Hannah didn't wake me up the next day. Instead, she dressed quietly and slipped up to breakfast before I was up. That meant she must have known somehow about last night. Maybe she heard me cry or maybe it was because of how late I came back from the Common Room. Susan pestered me so I eventually got up. She left after I had been up for ten minutes so I took a freezing cold shower.
After I finished washing and dressing, I quickly glanced at my reflection in the mirror. I adjusted my hair to my liking, pushed over to the side today, and forever thanked my glasses for making it seem as though my eyes were fine. No one would see the blood-shot, red veins unless they paid excruciating attention to detail.
When I made it to breakfast, there were only five minutes remaining so I snuck some toast and started down towards Potions alone. I went alone because I had made the mistake of glancing over to the table and noted my friends' expressions. The looks from Ernie and Hannah had made in my direction made me want to disappear and Zach, well, if looks could kill, I'd be six feet under ground. Right now, that's just where I wanted to be.
I got to Potions early and finished my toast outside Slughorn's door. Two minutes until class. Would Zach even acknowledge me? What was going to happen at lunch? What about Herbology and Charms? Suddenly, I was somewhat thankful for Malfoy sitting next to me in Potions and Defense Against The Dark Arts. Charms, lunch, and Herbology set my teeth on edge though.
Other students started coming down the hallway and I instantly felt horrible. They all laughed and whispered, sharing secrets that wouldn't tear apart their friend groups. I stood all alone waiting for Slughorn to open the door. Before he got there, I caught Zach's eyes. He was at the back of the crowd, alone as well. There wasn't a hint of recognition in his dull eyes. He seemed so detached yet full of emotion. I tore my gaze away and followed the other students into Potions.
I sat down at the table and Malfoy joined me shortly. He kept glancing at me curiously as though I were very interesting. I glued my eyes in the direction of Zach who pointedly sat with his back to me. I was so busy memorizing his hair that it didn't register Malfoy was talking to me.
"Nine, are you actually listening to anything I've said?" He snapped causing me to jump and face him.
"Sorry, what?"
"While you were staring at Smith's head, Professor Slughorn told us to start brewing Draught of The Living Dead. We only have an hour so I'll ask you again, do you have your textbook and cauldron?" He asked impatiently.
"Yeah," I muttered hauling out my textbook and went to the closet to grab my cauldron.
It was imperative I keep it together all day.
That actually came easier than planned. Turned out that Malfoy and I were both excellent at Potions meaning I didn't have to do all the work. It felt off, like I should've helped more, but in forty five minutes, we had it nearly perfect. Harry Potter had it more perfect, apparently. He won a vial of Felix Felicis for being extra amazing at potion making.
During this whole fiasco of working with Malfoy, I hadn't thought about Zach once.
The last fifteen minutes of class were dedicated to cleaning up which was very necessary for the poor Gryffindor who had spilled her cauldron everywhere. Malfoy and I had cleaned up in five minutes and were awkwardly sitting at our table. I kept touching my hair and tapping the table waiting for Charms. Maybe I could skip? Maybe I—
"Would you stop tapping? It's distracting," Malfoy scoffed pulling me from my internal monologue.
"What? Right, sorry," I mumbled running both hands through my hair instead.
"You seem nervous, Nine," he commented eyeing me for the ninetieth time.
"Nervous is a word for it, I think I'm going to be sick," I muttered.
"You look like hell."
"Yeah, I know what I look like, Malfoy," I said mashing my hair flat against my scalp before fluffing it up again. "You don't look so good either."
It was true, he had dark circles under his eyes and seemed rather pale for the second day of school. We both looked like we had contracted some illness. Franky, if I caught one on the way to Charms, I'd be able to skip for medical reasons thus avoiding Zach.
He simply shrugged and looked over at Zach.
"I can't find anything interesting about the back of Smith's head. Why were you so fixated on it before?" He asked.
"Well," I was about to say but then couldn't find a reason Malfoy would care so I sighed and shrugged too.
"Well, what?"
