The Same Mistake

“Ellie,” Ginny whispered, coming to sit beside Ellie in the library.

“Ginny?” Ellie asked in disbelief. That hadn’t spoken in weeks, an icy silence had fallen over them that started with Ron’s poisoning and didn’t seem to have an end in the near future.

“I thought you should know.” Ginny reached over, shutting the book Ellie had been studying. “Draco’s in the hospital wing.”

“What?” Ellie gasped.

“Shhh!” Madame Pince hiss shot through the stuffy air.

Ginny nodded solemnly. Beckoning Ellie after her, Ginny led the way to the hallway, out of Madame Pince’s reach. “Harry . . . Harry and Draco had a duel. It ended, badly.”

Ellie’s heart was in her throat. She felt sick to her stomach. “I – I need to see him. I need to go, now.”

“Ellie!” Ginny caught her friend’s arm before Ellie could leave. “I think you should wait.”

“What?” asked Ellie aghast. “How can you – ?“

“Because,” Ginny stressed, her patience clearly tried, “I don’t think it would be pertinent. You and Draco have been keeping your relationship . . . quietish. Do you want to break that?”

Ellie trembled. “I don’t care.”

Ginny looked closely at her friend. “You really care about him.”

“Yes.” Ellie’s eyes shimmered with tears. “I love him.”

“Then please think about this, Ellie. There must have been a reason for you to keep things quiet; do you truly believe that right now is the time to break that silence?”

Ellie’s heart fluttered in her chest. Ginny was right. Going to see Draco now could make matters worse for him, instead of better. Shoving trembling hands through her hair, Ellie began to pace. “What should I do?”

“You should come back to the Common Room with me. We’ll spend the evening playing Wizard’s Chest. And when midnight strikes, I’ll sneak down to the Hospital Wing with you, cause a subtle but unavoidable distraction to encourage Madame Pomfrey to come investigate and while I’m doing that, you can see Draco.” Ginny finished her explanation by wrapped her arm around Ellie’s waist and steering her toward Gryffindor.

Ellie leaned into Ginny, relief easing the ache in her chest. “You would do that for me?”

“Of course,” said Ginny quietly. “I’m your friend, Ellie. No matter what happens with the boys in our lives, nothing silly like that will ever come between us.”

Hours later, Ellie nudged the curled up form of a sleeping Ginny. She stirred, her red hair shifting over the most comfortable chair in the Common Room where she had fallen asleep during their third round of Wizard’s chest. Though Harry had been severely suspicious of their actions, Ginny had shooed him out of the Common Room come eleven thirty with a few well used glares.

Now they were the only two before the roaring fire which came as a great reprieve for Ellie who had not been able to think of anyone or anything besides Draco for the past five hours. Which probably accounted for Ginny trouncing her thoroughly in wizard’s chest.

“Is it already time to go?” Ginny asked, rubbing her bleary eyes.

“Oui,” whispered Ellie, her voice wavering just slightly.

“Alright then.” Ginny stood up and stretched, her appearance very feline before the orange glow of the fire. “Let the chaos ensue.”

Running down to the Hospital Wing minutes later, Ellie’s heart tumbled over in her chest. This was just the beginning. A duel with Harry Potter would be nothing compared to the wrath of the Dark Lord. It was all coming to a head. Things were slowly starting to build up to the war that was sure to come. And still she stood in the middle, no longer directly attached to either side.

But it wasn’t going to be like that for very long. As Ellie raced toward Draco, she chose her allegiance. And it occurred to her that there had never really been any doubt. From the moment she met Draco there was only ever one option.