006. ╱ 🦋⠀⠀ ❝ date. ❞
LAYLA'S HOLIDAYS WERE MUCH MORE UNUSUAL THAN SHE EVER THOUGHT THEY WOULD BE. Her parents knew there was something different about their daughter, and after many days of trying to figure out what was going on, she ended up telling them about Ron. They were very happy, as they knew that her one and only relationship had been the opposite of what they expected her to have.
⠀⠀"I hope you can bring him home for the summer holidays," her mum said excitedly, as they watched a romantic film called «Ghost», which she loved. She blushed completely when her dad shouted from the kitchen afterwards.
⠀⠀"I agree with her, sweetheart! You deserve it!"
⠀⠀The problem was that they were just friends. Yes, maybe the whole school and their mutual friends thought they were dating, but in reality they weren't. Ron was very clueless, maybe he hadn't even realised that she liked him, just as she still didn't believe that the red-headed boy had feelings for her: he was probably just being attentive.
⠀⠀The train ride was uneventful. In the compartment there were only Megan, Wayne, and herself, while the girl complained about her holiday: to her regret she had had to be at home, for her cousin had married a pure-blood wizard from Italy, so they had to make a good impression. Her family did not care if she did not appear all summer or at Christmas time, as they considered it better to be without her; but on that last day before she left, they sent her a letter informing her that she had to go.
⠀⠀So Megan had had to tolerate her stepmother and stepsisters, who treated her increasingly badly. She really hated them, they made her life utterly miserable and she was fed up. Layla insisted that she could stay at her house every holiday, as her mum loved her, but she wouldn't: they threatened her, if she left they wouldn't pay for her education.
⠀⠀Wayne was, as always, ignored at home. His parents didn't care what he did or didn't do, as long as he stayed out of their very important business, he could do and undo as he pleased.
⠀⠀After her best friends complained about their sucky holiday, she told them that hers had been normal as usual, and that the only relevant thing had been when they had to go to the hospital because her dad had broken his finger trying to hang a picture: the hammer had liked his finger, apparently. She'd also had letter conversations with Ron, and he'd told her that luckily his dad was feeling better and that he wasn't going to Hogwarts on the train, so she hadn't looked for him the whole way.
⠀⠀By dinner time all was going well, with Layla glancing sideways at the Gryffindor table and eating despite not being very hungry (she had eaten a lot of sweets on the train). As the golden trio were leaving the table to perhaps go to their Common Room, she decided to go and greet them. She got up from her table.
⠀⠀"I'll be right back," she muttered quietly to her friends, leaving the Great Hall and arriving with the three lions. They were chatting normally amongst themselves, and didn't notice her. "Hey, guys!"
⠀⠀Hermione was the first to turn around, and quickly came over to hug her.
⠀⠀"We were just talking about you!" She said, but instantly regretted it because of the hateful look Ron gave her, blushing.
⠀⠀"Oh, yeah?" She joked, looking at both boys curiously. "I missed you guys a lot too."
⠀⠀"Yes! We were just saying that," Harry exclaimed in a slightly shriller voice than usual. Hermione rolled her eyes.
⠀⠀"Well..." She cleared her throat before giving the black-haired boy a look. "We were just leaving, weren't we, Harry?"
⠀⠀The boy raised an uncomprehending eyebrow, but noticing the murderous look on his friend's face, he nodded several times.
⠀⠀"Sure, sure," he gave Layla a little hug goodbye and started walking with Hermione, who waved to her before accompanying the boy.
⠀⠀"Cat got your tongue?" Layla laughingly asked Ron when he still didn't say anything. He blushed.
⠀⠀"Uh, no, not yet," he replied, playing along with her. "But apparently Harry was expecting Cho to approach him..."
⠀⠀"They kissed that day, didn't they?" She asked, glancing at the entrance to the Great Hall, where students were already starting to leave. So as not to run into anyone she didn't want to, she grabbed the red-haired boy by the arm and dragged him to walk with her. "The last day of DA meetings..."
⠀⠀She was ashamed to remember how she had behaved with Ron so that he would talk to her and they would make up, so she couldn't help blushing. She left her words there, realising that they had reached the Courtyard, where there were no students due to the time and the fact that it was the first night in the castle after the holidays.
⠀⠀When she was in third year she had joined the Gobstones Club, thinking it would be good to be in an extracurricular activity and get to know more people. On the first day she regretted it when she saw that everyone was very intense in the way they played, taking everything very seriously and getting angry when they didn't win. Layla was more of a peaceful person, so she had to notify her Head of House, Professor Sprout, that she didn't want to take part any more, avoiding telling her the real reasons.
⠀⠀"Harry was very happy that day," he told her, snapping her out of her thoughts. They had sat down on a bench and she had stared at the centre of the place as she thought about the Club. She nodded unconcernedly.
