Tomorrow will be the first day of the Christmas holidays and the fifth-year Slytherin girls giggled and ran out of the dormitory, clutching each others arms. While Beth Black sat on the floor by her bed, wrapping her gift to the best of her abilities. She had never done it before, owing to the fact that she had never actually bought anyone a gift in her life. It was a bag in a box, how hard could it be?
It wasn't bad at all, just a few bits stuck out instead of down, but she had given up trying.
It was nearing dinner, so the Slytherin stood and tucked her gift in her book bag and hid the bag under her robes so she didn't look like a complete teachers pet.
Eyes turned her way as she walked through the dungeon corridors, and the distant whispers followed her all the way until she reached the set of stairs. There were a group of seventh-year Ravenclaws who on the stairs and when they saw her, began to laugh and talk in hushed voices.
Beth looked up to glare at them, only to stop as quick as she could. Bodies had blocked the way through to the Entrance Hall, and she fumed even more.
"Well, if it isn't the littlest Black herself," a tall boy said on the left, his dark brown eyes staring hard into Beths, and on his right stood another boy and a girl who needed to take better care of her teeth. The boy who spoke in the first place was holding an article in his hand written by Rita Skeeter. There was a photograph of Beth on the front cover and Sirius Black right beside her, and above the photographs was a title that made Beth want to tear it to pieces. "Youngest Black plots with mass murderer father. What is it you are plotting, might I ask?"
"Yes, what is it you actually hope you achieve, you scheming little rat?" the girl with yellow teeth laughed horrendously -- Beth had to pinch her nose. "I suppose we had better steer clear of you . . . we suspect you're planning another mass murder and I expect those of us who ask questions will be the first to go. Assuming the Dementors don't catch Sirius Black first!"
"Move your fat little bodies out of the way before I make you move."
"Oh, yeah? How are you going to do that? Oh, right! Sirius Black!" The second boy exclaimed, causing the rest of the group to lean back in a mock of terror. They burst out laughing.
Beth rolled her eyes and pushed past them, but they squeezed together and made it rather tough for her to make it out on the other side. She looked up when she reached the top of the stairs and the doors to the Great Hall were closed which meant she was early, but on the other end of the doors were a set of redheaded twins talking to one another.
The Slytherin felt her cheeks heat up. She had not seen Fred Weasley since her ridiculous breakdown last night and had chosen to stay hidden in her dormitory because she knew he would look for her as he normally did.
When Fred Weasley's brown eyes flicked over and met with her grey ones, she bit her lip and looked away, rubbing her arm awkwardly. All Beth could think about was him listening to her sob and pulling her into a hug, which she would not have accepted so easily had she not been a wreck. But she also thought of how safe she felt in his arms, how fast his heart was beating against her ear, and how he tenderly wiped away her tears.
One Weasley walked away toward another herd of Gryffindors, while the other made his way over to her.
"Hi," said Fred in his usual bright voice. His eyes shined as he stared down at her with his grin. His happy personality used to annoy her beyond anything, but now it just lifted her spirits. "I leave tonight after dinner but I'm glad you're here. I have something for you."
The redhead reached into his pant pocket and retrieved a small black box. Beth felt her mouth twitch on it's own and she saw that Fred's face was as red as a tomato.
"You're not asking me to marry you, are you?"
"Guilty," Fred smirked. He lifted the box and there was a sterling silver chain in there with a pendant that Beth couldn't quite make out. The boy lifted it and dangled it in front of her face. "I wasn't sure if you'd like it or not but it was this or a heart necklace and . . . well I thought a little dragonfly would do. Besides, I don't think a man alive could have afforded that heart necklace -- it must have been in there for decades, it was all dusty."
The group of Gryffindors at the other end of the Entrance Hall were whispering and the group of Ravenclaws by the dungeon stairs were scoffing and laughing quietly. But Beth didn't care this time. She turned around and moved her hair to the side, and she heard a shuddery breath left the mouth of Fred Weasley before she saw the chain lower in front of her face and heard the clasp of it behind her neck.
Beth grabbed the dragonfly and brought it up to look at. It was a simply silver dragonfly about the size of a thumb fingernail with a little reddish-brown gem in the centre of it.
