| HIDDEN IN SECRETS |

chapter fifty-seven

A MISTAKE

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Giggles were coming from the other side of the door. Verena looked up as the door opened, and for a brief moment, she saw a boy kissing a girl. Verena screamed.

"Out!" Verena shouted, flustered. "Out! Now!"

The boy chuckled and looked at her apologetically. He whispered something in the girl's ear before leaving.

"Who in Merlin's beard was that?" Verena asked the blushing girl.

"He just - we - I- "

"The Yule Ball ended an hour ago," Verena told her, a small smirk making its way upon her face. "Where have you been?"

"Um, the greenhouses," Padma admitted in a shy voice. "I was just showing him around."

"Yeah no, I believe you," Verena said with a nod. "They've been here for two months and don't know their way around."

"Shut up," Padma told her, rolling her eyes. "Why are you awake?"

"I was worried about my roommate," said Verena. "I thought some boy might have kidnapped her."

Padma took a seat on the edge of her bed and said, "What are you really doing up?"

Verena sighed as she sat up, unwilling to tell her anything.

"All right, fine," said Padma. "I'll play the guessing game. Option one: you can't sleep, as always. And now that I know you're a Seer, I know why.

"Option two: you might actually like Malfoy as more than a friend - though I am completely against you ever dating that cocky little cockroach.

"And option three - my favourite: you are sad that Harry had to take my sister to the ball, and that if it weren't for your status, you would have gone with him."

"You think you know me well, Padma?" Verena asked.

"I've spent four years with you," said Padma. "I think I know you. So, which is it?"

Verena laughed and said, "I'm not telling you."

"Fine then, be like that," said Padma, walking to her bed. "I am just about the only one you can talk to without judgement- "

Verena interrupted her saying, "I remember you just telling me Draco is a cocky cockroach."

"Am I wrong?" Padma retorted, and Verena couldn't reply. "See? Even you think he's got a cocky little arse."

"Option one," Verena answered. "That's what woke me up... And then option three kept me from going back to sleep."

Padma gave her a sad smile and said, "Pick the good one. You have traditions, blood purity - whatever - but choose the good guy."

Then, there was a knock on the door and it opened. Cho peeked her head inside, and Verena noticed she was still in her dress meaning she was probably somewhere with Cedric. Verena smirked, and so did Cho.

"Um, there's someone here for you, Verena," she informed. "They're waiting outside the common room."

"Who is it?" Verena asked.

Cho just smiled and said, "Be careful. Mr Filch is on duty and Professor Snape's been walking around the grounds."

Verena nodded, and with one last wary look, she walked out of the dorms and to the entrance of their common room. Once she walked outside, however, she saw no one. She called out in a shouted whisper a few times, but there was no response. She thought she spotted a figure every now and then, but only realized that it was just the moon casting shadows.