⠀⠀"But Cho, not so much, right?" She began, remembering that she'd seen her crying everywhere days before. "I mean, she looked very depressed... And it's not for nothing, Cedric left her very sad, and besides, she has problems in Quidditch and many other things... Poor her."
⠀⠀"How do women notice all that?" Ron asked, looking at nothing and frowning. "Hermione said the same thing to me that day, but I doubt very much that a person can have so many things in their head..."
⠀⠀"Women are good at multi-tasking," she told him with a laugh, as her mother had once had an argument with her father about how he was insensitive for not noticing all that she was dealing with by taking more pre-school classes than he was. "In fact, it's been scientifically proven... Men lack that ability."
⠀⠀"And do men also lack feelings?" The red-haired man asked, pursing his lips. "Hermione tells me I'm a stone."
⠀⠀Layla wanted to laugh, but she felt that the question had been asked in all seriousness and she didn't want to ruin it. She searched for the right words to say it, because even though her friend might think he was (and maybe he was), he behaved differently with her. Ron had a peculiar way of showing his feelings, and it wasn't exactly like everyone else's; it was most likely what she liked.
⠀⠀"I think..." She went silent, seeing how the red-haired boy had already set his gaze on her, precisely on her eyes. She became nervous at the proximity, but she cleared her throat before continuing to speak. "We don't all have the same ways of behaving in situations... Maybe Mione thinks that to show your feelings you have to say them up front, with obvious actions, but there are times when not everyone is like that, and they have an atypical way of doing it, well..., mm, without thinking, yes!, I think that's how I wanted to express it: there are people who act without thinking, involuntary movements that mean a lot to them, but not to others... You have to know how to interpret what others do in those cases, don't you think?"
⠀⠀Ron was silent, perhaps reasoning it out. No one said anything for a couple of minutes, which felt like hours.
⠀⠀For some reason she had started writing letters to the redhead, because she wasn't able to say her feelings face to face, and had to use an unusual means to try to win him over. Any girl, like Megan, would have gone to the person she liked and just confessed, but not her: Layla was very shy with others, mostly the ones she lived with were in strange situations, or because they were looking for her.
⠀⠀She felt that she wasn't a friend who was pushy, talked a lot or showed much interest; that's why she was grateful for her friendship with Megan and Wayne, as they were all very different from each other and complemented each other perfectly. Anyone would say that trios of friends were useless, as her mother had once told her, but on the contrary, their friendship had always been genuine and unique, and there was nothing she valued more.
⠀⠀The rest of the night they talked about their holidays. Layla liked to tell the little she did with her parents, because he paid a lot of attention to her and she liked that, as he was always very interested in her. Ron also did it, but she could notice some strange last minute modifications in his stories, but nevertheless, she didn't question anything because they had to be strong things not to tell him. She didn't like to be intrusive in subjects that people weren't willing to say in front of her, she preferred that when there was enough confidence they could tell her, not before or under pressure.
⠀⠀The next day there was nothing of any great significance either. She was in class, and Harry told her that there would be no meeting because he had 'Remedial Potions class' with Snape, which didn't convince her at all, but she let it pass.
⠀⠀Her classes were quiet, and the only one she found bad was History, where Megan took the opportunity to sleep while drooling on Layla's parchment. She decided not to wake her up and leave her there until she realised that the class was already over: it was a good revenge for the time she picked her up with an Aguamenti.
⠀⠀"I'll get you for this!" The blonde shouted as she came into the room annoyed at Layla, who couldn't help but laugh at the sight of her with marks on her cheek where her ringed hand had been resting.
⠀⠀"Now she's going to take it out on me," Wayne reproached her when they were in the Common Room playing Wizard's Chess. Layla still didn't understand why she always agreed to play when she was so bad and lost in a couple of moves.
⠀⠀"Please!, just because she wants to hit you from time to time doesn't mean she hates you, I've already told you that," she replied, remembering the time the boy blamed the brunette when Megan stopped talking to him for a week because of an innocent prank she had suffered from the twins. It hadn't even been his fault, but the blonde loved to take it out on him.
⠀⠀"I hear they're planning to have a party," he notified her, changing the subject. They never got anywhere arguing, and he knew how to stop when it came to Layla. "Valentine's Day... is a Saturday."
⠀⠀"Really?" She answered without paying much attention, she was thinking about which piece to move because she didn't want to lose yet.
⠀⠀"Yeaah," he remarked the 'a' and looked at her mockingly. "And that day is the first visit to Hogsmeade... I thought maybe Ron could invite you to go together."
⠀⠀Layla looked up with a frown and stared at her friend. She didn't know that, they must have stuck it on the board and she hadn't noticed. She blushed without further ado, thinking that it would be nice if the redhead would invite her that specific day, as it would mean something more in their sort of unofficial, unconfirmed relationship.
