Out of my League

Chapter Eight

I cover my face as I speed walk through the common room, trying to draw as little attention as possible. I'm pretty much done crying by now, I just don't cry very easily and when I do it's not for long. Im sure my mascara has left streaks down my face, which is still blotched with red spots.

"Hey Kennedy! Do you have the book, I've got something to add in for Snape." Dean says casually. I take in a deep breath to assure that my voice will be back to normal when I speak.

"No I don't, sorry." I say dryly. I am dying to go up to my room and get cleaned up but he begins talking again.

"Did we do somethin?" Seamus asks. I didn't even see that he was there. Geez do they ever leave each other's side?

I clear my throat a little "No, it's not you."

"Are you crying?" Seamus blurts out. Dean hits him on the arm rather hard.

"No."

"You can tell us, if you want of course." Dean suggests. I absolutely dread opening up about these sort of things but they're acting so nice and I usually don't get that kind of attention boys. Not that I fancy either of them but it's just nice to have a friend who is a boy, that way you can see things from a different perspective.

"Yeah I guess I can stay and talk." I say while sitting in the armchair. I take a tissue from the box and wipe under my eyes, hoping that will get rid of some of the mess on my face.

I explain the story up to the past where Harry was an unforgiving twat. "Ugh this is so stupid that I even got upset about this." I sigh, their body language shows me that they are actually very invested in the story. They've both got their elbows resting in their knees while leaning forward on the sofa.

"Just tell us." Seamus says. His face goes pink as soon as he realizes how rude it sounded "I mean, only if you're comfortable, sorry." He apologizes. I laugh a little at his impatience.

"It's ok, then what happened was Harry seemed to be getting mad. He essentially said that nobody really knows who I am and that I'm always in the shadow of Oliver. Don't get me wrong, it's true but it just hurt for someone to say it out loud I guess. But I'm just being overdramatic, I usually don't cry over these types of things."

"That's awful." Dean gasps.

"Yeah, it was really foul of em to say somethin like that." Seamus adds.

"But don't listen to him. We think you're cool at least." Dean cuts in.

"I'll tell em off tonight in our room for ya." Seamus jokes. Although I'm not sure he's kidding.

Right as I was beginning forget about what happened Harry enters through the portrait hole. His face screams guilt but I don't pity him.

"You didn't give a chance to apologize properly-"

"You don't need to, it's not like it'll change my views on you." I fume. I dig my nails into the palm of my hand leaving little scratches, it's a bad habit of mine when I get angry. I always have marks because of it.

Dean and Seamus are probably having a hard time choosing sides right now. They know that what Harry did was mean but they've also been friends with him since first year.

"I didn't even mean it. It was just the first thing that came to my mind." He admits.

"It wouldn't have come to your mind if you hadn't thought it before, or said it behind my back." I retort. He swallows and comes to sit down, I stand up once he gets closer because I'm afraid if I get within an arms length of him I might throw a punch.

"Can't we just talk about it?" He asks.

Is he serious? Is this even really happening right now? There is no way that he is all of a sudden wanting to talk things out with me.

"Who put you up to this?" I answer his question with one of my own.

"What? Nobody. Could you guys give us a minute?" He asks as if I agreed to that.

They both look at me asking for my permission to go. As bad as I want them to stay I'm not going to make them sit through another minute of this. So I flash them a little smile to let them know that they can go.

"I feel like you aren't listening to me." Harry suggests.

"Because I'm not." I sneer, while twirling a stand of my hair in my fingers.

"You make it really hard to apologize to you know that?" He asks.

"I just don't understand why you would even give a damn about apologizing to me." I say while going back over to the chair I was previously in and sitting down.

"Because I'm a good person with good morals." He defends.

I raise one eyebrow at him. "Whatever, go ahead with your apology." I say reluctantly.

"I know you aren't going to believe me but I really feel bad. If someone were to make a comment like that about my parents or something- look I just know how you feel. So I'm sorry."

He's being genuine for once so I guess I should return the favor. "Yeah, don't worry about it." I sigh.

"But I am going to worry about it." He says at me rather than to me. He's acting a little off, he's all flustered and he keeps biting his bottom lip.

"You worrying about me? This has got to be a joke." I let out an airy laugh.

"I'm not as bad as you think I am." He mutters. This whole conversation feels so weird. I would usually be fuming while trying to come up with so witty response, but I feel like we could continue to talk and I could actually enjoy it.

"Maybe." I say.

He rolls his eyes.

"How about this, since you got me a date to the ball and helped me with my work you can ask any favor of me and I'll do it. How's that for nice?" He asks sounding proud of himself.

"Sure that's fine." I say, letting the corners of my mouth turn up. "I know you haven't much experience with girls but-"

"Hold on now." He cuts me off "I have plenty of experience with girls." He jokes because he knows that it's not true.

"Mhm. Anyways, I need help and you sort of owe me a favor so you have to whether you want to or not." I say.

"I want to." He answers quickly, after realizing what he just said his face begins to tinge red.

"Ok well I don't know what to do. I haven't told anyone but Cedric Diggory asked me to the ball and-"

"Cedric asked you to the ball?" He asks, his eyes widening.

"Don't act so surprised Potter, anyways I don't know how to greet him, or how to not be annoying. So what do boys like?" I ask shamefully, as I'm asking my said enemy for relationship advice.

"Well I don't know, I guess we like it when you don't hesitate to make the first move, I feel like girls always wait around for the boys to do something but it's more attractive when you're bold." He suggests. "But that might just be me." He adds.

He can't look me in the eye because of the awkward tension between us. But it's not horrible, we aren't upset with each other. It's just different.

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