✓ Dragons #wattys2016

twenty-two

❝ So comes snow after fire, and even Dragons have their endings❞

-J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Ellie waited until after breakfast the next day. It wasn't hard, but seemed to stretch on with anxiety forever. And then, after that first test, she sat in the Hufflepuff bathroom for almost two hours. Even the coaxing of Tonks, and eventually everyone else, couldn't get her out. She was to scared to take the second test until two days later, when she had skipped several of her classes and meals to stay in bed, only to spend the next morning puking through breakfast. She left it in a cup hidden in a corner of a cupboard for almost twelve hours, when she finally worked up the courage to look at it.

She almost doesn't bother with the third test, but after some annoying urging from Jane and Maggie, she took the third test into the bathroom after everyone else had fallen asleep, her own Snitch pajama pants sagging slightly from her sudden weight loss.

Ellie waited until their (excruciatingly) short mid semester break had begun before finding the twins again. The reassuring smile she tried to give them was weak as she pulled them into a secret passageway away from the prying ears of Hogwarts.

"Hey!" One of the twins said, giving her a side hug in the tight space. They weren't wearing their uniforms, instead opting for sweats and hoodies, a feeble attempt at keeping warm while snooping around the old castle.

"It's our favorite Hufflepuff!" The other one said, his less crooked grin and more crooked grin giving him away as Fred.

"And how may we help the fair lady today?" George asked and the two gave a small bow.

"I don't....wanted....I just...." Ellie took a breath, calming herself before starting again, the lie all too ready to roll off her tongue.. "I just wanted to let you guys know it's fine. It was....It was just a false alarm. There's, um, there's nothing...."

The three of them shifted with slight uncomfortability.

"Um, that's good."

"Yeah. So there's no need to mention this to anyone. Right?" The nodded. "Because like, it doesn't matter. Nobody needs to know if it doesn't matter. Right?"

"Of course."

"Our lips are sealed."

"Not a word shall be whispered."

"To anyone."

"Not even to each other."

Ellie forced a chuckle. "I don't think you need to go that far, but thanks guys."

There was silence before she spoke again. "I didn't think I was actually....You know....but I just had to be sure. Can never be to sure, now can you?" She forced out another chuckle.

"Yeah-"

"I should probably let you guys go," Ellie said shaking out her frazzled hair. "I need to get to the library anyway."

"Studying?" George said and Fred raised an eyebrow at his twin. "You do got your N.E.W.T.s coming up this year? As a seventh year?"

She nodded.

"Charlie's been studying like crazy," Fred said. "Gets mad anytime we get anywhere near him."

George quickly added, "he hasn't really been studying in the library though. In case you wanted to know."

"I wasn't worried."

"Right."

"I'm not avoiding him."

"Right."

"Okay. Bye." She turned and left, out of sight before the twins could squeeze out of the passageway. 

04.02.2018 Happy Easter and April fools day!!! Well, sorta haha. I wanted to get this out like 4 hours ago, which would've been the three year anniversary of when I published the first chapter of this story. Wow, guys it has been three years. So glad I've had all of you guys to read and so glad you've all enjoyed this story. I hope you enjoy this extra chapter and I'm probably gonna go to bed soon because life and tired and like it's also like 3 am. I hope you all had a Hoppy Easter (hehe)!!! 

See you all later!