⠀⠀The year before she had gone with Roger to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop, and just remembering how awkward that date had been when he had only talked about his family and how he had already secured a place in the Ministry made her ill. To top it all off, he ended up mentioning that they hated 'mudbloods', upsetting her because she was clearly part of that group; she didn't mind the insult because she had grown accustomed to it, and it didn't make her feel bad: she was proud of her roots.
⠀⠀Sometimes she couldn't help comparing Ron to her ex-boyfriend, but it wasn't because she missed him, on the contrary: Layla was happy to confirm that he was the opposite of Roger, and that she knew he accepted her for who she was regardless of blood status or anything else.
⠀⠀"I don't know if Ron is... thoughtful enough to ask me out that day," she admitted ruefully, since she knew him. In those cases, she understood Hermione's comments about him having the feelings of a stone. "But I suppose I could give him a hint."
⠀⠀Megan insisted that hints were no good and it was better to say it to their faces, but Layla was just a little too pathetic for that. She hoped it would work.
⠀⠀"Or you could invite him to the party as well," Wayne commented in a mocking tone, as he took advantage of the bad move of her pieces and beat her. The brunette pursed her lips: she was a very bad player.
⠀⠀"I doubt he'll want to come, Hop," she replied, flopping down on the sofa with her arms outstretched. Her friend looked at her curiously from his seat. "He's a Prefect and Mione would kill him if he agreed to come to the party."
⠀⠀"No one has to tell Hermione, Lay," he interrupted, laughing and plopping down next to her on the sofa. "If he invites you to Hogsmeade you could tell him about the party afterwards and well... something tells me he's never been drunk or been to a party."
⠀⠀Layla couldn't help but laugh. It was obvious that the last thing on Ron's mind was attending a party; all he could think about was food.
⠀⠀"I remind you that I haven't got drunk either," she countered. "Because I don't like it. Puking everywhere and ending up who knows where with who knows who is not my thing."
⠀⠀"But because it's you, Lay," Wayne laughed, and she rolled her eyes even though he couldn't see her. "You're such a good girl. Besides, Megan trusts you to look after her and not let her go and tell Fred everything he deserves."
⠀⠀"She should tell him everything he deserves," she got up from the sofa and sat down, watching as a few students began to arrive in the Common Room. "She's always telling me that things need to be said face to face, and she still won't tell that red-headed boy that she already knows he played with her."
⠀⠀"You don't have to reproach her either," her friend replied quietly as he saw that more people were already there. "But you're right."
⠀⠀"I'm always right," she joked.
⠀⠀To her chagrin she watched as Ernie came down from the boys' rooms; before Wayne could say anything she grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the Common Room.
⠀⠀She still avoided him, although she was past that stage of not even looking at him. Realising that Layla was already talking to Ron again, he didn't insist as much, perhaps assuming that they were nothing and that he should calm down. She didn't really know what was going through his mind, but she was grateful.
⠀⠀"For Helga's sake, why the hell did you drag me out of there in such a bad way?" Wayne demanded, breaking free from Layla's grip. She rolled her eyes.
⠀⠀"Calm down, man," she laughed. "I pulled you out of there because Ernie was coming down... When I'm with Megan he won't talk to me, he knows she can beat him up; but if it's you he won't see a problem and he'll want to talk to me."
⠀⠀"I don't know why they don't take me as an authority," he complained, pouting slightly.
⠀⠀"I don't have the words to answer that," she scoffed. "But he's the prefect, not you, sweetheart, so he has more authority."
⠀⠀"I deserved to be prefect with you," Layla couldn't help blushing. "Because we're better than Ernie and Hannah... Is it because we're too intense and not as proper as them?"
⠀⠀"Speak for yourself, I am correct!" She nudged him with her elbow. "Although, yes, I was hoping to be a prefect, I won't deny it, but I think I prefer this: not so many duties. You know I hate being in charge, so that role was definitely not for me."
⠀⠀"But I'm good at being in charge, so they should have given it to me," Wayne continued with a tone of annoyance. Layla laughed at that.
⠀⠀"Hello, Lay!" Someone exclaimed from behind them. Both friends gave each other a knowing look as they recognised the person's voice.
⠀⠀"Hey, Ron," the brunette greeted him with a big grin. The redhead looked nervous, and she didn't understand why if she was past that stage already. Wayne, as if he recognised something, pretended to look at his non-existent watch on the wrist of his arm.
⠀⠀"I have to go and find Megan!"
⠀⠀Layla rolled her eyes at how implausible that sounded. Minutes before they had talked about the blonde having the silent treatment for the boy because of the prank she played on him, so she knew he was lying. The brown-haired boy ruffled her hair and left again in the direction of their Common Room.
⠀⠀"Do you want to go to the kitchens?" Ron asked, still nervous. "The twins told me that the elves are in a really good mood and that they've made them a cake..."
⠀⠀"I want lemon pie!" She shouted in a little girl's tone, it was her favourite dessert. "I wonder if they know how to make it, come on, come on."
