Flowers and Oranges - Ron Weasley

TWO

The first thing he thought when he arrived at Hogwarts grounds was that he really did not want to be here.

He would literally be anywhere else than here.

But since it was a requirement, he really didn't have a choice in the matter. After boarding the train they had taken the carriages to the castle and then walked into the Great hall where everyone was settled.

Ron was sitting next to Harry, Hermione and Ginny in front of him and he stared aimlessly into the creaks in the wooden gryffindor table. His ears had tuned out any outside voice and it was just him and his hollow thoughts.

Like an echo. Like he was aware of his surroundings, but at the same time couldn't have been more unaware. If that makes sense.

Mcgonagall was having her speech at the very same spot Dumbldedore had stood. In the very same spot he'd seen Fred dead for the first time. So blame him for not showing her any attention. He didn't want to look anywhere, because each detail brought him back to a terrible memory.

And that made him feel worse.

Hermione and Harry were in much similar mindsets, he could tell. Even though they seemed to be listening to Mcgonagall's bullshit words on how glad she is that we're all back here today, he saw the pain and uneasiness laying there.

It was evident. Clear like water.

He saw their eyes flickering over the great hall, swallowing harshly as they turned back to the headmistress. He noticed their heavy breathing, much like his. Terrified, even though they knew they were safe.

Ron's eyes moved over to the Slytherin table, much to his dismay. Like everyone else, all the slytherins had too returned this year. All of them were forced in different ways. Some had it on their criminal sentence and others were in his position, getting called by a letter.

Moving his gaze further down the table he saw the people he'd hated for eight years straight. Malfoy was sitting at the table with his usual arrogance, his usual scowl and his usual fucking sneer. Although, Ron could admit that he looked like shit. The ministry had taken his entire family right after the war, all four of them being locked up in Azkaban until their hearing.

Next to him was Parkinson, resting her chin in her hand as she viewed Mcgonagall through bored eyes. Much like most of them. Unlike the Malfoys who had a big participance in the war, Parkinson did not. Yes- she wanted to hand Harry over, but other than that there were no other charges put against her. However, her parents had not come off as lucky, since the both of them were still in azkaban.

In front of them were Nott, braiding platinum blonde locks between his fingers, not having a care for what was going on around them. The fucker was in a similar position as Malfoy, on probation without his wand. He had stood alongside his father by the death eaters' side, watched as crimes unfolded in front of his eyes. They had given him three years on probation- this being his last.

Then Ron glanced down at the brightly cold head that was resting on Nott's shoulder and finally- there she was.

Hogwarts cold hearted bitch. Malfoy junior. The she-ferret.

He hadn't heard much about her and he can't say he was mad about that. It was a nice oxygen-realiver to not see her face for one day, not hear her harsh voice spitting out insults like they were her breakfast. Leilani Malfoy was cruel to everyone, but not in the way her brother was.

No, she never talked to you if you didn't give her a reason. But her reasons were quite thin. Looked at her? Reason. Glanced at her for half a fucking second? Reason. Walked beside her in the corridor? Reason. Be in her eye sight? Another reason. But he had noticed that she had not once said anything remotely blood prejudiced. Yes, she was a mean bitch who bullied people as a living- but at least she wasn't prejudiced.