Decree No.29 (O.C) Fred Weasley/ Draco Malfoy

Slip Of The Lips

"Yes!" Ginny cheered victoriously amongst a chorus of groans as she drew a pile of coins towards her on the desk.

"That's four in a row!" claimed Dean Thomas, who had just lost at poker for the third time. "I can't believe it. I was the one who taught the game to you!"

Lee Jordan laughed and nodded to his left. "At least you weren't always first out."

"I'm telling you, it's the cards I was dealt!" complained Neville as he sulked off his chair.

"You better get to your common rooms quick," Jessica laughed as she walked towards the classroom door. "It was nearly curfew."

She got out her wand, and the students formed a line to get their fake cuts.

"Don't forget to put on your miserable faces," Jessica whispered to Colin Creevey and his brother Dennis as they got theirs first. They were followed out by Neville, Ginny, Dean Thomas, Ernie McMillan, Hannah Abbott, and finally, Luna Lovegood - who liked to ask for hers in the most unusual places. This time, it was on her right earlobe.

"Oh, and you, don't forget this," Jessica told Lee Jordan, her newest recruit, handing him a brown paper bag. "That should be everything on their list except for the dragonfly eggs. I'll try and get them tomorrow, and you can say a seventh-year left them hanging around."

Lee smiled as he took the bag and hid it under his robes. His cheeky demeanour had been reinstated since he had joined her detention list.

"You're the best, Jess," he said as she applied a fake cut to his palm, "I just wish they could know that."

Jessica knew who 'they' were, and she agreed with him in her heart. If George knew she was helping them get ingredients for their new stock, he certainly wouldn't have sent a dung bomb her way in the library earlier that day.

Jessica and Lee said goodbye, and she waved her wand to clean up the classroom. A minute or so after finishing up, there was a knock on the door.

"Oh, good, you've finished, too," said Theo as his handsome face peered in. "Are you ready?"

He opened the door further to reveal Pansy Parkinson standing there. They were both in their travelling robes and fancily dressed up, Theo being ignorant to the knowing look Pansy and Jessica were exchanging. Since spilling her secret, Pansy had been on edge whenever Jessica was around, thinking she was likely to expose her at any moment. However, committed to their friendship, Jessica had not said a word.

"Oh no, you know what?" Jessica said as she pretended to have a brainwave. "I totally forgot. I've got homework to do."

Pansy narrowed her eyes suspiciously behind Theo, who frowned his sharp eyebrows. "We don't have homework," he said, "and we take all the same classes."

"This is a different one," Jessica told him happily, tucking her wand into the back of her skirt. "Flitwick gave it to me for extra house points. But don't let me stop you from having a good time at the races. You both go and tell me what it's like!"

"But this was your idea," Theo insisted, "you got us the tickets!"

"Yes," said Pansy, who was now full-on analysing at Jessica, "and you ensured it was only us three."

Jessica knew Pansy had already clocked what she was doing, but she couldn't say anything without making it obvious. Jessica would give them time alone if it were the last thing she did. She wanted Pansy to be happy, and Theo was starting to be a pain when she needed to do detentions. He kept offering to do them with her to hang out, so she needed him to be busy.

"Take it as a belated Christmas present from me," Jessica said as she hurried them out of the room. "If you don't go, I will be truly offended."

"I know what you're doing, and I'm going to kill you so hard," Pansy whispered to her as Theo checked his watch.