⠀⠀Without letting him respond, as was Layla's custom, she grabbed him by the hands and dragged him a couple of metres towards the place, heading back to her Common Room.
⠀⠀When she was a child, she used to spend her afternoons in a tent in her backyard with her butterfly eating whatever her mother wanted to cook for her. Her mother was good at baking, and even the brunette helped her many times even though she was bad at cooking. If she could choose one dessert to eat all her life it would be lemon pie, because it was easy to make and very delicious; her favourite pastime was being with her butterfly and eating lemon pie.
⠀⠀Fortunately, Dobby said he could make her lemon pie after she explained how it was made: it was a muggle dessert, so it was no wonder they didn't know how. Ron, having never tasted it before, was very interested in it.
⠀⠀"If I don't like it, I'm going to let you down by being your favourite dessert," he said, laughing nervously. Layla still didn't understand why he was like that, but she let it go.
⠀⠀"You'll like it, I promise," she assured him, smiling. "It's delicious! Really, it's the best. Although I don't know if Dobby can make one as good as my mum's, but I suppose it's the thought that counts, isn't it?"
⠀⠀He nodded.
⠀⠀"I hope one day you can try my mum's, she'd love to meet you," she murmured embarrassed as Ron blushed as she said that. "They're really cool, they'd like you."
⠀⠀"I-I've never been to someone else's house in that way," the red-haired boy confessed nervously. The Hufflepuff raised an eyebrow.
⠀⠀"Have you been to Harry's or Mione's house to visit them?"
⠀⠀"No... they always come to my house."
⠀⠀That surprised Layla. She knew, on the one hand, that they were his only friends at school, but, on the other hand, she imagined that he would have gone to either friend's house at some point. She guessed that the problem, on Harry's side, was with his muggle aunt and uncle, who she had been told were very bad people; and on Hermione's, perhaps because she lived in a muggle area.
⠀⠀Neither of them said anything until Dobby brought them the pie. Layla thoughtlessly tasted it, grateful that it was extremely tasty, still not quite her mum's, but she couldn't deny it.
⠀⠀"Wo', ig's deg'icious!" Ron exclaimed as he finished swallowing the slice she served him. He laughed.
⠀⠀"It is," she nodded, eating more. "My mum's is slightly superior, but Dobby made it great."
⠀⠀"Don't tell Hermione we came to ask them, she'll get mad," he warned a little worried. Layla instantly understood why.
⠀⠀"Of course, of course... The S.P.E.W., how could I forget," she muttered in amusement, agreeing with him.
⠀⠀"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me on Valentine's Day?" Ron asked out of the blue and very quickly. Layla choked on the slice of pie she was eating, so he had to slap her back a few times as she blushed. "Sorry... I thought..."
⠀⠀"Of course I want to go," the brunette murmured a little awkwardly, looking up and seeing Ron's blue eyes. She blushed as he did. "Actually, I was hoping you'd ask me..."
⠀⠀"So we're going together?" He said cautiously, looking at her curiously, as if he thought her answer was a joke in poor taste. She smiled and nodded.
⠀⠀"It will be a pleasure to go out with you that day, Mr. Weasley," she teased, giving him a kiss on the cheek. Without another word, the two continued eating in silence and with smiles on their faces.
IN THE DAYS THAT FOLLOWED, there was much news that had Layla dismayed, such as the news that spread around the school about Hagrid and that he was on probation, but to her outrage, almost no one was very upset. In fact, a few students, most notably Draco Malfoy, seemed overjoyed. The brunette hated the blonde haired boy.
⠀⠀Henceforth, therefore, Care of Magical Creatures lessons were taught in the presence of Professor Umbridge and her sheets of parchment, clutched in her clipboard.
⠀⠀Then, also, there was only one thing being talked about in the corridors: the ten escaped Death Eaters, whose story had spread around Hogwarts, filtered through the few students who read the newspapers. There were rumours that some of the fugitives had been spotted in Hogsmeade, that they were hiding in the Shrieking Shack, and that they were going to break into Hogwarts, as Sirius Black had once done.
⠀⠀Layla had heard from Megan and Wayne that the matter of the runaways was of more concern than she and her innocent mind had come to believe.
⠀⠀The boy's family —despite being purebloods, obsessed with blood preservation, and respected by the entire magical community— were not Death Eaters; while they did support Lord Voldemort's ideals, they were more afraid of how 'affected' his family name might become in later years by joining them.
⠀⠀For their part, the blonde's family (consisting only of her stepmother and stepsisters) were ignorant on the subject of the real reason for the death of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named being from France, so they were not mortified at what might happen to them as long as they retained their way of life: one they had viciously stolen.
⠀⠀Harry told her that he was glad to see that the news that ten more Death Eaters were on the loose had spurred those involved in the meetings, even Zacharias Smith, to work harder than ever; but the most noticeable improvement was in Neville, which made Layla proud.
