Unwhispered Words

I love the way dust will sift off a book when you place it on a table at the library, especially one such as this that looked like it hadn’t been removed from its place in at least a decade, easily. I softly blew the remaining filaments away, before rescanning over the title once more. Behind The Animagi: The Difficulties Within.

Professor McGonagall had assigned a research project to the class, one of our choosing, that was due in two weeks. It had to be written on 10 rolls of parchment on anything that had to do with Transfiguration. While my fellow classmates were probably choosing easy topics, such as turning your pet into a goblet, which is so 2nd year, I actually planned on stretching the limits of my mind on this one. However, I never expected it to be as difficult as it was. So far, I had only been able to acquire two books to use for research materials, and one of them was my class issued textbook! How in the hell am I supposed to write 10 rolls of parchment worth of information from two textbooks?! It can’t be done, it simply can’t.

My other classes weren’t helping with my recent debacle either. I figured that dropping as many classes as I did would make my life so much easier, and granted, 6 classes is way better than the 11 I had before, but considering all of them were advanced, I still had a shitload of coursework. Having Friday’s off did really help, and this year, I refused to let myself slack. No procrastination would be tolerated. This year I was staying on top of shit.

I also couldn’t get the fact that Draco had apologized to me out of my head. It had been two weeks since the awkward conversation had occurred, and yet I found myself constantly thinking about it. I still couldn’t understand what made him feel like I needed his apology. I mean, the fact that he did was both shocking and welcomed, but it’s Draco Malfoy, and he never apologizes to anyone about anything. It just doesn’t mix. I keep pushing it to the back of my mind hoping it will go away, but to no avail.

We haven’t spoken since, which I guess is a good thing. The last thing I need is another awkward conversation with him to be plaguing my mind. This one was bad enough. Why did I even care? He apologized for something that wasn’t even his fault. I shouldn’t be overlooking this. I shouldn’t, and yet, I can’t help myself. This is why I never talk to people, because of shit like this.

I began sifting through the book, hoping that something of value would lie hidden with its endless amount of pages. It was going to be a long day.

_*_

“Miss Peverell, it’s time for me to close the library, I’m afraid I’m gonna have to ask you to leave now.”

The librarian gazed at me apologetically. What was her name again? I sighed. I was only a quarter of the way through the book. Although it truly wasn’t very large, taking notes had made reading it an insufferable process, but one that needed to be done. I smiled at her.

“Would it be alright if I checked this out before you did? It’s for a big paper I have due soon.”

She nodded, gesturing for me to follow her to her desk. Once the book was signed out in my name, I quickly exited the library. The halls were empty, which means that everyone had either gone back to their common rooms or they were at supper. I was praying for the latter of the two. I hadn’t eaten all day and I was starved.

I quickened my pace, praying there would still be food available in the Great Hall. As I turned the corner, I sighed in relief. It was practically empty, most students having already finished their meals, but a few lingered at each table. I nonchalantly sat at the end of the Slytherin table before helping myself to a most needed meal. It’s amazing that I don’t weigh a thousand pounds, considering how much I eat. But then again, I had skipped breakfast and lunch, so maybe it was understandable.

Once I was done, I stood, glancing around. Besides a few Hufflepuff’s who were cluttered together, mumbling incoherently, I was the only student remaining in the Great Hall, just the way I liked it.

I don’t understand how I ended up this way, to where I always wanted to be alone, but I had. It didn’t make sense. No one had ever really done anything to me to make me this way. I had never been back stabbed, never been broken hearted, and yet here I am, always wanting to be alone. Chase is the exact opposite of me. Not only is he Head Boy of Slytherin house and Quidditch Captain, but he’s also the person people go to when they feel it’s time to have a party, and the one with the endless amount of friends. How does he even remember all their names? I just don’t get it. Sometimes I think that I was switched at birth or something, and I’ll even pretend that I’m adopted. Yeah, I wish, but you can’t always get what you want.

The walk back to the dungeons was a cold and lonely one, like always. In fact, the whole loneliness of it was getting rather annoying. I had never felt lonely before. I was always perfectly content with walking by myself. It was aggravating, so aggravating that I didn’t bother paying attention to where I was going, and ended up colliding with someone who was coming around the opposing corner.

“Shit!” I muttered as my books cluttered to the floor. I scurried to pick them up.

“Sorry, I’m so sorry!” the person who I had walked into said quickly. “I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going!”

“It was just as much my fault as it was yours. I wasn’t paying attention either.” I reassured them.

