The Girl who Survived (Fred Weasley)

CH 49. Leftfield Conversations

~Elodie's POV~

​I hadn't been too focused lately. So, while I'd heard Ginny say that everyone would be gathering in the great hall to study, I decided to go to the Library. Both to retrieve the book Snape suggested, and to get some time away. I couldn't face George yet, not after yelling at him in front of everyone. Not after feeling genuine anger on top of my amplified rage. Nor could I face Fred's constant need to talk about something more. Part of me hated who I was becoming, even if it was just a coping mechanism.

​Not many people from Hufflepuff or Gryffindor studied here at this hour. It was primarily taken by Slytherin students with a few Ravenclaws scattered around. The word around the school was that I had gone completely unhinged since last term. Half of them were too stuck up to talk to me, the rest had the good sense to leave me alone.

​​That didn't stop the whispers. Every now and then I would hear my name, or Harry's, worst of all was Cedric's which was still a trigger for me. I chose not to give it too much attention. Keeping in mind that both Dumbledore and McGonagall said I should just keep my head down. Normally I wouldn't but keeping quiet seemed like a better option than snapping all the time. I had a table to myself until a first-year student began setting his belongings down at my table but was quickly corrected when Adrian Pucey put his hands on his shoulders.

​​ "Hey Nathanial, let's take a seat over here yeah?" He told him as he pointed him towards a table with other first and second years.

​​ "Sorry miss," the little boy told me.

​I gave him a nice smile which also reached Adrian, but I didn't say anything. I'd never really spoken to Adrian other than having classes with him since last year. I knew he was one of the nicer Slytherins, but it was still a bit baffling he would do something like that. I turned back to my notes disregarding the thought. ​It didn't bother me that this interaction had just happened. It bothered me that the old me would have hated it. Normally I wouldn't mind if the little boy had taken a seat with me. Then again normally I would be with my friends instead of off on my own.

​I flipped through the pages of the restricted book jotting down a few names and notes that I thought may be useful. ​I hadn't noticed how hard I had been pressing on my quill, until I felt it snap underneath my hand mid-sentence.

​​ "Shit," I said. Louder than I had intended, as I was met by all the surrounding eyes, even the children. I went into my bag to see if I could find a spare quill but was coming up short. I felt the annoyance building up inside me quickly turning into frustration and anger. My emotions were still so heightened it was absolutely annoying. I looked up to the ceiling and let out a breath of air trying to bring myself back to earth.

​​ "Miss?" I heard a soft voice say. I looked over to see the same little boy from only moments ago. "You can use mine. I have a spare," He told me and handed me a quill similar to the one I had just snapped.

​​I took it from him and leaned forward to give him a smile. "Thank you, Nathaniel. And you can call me El. It's short for Elodie." I told him softly.

​​He walked back to his table and got to his own work. His subtle act of kindness was enough for today. I remembered how Dumbledore had told me to count moments of kindness on days like today, and all I needed was one today. This would be it. It would be enough.

​​ "That was kind of him," I looked up to see Draco standing across from me on the other side of the table. He began putting his belongings down and opened up his book as if he were going to join me.