Frozen Lily

Chapter 10 - This is war

"That bitch."
"This is crossing the freaking line."

"Who the hell does that? Who hides behind bookshelves taking photos like that? What the hell? I swear to god - I mean, what the hell? She's such a freaking stalker - what the-
Oh my freaking God..."

Mia stopped pacing around room and sat in an armchair.
"What have I done to her? I mean, Meredith, she's justified... Vera? No way. I've done next to nothing to her! What's wrong with her!" It's like she's some freakin' Yandere or something!" She continued ranting. I looked at her cluelessly and she shook her head, sighing. I shuffled from foot to foot.

"She does like Will..." I added uncertainly.

"Well, apparently it's the only photo, Lana and Ammi said they hadn't got anything weird in their common rooms..." Chloe suggested. Mia looked out from between her fingers.

"Of course it's not the only one, they've probably got a billion copies hidden somewhere, they knew we were going to try to destroy this one!" Mia snapped, gesturing to the parchment in the fireplace.

"Well I thought you guys were trying to be quiet about this whole thing, but no! There you are snogging each other's faces off! Where anyone could have seen you! Stop with the PDA, seriously!" Chloe retorted, going as flaming red as her hair.

"Oh don't act like you care about our relationship!"

"Well now I don't!" Chloe yelled, before retreating up the stairs. Jess looked at Mia, looked at me, then shrugged before following Chloe up the stairs.

Mia lay back in her armchair and let out a scream of frustration. I sat down on the chair next to her and patted her back soothingly.

"I'm just so frustrated with everything right now! First Vera, now Chloe! It's like everything's against me!" She wailed.

"Nobody's against you! Vera and Meredith, sure, but who cares about them?! And Chloe's just mad about everything right now, not you; her mum's making her stay home for Christmas so she's worried she's gonna miss out on the party, not just being mad at you!" I consoled. Mia sniffed into my neck and I squeezed her.

Some first years walked past and gave Mia a weird look.

"Oh what's your problem?!" Mia snapped. I gave them an apologetic look and continued rubbing circles on Mia's back.

After a while I thought maybe they should apologise to each other; I didn't want it to go back to how it was in 1st year. Chloe and Jess had been best friends with Meredith at the time, after she turned on me.
"Are you okay now?" I asked tentatively.
Mia nodded, wiping her face. "Okay, let's go find Chloe." I pulled Mia upstairs and into our dorm. Chloe and Jess were sitting on the floor, playing a quiet game of Exploding Snap. They dropped the cards and stood up when we came in.

"Hey Mia."
"Hey Chloe."
They both greeted each other over politely.
I glanced at Jess and she gave a tiny nod. I relaxed immediately. Out of nowhere Mia and Chloe ran at each other, and for a split second I thought they were fighting, before I realised they were in a tight hug.
"Aw you guys!" Me and Jess cooed before squishing into the hug.

"I'm sorry for being an ass,"
"I'm sorry for snapping at you and being dumb,"

We all grinned.
"Cmon, let's go tell Will about this. No doubt Vera's gonna make his life hell..." Jess pondered. Mia's grip on my hand tightened and a look of genuine worry crossed her face.

In the common room, we checked the fireplace and noticed the parchment was still there, as if the flames licking its edges were nothing more than soft caresses. Mia made to snatch it out of the fire but I stopped her, and instead took my wand out.
"Accio Parchment!"
It flew into my hand, slightly warm from the fire.
"They must've charmed it so we can't destroy it..." I sighed. Mia stuffed it into a robe pocket.