Mischief Managed

The next morning, I walked down to breakfast with Hermione. We were both quiet, still trying to let everything that happened the night before sink in. To realize the fact that in just weeks from now, I'd be facing possible death.

Once we got to the table, Harry was sitting with Neville Longbottom, discussing the tournament.

"I believe that you didn't put your name in, Harry," Neville said smiling.

"Thanks, you're one of the only ones," Harry said bitterly. I sat down quickly, as did Hermione.

"Where's Ron?" she asked.

"He, um, already left..." Neville said hesitantly.

"Before I got here?" Harry questioned. Neville nodded his head slowly.

"Does he think we entered ourselves?" I asked, beginning to grow angry.

"Well, the way I see it is... not really," Hermione said awkwardly.

"Not really?" Harry asked.

"Oh, guys. He's jealous!" Hermione said.

"Jealous? If he wants to fucking risk his life, he can go ahead! Because I sure as hell don't want to go through this!" I said loudly, causing a few students to look over. Harry just sat, quiet as could be.

"Well, not so much jealous of you Ella. But with Harry, well, he always gets attention. Not that it's his fault, of course, but still." Hermione said.

"Great," Harry said. "Just great."

I sighed loudly. "This is fucking screwed up."

"I know, but... I don't know," Hermione said, shifting awkwardly. Neville got up without saying anything and walked off.

"I thought this was over with. I thought, finally, that I was happy again. Me and Fred worked things out, George and Fred and Ronald and Jacob didn't all hate me anymore, my classes are getting easier and more bearable, and then this. Some asshole thinks it'd be a load of joy to include my name into this stupid fucking piece of -" I said, speaking without breathing, until Hermione cut me off.

"Ella, you need to control your anger. Maybe you just need a small nap to clear your mind..."

"God! No! I just had a sleepless night last night, wondering when I'm going to die!"

"Look, Ella, remember what I said last night?" Harry suddenly interjected.

"Yes."

"Exactly. And I promised. I won't break my promise."

"Thank you."

"What...?" Hermione questioned.

"Nothing," we said at the same time.

Suddenly, Ronald became to walk towards the table, but then he took one look at us and turned around.

"I'm going to go talk to him..." Hermione said.

"Tell him he can switch places with us if he really wants to," I said.

"And tell him he's welcome to have this scar on his forehead, too. I don't want it," Harry mentioned.

"Oh, and tell him he needs a good kick in the ass," I said bitterly.

"And that he's being a git," Harry said.

"And that he needs to grow up and not ruin a friendship over this," I said.

"I'm not an owl!" Hermione yelled, getting up quickly and walking away from us. The pair of them walked outside of the hall quickly.

"Jesus..." I sighed, putting my head in my hands.

"Well, do you wanna go outside for a bit? Maybe just relax..." Harry mentioned. I nodded and we walked outside. Hermione, Ronald, Ginny, Fred, and George were all standing by a tree talking amongst themselves.

"Kinda feels weird," I said glumly. "Y'know? I mean, in about two weeks, we have to go and do whatever the fuck and they'll just be watching, hoping we don't die."

"Well, I know Fred would rather switch places. I think he's taking the fact that you're in it harder than even you are," Harry said.

"I feel bad."

"You didn't enter," Harry said.

"I know, but still... I would rather be in it than have to watch him risk his life. So I'm sure he feels the same way."

"Yeah."

"Should we go over there to talk to them?" Harry asked.

"I don't think we'll be too wanted," I shrugged.

Harry kicked a rock gently, with his hands stuck deep into his pockets. Suddenly, Draco Malfoy walked up to us.

"Look at this, Potter!" Malfoy showed us a pin that said POTTER STINKS in bold, glowing letters.

"Piss off, Malfoy," I said.

"No one's talking to you, Elkin," Malfoy said, pushing me backwards. The others must've seen, because the group of them walked over towards us.

"Don't fucking touch me," I spat.

"I would give you one of the badges, Elkin, but I don't want to get your nasty little slime all over my hands," Malfoy said.

"Don't you talk to her like that!" Fred said, stepping in.

"Weasley," Malfoy scoffed.

"God dammit, Malfoy," I said, just before I slapped him across the face. "Fuck you."

Malfoy gave me a look of hatred, just as he and Harry both pulled out their wands.

