LIFELINE | 𝙋𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙮 𝙒𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙡𝙚𝙮

▪︎ 05.

It was Charms class. Making sure to take the farthest seat from Percy, Eliza beckoned Claire, James, and Rehan to sit around her.

It was a pleasant class. It was with the Ravenclaws, and Gryffindor never had enmity with them.

"I feel sick. She's right here Rehan, what do I do?" James asked, pulling on Rehan's sleeves.

"Who?" Claire asked.

"The person named, none of your business." James deadpanned.

Eliza struggled to contain her laugh as Claire glared at both her and James.

"Deal with it, James. After all, you decided to break up with her last night." Rehan said.

"That's where you went? To break up with your girlfriend?" Claire questioned.

James narrowed his eyes. "How would you know whether I went anywhere or not."

Claire looked away, "Uh – Eliza told me." She covered.

Suddenly, the door opened. James, who was about to say something to Eliza, stopped, and so did that whole class. Including Professor Flitwick.

Professor McGonagall stuck her head in.

"Excuse me, Professor Flictwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?" She asked.

Oliver stared, bewildered. Professor Flitwick beamed and nodded, and Oliver went towards the door, Percy whispering something to him.

"Best of luck, Oliver." James said, giving a thumbs up and grinning.

"Oh shut up, Jameson." Oliver said but looked nervous nevertheless.

"Must be Quidditch." Rehan said as the door shut and the class going back to its noisy state.

"Always the one to have the best guesses, isn't it Rehan?" Eliza teased.

Shrugging, Rehan replied. "Can't help but be smart. It's in my blood."

All three of them rolled their eyes.

***

"There's a new seeker in the Gryffindor team. Dunno who, but that's what Oliver said after an hour of bugging him." James told, taking a seat opposite of Eliza and Claire, beside Rehan during dinner.

"Is he any good?" Claire asked.

"I have no idea. Oliver looked like he was going to send me to the moon on his broom, and that's saying something cause he treats his broom like his wife." James said.

Eliza filled her plate with a variety of food.

Within a few minutes, the conversation went deep, Rehan and Eliza adding here and there. Because of a lack of conversation, Eliza found her plate empty quickly, unable to eat anymore.

"I'm heading towards the library. I need to get yesterday's homework done." Eliza said, exiting the table.

Rehan waved her bye as she left. Walking around towards the library and gathering her books, she entered the silent room, grateful for the fact that it wasn't packed.

Walking in as quietly as possible, Eliza strode and dumped her books on one the far end of the table. She didn't pick the table that was immediate, but picked the one after two to three tables. She didn't take her seat right away.

Wordlessly, Eliza walked to the other side of the shelf, obscuring her view of her seat. Selecting the book she needed; which had taken her a good five minutes to locate, she walked back, only to stop in her tracks.

If Eliza took a seat in the far end of the table, Percy Weasley took a seat in the other far end. Before he could look up at her, she pretended to ignore him and walked back to her place.

Why should she leave? She was here first. And with that thought, she sat on her chair, careful not to scrape the floor.

There was a lazy atmosphere. It was hanging above their heads, ready to rain down on them. Yet, Eliza worked on her homework, determined to finish it.

Tucking her brunette hair back, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Percy's eyes on her. On reflex, looking up, his head was down on his books.

Eliza frowned. She must've imagined it.

When she turned back to her books, however, that nagging sensation of someone looking her hit her.

Eliza shifted in her seat. A brief glance at the ginger, and it was confirmed that her was indeed looking at her. Now, that was odd. That was Percy Weasley. He was too invested into studies and books to ever bother looking at anyone.

When she looked back up, Percy retreated to pretend reading.

This went on for about five minutes. Eliza couldn't figure out a good reason why he was stealing glances. As far she knew, the boy whom she'd met when they were eleven was anything but a lovesick fool. He was not the kind to have a crush, and Eliza was sure as hell, a simple regular conversation didn't start feelings. Percy was ambitious, not a lover.

Unable to take it anymore, Eliza set her quill down. Immediately, the scratching of another quill resumed, but it wasn't hers.

Standing up and making her way to where Percy had settled, she folded her arms.

Instinctively, Percy looked up. He didn't mean to. It would instigate conversation, but when Eliza had reached him, he looked up at her.

"What do you want, Percy?" Eliza asked, whispering.

"What do I want?" Percy questioned, playing the role of an idiot. He wasn't very good at it.

Eliza rolled her eyes. "Stop being dumb. You know exactly what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't." Percy insisted.

"Do I have to drag you out of the library and demand, or will you start talking?" Eliza said.

Percy gulped. He wanted to apologize for the other night, but then his pride started thinking, 'You're a Prefect, she can't talk to you like that.'

"Nothing, I just wanted to inform you that I haven't informed Professor McGonagall about yours and Calliope's adventures." Percy said, listening to his pride.

"Oh great favor, you have done us." Eliza said sarcastically.

"It's a warning, Alexandera." Percy said, sending a ripple of irritation through Eliza. She disliked the name Alexandera, and she didn't like it when people used that part of her name. "I might not be as lenient the next time."

"Don't call me Alexandera," Eliza snapped. "And you won't be able to catch me the next time I decide to take a stroll after hours."

"That's not what I—" Percy started.

"What is this disturbance!? This a library! Not a gossip room!" Madame Pince yelled. "Out! Out of here, the both of you!"

Hurriedly, Eliza packed her things, and so did Percy. Pince was yelling at them the entire time they packed, and within seconds, they ran out of the library, Pince, behind them.

Huffing, Eliza came outside and slowed her pace. She looked at Percy, who just looked flabbergasted.

Her irritation evaporated because of the hullabaloo. Eliza smirked.

"Was that your first time getting kicked out of the library?" Eliza asked.

Percy's cheeks reddened. "I – It's – yes." He admitted.

Eliza grinned and went forward to pat his back, "Welcome to the club." She said, enjoying Percy's expression.

"It's not nice!" Percy said with a scandalized expression, and Eliza laughed. "It's not funny!"

Between her laughter, Eliza spoke, "It kind of is."