, a table of which they could sit. It was tricky to find one at a place like the three broomsticks, the popularity was overwhelming at times.
A single table was left unattended by the corner of the room. The group of gold and red paused at the sight of the occupants of the table next to it. Slytherins chatted amongst themselves chewing eagerly on their own breakfast. Rory gripped her friends by their wrists and pulled them towards the table, not before shooting them a look that demanded they go unnoticed, there was no need for conflict.
The Slytherins didn't notice them, all but Theodore of course. Daphne wasn't there with them, but neither was Blaise, Rory assumed she'd be with him. Nott was there and his eyes remained on her, he didn't smile, he didn't glare, his tone was unreadable, confusing. Expressing no signs of emotion his eyes returned back to his friends.
The Nott boy had noticed her the very moment she had walked in. He didn't plan to communicate, in fact he didn't even want her there. Their last interaction left a bad tinge in his mouth. Despite not wanting to talk to her, he was quick to scare off the two second years who had attempted to sit in the seats beside their table as Aurora and her friends searched for a spot of their own.
He frowned when she approached the spot he had acquired for her.
He didn't want her there.
He easily noticed how her and her friends paused at the sight of them.
The audacity. He saved a spot for her. She shouldn't be hesitant.
She moved to sit. He wanted her gone.
She sat in the seat closest to him. Good.
He tended to change his mind quickly and often. 'Mixed feelings' he concluded.
From the table next to him, Rory engaged in conversation with her friends. "What're you having?" She asked. Ron went to open his mouth, she interrupted, giving him a pointed moon. "Waffles." The boy grinned.
"I'm in the mood for waffles." Harry concluded.
As they ate their breakfast, conversation was vast and changing, it soon twisted to the topic of a certain Ravenclaw that had won the interest of Harry Potter himself. "How do you do it?" Harry questioned.
"Huh?" Rory's head tilted to the left in question.
"You're just so charming." He shrugged. Hermione and Ron, with fond smiles nodded along to Harry's words.
Auroras face too softened. She wasn't charming, her internal monologue chastised, she was anything but. She could be incredibly selfish, and incredibly rude. It was all an act, she knew that then, and she despised herself for it.
"You've always been so charismatic Rora." Although she didn't believe their words to be true, she surely enjoyed the affection, the attention. It was why she acted that way in the first place, in reality she was the worst of all of them. A ruse.
"How do I catch Chos' attention?" He mumbled. Ron and Hermione cackling behind him. "You know how I get. All awkward."
Rory laughed loudly at his words, it was true, he could be the most sassy kid in the world but underneath all that he didn't know what to say or when to say it. She liked to think that if she ever felt awkward at least she wasn't as bad as he.
"Well I have a few ideas." Leaning forward her hand brushed over his. All three smiled at her, she grinning back with equal enthusiasm. "Okay okay." She huffed, leaning back. "One of my favourite tricks, one I've been doing since the beginning of time might I tell you is this:" she leant forward, and looked directly at him as though examining Harry as he sat motionless. After a moment, she smiled and leant back slightly. The eye contact she found captured many's attention.
They all erupted into laughter. "Okay but what about the hair thing?" Hermione brought up.
That had Rory's eyes furrowed. "What hair thing?"
"You always tangle your hair between your pointer and middle finger." Hermione explained. "When you like someone."
"No I don't." Aurora attempted but they all disagreed.
"Yeah you do." Ron sat up.
"Remember with what's his name." He fumbled for a name. "Wood." The others gasped in remembrance. Auroras first crush. "Oliver Wood, remember that?" She blushed profusely. "Yeah you do." He grinned triumphantly, based off her reaction he knew she did.
"Your hair became your favourite thing to play with." Hermione cackled. "Though it was much longer then."
In Auroras first two years at Hogwarts, her locks cascaded down her back, so long it reached her behind. The hair grew messy and tangled so by third year, she cut it shoulder length. Since then the straight and dark silk reached her chest. "I need to cut it again." She looked down at her hair between her fingers. Did she used to twirl it?
