What Is This "Love" You're Talking About (Love Doesn't Lie Sequel)

Chapter 43: Eavesdropping

Chapter 43: Eavesdropping

'Did you talk to James?' Elizabeth asked.
Narcissa nodded as she let herself fall back on the couch in between her two friends.
'What did he say?' Isobelle asked.
'Nothing much and the moment he did want to share something Albus appeared which shut him up immediately.' Narcissa told them. 'I told him to come and find me if he wanted to talk about it.'
'I don't get why he's making it himself so hard.' Elizabeth said.
'She has a boyfriend, you can hardly walk up to someone and confess you like them when said person's already in a relationship and it'll definitely ruin your friendship.' Isobelle stated. 'I think that's the thing that keeps him from telling her, he doesn't want to lose his friend.'
'I'm right here.' Narcissa stated, raising her hand for a moment.
'What if he came up to you and told you he liked you more than a friend?' Elizabeth asked.
Narcissa turned to look at Elizabeth and frowned. 'Girls, he doesn't like me!'
'And that's where you're wrong.' Isobelle said in a matter-of-fact tone.

'Hey, are you okay?' Christopher asked.
'Hmm?' Narcissa hummed, looking up at him. 'Sorry, what did you say?'
'Are you okay?'
'Oh, yes I'm fine.' Narcissa says waving it away.
'You seem to be someplace else with your head. If something's wrong, you know you can talk to me, right?'
Narcissa stared at him for a moment before nodding. 'You know how James has been acting strange towards me for a couple of months and then he turned out to be in a relationship with Zoë?'
Christopher nodded slowly, not sure where this is going.
'And now they've broken up and I tried to talk to James, but he doesn't want to talk about it and I'm just worried about him.' Narcissa explained.

'Why?' Christopher asked.
'Because he seems to be having trouble with something and holding it in won't make it go away.'
'And you should be the one he should go to?'
'Why yes, I guess. I'm his friend.'
'Can you really still call him a friend though? After how he has treated you over the past few months?' Christopher asked sincerely. 'He's been ignoring and avoiding you, friends don't do that.'
'Maybe he was just trying to deal with something and I was just in his way?'
'Narcissa.' Christopher said, placing both hands on either side of Narcissa's face. 'You're never in the way, okay?'
'Well I don't know, maybe he just wanted to be left alone and I kept appearing by his side, I can understand how that can be annoying.'
'If he's a real friend he would've told you to just leave him be for a while instead of ignoring you.' Christopher stated. 'I wouldn't put too much energy in this guy, he doesn't deserve it.'
Narcissa furrowed her eyebrows. 'You shouldn't turn your back on your friends the moment it becomes difficult.'
'That's exactly what he did to you! Has he explained himself for that? Or did he step back into your life the moment it suited him best and acted like nothing happened? You shouldn't let someone treat you like that.'
'You're out of line Christopher, you don't know him-'
'I've seen and heard enough about the guy to know what kind of person he is or what his intentions are.'
'What do you mean with that?'
'Come on, like you don't know.' Christopher huffed.
'What?'
'He's obviously into you and he doesn't like seeing you with me. This was a clear scream for attention.'
'You're delusional.' Narcissa muttered, getting up from her seat.
'Where are you going?' Christopher asked.
'Away.' Narcissa called over her shoulder.

