Royalty (demigods at Hogwarts)

Tested Friendships

A lot of things were completely unexpected in Hazel's life, but if you had told her that Piper Black would be outside of the Hufflepuff dormitories at midnight, she wouldn't have believed you.

Until it actually happened.

'I only came out because Percy said you were threatening to sleep here,' Hazel said, trying to inject some venom in her one, but all that came out was a heavy, tired tone. She swept heavy curls from her forehead and tried not to yawn. 'Honestly, Piper, what are you doing here? Don't tell me you're on a mission to disrupt my sleep schedule, too.'

'I wanted to apologise,' said Piper resolutely. She had been debating coming here for the last two hours, and eventually decided that it was better to do it now than in the morning when she would most likely back out of it again. 'I just thought that you deserved an apology, at the very least. For what I said- or didn't say- all those weeks ago, how I let those girls bully you- especially Pansy. You've probably forgotten about it now, but- I haven't.'

Piper clasped her hands together and looked up at Hazel through dark brown eyelashes, smiling in a nervous way as if waiting patiently for acceptance.

'So you're not really apologising to me at all, are you?' Hazel said slowly. She had meant to just accept Piper's apology, but she felt like Piper was underestimating her somehow. Thinking that just because she was a Hufflepuff, she'd forgive easily.

Well, Piper was in for a surprise, because Hazel might be sweet as a cupcake most times, but she was notorious for holding grudges.

'What do you mean?' asked Piper, blinking. 'Of course I am. I waited for ages just to apologise to you!' Her words were laced with accusation. 'Is my apology not good enough for you?'

'No, you're really not,' argued Hazel, suddenly fired up. She had every right to be angry while Piper didn't- honestly, what had Piper even been expecting, anyway? A thank-you basket for summoning the Gryffindor courage to go and say sorry? Maybe candy, too, while she was at it and comfort kisses? Had it really never registered in Piper's mind that Hazel might be, for once, angry? 'The only reason you're apologising to me is so that this won't linger on your guilty conscience. It's been weeks- weeks- and you never even tried to stop and talk to me in the corridors, or help me with homework when I was struggling in the library! No, you had to make a big show of apologising to me- at midnight, literally on your knees! You disrupted my sleep and woke half the Hufflepuff dormitory up all because you decided that finally having the courage to say sorry deserved to be a big production!'

Piper was stunned into shock. 'Look, Hazel-'

'Don't Hazel me!' Hazel yelled at Piper. All her pent-up anger for being stepped over, treated like a 'Mudblood', a pushover, a weakling- for being a muggle-born and a Hufflepuff- it was all directed at Piper.

After all, Hazel knew better than anybody that it only took a single spark to set things aflame.

'This was never about me!' screamed Hazel accusingly. 'No, it was all about you, and how that incident hasn't let you sleep- and the point is that if it had, you would have never even tried to apologise! If you had even a shred of respect for me, you would have come to me before this and tried to make amends with me long before this time! You would have made an effort, and tried to invest in this friendship, but you're only doing it now because of the exact words you said- that I've probably forgotten about it, but you haven't! That incident won't let you go- but is has to me, because unlike you, I don't base my life and what I think of over past mistakes! This- this is all about you. Your apology is worthless.'

Piper stepped back with glistening tears in her eyes. She, not being able to do anything except for gasp after that outburst, merely shook her head violently. 'Hazel- I'm sorry- I'm sorry- I didn't know you'd be so upset- please, listen- listen-'