"Well, why do you care?" I asked him. "You insulted me yesterday and now you're conversing with me about trivial stuff."
"Nine, it took me ten minutes to get you to take your eyes off his head, I was just curious," he snapped back.
"It's nothing, all right?" I said angrily because now I was thinking about Zach and how much I hated myself for what I did to him last night.
Finally, it was time to go to second period but I wasn't ill so I had to go. I also lacked the courage to skip class. Ernie had once told me the trick to skipping was not caring about the consequences for missing said class. My conscience thought otherwise.
I reached Charms before Zach but at the same time as Malfoy who hadn't realized I was in it with him.
"Tell me, Nine, did you start the essay for Snape yet?" He asked me.
"Just shut it, Malfoy, she doesn't want to talk to scum like you," Zach said sitting down hard next to me.
Malfoy glared at him and turned away towards the front of the classroom.
"You didn't have to do that, you know," I said quietly not looking at Zach. "He just asked about Snape's essay."
"Shut up, Davis," he practically seethed at me.
I nodded and focused my attention on Flitwick's lecture. He started asking us several easy pop questions that I answered eagerly. That and no one else was paying attention.
"Well done, Miss Nine. Twenty points to Hufflepuff," Professor Flitwick said.
"Professor's pet," Zach hissed at me rudely.
I refrained from even acknowledging his insult. It was killing me not to just burst out and talk to him, but I knew how raw my words must still be to him. Also, I was afraid of making a scene in front of everyone. Zach said nothing to me for the rest of the class, but I couldn't help but notice how he tensed up every time Malfoy looked over at me or him. Malfoy kept looking at Zach as though he were expecting him to blow up or as if I would start something with him.
Astronomy and Transfiguration passed agonizingly slow because of how much I was dreading lunch. Every minute seemed to take a year and obsessively checking the time didn't speed anything along either.
When Transfiguration eventually came to an end, Zach made a beeline for the exit and I walked at the pace of a snail. I didn't want to face Hannah's disappointed glare or Ernie's cold look and especially not Zach.
I reached the Great Hall with ten minutes to go and stood awkwardly in the doorway looking at my friends huddled around Zach and whispering. I could easily steal a sandwich and hide out near Snape's classroom. No, not like a coward. I needed to confront the three of them now even though running away seemed like a great option to me.
"Hannah, Ernest, Zacharias, I need to talk to you guys and it has to be now," I said approaching them cautiously.
Hannah's face wasn't as disappointed as it had been at breakfast. Ernest looked at me normally. Only Zach refused to meet my eyes.
"I've been thinking way too much about this and you all have perfectly good reasons to hate me, but just let me say one thing to each of you. I understand given the premise that Zach and I would've made a great couple. Hannah, I get you're disappointed that it didn't happen. Ernest, I get that you're pissed because I hurt your best friend. Zach, I get that you probably hate me the most. Come on guys, we are bigger than this! Hannah and Ernie will probably forgive me before Zach, but Zach, I need you to know I'll never forgive myself. The—"
Zach cut me off by getting up from the table and walking up to me so I was looking up into his brown eyes. They were still void of all emotion and I expected him to slap me but he didn't. He hugged me.
"Davis, I forgive you," he murmured so quietly that I barely registered his voice.
I didn't even realize I was hugging him back until he pulled away.
"I can't make you feel the same way I feel about you, but I'm mature enough that I'll get over it. Now pick your jaw up off the floor, eat something, then we are going to fifth period," Zach said stepping back.
I took a seat and ate part of a salad, still internally freaking out that he forgave me. Yes, we walked into Defense Against The Dark Arts together. When we reached the classroom, I had even coaxed a smile out of Zach. We took our seats but Malfoy's remained vacant the whole period. He was also absent from Herbology as well, but Hannah, Zach, and I were too busy throwing dirt at each other while Professor Sprout was helping other students to notice.
It felt nice to be on speaking terms with everyone again.
