Denying Draco

4 - A Courageous Gryffindor

'What are you going to do, Poppy?' Ginny asked, as the students all entered the Gryffindor common room once dinner was over. Poppy's attention was captivated by the beauty and homeliness of the common room, to which she stared around and grinned at the warm feeling inside of her at the sight of the huge, lit fireplace, the comfy maroon sofas, the divine paintings on the walls, and then she was snapped right back. 'Poppy?'

'Sorry, what?' She turned to Ginny, Hermione and Ron all looking at her worriedly. 'Look, I know it sounded rather bad, but I refuse to leave. I'm here now. She will have to come to Hogwarts herself and drag me away.'

'But that's your mother, Poppy,' Hermione stated. 'She sounded pretty furious. Surely she will do just that.'

'Well, we will soon see, won't we,' Poppy sighed. 'For now, I need to just think of myself and enjoy my time here...incase it is over soon.'

The trio nodded and dispersed, Hermione and Ron heading across the common room and leaving Ginny and Poppy together.

'Everything okay?' Poppy asked Ginny, as she watched her fall into a daydream and nibble on her bottom lip.

'Yeah, fine,' Ginny replied, forcing on a smile, before it faltered. 'I'm just a little bit worried about Harry, that's all. All I ever think when he's not around is if I'll actually see him again at all. He's prone to risking his own life quite frequently.'

She tried to laugh lightly but Poppy could see she was torn up with concern. 'I have yet to meet Harry.'

'You'll like him,' Ginny said, with a soft smile.

'Ginny, can we talk?' The girls were disturbed by the appearance of Dean, who smiled awkwardly at Poppy as he waited. Ginny's face turned to stone as she sighed but she slowly nodded, following Dean across the room to sit in front of the fireplace.

Poppy looked around at the students all sitting together and she took in a slow breath and let it out again. She did not know where to place herself, as much as she knew the other students would welcome her to sit with them, but she did not want to intrude on anyone. Ginny and Dean looked deep within an argument. Hermione and Ron were sat in a corner looking worried as they talked and Ron took her hand and gently kissed her. The rest of the Gryffindors were caught up in their own conversations, so Poppy turned around and exited the common room, taking the opportunity to explore.

She knew she had time until curfew and there was more than enough time to figure out the castle and get to know her new home.

She roamed the halls, gasping at the fantastic paintings and the high ceilings and the finer details that she had never been able to see from pictures in the paper or in books. It really was a remarkable place and she knew she would do everything she could to ensure her mother did not pull her out.

She reached what was the seventh floor corridor, hearing voices as she turned down a corridor, only to freeze and turn back around the corner. There were three Slytherin girls down the hall, all looking like they were up to no good. Poppy knew that if she became caught up with them, she would be in trouble. Hurrying back along the corridor, she looked around frantically as she heard them getting closer. She turned back and ran forward again, realising there was no other way as she tried to get her bearings and when she turned around for the third time to find the direction to run back towards her common room, she jumped and gasped at the grand doors suddenly in front of her. She frowned...they had not been there a moment ago. She was sure of it. Nonetheless, she pushed open the door and hurried inside, closing it behind her and pausing to catch her breath as she gave time for the Slytherin girls to pass by.

She turned and glanced around, seeing that the room was full of random objects. A storage room? She wondered to herself if she had just stumbled upon an unused place that the school stored equipment, but she also wondered if this room was used for hiding things. She knew there were great mysteries at Hogwarts, but she stopped herself from becoming curious, telling herself she was just here to study.