Her friends examined Rory as she continued to check her hair, deciding what length she would cut it. All of their attention remained on the locks that many had wished to obtain. Hermiones eyes wandered across the premises.
She seemed conflicted. Her eyebrows tilted downwards in concentration as she stared. Her face always squinted in such a way when she was concentrated, it was an expression her mates easily grew accustomed to. Hermione Granger was always lost in a haze of concentration, she was after all the greatest witch of her year. Perhaps even many years to come, Rory thought.
The muggle born witches face of stone cracked and melted as her eyes shifted. The remaining three noticed as a blush crawled up her pale features. "Don't look now she mumbled." A tiny grin pulling at her cheeks. "But remember that stunning looking guy we'd been admiring with Ginny all those months ago?" Her head turned to Aurora slowly but her eyes remained ahead of her. It was an attempt to be inconspicuous, but Hermione was being shockingly obvious.
"Yeah." Aurora grinned. That man she was admiring with her friends had later become the first man she'd ever spend a night with. Anthony.
"Well I recognise those gorgeous features and he's looking our way." She giggled shyly.
Harry's expression grew confused, he became eager to turn around, when he attempted to, the Granger witch yanked his arm. "No. don't look." She quietly scolded. Ron grew red in the face as his appearance darkened. Rory noticed this. She smiled wickedly, before she, herself did what Harry attempted to do and turned around. Hermione hissed when she did so.
Anthony sat alone, a few tables apart. His attention had been on them for a minute or so, he couldn't tell if he was looking at the back of Rory's head or not. He smiled softly at the sight of her.
Her smile widened when she saw him. His hair had grown an inch or two, his curled did a nice job at framing his face. Ignoring her instincts to swoon, she stood straight up.
"What are you doing?" All three of them hushed.
"Rory." He stood up with a grin of his own. They met in the middle. With a small jump she leapt into his extended arms. Hugging his centre his arms ranged around her. Her friends watched in bafflement, they were beyond confused. The attentions of the Gryffindors remained solely on the handsome boy before them, that no body noticed the slamming of cutlery from the table besides them.
"Erm, Rory?" Hermione squeaked, blushing again when the attention of the man turned to her. Ron unconsciously began glaring again. "Mind explaining what's going on?"
"Oh this is Anthony." They remained linked in a side hug as they turned to her mates, she patted his chest whilst introducing them. The two had no issue being physically affectionate. "A good friend of mine." She smiled stiffly at Hermione.
All the Slytherins packed their things in a hasty manner, rushing out to follow their friend who had abruptly left without a word. They went unnoticed by the Gryffindors. Anthony, on the other hand had noticed. His theory of Theodores affections towards Aurora replanted itself in his mind, he smiled cheekily as the boy acted rather obvious. His smile lowered to Rory. He planned to bring it up with her.
"It's been nearly two months." He murmured, fashioning a boyish grin.
"Too long." She beamed up at him cheekily.
The golden trio didn't take lightly to the fact their closest friend held tightly onto the stranger before them. How didn't they know him? How long had they been close? Questions plagued their minds. Rory had been changing, Harry had discussed this with her, the million dollar question was how much had she changed?
Pulling a seat from the empty table beside her, she frowned as she did. Where had they gone? More accurately. Where had he gone? Shrugging to herself she brushed off her question, they must've slipped out.
Gripping his hand she pulled him down to the slot next to her. "Antony, this is Harry, Ron, and Hermione." Her smile widened yet again.
Anthony paused in his movements, eyes trailing over each of them with a polite grin, ignoring how Hermione blushed and how Ron frowned, he focused on Harry. "Harry Potter?" He looked up at the iconic scar his brother had spent over a year going on and on about.
The 'chosen one' shrugged in a hopeless manner, he was used to all of the gazes in bewilderment. "My brother wouldn't stop talking about you for an entire year I tell you." He turned to Aurora. "You told me you were friends, that's right." He then explained to the other three further. "My little brother Colin Creevey?" His statement came off as a question.
