Chapter Text
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Afternoons are best enjoyed when you are not sprawled across the floor.
Not like Becky had much choice, however.
A group of fellow Slytherins a year above her had tripped her as she walked by, causing her to fall and drop her books. Thankfully, her loose parchment sheets and quills and other stuff were tucked away into her leather satchel.
The dull thuds of her body and her books resound through the empty corridor as the older students laugh and high-five each other.
“Filthy little Mudblood! You’re a disgrace to our house!” A haughty second-year glares down his nose at her.
Another second-year nods and crosses her arms. “Go back to the Muggle world, you don’t belong here!”
“Hey!”
The laughing stops as all eyes turn to the extremely irate Hufflepuff stalking towards them. Wand clenched in her left hand, hazel eyes burning with anger, she speaks through clenched teeth. “You have five seconds to run before I Jinx you.”
She doesn’t need to say it twice. The Slytherins scatter like rabbits. When the last of the bullies are gone, she turns her attention to Becky.
The other girl silently helps Becky collect her books and checks her stockings for holes. She brushes the dust off her skirt and robe. “Are you all right?”
Becky nods silently. “Th-thank you.”
“Is your wand broken?”
“Nope.” Her voice shakes, but she’s quick to quell the quivering. Becky is still intimidated by the older girl and doesn’t want to piss her off. Her guard is up from the encounter with the Slytherins—but as she looks up from her bag, she finds herself grinning.
The Hufflepuff is smiling, eyes glimmering. It’s disarming and sweet. “My name is Freen, and I’m a second-year. What’s your name?”
“Rebecca. But you can call me Becky. I’m just a first-year.” She chuckles nervously and looks down at her shoes. “Thank you for saving me. They’ve been annoying me all week.”
Freen nods. “It’s no problem, don’t mention it. Where are you headed, Becky?” She falls into step beside the young Slytherin.
Becky shrugs, picking at a ball of lint on her robe. “I just got out of class, so probably lunch. How ‘bout you?”
“I was heading to lunch as well. Do you want to eat with me?”
“Really? You’d let me do that?” She doesn’t mean to sound so excited, but this is the first time anyone has been remotely nice to her. Having a Muggle father was a source of much hate from the students in her year.
Freen throws back her head and laughs kindly. “Of course! I could use a lunch buddy.”
“You don’t have friends to eat with?” Surely someone as nice as Freen would have a group already. Why would she choose to eat with a younger student from a different house, voluntarily?
The other girl’s face falls. “Not really.”
Uh-oh. She didn’t mean to make her sad. In an effort to distract, Becky gazes at the older Hufflepuff dreamily. “You’re my hero.”
To her relief, it works. She sees a crooked grin fall on the other girl’s lips as she ducks her head. Then, she snorts and bats her eyelashes. “Go on, compliment me more.”
“You’re my knight in shining armor! I owe you a million! I’ll do anything for you. I’ll even be your best friend forever!” Leaning against the taller girl’s side, she lays the flattery on thick. She’s had lots of practice.
Freen ducks her head as her cheeks grow pink. “Careful what you promise, Becky. I just might take you up on that offer.” Pulling out a pocketwatch, she pops open the lid and checks the time. “Come on, we don’t want to miss the lunch spread.”
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