Delicate - eng version

Secrets and Cigarettes

Dom didn't return to the dormitory until after I'd fallen asleep and when I woke up, she was already gone down to breakfast. It's almost as if she's avoiding me. I'm quite thankful for that – I mean, what do I even say to her? I'm contemplating talking to Mark about this, but that may not be such a good idea either. After all, I wasn't supposed to be listening to that conversation. I may just erase my own memory, make everything simpler.

The Common Room is empty except for Lily and Lorcan. It seems Lorcan spends more time up here than he does in the Slytherin dungeons. I smile and wave on my way past them, but I don't stop to chat as I make my way out of the portrait hole and down to breakfast. Everyone in the Great Hall seems to have their attention focused on the Gryffindor table – on my cousin, in fact. James is standing – yes, standing – on the Gryffindor table, looking very annoyingly smug. That can't be hygienic – Merlin only knows where those feet have been.

"Oi! Listen up!" he yells to everyone around him, though he needn't have bothered because everyone's attentions are on him anyway, "I have an announcement to make!"

He reaches down and pulls Laura Phelps by the hand and lifts her up onto the table beside him. I finger my wand in my pocket, because I swear to Merlin if he proposes, I'm going to jinx the pair of them. Laura is glowing and looks extremely excited.

"Laura," he declares, "I'm dumping you!"

The colour drains from her pretty face and her mouth drops open in shock, as does mine. Some girls cheer, some guys howl, but mostly people are laughing. Laura jumps down from the table, hides her face in her hands and runs from the Great Hall. James looks extremely proud of himself. He then jumps down from the table, high-fives a couple of people and bounces over to me, grinning.

"Hey Red!" he exclaims, "Are you proud of me? This was the plan all along. I'm getting her back for being such a b–"

I slap him, hard, across the face.

"You evil little bollocks!" I shriek, "How could you do that to her?"

"I thought you hated her!" James cries, rubbing his now red cheek.

"I'm not her biggest fan," I admit, "Of course she was a bitch for what she did to me. But I know what it feels like to be dumped in front of the whole school and it's not fun, James! I wouldn't wish it on anyone! Do you have to be so bloody thoughtless all the time?"

I storm out of the Great Hall, ignoring James's shouts. I rush back upstairs to the common room, where Lily and Lorcan are now snogging and don't even notice me running by them. Laura is in the dormitory, as I suspected she would be. She shoots me a malicious glare as soon as I walk in.

"Get out of here!" she cries. She's flopped onto her bed and there are tears running down her face – and I feel sorry for her. I know I shouldn't feel sorry for her after everything she's done. She's a two faced, scheming little bitch who hangs out with those stupid slutty seventh years who say 'O...M...G' after every single sentence and try to flirt with Professor Davies. I should really be trying to eradicate the likes of her, but no. I'm feeling sorry for her.

"Laura I –"

"I have to hand it to you Weasley," she interrupts me, "You're a lot more evil than I gave you credit for. Who knew you could play dirty?"

"You think I was in on that?" I exclaim, "Laura, I had no idea what his plan was!"

Laura scoffs.

"Yeah right. You've hated me ever since I told everyone you're pregnant."

"Actually I hated you long before that," I admit coldly, "But I still wouldn't do it to you. I know what it's like to be humiliated in front of the whole school. It's not nice, is it?"