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CHAPTER THIRTEEN:
CHOCOLATE CAKE
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"Where have you been?"
These are the first words she hears when she enters the castle. She turns around and is greeted by Luke. He wears a concerned look, before he springs forward and hugged her.
Right so she should probably explain. After Christmas, Hogwarts as usual started back up, except she hadn't been on the train. Instead, she ended up having to go over to France for the weekend to meet with her grandparents friends. She missed almost a week. Obviously she couldn't say at home. Plus they had an older son who she spoke with whilst she was there.
Their son was nice enough oddly, but she did stay clear of him anyway.
Friends? She remembered asking her grandparents, you have friends?
"Where have you been?" he asked again, once pulling away. "I was so worried. Are you alright? Are you sick?"
"No, no Luke I'm fine. Yeah, yeah I was sick. I had a bad flu."
She had to lie, or else he would ask why her grandparents wouldn't just let her come and go themselves.
He frowns, "Are you better now?"
"Yeah, yeah I am." she said. "I'm sorry for not replying to your letters. I was to sick. I'm sorry for worrying you. I really am. Has dinner started?"
"It just ended." he replied, "Wanna head to the kitchens?"
She doesn't hesitate to nod and the both of them go to the kitchens. When they enter the kitchens, thankfully no one is in there.
Dobby the house elf comes out. He is dressed in thin clothing and wears a red hat. "Miss Black, Mr Murphy! What a pleasure to see you again. What can Dobby make for you both?"
"Hi Dobby." Luke greets softly. "C-Could we get some chocolate cake, please? If it's not to m-much trouble."
The House-Elf scurried away and went to make the cake.
Luke sat across from her, "How was your Christmas get much things?"
The only thing she got from Christmas was more patience.
"Yeah, it was actually fun. How was your Christmas?"
"It was actually pretty fun. Thank you by the way for the gift. My grandmother loved it. She'll probably send you a letter pretty soon. I'm sorry I couldn't get you anything-"
Aurora had gotten Luke tickets to a theatre in London. He had told her about wanting to go to a theatre for years now, and she booked his tickets during the Summer.
"Luke I didn't want anything," she interrupted, "Besides I have everything I want already."
He sends her a small smile. "I presume the tickets were expensive...."
"Not at all." she lied.
"Really?"
"Nope."
He sends her an unbelievable look but she shrugs it off. "Anyways," she starts, "Has Professor Snape said anything to you about-"
"No," he rolled his eyes. "He knows though."
"He can't possibly know."
"He does."
"But does he know that you know?"
"Well...I would think so?"
"And does he know that you know that he knows?"
"Well..." his mouth opens, "What?"
"Do you think that Snape knows that we know that he knows?"
"I hope not! Do you think he does?" Luke asked, his voice shrieking about an octave higher than it already was. "Oh Merlin. I hope he doesn't."
"Luke, don't worry." she glances around and brings her voice low. "If he knows...I'll do something."
Luke stared at her in shock. "You'll do something..."
"If I must...."
"You psycho!" he shouted, in somewhat amusement. "You're crazy! What...would you like hurt Snape?!"
"Uh, yeah, I would."
"Aurora-"
"Well, I would do anything for you! Especially if someone was going to tell anyone about that thing. I would if I had to!"
"As flattered as I am-"
"Are you saying you would not hurt someone for me?!"
"Of course I would!" he answered and he didn't even realised he had said that without hesitation.
"Bonnie and Clyde." she winks.
Dobby comes back out and the smell of fresh chocolate hits her nose. It smelled better than anything. He hands them the full cake which was decorated with a coat of white chocolate. They thank him as he hands them two forks.
Aurora ate, and she didn't just eat. She indulged the cake.
"You're acting like you haven't eaten in week." Luke snorted out.
She hadn't. "Ha, I'm just hungry."
He grins at her. "Feel you there. I'm starving."
She looks across at the boy and smiles.
They sit there for another half hour, talking about random things - actually no, Star Wars wasn't random. See here's the thing, Luke loved Star Wars just as much as she did. And they only stop when Fred and George come in.
Luke immediately shifts. He wasn't good with talking with people. He had social anxiety, he had it all his life. He just couldn't speak with people, he tried, and he just couldn't.
"I-I'm gonna head up stairs," he said quickly, getting down from the counter. "I-I'll see you later."
