Eleanor Snape- Book 4

A Casual Conversation

"I still don't see the big deal." Vincent shrugged later that night in the Common Room. "So you're father hasn't showed?"

"Exactly! He's been training me all day for the last week and then he suddenly disappears! And he said he had something important to tell me. Why wouldn't he tell me as soon as possible?" I frantically tried to explain. I was so worried about my father that it hurt in my chest, affecting my breathing by only letting in small amounts of air at a time. I was more worried about him now then I was the night of the tragic accident that supposedly ended it life.

"Calm down, Ellie." Vince put a hand on the back of my neck. I pulled it off and he sighed. "If you don't cool it, you're going to have an anxiety attack or something."

"Vincent, I'm just..." Just what? What was I? I was so scared that I was never going to see my father again. But didn't I hate him? I was suppose to so why was I so worried? My head throbbed as these combination of emotions hit me full force. I gasped for air and covered my face with my hands. "Confused."

"Anyone would be."

"I think she broke up with me!" Gregory came up from the boy's dormitory and plopped down in one of the chairs on the other side of our table. I uncovered my face.

"What?" Vince and I said simultaneously. Goyle looked up and I noticed tears were collecting at the bottom of his eyes, but not falling.

"Sarah Beth!"

"Why do you think that?" Vince leaned across the table towards his best friend.

"She keeps going away from me! I try to talk to her and she runs away before I can!"

"So she's avoiding you?"

"That's what it sounds like to me." I shook my head. He sighed again.

"Why?" He questioned, more to himself then to us.

"Did anything happen before she stopped talking to you this summer?" Vincent asked.

"She ran away, remember? That was the last time I've talked to her!"

"Suppose Umbridge made her?"

"I don't think so. Remember Fourth year? She didn't care what she thought." I remanded them. They both looked at me in understanding.

"You're right..." The tears that had started to go away came back. One of the finally spilled over and slid down his cheek, landing on his shirt and making a small, dark, wet spot. Although no more came, it was weird to see him cry. I mean, it was Gregory Goyle. Always happy, always cheerful (with the exception of a few fits of anger and annoyance) Goyle. Seeing him sad was strange. Not really sure what to do, I reached across the table and laid a hand on his. "Maybe I should try to talk to her some more."

"Look, I know you love her and all, but don't make yourself look desperate."

"But-"

"But nothing. If she's too stuck up to even speak to you, then she doesn't deserve you at all. My first year she talked to me at Malkin's and then ignored me all year, the little bi-"

"Maybe," Vincent interrupted, noting Gregory's hurt expression, "You can try to talk to her tomorrow during Chorus?" Gregory dryly nodded and smiled.

"Yeah." He replied.

"Are you still pouting about Dumberland? How pitiful." We all turned around to see Pansy and Draco approaching. She was as spiteful as always, but Draco was oddly quiet. No laughing at the victim's suspense like usual. His already pale skin was paler and he was blankly starring past out little table. Pansy had a hold around his arm, but he didn't notice. Over all he seemed really distracted.

Pansy sat down, pulling him with her into the other open chair.

"Well, Pansy," Gregory's sadness was suddenly replaced with extreme anger. "I love her! So shut up!" He slammed his hands on the table as he stood up. His face was quickly turning red. "I'm going to bed!" Before anyone could say anything else, he stomped back to the stairs that led to the boy's dormitory's and disappeared down them. I shot Pansy a dirty look.

"Good job." Vincent sarcastically snapped. Draco silently remained in his private thoughts.

"What? He needs to get over her! She's just a dumb Ministry kid! And a Hufflepuff at that!" Pansy said in her high pitched squeal.

"At least he loved her." I absentmindedly said. Pansy gasped.

"Draco does love me!" She grabbed onto his arm. That wasn't what I had meant, but that worked. Any insult towards Pansy would work, intentional or not. Draco never moved. "Draco!"

"What?!" He snapped to attention.

"You love me...don't you?"

"Oh, yeah...Yeah." He pulled his arm from her grip and used it to prop his chin up. Pansy frowned. I turned to Vincent.

"I think Gregory's right. It's time for bed." I stood up.

"Okay. Goodnight." Vincent sat up a bit as I leaned down so we could kiss. Then I continued towards the girl's dormitories, silently hoping that once I was laying in bed, my father would visit one again.