⠀⠀The news of the escape of his parents' attacker had operated a strange and even slightly alarming change in him. He hadn't once mentioned Bellatrix Lestrange's involvement with his parents, or anything to do with it. In fact, Neville hardly ever spoke during the DA meetings, but he worked relentlessly on every new hex and counter-curse Harry taught them; he scrunched his chubby face into a grimace of concentration, seemingly indifferent to injuries or accidents, and worked harder than any of his classmates. He was improving so fast it was disconcerting, and when Harry taught them the Shield Charm (a method of deflecting small spells and bouncing them off the aggressor), only Hermione managed to execute it faster than Neville. The brunette was also happy to say that she went after him, because she was actually glad to know that her moral support had gone a long way.
⠀⠀There was so much to worry about and so much to do —a staggering amount of homework that often had the fifth year students working past midnight, the secret DA sessions and the escapades she was having with Ron— that January was passing at an alarming rate. Before Layla knew it, February had arrived, with wetter but less cold weather and the prospect of the second Hogsmeade visit of the year.
⠀⠀She had agreed with the redhead that they shouldn't go to Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop (even though for some strange reason he had insisted) because it was such a waste of time, where there would be things he wouldn't like. She couldn't say that she knew him perfectly, but she did know that Ron was more the style of boys that a date was almost impromptu, going to places that they both found comfortable and not one that was the opposite of this.
⠀⠀She had a feeling he'd insisted because of the 'reputation' of the place, where couples in love tended to go (which excited the brunette, because it meant the boy wanted to go on something more serious), though she wasn't getting her hopes up anyway. Other than that, though, it was nothing.
⠀⠀On the morning of the 14th she dressed with special care: she wore black jeans, an orange blouse and a black denim jacket that suited her very well (according to Megan). She even had her make-up done, something that never used to happen unless it was an important event (like the Christmas dance she ended up going to with Roger, from which their relationship continued, if you could call it that).
⠀⠀"Girl, if he doesn't kiss you today I'm really going to kill him," was the first thing Megan said to her when she saw her. Layla blushed.
⠀⠀"Do I look good?" She asked as she nervously straightened her jacket. "I know that men don't put as much effort into their attire when they go out with a girl, but I do like to do it and..."
⠀⠀"You look stunning," the blonde admitted with a wink. "I think I like women because of you."
⠀⠀"Oh, come on," Layla laughed. "You wish it was like that."
⠀⠀Megan pretended she hadn't heard that comment and grabbed the brunette's hands, dragging her towards the boys' rooms and arriving specifically at Wayne's. She stirred a little uncomfortably because she was sleeping with Ernie, but she knew there was nothing to be afraid of now: it had been two weeks since they had talked about what had happened and they had agreed to remain friends as always.
⠀⠀They both waited for someone to open the door, to an annoyed Megan who was knocking on the door as if she was going to knock it down.
⠀⠀"Who is it?!" Wayne's voice was heard from inside the room. The blonde clicked her tongue and replied.
⠀⠀"Us, you idiot! Open the door!"
⠀⠀"There are nicer ways to say it," Layla whispered, looking down at her; her best friend shrugged, and hurried into the boys' room with the brunette still restrained, leaving a sleepy Wayne in the doorway. The boy closed the door and yawned.
⠀⠀"I wasn't expecting you so early," he replied, yawning again, as he walked casually around the room looking for something.
⠀⠀"You didn't even look at us!" Megan shrieked in disgust. Layla rolled her eyes.
⠀⠀The Hufflepuff, who was clearly still very sleepy, shifted his gaze towards them, and stopped on the brunette. He raised an eyebrow in surprise.
⠀⠀"Lay, you look... gorgeous," he said, smiling broadly. "I can see why this lady wanted me to see you."
⠀⠀Before Layla could respond, she was overtaken by Megan.
⠀⠀"'This' lady has a name," she bellowed. Wayne nodded, not wanting to get into an argument with the blonde.
⠀⠀"Yeah, yeah, sure," he approached them both, tousling Megan's hair as he hugged Layla at the same time. "Today's your date, right? Where are you going?"
⠀⠀The boy moved them and made them both sit on his bed, while he finished taking off his underwear and began to change shamelessly in front of them: it was a habit they had had for a couple of years.
⠀⠀"Honestly, we didn't talk about it," Layla muttered apologetically with a nervous chuckle. "We've seen each other almost every day to talk... and we've never brought it up. Whatever, I guess," she teased, but instantly her countenance changed when she saw Wayne's annoyed face.
⠀⠀"Megan, please tell me she didn't just tell me that," the blonde wanted to laugh, but ended up confirming it. "Oh, that Weasley will pay me back... What's this about inviting you a month in advance and not talking about it! I thought Ron was stupid, but not that much."
⠀⠀"But..." Megan interrupted, clicking her tongue. "He loves her, doesn't he? It doesn't matter where they go, I suppose, as long as it's the two of them."
