Nine

60.3K 2.7K 4.9K
By gor3cor3

n i n e

The next day, Belle was rudely awoken from her sleep at the sounds of arguing and screaming from one very upset Fred Weasley.

"Why didn't you tell me this when we were alive?"

"Would you have believed me?"

"Uh - yes. You're the Marauders, do you know how long George and I spent, trying to figure out who you were? A really, really long time!

"What's happening?" Belle mumbled, wiping the sleep from her eyes as she sat up, slightly irritated at the sudden wake-up call

No one answered the brunette however as they were all too busy watching the ongoing conversation between Fred and Sirius, James and Remus. He had just discovered that the three adults before him were some of his biggest idols and, for some reason, he was not happy about it.

"Why must you always be in my room?" Belle groaned, falling back under her covers and muffling her face with the pillow, hoping to get a little more sleep.

"I can't believe it. You're the Marauders?" Fred's voice had gone up by two octaves.

"Moony, Padfoot and Prongs," Remus smiled at Fred who's eyes were wider than plates.

"And I was never told, in all our years of knowing each other?"

"Well, I mean, we never really met," James scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"I've never felt more betrayed in my life!"

"You're all going to be betrayed by me sending you to the Underworld early if you all don't shut up!" Belle called from beneath her pillow, but it all came out muffled.

"What was that Tinker Belle?" Sirius asked, beaming proudly.

"Lily's been teaching me about the Muggle world," he explained when Remus raised his eyebrows.

"Ooh, that was a good one. Hey, Cinderbelle-a, time to get up or you're going to be late to class," Belle made a noise at the back of her throat as she pulled her pillow from her face. She threw it at Fred who was laughing loudly at James' words.

"Oof." The pillow had hit Fred in the stomach and had fallen to the floor as though it had hit a wall. Fred's laughing ceased immediately and he stared in shock at the pillow on the ground.

"Wasn't that supposed to go through you?" Sirius asked as Belle sat up, running her hands through her curly, shoulder-length hair.

"It should have," Fred replied.

"Try it again, Belle," Remus asked the brunette. She used her wand to conjure up another pillow and threw it once more at Fred, this time going straight through him.

"You saw that, didn't you?" Fred asked Belle, gesturing at the pillow on the floor and she nodded.

"McGonagall was right, I suppose. You'll be able to throw the pillow back at me in a few months if you're strong enough," Belle told him, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Can I throw the cat?" Fred asked innocently, pointing at Nixie. The black cat, who was sleeping on the end of Belle's bed, opened her green eye and hissed at Fred.

"No, Fred, you can not throw the cat," Belle said as she pulled out her uniform for the day.

"Or I'll do my best to throw you out the window."

"Hey, you can't do that!"

"No, probably not but I can try."

"Hey, play nice, Belle Pepper." Sirius cackled loudly.

"Please, for the love of Merlin" Belle groaned. "Stop. Could they get any worse?"

James shrugged.

"Pro-belle-bly."

"JAMES!"

****

Belle trudged down to breakfast later that morning only to see Hermione waiting at the entrance to the Great Hall.

"Belle!" She called, waving at the girl. As soon as the girl reached Hermione, Belle hit her with a question that caused the Gryffindor to raise an eyebrow.

"How much do you reckon it costs to get your name changed?"

"Why would you want to change your name?" Hermione asked. Belle looked around for a moment to make sure no one was around before she replied.

"I heard Sirius, Fred or James make one more pun that includes my name in it, I might just need to get rid of it all together. I'll be known as 'hey, you!'" Hermione laughed, earning a small smile from Belle.

"Start calling them the wrong names to confuse them," Luna appeared next to Belle, causing her to jump.

"Hey, Luna," Hermione greeted the girl who had just come from the Great Hall.

"Hello, Hermione," Luna smiled at the brunette.

"Wait, what are you suggesting?" Belle asked, quirking an eyebrow in confusion.

"Don't call them by their own name, call them by each other's names. Anyway, I've got to go check on the Thestrals before classes start, one of them's due to have a baby any day. Good luck!" With that, Luna skipped off, her arms laden with toast as she headed towards the Forbidden Forest. Both girls watched the blonde Ravenclaw and Hermione sighed.

"At least she hasn't lost her spirit." Belle nodded silently at that.

"Can I ask you a question?" Hermione asked suddenly.

"You just did."

"Can I ask you another one?"

"Er, you just did."

"Belle!"

"Sorry," Belle giggled. "What's up?"

"Is it strange knowing that you've talked to Harry's parents more than he's talked to them?" Belle was quiet for a moment, thinking over her answer before replying.

