Pure-Blood? I'm B Positive

Isobel badgered me for weeks on end attempting to get the name of the 'boy' I was so hung up on' after about about the hundredth 'no' she finally gave up. It was now the end of September, I'd been in Hogwarts a month and yet it felt much less.
"Herbology after Lunch - Hurry up and finish your food, I don't want to be late." Isobel got up off of the Ravenclaw table (which I ate most of my meals at, apart from dinner).
"I'm almost done. Whats the rush? I thought you didn't like Herbology."
"I didn't, but it's been pretty good this year, professor Longbottom seems to have changed."
"How so?" My ears pricked up at the sound of his name.
"Well his lessons seem to be more dull, he does tons of exciting stuff now, almost like he's trying to impress us - get us to like him." I grunted as Isobel dragged me out of the great hall and through the castle grounds towards greenhouse 2.
"Afternoon girls." Neville, I mean Professor Longbottom addressed us as we walked into the class and took our usual seats near the front. As always, he talked enthusiastically about plants and weeds, as Isobel answered every question he asked, with an equal amount of enthusiasm.
"Araina, will you please stay behind after class." I sat back down with a sigh as Isobel left the greenhouse with the rest of the class.
"Wasn't my homework up to standard Professor Longbottom." I sat stone faced, trying not to look at Neville as he walked towards my table.
"Your homework was Outstanding as always, Araina. I just wanted to talk to you, I haven't seen you much since-"
"You see me in class, 5 hours a week." I still didn't look at him.
"It's, not the same. I didn't want you to think I was ignoring you. We're still friends." I scoffed.
"Friends? Is that allowed, Professor Longbottom?" I knew I shouldn't talk like this to a teacher but all my emotions that had been building ever since my first Herbology lesson came rushing to the surface and I was unable to contain them.
"What if I don't want to be friends? I'm just fine with Isobel. and Meredith. They're my friends - they actually talk to me, and don't act one way one minute, and then blank me the next"
"I never blanked yo-"
"Don't lie. We haven't spoke since we got here, you're a stranger." I turned from Neville and looked at the floor which was covered in soil. It was silent, I heard footsteps which got slowly quieter, and then louder again.
"It's your birthday on Sunday. I got you this." his voice seemed to be filled with sadness and I suddenly filled with guilt, I was projecting all my anger out onto him, and he had done nothing wrong, he was just doing his job. I looked up, on the table stood a small cage with a baby Tawny owl inside.
"I'm sorry. It's not your fault, i'm just mad at myself." I looked up at Neville, who was leaning on his desk, with arms crossed.
"He's beautiful." I looked at the owl who was a deep chestnut brown colour.
"I knew you didn't have one, I thought it'd be a nice surprise." I nodded as my eyes filled with salty tears, however hard I attempted to hold them back they remained in my eyes, but never ventured out.
"What's up? You can tell me." Neville walked over to the door, and closed it, walking back to the table I was sat at and pulling up a chair beside me. I sighed.
"I miss it. I miss it so much, and I know I shouldn't, and I know that things are meant to be this way, but I just can't take it." I huffed as tears finally fell from my eyes.
"The Muggle world?" Neville seemed confused.
"No! Us, before all this. Everything that we did; every conversation seems to have been just a dream. It's all over, and I can never get that back. It sucks." I slumped down and looked up at Neville, I couldn't tell what emotion was on his face.
"I know it's hard."
"No you don't! You don't understand, you don't feel the same way as I do. You have friends, people you know. I had nothing, just you, and now you're gone."
"I'm not gone, I'm here."
"You're here... but you're not the same person I knew a month ago. You're Professor Longbottom, not Neville."
"Araina."
"No. Just forget it..." I stood up and was about to walk out as the door opened and Professor Malfoy walked in.
"Neville - Uh, Professor Longbottom. I need to speak with you, it's urgent."
"I'm a little busy at the moment Draco, I'll be with you in a few minutes." Neville waved his arm and ushered Professor Malfoy out of the room, with the door now closed the previous conversation continued.
"Look Araina. I don't know what to say to you, because every time I open my mouth, you argue back." Neville put his head in his hands and huffed as if he was becoming tired of the topic.
"I'll leave, Professor Malfoy wants you." I stood up again and picked up the cage silently.
"Thanks for the birthday present, Professor." I looked at Neville and smiled before leaving the classroom to be greeted by Malfoy who was pacing the corridor.
"Evening Professor." I Nodded to Malfoy as he passed me, entering the classroom with hast. I turned, knowing it was rude to eavesdrop, but I couldn't help it. I put down the owl and sat at the bottom of the now closed classroom door.

