b l a c k o u t

n i n e

☬

Finally the lesson was over. Everyone stood packed up, including me.
A note pinned to my book told me that Hannah was waiting for me in the toilet because she didn't have her homework and didn't want to go to the next lesson alone.
I grinned as I read her scrawled handwriting.

I hurriedly made my way out of the classroom when suddenly someone grabbed my wrist and within seconds was pressing something into my hand. It happened too quickly for me to see who it was. But when I opened my hand to see what the person had given me, it was a small rose folded out of paper.

how pretty...
I looked around hoping to see the person but the corridor was almost overflowing with people so I had no choice but to go to hannah. but I kept the rose safely in my coat pocket.

After the first 6 hours in the morning, there was a long break. The sun was shining again after a long time and because of the nice weather, most of the students spread out after lunch in the large courtyard of the castle, where everyone stood or squatted together in smaller groups and talked or studied. I looked at a couple of boys running around playing something
Typical testosterone excess...

Then my eye fell on a small group on the edge. I immediately recognized the girl's wild brown hair. Hermione. Next to her was a tall redhead and next to him I could make out Harry. My gaze returned to Hermione and I remembered the breakfast where Hannah had pointed out to me how pissed off Draco had been looking at the three of them at the next table the whole time, surprisingly at the exact moment when the redhead-Ron Weasly, I think his name is-said something sly and Hermione leaned against him, laughing, and put her head on his shoulder. I nearly choked on my cereal when I saw that and it caused Hannah to knock her glass of water off the table and it had to hit that snake of a teacher and soak her garish pink robes. This meant that Hannah had to spend her lunch break helping to clean the hall - which was actually a pretty mild punishment for Umbridge - but still such a stupid thing to do. But when I went to help her, Luna pulled me outside with her.
"Umbridge already has you on the blacklist anyway...don't make it worse, please!"
Perplexed that she was so worried about me and how she could know that, I had no choice but to follow her. Hannah hadn't shown up yet and I was starting to get nervous.
And now I had entrenched myself on this huge tree perched on the edge of the courtyard and surprised looks kept shooting up at me. I ignored that.

Instead, I turned back to my sketchpad. Slowly the carnage began to take its toll on the structure.
Laughter pulled my attention away from the drawing again.
I looked back down at the grass and saw a group of Hufflepuffs. Cedric in the middle. He had his arm around a girl in a Ravenclaw uniform. She was very pretty. Had black hair and light skin. Asian features gave her face a lovely expression and she had a beautiful smile.
Seeing her with Cedric was kind of strange for me. Not that I felt jealous, no, rather I felt a bit exchanged. A week ago I was the one he had in his arms and laughed with...and now I was hiding in a tree to attract as little attention as possible. Although this action wasn't exactly clever either...

Well, actually I should be glad that I no longer had Cedric on my back, because although he was nice, he was a bit too pushy for my taste. But still, it wasn't right for me to just let myself go like that.
The next moment I was hit with something. As if struck by lightning, I drew the dagger I had strapped around my left thigh and jumped up, snarling.
But the terror in my limbs quickly faded and I lowered the dagger again.
A boy was crouching in front of me. Nicolas Avery sat cross-legged across from me and tilted his head with a grin. At first i thought it was a halluzination but he was still sitting there after i blinked a few times.
Sighing, I stowed the dagger away again.
"You scared me to death, Avery!"
"I know."
He spoke. I looked at his face again in confusion.
He came a little closer and now we were face to face.
"I beg your pardon, my lady."
I was still completely beside myself so I didn't answer.
"You speak..." i mumbled stunned.
I don't know if that was a question or a statement.

His answer to this was just a snide shrug of the shoulders and he turned the corners of his mouth into an attractive smile.
We continued to look at each other for several moments. He snorted and lyed back a little completely chilled like it was the most normal thing to do. I still cpuldnt believe that HE, one of the most popular people of this school approached me like i was a friend of years.
Like, what the fuck is hoing on today?!