Dinner was uneventful because this time, it consisted of no food arguments. Just a comfortable silence and the occasional slurp from Ernie as he finished off two bowls of chicken soup. When it was all said and done, I was looking forward to sitting in the Common Room and finishing my essay. Also, Professor Flitwick had the banner idea of having a test tomorrow as a quick review before we actually started this year's material so I needed to study for that, too.
"Davis, hey," Zach said quietly walking up to me as I started for the kitchens. "You're still coming to tryouts, right? They're right now down at the pitch."
"Definitely! Let's go," I said.
We made our way down to the field where a gaggle of third and fourth years where clustered around each other looking anxious. Most of the fifth and sixth years were too snobbish for Quidditch and seventh years never had the time. That meant Zach and I were guaranteed our positions. He'd been an excellent Captain and Chaser last year and I wasn't the world's worst Keeper.
Zach introduced himself and I and led everyone down to the hoops. Piled against the first goal post was a tangle of broomsticks and next to those were the jerseys. He had everyone grab a broom and do a few laps as warm up. As everyone here had taken flying with Madam Hooch first year, that part was easy. Next, each person that wanted a go at the position they wanted to play for could attempt it. I was worried for about two seconds when a boy tried out for Keeper, but he could never block any of the shots made by the Chasers. I immediately went after he did and surprise surprise, I made the team as Keeper.
In the end, the three selected Chasers were Zach, Malcolm Preece, and Heidi Macavoy. The two Beaters were Maxine O'Flaherty and Anthony Rickett. The Seeker was Elliot Summerby and I was the Keeper. We might, for once, stand a chance this year for the House Cup.
"We have a chance this year," I said happily landing next to Zach after he had appointed those to be joining the team.
He started slightly and looked at me a little confusedly.
"Yeah, I suppose," He trailed off shuffling his feet in the grass.
"It's getting late, should we head back up?" I asked awkwardly.
"All right."
Between the two of us, we managed to carry all the broomsticks and jerseys up to the locker rooms successfully. The storage closet protested as we shoved the brooms in and folded the jersey's on top of them.
"Next time we open it, we are going to be viscously attacked by brooms," I said following Zach up to the Common Room.
He only nodded. That shut me up right away. He may have forgiven me, but joking around with him one-on-one might take a while. Until such time, it was best to be respectful of his boundaries.
Zach bid me goodnight and left me alone in the Common Room. I hoped Johnny had had a good day and thought he was probably asleep by now. I entered my dormitory room and started working away at my third paragraph for Snape's boring essay. Susan had passed out long ago, but Hannah was still up sifting through last year's Charms notes.
"How were tryouts?" She asked as I inked up the quill to complete the sentence.
"I made the team again. Keeper for a third year in a row! Zach's also the Captain and Lead Chaser again," I reported with a smile.
"Congratulations!" She beamed at me.
"Thank you. Does this mean you'll come to the matches this year? We have a fighting chance for the Cup," I said smugly.
"That's what you said last year and managed to score second place every time," Hannah reminded me.
"I'll take that as a yes then," I fired back.
"Ernie and I will skip every match," she said.
"He always comes," I said.
"I bet I can convince him to miss," she said laughing.
"Do tell how."
"I'll tell him that this is the worst line up of players Hufflepuff has ever seen and that he should focus more on his grades then boring Quidditch games," she said with a huge grin plastered on her face.
"Zach will end up dragging him along anyway. Also, Ernie cares about his classes more than you do about Quidditch."
"Rude, Davis, how very rude," she laughed back. "He told me during Potions he's going to work much harder this year. I know how overboard he went with studying for our O. W. L.'s last year."
I nodded approvingly and we joked for a little while longer before finally deciding that we needed to sleep. Long after Hannah had fallen asleep, I lay wide awake mulling over each word I said to Zach today and thinking up ways I could've said it better. I kept telling myself that I shouldn't be so hard on my decision. After all, I didn't view Zach as anything more than a friend and was able to tell him that to his face. Either he was a master at hiding how he really felt, or maybe I was over-thinking it again. I sincerely hoped it was the latter.