⠀⠀"If you keep getting romantic, you won't be able to stop me from thinking you're already better off with Freddie," Layla said mockingly, laughing at her best friend's blush. "Did you see that, Hop? I think someone should get their priorities in order."
⠀⠀"I agree with you," said the boy, winking at them and going to bed again. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must get back to sleep."
⠀⠀He did a rather dramatic scene, similar even to the one in the movies when the actors pretended to sleep and it was so unreal it was laughable. Layla stifled a good laugh at the look of annoyance on her best friend's face.
⠀⠀"It's time for breakfast!" Said Megan, threatening him with her wand. "If you don't get up in five minutes, I'll throw an Aguamenti Charm at you, you've been warned."
⠀⠀Again the blonde grabbed Layla's arm to pull her out, and as they were opening the door, Wayne pursed his lips and reluctantly got up from his bed, grabbing his clothes and walking out of the room with them. The blonde smiled triumphantly and, patting the boy on the back, walked away from the boys' rooms and out of the Common Room still with Layla in her grip.
⠀⠀When they were in the Great Hall and at their table, she could see Angelina scolding Ron who was crouched in his place without saying anything. When he didn't budge, the brunette snorted loudly, and looking sideways at Layla, she strided away.
⠀⠀She ate quietly, although Megan went on and on about how it would be her best date (since Roger wasn't supposed to count) and to promise that if Ron didn't kiss her, she had to; which she was still hesitant to do, because she was too embarrassed and didn't want to take that step if he wasn't sure.
⠀⠀To say Layla was nervous was quite an understatement, more like terrified. While her date with Roger the year before had had her hair standing on end the whole time, it wasn't the same now that she was dating Ron, the guy she'd been in love with for years.
⠀⠀When she first started talking to him, she always thought she would never be brave enough to do so to engage him in a conversation with which he would want to continue treating her, and so when she met him in that strange and awkward situation, and it turned out better than she expected, she made it clear to herself that she would be natural, and not pretend to be someone she wasn't.
⠀⠀She still couldn't believe how easily they'd managed to hit it off over the past few months, seeing each other almost every day, talking and never getting bored of each other. While she wasn't the best at talking to other people, Ron had made them both flow in a great way, even though they constantly felt sorry for each other; Layla still didn't understand why.
⠀⠀With her hair standing on end, the Hufflepuff got up from her table and made her way down the hall, wiping the sweat from her hands on her jeans. She was thankful that almost at the door of the Great Hall was Ron, who was wearing jeans and a shirt with a very basic jumper (Layla wasn't lying when she said that boys didn't notice their clothes), but he looked handsome.
⠀⠀She walked as if her feet were too heavy, and approached the boy who was looking at her with a big smile and a blush on his face.
⠀⠀"H-hello, Lay," he greeted her, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. Now her face was redder than his hair, too.
⠀⠀"Good day to you too," she muttered in embarrassment, and shifted her foot nervously. Her gaze shifted to the line of students waiting for Filch's permission to leave the castle, and she took Ron by the hand. "Shall we go?"
⠀⠀The red-haired man snapped out of his trance and stopped looking at her, then nodded. They stood in line, permits in hand and silent. It was a cool, breezy day, and she saw, as they passed by the Quidditch pitch, Ginny and the rest of the Gryffindor team, flying almost skimming the stands. Thoughts connected in her mind, she opened her mouth without thinking and looked at Ron with a frown. He blushed.
⠀⠀"Did you have training?" She asked curiously, handing the permission to Filch, who was analysing it carefully. The red-haired boy didn't answer her until the caretaker gave him back his permit as well and they walked a little further.
⠀⠀"I..., yes, but I told Angelina that I couldn't go..."
⠀⠀"You could have told me you were busy and we could have gone next week, Ron," she said in a reprimanding tone and narrowing her eyes.
⠀⠀"No, no, it's nothing, really," he hastened to say, taking one last look at the pitch. "I'm always at training, even when I've got things to do..., one day doesn't hurt. Besides," he added, now looking at Harry who was a couple of metres in front of them with Cho Chang, "even if I want to quit, he hasn't let me... I hope this is the chance."
⠀⠀Layla rolled her eyes, but didn't pursue the subject. She knew that, even if she insisted, he still had little confidence in himself for Quidditch, and it bothered her because he was actually good, he just got nervous.
⠀⠀"So Harry and Cho?" She murmured, changing the subject, he nodded. "How curious, but they look cute together."
⠀⠀They went on talking about both of them, and she knew he was nervous because he had never had strong feelings for girls in previous years.
⠀⠀They followed the path and then crossed the gates. She watched as a large group of Slytherin girls, including Pansy Parkinson, passed Harry and Cho in the distance.
⠀⠀Probably saying something stupid as usual, Lay thought.
⠀⠀"Wow, Weasley and Dunnet!" Shouted Pansy amidst a chorus of malicious sniggers as they reached their side. "You've got bad taste, Dunnet! At least Roger's handsome! It's probably because of the homework, isn't it, Weasley? Do you like mudbloods? At least she's got money!"