"Furnunculus!" Harry yelled.

"Densaugeo!" came Malfoy.

Both wands set off jets of light, hit each other, then shot off into different directions. Harry's hit Goyle, Malfoy's friend, in the face, and Malfoy's hit Hermione. Goyle's face was filled with boils, as Hermione's teeth grew ten sizes bigger.

"Look what you did!" Ronald shouted, running over to Hermione.

"Malfoy, you prick," I shouted.

"I'll curse you next, Elkin," Malfoy said dangerously.

"Because I'm really fucking scared of you, Malfoy," I sneered.

"You should be Elkin. I could do things to you that you wouldn't ever dream of," he said.

"Try me."

Just as Malfoy began to lift his wand once more, Snape and McGonagall walked up quickly.

"What is going on here?" McGonagall said.

"Malfoy is being a prick!" I said.

"Miss Elkin, please watch what you say!" McGonagall said.

"I believe that for Elkin's choice of words, she should get in some trouble Minerva?" Snape suggested.

"I don't think it necessary, Severus," she said.

"Obviously," Snape said lightly, folding his arms.

"All of you, go back to your dormitories. Miss Granger, Mr. Goyle, up to the hospital wing you go. And if I see any of you fighting again, detention." And with that, McGonagall and Snape walked away.

I sighed and began to walk back towards the castle, until Fred ran up to me.

"Hey, are you okay?" he asked.

"Perfect."

"Ella, talk to me..." he said, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"What?" I said sharply, looking at him.

Fred looked quite taken aback.

"Sorry, Fred... I didn't mean to -" I started to say.

"No, Ella. Stop. You're taking this out on me when I didn't do anything! I didn't enter your name, all I'm doing is trying to help and you're just pushing me away! You aren't usually like this!" he said.

"Fred, look, I -"

"No, just stop!" Fred shouted.

"Fred! Listen. To. Me! Just let me talk!" I shouted back.

"What?"

"I'm sorry! But, I can't do this! If you can easily just yell at me like this out of nowhere, in front of everyone, maybe we can't be together. As friends or more!" And with that said, I turned around and headed straight back to the castle. When I walked in, everyone who saw me just stopped and stared. I was crying hysterically and I could tell my makeup was smeared down my face. I ran straight to the Gryffindor common room, where Hermione, Ronald, and Ginny were sitting, talking to each other in front of the fire.

"Ella?" Ginny said gently, getting up. "What's wrong?"

"I - I don't want to fucking talk about it," I stuttered.

"Come here," Hermione said, pulling me into a hug.

I glanced at Ronald, the one person who used to be my best friend. The one who I would've ran to first when Fred and I got into fights and gave a hug to. The one who always knew what to say when I needed advice. The one who promised we'd be best friends forever. The one who was just sitting here right now, watching me cry, without a word or motion within him. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly, still nothing.

"What happened?" Hermione said softly.

"Was it Fred?" Ginny asked.

I nodded slowly.

"What the hell did he do to my best friend?" came a voice I hadn't heard talk to me nicely in quite a few days. I looked up, my mouth wide open. Ronald was standing up now, looking quite pissed off.

I smiled and ran over and gave him the biggest hug ever. He hugged back, then looked at me. "Seriously, what did he do?"

"Just mad. I don't really blame him, he said I was pushing him away because I haven't been talking to him as much lately. We kinda got into it before I came here..." I said quietly.

"I'll talk to him."

"You don't have to..."

"I need to."

"Ronald, please... don't," I said.

"Why the bloody hell not?"

"It'll just make things worse..." I said to him.

"Fine, but if he does anything else, I don't care. He'll know not to."

"He'll get over it," I said. Just then, Fred, George, and Harry all walked in. I took one look at Fred and walked away. Hermione and Ginny followed right behind me, as I ran upstairs.

"I don't want to fucking talk to him," I yelled. "I'm tired of it!"

"Ella, calm down. You're just overly stressed right now. You're blowing this all out of proportion," Ginny said quietly.

"I don't care, Ginny," I whispered. "I'm going to bed."

"Ella, are you sure you don't want to talk...?" Hermione asked.

"No."

With that, they left the room without another word as I fell onto my bed, tears running down my face like a water fall.