"It's not the best thing in the world -- someday I may be able to get something better -- but --"
"I like it," Beth said, turning around to face a rather nervous looking Fred. "I have something for you, too. Now I wish I had gotten you something better."
Fred was stammering as Beth moved her robes to the side and dug into her bag to retrieve Fred's gift. He took it from her, and when his hand brushed against hers she cleared her throat -- her chest was warming up.
"But don't open it till Christmas," Beth said quickly. "It's wrapped for a reason."
"A reason? Right."
"Yes, I imagine Filch would confiscate it if he walked by, or if one of these imbeciles were to snitch on us," Beth sneered at the group of Ravenclaws nearby.
Fred's face slowly grew into a grin.
"Beth! Beth, there you are!" A panting Adrian Pucey was running up past the Ravenclaws at the stairs. Beth looked him up and down -- he had a gift of his own. The same as last year. When Adrian saw Fred standing by Beth with a gift in his hand, he sneered. "Beth doesn't want any of your gifts, Weasley. I doubt you could even afford her anything worthy."
"Oh, this?" Fred lifted Beth's wrapped gift in his hand. "No, no. This is mine. Beth got it for me."
Adrian's mouth dropped open. "You're lying. He's lying isn't he, Beth? Beth? He's not?"
"Nope. And I got her what's around her neck," Fred boasted. Beth wanted to walk away and forget what was happening because she hadn't gotten Adrian a thing.
"Did you get me anything, Beth? I got you a very expensive charm for the bracelet I got you last Christmas which . . . you aren't wearing. I thought you would wear it tonight, I'm leaving for the holidays. Did you get me any presents?"
Beth paled. She did not want to listen to him complaining all through dinner about not getting him any presents. She gripped her wand and grabbed the end of her braid. Just under the hair ribbon, she sliced a centimetre of her locks off.
"I thought we could exchange some of our hair as a symbol of our friendship," Beth lied, holding out her cut off hair. Adrian's strange look diminished and her tenderly reached out for her hair. "You can give me yours after the holidays."
Fred looked amused.
"Oh, no, no, here," Adrian said. He reached up and pulled a chunk of his hair out and didn't react at all. Beth's eyes widened as he shoved his greasy hair into the palm of her hand. "This is the best gift there is. Might I also ask a question, Beth?"
"What?"
Adrian's beady brown eyes snapped back and forth between Beth and Fred. "What is it that's so great about this blood-traitor? Are you two together?"
"You know what, that is a spectacular question, Pukey," said Fred, with a glint of amusement in his eyes. "I imagine that's your only ambition."
The doors began to open and she walked away from the two boys, leaving questions unanswered. They began to argue behind her, but she wanted no part of it.
"Oy! Beth!" A hand that could only belong to Adrian pulled her back roughly by the upper arm. She yanked it back. "Answer me, I'd like to know if you're a lost cause or not."
Fred prodded him in the chest. "Back off, you fart. Maybe wash your face every now and then and perhaps she'll take a proper look at you."
Adrian pushed him back as the students paid no mind and mistook it for two friends goofing around, began to pour into the Great Hall for dinner. Beth stormed over and shoved them both away from each other.
"Stop it!" She hissed, and grabbed Adrian by the arm and dragged him into the room towards the Slytherin table. "You're both acting like babies over nothing."
"Over nothing? You got Weasley a gift. You never got me a gift last year, only a bundle of hair tonight. He's a Gryffindor, and his whole family are Blood-traitors."
"You're talking to me right now, Pucey," Beth snapped, tucking herself in at the table. Adrian sat beside her with a pout. "I speak with Weasley. Does that make me a blood-traitor?"
"Well, no," mumbled Adrian, who avoided Beth's eyes. "I don't think you can be. You're not a Pureblood."
"So? Half-bloods can be Blood-traitors, too."
"That's not what I was told. Besides nobody cares if Half-bloods are into Muggles and all that nonsense. Most witches and wizards are Half-bloods -- there aren't a lot of us Purebloods roaming around anymore. So it's families like the Weasleys who should be utterly ashamed of themselves. You should keep away from him if you know what's good for you, Beth. He'll only hurt you."