wanderlust ☆ n.longbottom

.:08:.

Because of her detention with Umbridge's substitute, Flitwick, and her rendezvous with Dean, Daisy hadn't seen Neville for the rest of the evening. He tried to not let it bother him, repressing the thoughts of her and Dean together. He hated thinking about Dean seeing parts of her that were still a stranger to him, despite their five years of inseparable friendship. He tossed and turned in his bed until he fell into a light sleep. The sound of Dean shuffling into his dorm woke him up. A warm glow peaked through the crimson curtains, informing Neville that Dean had been gone all night. He buried his head underneath his pillow to block out the whispers from Dean as he provided a detailed synopsis of his evening to Seamus. How much longer could he take this? How long was it before he cracked and his secret just came tumbling out?

Meanwhile, Daisy was strolling through the castle. She decided it would be best not to return to her dorm; she couldn't cope with an interrogation from Hermione about her whereabouts that evening. She retreated into the girl's bathroom, the one place she knew Filch wouldn't find her. The clatter of the door opening shattered the silence but Daisy was shocked to learn that wasn't the only noise disturbing the serenity. One cubicle was wedged shut, the delicate sound of sniffling seeped out. Daisy stuffed herself in the cubicle next to the crier. She would finish her business and then depart, she would hate to intrude on someone who wanted to be alone. To her surprise, the sniffs only increased in volume until an extreme wail had erupted. Daisy sighed and forced herself to speak.

"Are you okay?" she asked awkwardly.

"Yeah I'm fine," hiccuped the voice.

"Good." Daisy unlocked her cubicle and went to wash her hands.

"Actually, I'm not okay!" wailed the girl, startling Daisy.

The Gryffindor rolled her eyes. "Umm...okay? What's the matter?" She had never been very good at empathy or giving advice. It made her feel uncomfortable, like she was intruding even if the distressed peer wanted her there. Usually, she would just hand the problem over to Neville to deal with. He always knew what to say. But Neville wasn't here. She knew what it was like to feel alone so she inhaled deeply in attempt to repress her discomfort.

"If I tell you, you have to promise not to tell anyone else!" The girl shouted back.

"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye," replied Daisy, thinking it was rather peculiar how this stranger was trusting Daisy with keeping a promise. It was even more peculiar when the door swung open, revealing someone who wasn't a stranger. It was Velma. Clumps of thick mascara dribbled down her face, joined by a gross conoxion of snot and tears. The two girls stared at each other for a while, neither sure what to say.

"Please don't stick a needle in your eye that's kind of disgusting. And I'm scared of needles," sobbed Velma, breaking the silence first.

"It's a figure of speech," sneered Daisy, before remembering that she was supposed to be helping her. She altered her tone, making it sound as warm as possible. "I can go if you like? I could go and find one of your friends?"

"No!" bellowed Velma. "Please don't tell them; they can't know!"

"Why not? Friends are supposed to help you when you're sad. They will be much better than me, anyway."

Without warning, Velma flung herself fiercly around Daisy and pulled the alarmed girl into a hug. Velma cried into Daisy's robes, snot trickling onto her shoulder. Daisy pushed her away immediately and began wiping away the Slytherin's reminence.

"They can't know about this. They will judge me forever!"

"Wait, didn't the blonde one literally murder Cedric last year? They have no right to be judging anyone-"

"It was an accident. She never meant to actually kill him."

"Well, either way, whatever you're crying about can't be any worse than that."

"Oh but it is!" declared Velma. Somehow her crying managed to increase in velocity.

"Have you murdered someone?" Daisy pressed, gasping. Her hazel eyes flushed with intrigue. Had this been another one of Veronica's malicious schemes gone wrong? "Have you killed Vivienne and Veronica and that's why you can't go to them for help?"

Velma shook her flurry of black curls. "No, no I would have no friends if I murdered them. I need them to stay popular."

"Right." Daisy nodded slowly, trying to fathom Velma's priorities. "So then, what's got your knickers in such a twist?"

"My knickers aren't twisted?"

"Another figure of speech. I'm asking you to tell me what's wrong."

"Okay...I'm only trusting you because if you say anything I will find you and I will kill you!"

"Oh don't you worry, with your friend's track record I believe you!" Daisy, sensing she would be here for some time, hoisted herself up onto a sink and perched herself on the edge.

"The thing is...I think...well, I know...that, well."

"Oh for God's sake, Velma, spit it out!"

"It all started when I accidentally, on purpose, kissed Pansy. And then I realised I liked it. Really liked it. I liked it a whole lot better than kissing boys."

"So, you're saying you prefer women?"

"I'm a disgrace!"

"You like vagina, what's the big issue?"

"Veronica would disown me if she found out, which is why she can never find out!"

"She's not much of a friend if she's willing to drop you based off who you fancy."

"That's just how it is. If it wasn't her judging me for it, it would be someone else. You don't know how lucky you are, being a freak."

"Erm, thanks?"

"What I mean is, that people expect you to come out with something weird like that."

"Being gay isn't weird, Velma. In fact, it couldn't be more normal if it tried."

"So then why does it feel so wrong?"

"Because that's what you've been conditioned to believe. It will take sometime to accept yourself. There's no rush to tell people, just whenever you feel ready."

"Tell people? I'm never going to tell anyone. Apart from you, but you don't really count as a someone. I'm going to get another boyfriend like everyone else and keep this a secret."

"But then you will never ever be happy!"

"Popular, pretty girls are never happy."

Daisy sunk back into the sink, resting her back against the cracked mirror. She tossed Velma's previous, unpredictable statement around in her mind for a bit, trying to decipher its meaning.

"Anyway, I best get going before Veronica wakes up. I can't be late for her morning foot rub."

"You rub her feet?" Daisy screwed her face up in disgust.

"Of course. So, I'm going now. Please don't try to kiss me."

"I wasn't going to!" Daisy spluttered.

"I know I'm really pretty so you may think it's acceptable to kiss me because we've had this conversation. But it isn't. You're still disgusting."

"Believe me, you're anything but my type. I usually go for people with more than one braincell."