The Boy Who Had a Choice (D.M)

Part 18

I didn't recognise the girl staring back at me in the mirror. She had the same green eyes as me, the same long hair and the same face except those green eyes were dull and empty. That same hair draped lifelessly down my back and that same face didn't smile anymore. I looked a mess, I had a black eye from when Draco had hit me, granted it was on accident, but I refused to heal it with magic to make him feel bad, and my lip was still swollen. My hand curled around the green emerald hanging around my neck, I couldn't bring myself to take it off yet. I sighed and pulled on my uniform before leaving the bathroom and heading back to my room.

"You look like shit, Liv," Lola said with worried eyes.

"I feel like shit." Even my voice didn't sound like my own.

"You wanna talk about it?" She hugged me tight and I swallowed the lump in my throat as tears threatened to spill from my eyes.

"I'm okay, I just feel a bit empty you know? I just feel everything is going wrong at the minute and there's nothing I can do to fix it; I hate being so helpless."

"I love you so much, Olive." she said, kissing my forehead. "Every single day I wake up feeling grateful to have you as a friend. You are amazing and even though you might not realise it, a lot of people wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. You are not helpless. I've always got you."

"I love you," I replied "How are you doing anyway? How do you feel today?" She pulled away from the hug and waved her hand in dismissal at my words.

"I'm fine, don't you worry about me. Hurt like a bitch yesterday mind you, but by the looks of your face you gave Draco what he deserved." She grinned at me as she piled her books into her arms. I couldn't help but grin back at her, nodding as I linked my arm with hers and headed to lesson. For a moment it felt like we were 16 again and our biggest problem would be what we were going to wear to that weeks party.

~

"Olive!" I heard Neville shout behind me. I groaned internally before turning around and heading in the opposite direction down the corridor towards him. I loved the boy, but it was my only free period of the day and I desperately needed a nap. "Oh my god, your face looks awful!"

"Ever the charmer Neville," I said, smiling sarcastically at him. "Did you just call me over here to tell me how bad I look, or do you actually want me for something?"

"Sorry," he cringed, a blush creeping up his neck. "Actually, I wanted to ask you, well, um, you know how we have this group called Dumbledore's Army where we teach each other spells to protect ourselves and other things?" He said scratching the back of his neck.

"Yes..." I frowned, not knowing where this conversation was going. I had heard that there was a group of students sneaking around and having secret meetings. Lola had told me all about it, but I had been too busy with Draco last year to give it a second thought.

"Well, we were wondering, I mean I was wondering, now that we've lost a load of students, you know with all the new rules, and we don't have Harry, Ron or Hermione anymore..." He rambled on.

"Spit it out Neville" I snapped, my patience wearing thin.

"Will you please come and be our teacher?" I blinked at him. "I know you're having extra lessons with McGonagall because you want to be a professor here and you're one of the best witches in the school. Please Liv? We really need you; you could really help us all."

"I don't know... I don't think too many people would be happy to see me there and it's a lot of people to teach, I'm not that good"

"You are! You already taught me, remember? I would have failed transfiguration if it wasn't for you!" He smiled at me and I couldn't stop myself as I agreed to help him.