Les Misérables | Regulus A. Black [1]

Chapter Fifty-Six

[Chapter Fifty-Six]

If Sirius had anything to say after Éponine finished telling him off, it didn't matter, because she wasn't there to listen. She recieved the good to go from Madam Pomfrey and took her exit from the Hospital Wing with Gian trailing behind her. Since she had ripped Sirius a new arsehole in front of him and James Potter, Gian figured it would be best not to say anything until Éponine addressed him again. And even though she had been positively fuming when she was speaking to Sirius, a smile had developed as soon as she walked out of the Hospital Wing and it did not fade all the way to the Slytherin Common Room.

The Éponine in front of him was no longer the girl that only took to talking to him in hushed whispers when she thought no one was looking. Nor was she the girl that avoided eye contact with her peers as she walked through the corridors. In all her glory, the new Éponine that presented herself was walking tall in the corridors, gladly linking arms with Gian as they walked back to the Common Room together.

And while she had yet to say anything to Gian, he knew that she was no longer talking in hushed tones because he had clearly heard her tell Sirius to "kindly fuck off" before they left the Hospital Wing.

As for Éponine, she was riding the high of cloud nine. All the years of never sticking up for herself, always nodding her head obediently and allowing people to constantly insult her or belittle her, it was over. She had no plans of returning to the old Éponine that took the route of a coward. Yes, she was still fearful of the consequences to come knowing, she had not taken the path of least resistance. But she was doing the right thing, she was doing what she wanted to do, and it felt so good.

The way her lips tickled when she swore at Sirius, she could hear the echoing of her mother and father gasping in shock inside her head and it only made her laugh internally. Her parents never allowed her to use language that wasn't considered "ladylike" and if they had been there as well, she would probably telling them to bite her arse. She was done listening to them, it never got her anywhere good anyways.

Upon entering the Slytherin Common Room, there were several students scattered about lounging around as they tried to enjoy the weekend before classes started up again. Éponine was glad that she didn't see Regulus just yet as she removed her arm from Gian's hold and turned to him.

"I need to go talk to a few of my friends," she said, " but I'll see you at dinner, alright? Well, if that's if you want to sit with me. I understand if you don't... you don't have to forgive me after what I said to you yesterday. I'm not entitled to it just because I'm sorry-"

"Éponine," Gian said, a small grin forming, "you talk too much sometimes."

Within seconds, she found his arms wrapped around her in a hug. A few of their peers looked in their direction, but didn't say anything about the exchange. With a smile of her own, Éponine hugged him in return.

"I do forgive you, but if you ever call me that again, I'm going to solve it the good ol' fashion muggle way," he said.

"What's that?"

"I'm going to punch you in the face."

Her eyes widened initially and even though she was sure that Gian actually meant what he said, she couldn't help but laugh. It was more out of relief that he did forgive her after what she had so stupidly called him. And it filled her with hope that with things running so smoothly, that they would continue to do so.

As she parted from Gian, she watched as he left to his own dorm before she headed towards hers.