Good Enough | hp

31| Accepted Apologies

It was an almost silent walk to the Hospital Wing, punctuated only with the dazed mutterings of Lockhart and the quiet pitter-patter of their footsteps against the stone floor. 

Estella and Ron trailed a little behind Lockhart, calling out the directions whenever they approached a fork in the road. They had tried leading but found that this newly memory-less Lockhart tended to trail off and meander in the total opposite direction. 

This way, they could keep an eye on him and it gave Estella a sliver of comfort; feeling his eyes on the back of her head was unnerving and his complete lack of recognition of her was daunting.

Still, Lockhart had gotten what he'd deserved, and Estella wasn't going to spare any more sympathy for this fraud of a man who had almost cost them their memories.

As they crossed a window with a clear view of the dark sky with its shimmering stars, Ron called out to her.

She turned, instinctively checking to make sure that Lockhart was still heading in the right direction.

"Hm?" she blinked, trying to gauge his expression in the dimly lit corridor. 

"Listen, Stella," he swallowed, looking nervous. He fiddled with his fingers for a bit and adjusted the sleeve of his robe.

"Yes?" Estella prompted, confused and slightly impatient. She was eager to get to Hermione and didn't want to sacrifice her speed for simple pleasantries.

"I-" he breathed in and then spoke in a kind of rush. "I'm sorry for suspecting you and, you know, ignoring you. It was wrong and I see that now- you were only trying to help and I didn't try to listen to you or consider that I might be wrong." He stopped and looked at her, eyes wide with the tiniest hint of hope. "I'm not asking you to forgive me- at least not right away but I promise I'll try and-"

"Ron." She placed a hand on his shoulder to stop him and he paused mid-sentence. "It's okay."

He stared at her with shock and disbelief and something close to reverence swirling in his blue eyes.

Perhaps if it had gone on longer, if she had not just experienced a life-threatening encounter with a young You-Know-Who, if she wasn't buzzing with the excitement and elation of seeing her sister again and well, she would not have found it in her heart to forgive him.

As it so happens, all three of those things had happened and more, and presently she was too tired from her adventure and tired of being upset that the sincerity of his apology caused a small smile to spread across her face.

He opened his mouth to say more but she stopped him.

"Ron, it's alright," she assured him again. "I know you were just worried and concerned and I was too. Let's not argue or dwell on this anymore. Although," she added, her smile turning a little wry, "next time you suspect me, I would prefer it if you talked to me first." 

Ron nodded frantically. "I will."

Estella laughed and nodded her head towards the doors ahead as her footsteps slowed. "We're here."

Lockhart had reached the doors and was already pulling them open.

As light spilt from the long room into the corridor, a very cross and anxious Madam Pomfrey appeared in the doorway.

"Oh, what is it? I've got patients to treat and parents to deal with and- oh," her mouth formed an almost comical 'O' as she stared at Estella, Ron and Lockhart. 

"Hi Madam Pomfrey," Estella greeted with a sheepish smile, rubbing the back of her neck. She didn't want to give the Matron any more stress for the night, but Dumbledore had sent them down here and she was not about to disobey the Headmaster of their school.