"What did you want Malfoy?"
"I can see you're having a stressful evening, but I swear I won't keep you long." Malfoy passed Neville an opened envelope.
"It's from the Auror office. They got hold of some information from Malahk, y'know the guy who works in Nockturn Alley - they used Veritaserum."
"What information? Malfoy, we're teachers - Voldemort is dead. What is so important that we need to know?"
"There has been meetings, according to Malahk."
"Meetings?" Neville crossed his arms and looked up at Malfoy with tired eyes.
"Yes. Malahk was letting them use the empty room above his shop. He didn't hear much, he just knew it was to do with finishing the dark lords work."
"They're planning to kill Harry?" Neville sat up straight and seemed to have a jolt of electricity put through him as Malfoy said the name.
"No! They want to control the ministry, get rid of all the mudbloo- I mean, muggle borns..." Malfoy stepped back and waited for Nevilles response.
"Well Harry and Ron and the best Aurors the ministry has ever had, they'll be able to keep it under control."
"I agree, you know I don't want anything to do with this. But Malahk said something else too."
"Well, spit it out." Malfoy sighed, as if attempting to conjure up the correct phrase.
"Apparently, the person who has been organising these meetings is a student at Hogwarts."
"Araina." Neville Whispered under his breath.
"They think it's the Riddle girl, the ministry are trying to get her sent to Azkaban, but Granger is fighting her case, but it's not going well..."

Outside the classroom, I'd heard enough. I ran, leaving the owl behind, Everything was a blur, I had no idea how to feel, this whole evening had been a whirlwind of emotions. I was supposed to be in the Great Hall, it was time for Dinner - I was't hungry. I ran to the Slytherin common room, in tears, unable to see where I was going, passing through ghosts as I ran. All of a sudden I stopped.
"Araina, are you okay?" Keeran held my arms tight and looked at my tear sodden face.
"I'm fine..."
"Don't lie to me... Whats going on?" Keerans eyes searched for the answer but I remained quiet.
"I can't tell you"
"No. You can't keep it to yourself, it'll drive you mad." I sighed, I knew he was right.
"Well... You promise you won't tell anyone!" Keeran scoffed.
"Promise!" Keeran seemed shocked by my sudden burst of energy.
"'Araina, I have nobody else to tell..." Keeran grabbed my arm and we walked to the empty common room; everybody else was still eating in the Great Hall. I sat down by the fire as Keeran conjured up two mugs of hot chocolate.
"So tell me, what's wrong." I sighed and closed my eyes, attempting to organise my thoughts.
"Well, it's a long story. It's hard to explain... I overheard a conversation." I sipped the Hot Chocolate, and looked up at Keeran who was still standing.
"Was it a friend, talking bad behind your back?" Keeran knelt beside the bottle green leather couch, placing both of the mugs of hot chocolate onto the onyx marble fire place.
"No. It was Professor Malfoy and Professor Longbottom. Look, I'm not sure I should be telling you this, I shouldn't even know."
"What harm will it do? Araina tell me." Keeran edged his face closer to mine, and spat the last words through gritted teeth.
"They were speaking about the ministry, something to do with a Dark Wizard or Witch attempting to take over or someth-"
"Did they say who?"
"N-No, well... They, they think it was me. T-the Ministry..." I broke out into loud sobs again. Keeran did nothing, he didn't comfort me, didn't say a word, he just knelt beside the couch I was sitting on silently waiting for me to stop crying.
"Keeran? You don't think it's me do you?" I spoke through whimpers whilst trying to control my irregular breathing.
"I know it's not you." He smirked as he said this, as if the phrase had an alternate meaning, but I didn't have time to mull it over in my head as Meredith walked in, for the first time since the first day of term - alone.
"Araina? I didn't see you at dinner. What are you doing with this creep?" Meredith walked over to where we were and looked Keeran up and down with disgust.
"I wasn't hungry. We were just talking." I wiped away my tears and looked to the floor, avoiding Meredith's glare.
"What about?" This question wasn't aimed at myself, but this time at Keeran.
"Araina was upset. She uh.." Keeran looked down at me, I was still wiping my face and attempting to look as normal as I could at this point.
"She was a little upset be-"
"I can see she's upset! What did you do to her?!" Meredith placed her hands on her hips.
"I didn't do anything! She's failing Herbology, that's why she's upset." Keeran spoke with such ferocity that Meredith backed away as he spat the words at her. I looked up at Keeran and forced a weak smile, and nodded - thanking him for covering for me. Then he walked away, up the stairs and to his dorm, I didn't see him again that night.

"What is your problem with Keeran? He was just helping me."
"He's weird, Araina. " Meredith sat down on the couch beside me, but refused to give me eye contact.
"How so? Do you even know him?" I scoffed and stood up, I didn't want to be friends with someone who acted like this.
"Araina wait!" Meredith grabbed my arm.
"What?" I huffed and turned to face her.
"Actually, I do know him. He's my cousin." My mouth opened involuntarily as my brain began to comprehend what was just said.
"Okay, but why does that mean I can't talk to him. He seems like a nice enough guy."
"Yea.. You didn't have to grow up with him."
"What was he like?" I sat down again, curious - Although I considered Keeran to be someone I trusted, I didn't actually know him very well.
"He was always alone. People tried to make friends with him, but he always thought he was too good for them."
"Maybe, he's just misunderstood..." Meredith scoffed.
"He's an arrogant smart-ass, always has been. Araina, don't make excuses for him. Besides, I am not going to watch you and him get cosy by the fire." Meredith and I chuckled at the last remark and the conversation sizzled into nothing, just like the remaining embers of the fire that was in front of us.