⠀⠀The girls picked up their pace, shrieking and talking in scathing tones as they shot exaggerated glances at the two of them, leaving a trail of awkward silence. Ron was blushing and said nothing. Layla hated that they were making him feel bad: they had hit on his insecurities.
⠀⠀"Don't listen to them, Ron," she tried to reassure him by squeezing his hand, which she was holding tightly, and gave him a smile. "They're brainless idiots. Any time you want we can ask the twins to play a prank on them... especially Parkinson, I hate her."
⠀⠀"But it's true, isn't it?" The red-haired boy muttered listlessly, shrugging his shoulders. "Malone's handsome, and I don't have..."
⠀⠀"And if I'd asked you I'd have been better off," Layla cut him off, looking annoyed. "Ron, I don't care what they say. Roger may be better looking, according to them, but he sucks as a person, and that makes him the worst. And I don't care about your financial situation, like I've always told you, okay?"
⠀⠀Ron was silent, and for her that was a 'yes', so she smiled triumphantly and walked on with him.
⠀⠀By that point they had reached Hogsmeade. The main street was full of students strolling leisurely along the pavements and window shopping, some going to inappropriate places and others looking very uncomfortable with their companion.
⠀⠀"Let's see the shops," said Layla, and without waiting for Ron's response she started walking.
⠀⠀They made their way to Dervish and Banges. They had hung a large sign in the window, and a few Hogsmeade locals were reading it. They turned away as Layla and Ron approached, and found themselves back in front of the photographs of the ten escaped Death Eaters.
⠀⠀'By order of the Ministry of Magic' the poster read, a reward of a thousand galleons was being offered to any wizard or witch who could provide any information that would lead to the capture of any of the inmates pictured. He pursed his lips at the lack of intensity of the search, and told Ron.
⠀⠀"It's annoying that for Sirius Black they've made such a fuss about dementors and protection to the max... and with them, nothing!" She mumbled, turning her head and looking at the boy, who remained silent. "Do you think they're doing wrong? I mean... the Ministry."
⠀⠀"They do," Ron replied, a little uncomfortably. She noticed and decided to shut up: she felt there was something else going on.
⠀⠀Photographs of the ten escaped Death Eaters hung in every shop window Layla and Ron passed. When they reached the Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop it began to rain; cold, thick raindrops hit the girl in the face and on the back of her neck.
⠀⠀"Damn," the red-haired man muttered, looking sideways at her. "Where are we going?"
⠀⠀"Three Broomsticks Inn?" The brunette suggested. He nodded, and took her by the hand, leading her to the place.
⠀⠀She saw Harry and Cho walk into Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop in the distance, which didn't surprise her because it was the kind of place for girls like her. She grimaced, but said nothing.
⠀⠀"He seems happy with Cho," Ron said, trying to make conversation, "don't you think?"
⠀⠀"Mm, well," she hesitated, and even pursed her lips. She didn't want to say something he didn't want to hear. "I don't know what to say about that... Cho's not my favourite person, but I suppose yes."
⠀⠀The red-haired boy noticed that the subject was not a very pleasant one and shut up. They both went to the Three Broomsticks Inn, saw Hagrid out of the corner of their eyes, waved to him, and sat down at a table near the entrance, but a bit hidden. Ron told her he would get the butterbeers, and she stayed there. To her surprise, Hagrid approached her.
⠀⠀"Hi, Layla!" He greeted her again, and she smiled at him. "I didn't know you and Ron were dating, it's not like he was ever interested in having a relationship..."
⠀⠀The brunette blushed and began to shake her head several times under the half-giant's watchful gaze.
⠀⠀"We're not dating, Hagrid... we're friends," she said, trying to convince him, though it hurt her to say it. He laughed.
⠀⠀"Well, unless Ron is more clueless than I thought... I would think you are already dating, you look very in love."
⠀⠀Layla was usually embarrassed that other people had crazy ideas about her relationship-not relationship with Ron, and she was more ashamed when Hagrid, a good friend of the golden trio, would have noticed.
⠀⠀"I..."
⠀⠀"Oh, there he comes," interrupted Hagrid, watching as the redhead was already with the two butterbeers. He smiled at Layla and parted from her table. "See you! Good luck, Ron," said to the boy as he sat down, and he blushed.
⠀⠀Ron nodded goodbye to Hagrid and sat down at the table next to Layla, setting the beers down in front of them. She didn't know what to say, because she was still very embarrassed. She also saw how he didn't dare to ask, because he had discreetly realized what she had talked about with the half-giant.
⠀⠀"And..." Said Layla trying to break the silence. "When's the next Quidditch match?"
⠀⠀The red-haired man looked at her and grimaced.
