Control ▸ Ron Weasley [2]

IV. ROOM OF NOVA NOTT'S REQUIREMENTS

CHAPTER FOUR:
ROOM OF NOVA NOTT'S REQUIREMENTS
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      Nova spent her break reading the letter Fred and George had sent her over and over again. She had a blank piece of parchment set off to the side, waiting for her to begin her reply, but for some reason the words wouldn't come to her brain. She knew she needed to reply. But what could she say? The only thing they had really talked about was their brother, and that was the one subject Nova was trying to avoid. The rest of Defense had been spent ignoring his lingering looks and rolling her eyes every time Malfoy made a comment about anything. 

      Her fingers traced over the words, feeling much the same way she had over the summer with her letter from Theo. She knew she was going to miss the twins over the school year, but she hadn't realized how much she truly valued their kindness and friendship until she was in a house with only a handful of people who tolerated her. And so, as she hid their letter in the bottom of her trunk (which still harbored the yellow and blue sweater she couldn't bear to get rid of) and promised herself she'd write them later. 

      "Are you ready for double Potions?" Blaise asked when she walked out of the girls' dorm and met him in the common room. She noticed Malfoy was standing next to him, disinterested in the conversation as he was more preoccupied with ignoring Pansy, who was shooting him looks as if they were going to win his attention back. Nova shrugged. She wasn't particularly excited about Potions, but she was interested in how Slughorn would teach as opposed to Snape. The three of them started walking, so caught up in their trek that they didn't even hear the small voice from behind them ask them to wait.

      When Nova turned, she saw Greengrass hurriedly walking over to them. Her face was just as stoic and blank as it had been that morning, but she had a little flush to her cheeks which made Nova think she had rushed to get to them. "Are you going to Potions?" Greengrass asked, her voice void of any emotions. "I have that as well. I was thinking I could walk with you guys."

      Nova's eyes immediately flew to Blaise, who was staring at Greengrass with an uncomfortable look on his face. Greengrass's eyes started to flicker towards him and Malfoy, sure that Greengrass was going to question Blaise about the look, nodded fiercely so Greengrass's attention was on him instead. "No problem, Daphne. Let's head out, yeah?" Greengrass let a minuscule smile escape before nodding and continuing their walk. They were considerably less talkative than they would have been had it only been the three of them, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant.