the girl with all of the choices

f i f t y - s i x

**TW- Mentions of self-harm**

4202 words

september sixteenth- expanding knowledge

~ Addison ~

I had officially been a NEWT student for two weeks. Draco had ended up being in all of my classes, save for Divination and Defence Against the Dark Arts. We sat together, or at the very least near each other, in all of our classes, even Herbology.

That's where Ainsley, Hannah, and I were walking to today. Fawn was sick, so she was in our room. Matt, Justin, and Ernie were still eating, so we decided to venture down to the greenhouses early to hang out and talk.

"So, how are you and Matt doing?" Ainsley asked Hannah.

"We're really good! He's been struggling a bit because his father works for the Ministry, and that's dangerous now given the war, but we've still managed to make everything work so far. How are you and Fred doing?"

"He's great," Ainsley said, a big smile overtaking her face. "It's weird not having him here, but he writes every day. Plus, he already made plans for us for the holidays. It sucks though, not being able to see him."

"You're really strong for being able to keep going through that," Hannah said sweetly. "If I couldn't see Matt for that long, I don't know what I'd do." She turned to me. "How's Draco, Addie?"

I looked at her in shock. 

"You called him Draco."

"Well, you two have been together for what, a year and a half now? I suspect that he's going to continue to stay around for a while, so it's only fair to call him by his actual name," Hannah explained.

"Um, yeah," I said, trying to find my words. Hannah would never understand how much that meant to me. She was the first one of my friends to really accept my relationship, and now she was the first one to actually call him by his name. "He's good, I guess. I mean, as good as you can be, given his situation. He's been busy lately, so I haven't seen much of him."

"Busy with what?" Ainsley probed.

"Well, I don't know exactly what. It's not like I'm rich or pureblooded, so I don't know what his familial obligations are, you know? We talk in class, but we don't do much outside of that."

"That's unfortunate, but I'm sure he's doing fine," Hannah reassured me.

"I'm sure you're right. Where would we be without you, Hannah?" I said.

"Probably dead in a ditch somewhere," Ainsley answered.

"You're probably right, Ains," I added. 

"Don't give me that much credit," Hannah protested.

"Are you kidding me? You literally changed the whole dynamic of our group for the better."

"Addie's right, Hannah. Matt was kind of in a dark place when we were together, but as soon as you two started dating he was his old self again."

I turned to her. "Matt was in a dark place when you two were together?"

"Yeah," Ainsley admitted. "He just wasn't happy and didn't really feel like he belonged here. You changed his world, Hannah. Plus, you're a terrific friend to all of us. You really deserve the world."

"You two are so sweet," she said, her face flushing as we reached the greenhouses. 

Professor Sprout was inside with Neville, at the front of the greenhouse with a beautiful plant.