"Um are you hungry?"
I stumbled around a moment
before giving him an affirmative nod. Avery only let out an amused laugh in response.
He suddenly pulled something organic out of his jacket pocket.
I laughed enthusiastically.
"Oh my God, is that real?"
I asked, not really expecting an answer, snatching the tangerine out of his hand and looking at it as if it were the miracle of nature itself.
"Oh no, you know, it's just a fake..."
He took the fruit again and began to peel it. I bumped into his arm when he still wouldn't stop laughing at me. He threw up his hands defensively and then handed me half of the tangerine. He lifted up a piece.
"Cheers..."
I giggled and clinked pieces with him before we ate.

I had completely forgotten the taste and rolled my eyes with pleasure. Avery grinned at my kick.

I quickly found my language again.
"Sorry...where I come from, things lile these were something of a delicacy..."
His chewing slowed down a little...as if he understood exactly what I meant.
"I know."
He just said and an exchange of glances was enough to realize that our past must have looked very similar.
Suddenly he leaned forward and there was that smile playing around his lips again.
His already dark voice was muffled even more by the whisper.
"That's why it's even more fun to steal them now..."
I coughed and laughed.
"You're telling me you steal this stuff?"
"Not just stuff like that..."
I shook my head, stunned and yet amused.
"You're a strange little idiot, Nicolas Avery..." I teased him and he just tilted his head again and looked deep into my eyes. He grinned.
"I'm a lot of things, kitty."

Before I could say anything in response, we were interrupted by a voice below.
"Nic, dude are you jerking off up there or what?"
When I looked down, the person seemed just as surprised by my presence as I was by his.
Theodore Nott was standing under the tree, scratching the back of his head in surprise. Nicolas just nodded his head and signaled him to join us, which Nott did. Let's just ignore the fact that two of the most famous and dangerous guys in the school are in close quarters with me...
Nott looked at me with his bright turquoise blue eyes and I got a little hot.
When he didn't say anything, Avery spoke for him.
"So Theo, this is the new-"
"Filou, I know man," he interrupted him. Then he looked back at me and nodded.
"Hey... are you all right, kiddo?"
"Tsss, don't call me little you peck."
He nod his head and his face told that he was impressed by my come back.
"Whatever you say, sweetheart."
He sayed, turned his head to Nick and putting his hand before his mouth  but it was still visible as he formed an 'I like her' with his lips.

I had to smile but still wanted to reprimand him about the nickname, but at that moment another person swung onto the thick branch to my right.
"Ah, so this is where you are. The whole troop united as long as the nerd takes the last place."
He fell silent when he saw me between the two of them. He stood up and assumed a stately position.
He held out his hand to me and when I grabbed it after a moment's hesitation, he gently pulled me to my feet.
He was a good deal taller than me and I looked up into his impudently handsome face.
"Enchanté mademoiselle."
His raspy deep voice had a soft sound. I bit my lower lip with a grin as he leaned forward and kissed my hand. I looked puzzled at the other two, who didn't seem to have a clue either, because Avery shrugged her shoulders, giggling, and Theo threw his hands up helplessly.  I had to laugh badly.
Theo then could find the words

"So this gorgeous guy there is Enzo...and the only advice I can give you with him is: Never take him seriously...at any time."
That only made us all laugh even harder.
"Hey you giggles up there, get off your asses, class started five minutes ago!"
Draco, Goyle of course and Blaise had gathered around the tree and were looking up at us. Enzo suddenly put his arm around me and made me more visible to those below.
"Sorry bro we might have been...a bit delayed."
Draco raised an eyebrow.
"Well hello princess. Would you mind escorting the ladies down here for me so we don't get to class any later than we already are?"
His purring voice made me grin. So we all climbed down from the tree. I had to jump the last few meters and with one leap I was back on safe ground. Draco helped me to my feet and I was amazed that his hand was so warm and soft. Avery handed me my bag and we hurried into the building unnoticed.