Rise of the Death Eaters [3]

Chapter 22: A Heart to Heart

Hermione slowed her walk as she neared Sam and I causing Ginny and Ella to do the same. The three of them looked less than happy, but Hermione in particular had a spark in her gaze that said I was in trouble.

"Can we talk?" She asked in a clipped tone that sounded less like a request and more of a demand.

"Sure," I said with a glance to Sam who seemed to feel just as bombarded with this change in events as I was.

"This classroom look's empty," Ginny said, nodding to an opened door behind us. I followed Hermione through the door and heard Ella close it behind us, with Ginny and Sam rounding out the group. Two ghosts in 18th century flocks looked up at our entrance and, sensing the tension, dropped their preverbal books and disappeared through the wall.

"Alright let's hear it," I said, breaking the building silence. Ginny, who had sat down on a desk was the first to speak.

"Is it true?"

"Yes," I said back bluntly, "to an extent." Ginny looked away with a sigh while Ella returned to the group and sat next to Ginny. Hermione remained standing to watch until now.

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Why do you think?" I responded. "I know you guys would act like this and to be completely honest I didn't think this thing with him would go on as long as it did."

Hermione caught on to meaning of my last words with interest, and took a step toward me unconsciously.

"Did? Does this mean you two are done?" Ginny and Ella looked up to me while Sam remained calmly by my side, listening.

"I- I don't know," I said back honestly. "This is the problem, I know you guys don't like him and I'm aware how it looks but-"

"But what Ava?" Ella cut me off, looking deeply concerned. "This isn't a hard choice to make. Draco Malfoy is not a good guy. He is literal rubbish and you know that. You've seen what's he like to the others. Even to us. Like think back to what he's said to just Hermione!" I didn't have the heart to glance at Hermione who had remained silent through this.
Hermione cleared her throat before asking the question that I supposed was her real intention of coming here.

"Did you tell him about the meeting in Hogsmead?" I shot up to her in outrage at the audacity to think I would be so stupid but it was Sam who surprised us all by answering.

"You better take that back Hermione Granger. You should know better than that to think Ava would do anything of the sort."

"Fresh of you to say that Sam," Ginny said back in a cool tone. "You don't seem to be the least bit surprised about Ava and Malfoy. I suppose you knew?"

"Of course I did," Sam defended. "I do share a common room with the pair. You'd have to be a dimwit to not notice the signs, even outside Slytherin."

"You should have told us," Ella said, but turning more so to me in earnest. "Now there's almost no way for us to host this club with Umbridge sniffing around. She obviously got a tip off-"

"Why would I tip her off when I was the one to help Hermione come up with the idea of this club in the first place?" I said to the lot. "It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe not on purpose," Hermione began, "but if you had unintentionally told Malfoy or if he followed you-"

My heart dropped at the idea. Draco following me after I told him off was something I could see happening. In the end, for all I knew, it was possible that I was the cause of this order from Umbridge.

"What bullshit." Sam snapped, breaking me from my thoughts as she glared at all of them. The other three started at the rashness of Sam's words. Even I questioned what had gotten into her.