All three sighed in understanding. "Ahh." They each mumbled. They knew who he was talking about, the muggle chuckled under his breath at their obvious slimmer of distain that they each had tried to cover.
Rory's hand found his. The two didn't notice it, their affection was natural, especially considering. The other three paused, eyeing the hand with caution. "How've you two been?"
"Yeah, good." He smirked deviously, turning to the muggle born witch. "So I heard you had been admiring me huh?"
Rory flushed scarlet. "Before we knew you."
Their hands remained intertwined. "And what did you say about me?" He leaned in, his nose centimetres of hers. "Go on, I'd like to hear it." Grinning widely, he moved in further. She wore a similar expression, beaming brightly up at him.
Before the man could attempt a reply, Ron spoke. "How do you two know each other exactly." His tone was accusing, laced with sass. Rory and her muggle friend gazed down to where the ginger wizards eyes remained focused on. Understanding hit them then. Fumbling for a response, they let go of one another.
She soon grew nervous. Worried they might uncover her lie. The lie of her age. She needed to tread lightly on such a conversation. Aurora would hate to leave unmasked, her deceit revealed, she already regretted it immensely, she didn't need the extra judgement.
"Erm." Anthony leaned back in his seat with a frown. It was honestly none of their business what they had gotten up to behind closed doors, but it had also been the starter to their relationship, he found himself lost on how to respond.
"We." She swallowed. "We..." her words trailed off until they became nothing but a distant echo in the tense air that held them each by the throat.
"Well." Anthony took a reasonable approach. "We spent a ni-" he too trailed off. Unable to speak to the narrowed, accusing eyes of Auroras friends, he didn't wish to start any issues.
"We shagged." She spat, her eyes zeroed down onto the pattern of the wooden table they sat at. The air that surrounded them, thickened into a black cloud.
"Well I wasn't going to put it like that." Anthony cleared his throat whilst adjusting the collar of his shirt, an attempt to obtain more oxygen. "But yeah." He mumbled. "I suppose we did." As eyes widened, and jaws slacked, the muggle noticed how no words were shared as her friends sat flabbergasted. He figured it wasn't appropriate for him to be there any longer. "Hey." He murmured. "Meet me here for breakfast this time next week, we can catch up then." Smiling softly in encouragement he left.
"What in Merlin's name was that?" Ron whimpered, as though he had been scarred. Perhaps he had been his kind didn't wish to go there. When asking of how they knew each other he didn't know what to expect, he did know that the Rory Flores he grew up with, wouldn't have done what the girl before them had.
Harry remained silent, staring across at her in a betrayed like manner. His eyes wide and his mouth open, bound to catch a fly. He didn't wish to speak.
"Bloody hell." Hermione mumbled.
Eyes widened further, even her own. "Mione!" Aurora gasped.
"Merlin's beard." Ron leant back in his seat, pale as he could be. If any of them knew anything. If any of anyone knew anything it was that Hermione Jean Granger did not swear, she did not cuss, she did not ever utter any profanity. Shock hit each of them further as Hermione cursed. It had even Hermione surprised, herself.
After a long and painful silence rung out, Harry finally decided to speak "Goodness Rory." He scoffed, face turning stern in internal fury. "What, why?"
It's really none of your business. That's what she should've said, what her mind told her to say. Her mouth ignored. Instead she replied with, "It happened on my mothers birthday." Her friends paused. She knew saying that would buy her some sympathy points. It wasn't as good as telling them off for sticking their noses in her business but it was the next best thing, then non confrontational thing. She didn't have to be blunt but she could be sneaky.
"Aurora why would you do this?" Harry seethed from his spot across from her. She felt herself sinking into her chair... or wishing she would.
Why do you care? "I was a mess." They didn't look impressed. "And we were very drunk." She mumbled. Then an idea struck her. "It only happened-" twice "once. And we both regretted it immensely" Right, a voice rung through her mind, regretted it enough to go running back.
She lied. Aurora Flores just fibbed to her friends, she couldn't tell them it happened more than once, nor could she reveal how she lied about her age when with Anthony. She felt pressured, her only response was a lie, and she felt no remorse.