Elizabeth walked down the corridor on her way to the Great Hall for dinner. She just wanted to pass the next corner when she heard two familiar voices. Elizabeth raised her eyebrows as she stopped in her track and slowly and carefully looked around the corner, only to quickly step back to hide behind the wall when she saw James and Zoë standing not too far away. She wasn't sure what to do, she could silently turn around and walk back, pretending not to have seen anything, but the conversation between the two had sparked her curiosity which kept her nailed to the ground.
'James, can't we just talk?' she heard Zoë ask.
James let out a heavy sigh. 'Do we really have to? I thought everything was clear and spoken out.'
'We both know you were the one talking and I had to listen to what you had to say without getting a chance to speak my own mind.' Zoë stated.
'Hey Liz-'
Elizabeth quickly turned around and clamped her hand over Isobelle's mouth as she pressed her index finger to her own lips. 'Ssh, listen.' she whispered, pointing to the corner. Isobelle kept quiet and stared motionless at Elizabeth as she listened to the two voices that came from around the corner. She widened her eyes and pulled Elizabeth's hand away from her mouth. 'Oh my!' she mouthed. 'James and Parkinson?'
Elizabeth nodded and turned back to look at the corner. 'I don't get why you're so upset. Didn't you use me to get to-'
'That's the thing James.' Zoë interrupted, clearly getting frustrated by the lack of James' interest. 'At first I did want to get under Malfoy's skin, at first I did want to make her suffer, but then it stopped being about some sort of revenge and it became a real thing.'
James was quiet for a moment. 'Zoë.' he sighed.
'I know it James, I know.' she said. 'It's obvious.'
'Is it really?' he asked.
'It is. Maybe not to her, but it was to me.' Zoë said in a soft voice. Elizabeth turned to look at Isobelle who stared back with widened eyes. 'We have to tell Narcissa.' Isobelle hissed.
'Sssh.' Elizabeth hissed back, taking Isobelle's wrist and pulling her away from the corner.
'Lizzie!' Isobelle hissed, wanting to go back. 'They're not finished talking.'
'No, but we've heard more than we should've.' Elizabeth stated. 'It was wrong of us to eavesdrop.'
'You started it.' Isobelle pointed out.
'I know, but it was wrong.' Elizabeth sighed, slowing her pace.
'We should tell Narcissa though. She needs to know.' Isobelle said.
'No, Iso, we can't intervene.'
'That's what you've been doing for the past few weeks!' Isobelle exclaimed.
'I know! Iso! But I've got a plan!' Elizabeth said.
Isobelle shut her mouth and turned to look at her friend. 'You've got a plan?'
'We're going to help James.'
'How?'
'We'll get him to confess what he has really been feeling to Narcissa.'
'What about Christopher?'
'What about him?' they heard someone say behind them.
Elizabeth and Isobelle stopped in their tracks and turned around to see Christopher walk up to them.
'Hey Christopher, how are you?' Isobelle smiled.
'Not so good. Have you two seen Narcissa?'
'No, we thought she was with you.' Elizabeth frowned, turning to look at Isobelle.
'We had a small argument and she walked away. I'm trying to find her, but she's nowhere to be found.' Christopher sighed, running his hand through his hair.
'I'm sure she's somewhere around here.' Isobelle said calmly. 'She can't really have gone away from Hogwarts.'
'I wanted to apologize. I really need to talk to her.' Christopher said.
'She'll show up for dinner, don't you worry.' Elizabeth said, patting him on the arm.
'Well, if you see her, tell her I'm waiting in the common room for her.'
'Sure thing pal.' Elizabeth nodded, waiting for Christopher to be out of hearing reach.
'What could the argument have been about?' Isobelle wondered out loud.
'No idea, we better find Narcissa to see if she's okay.' Elizabeth said.

James sighed as he walked up the many steps to the Gryffindor Tower. He had been dreading to talk to Zoë, even though he knew it was inevitable. She'd find him eventually and stop him. He had thought she'd call him out or throw something at his head, what he hadn't expected was her calm nature and kind words. Zoë had never been known to have a nice bone in her body, but he had noticed the change in behaviour in the time they had been sort of a thing. She wasn't that bad and he did hope she'd find someone who was worth to be together with her, someone who really was into her instead of being with her for the wrong reasons. He knew it was childish of him and he still couldn't wrap his head around the fact he had done what he did. When James reached the top of the stairs he stopped in his tracks, raising his eyebrows when he saw the figure leaning against the wall. 'Narcissa? Are you okay?' James asked.
Narcissa looked up and quickly pushed away from the wall. 'Yeah, I'm fine. I just- uh- I just wanted to see you.' she shrugged. 'I'm sorry it's stupid.' she said, quickly stepping down the steps, but as she passed James he grabbed her arm. 'Hey, if something's wrong, you can talk to me. You know that, right? Cissa?'
Narcissa looked up at him and nodded after a moment of silence.
'Here, come with me.' James said. 'We'll find a quiet place.'
'I know where we can go.' Narcissa said.
'And where is that?'
'The kitchen.'

A/N

Hi there you lovely, patient, readers! 

First of all, I love you all for being so patient! I know it's been over a whole month.... almost two months..... and yes I'm very ashamed of this fact and I wish I could change this fact, but unfortunately I can't and I hate to disappoint you all! Especially since I don't know whether I'll be able to update anytime soon again :/ school is so crazy busy! I barely have time to even think about getting some writing done and that sucks, that really really sucks! I wish it were different. I do hope you enjoyed this (long awaited) chapter though! And I hope it's any good, because I literally just quickly finished it a minute ago 

I'm sorry once again and all the love you all of you! I'll do my best to finish a new chapter as soon as possible! 

lots of love (and hugs and kisses)

xx