Star Crossed

Chapter 50- Just as friends

I spent the whole of the next Saturday hiding in the library avoiding any contact with a certain Tom Riddle as possible after our last patrol... I browsed the lines of bookshelves looking for any books entitled, 'straight forward way to pass your owls' or 'Psss here is all the answers you will ever need' but so far no such luck. 
As I reached what felt like the fortieth bookshelf I heard a soft whisper behind me causing me to look around but upon seeing no one I shook my head and continued my search believing that finely the silence of the library was getting to me. 
"Grisha," I stopped my hand suspended upon the spine of a book as I looked around again I had definitely heard my name this time. 
"Over here it's me," I frowned as I saw Lazarus pop his head around one the book shelves. 
"Lazarus what are you doing?" I chuckled quietly as I followed him curiously over to one of the corner tables he sat down as I remained standing crossing my arms with a smirk. 
"Sit down," Lazarus smiled gesturing to the chair opposite him, "It's not cursed." I rolled my eyes and took the seat he had offered. 
"To what do I owe the pleasure?" I smiled, "Something tells me you didn't come in here to study for our owls with me," Lazarus's cheeks seemed to tinge pink a little. 
"Well no... I have... gossip instead." he grinned. 
"Really? Honestly you're worse than Amber." I sighed. 
"No listen, listen! You know how Rosier and Fodder have been suspended?" he leaned forward in his chair now an ernest look on his face as he whispered discreetly, I nodded. 
"Well the teachers have instead planned the next big event." I raised my eyebrows at this, 
"They haven't said anything to use Prefects," I replied suspicious of the information. "Who is your informant?" 
"No I know I thought the same but I think it is meant as a surprise to cheer everyone up after the last time and a special agent never reveals the identities of their most trusted informers." he smirked raising his chin into the air. 
"What is it?" I asked feeling intrigued. 
"A Valentine's Dance." he grinned. 
"Oh Merlin," I said with a chuckle as I shook my head.
"What!? It will be fun! I..." Lazarus paused for a second and began to fiddle with his hands like he often did when nervous.
"What?" I frowned. 
"Well I... I was going to ask if you... if you would like to come with me..." he trailed off.
My eyes went wide, "I..." I did not know what to say, Lazarus was like a brother to me surely he meant to go as friends? "As friends yes?"
Lazarus face fell a little, 
"Of course! Yes...as friends," he smiled weakly. 
"Okay you have twisted my arm." I smiled back at him leaning back in my chair. 
"Cosy," a smooth familiar voice drawled from behind me I turned around to see his silhouette coming into the light of the early setting January sun. "Studying for your OWLs I would hope." he smirked. 
"Yes-" I began but was rudely cut off by Lazarus I gave a menacing glare. 
"No actually," Lazarus smirked ignoring me and beginning to swing backwards and forwards on his chair arrogantly, I resisted the urge to kick the legs from under him.

"Oh?" Tom questioned leaning upon one of the nearby shelves, lifting a green ripe apple to his mouth and taking a bite, after a moment or so of silence apart from Tom's light chewing he swallowed and smirked, "You could really do with studying Lazarus." 

Lazarus ignored his comment, "I was telling Grisha here about the Valentine's Day dance, we are going to go together aren't we Grisha," he grinned I stared unsure of what to say between the two boys. 
Tom stood for a moment as if struck by the freezing charm, his apple paused just before his mouth. 
"Is that so?" He said quietly still holding a small smirk and taking another small bite from his apple. 
"We are just going as friends." I quickly added, I did not know why I felt the need to stress this but something inside of me needed Tom to know but Tom merely glanced over at me coldly. 
"What's wrong Tom? You look jealous," Lazarus smirked still leaning back on his chair which was titering dangerously I bit my lip as I saw Tom eyeing up the situation. 
"Oh go ahead Lazarus do feed your own ego the rest of us are busy. The day I become jealous of you will be the day I surrendered my soul to death himself." suddenly one of the chair legs holding up Lazarus's chair snapped in half causing Lazarus to tumble to the floor with a sickening crunch of wood. 
"Perhaps you should help your date Grisha." Tom snipped before throwing his apple up in the air catching it swiftly taking a final bite, turning around and leaving in a whirl of black robes down the library aisle and out of side. 
"Get up Lazarus," I groaned running my hand through my hair as I watched Lazarus wrestle himself free of his robes and broken chair. 

"So Lazarus is telling the whole school you are going together," Wiglaf said simply as we sat side by side in the Room of Requirement he had agreed to tutor me on charms ahead of my OWL examinations, I groaned. 
"I told him we were going as friends." I sighed flicking the page I had been reading over with a little more force than was necessary. 
"Hmmm and you expected him to listen?" Wiglaf smirked, "Lazarus hears what Lazarus wants to hear, selective hearing I believe." 
"Everything about Lazarus is selective," I grumbled. "I love him but as a brother." 
Wiglaf nodded with a small smile. "He will come to terms with it one day... perhaps if you stop leading him on." 
"I don't lead him on!" I said defensively slamming my book shut and rounding on Wiglaf who held his hands up defensively but while still leading his book which was resting upon his lap. 
"This Lazarus we are talking about here Grisha accepting his invitation for the Valentines dance was as good as accepting a proposal of marriage." 
"But I... I just didn't want to hurt his feelings! Plus I thought it would be fun to go as friends seeing as no one else has asked me and I can't see anyone who would be planning to."
"You know just because someone doesn't ask doesn't mean they didn't want to ask you..."
I frowned and opened my mouth to ask what he meant but I was soon cut short before I had a chance to speak.
"Anyway  what I meant to say was that you may have to be cruel to be kind with Lazarus." 
"I know," I groaned. "Who are you going to the dance with?" I asked raising an eyebrow I had only just realised that Charlotte had left the previous year and I had not seen Wiglaf show an interest in anyone else since. 
"No one. I have had a few offers some like you just as friends but I feel that would be disloyal to Charlotte I am happy to go alone." he smiled and I smiled back at him by heart warm in my chest. 
"You really like her don't you? Are you both still dating?" I asked.
"I suppose you could call it that but yes I do value you her she is intelligent, kind..."
"Beautiful," I winked causing Wiglaf to blush.
"Open your book back to page four hundred and fifty five you don't get out of this so easily." I rolled my eyes and re found my page.
"Wiglaf?" I asked turning my attention back to him for a moment.
"Hmmm," He said without looking up from his book.
"Who was you thinking of when you said someone wanted to ask me but didn't?" I raised an eyebrow wondering who Wiglaf could possibly be talking about.
"It was just an assumption I know nothing for sure and besides I merely meant that I am sure a lot of boys are too proud or afraid to ask someone to the dance." 
"Hmmm." I replied suspiciously.
"Page four hundred and fifty five." He smirked tapping my page with his index finger.
I rolled my eyes again before continuing to read the paragraph on the banishing charm.