selcouth // h. granger

◤hygge◢

hyg·ge / ˈhʊg ə /
noun
the feeling of coziness and contentment evoked by simple comforts

☠︎~~~☠︎

As the next week went by, Elara found herself straying more towards the Slytherins and a certain trio of Gryffindor seventh years rather than the traditional trio her fathers asked her to keep to.

It wasn't as if she didn't like them. Ron was great, clumsy, but great. Hermione was Hermione, of course, she was great. And Harry... well, Harry was a magnet for negative emotions. But he was also: great.

But the fact that her father wanted Harry to keep an eye on her set her off a bit. Maybe it was just her want to prove to her father that she could take care of herself and know better than to misbehave. But overall, she didn't want things about her getting back to her father through Harry. She didn't know how it would be possible, but it's Harry, he'd find some way.

So, she merely kept to the two groups that she knew well and floated the paper flowers she owed Hermione over to her during class every day. Because wherever Hermione was, Harry was too. And she wanted to avoid Harry knowing anything about her as much as possible because who knew what Harry would 'report back'?

Maybe she was just being paranoid. But she just wanted someone to trust her for once. To trust that she knew things and didn't need to have a watchful eye over her.

"Thank you for your honest opinion," Elara smiled at a Hufflepuff second year after asking his opinion on Puking Pastilles and jotting it down on her clipboard. The boy trotted away like nothing just happened, and Elara sighed, heading back to the table where Fred, George, and Lee were seated.

"He says he'd love to buy them but thought he doesn't like puking." Elara pushed the clipboard toward the three of them, who glanced over the list of names and the things written on them.

"Can't blame him. But, hey, another customer," Fred commented with a winning smile. "Thanks, Ellie."

"Anytime," Elara smiled right back and took a treacle tart off of Fred's plate and taking a bite without hesitation. "How's testing them on first years going?" she asked with a mouthful of tart, so it came out muffled.

"Would be better if Granger hadn't put a momentary pause on it," Lee shrugged, eyes following someone behind Elara. "There she goes now."

Elara looked over her shoulder, and Lee was indeed right as Hermione, Ron, and Harry entered the Great Hall for lunch, Hermione muttering furiously to Ron and Harry slugging behind. "What'd she do?" Elara asked as she turned back around, eyebrows furrowed.

"Threatened to tell Mum," George informed with a momentary horrified look. "That's way below the belt, mate..."

"They were doing fine as well..." Fred trailed, looking disappointed and referring to the first years. "Were waking up all right."

"Have you gotten Granger's opinion on this?" asked Lee thoughtfully. "Bet you anything she actually loves it."

"I haven't gotten any of their trios opinions," Elara answered with a shrug. "Figured they'd already be predetermined."

"I bet you five sickles she secretly loves it," Lee proposed.

"Deal." Elara put out a hand which Lee eagerly took and shook on it, and Elara got up and made her way down the table, clipboard in hand.

Elara strode over to where the trio was sitting and sat down in front of them without a word, just a simple smirk plastered on her face while staring at each of them intently. All three of them looked up and also said nothing, Ron looking the most confused.