Bread (Harry Potter au)

Chapter 5

I sat in the Great Hall at my usual place turned to face Avery. I had thought about leaving the bracelet in my room but I didn't want to lose it, so I had it hidden close to me in my cloak pocket. It still made me nervous because it hung so low. I kind of awkwardly sat there eating my turkey with one hand in my cloak pocket. Avery saw something wasn't right.
"What's that?" Avery asked while I was mid-bite. I rolled my eyes slowly toward her with by lips wrapped around my fork.
"Wha's wa?" I asked with the fork still in my mouth.
"In your pocket," she said then reached for it. I pulled away and she stopped. I put my fork down.
"You're hiding something," he smirked because she knew she was right.
"No, I'm not"
"Then why is your hand still in your pocket?"
"Because my hand's cold."
"Only your right hand?"
"... Yeah" I hesitated. Avery pulled out her wand.
"Accio," she said as she pointed her light grey wand at my pocket. The charm bracelet slipped out of my hand and into hers.
"Hey!" I said in protest. She examined it closely to her face. She looked super focused. She examined each charm in detail. I sat in silence during all of this. When she was done, she squinted her eyes and looked up at me with the bracelet pinched between her little fingers.
"Where'd you get this?" She asked sharply. I looked down at the old wooden floor.
"Brianna, where did you get this?" She repeated. I reluctantly met her eyes.
"Fred." I awaited the squeals and excited foot tapping, but it never came. She slowly leaned back until she was resting against the Ravenclaw table. Then she quietly and calmly spoke.
"Brianna?"
"Yeah?" I asked worriedly.
"Do you know what this means?" She asked.
"What?"
She leaned leaned forward super quickly and grabbed my shoulders and began to shake me.
"HE'S GONNA ASK YOU OUT!!!!"
This earned us some stares from every Slytherin and Ravenclaw within 15 feet of us. And maybe a couple of teachers. Avery still didn't seem to notice, and I didn't speak again until I knew they had resumed eating.
"I don't know if that's what this means," I said taking the bracelet back.
"Of course that's what this means!" Avery said, not yelling any more, thank god.
"Well what do I say if he asks?"
Never have I gotten a worse look from my best friend. She looked at me as if I was the dumbest bitch to ever walk the Earth.
"You say YES! Obviously!" She said. I shook my head and continued eating my turkey which had now gone cold. I heated it up with a charm I had learned.
      "Oh and by the way, Bri. You could've kept it in your pants pocket. A lot less obvious," she said before taking a bite of her dinner.

On the way back to the common room, I had to split from Avery. The Ravenclaw common room was in Ravenclaw tower behind a door with an enchanted knocker. It has beautiful views of the lake, forbidden forest, Herbology greenhouses, and the quidditch field. Sometimes I'm jealous of her common room, but I would never want to change mine. It's cozy and warm. Something about being underground just suits me. Just before we split up, a hand landed on my shoulder. I followed it with my eyes up the arm, to the shoulder, then finally to the beautiful face of Fred Weasley.
      "Hey, Brianna. Can I talk to you?" He asked. I shot Avery a look and she did the same.
     "I'm gonna go, goodnight," Avery said. Then walked away still looking back after each couple of steps. I looked back to Fred and realized I still hadn't said anything to him.
     "Hi." Wow real charming Bri.
     "Did you like the bracelet I made?"
     "Oh yeah," I said as I took it out if my pocket. Pants pocket this time.
     "You didn't put it on?" He asked.
     "Oh, no not yet."
     "Well give it a try," he encouraged. I slipped it onto my wrist and watched as the lion clawed, the serpent writhed, the rose bloomed, and the wand swished and flicked.
"They move?" I asked amazed. Fred was pleased with himself. Students were still passing us to get to their desired destinations.
"Yeah they move! It's been charmed. Get it? It's a charmed charm bracelet?"
I smiled at his humor.
"Anyway what I wanted to talk about was, uhm, tomorrow is Saturday so we're going to Hogsmeade, and I was wondering if you would want to, um, would like to go wi- accompany me."
In this moment all I could think about was how Avery was right. I hated it when she was right. Then I heard her nagging voice in my head saying,"You say yes! Obviously!"
"Yeah, that would be fun. But wouldn't George miss you? Don't you two have a thing where you can the more than five feet from each other?" I joked. He laughed, thank god.
"Yeah but George is feeling a little under the weather anyway, so it works out. I guess I'll let you fill in for him or the day," he joked back. I chuckled and looked at the ground, and when I looked back up I tucked my brown hair behind my ear and looked into his brown eyes. I suddenly realized we were now the only ones in the corridor. Fred also noticed this because he said,
       "Well I guess I should go now. G'night Brianna." He flashed me another smile then left. I turned around and only walked a few feet before bumping into Professor Snape. I looked up, terrified of what was to come. About six years, and I was still scared of that man.
     "Get. To. The dungeons." He said threateningly. I said nothing but nodded then ran as fast as my little legs would carry me.