long way to heaven || marauder ff

10- a certain boy

"Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. " 

― Edna St. Vincent Millay

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"Elaine, could you please focus for a second? My potions mark is literally hanging at a string and you are too busy ogling some bo- are you kidding me? My brother?"

Elaine jumped up in shock as she was pulled out of her thoughts by a fuming Luana Dolohow. The two girls had sat in the courtyard for quite a while, as Luana had asked her friend to help her with a potions essay that was due a lesson from now. While they had been revising, Elaine's thoughts had periodically jumped over to where a certain Slytherin boy was sitting, unaware that it had been so obvious to her opposite.

"Elaine, please be honest with me. Are. You. Fancying. My brother?", Luana asked her, enunciating each word, eyes dangerously close to each other.

The French was lost for words. Surely, she was not exactly fancying Louis Dolohow, but she did truly enjoy the boy's company.

Especially since she wasn't precisely on speaking terms with two other boys that had helped her escape and forget a few weeks ago.

Since her little fall-out with James and Sirius their ways had only crossed during Quidditch practice or when the whole group of Gryffindors was sitting together. Elaine had gone on to spend her free time with her roommates, especially Luana, the two girls building up a close relationship, coming as far that Elaine considered the Dolohow her best friend at Hogwarts.

Other than that, she had done her best to follow her father's instructions. Dutifully, she spent many afternoons studying in the library, often together with Dorcas and Olivia, or sometimes even Remus Lupin, the boy being the only marauder she still conversed with.

And, more often than not, she could be found in the company of a certain dark-haired Slytherin.

Whenever Elaine was lost in the darkness still trying to consume her, Louis would know exactly how to cheer her up and bring her thoughts to sunnier dimensions.

He never pushed her to talk about her problems or secrets, instead taking her on a walk around the Black lake or flying over the grounds of Hogwarts. He was so remarkably different from other guys Elaine had had things with, that she actually had never thought about the possibility of them being more than just friends.

"I don't fancy your brother"

"Oh of course you don't. You just happen to stare at him for ages", Luana snorted.

"I do NOT!", Elaine exclaimed, feeling extremely uncomfortable. Her opposite only laughed at the force the French threw in those words. "Sure you don't, hun"

Elaine was thankful that Luana chose to drop the topic after that, attention brought back to her essay. The two girls spent the rest of their free period perfecting the pieces Luana had taken done about common antidotes, finishing the paper just before the bell rung.

"Are you sitting with us at lunch?", the taller girl asked Elaine, smirking when she started squirming. "Oh, stupid me, I forgot that Fridays are for my brother. Well, send him my best regards", she instructed, relishing in the sudden awkwardness.

"I sometimes really hate you", Elaine mumbled, trying her best to hide her blush.

The two girls made their way to the Great hall together, only parting ways as they entered it, with Luana moving to the Gryffindor table while Elaine made her way over to the far end of the Slytherin table, where she knew Louis to be waiting for her.