Lucinda Evans - still in progress

Chapter 10 - A new Hufflepuff friend

The morning after the Yule Ball everybody was either too tired to get up or tired but still excited enough to get out of bed and gossip - or complain - about the night before. At the table where I'm seated, it's more the last one.

"My feet hurt so much," Mer moans next to me. She has her right cheek on the table and looks up at me. Probably to look for condolences, not that she'll get some from me. Oh, no. My feet hurt just as much and I think we all know who's fault that is!

"You were the one who wanted to dance all night. You didn't even let me take a rest! My feet hurt now too, you know."

"Luce, you're so mean to me," she whines playfully while closing her eyes. "It's still morning you know. Give me a break."

I sigh and look around the table. A few seats away from us I see Fleur complaining about the lack of decoration last night to a Hufflepuff. Poor guy.

"Zas was nothing. At ze Palace of Beauxbatons, we 'ave ice sculptures all around ze dining chamber at Chreestmas. Zey do not melt, of course... zey are like 'uge statues of diamond, glittering around ze place. And ze food is seemply superb. And we 'ave choirs of wood nymphs, 'oo serenade us as we eat. We 'ave none of zis ugly armor in ze 'alls, and eef a poltergeist ever entaired into Beauxbatons, 'e would be expelled like zat." She slaps her hand onto the table impatiently.

The Hufflepuff was still just staring at her face and noticed too late that she waited for confirmation since she sends him a glance. "Absolutely right," he says quickly, slapping his own hand down on the table in imitation of Fleur. "Like that. Yeah."

"Hey," I hear someone say and gets my attention. I look up and see a Hufflepuff guy take a seat in front of me.

"Hi," I say back before checking what Mer is doing but I notice that she has fallen asleep.

"Your friend must be really tired that she's able to sleep in this noise," the guy says.

"Yeah, she's a master at sleeping. Once I wanted to wake her up by using two pans, but even that didn't work."

"Wow, she's good... My name is Ernest Macmillan by the way," Ernest says and sticks out his hand for me to shake. I take it and introduce myself too. "Oh, we all know who you are. We're in the same year and have some classes together."

"Ow, I didn't notice sorry. It's just so difficult. All those new faces and names, it's really impossible to remember them all. But I didn't know we stood out that much. I mean of course there is a uniform difference but still."

"It's not only because of the uniforms - because they count too, I mean look at them! - but it's mostly because of how smart and talented the two of you are."

I look down and blush, "... You do know how to complement a girl.."

"Oh,.." he cries out, what makes me look up, and see his face as red as a tomato, "That wasn't my intention, I just wanted to start a conversation. But it is true, though, even Hermione Granger is not as smart as you are and she's the best of our year!"

"Hermione Granger? You mean the girl who is friends with Harry Potter?" I ask, just to be sure I have the right person in mind.

"Yes, she was the date of Viktor Krum last night," Ernest confirms.

"And thee music! What waz zey name again? The Weird Sisters. Awfull!" Fleur cries out loudly and get's our attention. The Hufflepuff boy nodding fiercely, to make sure she notices he's on time.

"Poor Zacharias. She's so beautiful but the only thing she does is complaining," Ernest sighs, what catches my attention. He isn't enchanted by her beauty. I look at him with newfound curiosity and he must have noticed because he faces back.

"You must wonder why I'm the only guy here who doesn't get in a trance, right?" he smiles apologetic.

"Well, I can't deny I am curious. There aren't many guys who can resist it."

"I'm not into girls."

"So you're gay!" Mer suddenly jumps up, fully awake. Ernest has the funniest expression on his face that I've ever seen. The shock on his face is clearly on understatement.

"Ehm, yeah I am," he answers once he recovers from the sudden surprise.

"Awesome! I always wanted a gay friend," Mer says with such a big grin that Ernest carefully moves backward. Mer notices too and is suddenly really restrained. "You do want to be my friend, right?"

"Ehm,.. Sure, why not," he agrees cautious.

"Good, means you're my friend too. Because a friend of Mer is a friend of me," I answer with a smile.

"Finally! Now you can finally socialize with people who aren't Draco-approved," Mer says like it's a huge relief for her.

"And what do you mean by that?" I ask offended.

"Well, since we arrived here, you've only talked to people you already knew or with friends of Draco. It's clearly time to broaden your horizon."

Ernest starts laughing what catches our attention. "I can already tell you two will be a lot of fun to hang out with!"

-----

After breakfast, we followed Ernest to the greenhouses because we all had Herbology together. When we enter the classroom, we are laughing so hard we catch the attention of everyone in the room so we true to stop and go to a table together. Gosh, he's so funny. How come we never noticed him before?

"Good morning, class," Professor Sprout greets us and the whole room goes silent, "Today we will be replanting some Aconite. Can anybody tell me what that is?"

Only two hands rise in the air; mine and Hermione's. I'm surprised we're the only ones who know this. I'm sure Mer knows it too, but she's just too lazy to stick up her hand.

"Yes, Miss Evans?" I see Hermione drop her hand disappointed and I try not to smile too triumphantly.

"There are over 250 species of Aconitum, the most common of which are known as aconite, monkshood, or wolfsbane. Its flowers are useful in potion-making, but its leaves are very toxic. The root of aconite can be used as a potion ingredient. Aconite is most commonly known as an ingredient of Wolfsbane Potion or for Wideye or Awakening Potion."

"Nerd," Mer coughs, what makes Ernest chortles and me glare at the two of them.

"Very good. Now I want all of you to take a pot in pairs of three and replant them in these bigger pots. Wear your gloves but do please try to be careful to not damage the leaves. Ones the toxin comes out you need to be extremely cautious not to touch it or inhale it."

-----

"Luce!" I look up from my homework when I hear Draco call me. I see him walking into the Slytherin common room with an angry expression on his face.

"What have I heard?" He starts when he arrived at my desk, "I've heard you've become friends with a filthy Puffie?!"

"Yeah, I have," I try to be casual and continue my homework.

"As I remember correctly I haven't heard you asking my permission to be friends with him or anyone for that matter."

"That's correct. I haven't," I say, feeling so rebellious. I'm sure Mer would be proud if she could hear me.

I don't need to look up to know Draco's face is flushed red from anger. I know exactly how he reacts on these sort of things since Mer does it all the time.

"You still need to give me your DADA homework so I can make it," I say without looking up.

He throws his schoolbag on the table and leaves while angrily muttering about how his father will hear about this.