Undistinguished (H.P.)

Chapter 10: Meeting the Trio

oOo

Veronica never usually bothered reading the magazine, Witch Weekly. She saw it as merely a gossip column that makes up the daftest of rumours in order to get people to carry on buying and reading it.

However, she couldn't help but be the slightest bit curious about it after she overheard people talking about the latest Rita Skeeter article, which just so happens to be written about students at Hogwarts along with an apparent 'love triangle' that could tear the Tournament apart.

She found herself waiting one day in the Great Hall until Hannah and Susan were done with their lunch and sneakily snatched their copy of Witch Weekly that had been left unattended after the girls left the table. Ernie gave her the strangest look, knowing that Veronica doesn't concern herself with tabloid gossip, but she ignored him and quickly took off, magazine in hand.

It was safe to say Veronica wasn't in the best of moods after reading the article. She was curled up in her dorm after class, with the magazine discarded to the floor, her mind wandering trying to figure out the truth.

Of course, there was a high possibility that what Rita Skeeter wrote about Hermione and Harry's relationship was not true, as Hermione went with Viktor to the ball and Harry wanted to invite Cho, but Veronica just wasn't close enough to the group of Gryffindors to know what was actually going on.

Her irrational mind was spinning, thinking back to all the times she thought she was having a moment with the Boy Who Lived, and how on numerous occasions he was on his way to Hermione, or how the muggleborn had angrily interrupted them at the Yule Ball.

She tried to shake these thoughts to the back of her mind, it was a struggle but she came to the conclusion that it was none of her business. These feelings that kept appearing when Harry was around confused her as she'd never felt butterflies around a boy her age before, and it scared her.

oOo

Hogsmeade that weekend was quiet, and Veronica was once again resting on a small wooden bench on a narrow side road off of the main street. Except it felt different this time, as the peaceful and withdrawn path that usually comforted her actually just made her quite bored, her eyelids drooping every few minutes.

Ernie had gotten himself in trouble with McGonagall as he'd forgotten to do some homework and so Veronica couldn't even hang out with him this weekend. It was times like these that made her feel the most alone when she was surrounded by giggling teenagers in big groups and had no one to talk to herself. She envied the people who could just walk up to someone and make friends, knowing she could never do that - with the fear of being rejected or ignored too high of a risk.

Veronica heaved herself off of the bench with a deep exhale and started heading back to the castle early to take a well needed nap, as she was lacking in sleep and there was nothing else keeping her entertained nor awake in the small village.

As she climbed into one of the carriages she had unknowingly avoided bumping into the three Gryffindors who were following a large raggedy black dog into the forest and up into the mountains.

oOo

Being placed in Hufflepuff could be seen as a blessing or a curse, as although they were sometimes taken for granted and ridiculed by the other houses, there were often small perks that others may not know about. One of these perks being access to the kitchens, which were hidden behind a large painting of fruits tucked away at the end of the corridor, where the Hufflepuff common room also happens to be located.

Of course, all students were technically forbidden from the kitchens, but Hufflepuffs could usually sneak away from their dorm at any time during the day or night and make it to the kitchens without being caught by roaming prefects, or Filch.

That's where Veronica was heading this evening, her stomach grumbling to her after she missed dinner from being too caught up in her homework and letting the time get away from her. She didn't mind visiting the kitchens as the house-elves were extremely kind and happy to help her get whatever she wanted.

However, this didn't seem to be the case as when she tickled the pear and twisted it once it'd turned into a doorknob, a screeching and sniffling echoed around the room.

She poked her head in and noticed a house elf that she'd never seen before, hunched over a stool by the fireplace, surrounded by empty bottles of butterbeer.

The elves in the kitchen were mostly ignoring the crying elf and once they noticed Veronica, started hurrying towards her with happy grins and she heard various greetings. This caught the attention of Harry, Hermione and Ron who were gathered next to the fireplace. The girl comforting the distressed elf and the boys conversing with Dobby, a friendly elf who Veronica had met previously.

"Miss Green!" exclaimed Dobby, who saw her after he followed the eyes of the wizards he was talking to. "Oh, hello Dobby, how have you been?" she responded politely, avoiding eye contact with the Golden Trio. Dobby then begins to excitedly show her the new socks Harry had just gifted him as the boy in question continues to stare at Veronica.

"Wow they're very nice Dobby! May I ask what's wrong?" she gestures to the drunk, sniffling elf which makes Hermione perk up interestedly and explain to the girl that Winky, the crying elf, has been freed from her master, Mr Crouch.

"Oh dear, how awful", Veronica says, looking at Winky with pitiful eyes as the elf started hysterically crying again after Hermione brought up the obviously still sour trigger.

This seemed to be the wrong thing to say as the bushy haired girl faced Veronica with fiery eyes as she exclaimed "No it's not! Winky is now free of repression and being forced to work unpaid hours shouldn't be allowed! House elves have feelings too!".

"B-But... House elves want to work like that, d-don't they? They're not being forced into a-anything." She responded, slightly scared by the passion in Hermione's voice.

Veronica looked at the other boys with confusion in her eyes, finally connecting with Harry and as they made eye contact she felt her heart flutter as butterflies appeared in her stomach as she remembered who she was with.

Ron dramatically turned and looked at Hermione with victory in his eyes, as if they'd had this conversation many times before, which Veronica didn't doubt by the frustration apparent in Hermione's eyes as she folded her arms and silently glared at the ginger, not saying anything in response.

During this whole exchanged, Harry had yet to take his eyes off of the Hufflepuff and she could sense it, so she gave him a polite smile before turning and leaving the room, not being able to face the awkward silence after Hermione gave her and Ron a dirty look, not feeling very hungry anymore.

"What's her name?" Harry questioned, breaking the silence, looking at his friends still glaring at each other. "Veronica Green, Hufflepuff. She's in my Arithmancy class" said Hermione.

The Golden Trio didn't stop to ponder what the girl was doing in the Kitchens and went back to their previous conversation about Crouch, before also retiring to their common room.

All the while, Harry couldn't get his mind off of Veronica Green.

oOo