Acceptance: Hogwarts Legacy Continued

Chapter 6- MC

Diana sat up, holding her transfiguration textbook and tried to comprehend the words on the page. Professor Weasley had told her that she would be excused from her OWLs and given time during the summer to take them, so she knew she didn't need to be studying, but she needed a distraction. It hadn't been too long since her teacher had left, maybe an hour, but she had yet to come face to face with what she was feeling, and she wasn't ready for that.

Unfortunately it felt like her eyes and her brain were also not ready for reading, because none of the words were making sense and it was giving her a headache. She had almost decided to give up and ask Nurse Blainey for a sleeping draft when the door to the hospital wing burst open and Poppy came running over to where she was.

Poppy was crying as she lunged forward to hold her. She was shaking and crying so loud Diana couldn't make out the words that she was wailing. Nurse Blainey came out and scolded the girl for jumping onto her patient and told her if she couldn't calm herself down she would need to leave. She let go of Diana and took a seat next to her, taking deep breaths to stop the crying. After a few moments, with just silent tears rolling down her face, she turned back.

"I am so happy you are okay, I was so worried you wouldn't come out of it. I am so sorry for everything Diana, please please forgive me."

Diana sat totally bewildered as she looked at her friend, more tears starting to drop from Poppy's eyes. She felt taken aback, and absolutely confused as to why Poppy would be blaming herself for what she was currently going through.

"I um, I mean it's not your fault the castle was attacked- I mean-"

"NO!" She cut her off "I am so sorry for being a terrible friend. All those times dragging you around, helping the hippogriffs and dragons, and I never so much as checked up on how you were doing. You did so much for me, for them, and I didn't so much as thank you.." A fresh set of sobs shook her.

Diana felt her face grow hot- why was Poppy saying these things? She waited until her friend had calmed, beginning cautiously;

"Um- what are you talking about?"

"You had only been in the hospital for a few hours..." she sniffled "and they finally let us in to see you, they said you were in and out of consciousness, but we- I just wanted to make sure you were okay, I mean I think we all did. And then we were all there and you woke up and you got sacred I think and tried to get up, but I tried to lay you back down. But then you just got this look in your eyes. Y-you went around to each of us and- and told us what we had done to you.."

"WHAT" Diana yelled out, louder than she intended "P-poppy what are you talking about?"

And so the Hufflepuff told her about each person Diana had called out; herself, then Garath, Nati, and Sebastian. She repeated the words as if she was reading from the book. Diana winced as she heard them, witnessing her suppressed feelings and trauma from the mouth of her friend. She placed her hands over her face, a whirlwind of feelings taking over. She felt guilt and shame about letting all those thoughts out, not remembering uttering a single one. She couldn't deny that they were her words though- because they were her feelings. She had felt those things for awhile now, but she was so desperate to help them... to be accepted... that she didn't feel there was any space for them. It didn't help that half her time was spent in life or death situations, and within those its easy to forget how you were feeling about things. As terrible as things had been with the Keepers, those experiences allowed her some freedom from her own personal troubles. None of that mattered now though, because her hurt wasn't buried anymore- it was out, and Diana was mortified.

She sat, face covered and warmth creeping up her neck. Then she felt a hand reach out and rub her back. She stiffened and looked up; Poppy gave a small smile.

"You don't need to be embarrassed, I mean I can understand why you think you should be, but really it's all the rest of us that need to be embarrassed. Everything you said was right, well at least everything you said to me was. I, and probably everyone else, have been using your friendship and taking advantage of your kindness. I mean I felt so happy when we set that dragon free, and I thought I saw it reflected on your face as well- but I never asked. I never asked if you needed help, never took into account that there were things outside of our adventures that were taking a toll. But you always did, you listened to me talk about my family, school, all the animals I wanted to help... and I didn't ask you a thing.... Diana I am so sorry."

Poppy grabbed her hands, making sure to look right in her eyes as she apologized. Diana didn't like having her hands held, but the apprehension was overpowered by the kindness she saw in the Hufflepuff's eyes. She felt warm tears start trailing down her face and that brought the discomfort right back.

She really didn't know what to say, she wasn't good at being vulnerable with people. She always wanted to help others be safe, but never allowed herself the same opportunity. There had always been so many aspects of her life that made her vulnerable, but safeguarding her feelings was always something she felt she could control. But sitting here, with her friend, she felt that maybe she needed to give them a chance. Yeah she had felt that none of them had cared, but she didn't even give them a real chance.

"I... I want to be more honest about how I feel... a-and I want you to know I forgive you. But I want you to know it isn't all your fault. I'm good at putting up walls, so even if you wanted to I wouldn't have let you in. But I liked spending time with you, and getting to know you... and I want you to get to know me. Will um, will you still be my friend?"

Poppy beamed through wet eyes and threw herself onto her for another hug. The embrace brought another scolding from the Nurse and as Poppy quickly pulled away, the girls locked eyes and fell into a bit of a giggle fit. Diana felt most of the laughing was out of sheer exhaustion and a desire to feel something other than pain- but it felt good nonetheless.

Poppy stayed with her for the rest of the evening, eating the hospital food and talking about light subjects. Nati eventually came in as well and she and Diana shared a similar conversation as she did with Poppy. All three girls were happily talking together, heightened by the stronger friendships they all now held together.

As the evening grew later, Nurse Blainey told the girls to head back to their respective dorms before curfew. Reluctantly they got up, stretching and grabbing their things to leave. Nati waved goodbye as she walked out, promising to come back the next day. Poppy leaned down, giving her a light hug, Diana bristled at the touch, but accepted the gesture just the same.

"Oh I forgot to tell you the last thing that you told us before you passed out last time"

Diana raised an eyebrow "What? I thought you told me everything."

"Well I told you most of them, it's just the last thing was different then the rest."

"Oh?" She felt a little tense.

"You said you knew that they wouldn't leave you.... and then you asked them to stay." Poppy said the last bit with a small smile curing the corner of her lips, eyes sparkling with mischief. She started to walk towards the door.

Diana felt her face start to warm staring dumbfounded at her friend; "wait who- who did I say that to?"

She stopped right at the door, turned back to her with a knowing smile; "Ominis Gaunt."

As the door closed behind her, Diana dropped to her bed covering her face with her blankets, knowing for sure she was as red as a tomato.