Who Would Have Thought (Harry Potter Fan-Fiction)

Apology Not Accepted

"How come I never knew?"

"We tried to make you forget everything about your meetings with Tom Riddle, so we had to erase a lot from your memory and hide the mark."

Dumbledore sighed, "But a mark like that is almost impossible to hide and even harder to uncover. It looks like your memories weren't the only thing that were revealed and that Voldemort is closer than we thought.", Snape grabbed her arm.
"For now, you need your antidote."

"You promised you would't tell him anything."

Snape was pacing around his office. "I only promised I wouldn't mention Quirrel. Why are you protecting him anyway?"

"Because we have no proof and this is an incredible accusation."

"So you'd rather risk your student's life?", she played with some of the things on his desk.

"Stop that!", she dropped the pendant again.

"Stop saying that."

She looked at the ground and back at Snape, slouched over his cauldron. His greasy black hair covered his face and he almost sounded hurt. "I used to say what I wanted, just like you, but all that will do is end up hurting the people you care about. Watch yourself, Audrey.", Snape handed her the purple goo and left the room without another word.

Another uneventful day went by and Audrey found herself wandering down an empty, silent hallway.

"Audrey!", the familiar but unexpected voice called after her, "Please wait!"
It was Maria.

Audrey stopped, but kept her guard up, "What is it?"

Maria panted, "I-", she took a deep break, "I just wanted to talk."

"About?"

Maria looked down and nervously twisted her fingers, "We haven't spoken in quite a while-"

"Because you decided to leave me for Pansy and her clique."

"Well you suddenly blasted Draco Malfoy across the room and I was terrified!"

"I was protecting you!", Audrey screamed and lost her patience, "I was protecting you and it happened! I didn't know what was happening myself, I was so scared and you abandoned me for-!"

"I'm sorry!", Maria's eyes were red, "I'm so, so sorry.", barely a whisper escaped her lips. "I know you must have been so scared and I left you alone. I'm sorry."

"Apology not accepted.", Audrey muttered as bitter tears leaked down both their faces.

"Audrey, please!"

"Leave me alone!", her high-pitched scream echoed through the hall, "Before I do the same or worse to you than what I did to Malfoy.", Maria took a fearful step back and quickly ran off.

Their photo album still was in the beautifully decorated room of the sixth floor. The layer of dust never got a chance as Audrey and Maria both kept returning to leaf through their old pictures together, of course without the other knowing. Audrey missed her friend, but she was too hurt and stubborn to ever forgive her.

"Look at that Weasel eating like a pig.", the Slytherins laughed, "I'm surprised she still fits into her uniform."
"It's probably close to ripping."
Audrey picked at her food. She hadn't been eating a lot and their comments didn't help. The Carrows watched her silently and whispered to one another. They reminded her of creepy twins from muggle movies her father loved to watch. She mashed her potato under her fork and waited for most of the Slytherins to leave the table before she finished eating and left the hall as a group.

"You don't look healthy, Audrey.", Flora said as soon as they reached the common room.

"So we decided to take some extra food for you.", they both held out a napkin with dinner. "You can take both, but please don't throw it away.", they smiled and left as soon as Audrey took the food."

"Midnight snack?", Draco snickered.

"Oh please spare me.", Audrey sat on one of the sofas in front of the green flames, "Where are your body guards?"

"None of your business, blood-traitor."

"What's up with all of you anyway? Life so boring that you need to make yourself feel better by going on my nerves?"

"What are you trying to say?"

She shrugged, "I am trying to say, you better stay away before I hurt you again."

His eyes widened and he took several steps back, "If my father-"

"Your father again? Even if he gets my father fired, all my siblings kicked from this school and me locked up, what use would it be once he gets you back in a coffin? What use is it to you? Don't play with fire, Draco."

He stormed off cowardly.

"It's no wonder you have such a hard time getting yourself friends.", his voice was cold and sharp. She shivered and shook her head, running into her room. "Are you scared of me?"

"No."

"Then why are you running?", she winced, her arm was on fire, or at least it felt that way. She rubbed her arm against the bed sheet and tried to make it stop, but it only got worse.

Someone entered the bed room, but she ignored it. "Are you all right?"

"Are you, Audrey?", Tom's voice was getting louder the longer she sat in her bed.

"Audrey?", her name echoed, "Should I get someone?"

She screamed and slammed her fist against the bedside table.

She felt two small hands help her up and bring her to another room as Tom Riddle's pained scream echoed in her head. She kicked around her as soon as the hands let go and heard whispers from around her. "Leave me alone!", she screamed, "Leave me alone!"
Once again the hands returned. Something or rather someone was hugging her. Her heart felt heavy as a familiar smell and voice appeared.
"Please help her, Sir."

"How are you?", Audrey stared at the white ceiling of the hospital wing.
"I know I might be the last person you want to talk to, but I was really worried.", Maria fiddled at her long blond locks and bit her lip nervously before standing up, "I'll leave now."

Audrey shook her, "Please stay.", her head tilted slightly towards Maria as tears leaked from her eyes, "I really missed you, Maria. I'm sorry I was so stubborn. I've wanted to say this for so long, but I was scared you'd not accept me anymore, because I yelled at you.", her voice broke as her friend hugged her. "I've been thinking about how to apologize for so long, but right now all I can think of is how sorry I am."

"I missed you too.", Maria hugged her even tighter, both of them burst into tears, but for the first time after so many months they were tears of joy.

"I kept looking at our photo album, hoping we could go back."

Maria laughed and choked on her tears, "So did I."

The two girls hugged each other harder and looked through the presents Audrey's brothers had brought while she had passed out.

"I see you two have sorted your problems out.", Fred and George waved at the the two girls as they entered the hospital.

"Yes, finally.", their smiles were bigger than ever.

The rest of the day they played wizard's chess, caught up on potions homework and played hide and seek in Hogwarts' halls.

"Good morning, Miss Weasley."
"Good morning, Professor."
"I see you have finally gotten yourself together and are starting to hand in your homework again."
She nodded, "Yes, I hope it is up to your standards, sir.", Snape nodded and moved on to the next person.

Maybe, if she had just a slither of luck, things could start getting better for her.
But that would be no fun.