mahogany ; d.m

22 - victory

By Friday, the festive spirit in Hogwarts was still ongoing along with the winter chill of the outside. The best thing Athena thought about the Christmas month were the feasts at dinnertime.

For dinner that evening, they had roasted lamb, baked potatoes, parsnips, steamed carrots, broccoli and an abundance of gravy. It was always so delicious however, the smell of the lamb made Athena feel extremely nauseous.

Luckily she wasn't sick, but tried to eat her food as quickly as she could to escape the pungent smell.

Once she fled the Great Hall, leaving her friends behind, a familiar female voice called her name.

"Athena!" Maeve's voice sounded. She turned around to see the Slytherin girl approaching her with her usual smirk marking her face. "You doing anything tonight?"

"Um- no why?"Athena asked, sceptical as to what she would want.

"Wanna go for a drink? I mean- I know you can't actually drink but we could go anyway?"she asked.

"Yeah sure. Why not,"she smiled and without much forethought headed out of the castle with Maeve.

As the girls journeyed to Hogsmeade, they initiated in casual conversation that acquired no effort at all. Once they arrived, Maeve ordered a butterbeer for herself and got Athena a pumpkin juice.

"So how are you?"Maeve asked as she took her seat, holding the drinks. "Everything going ok?"

"Fine, what about you? Did you speak to Blaise?"Athena asked.

"Yeah I did,"she replied. "Oh god I'm so conflicted Athena!"

"What happened?"

"I went to Blaise and I told him I wanted to stop seeing him, you know maybe give things a go with Elias, though I didn't tell Blaise that,"she began. "Just as i've finally decided to move on, he goes and tells me he's in love with me."

Athena nearly spat out the mouthful of pumpkin juice she had just sipped.

"Oh wow," she gaped, astounded.

"No its not wow! Oh god he's just so...he's cruel!" she sighed, burying her head into her hands. "Elias is great and I had such a good time with him the other night..."

She paused, taking a gulp of her butterbeer.

"But Blaise...he's just- Blaise is Blaise, you know?"she groaned. "Yes he's a dick and I do hate him sometimes but also...I quite like being with him."

Athena didn't say anything and listened intently as Maeve used this time to rant.

"And it was sort of the way he said it too. Like, it wasn't just 'I love you', but it was that he's 'in love' with me. As if its inescapable, as if he can't get away from it. It's sort of sweet when you think about it like that,"she smiled sheepishly.

"Do you feel the same way?"Athena asked.

"I'm not so sure. Maybe I do. Oh for fucks sake! I don't want to be in love!" she cried. "Love is draining and exhausting! I was doing just fine being a slut."

"Don't say that!"Athena said, nearly choking on her mouthful of pumpkin juice yet again.

"Oh no but its true. Apparently everyone knows it. I mean i've shagged half the boys in our year, and the odd 7th year, Elias being one of them. Oh and the occasional girl,"she smirked.

"Really who?"

"Well...Luna was the first. That's how we became such good friends," she chuckled. "A few others, though I won't name names. Not everyone is as open as I am."