the girl with all of the choices

f i f t y - f o u r

4492 words

september first- dialogues

~ Addison ~

When I heard we were at war, I wasn't sure how the school atmosphere would change. Part of me expected everyone to divide into two camps, You-Know-Who's supporters and those who wanted him gone.

But as I sat in the Great Hall for the welcome feast, looking around at everyone eating and having fun, I knew that would no longer be the case.

Not one person here wanted You-Know-Who to win. It was apparent in the smiles and the sound of laughter that filled the air.

The only thing that was off was that Professor Snape wasn't at the head table for the Sorting Ceremony. I also couldn't find Draco at the Slytherin table.

Theo and I had walked in together after riding in the carriages.

At first, it was strange, but once we started talking we didn't stop. I had never really spoken to him much before, just small-talk here or there while we happened to be waiting for Draco. But today was different.

"He really missed you, you know," Theo hummed.

"I know. I wish I could have been there to help him through it more. He doesn't deserve to go through any of this on his own."

"Well, he wasn't completely alone. I did spend a week straight with him, and let me just say I have no idea how you can do it. He's the best, but he's terrible."

"Trust me, Theo. I know," I chuckled.

We continued walking towards the Great Hall.

"Are we friends?" I asked quietly. "It's just, I feel like we're more than acquaintances but I don't want to assume and make you uncomfortable."

"I mean, I guess? I don't really know much about you Corbyn. Other than the fact that you're shagging my mate, of course," he teased.

I rolled my eyes. "What do you want to know?"

"What?"

"What do you want to know about me?"

He looked at me suspiciously.

"What's in it for you?" he asked.

"Nothing. It's just you're Draco's best friend and I'm his girlfriend, so I thought it might be nice if we were friends. We could keep an eye on him, make sure he's okay, I don't know. He needs people right now, and it would be easier for us to both be there for him if we were friends," I explained.

He looked at me strangely, his eyes wide with shock as we walked into the Great Hall.

Before going our separate ways, he spoke quietly.

"Why don't we figure that out another time?"

It wasn't a no, so I took it as an indirect yes.

It was nice to talk with him, just to exist in the same space. He and Draco were a lot alike. Theo was nice, albeit also stubborn and rude. He was maybe the nicest Slytherin I had ever met, besides Draco, of course.

Now we were all sitting at our tables, eating. We were in our usual spots, Ernie, Ainsley, Matt and Hannah on one side while Justin, Fawn and I were on the other. Fawn and I were talking in between bites.

"So he just made you leave?" Fawn asked.

"He didn't make me leave per se, he just asked me to. He said he had to take care of something."