Wanna Be Saved

- THIRTEEN -

Chapter Thirteen
The Troublemakers

Bronwyn had, for once, been rather happy about not having been the most advanced in her classes, otherwise she was sure the state of their current Defence against the Dark Arts class would infuriate her. But like most of her classes last year, Bronwyn had actually fallen behind in the class, and therefore, if she had to do just reading in the class and no practical she wasn't overly bothered. It would give her longer to catch up and there would be less she would have to perfect before their end of year exams. 

It was a shame this sentiment was not shared by everyone else around her. Rather Bronwyn seemed to be the only one who didn't seem overly bothered by the lack of practical elements to their classwork. The other students seemed appalled, even, that they were not going to be using magic. Something she supposed she could understand, but then again she wasn't sure actually if she could understand really. Because to her, this was a bonus something which also meant there was a less chance for her to embarrass herself or show to everyone else around her just how far behind she had ended up with her studies. 

That was how she had found herself sat in the dingy little pub in Hogsmede surrounded by other students on a Saturday morning. A morning where she wanted nothing more than to be back inside the castle where it was actually warm, where she could feel the heat radiating off the open fireplace. Nothing like the pub where the front door was actively opened and closed to the point where the fireplace was doing little to combat the constant cold draft entering from outside. She wrapped her knitted scarf around herself tighter before moving to wrap her jacket as tight as it could get. Yet neither of these seemed to be working as she watched who she had once considered her best friend pace back and forth in front of the gathered group of children. 

Harry had been practising what he wanted to say to the other students for many hours that morning, and therefore Bronwyn didn't really feel guilty for not exactly listening to what he was saying exactly. She had gathered the general idea of what he wanted to do, decided it was rather a stupid idea but didn't want Hermione going into it alone. For if things went south Bronwyn knew that Harry would be safe, he would probably get out of it scot-free considering his position as the 'boy who lived' but the same thing couldn't be said for her knowledge hungry best friend. 

The only thing she did correctly, in her personal opinion, was start the queue to write her name down on the list of students who intended to attend these so called meetings. Directly under Harry's name knowing that if things did go south like part of her truly believed they would, that hopefully her name could do something to protect the others. It wasn't like she could bribe their way out of anything. Though she did take note of the name of the 'club' at the top of the parchment and questioned when they had decided on a name. And whose bright idea was it to name the club Dumbledore's Army, talk about a stupid name. But there was little time to really think much more about it, for her fingers seemed to be turning blue and she could feel the cold further set in. 

A nimble hand moved to pull her away from the rest of the students and back towards the heat source in the room. The styled curls of her best friend stood before hand and Bronwyn was happy that Hermione too seemed over the whole present thing, neither teenaged girl overly bothered about sitting around and hearing people ask Harry so many questions. They had after all lived through the previous years worth of heroic acts extremely close. He might have been okay talking about some of it but Bronwyn was for sure not and she was beginning to believe that Hermione was not either. Standing closer to the fireplace was all Bronwyn needed in that moment to warm herself up enough to gain the feeling back in her fingers. But she was aware the thing she needed right then was a warm drink. Yet before she could even voice this thought a mug was placed into her hands. 

Hermione had yet to move from her spot and Bronwyn was unsure who had passed her the drink. That was until a hand went to mess up her hair. And another arm wrapped around her shoulders. She knew exactly who the culprits were, the only members of her family who were taller than her. And as she looked at the pair of twins surrounding her she felt a smile draw upon her features. A smile of happiness before she noted just what twin had cosied up to her best friend. 

"What would I do without my heroic older brothers?" Bronwyn questioned giving the boys an unnecessary ego boost but there was just something about Fred or George Weasley that made you unable to really talk down about them. Lucky for some. 

"Freeze to death. What kind of muppet doesn't dress properly this time of year?" George fired back using the hand he had wrapped around her shoulder to give it a squeeze of teasing. 

"Your younger sister clearly." It was Hermione who joined in the taunting and Bronwyn took a moment to wonder if the witch had spent much too time with the family now considering she joked and acted like she had been one of them all along. 

"Not fair, I lost that pair of gloves mum made me last Christmas. She'll kill me if I ask for another pair again this year."

"Ask her to teach you then." Fred suggested like it was easy but Bronwyn felt the immediate horror of learning how to knit from her mother sneak up on her. There was no chance she was going to do that. Talk about the one sure fire way to get her mother to actually wish her harm. They'd never hear from her again. 

"I'd rather take the bollocking for losing them again." Bronwyn shrugged moving to take a sip of her drink feeling the hot lemon and honey soothe her throat as she swallowed. 

"Anything on the agenda for the rest of the day?" Fred questioned the two girls but Bronwyn could tell the question was not aimed at his younger sister. Part of her wanted to be annoyed and a little disgusted that her older brother seemed to have developed a thing for her best friend. Like she knew that Ginny had placed claim on Harry when they were 11. Yet something felt different this time, but she knew if either of them hurt the other she would reign hell. Mainly on her brother.

"You wanted to head to Honeydukes right Winnie?" Hermione questioned and Bronwyn nodded her head in response at first too busy trying to down the warm drink her brothers had provided her with to answer. 

"Yes would you believe it but Zabini was telling me he's never had any of their chocolate mice before?" Bronwyn added onto her physical response.

"Like never?"

"No and it's an absolute crime, I remember forcing you to try one on like the second night of us having met one another. You were all like we have these in the muggle world. Clearly not as good as the Honeydukes ones." Bronwyn found herself rambling a little in response to Hermione and whilst she hadn't noticed her old habit sneaking back in the three others involved in the conversation had done. Leaving the question, whether the old Bronwyn was starting to come back. And if so what had changed to cause her to return. 

And why did they all feel as though it had something to do with Blaise Zabini.