If I May Be So Bold (A Harry Potter Universe Fanfiction)

21.

 November 2034

ELLA

"Are you okay?" Iris asked as soon as Ella had made her way to her friends in the bottleneck of students trying to leave the classroom.

"We were going to go out and see if you were okay, but then Logan stood up, and we were like Oh. My. God," Kyrie said under her breath. She glanced back his way as she said this and Ella was quick to flap her hands at her.

"Stop!" she hissed. "Don't make a big thing about it, okay? I'll explain later. Just not here. I'm fine."

But Logan wasn't paying attention to them anyway. He was talking to Professor Whitby and Ella knew exactly why.

The common room was busy when they returned. It was always packed on Saturdays and when they'd left for choir, they'd given up their good spots in the cushy chairs, so they went back up to their dormitory.

Iris flopped onto her bed, scooching back up against the headboard with a pillow hugged to her chest.

"Okay, spill the beans Miss Soloist!"

Kyrie grabbed Ella by the wrist, pulling her over to Iris's bed. She sat down, hugging her knees to her chest.

"It's not that exciting of a story," she said. "I just panicked a little and Logan came out and talked to me."

"Uhm, no. You're giving details. I'll go sneak Veritaserum out of Professor Pym's supplies if I have to. I'd feel bad about it, but I'm not above it," Kyrie said, eyes wide.

Ella smiled a little. "He just asked if I was okay and then he sat with me for a while. And after a little bit he asked if there was anything that would make it less scary and he decided he'd ask Professor Whitby if he could play his violin. So then I wouldn't be standing in front of everyone by myself."

Iris had her hands on her cheeks, fingers pulling her eyes down.

"Ella," she said with the utmost seriousness. "He's so in love with you it's not even funny."

"He's not in love with me. We don't even know each other that well."

"Oh please. You're always passing little notes back and forth back there."

"Well, that's just because Libby kept asking me questions so I started writing stuff down for her one day and he made this joke that he was jealous and wanted to pass notes, too. So now it's just what we do."

"Exactly," Iris said, looking at Ella like this explained everything. "He was jealous."

"It was a joke!"

"He made it one so he'd have an excuse to talk to you," said Kyrie, raising her eyebrows.

"I don't even know why you're arguing with us. You like him, too."

"I never said that."

Kyrie and Iris grinned at each other. "You don't have to," Kyrie said. "It's so obvious."

"Can we talk about you and Alec or something? You're always pestering me about boys these days."

"Yeah, 'cause it's the first chance we've had. We've been dissecting Alec for like two years already."

"Okay, then let's talk about Iris."

"I don't even like anyone," she said, waving a hand. "I have no news. I'll let you know when that changes."

"Anyway, back to the topic at hand. He literally offered to play a violin just so he can stand up there next to you?"

Ella pressed her face down into her knees so they wouldn't see how much she was smiling.