"Bye Luke."
Once the boy leaves, both Twins look at her.
"Well, well if it isn't little Black!"
"Where have you been?"
"You had everyone worried sick!"
"I had the flu." she answers them. "Couldn't come to Hogwarts till I was better. I'm fine now."
"Good to hear." said George, patting her shoulder affectionately. "You should have mailed us. We thought something had happened."
She smiles at him. "Sorry."
"Are you better, now, really?"
"I am, George." Aurora replied, giving him another smile. "Thank you, really. Want some cake?"
Fred takes her fork, and George takes Luke's and without hesitation both boys eat the cake.
Not just some of cake, all of the cake.
"Did you two really eat all of that cake?" a new voice asked. Ginny Weasley, the only Weasley girl, walks in. "How do you put up with them, Rory?"
"I really don't know, Ginny, I really don't know." she replied. She strolls in and takes the last slice of cake. She glances towards her. "How is second year?"
"It's really fun!" Ginny told her. "I love my lessons, my year is also really nice."
"Any nice boys?" she asks her.
"Nope...." Fred covers his ears.
"That's enough." George chimes.
Aurora chuckles when the two boys leave. She smiles and turns back to Ginny.
"Can I ask you something?" the red haired girl starts, and Aurora could tell she was nervous with her words. "I don't really have any one else to ask. My brother obviously wouldn't be good at any of this..."
"It's about boys, my favourite topic."
Ginny chuckles nervously. "How do you get a boy to like you?"
If Fred and George were here they would have commented that she was to young. Even though she wasn't. Aurora had her first boyfriend when she was ten. She had her first kiss when she was about nine. Then again, her first kiss was practically forced on her.
"Well it's quite simple really. You've just got to be either good looking or have a good personality. Preferably both."
"And if you're not good looking?" Ginny inquires. "Pretty, like you, does that matter?"
Unfortunately sometimes, yes.
"Not in your case. You're pretty."
"Well I like this guy, but I don't think he even notices me. Actually I know he doesn't." she told her. Aurora nods. "But I think he's really nice. I don't know what to do about it. What would you do?"
"I'm not very good at advice." she began.
"Give it your best shot."
"Right well, I suppose you're young. Don't worry about finding a guy, or wondering if the guy likes you. Eventually the right guy will come along. Maybe when you won't even expect it. It might be your friend, a friend of a friend, maybe even someone you never met before. Instead of thinking about the fact he might not like you, think about the fact that one day they'll be a guy who does. You're not even an adult yet, boys will come and go. Besides, if he likes you, eventually he'll see it."
She trailed off because she realised she had been talking without even realising what she was saying.
Ginny nods slowly. "Yeah, you're right. You're completely right. Thank you Aurora."
I always am, she thought.
A few moments later Ginny left, Aurora looks around the empty kitchen.
"I wonder if that makes me her Yoda?" she said to no one.
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When Aurora woke the following morning, Hermione was sitting in front of her with wide eyes. Instantly Aurora sat up and accidentally connected their foreheads making both of them groan.
She holds her temple. "What are you doing?"
"When did you get back?" questioned Hermione, giving her a quick smile. "Also breakfast started five minutes ago, you should get ready."
"Yesterday, and I was sick. I was going to take the day off."
Hermione gives her a look. "You can't leave me with Ron and Harry for another hour, let alone a day."
Aurora groaned, raising to her feet. "The things I do for you Hermione."
Hermione hands Aurora her folded uniform. She goes into the bathroom and brushes her teeth. Whilst she is doing so Hermione starts giving out about Ron.
"The other day in Divination, he was so rude! He kept telling me the only reason why I didn't like Divination was because I can't do the subject, and because it's not book smart-"
"I thought you were taking the other three classes on at that time?" she bellowed out.
Hermione didn't reply to that, instead kept talking about Ron. "Book smart? I am not just book smart, if anything I'm actually very-"
Aurora listened to her, and whilst doing so got
ready. She zipped up the back of her school skirt, and pulled her shirt off (actually it wasn't her shirt, it was Luke's. She stole it from him last month.) and glances in the mirror. Lining her stomach was a series of purple bruises, and even one small cut under her ribcage.
She reaches forward pressing her hand to the cut, she regrets it straight away because she practically screamed out in pain.
