Hand Me Downs.

“I’m still so annoyed you tricked me into doing your homework.” I groaned, again sprawled most unladylike across one of the sofa’s in the common room. Leanne shrugged, a copy of some witches fashion magazine on her lap, winking at me from her spot on her floor, leaning back against Aaron, who as usual had his head enthralled in a potions book.

Not that I would complain, he was the only reason I was getting through it anymore. Snape was as evil as ever and I really hadn't expected the shift in difficulty.

“This group is so unfair,” I continued, sitting up straight and apologising as I hit a dozing Dale with my arm as I pointed around, “You get me to do your alchemy homework all the time.” I accused, pointing at Leanne.

“You made me pick it, you get me an Acceptable.” she reasoned, sticking out her tongue at me.

“And I help Aaron with charms who in turn, helps me with potions... I feel like I’m not getting as much out of this as you guys are.”

“You help us all out with charms really.” Ron added blankly, causing my mouth to drop as I realised the true behind his yawned words, Harry sitting not far from me, smiled sheepishly as he tried to roll up his half finished charms essay I had just been, again, helping with.

“I just want to say thank-you for...” He started before I cut him off.

“So basically I help everyone but Hermione?” Everyone nodded and I scoffed, “Well, from now on for charms help, I’m charging money.... or chocolate, I am not your charms whore Potter!”

I had grown to being on the edge of false tears, my voice higher and growing louder, luckily for the others masked by Fred and George who were currently repeatedly demonstrating their ‘skiving snack boxes’ on poor younger students.

“Oh Amelia, be quiet.” Dale murmured, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. “You’re such a drama queen.”

I pouted, crossing my arms and sitting back, forcing my eyes to widen as much as possible in an effort to both stare him down and make him forgive me for waking him. (Waking Dale was never a good idea, he awoke like a bear usually) “It’s not going to work.” he continued to mumble, stretching, his t-shirt stretching over his toned chest in that way that made my stomach tingle with butterflies.

Oh not this again.

It seemed to be a stupid recurring thing, me and Dale. A hook-up ever so often since the summer before fifth year. It started with looks, warmed up with firewhisky and ended with drunken, albeit really good sex that made us both act weird around each-other for the next week until we forced ourselves to get over it and continued on as friends.

This had happened a good ten times in the last two and a half years.

Dale, as he is on the odd occasion, was right when he was we had issues.
Those we most definitely did.

I could say why, the psychiatrist my father had paid for had always mentioned my feelings of abandonment, my longing for care that I didn't feel daddy dearest gave me. That and the death of my mother after a long illness, not that he knew the true reason, had created the odd need for affection etc...

“Why are you spacing out?” he asked, flicking my noise and causing me to grumble before assuring my gaze was on anything but him, landing incidentally on the twins as Hermione’s did and she once again began to complain, unable to do anything as they weren’t breaking any rules.

“Ron you know if you needed money they would give it to you.” I assured him, smirking slightly as his overdramatic headshake.

“I don’t get where they got the money to get all the stuff to make them,” Aaron added, finally pulling his head from his book, “The stuff they’re using is expensive.”

I kept nun, exchanging a quick glance with Harry. The twins had told me about him giving them his Triwizard money, as if they could keep something like that a secret. But then again, as far as I was aware, I was the only one not involved in the deal that was aware of it.

“If you’re so tired why don’t you go to bed?” Leanne mocked Dale, whose head had again tilted backwards against the sofa, I stood as they began to bicker, grimacing at Aaron who was stuck in his chair and grinning as he mouthed ‘save me’.

I avoided the twins, I had lost a bet with Fred the previous night and if spotted, or whenever they felt they wanted be mean I would have to publicly test one of the concoctions.

And knowing them two I feared the worst.

Instead I made my way over to Neville, who was sitting on a small table near a hardworking second year and doting as usual on his plant. “Hey,” I said softly reaching him, “This seat taken?” he laughed after his breath shaking his head and shuffling so I could pull it out from the table and sit next to him.

“How’s she doing?” I asked, looking at the plant warily, well aware of what had happened on the train a few weeks ago not long after I had left them.

“Really well,” he started, his eyes glinting as he came to life in a way only preserved for his plants, “She’s not far from maturity and if Professor Sprout allows me to use the right compost and to create the ideal atmosphere I could breed from her.”

Truth be told Herbology held little interest to me but I gave him a wide smile non-the-less.

“That’s great. I know how much time you’ve been putting into her.” He nodded again, the second year looking up from his book and shooting me and Neville a weird look, wincing as he received sharp kick under the table before packing up his stuff and leaving.