What they didn't know wouldn't hurt them.
"He and I became fast friends." Rory nodded down at her plate, giving them the explanation their eyes clearly asked for. "We started meeting for breakfast on Saturdays, I value his friendship, there is nothing going on between us."
She deemed her last words enough to satisfy them without revealing too much, she was right.
"You know what?" Hermione sighed in exhaustion despite it being early morning. "It's really none of our business." Rory shot her a look of thanks, however the reasonable witch exchanged a glance that implied the conversation was not over, at least not between them.
"It's not like it was with Malfoy." Ron shrugged in an attempt to be feasible. Hermione paused at his words, she glared in the direction of the wall as though an ugly thought had crossed her mind. It had.
Harry continued to remain uncomfortably quiet. His eyes remained burning into the side of Rory's head. Looking back at her young friend, she frowned, he was clearly unimpressed at the news of her recklessness.
"Rory." Hermione muttered. "Come with me to the bathroom?" She expressed the smallest smile. Rory almost missed it.
"Sure." She mumbled, collecting herself before following her younger witch friend. As they walked off they didn't miss Ron's snide comment, complaining about how girls always wish to go to the bathroom together and how he found it utterly confusing and perhaps outrageous.
The two walked, a metre apart, taking long and slow steps. Well, Rory was taking long and slow steps, stalling for the inevitable scolding she was destined to receive. Hermione was quick to notice Rory's and her antics, gripping her by the wrist she fastened the walk and dragged her outside.
Guess they weren't going to the bathroom.
Once behind the closed doors that separated them from Harry's and Ron did she cross her arms and huffed. "We love you Rory, we're worried. You know you're too young for that right?"
"Of course I do." She seethed back, her tone more desperate than malicious. "It was a mistake."
"Theodore Nott." She growled. "Tell me you didn't do anything with Theodore Nott."
Auroras face turned aghast, to the point it was comical. Her exaggerated expression suggested that the mere thought hadn't even crossed her mind. "No! Goodness no, we aren't even close."
Hermiones face flattened. "He's a bad influence. You know what he's like... a -."
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear."
Both of the girls were quick to turn around. Theodore Nott leant lazily against the wall arms crossed head resting against the patterned brick. He smirked wickedly, but his somewhat cheeky expression didn't match his eyes. No, his eyes were dark, threatening, menacing.
His smile, no matter how sarcastic, disappeared when he turned to the younger witch. "Granger." He greeted. "Sod off." Not so kindly.
The witch who's head was hung low, turned to walk off, not without shooting a filthy glare Theodore's way and a look of support to Rory's direction. So much for scolding, she internally scoffed.
"Standing up for yourself?" He smiled. "You practically let her walk all over you." When she didn't respond he continued. "Come on, where's the rage the passion, the fire." He teased. His smile faded at lack of response.
Before he could ask why, she interrupted. "You're awful." She hissed. "Teaching me to put myself first? No, you're just making me selfish."
She was blaming him for the hole she had felt when with her friends. It was weird now, they were distant. They thought she didn't notice the snide glances they'd make, or the confused faces when she'd speak her mind. She saw it all, she saw how uncomfortable they grew when she received the fox Patronus, she knew they hated the idea she could possibly be friends with Theodore Nott. Her relationship with the people she loved most had grew cole, and it was his fault.
"Making you selfish?" He scoffed. "I set you fucking free."
"It's ruined my relationship with my friends!" Her words were desperate, anguished, hopeful to pin the blame on him. He was making it incredibly difficult.
His expression darkened yet again. "Then they don't deserve you."
"Oh what? So you do?" Laughing maniacally, Rory was beginning to feel she wasn't necessarily in the right.
"Maybe!" That had her silent. "I'm not a saint . I know this. But I never confined you, never pressured you to be something you weren't. I never made you feel small for being human. You certainly are no angel, Flores, but i'm the only one who never made you feel like the devil."
