Exchange to Hogwarts. (On Hold)

Heartfelt Herbology Chats

-----------------
WARNING: The following chapter contains mentions of anxiety, fear of, failure, spiders, and other phobias.
-----------------

"OH HELL NAH!" Keira yelped
Some of her classmates found her reaction to her boggart amusing. Keira stared at it as her heart started to race again, for only a few meters away was the one thing that she had forgotten terrified her.
'Oh fuck this!' She thought.
The twisting cloud of the boggart had been substituted with a doll on a rocking chair that creaked as it swayed back and forth.
The doll its self wasn't looking at Keira, it's head faced its own lap but you could still that the toy was made out of pale porcelain that was cracked in certain places, it dress was a black fabric that had holes and red stains, the hair looked as though it was once been in a bun but had since been ruined.
The music, chatter and bird noises that had assaulted Keira's ears seemed to fade away, the room was silent with anticipation, they all knew what would happen. A jump scare. But when?
A few more quiet seconds passed, the only sound that filled the room was the rocking chair, it rocked back with a louder creak.
"HELLO!" The dolls head had snapped up, scaring everyone half to death.
"AHHH!" Keira cried out jumping back almost knocking Harry and a Slytherin Girl over. "Um, he-hello." She said to the doll.
The young witch felt her neck hairs stand up as she realized the doll had no eyes and its face was stain with red. The dolls head tilted slightly to the left as if examing Keira.
"Quite a failure." The doll spoke.
"Wh-what'?" Keira stuttered.
"You, quite a disappointment, pathetic, really. It's a wonder your father and brothers haven't kicked you out of home."
Once the doll uttered thoughts words, she knew what was next, Keira knew the next part of her subconscious the boggart would pick at. Connie knew this too, yes her boggart was bad but a lot of people have a fear of there family dying. Keira took a quick glance around the large room when she saw Neville, his face held an expression of empathy. Keira looked back towards the doll, she felt her breath hitch as the creepy toy spoke.
"Such a burden, so useless, such a terrible child, that you own mother had rather abandoning her whole family than be around you." The boggart doll taunted.

That was it. Everyone knew. All the people she would have to see every day now knew the one thing that damaged her the most, the one thing that always broke through the walls she had spent so long building.
On the inside, Keira wanted to run, curl up somewhere and cry but on the outside, she ignored the urge to hide away and made sure not to show her inner emotions.
Pushing the feeling of vulnerability aside, Keira raised her wand with her hand, pointing it at the boggart, "Riddikulus!"
The scary porcelain doll disappeared, the boggart twisted in the air once more. Students erupted with laughter as the creature took a new form, the form of the object Keira found truly hilarious.

A large green frog that was wearing a tuxedo with a miniature top hat and held a miniature cane had materialized in front of Keira. The creature danced around singing "SKITTLES!!!" in a jazzy tone (combine photo and video above). Connie and Keira had laughed so hard they could barely breathe and the sides we're hurting.
"Wonderful, Ms Carlyle! Good job." Professor Lupin praised. Keira gave a small nod and moved off to sit next to Connie.
They had been sitting at the end of the bench and there was obviously more room next to Neville. He had hoped she would sit next to him but yet Keira chose to sit on the other side of Connie where there was little room at all. A look of disappointment and sadness washed over Neville's face.
"Riddikulus!" Shouted Cecilia Sutton™, one of Keira's fellow Slytherins. She had turned a boggart form of a fear of heights into a clown trying and failing to walk on ice.

The class was dismissed after Harry's boggart had turned into a Dementor, Professor Lupin had to step in which made to boggart change into a glowing grey orb but the professor soon dealt with the problem. The class, especially Malfoy, was annoyed that yet again it seemed that something had been ruined because of Potter.

Connie's POV

I made my way to the greenhouses for second-period Herbology when I felt a tap on my shoulder.
"SHIT!" I thought when I turned around and saw Ron Weasley.
"Ah, hey." He said awkwardly. "I just wanted to talk to you before we went to class."
"Bout what'?" I questioned. I knew exactly what, but he didn't need to know that.
"Well I-I just wanted to know what you said about me." He said
"Oh um...well ya see." I took a deep breath. "We were playing truth or truth as you know and Hermione asks me if i had any 'romantic feelings for you." Ron's eye went wide.
"Wh-what was your answer?"
"You're a nice guy Ron, really funny and all but I wouldn't say that I have 'romantic feelings' for you."
"Oh," Ron muttered looking at the ground.
"Cheer up Ron, it's not like we're not gonna talk anymore."
"Says the person who been avoiding me."
Shit he knows
"Whaaaaat! I haven't been-"
"Yeah, you have."
"Yeah I have, sorry"
"'S okay."
Ok think of someth- oh got it.
"Besides I've seen the way you and Hermione look at each other at breakfast."
"What? I-I-I don't know-"
"Oh don't worry, your secrets safe with me." I patted him on the shoulder before walking to class. I think that went well.

Third-person

Connie sat next to Neville in Herbology as the two worked together on the Mandrakes revision task Professor Sprout had set. The room wasn't completely silent, there was a fair bit of chatter from students about a number of things, which of course Sprout didn't mind as long as they did their work.
Connie began to copy down question five on to her page of parchment when Neville whispered something to her.
"Sorry Neville, I didn't hear you properly," Connie told.
"I-Is Keira doing o-okay?" He asked shyly. "Ya know after what h-happened."
"Oh yeah, she's doing fine, " Connie responded. "but you could always ask her yourself ya know."
"Oh I-I don't that would be a good idea," Neville admitted.
"Why?" Connie inquired.
"W-Well I think she's been avoided me. Every time I see her she turns right around and walks away. Have I done something? Is it because of what Lavender did?"Neville voiced, obviously a bit stress.
"Neville you really should talk to Keira about that, not me." Said Connie trying her best to keep Neville calm.
Neville sighed turning back to his paper muttering a small "okay"
Frowning her brows Connie turned towards Neville.
"Why don't you answer the question, Neville."
"Oh, which one do you need? I'm up to number thirteen so-"
"No, no, not those questions. Lavender asked if Keira had feelings for you, but... do you have feelings for Keira?"
Connie noticed a flash of panic in the boy's eyes before he turned back to his work in an attempt to hide his now bright red face.
"W-Well...I...it's-" Neville cut himself off before he could become any more embarrassed.
Seeing that Neville was struggling with his answer Connie sighed.
"Yes or No Nev'?" Connie asked as nicely as possible. Neville rubbed the back of his neck taking a deep breath and answered with a quiet "yes" before questioning what to do, even though he planned to ask his Gran in his next letter. Connie gave Neville advise as they finished their assignment, telling him what Keira might like or what things she's into and occasionally the boy would stop writing on his parchment, roll up his sleeve and would scribble something on his arm.
The bell soon rang and Professor Sprout kindly dismissed the class, all the young witches and wizard making their way to the Great Hall for lunch.

----------------------
WORD COUNT - 1331