Juliet

Chapter 6

"You look awful," Ginny said as she sat down next to Juliet.

Her friend had dark circles under her eyes and her whole body was slouched and tense. Her usually luminescent eyes were dull.

Juliet placed her tea cup down and sighed, "I'm exhausted," she said wearily.

"Ron said, that Harry told him, that you're having troubles sleeping."

"It's not a big deal really," Juliet waved her concern away, "I'll be fine."

"Why don't you take a potion for it?" Ginny asked as she stole a slice of toast from Juliet's plate, "I'm sure Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey won't try to poison you."

"I don't want to rely on a stupid potion."

Ginny thought for a moment, "Would you consider talking to a Mind Healer?" she winced slightly.

Juliet frowned and took another sip of her tea. Her gaze swept around the Great Hall; Hermione immersed in her books, Harry and Draco teasing Ron, and a few other students chatting to each other.

"I'm surprised no one else wakes up this early," Juliet said, "it's so nice and quiet."

"Juli," Ginny reprimanded her, "you can't keep avoiding this. We're worried."

"Please Gin," Juliet begged, "I don't want to talk to anyone about it. I feel like I'll be judged or that no one will listen."

Ginny wiped her hands on a napkin and took Juliet's hands in her own, "Talk to me? I promise I will listen to you and I won't tell anyone. Hell, I'll even do an Unbreakable Vow with you."

Juliet felt her heart soar with affection for Ginny, "You would risk your life like that for me?"

"If it will help you," Ginny said with a fierce look of determination.

Juliet slung her bag over her shoulder, "That's just...wow...that means a lot," she nodded, "Fine, we can talk but I'm not doing any kind of death Vow with you."

"Good," Ginny smirked, "Let's go for a walk outside?"

"It's cold," Juliet whined as they left the Great Hall.

"Exactly," Ginny said, "No one will follow us."

They went down the steps and crossed the courtyard. Trudging through the December snow, they headed over to the Lake. Juliet waved her wand across the snow and melted it. From her bag, Ginny pulled out a blanket and they sat down on it.

"You had this already planned out," Juliet stated, motioning to the blanket.

"Of course," Ginny said proudly, "It's hard to say no to me."

Juliet laid down and wrapped her arms around herself. Ginny put down a glass jar with a flame in between them and lied down as well.

"So..." Ginny started.

"I'm scared Gin."

"Why are you scared?"

Juliet fixated her gaze to the tree above them, "I don't know what I'm going to do after I graduate. Draco said I should change my name to help me."

"What do you think about that?"

"A part of me wants to do that," Juliet admitted, "but the other part of me wants to embrace who I am and prove to people that I'm not just the daughter of the Dark Lord."

"What's stopping you from doing either?" Ginny asked and she gripped Juliet's hand in comfort.

"If I change who I am, I would be lying to myself and everyone. If I don't, no one will ever trust me. I'm afraid that either way, no one will want to get to know me."