Cherry Red - George Weasley

15 - Amycus Carrow

Autumn Carrow sat beside Pansy Parkinson in the booth they always sat in at the three broomsticks. Draco, Lorenzo and Blaise sitting across while Daphne sat to Pansy's right.

Autumn continued to stir her drink with the straw, staring absentmindedly down at the frothy liquid.

The other five in the group continued their bickering and arguing about the next quidditch game that was coming up.

Slytherin vs Hufflepuff.

It was an easy win, Pansy and Daphne simply enjoyed to pretend otherwise, to torment the boys before them, it was always easy to do so. Especially when it came to Malfoy. Malfoy who sat directly across started to notice Autumns silent demeanour.

A kick to the side of her calf pulled her from her daydreaming.

Malfoy giving her a subtle nod, ensuring she had been okay, he already knew what was on her mind, or partly at least.

He hadn't known that kissing a Weasley plagued her.

Only the meeting with her father she would have later on in the day.

She sat here awaiting one of his wizards attendance to collect her, she would meet with him later and return to Hogwarts through the night when no one could bother her.

He demanded these meetings every few months.

She gave Draco a rather sad looking smile before finishing off the contents of her butter beer.

"Anyone else need another?" She lifted the cup lightly to give it a wave, watching as everyone one by one either shook their heads or said no.

A curt nod was given before she wandered up to the bar area awaiting being served. She saw someone else stand beside her, feeling the awkwardness radiate from him before even looking his way.

Ronald Weasley.

His face covered in a mix of intrigue and disgust while she felt his eyes bore into her head.

"Can I help you?" She spoke first, turning her head after to find him shuffling to move his head, "do I have something on my face?" She questioned again.

"I don't know what you're talking about" the red haired boy shrugged looking at her awkwardly.

She let out a brief sigh, "alright let me ask, what have I done to you Ronald?" She watched his face turn from concerned to confused, "why do you look at me the way you do? Is it because I'm a Slytherin?" She questioned further watching as he vigorously shook his head, "you know, you Gryffindors act so very noble and kind, yet you out of all the houses, show the most hatred to those who are sorted into a specific house by a hat" her words actually had him thinking, "that to me does not show nobility, it only shows prejudice" she let out a huff, "and us Slytherin's are the only bad ones"

Ron stood taller, "well, I know majority of Slytherin's are not good people" he confirmed by continuing, "the dark Lord was a Slytherin"

She let out a laugh, "and Peter Pettigrew, he was a Gryffindor was he not?" She pushed back hearing the loud swallow from the boy before her, "a Gryffindor who betrayed your best friends parents" she paused raising a finger to her chin, "in fact, it was you who carried him about for months, years even allowing him free access to roam Hogwarts"

"I didn't know my rat was a human!"

"No, you didn't, and thus I don't blame you for helping Lord Voldemort" the boldness of her using his name catching Ron and everyone near off guard, "so why Ronald, do you blame me simply because of the house I was sorted into?"