EIGHT | PREJUDICE

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( EIGHT | PREJUDICE )

( EIGHT | PREJUDICE )

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• • •

"I DON'T LIKE them." Colin stated plainly and Venus widened her eyes at his bold statement.

Venus was just telling the twins, whom currently were occupying the off-white couch across from Venus's single arm chair, how she planned to spend more time with the marauders as they had invited her to their common room — against the rules as it was — and as well as Hogsmeade. James had been the one to put the offer out to Venus when he caught her in the halls of Hogwarts after breakfast and asked what her plans for the weekend were. As usual, Venus's only plan for the weekend was to stay in the safety of the Ravenclaw Towers and perhaps study for her next Potions class; a class she was unfortunately falling behind in. With the offer James gave Venus, she hardly had any place to say no. Not like she had anything special planned.

"You don't know them." She countered easily. Venus was not enjoying her friend's uncalled for negativity.

Colin scoffed, "I don't have to know them to know they only look out for themselves." He sneered, "I'm warning you, Venus. You get close to them, especially that Sirius Black," Colin spat the name in disgust, "You will get hurt."

She couldn't believe it, her nice and accepting friend was judging people he'd never even given the time of day to. It annoyed Venus to a pulp; the marauders had done nothing to her, nor Colin that he'd mentioned, and she was bewildered where this sudden distaste for the four boys – one being her best friend – had come from.

Granted, Venus was not ignorant, she knew they pulled some nasty pranks, and maybe that's what upset Colin so much, but Venus wasn't declaring her forgiveness or even acceptance of those incidents. She was merely stating she would be around the boys more often. Simple as charms.

"I think you're being dramatic." She rolled her eyes and stood up gracefully. "I'm going to lunch, would either of you care to join me?"

Colin looked up at his friend, clearly miffed, then looked away, shaking his head no.

After closing her Ancient Runes book, Mary stood up from an arm chair, "I'll go with you."

• • •

Venus couldn't understand Colin's jarring attitude towards the Gryffindor boys. The blonde thought he would be happy she was making more friends. Though he seemed the complete opposite. She knew he was only looking out for her, yet she wished he would be more accepting and put his worries away for even a minute. It wasn't like befriending the marauders would kill her, they were only a group of teenage boys.

Admittedly, Venus still hadn't decided if she wanted to look past their prankster past, she definitely wasn't going to encourage it, let alone participate. As long as the jokes remained harmless, the blonde was willing overlook it. Maybe she could even reduce the pranks pulled on Severus Snape. Perhaps some good could come from forming a friendship with the marauders.

"Did you hear me?"

The Ravenclaw girl snapped her head up to Dirk Cresswell. He was staring intently at her with eyes filled of nervousness and uncertainty. The two had been walking to Astronomy together when the pale blonde had spaced out.

To say Dirk Cresswell was handsome would be an understatement. While in his 7th year, Dirk was presumably the best looking male Ravenclaw, at least according to Mary and Penelope Skeeter. He stood at 6" with brown bouffant hair and smooth hazel eyes that could be seen from the other end of the Great Hall. The tall boy was of the uttermost charm and some would say he was a runner up for Amos Diggory's chivalry. He opened doors for teachers, younger students, and just about anyone else. The boy even brought the teachers a bundle of their favorite flowers on the first day of classes every year since Venus could remember.

Dirk and Venus were on the acquaintance side of friends. The duo had made small chit chat throughout the years, occasionally he walked her to her classes. He was a year older than her but they both sat near each other during meals and had small talk rarely. Venus found the older boy slightly insipid, but the blonde girl wasn't bothered too much as she and Dirk only spoke infrequently.

Venus blushed, embarrassed, "No, sorry." She admitted, "What did you say?"

The chestnut haired boy stopped Venus right outside the Astronomy Tower, placing a rough hand on her shoulder to slow her to a halt. Venus furrowed her brows and glanced at his hand on her shoulder before moving her gaze back to Dirk's hazel eyes.

"Would you like to go to Hogsmeade together next weekend?" He blurted, his cheeks heating up.

Venus' mouth parted open and her expression mirrored a deer caught in the headlights. "What?"

Swallowing, Dirk straightened up so he towered above the 5'5 girl. "Venus Grendahl, it would be an honor to take you and your pretty face to Hogsmeade this weekend. What do you say?" He pressed his lips as he waited for the blondes answer.

Venus inhaled deeply, she definitely not expecting the conversation to take a turn so sharp. Venus fiddled with the hem of her black skirt and tried to think of an answer. The fittest boy in Ravenclaw was asking her to Hogsmeade. She should be ecstatic, so why didn't she feel anything? She wasn't excited, or overjoyed, or exuberant. She was... fine. Flattered at the most.

She could say no, though. She did have plans for the weekend, no lie there. Yet the hopeful look on Dirk's face could've changed anyone's mind.

"Of course, I would love nothing more." Venus tried to smile, though her stomach only churned.

The 7th year let out a breath of relief, "For a second there I thought you were going to say no." He chuckled, then shook his head as though it were an entirely silly thought.

Yeah, me too. Venus thought to herself, but kept the smile on her face in tact.

• • •

douglas booth as dirk cresswell // filler chapter sorryy ++ thank you for 1k views and ranking #1 in #marlenemckinnon !!

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