"I mean, I've never really thought about it like that but now you mention it, yeah it's a little weird. I mean, I barely knew Harry before the war and Lily and James showed up about three years before that. It was the summer after Cedric's death they appeared," Belle replied.

"Will you ever tell him?" Belle nodded instantly.

"Yeah, I know that at some point I will. I'll tell Ron, too. It's a matter of whether or not they trust me enough to believe me is what's putting me off telling them."

"I could always break it to them nicely, if you'd like?" Hermione asked, causing Belle to smile warmly.

"That's a very kind offer, Hermione, but they'll probably think you've gone insane if you sit down with them one night and tell them that I can see their dead friends and family." Hermione laughed a little at this.

"You're probably right."

"Who's right about what?" Hermione and Belle turned to see Harry, Ron and Ginny walking down the stairs together.

"Er, Belle's right about the fact that Luna's probably gone to check on the pregnant Thestral in the Forbidden Forest?" Hermione replied and Belle nodded, backing up Hermione's half-hearted lie.

"They can get pregnant?" Ron asked absentmindedly, stepping off the last stone stair.

"Of course they can, Ron, they're animals," Hermione sighed at the redhead boy who gave her a kiss on the cheek in greeting.

"Morning, Belle," Harry greeted the brunette once they had made their way over to the two girls and Belle sent him a small smile.

"Morning, Harry. Hey, Ginny," Belle greeted kindly and Ginny gave her a small smile in return, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Hi, Belle. Er, I'm going to go find Luna," Ginny muttered, walking away from the group. Belle watched the red-head walk off and she bit down on her lip.

"I get the feeling she doesn't like me very much."

"I get the feeling Ginny doesn't like anyone very much," Ron said as he watched his sister disappear from the corridor.

"She likes Harry. They're dating you nitwit," Hermione told Ron, turning to them. The four moved to the side slightly as a gaggle of fifth year Gryffindors made their way out of the hall, talking quietly.

"Uh, actually no, we're not," Harry said quickly, causing all three students to glance over at him.

"What d'you mean you're not?" Ron asked Harry, turning to face his best friend.

"I mean we're not dating. I just..." Harry trailed off and sighed quietly.

"It wasn't working out between us. She's like a little sister and I didn't want to hurt her," he eventually managed to get out. Ron frowned at Harry.

"You've kissed her," he stated.

"And you snogged Lavender for a good few months but I don't see you with her now, do you?" Harry replied hotly.

"That's because she's dead, you twat." Ron spat. Belle and Hermione exchanged a worried glance. This conversation had taken a rather nasty turn. Belle gnawed on the inside of her cheek and took a step back, feeling as though she was intruding on something she shouldn't be listening to

"You liked Hermione before Lavender and you still kissed her, didn't you?" Harry hissed.

"So what, you've been leading her on them??" Ron asked Harry who groaned in frustration.

"No, Ron, I haven't been leading her on. I've told her that I didn't want a relationship," Harry replied, his tone rising slightly. A few people glanced over at the entrance of the hall were the four were standing and Belle hurriedly waved her wand, muffling their conversation.

"That's my little sister, Harry and you've been leading her on all because you're scared to get close to anyone!" Ron's voice was growing louder and louder and Belle took ahold of Hermione's wrist.

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked quietly.

"I don't think I should be listening to this," Belle said quietly.

"I don't want to see her hurt, alright? I've told you, she's like a sister and there's nothing I can do to change my feelings for her!" Harry spat and Ron glared venomously at the raven-haired boy.

"Ron..." Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder but he shrugged her off, breaking his glare from Harry before turning and storming away. An awkward silence filled the air before Hermione cleared her throat.

"I'll - er - go talk some sense into him," she said quietly before walking in the direction Ron had disappeared to.

"I can leave, if you'd like some space," Belle said quietly but Harry only brushed it off.

"I have to do something. I'll see you later," Harry didn't glance up at the brunette once before he hurried off, leaving the Ravenclaw girl standing alone.

"That was rather awkward," Belle looked up to see Tonks floating in front of her.

"Yeah, no kidding."

***

"What happened with you and the Golden Gryffindors this morning?" Pansy asked during their Care of Magical Creatures lesson later on in the day.

"I definitely intruded on something I shouldn't have, that's for sure," Belle replied as used her wand to levitate some glowing coals into a small nest they had been instructed to make for their dragons eggs.

"I saw Weaslette storm off. She alright?" Pansy asked. Belle placed her hand on Pansy's forehead, only to have the Slytherin swat it away.

