just for me ⚘ a Fred Weasley Fanfiction

45. the hogs head battle

The group that turned up to show interest in Harry's Defence Against the Dark Arts classes was an odd one, Juniper thought. She could only recognise, and name, a handful of people. But that didn't stop every person that joined the group from gawking at her and turning to murmur to the person closest to them. She wanted to tell Fred that showing her face in public again was a stupid idea, that she should have just stayed in her dorm for the rest of the school year. But Fred hadn't shown up yet. The closest thing she had to a security blanket, was no where to be seen. She considered ducking back out the door, leaving as though she had never entered The Hogs Head in the first place, but Hermione's voice stopped her.

"Juniper! You're... here? Alive? Out in public?" Hermione inched closer, her arms held out wide to embrace Juniper in a hug. Juniper kept her arms folded in front of her, denying any advances Hermione tried to make. Hermione clasped her hands together awkwardly, hushing her voice. "How are you, really?"

"I'm fine. Thanks for asking." Juniper snapped, grouchier than she had intended. It was an unusually cold and windy day for the start of October, and it made Juniper even more sour.

"Why... How are you here? You need permission from a guardian to visit-."

"They allowed Mrs. Weasley to give me permission." Juniper cut her off, hoping that Fred would appear by her side. "But I am grateful for the mention of my now non-existent family, thankyou, again."

"Sorry." Hermione winced, unsure if she should continue trying with Juniper, but she just turned back to Harry and Ron, whispering something as she sat down.
Juniper felt bad for the way she had snapped, but she thought Hermione would understand, eventually. Hermione was smart enough to recognise emotional instability when she saw it.

"Who invited you, junior?" The unfriendly vice of Angelina Johnson sung into Juniper's ear. A few of the heads around her spun to watch the oncoming altercation. When Juniper didn't respond, Angelina spoke up again, gaining a bit more attention. "I thought you transferred to Beauxbatons to be with the rest of the air-brained Veela. Or that the Malfoy's had you shipped back to them, to be chained up in their cellar."

"What's going on up the back there?" Ron spoke up, his voice loud despite coming from across the room.

"Just catching up." Angelina replied, taking her spot beside Juniper, leaning against the wall. "Haven't seen junior here in ages."

Ron eyed her suspiciously, glancing to Juniper for confirmation. Juniper just shrugged, not wanting to drag Ron into it. They barely considered each other friends, she didn't want him trying to fight her battles for her. He went back to his conversation with Dean Thomas, still looking to Juniper and Angelina every few seconds.

"So who invited you?" Angelina asked her again, her voice a bit more pointed than it had been. "I didn't think Harry would let a Deatheater into this."

"I'm not a Deatheater." Juniper muttered under her breath.

"Right. You just happened to spend your summer with the Malfoy's. Known Deatheaters."

"Allegedly." Juniper corrected, before realising it only supported what Angelina was saying. "I'm not a Deatheater, I didn't stay with the Malfoy's all summer, and it's none of your business who invited me."

"You're talkative today." Angelina sighed, her response was underwhelming, it's like she didn't hear any of the words Juniper said, just that she was making noise. "Are you a spy for the Deatheaters?"

"I'm not a Deatheater." Juniper repeated for what felt like the tenth time in a minute. She was going to make Fred pay for being so late, leaving her with all these people. She glanced down at her watch anxiously, wondering why he was so late. Angelina's hand snapped down on her wrist, eyeing off the watch.