Forgotten Girl

Gossip Girls and Cute Couples

"Did you hear Chang broke up with Diggory?" Jemma asked, flipping through a magazine. Summer had come to Hogwarts, and the Slytherin girls had claimed a shady spot beneath a tree. Lilli was doodling again, not paying much attention to anything.

"Where'd you hear that?" Nymphea asked, looking up from her homework. Jemma was quite the gossip girl, and if she didn't know something, it wasn't really worth knowing. Lilli didn't think other people's lives were any of her business, but she stayed quiet.

"Everyone's talking about it. Apparently, they're still friends, but Diggory has his eyes on someone else." Jemma shrugged, "Nobody knows who though."

Lilli caught sight of Winna sitting down by the water, looking out at the Durmstrang boat. "I'm going to go, guys. I'll see you back at the dorms?" The others nodded, continuing to gossip.

She joined Winna, who smiled at her friend, "What have you been drawing?"

"I'm not sure, actually," Lilli looked down at her sketch pad, and a chill went through her. Even in black and white, she would know those eyes anywhere, "Oh."

"What is that?" 

"The Basilisk. It's what I saw right before I... got petrified." Winna rested a hand on her shoulder, flipping the page so she couldn't see it anymore.

"Have you talked to Thia about that?" Lilli shook her head, beginning to doodle again.

"It feels weird talking to her about myself. When we do, it's not like talking to Aunt Thia, it's talking to Healer Simmons."

"I think you should anyway," Winna said, leaning back in the grass, "It might help."

Lilli was saved from responding by someone yelling, "Winter Genevieve Adams!" She laughed when Winna practically jumped out of her skin, glaring at Cedric Diggory. He just grinned, plunking down beside them as another girl settled next to Lilli.

"Ced, don't scare me like that!" Winna slapped his arm, huffing. Cedric just laughed.

"Ah, come on, Wins! Don't hurt the Champion!"

The girl beside Lilli rolled her eyes, "Champion of being an overdramatic twat, maybe." Cedric glared at her.

"What was that, Carroll of the Belle? Hmm? Were you poking fun at me?" 

Belle Carroll smiled sweetly, "Now, Ced, would I ever do that?"

"Yes," Winna and Cedric answered in unison. Belle stuck her tongue out at them.

"Oh, yeah. Guys, this is Lilli. Lils, this is Cedric and Belle." Lilli looked up from her sketchpad, nodding to the two upperclassmen. Belle leaned against her shoulder, looking over her drawing.

"That's beautiful!" Cedric was leaning over too, and Lilli flushed. She wasn't used to showing her friends her art, let alone strangers.

"Is it a real place?" Belle asked. Lilli glanced down, looking at what she had drawn. Apparently, her brain had kept with the Petrification Period of her life.

"I'm not sure," she said, running her fingers over the pencil marks, "I was one of the Petrified, during my first year. This is what I saw during those months."

It was the garden, with its rows of forget-me-nots and mourning glories and adonis. She felt silly, almost, as she looked over it again. Like she was focusing too much on something that was over and done with.

"It's gorgeous, Lilli." Belle squeezed her shoulder gently, a kind smile on her face. Lilli caught sight of Cedric watching Belle with a sort of mushy expression. She rolled her eyes internally. Yet another couple who wouldn't admit it.

She flipped her sketchbook closed, "Thanks."

~

Winna and Lilli walked down the path to Hogsmeade, laughing at the antics of the Weasley twins. That morning, they had managed to float every set of dishes in the Great Hall, making people try to jump for their food. Of course, Professor McGonagall had stopped that right quick, but it was still entertaining.

"I noticed you didn't have to jump," Lilli teased, elbowing her friend. Winna turned pink.

"Hush." 

"And you're awfully dressy for a Hogsmeade trip," she laughed as Winna's blush deepened to match the strawberries on her dress, "Got something to tell me, Wins? Maybe something to do with a certain Fred Weasley?"

"Yeah, Wins?" Talk of the devil, and he doth appear, Lilli grinned to herself as the Weasley twins arrived. Fred wrapped an arm around Winna's waist, giving her puppy eyes, "You said you were okay with telling people. That still true?"

"Yes," Winna laughed as he brightened, "Fred and I are dating now, Lilli."

"I gathered," she smiled at her friend, "Congratulations."

Fred tugged Winna to a stop outside of the Three Broomsticks. Cupping her face, he kissed her. Lilli wrinkled her nose as passerby cheered.

"Yeah, no. I'm not third-wheeling. I'll see you back at the dorm, Winna!" Lilli set off for Honeydukes.

"Hey, wait up!" George followed after her, catching up in three steps, "Mind if I join you?"

Lilli shrugged, "So long as you don't mind hanging out with a Slytherin."

George rolled his eyes, "I only buy into that house rivalry rubbish during quidditch or house cup. Anyone else who does is stupid."

She laughed, "That I can agree with." George grinned at the younger redhead.

"See? Not that different after all." He held open the Honeydukes door for her, "After you, milady."

Lilli glanced at him, raising an eyebrow, "You don't know my name, do you?"

"I... well..." George rubbed the back of his neck, "No."

"It's Elliana. Ellie or Lilli for short." He made a show of shaking her hand, and she rolled her eyes. Poor Winna, she thought wryly, She's resigned herself to this.

"You know, I feel like I know you," he remarked as they walked through the aisles of candy, "Can't really imagine why."

"The hair probably," Lilli said, loading her arms with chocolate (her stash was running out), "Half the people at Hogwarts thought I was a Weasley when they first met me."

"I suppose."