"What are you doing?"

"Checking to see if you're okay," Belle replied, "you just asked if Ginny was alright and last I remember you hated her."

"Times change, Frenche. And I don't hate her, I just took a certain disliking towards her."

"Pansy, you took a certain disliking towards everyone," Belle replied pointedly causing Pansy to huff.

"Yes, I know!" Belle smiled slightly as she rearranged the glowing coals, the inky-black egg sitting in the middle of the nest.

"Great work, Belle! Ten points ter Ravenclaw," Hagrid announced once he came to check on their nests, causing Belle's smile to grow.

"You're such a suck up," Pansy stated amusedly.

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with feeling good about yourself when you achieve something," Belle told the girl as she sat down on the grass, folding her legs as she sat in front of her egg, watching the glowing embers. Pansy followed the girl's lead, before returning to their conversation from before.

"Ginny... I don't know what's going on with Ginny. She really doesn't like me and I don't think I've said anything nasty about her," Belle explained.

"Then it's obvious, isn't it?" Pansy asked, ducking as red-hot coal flew over her head.

"Oi, watch it!" Pansy yelled at the Gryffindor boy who shouted back an apology.

"What's obvious?" Belle asked, curious as to what her friend meant.

"Everyone knows you've been spending time with the Potter Squad. She's jealous," Pansy stated simply, causing Belle to pull a face.

"Jealous?"

"What? It's true! You're smart, you're pretty and it wouldn't surprise me if you could play Quidditch well. She's probably scared you're going to end up taking her boyfriend," Pansy stated, causing Belle's cheeks to heat up slightly.

"Thanks for that, Pansy. And, just to inform you, they aren't dating. Not anymore, at least," Belle explained and Pansy threw her arms out.

"There you have it. She's not dating Potter and she's jealous of the way you've become friends with them so quickly. Weaslette's probably scared you and he are going to get married," Pansy told the girl, causing Belle to raise an eyebrow.

"Married? Merlin, Pansy, we're just friends. Ginny has nothing to be jealous of." Pansy raised her eyebrows at this.

"Alright, Frenche. Whatever you say."

The pair continued to chat idly about school before Belle snapped. Pansy had been fidgeting the whole time, continuously shuffling around and looking as though she wanted to tell Belle something, but had no idea how.

"Alright, Parkinson. Out with it." Belle commanded and Pansy looked up at the brunette.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you've been sitting there for the past twenty minutes chewing at your lip and looking as though you want to tell me something," Belle raised an eyebrow at the girl who groaned.

"Why are you so bloody perceptive?" She muttered before sighing.

"Before... everything happened, I was obsessed with Draco but... there's this - er - well, this girl that I met," she trailed off awkwardly, causing Belle to grin.

"And you feel guilty because you fancied Draco for so long, but now you fancy someone else?" Pansy nodded awkwardly.

"I thought you were going to walk away from me," Pansy admitted quietly and Belle looked at her curiously.

"Why would I do that?"

"Because I like a girl?" Pansy watched, completely sure that the Ravenclaw had lost her mind when she burst into laughter. A few people turned their way to see what the girl was laughing at but quickly turned back around when Pansy glared at them.

"What are you laughing at?" the Slytherin asked, confused.

"Pansy, before the war I had a girlfriend," she said, still giggling slightly at Pansy's comment.

"Oh?"

"I'd be one of the last people to run away from you." She spoke, shuffling on the grass slightly to get into a comfortable position.

"Did you two break up?" Pansy asked curiously and Belle cleared her throat, looking away from the girl and over at the forest.

"No, uh. She died, during the war," Belle replied quietly.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," Pansy said awkwardly.

"No, you were only curious. Besides, in a way I guess she kind of did break up with me when she tried to kill me and told me Voldemort would always be better than Dumbledore. She died not long after that and I haven't seen her since," Belle muttered the last part quietly, causing Pansy to glance at her weirdly.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, uh, I didn't go to her funeral and I haven't visited her grave. I haven't seen her since," Belle lied quickly, cursing herself mentally for saying the last part.

"Right," Pansy replied, looking as though she didn't quite believe her friend's lie, but didn't comment on it.

"So, who's this girl then?" Pansy started to talk about the girl, whom Belle learned was in Hufflepuff, but the entire time she was speaking, Belle couldn't help but wonder if she had been right about what she had said about Ginny.

Did she really dislike Belle because she was scared that Belle was going to take her place?

She was positive that Ginny had nothing to worry about, because she and Harry were just friends. There was nothing happening between them.

Nothing at all.

At least, that's what she thought.

****

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