star shopping ✰ d.m.

CHAPTER NINE

Draco continued to be the only person Arabella talked to or hung out with for another week. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but this fact made his life much more enjoyable. He was glad he finally had those nosy Gryffindors out of the way, no longer whispering in her ear and warning her against associating with him. Although, seeing her face fall every time Seamus or Dean were nearby or witnessing her mood plummet when her twin was glowering at her bothered him. He had always thought that if she were to leave behind all of her friends and only talk to him, he would be satisfied, but he wasn't, because she wasn't. So, when she told him one Wednesday afternoon that all was well again, he had very mixed emotions about it, but of course, she had no idea, and she never would.

It had happened the night before when she had woken up late at night and felt the urge to go down to the common room, despite being in her pajamas. When she had gotten down there, she had found Ron sitting on the couch, staring at the fire with a downtrodden expression. Without saying anything, she joined him and placed a soothing hand on his shoulder, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"What's wrong?" she asked even though she already knew.

"Everything," he admitted. "It's all going wrong."

"Because of Harry?" He didn't answer. "Look, if it's bothering you so much, then just talk to him. I'm sure he misses you, too. You two are best friends, you can't just end like that without feeling something."

"He doesn't miss me. He's fine. He's got Hermione."

"And I'll bet you anything he thinks the same thing about you. Ron, if you'd just apologize to him-"

"I am not apologizing, Bella."

Arabella sighed. There was no point in pressing him about it; if Ron had anything going for him, it was his stubbornness. "Do you want me to talk to him for you?"

"No. Stay out of it." The twins sat in silence for a few seconds, both staring into the fire. "I've been seeing you with Malfoy. He still treating you decent?"

"Of course."

"Good, because if he wasn't, I'd have to kill him."

Arabella looked down at her hands, not even bothering to scoff. She knew good and well he was being serious.

"Do you fancy him?" he asked her. He finally looked away from the fire to look at her, but her gaze didn't move.

"No. That'd be bad," she answered, trying to convince him as much as herself.

Ron looked back at the fire. He didn't believe her, but he didn't want to badger her; he was dreading the day she would finally admit it. He saw the way the Slytherin boy whom he hated so much looked at his kind-hearted twin sister, and he didn't like it one bit.

"Do you fancy Hermione?" Arabella asked. She looked up from her hands to stare into the fire again.

"No," he answered quickly. "She's my best friend. And yours. That'd be weird."

Similar thoughts to Ron's were now going through her head. She didn't believe him but chose not to say so. He would admit it to her when he was ready to admit it to himself.

"Should we go to bed?"

"I suppose so."

She hugged him, glad that they were on speaking terms again, and got up and ascended the staircase to her dormitory. As soon as she pulled the covers of her four-poster over herself, she was fast asleep.

The next morning, she sat down beside Seamus and Dean at breakfast with a cheery "Good morning!"

Seamus looked at her, confused, and opened his mouth to say something.

Dean stopped him. "Don't jinx it," he said quietly.

From then on, the trio acted like they hadn't ever not been talking. They would have gone back to normal if Harry and Ron had made up, but they hadn't, so when Ron wasn't with Hermione, he was with the three of them.

In the days leading up to the first task of the Triwizard Tournament, this didn't change. One chilly Saturday afternoon, Ron found Ginny, Arabella, and Hermione walking about the halls, enjoying their free time, and approached them.

"We need to find Harry," he said.

"We?" Ginny asked. "Why can't you do it yourself?"

"You know why, Ginny."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "And why do we need to find him?" she asked.

"Parvati told Dean who told Seamus who told me that Hagrid's looking for him."

"Why can't you just find Harry and tell him Hagrid's looking for him without mentioning all of that confusing nonsense?" Arabella asked.

"Because then he'll think I care."

"Oh, no! Let's not reveal the best of you, Ronald! How devastating that would be!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Will you come with me or not?"

The girls exchanged looks before reluctantly agreeing.

They found Harry sitting against a tree by the lake, looking through a book. Waving at them as they approached was Neville, who was standing in the lake.

"You do it," Ron said to Hermione. "And make sure you mention that it came from Parvati and Dean and Seamus, not me."

"Its already been through enough people. Why don't you just go and talk to him yourself?" Hermione said. Ron refused, and they continued to bicker quietly until they finally reached Harry, who had gotten up to meet them. "Ronald would like me to tell you that Seamus told him that Dean was told by Parvati that Hagrid's looking for you."

"Is that right?" Harry said. "Well- what?"

"Uh..." Hermione went back to Ron. "Are you sure you won't do this?"

"Do it," Ron whispered.

Hermione went back to Harry. "Dean was told by Parvati that... please don't ask me to say it again. Hagrid's looking for you."

Hermione turned to walk away, but Harry spoke. "Well, you can tell Ronald-" he started.

"I'm not an owl!" Hermione exclaimed, whipping around to face him, fed up with the boys. As Ron stood and glared at Harry, Hermione led Ginny and Arabella away.

"Next time, just go and tell him yourself, Ron," Arabella said when Ron joined them. Once she said this, he began to walk away from them. "Where are you going?"

"To find Seamus and Dean," he said bitterly. "They don't tell me what to do."

"Boys," Arabella sighed once Ron was out of earshot.

"You're telling me," Hermione said.

Suddenly being reminded of something, Arabella slowly turned to look at Hermione, a mischievous grin on her face. "How's Krum?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "We are not talking about this."

"Oh, yes, we are," Ginny said. "Tell us everything, Hermione. We're dying to know." The sisters laughed and continued to tease their friend.

[word count: 1152]
[written: 5/12/20]
[published: 6/9/20]