Pyrrhic Victory

fourty two.

Year Three
fourty two. Guilt

Magnolia's life flashed before her life. One minute she was staring at Fred's grinning smirk. Next she had her lips placed on his. Her eyes were closed. Everyone was watching.

Lucille.
George.
Blaise.
Lee.
Theodore.

Shit. Theodore.

Magnolia quickly pulled away. She looked at Theodore who had a chocolate rose in his hand, his eyes welled up with tears. He stared at Magnolia with disgust. He had every right too, she had kissed him back. Theodore sighed before he just left.

He left.

"Damn." Lee Jordan spoke to break the silence between everyone. Magnolia looked up at Fred who seemed like he couldn't believe what just happened either. She didn't read his mind though, it was an invasion of privacy. Plus, she had learned to control it very well with Professor Snape.

"Come on Mags, let's go." Lucille tugged on her best friend's arm. She slightly waved to Fred, and she stumbled out of the store after Blaise and Lucille.
She could hear the two mumbling in the front.

"Is Theo going to be okay?" Lucille asked Blaise, and Blaise sighed. He knew Theodore really liked Magnolia, and how excited to have a first girlfriend. Theodore's mother died very young, and all he had was his old dead beat blood purist father. He always told Theodore that he was ugly, and frail. Theodore had pale skin, and zits, he was a tall but very lanky boy.

Ever since he had realised his crush on Magnolia, he was jealous of Fred. Fred knew her better. He saw how excited she got at the end of second year whenever he owl'd her.

Frederick Gideon Weasley. He was tall, muscular, had freckles, a more pinkish toned skin, he was a Gryffindor, he played Quidditch, he was also older.

Theodore was only one of those, tall. He was younger than Magnolia by a couple weeks, but Fred was two years older.

"He'll get through it." Blaise answered his girlfriend. Magnolia still couldn't believe herself. Theodore wasn't her boyfriend? He was about to be though...
Did Fred actually like her? Or was he just trying to get back at Slytherin?

Instead going somewhere else they decided to head back to the castle, especially before all the carriages get very packed, and you'll have to stay in the freezing cold for hours waiting for an available carriage.

"Dont sweat it Mags, you weren't even dating Theo." Blaise tells Magnolia as he rubbed her shoulder. She smiled at the boy. She felt bad, but she realised that he'll get over it soon.

When they reached the castle the three of them immediately went back to the Slytherin Common room. Lucille stayed with Magnolia in the common room while Blaise went to check up on Theodore.

"Hey, Maggie, you heard Blaise. It'll be okay." She rubbed her best friends back, and Magnolia nodded. She looked at the fire that was cracking next to them. It was very soothing as she laid back on the leather couch. Lucille and Magnolia started snacking on some of the Honey Dukes candy when an idea popped into Lucille's head.

"Wanna go meet my brother?" Lucille suggests. Magnolia remembers that Lucille had a younger brother sorted into Gryffindor. She really hoped Fred hadn't returned, so she didn't have to deal with him.

"Sure"

———

The two girls approached the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall where Joshua Vagabonde was. His smile was huge, and wide when Lucille sat next to him.

"Lucy!" He cheered as he pulled his sister into a hug. Magnolia smiled, she had remember when she did that with Claudius and Franklin.

"Hey Josh, this is Maggie, my friend." Lucille refers to Magnolia who waved as she stayed silent. Joshua waved back before turning to his older sister. Magnolia stood off to the side for a bit before she heard someone call her. She turned around to see Hermione, Harry, and Ron.

"Hello?" She questioned at the three. Hermione looked at Ron unsurely. Ron cleared his throat, and he looked at Magnolia as if she was about to kill him.

"We heard what my brother did." Ron told her, and she knew exactly what he was talking about. She sighed, and Ron spoke up again.

"He sent me to tell you that he is sorry, and understands if you don't want to talk to him." Ron finished as he trembled. She nodded, but she wondered why Fred sent Ron. She thought he would've just apologised himself.

"He sent you?" She questioned, and Ron's eyes widen. Magnolia giggled at the friend group.
"I'm not going to hex you, do I look like Malfoy?"

Ron, Harry, and Hermione shook their heads no, and Magnolia kept a smile on her face.

"Well tell him it's fine, and it was nice seeing you three around." Magnolia tells them before she turns back to Lucille who just finished talking with her little brother.

"What did they want?" Lucille questioned, and not wanting to bring up the incident she just shrugged before muttering "nothing"

Lucille decided to head back to the Hufflepuff common room, and Magnolia went to the Slytherin common room. Magnolia entered the dorm room where Pansy and Daphne were talking. They both went silent, and stared at Magnolia when she entered.

"Who told you?" She questioned, and the two girls look at each other before answering in unison.
"Draco."

"How does he know?" She questioned, and they both just shrugged as they went to playing cards and talking. Magnolia groaned as she went, and plopped on her bed. She really just wanted to forget what happened today, and move on with her life, but that wasn't the case.

She still had to deal with Fred every day, she also had to deal with Theodore. What was even worse was that they were partners in Ancient Runes.

A few hours passed with Magnolia in and out of sleep when Daphne shook her. Her eyes fluttered open to see Daphne and Pansy standing over her.

"Come on, we've got supper." Pansy tells her, Magnolia nods as she rubs her head. She brushed her hair out a bit before following the girls down to supper.

Magnolia kept her head focused on the floor as she walked into the Great Hall. She felt as everyone's eyes were in her.

"Oooo look who we have here," Draco started as Magnolia sat down. "The cheater." He smirked, and Magnolia threw him the finger not caring who was watching.

"Leave her alone Draco." Theodore mumbled from aside him. Magnolia looked up to see a drained-out Theodore. His brown hair fell over his face, and what she could tell he had been crying.

"Defending her now I see-." Draco started, but he was stopped by Theodore who had a more clearer and serious tone this time.

"I said leave her alone." Draco nodded, and shut up for the rest of the supper. None of them spoke a word. Magnolia kept her eyes focused on her plate.

Finally the horrid dinner was over, and Magnolia was one of the first to be rushing out of their. She thought she heard Fred calling after her, but even if he was she wasn't going to answer him.

"How's she doing?" Lucille asked as she approached her boyfriend. Lucille asked impulsively without realising that Theodore was next to Blaise.
"Oh, sorry Theo."

"It's fine." He mumbled as he pushed a handful of hair out of his face. She gave him a sympathetic look. Blaise went on to tell Lucille that Draco gave Magnolia a hard time, but Theodore shut him up.

When the two had to part, Blaise hugged Lucille as she kissed him on the cheek, and there she was off to the Hufflepuff common room.

Magnolia was sitting up in her dorm getting ready for bed when she heard Professor Snape's voice form the common room.

"Students! Come now! Bring your sleeping bags, and miscellaneous items!" Magnolia looked at Daphne, Pansy, and also Millicent who happened to be in there confusingly.

"What's going on?" Magnolia questions Daphne as she sees the rest of the Slytherins were in the same position they were in.

Confused and tired.

Authors Note-

Hello! Also Merry Christmas to anyone who celebrates it :)
I wanted to do a Christmas themed chapter, but I'm no where near a Christmas chapter unless I rushed everything. I hope you enjoyed :)