He was right. They both knew it. He was rude, sure, snarky, awful, but not once did he ever make her feel like she had to be perfect. It was freeing, that much was true. He had even went as far as to offering her an escape from her self inflicted prison that was her facade. It ate at her, tired her, he was her get away. She hadn't given him enough credit.
"You're right." She huffed, tears welled in her eyes.
"Oh. You're crying again." He attempted to joke. "You know I didn't expect you to give in like that. Expected more resistance." His awkward rambling wasn't helping.
"My friends... they - they're never going to look at me the same." She frowned up at him. "I've changed so much."
He scoffed again. "No you haven't. You've always been this way." He could sense her confusion. "Erm... I remember small, meaningless things. Things as simple as you rolling your eyes at teachers or scoffing when Gryffindor didn't win house cup." Playing with his own hands, he sighed. "They're just idiots who didn't see it."
"They love me." Her eyes dampened further, urging for her unshed tears to finally release. She couldn't accept the knowledge that her friends didn't care, they were all she had.
"Sure they do, but they don't really look past their own noses huh?" They both laughed. That was true.
She slid down the wall she leant on, regretting it quickly as she felt her pants dampen in the snow, but too lazy to stand, Aurora sat tiredly, surprised when she felt a body slide down and sit beside her. They didn't say much after that, thankful that no tears escaped her bottom lid.
Sitting by the wall they hopelessly fiddled with the ends of their clothes, focusing on the faces of passer-by's, attempting to solve the riddles of the expressions they wore. The silence was initially awkward, so awkward it had Theodore wishing he never sat down, but as time stretched, comfort seeped in.
The day had barely begun and it was already a bad one for both of them. Aurora was upset, angry that her mouth moved faster than her head and she revealed a secret shame of hers. Angry that they weren't more understanding. Angry that she received comfort from Theodore Nott. Angry that he actually helped in more ways than one.
Theodore sat next to her murder on his own mind. The Gryffindors judged with a sharper blade than he ever had. The houses of red, blue and yellow traditionally loathed the snakes of the Slytherin house. He always deemed their hate an act of prejudice, yet as he watched them belittle one of their own he couldn't help but despise them further.
He knew, no matter what, the Slytherin house valued loyalty above most. He believed a snake had another's back in a way a Hufflepuff would envy. He watched as Aurora attempted to maintain her weeps with a temper like no other, if she were a Slytherin he knew his own group of friends would never be so harsh. He hated how at the end of the day, the Slytherins were outcasted, considered pariahs due to their 'wicket ways', when in reality the other three houses were no better.
But after all, it is the victors who decide how the story is told. Slytherins will never be perceived as 'good' or even 'average'. He did not deem himself a good person, he fit the persona moulded for a Slytherin, but there were others who had received the hate, others like Daphne, Astoria, Blaise, students who genuinely tried, tried to be accepted. The very moment Salazar Slytherin left he sealed the fate for future students of green, alone and left to fend for themselves from the fury that was others.
By the time he believed Aurora was genuinely fine and not on the verge of tears did he stand. Before walking off he reluctantly offered her a hand. Surprisingly she took it. He pulled her from the ground and on to her feet. They brushed down their clothes and ignored the wet patches on their pants. He offered her a simple smile, one of comfort, something he did not just offer to anyone. He hoped she'd consider herself lucky as he staunched off with no other words.
She smiled back, something she did do for just anyone, but her smile had genuineness lined underneath, now that was something she didn't always offer, as much as she wished she could. Her eyes followed him as he strode away, hands tucked neatly in his jacket pockets. His head held high in earned confidence, and his steps long and graceful.
She allowed for her eyes to depart from his figure and turned to leave herself, a single strand of hair tucked between her the pads of her fingers.
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AN
Okay okay okay I need to apologise for a MASSIVE mistake I found last chapter, if you know what I'm talking about my bad, also my apologies for any mistake in ANY chapter, sorry I don't edit them, I can't find it in myself to.
Hope you enjoyed, I'm trying to update more frequently.
Love you all and each and every comment.
- Sofia xx