Unfortunately, Hermione had also heard and without hesitation she comes into the bathroom. Aurora holds her shirt over herself.
"Uh excuse me!" Aurora began dramatically. "I'm like half-naked!"
Hermione gave her a look. She gave her one back. In short words, Hermione had shared a dormitory with her for three years.
"What happened, there?" Hermione asked, raising a brow.
She looked around cluelessly. "Where?"
"On your stomach, Aurora."
Ah fuck.
Absolutely fuck.
"I wasn't actually sick. I fell down the stairs in my house over Christmas. I wasn't feeling up to come to coming back to Hogwarts. I didn't actually fall, I was carrying my suitcase down the stairs, and wasn't watching where I was going."
Hermione's eyes bulged. "Those bruises look bad for only a week."
"I know, they're really sore."
That part was true, it was very true.
Hermione frowned sympathetically before flinging herself forward and hugging her. She did smile at this.
"Oh Aurora! You poor thing."
"Yes, yes I was just to shy to say anything." Aurora muttered in sarcasm, but obviously the other girl didn't get it.
"Poor thing."
"Okay Hermione, I'm gonna put my shirt on."
Hermione thankfully leaves the bathroom, allowing her to finish getting dressed. She takes her hairbrush and started brushing out her hair.
She narrows her eyes when she picked up her hairspray bottle and it was empty.
Pavarti...
"What's your issue with Ron, anyway?" Aurora called out. "I thought you two were getting along better now. Compared to first year, you're the best of friends."
Hermione comes back in, and takes her hairbrush and starts brushing her hair. "I just think he is quite annoying."
"I think Ron's lovely." Aurora said, and glances at Hermione's reaction in the mirror. "I think he's a sweetheart, actually."
"You do?"
"Yeah, he's lovely. Oh come on!" she sighed in exaggeration. "Ron is the nicest bloke ever!"
"You're only saying that because he had a crush on you in first year." Hermione stated matter-factly.
In response, Aurora cackles with laughter. She couldn't help it. Long story short, Ron had a crush on her in first year, she only found out about it from Harry at the start of the year. Even Ron laughed about it. Obviously, Ron was like a brother to her now, but still, it was quite a funny story.
Harry seemed to find it more funny than she did.
"Of corse I am. I am flattered by it." she replied, with a shrug. "But still Ron is a good guy."
"Why?" Hermione threw her hands up. "He might do some nice things-"
"Alright-" she started, and without skipping a beat goes, "He's defended Harry several times, especially when it comes Draco and his goons. He's defended me when it came to Sirius. He stood up for you in Potions the other day. He's defended all of us against Snape, and has gotten detentions for it. Even though he has no money, he saves to get us all Christmas and birthday gifts. He asked his mum to give him some money for Harry's new broom. He's also put you and Harry up in his home every year. Even though, obviously he doesn't own the house, but still, he's the one who asked. He gave Harry a family even though he doesn't have one. Plus it can't be easy on him, having five siblings. You've heard him say he was insecure about it. Also when he was freaking twelve he faced his biggest fear at the time which was spiders for Harry. So, yeah, maybe he teases you sometimes, but I think there's a whole other reason for that."
Hermione stops brushing her hair. "We're going to be late."
Aurora smirked, knowing she had won.
She leaves the bathroom alongside Hermione who starts laughing to herself.
"It makes me wonder what could could say about Harry."
"Why?"
"Well you said that much about Ron, and your relationship with Harry is much more...defined. I wonder how long you would talk about him for?"
"Defined? What's that suppose to mean?" Aurora asked but she never got an answer.
"By the way, I've shared a dormitory with you for three years." Hermione mentions as they walk down the stairs.
She narrowed her eyes. "That day was hot."
"It was December."
"My blanket was thick."
They head down to Breakfast, they go and take their usual seats. She sits down beside Hermione, across from Harry and diagonally from Ron.
"Fred and George told us you were sick." Harry mentions, handing her over a glass of Pumpkin juice. She thanked him whilst drinking it. "Feeling better?"
She nodded, "Yeah. Glad I missed all those lessons though."
"You should be, Snape gave us a thousand word essay due for today."
"Pity for you lot."
The four of them head to their lessons for the day - the first one was potions unfortunately - and everyone was annoyed. Except Aurora, who was happy to finally be back at Hogwarts.
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Hermione and Aurora are girlfriends,
and I love them