𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 | f. w

xvi. the exception to the rule

chapter sixteen
THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE

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» » I NEVER REALLY had anyone I could trust, with the exception of Fred, George and Charlie. No girlfriend to talk to about the craziness of my life, about boys who break my heart, and parents who refuse to help put back the pieces. I wasn't really a girly girl myself, but on occasion I'd find myself thinking about what it would be like to have someone like that. Someone to gossip to, to cry with, to have wine evenings and movie nights with. Someone I could be my goofy self with, without having to go through the fear of judgement.

That was until I met Violet Langley.

She was, unlike me, a Slytherin, with gorgeous strawberry blonde hair and big rhinestone eyes that seemed to light up any room she walked into. She was beautiful, there was no doubt about that, and I couldn't help but be in awe of her. She was someone I wanted to be, someone I strived to emulate.

Violet was the kind of girl who'd hold your hand when you cried, but scold you when you refused to tell her about some silly school girl crush you had. The kind of person who'd kick you in the chin if you ever thought of waking her before nine in the morning, but who cried at the idea of house elves being treaded poorly. She had a fierce personality, she was stubborn  and a loyal friend who rarely took 'no' for a answer. 

We met in my second year of Hogwarts. She was a year below, and despite being in two different houses, we quickly became the closest of friends. She inspired me to be more confident and outspoken, while I helped bring her down to earth. We complemented each other in that way, and I loved every second spent with her.

Unfortunately, things changed when she started hanging out with Pansy Parkinson, Tracey Davis and Millicent Bulstrode and we started growing apart. It wasn't for lack of trying, but we just became too different from each other. She had her priorities, and I had mine, and in my fifth year, we rarely spoke at all.

We had become strangers, and I couldn't help but feel as if it was all my fault. That I should have been more patient with her and tried harder to understand the person she was turning into. I guess I was too preoccupied in worrying about my down spiralling relationship with my mother and my growing feelings for my guy best friend to realise. Perhaps I was blinded by my own issues, too naive to see what our friendship was slowly becoming.

So we stopped talking to each other. I became somewhat of a recluse, and she stopped caring.

So to say that I was surprised when she showed up in the store after all these years, was certainly an understatement.

As if that wasn't enough, I learned that the man I was starting to realise I was madly in love with, was dating my ex best friend.

Yeah.

This could be interesting...

"Hi, Violet...", I said confusingly, after realising I had gotten lost in my own bewilderment to pay attention to anything that was happening around me. I wasn't entirely sure of what to say, how to react to the notion. I mean, how are you supposed to react upon learning your once-upon-a-time best friend is dating the man you love? There wasn't really a handbook to guide me in the right direction, so I improvised.

"Wait—you two know each other?", Fred gesticulated between the two of us as he spoke, confusion visible on his face.

"Oh, if we do", Violet started again, before I had a change at explaining it myself. In hindsight, this was probably for the best, as I had no clue what to say myself. "Edith and I used to be best friends".

I felt my cheeks heat. I tried reading her face, looking for any sign that would point to her still being cross with me, but all I could find was happiness stretched across her face. She looked like she was having the time of her life, with no hard feelings whatsoever left. A part of me was obviously relieved, but another part couldn't help but feel confused. Angry. Heartbroken.

Because just as he was the reason for the smile etched on her face, she was the reason for the smile across hus.

I think that was the first time since George passed that I felt a real sense of loss.

I was losing Fred, and there was nothing I could do to put a stop to it.

He made a choice, and he chose her.

The one thing that stung nearly as much as the picture of them together did though, was the realisation that I drove him into the arms of someone else. Of her. I broke his heart, more than once, and I never stopped to think how much that broke mine in the process. Besides, we made the decision together to not go back. To stay friends. To not hurt each other as we had done before. So my feelings weren't really justified, were they?

No. I couldn't, and I shouldn't have felt like that.

He was my best friend, and that was all we could ever be.

I just couldn't shake the feeling that I wanted something else to happen between us. For him to make a different choice.

"You what? That's crazy. I never realised". Fred murmured, his mouth agape and gaze falling on me before landing on her.

Yeah, Fred Weasley. Ever the clever champ.

The reason for him probably not realising who Violet really was, was because we never really talked outside of school, and when we started drifting apart, we barely did that. So even though I was close with the Fred and George, my friendship with Violet wasn't really a world wide phenomenon. Our relationship became almost like a secret, as we drifted further and further apart, and soon enough, people seemed to forget we were ever really friends. Including Fred and George.

So here we were, stuck in reverse. All parties trying to wrap our heads around what was going on. It wasn't until Violet spoke up again, that I realised I'd have to actually engage in proper conversation with her.

She was dating Fred. Fred was my best friend, so by extension, I had to be nice to Violet.

"I guess we grew apart over time. We started hanging around different crowds, and I guess I was sort of embracing my house more as time moved on".

I sighed deeply, continuing were she left off. "Yeah, and it wasn't that we fought or started hating each other or something, no nothing like that. We sort of just stopped hanging out as often, and our priorities became different from from each other".

Fred kept glancing between the two of us, seemingly unsure what to make of the situation. It's not like I could blame him for doing so, I was quite taken aback by the sudden topic of conversation myself.

I guess I was a little bit cross with Violet when we stopped being friends. I was in a bad place with the whole situation regarding my parents and I guess I was expecting her to always be there for me. So when we stopped hanging out and she became closer with the peers in her own house, I was hurt. I was angry for quite a while after that, and I didn't know what to make of the situation. Maybe I should've fought harder to keep our relationship strong, but on the other hand, I didn't want to be the only one fighting, and it felt like I was.

So yeah. Seeing her again after all these years was quite ... nerve wracking. I didn't know quite what to say, so I stuck to attempting to read her mind. Searching for any kind of forgiveness in her eyes.

"I guess we should be going", Fred woke me from my reminiscent trance. "We're heading out for awhile. Don't wait up". He gave me a weak smile.

I wasn't planning on it...

He then took her hand in his as they excited the shop together, throwing one last glance over his shoulder, eyeing me as to make sure I was okay, and why wouldn't I be? It's not like the man I was crazy about introduced me to the girl he was seeing and who so happened to be my ex best friend?

The stepped out into the dark night, the door bell chiming as they did, leaving me to stare at the exact spot where they had been standing just seconds earlier.

I sighed, making my way up the stairs to the flat.

This would be a long night...

⬩ word count: 1484