#gentlepuff

"I don't want to sound like Madam Pomfrey here, so I'll save you the lecture, but you should be more careful." Lily had to give some grace to the other Healer though. Many students were coming through the doors of the infirmary with different reasons for the visit. It was exhausting at times, but she still wouldn't change it for anything in the world. "Is there anything I can help you with?"

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George had been at the shop by himself, Ron and Hermione had just welcomed a baby girl into the family. Baby Rose. George was a proud uncle and brother and had let Ron go home to be with his new family. Feeling the sting of missing his twin brother, Fred, in moments like these.

He had been about to close up the shop early, not many customers were coming in on this chilly September afternoon in Diagon Alley, when the door opened and the bell tinkled. George didn’t mind, he loved customers and doing whatever he could to bring about a smile, to help a fellow wizard or witch in need of a laugh or joke. 

Waiting about behind the counter, George cleaned up a bit while the customer browsed. He spied a head of brown hair perusing the shelves by the love potions and pygmy puffs, deciding it was undoubtedly a girl and he wondered which had taken her fancy; the love potions or the pygmy’s. As the girl came around the corner, George recognized her from school. A Hufflepuff and in the same year as Ron, Harry and Hermione. George had always found her pleasing to look at but very quiet and he didn’t know much about her really. ‘Odette… Odette Tauris.’ The name popped into his head, wondering for a moment if that were her actual name or not.

She approached the counter with her items, not a large selection but George definitely approved. “Hey, did you find everything okay.. Odette… right?” George asked cautiously, hoping he had been right in his assumption. 

When she agreed that it was indeed her, George smiled. “Brilliant. How have you been since school? You look quite well.”

Upon hearing her sentiments about her alone-ness, George immediately felt terrible and wondered exactly why and how that was possible. The thought intruded his brain as his mouth opened, his brain and lips speaking the words before thinking. “Would you like to go with me to The Fountain of Fair Fortune? Celestina Warbeck and the Banshees are playing there this Friday night.”

“Hermione!” Ron hissed, lowering his wand automatically, the other hand coming up to run fingers through tousled, red hair. 

“Don’t sneak up on me like that. Bloody. Hell.” Ron paused after each word, inhaling deeply as he puffed his reddish toned cheeks with his exhale. Blue eyes roving around the room, normally Harry was there as a buffer but he was at Quidditch practice that day. 

Of course, Ron never had an issue spending time with Hermione alone but these days their friendship was becoming slightly strained. But then, they were always stressed with Harry and did not have much time for themselves. “Sorry, “ Ron murmured, sheepishly. 

Draco looked at her, humming softly at her statement. He tilted his head as he considered her words, wondering how to answer them. His younger self would have been appalled that she had, in fact, called him out so bluntly. Now? He knew better. He knew she was right. He knew she had hit the nail on the head sharper than anyone had before her.

"I'm glad you don't think I'm evil." he murmured softly, his eyes downcast as he spoke. "Lost? Not so much anymore."

Fingers tapped against the desk as his head tilted in thought. Rookwood. Rookwood. He was the one behind Anne's ailment, not goblins. It had to be good news right? Dark magic would be easier to overturn than goblin magic right? Eilidh hadn't spoken to him in a few days, to busy trying to get Ominis to not turn him in.