“Here you go.” They said, handing me my book I had signed out from the library. I looked up to see that it was none other than Harry Potter. I immediately began to blush. I had never spoken to him in my life, and although I was in Slytherin and supposed to hate him, I didn’t. In fact, I was quite taken with him. I would always make sure to sit where I could see him during meal times, just so I could gaze at him for a few minutes every day.

I hesitated before reaching out to take the book from him. “T..T..Thanks Harry.” I stuttered, feeling more heat rise to my cheeks.

“S’no problem. It’s the least I could do considering I am the one who knocked it out of your arms.” He smiled, offering me his hand, which I gladly took, before pulling me up from the floor.

“What are you doing down here?” I questioned, unable to satiate my curiosity.

“Detention, with Snape.” He proclaimed. “Apparently nodding off during one of his lessons isn’t something he’s particularly fond of.”

“I wouldn’t expect him to be.” I giggled. He responded with a cute little chuckle of his own.

“And you?” he asked. “Why are you out so late?”

“I’ve just left the Great Hall. I got there later than I meant, was working on a paper in the library and lost track of time.”

He nodded. “Well, if you were late getting there and you’ve already finished, then I guess it’s safe to say that I won’t be acquiring any food tonight.”

“No, unfortunately, I don’t think you will.” He frowned, downtrodden. “Then again, maybe that isn’t such a bad thing.”

He looked at me, confused.

“I mean that, well, if either of our timings had been different, we probably wouldn’t have met up like this.”

I felt heat begin to rise to my cheeks again. Oh my, did I really just attempt to flirt with Harry Potter?

A well placed smirk enveloped his face. “That is very true, Charlie, very true indeed.”

I think my heart did a backflip. He knows my name! Harry freaking Potter knows my bloody freaking name! Ah! I couldn’t contain my smile as it slowly spread across my lips.

“Would you like me to walk back to the Great Hall with you, see if they still have any food out?”

Harry seemed to contemplate this for a moment. “I’m sure that everything is gone by now.”

“I wouldn’t be too sure. There were still a few Hufflepuff’s in there when I left, and if you’re lucky, they might still be there.”

His eyes lit up a bit at that comment. They never cleared the food from the tables until all the students have left the Great Hall, so if those few students chose to linger, there might still be a chance of there being some food there.

“You don’t have to walk with me, you know. I think I’m capable of finding my way on my own.”

“Well, if that’s really how you feel Mister Potter, I guess I’ll be on my way then. Goodnight.”

I began stepping away from him, hoping that this would work. Please ask me to come with you, please ask me to come with you..

“Then again, there is a chance I may get lost and need some guidance. Your company would be most welcome, Miss Peverell.”

I swear, I could feel my heart fluttering in my chest and I began to grin sheepishly. Who knew that stuff like that actually works? Can I get a hell yeah for reverse psychology? Boom baby!

I shifted back over to where he stood and we began our late night stroll to the Great Hall. It was quiet at first. I was too busy freaking out over the fact that I was walking with Harry, just the two of us, to think of anything to say.

“This is kinda peculiar, isn’t it?” he finally asked, breaking the silence. He chuckled as he watched the confusion I was feeling towards his words spread across my face. “I mean, the fact that a Slytherin and a Gryffindor are both walking together, having pleasant conversation and actually enjoying each other’s com rather than trying to kill one another. It’s odd.”

“A true shocker, isn’t it?” I teased before continuing, “Honestly though, I’ve never been one for the whole ‘Oh, you’re in Slytherin, you’re in Gryffindor, let’s hate each other’ thing. I feel like it’s pretty ridiculous.”

He stopped dead in his tracks. “So you mean to tell me that you don’t have a problem with any of the Gryffindor’s, at all?”

I nodded, confirming his words. “Maybe Hermione, but that’s only because I wish I was as bloody smart as she is!”

“Don’t we all?” he laughed. “You’re an odd one, you are, Charlie Peverell.”

I blushed. “I don’t do it on purpose. Excuse me for not molding to the certain confinements the student society has set.”

He stopped again and turned towards me, smiling. “You are a piece of work, Charlie, and you’re currently making me wish that we had spoken to one another sooner than tonight.”

I had never felt so elated in my life. That smile, oh, I would kill to be able to see that smile.

“Wanna have lunch with me tomorrow? Just you and me? I wanna get to know you better.”

He cast his eyes downwards as soon as he asked. Oh my! He was nervous! I giggled.

“I would love to, Harry. Shall we say 12:30?”

He let out a breath of relief. “That sounds perfect.”