Loverboy

"I'm disappointed."

It was lucky that the Defense Against the Dark Arts exam was the last of their OWLs and that it fell on a Friday. Because there would be no consequences for Ollie sitting on her legs in the cozy armchair in the Gryffindor common room with a blanket draped over shoulders and a steaming mug of her favorite lemon tea in her hands. The lemon tea that Victoria loved the lingering smell of on Ollie's breath some days, that she loved share a cup of with her-

And there she went again, making herself sad again. Since she'd finished the practical exam that afternoon, Ollie had returned to the common room, her friends going with her. James had draped one of the blankets from the basket under the table over Ollie. Peter had fixed her some tea. Cinnabon happened to wander down into the common room, and he was curled on the armrest, purring while Remus was petting him.

Remus's arm was around Ollie, Sirius was braiding her hair behind her (because he knew it relaxed her), James was leaning over the other arm, and Peter was sitting on the floor. They all watched their friend apprehensively, waiting for her to speak. After some time had passed, Ollie took a deep breath and spoke.

"Before the practicals but after the written exam," she began, fighting to keep her voice level. "Victoria pulled me aside." She was speaking slowly, carefully choosing her words. 

"Just... Don't make me out to be the villain?" Ollie could almost hear her voice saying it again.

"To- to talk," she continued, her voice shakier. "She... Broke up with me." She ducked her head down, watching as a tear fell just short of her tea.

James shot upward, his hands balled in fists. "Why? Why would she do that?" he said angrily. His anger wasn't directed at Ollie, and everyone knew this, but Sirius put a hand on his shoulder in a gesture that silently told him to calm down. James let out a huff of breath and unfurled his fists.

"She said... That it would happen sooner or later and that it would be best to do it now and have happy memories of each other than to split up over a- a fight, or-" Ollie started crying again, the tears spilling over her eyelashes and smattering her white shirt. "You know. Get it over easy."

"Oh, Ollie," Remus said, wrapping both arms around his friend. Ollie leaned into the touch; they had done this a million times before, it felt natural at this point. It was comforting to be held by Remus, his scarred cheek resting on top of her head. 

"Maybe she's right," Peter suggested, ignoring the threatening looks from James and Sirius. "I mean, isn't better to quit while you're ahead? You wouldn't want to have a massive fight and break up because of it."

"Peter-" James began, sending the smaller boy a death glare.

"No, James, he's right. Victoria was right," Ollie said, sending him a look to rival his own. "It probably lessens the blow a lot. I wouldn't know, since we didn't break up over a fight, but still."

"I'm so sorry," Sirius said quietly, dropping her braid completely and moving in front of her. He took up her hand in his. His other hand came up to rest on her cheek, gently wiping the tears that kept pouring from her eyes. "It'll be okay. We're right here."

"It's not okay right now, though," Ollie snapped, dissolving into tears again. Sirius lifted her face back up, meeting her eyes. The silvery gray eyes that Ollie had found comfort in for years searched her own emerald green eyes, for a sign that the girl he'd met on the train that day was still there.

The girl who would laugh, showing off her crooked teeth to any who cared to look. The girl who didn't care what other people thought of her, who was happy to be at Hogwarts, who smiled at the littlest things. The girl who taught twelve-year-old Sirius how to dance, the girl who taught thirteen-year-old Remus how to tie a tie. The girl that showed the boys how to do eyeliner when they were second years.

"I know that," he said softly, holding her face with both hands. "But it will be. Okay?" He wiped the tears from her cheeks, gently rubbing away the runny mascara from her face. "We're here."

Ollie leaned her head into Remus's chest. "I know," she mumbled. "But I'm also mad at you four."

The boys exchanged glances with each other. "Why?" Peter said, his blond brows furrowed. But the way that Ollie set her cup down on the end table and picked up her cat before starting made them all start chewing the inside of their cheeks.

"Well," Ollie said, shooting James a glare, "someone accosted Snape today. Actually, two someones," she added, the deadly look in her eye making Sirius quickly move his hands away from her face. "And someone was egging them on, and, of course, you-" she turned her head to Remus, who also moved his arms away from her. "-didn't even try to stop them!"

"Ollie, he was-"

"I don't want excuses, James," Ollie spat, snapping her head to him. "He was just walking past! Just minding his business-"

"Probably to go hang out with his slimy friends-"

"He was just walking by! He did nothing to you! All he did was exist, and you- you nearly killed him, then you exposed him!"

"Don't tell us you're going soft for the git-"

"HE COULD HAVE DIED," Ollie shouted, startling her cat who looked at her, surprised. He calmed down after a few strokes between the ears and settled back on her chest. "He was choking, and you saw it! Because of your spell, and you did nothing to stop him!"

"Well-"

"You said it yourself! When Lily asked you why you were torturing him, you said it! 'It's more the fact he exists, if you know what I mean,'" Ollie said in a mocking tone. "You're so immature! Both of you!"

"Ollie-"

"Oh, don't even get me started on you," Ollie growled, looking at Remus. She got up, cradling her cat like he was a baby. "You're a prefect, Remus. A prefect! I know why Dumbledore made you a prefect, since you're the only one with a chance of controlling those two, but you don't! You don't do anything! You just sat there, watching! Letting them do that to Snape!"

"Oh, come on-"

"You're supposed to be the mature one! The one who doesn't bully people! You're the only one who can get them to stop, and for what? You never do anything to stop them. You just let them do whatever they want. You're just as bad as them."

"You didn't do anything, either-"

"What would it have done, anyway? You would've told me to 'loosen up and enjoy the show.' Even Lily, James's perfect Lily, couldn't make you stop until- until- until what?"

"Wells came over and gave us detention. For the rest of the year," James said. "Actually, I got it for the rest of the year, Sirius got it for a week and Peter and Remus got it only for next Friday."

"Serves you right," Ollie replied, glaring at the boy. "And Peter. I'm disappointed."

"But- I-"

"No- I'm disappointed in you, Peter. And I'm going to bed," Ollie huffed, knocking back the last of her tea with a cough (having choked for a moment on the warm liquid) and stepping away.

"We're sorry!" James called after her as she started up the stairs. Ollie continued up, though.