People making fun of Neville was not something I stood for.

“So,” I said, lowering my voice a couple of minutes later, “Have you been to St Mungo’s recently?” He nodded sharply, glancing around the busy room, little danger of us being overheard.

“Just before school started.” I'd expected that.

“How were they?”

“Same as always,” he almost let out a chuckle, “But, they’ve got new curtains put around their beds and they’re strangely obsessed with the colour and fabric. Wouldn’t stop stroking it.” I smiled at him again, placing my hand on top of his and squeezing it gently.

“You should have taken her in,” I nodded towards the pulsating plant in-front, “They would have been impressed, you’ve got such a natural talent for Herbology.” He shrugged.

“I’m alright.” I snorted, raising my eyebrows at him and removing my hand,

“I’m fairly sure if I ever have children and they come here, they’ll come home raving about how lovely their Herbology teacher Mr.Longbottom is.” I paused, “And at the rate you’re going how tall he is, seriously Neville you seem to have a growth spurt every summer!” he grinned, large front teeth digging into his lower lip.

The noise had lowered dramatically as we had spoken and I could feel Fred’s eyes scanning for me.

Or maybe I’m just paranoid...

“I better go anyway, I lost a bet to Fred and I’m worried.”

“I saw,” he added as I stood up, “And to be fair, if you hadn’t had to leave to throw up you definately could have eaten more.” I nodded, stomach turning at the memory.

“Thanks Neville.” I groaned, waving a goodbye and trying to sneak towards the stairs, my tip-toes turning to a run as I heard a couple of Weasley’s shouting my name.



“They’re going to be out for blood tomorrow,” Leanne said, taking her make-up off in the bathroom as I climbed out of the shower, “They really want to embarrass you.”

“Well then it’s lucky I don’t embarrass easily, I just dont fancy throwing up in front of everyone...or worse.” I countered, rubbing the towel through my hair and heading to my bed to put on my pyjamas.

“I remember when you used to get embarassed,” Katie joined in the conversation, sitting on her bed as she polished her broom, “Remember that time in first year when you spilt your cauldron and caused half of Ravenclaw to grow fur and howl?”

I sniggered, the other two joining my laughter until Sarah came into the room, awkwardness growing instantly as she simply nodded at us, going to her bed and ripping the curtains shut.

We all stayed still, staring at each other until the giggles eventually evaporated and Katie shooed us to bed, sounding horribly like Hermione as she reminded us we would have to be up at seven for lessons.

“So... you and Dale had a little moment earlier then?” Leanne’s voice rang out into the darkness, and I rolled my eyes, feeling uncomfortable, “Seriously, I don’t understand why you two don’t just get together.”

“I don’t want to get together with him.” I whined, wishing I had my curtains un-drawn so I could throw something at her.

“You so do. Your whole fuck-buddies thing is just weird.”

“Shuttup Leanne, you're not one to talk.”

“Make me Amelia.” She said, mocking me with a high pitched lisped voice.

“I’m gunna get some new friends,” I concluded, ignoring her giggles and laying face first on my pillow, “Better friends.”



“You found somewhere?” I asked a disgruntled Hermione over the noise in the hallway, she nodded.

“Tell Dale and Ryan, Katie too unless Angelina has already.” I nodded, no doubt Angelina had, considering the two spent half the time connected at the hip.

That damn Angelina, stealing my Katie away with her Quidditch rambles.

“Amelia,” Hermione hissed, drawing me back into the busy corridor, my sarcastic inner monologue fading, “Eight O’clock, seventh floor opposite the Barnabus the barmy tapestry?”

“With the trolls?” I asked, simply to irritate her and smiling as she sighed. I nodded,

“Could you not just have told me at dinner?” She glared slightly at me, waving me a goodbye as she went into her transfiguration class, leaving me to trudge alone to Alchemy.

“I thought you were getting new friends?” Leanne said, as I sat next to her in the small classroom.

“Fuck off Leanne.” She looked smug, doodling a new boy’s name on her parchment that forced me to hold back rolling my eyes as the classroom filled up to the grand total of all ten of us who took this subject.

I was excited at the prospect of the meeting later and found myself growing restless and twitchy, sliding a note to Ryan to tell him to meet me after the lesson, it took him most of the hour to reply,

It’s dinner after this you tool. I’m hardly going to run off am I? I’m STARVING.
By the way, Leanne said it's that time of year for you and Dale again... you unusual horny children.

Leanne let out a squeak barely disguised as a cough as I punched the top of her arm.