⠀⠀"Next Saturday... and I'll be terrible," Ron said resignedly, taking a sip of his butterbeer and shrugging his shoulders. "Just because Angelina won't let me quit..."
⠀⠀"And I'm glad she won't let you do it. You're very good, Ron, you just need more confidence in yourself..."
⠀⠀She was sure the red-haired boy was good at Quidditch. It must have been in his genes, and just as he had done well in the trials, he could do well in a normal match. The problem was that the Slytherin caused him discomfort when playing.
⠀⠀"It's against Hufflepuff, actually," he muttered with a smirk. "And the thing is Smith doesn't win... He'd laugh at us forever."
⠀⠀"Look on the bright side," she clicked her tongue, looking at him with a smile. "Megan wouldn't do it, and if he'd did she'd kick his ass."
⠀⠀Ron laughed at that, perhaps imagining the scene. It would be hilarious.
⠀⠀"It sounds better that way," he said, still laughing, "much better."
⠀⠀They talked for another hour, amidst pleasant conversation and laughter. Layla was grateful that their conversation had taken a pleasant turn, where they said the first thing that came to mind and laughed at each other's funny experiences. She couldn't help thinking that she wanted him to kiss her, but she couldn't force anything, nor did she want him to be pressured that way.
⠀⠀As she finished her butterbeer, she saw Hermione, Luna Lovegood and Rita Skeeter walk through the door. If she hadn't had any more in her mouth, she would have spat out her drink. Why was Mione with that woman, after everything she had done the previous year against her and Harry?
⠀⠀"What the hell...?" She turned to Ron, and he looked very surprised too. "Do you know something?"
⠀⠀"I know what you know," said the red-haired man with a frown, "nothing."
⠀⠀Layla sighed, and leaned her face on her fist, looking curiously at the trio. None of the three noticed they were there, as their table went largely unnoticed.
⠀⠀"Do you want to get out of here and go somewhere else?" Ron asked, glancing sideways at the women at the other end of the room. "Hermione didn't tell us she was coming or that she was coming with Rita Skeeter... We can go for a walk."
⠀⠀"Is it no longer raining?" She asked unconsciously, and he shook his head. Layla looked at the window and it was indeed no longer raining; she blushed a little, and nodded.
⠀⠀Ron smiled and got up from the table with her, holding her hand. The Hufflepuff loved that these details were born out of him, but sometimes she felt like she would break out in a sweat and be embarrassed.
⠀⠀As they left the Three Broomsticks Inn, they saw Harry heading in her direction, dismayed and alone. She knew that his date with Cho had turned out badly, and she felt bad for him.
⠀⠀"Harry, how did it go?" Asked Ron, approaching him with Layla. The Hufflepuff gave him a dirty look, and he didn't understand it so he turned back to his best friend, who grimaced.
⠀⠀"Mm... I must see Hermione," he changed the subject, trying to smile and waving goodbye to them. The red-haired boy didn't understand and turned to her.
⠀⠀"What happened?"
⠀⠀"Ron, he looked dismayed as soon as we saw him, he was on his own and avoided the subject. He obviously did badly on his date, but you didn't realise it in time," she reprimanded him, noticing how tactless he'd been with Harry. They were both the same, really.
⠀⠀"Oh," the boy merely replied, nodding as if he was beginning to understand. Layla rolled her eyes, but ended up laughing, not knowing why, and walked with Ron through the village.
⠀⠀After a couple of hours in the place, going from one place to another like little kids, chatting, laughing and telling anecdotes (Ron's were never ending), the night came, and the last carriages were about to leave. Layla didn't want to leave, because she felt that they weren't 'finished' yet. She thought it would be very different from their talks in the Courtyard, the kitchens or the Library to their departure from Hogsmeade, but it was just like all of them, or even better; she could never get enough of Ron, and she hoped he couldn't get enough of her either.
⠀⠀As they got into the last carriage, she remembered something.
⠀⠀"Ron! Ron! There's a party in the Hufflepuff Common Room today!" She exclaimed, turning to look at him and laughing at the look of surprise on his face. "Do you want to come?"
⠀⠀"H-Hermione would kill me..." He murmured, slipping his arm around her neck, hesitating. "We're perfects and..."
⠀⠀"...and Mione doesn't have to know," she replied in a singing voice, grabbing Ron's arm and shaking it. "Come on, it'll be fun!"
⠀⠀She smiled, and gave Ron a kiss on the cheek as they carefully stepped out of the carriage. They approached the entrance, and silently walked towards the Hufflepuff Common Room, holding hands. When they arrived, before entering, she turned to face him.
⠀⠀"If you'd like to go and change... I'll go in, put on some other clothes and you can come, it starts at nine I think..., say I invited you and that's it."
⠀⠀"I have a better idea before I go," the red-haired boy said, his cheeks blushing. Layla raised an uncomprehending eyebrow.
⠀⠀"Which one...?"
⠀⠀Ron kissed her.
⠀⠀And Layla kissed him back.