Deception

It was a long first week of school and Amara was beyond relieved when Saturday dawned. And it seemed to her that it would be a good one. It was a bit cold out, with a slight breeze, but the sun was shining brightly overhead, and she was not going to miss her chance to get fresh air.

She quickly ate her breakfast, noting that most students were either still sleeping or had already ate breakfast and were off doing their own things.

Amara knew which of the two things her friends were doing.

Fran did not believe in sleeping in. She was up every day before dawn and was always fully ready before anyone else woke up. She believed that there were so many hours in a day and you should never waste them. Amara thanked Merlin every day that she didn’t share a dorm with her.

Slowly Amara walked outside, letting a small smile break out on her face as she looked for her friends. It was no surprise that they were down by the lake.

“There you are!” Fran squealed, her hands on her hips and a serious look on her face. It didn’t last long, however, before her frown turned into a large smile. She ran towards Amara and pulled her into a tight embrace. “I feel like I haven’t seen you in so long, Jane!”

Amara chuckled half-heartily and pulled out of Fran’s embrace. “Sorry, just busy.”

“Sure, you mean busy with, Malfoy, right?” Gabby butted in. She sat on the ground, her legs crossed. She watched Amara closely, waiting for some kind of sign.

Whatever she was waiting for, Amara would not give it.

“I suppose,” Amara shrugged as if it were no big deal. “I’ve been having a hard time with some students. I figured what better way for them to think I was part of their little group than to go to the head idiot himself.”

Fran let out a breath of relief. “Thank Merlin! I was afraid you’d went to their side.”

Amara rolled her eyes. “Of course not.”

A strange feeling overtook Amara. She glance towards Gabby, but the young girl had seemingly taken Amara’s lie for the truth and was busy uprooting grass and putting in a pile out of boredom.

Slowly Amara’s eyes wandered over to the tall girl sitting next to Gabby.

Nicole sat there, her eyes fastened on Amara. It made Amara uneasy and she couldn’t help but squirm a bit. She brushed it off quickly as an itch.

Nicole gave her a genuine smile, as if all was well. And perhaps it was. If only Amara knew exactly what was going on in Nicole’s head.

“I don’t know how long your plan will last, though.” Fran said as Amara plopped on the ground next to Nicole. “I can’t see you deceiving anyone, especially a bunch of Slytherins. Eventually they’ll realize that you don’t actually like them.”

Amara shrugged, looking quite unconcerned. “Nobody in Slytherin actually likes each other anyways. It‘s all an act.”

Fran remained standing, looking down at her three friends. She would never get her outfit dirty. That was just the way Fran was. Always put together and clean.

Nicole let a loud yawn and looked lazily at Fran. “So what’s on our agenda for today?’

A mischievous look passed through Fran’s eyes. “I was thinking about checking out the Quidditch practice. Fred and George will be there.”

It seemed like everyone in that little group groaned in despair.

Fran blinked, her smile turning into a frown as she placed both hands on her hips. “What? What’s the problem?”

“Not the twins again!” Gabby mumbled, avoiding Fran’s angry stare. “We thought that ship had sailed.”

“It has,” Fran protested. “Kind of…”

“No, we’re not doing this again!” Gabby shook her head rigorously. “ I can’t take another moment of you humiliating yourself in front of those two, only to have them prank you and make you cry.”

“It’s third year all over again.” Amara sighed, causing Nicole to giggle.

Their third year had been an interesting one. Gabby had just entered the group, her being a second year and all, she was intimidated by everyone and everything. Fran, being the nice girl she was, had taken baby-faced Gabby under her wing.

The two girls had borderline stalked the Weasley twins. Of course, the older boys never paid attention to the two girls, and eventually Gabby lost interest.

Fran did not. She did everything she could to get those boys attention, but in the end became the butt of their pranks.

Fran glared down at her three friends, them looked away angrily. “It’s not like that this time! I just want to look at them.”

“No?” Amara raised a brow, trying to stifle the laugh building up.

“No!” Fran snapped. Her face slowly began to soften. Fran could never stay angry for too long. It just wasn‘t in her. “I just want to stare at them-”

“Fine,” Nicole said, standing up and wiping the grass that clung to her jeans. “But we’re only staying there for a little while, deal?”

Fran’s face seemed to brighten. “Deal!”

The foursome traveled towards the Quidditch field, Fran and Gabby leading them. Their heads bent together talking so quickly that Amara eventually stopped trying to be apart of conversation.

Nicole walked next to Amara, her hands stuffed into her jean pockets. She’d nod and smile whenever Gabby or Fran looked at her, but Amara could tell that she wasn’t really listening.

They arrived at the Quidditch field at, what seemed, the worst time. It seemed that practice was ending, with the twins taking off with someone, towards the castle.

The Slytherin team stood to the side, name-calling and laughing at the Gryffindor team.

Fran looked on sadly. “Oh, they’ve gone!”

“Don’t worry,” Amara said, resting her hand on her friends shoulder. “There will be another chance to look at the bookends.”

“Don’t call them that!” Fran told her before letting out a big sigh.

“Hart!”

Jane glanced up and towards the Slytherin group. Malfoy stood there, outside his group. He nodded for her to come with him.

Amara bit her lip and looked at her friends.

“Go,” Nicole laughed giving her a slight shove towards Malfoy. “Go make some ‘not really friends’ and we’ll catch up later.”

Amara smirked before heading towards Malfoy.

Even if they had told her to stay, she would have gone anyways.

“Hello,” Amara greeted as she hooked arms with Draco. She gave him a sheepish smile before leading him back towards Crabbe and Goyle.

“What were you doing with them?” He asked, meaning her friends.

Amara shrugged, trying to act nonchalant about it. “I have to spend time with someone, don’t I?”

“I suppose.” He answered with a furrowed brow. But in a matter of seconds he shrugged it off, his face brightening a considerable amount. “You’ll be going to Hogsmeade with me.”

“I will?” Amara joked, poking his side. “It sounds fun. I’ll see if I can fit you in. Busy schedule, you know.”

Draco rolled his eyes, but that smirk never left his face. “You’ll find a way, I’m sure.”

Amara smirked. She was sure she would. “Why are you asking me now, anyways? We have a whole month until then.”

“I don’t recall asking you,” he said, giving her a small nudge. “And I wanted to make sure you could ‘fit me in’ before anyone else.”

“Ha, ha.” Amara rolled her eyes.

But damn her, she couldn’t wipe that smile off her face.