chapter tenﾠ✶ ﾠsurprises.

LAYLA WAS SURE THAT FRED AND GEORGE'S EVENT WOULD GO DOWN IN HISTORY THROUGHOUT HOGWARTS FOR MANY YEARS TO COME AND WOULD NOT BE EASILY FORGOTTEN. The swamp was still in the same place and because Umbridge didn't know how to remove it, Professor Flitwick had to take his students out in boats. She knew that both he and Professor McGonagall knew perfectly well how to take it out of there, but they would leave the pink toad to fend for herself, and that was what amused her the most.

⠀⠀Megan had also been sadder than usual, and thanks to the scene that had transpired that day, Umbridge had her in her sights, as if she was suddenly going to follow the same legacy of 'her boyfriend' (as they all said) and make her life miserable.

⠀⠀The truth was that a lot of kids from different years were constantly using 'Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes' candy to skip class and claim they had 'umbridgitis', which was the funniest thing of all. Wayne and she had tried to distract her friend from the subject, but not until the following Saturday at Hogsmeade would she see him, and she thought maybe she would be clear on things. The blonde hadn't told them precisely what was between them, but Layla didn't insist: she would when she felt ready.

⠀⠀Five days after the event, the brunette was (surprisingly) with Ron in the Gryffindor common room practicing a spell they had seen days before in Transformations and the boy didn't seem to get right.

⠀⠀"I insist on saying that I'm a hopeless case at this spell, the legs come out too thin!" He complained bitterly, leaning his head on his arm and wailing.

⠀⠀The Hufflepuff rolled her eyes, and shook her head, repairing the broken teacup on the table again.

⠀⠀"I told you, you're making a lot of progress.... This spell is tricky, even I struggled to get it right."

⠀⠀"Even so, you didn't struggle as much as I do, Lay," he tapped the cup again, and it wasn't getting any better.

⠀⠀"Relax, honey, you just need more practice," she tried to comfort him again, taking his hands, giving them a squeeze and smiling. "I'm sure it will be fine later. Do you want to do something else?"

⠀⠀"Anything is better than this," Ron snorted.

⠀⠀"Even being locked in a room with all the Slytherins who hate us?" Layla joked, letting out a small laugh.

⠀⠀She vaguely remembered Draco, but the image quickly left her head. Ever since the day she had met him and asked for her help, he had been looking at her curiously from afar, as if at any moment he was going to approach.

⠀⠀The red-haired man opened his eyes and laughed as well, shaking his head and shaking his hands.

⠀⠀"You have a great imagination... But no, I could never survive that."

⠀⠀She smirked. She put her wand aside as she saw Ron put the cup in his backpack along with his wand and pulled out some chocolates she had stashed in her tunic.

⠀⠀"Since we had classes with Professor Lupin and my boggart was He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named I started to have the habit of always carrying chocolate in my pockets," Layla told him with embarrassment as she gave half of her bar to the boy. "I know it's silly, but he made me feel better and told me I didn't have to be ashamed of my own fear because it was so normal. I miss him so much."

⠀⠀Ron was speechless as he watched the girl grow nostalgic and a little sad as she remembered her Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher from two years ago. Maybe because he wasn't used to comforting girls or because he had no idea of her greatest fear in the world. He could tell he didn't quite know her yet.

⠀⠀"Doesn't it bother you that he's a werewolf?" He asked nervously. She denied.

⠀⠀"Of course not, Ron. Only an idiot would be afraid of him because of something he couldn't control... Good people often face problems you'd never imagine, and that's when you realize why they're so sympathetic to others. I think deep down inside they would like people to be that way with them."

⠀⠀Layla could only remember the many times she went to Professor Lupin's office to chat and distract herself, while he gave her chocolate and gifted her a couple of bars when she finished her ration. He had told her a bit of his story without mentioning Sirius Black and his lycanthropy, which she found out when he left, and it all made sense. He didn't deserve all that, she always thought.

⠀⠀"I had no idea that Voldemort was your biggest fear, and I feel bad that I didn't ask you something like that," Ron looked apologetic, but she smiled at him in response.

⠀⠀"You didn't have any idea, and it's not something I like to remember. I think the good thing about being in Ravenclaw that year is that no one talked about it with outsiders, and even though everyone probably remembers it, they don't make a big deal out of it," she told him. "Imagine if my class had been with Slytherin... They would have eaten me alive."

⠀⠀"And maybe I would have known about your existence that year as 'the girl who's afraid of Lord Voldemort'," the redhead added in a mocking tone, and Layla let out a loud laugh, making some people in the common room turn towards them.

⠀⠀"Even that way you wouldn't have done it," she assured him, brushing away a couple of tears that had come to her eyes. It had been a good comment on his part, and it had been too funny.

⠀⠀"I'm offended that you don't believe in me like that," Ron said dramatically.

⠀⠀"I've been standing a meter or two away from you for years and you never turned to look at me," she reminded him, still laughing. She sighed at last, trying to forget that. "But no problem, fate wanted it to be that day in the dark and with Harry."

⠀⠀"What a great day, don't you think?"

⠀⠀She smiled and felt her cheeks warm, then nodded and kissed him on the cheek. She settled better on the cushion she was sitting on and moved closer to Ron.

⠀⠀"Of course."

⠀⠀Glancing around the Gryffindor common room, she noticed a big difference in the atmosphere after the twins had left. It was much quieter (no kids in the corners being guinea pigs for the products they made) and also because all the fifth and seventh year students were doing homework or studying.

⠀⠀"I can't believe the school year is almost over," Layla commented, thinking about how May was only a week away and exams were only a month away.

⠀⠀"And I can't believe it's almost going to be your birthday," Ron muttered embarrassedly, looking into her eyes.

