As the Second Wizarding War ended, many students decided to go back to Hogwarts to finish their studies. Anne-Leigh Conway was one of them.
While she attempts to come to terms with what's happened, she gets entangled in an effort set forth by Headmi...
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Chapter 21: Skeletons & Pumpkins
Leigh rushed out of the joke shop and into the late September air, cursing under her breath. The pink colour of her cheeks had yet to calm down, and she replayed the last few minutes in her head; the way she had stumbled over her words and made both George and Fred question what was up with her.
Meanwhile, much to her own embarrassment, she couldn't help but blush as she remembered the feeling of Fred's hand upon her back. The way his hand moved her a bit forward, the way he looked into her eyes with his enthusiastic, gleaming ones, drawing her in. He had quickly moved back, removing his hand, and she found herself wishing he hadn't.
She felt her face heat up again at the thoughts. I need to get a grip, she mumbled, not liking the way she had been so clearly drawn in by the small touch of someone. She couldn't let herself be affected by someone like that, not now. It felt...wrong. And surely Fred Weasley of all people wouldn't feel the same. She shook her head. No more. Pull yourself together. She had other things to focus on.
She quickly moved on to other thoughts, and decided to concentrate on her next task: finding Nova.
The rest of the day was spent not so much as glancing towards the twins' shop. Her and Nova, soon joined by Ron and the rest of the gang, spent the rest of the day walking around Hogsmeade, drinking butterbeer, and enjoying the live band which had been arranged, playing on a small stage outside of the Three Broomsticks.
Music thumped, and the sound of guitar echoed down the village streets as students hanged around in the outside seating area, listening and nodding along to the music.
Hermione plopped down on a chair beside Leigh, out of breath after dancing and singing along for the last 20 minutes or so. "They should've done this more often. It's nice!"
"Yeah they should've," Leigh agreed, smiling into the sun and taking a sip from her butterbeer. She felt bad for the younger students who didn't have the opportunity to be here.
Hermione looked from the crowd, back to her friend. "So how was Fred and George?" She asked, and Leigh gave her a questionable look. "Saw you from Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop," Hermione admitted. "You didn't stay in there for too long."
Leigh shrugged at the question. "They're fine, I guess. Grand opening seems to go well. Place was packed."
"Sounds like them," she chuckled. "You didn't talk about anything else?"
Leigh met her gaze. "What else would we talk about?"
Hermione turned to her with a small, knowing smile. "You know what I'm getting at. You said yourself that you felt awkward about the last time you were there, maybe it would feel better if you spoke with him again. Cleared it up."
"It's in the past, we have nothing to talk about," Leigh replied dismissively.
Hermione chuckled. "You're a bit funny sometimes, Leigh, you know that? You make it sound so serious. If I didn't know what happened I would've thought you two snogged or something based on your reaction."
