The Same Mistake

“What were you thinking?” Ginny screeched as the house elves laden down both hers and Ellie’s arms with food.

Ellie grimaced. “I had no intention of cursing Pansy again. It’s her own fault she hangs out with scum like Malfoy who would rather sacrifice her than his own vanity.”

“What if he had caught you! You would have been expelled for sure.”

“I know! I’m sorry. I won’t try and curse anyone for the rest of the year.” Ellie pleaded.

Ginny shook her head in disbelief. “What do they teach you at Beaux-Batons?”

Ellie grinned, “To defend ourselves.”

Ginny was unable to resist laughing. “Whatever. Come on, Midnight Avenger.”

XXX

Back in the dormitory, Ellie and Ginny sat on their separate four posters beds dividing the food between themselves. The other three girls woke to the smell of warm cinnamon bread and came over to join the feast. “What’s the occasion?” Jenny, a girl with long dark brown hair asked as she rubbed sleep from her eyes.

“Ellie earned her first detention this afternoon, we’re celebrating her rebellion.” Ginny informed the other girls cheerfully.

“What did you do?” Jenny asked in surprise.

“She tried to curse Malfoy,” Ginny explained, a hint of annoyance in her voice after the very recent events of the night.

“Good for you!” Jenny beamed at Ellie. “If anyone deserves to be disfigured for life, it’s definitely him.”

Ellie laughed, smiling at the other girls. “I don’t know; if he wasn’t such a horrible person he would be très mignon.”

Ginny sighed, pushing Ellie’s shoulder playfully. “English?”

“Oh.” Ellie blushed, a deep red flushing her cheeks. “He would be very cute.”

“Ew!” Squealed the other four girls.

“No way!” Jenny shook her head furiously from side to side. “I mean he’s practically an albino.”

Ellie cast a confused look among the girls. “What does that word mean?”

The four giggled. “It means he is all white, from his hair to his eyelashes, to his skin,” Marcie a girl with short black hair explained.

“Oh.” Ellie thought about this. “He’s still cute.”

“No way! If he was so cute, then why the hell would he be dating a dog like Pansy Parkinson?” Sophi, the final member of the group, a tall girl with curly chestnut hair demanded.

All five girls bust out into raucous laughter. “Ew! Can you even imagine? That is like the worst mental image I have ever had!” Ginny cried, covering her eyes with her hands.

“Even worse than your brother snogging Hermione?” Marcie teased.

“Stop!” Ginny shouted, throwing a blueberry muffin at her friend’s head.

“Sh!” Sophi hissed. “If we’re not quiet Hermione is going to come down here and yell at us. And I for one am not in the mood to deal with an angry Prefect.”

A happy smile lifted the corners of Ellie’s mouth. Yes, this is what it was like to have friends and she had dearly missed it. Taking a large bit out of her chocolate chip muffin, she listened to Ginny and Marcie’s continued bickering.

“Wait! We are all missing the main point!” Jenny turned to Ellie, fixing her with a scrutinizing stare. “Are you suggesting that if Draco Malfoy, son of Lucious Malfoy, a Slytherin no less, asked you out, you would say yes?”

All of the girls held their breath, waiting impatiently for Ellie’s answer.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Of course not!” The girls sighed in defeat. “Why would I go out with the boy I tried to curse twice in one day? He called me a mud-blood; he’s not exactly high on my list of people right now.”

Ginny grimaced. “He’s such a foul creature. The best thing to do is focus on how ugly his soul is whenever you start fantasizing about his white blonde hair.”

And as the five girls began to laugh once more, Ellie tried to imagine what exactly it would be like to date Hogwarts most hated student.