As Ominis and I pressed through the crowded Three Broomsticks someone called my name. I paused, squinting for the source through the sea of students.
"Hadley!"
I finally located the voice as belonging to none other than Garreth Weasley. He was stood in a corner at a high table surrounded by Gryffindors and waving in my direction. A gleeful grin was plastered across his freckled face. He beckoned me over. I grinned and waved back, nodding.
The endearing Weasley boy had been a close friend last year after I had helped him on a few... personal projects. He was quite the jokester, popular, and always full of surprises. Our paths had yet to cross since arriving at Hogwarts.
I returned to Ominis, who'd been patiently waiting on me between tables.
"Ominis? I think Garreth is asking me to stay," I said as I walked up.
"I heard him," Ominis muttered. It was hard to hear his voice over the cacophony of late-night revelers. "Are you going to stay?"
"I believe I wil-"
"Will be coming with us."
I felt the strong grip of Sebastian's hand around my wrist. Somehow, without me noticing, he'd snuck up behind Ominis and me.
He was scowling at me, his usually light brown eyes impossibly dark. The grip he held on my wrist was excruciatingly tight, as though he might nearly break it.
"What do you think you're doing?" I seethed, feeling rage boiling over in my chest. How dare he lay a hand on me?
Sebastian had absolutely no right to interfere with my life. If I wanted to stay at The Three Broomsticks and see the rest of my friends, I was entitled to just that.
My former best friend had absolutely no say in the matter.
"It's not safe," Sebastian growled, voice low. "Did you not hear Sirona?"
"You mean about Cragcroft, Sallow?" I let out an exasperated laugh. "We're in Hogsmeade, you idiot."
Sebastian tugged my wrist, pulling me closer to him. I was nearly against his chest now. I could smell the scent of Butterbeer on his breath, mixed with the familiar earthy aroma of cedarwood and pine that I so desperately missed.
Hated.
So desperately hated.
He leaned in, so close that I could feel his breath on my skin.
"You're Muggleborn, Hadley," he whispered. I could feel frustration in his every word. "It's not safe for you to be here."
"Do you think I can't take care of myself?" I fired back. I stepped away, shaking my head to clear it from my momentary lapse.
"You will have no one here to protect you Had-"
"Protect me?!" I shouted. I couldn't help it. The concept that I needed protection was absolutely laughable, and insulting to boot. Silence fell over The Three Broomsticks as the entire crowd turned to watch Sebastian and me.
I tugged on my wrist in Sebastian's grip, yanking it and freeing myself.
"I do not need the protection of anyone," I scoffed, rubbing my wrist. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"You certainly seemed to need me last year!" Sebastian's voice was rising too. He clenched his fists at his sides, cheeks flushed.
"I will manage just fine on my own," I spat.
"Hadley," Sebastian's voice was a deadly hiss. He began to approach me again. "Listen to m-"
"That's enough, brother." Ominis caught Sebastian in the chest with an outspread hand, stopping him in his tracks. Sebastian glared at me from behind Ominis's protective arm. "She's made her choice. Let her be."
I glared right back.
The whole room was frozen, waiting to see what Sebastian would do. Finally, with a frustrated huff, Sebastian whipped around and stormed out of the building.
"Sorry, Hadley," Ominis shook his head. "I'll see you tomorrow."
Ominis headed out after the fuming Slytherin, taking Natty and Poppy with him. The doors slammed on the trio and I felt all of The Three Broomstick's eyes on me. My cheeks grew warm as I rubbed my wrist, grappling with the uncomfortable reality that what felt like was the entire sixth-year class had just seen me very publicly fight with Sebastian.
"Well!" I felt a large hand land between my shoulder blades. I jumped, looking up. Garreth stood beside me, addressing the crowd with two small glasses in his hand. "To that I say, let's toast to an independent woman!"
He lifted the two shot glasses toward the crowd, flashing a brilliant smile.
"To independent women!" The crowd echoed, some laughing and others whooping. Glasses clinked as revelers chugged down their drinks and returned to normal conversation. The warm buzz of the evening felt a nice comfort after a less than friendly altercation.
"To you, my very independent woman," Garreth grinned, turning to me. He was very much taller than last year. His voice was deeper, an already handsome boy having grown into a handsome man. His curly hair was long, nearly touching his shoulders, and glinted in the candlelight.
I frowned as he handed me a very full, very dark looking shot glass. I looked up at Garreth.
"What is this?" I asked, examining the liquid.
"Fire Whiskey, Hads," Garreth smiled crookedly. He raised his glass and clinked it against mine. "Welcome back."
And with that, the pair of us downed our drinks.
*****
The rest of the night was a blur. Fire Whiskey was much stronger than Butterbeer I soon discovered. Garreth insisted on taking more shots with me and the rest of our Gryffindor friends. Fire Whiskey seemed to have the effect of making everything Garreth said wickedly funny. Many of his jokes left me in tears and hanging off what I soon discovered to be his very muscular arm.
I was once again astonished at how easily the table was astounded by my Muggle-based logic tricks. Garreth made me repeat the trick on him until I could barely think straight and was giggling too hard to say it.
As the night wore on, music started up and I believe, at some point, I was dancing on a table as though I wasn't surrounded by faces I would see in the morning.
Being able to fully let go, enjoy myself, and not worry about the tension with a certain Slytherin boy was quite a relief.
In the wee hours of the morning, I found myself leaning against Garreth as we attempted- somewhat unsuccessfully- to beg the Fat Lady to let us in the Gryffindor common room.
The floor swirled beneath me as I held tightly onto Garreth's waist. His arm was draped over my shoulder, either holding me or himself up, I wasn't sure.
"And I deeply, DEEPLY apologize for w-waking you-*hic*," Garreth paused as he hiccupped. "But I implore you to let us in. We've even said the password!"
"And what has happened to her, exactly?" The Fat Lady intoned, looking down at my very drunk self.
"Celebrating," I slurred.
"Celebrating what?" The Fat Lady insisted.
"Celebrating... my independence!" I managed, grinning up at Garreth. He laughed.
"That's right, Hads here is newly single," Garreth nodded, squeezing my shoulders.
I shook my head. Newly single? What did that mean? I wasn't dating anyone to begin with, so my lack of romantic partner was nothing new. Maybe Garreth was just creating a pleasing lie to convince the Fat Lady to let us in.
The Fat Lady sighed. "Alright, but promise to get her to bed immediately."
"Cross my heart!" Garreth saluted, standing as rigidly as he could with my form slumped on him.
The Fat Lady finally let us in. We squeezed through the small chamber, giggling and bumping into one another. It felt like an hour before I reached the foot of the girl's dormitory, watching with glee as Garreth tried and failed not to collide with literally every noisy object in the common room.
"Shut up, Garreth, or you'll wake the whole House!" I whispered jokingly. He grinned, exhausted, as he joined me at the stairwell.
"What an evening," Garreth breathed. I studied him for a moment. In the pale moonlight leaking in on our cozy common room, he looked almost statuesque.
"Indeed," I smiled. "Thank you for inviting me."
"You're always welcome, Hads," Garreth's grin was crooked. He opened his arms and I chuckled, leaning in and hugging the Weasley boy. I could feel him press his nose into the top of my hair. "You're always welcome."
I pulled away and reached up to ruffle Garreth's very pretty hair. He leaned down obediently.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Weasley. Well. Today, I guess," I giggled as I started the climb to my dormitory.
"Goodnight, Ms. Grace," he chuckled.
Once I was wrapped in the comforting embrace of my bed, sleep grabbed a tight hold of me, taking me under almost instantly.
But it couldn't take my smile.