⠀⠀She gave a sigh. Actually, she didn't remember that date because of some stupidity.

⠀⠀Sometimes she felt ridiculous and immature remembering a butterfly she had had when she was ten years old, but she couldn't help it; it had brought so much happiness into her life that when it left, precisely on her birthday, she felt terrible. She wanted to think that its mission in the world had been accomplished, and in part she was grateful that at least it had been able to end that day, to simply not live any longer. It had even lived more than a year, which was the average age of those animals, which always made her think that she had given it a great life.

⠀⠀"But first it will be your game, so think about that," Layla said, keeping her composure. She hoped he would do better now that the twins weren't around, as she sometimes felt that the pressure to win from them was influencing his game for the worse.

"Don't remind me, please," Ron muttered, averting his gaze. The brunette pursed her lips and with her hand, she held his jaw and made him look at her.

⠀⠀"You'll be fine, okay?" She made, thanks to her hand, the boy's head move up and down with a nod, and he laughed. "I'll be there to cheer you on, and since you're not playing against my house, I'll get Meg and Hop to go. I won't take no for an answer."

⠀⠀"Have you stopped to think that if Montague doesn't recover before Slytherin plays Hufflepuff, we'd still have a chance of winning the Cup?" He commented, suddenly very excited. She started to think about the possibilities and couldn't think the same as he did.

⠀⠀"Most likely... But don't tell Megan that I'm planning a plot against my own house!, or she'll leave me sleeping in the common room or on the floor if I'm doing..."

⠀⠀"Is she capable of doing that?" Ron interrupted her, holding back a laugh. She gave him a dirty look.

⠀⠀"Of course! You don't know how evil she can be if she sets her mind to it. And now that Fred doesn't study here anymore, she's even more intense than before," she shook her head as she remembered the event of that morning. "Today when I took a bath, I went to wake her up because it was already too late and we had to go to breakfast... Well, she threw an Aguamenti at me, I don't know how, and then she yelled at me and called me Fred, can you believe it?" She asked indignantly. At that moment the boy didn't hold back any longer and started laughing, "It's not funny! I had to dry myself off after that and the little makeup I had on had smeared, I looked like a raccoon."

"SO YOU HATE ME, IS THAT IT?"

⠀⠀Layla rolled her eyes as she watched her best friend get melodramatic. She had seen her and Hermione chatting in the corridors the day before and apparently she had 'ditched her'.

⠀⠀"I told you I just ran into her!" She tried to explain, for the tenth time in a minute. "Understand that you're my best friend, blondie, no one else."

⠀⠀Megan's eyes began to water. She was also in her hormonal days where even she wouldn't hold it in, and for everything she would cry, scream or want to hit. The brunette was actually thankful that she never had drastic mood swings in those days; her mom said it ran in her family. The blonde opened her mouth ready to continue arguing.

⠀⠀"Well, I think..."

⠀⠀"You'd better leave me alone with Layla, I need to talk to her," a voice interrupted her.

⠀⠀Both Hufflepuff girls looked at each other discreetly before turning to see who it was. To their surprise it was Draco Malfoy, who was in casual clothes looking at them as if he was truly bored. Megan brushed away the few tears that had welled up in her eyes and glared indignantly at the blond.

⠀⠀"What right do you have to interrupt my conversation with my best friend?" She reproached him, annoyed. "You're not even friends, so you'd better get out of here before I kick you out of here."

⠀In the Library you obviously couldn't kick anyone out, but if Megan Jones said so, she followed through. The Slytherin laughed, as if he didn't care about her threat, and shrugged.

⠀⠀"I want to talk to her, Jones. It's the first time I've told you something without offending you, so take my advice. Do I even have to ask for your permission?"

⠀The blonde's face flushed, and she stood up, pointing her finger at him menacingly.

⠀⠀"Do you have a problem with that? If you want to talk to her so badly, you can talk to her with me here, she tells me everything, so I'll end up finding out."

⠀⠀Megan had gotten up from her seat and was facing the blond, looking at him; if looks would kill he would be a hundred feet under. Draco was about to answer her with his typical tone when Madame Prince arrived and seeing the blonde in a threatening position and almost with her wand out, she became exalted.

⠀⠀"I don't allow fights inside the Library!" She demanded to the girl. She grabbed her by the shoulders and started to lead her towards the door of the place. Layla stood up ready to help her when her friend's voice rang out.

⠀⠀"Won't you take him out? He started it all!"

⠀⠀When she was out of the Library, Madame Prince shrugged.

⠀⠀"You had your wand out, so don't come back or I won't let you in anymore, Miss Jones!"

⠀⠀Her best friend's face was still red with annoyance, she looked at Layla and left indignantly. The brunette shook her head. She couldn't believe that because of Draco that had happened in less than five minutes and it upset her, more so because he had no right to do that. They weren't friends, she didn't even consider him a classmate.

⠀⠀"You better hope what you wanted to tell me is really important or else I'll cast a spell on you," she threatened him. The blond laughed derisively, and sat down in the chair where Megan had been sitting minutes before.

⠀⠀"Please, have a seat," he pointed to the chair where she was sitting before. She did so reluctantly, "I wasn't kidding when I told you I needed your help, and I think next term even more so.

⠀⠀"And why next term even more?" She questioned him, raising an eyebrow. All this seemed very strange to her, but she couldn't deny that curiosity got the better of her and she wanted to know everything she could. "I mean, you've always been one of the best students and I don't understand why you would want help from me when you went to tell lies to Umbridge," she remarked, not forgetting that.

⠀⠀"It was actually Roger and Peter who told her," he clarified, clearly amused by the situation, "He still wants your attention. I told him he's mad."

⠀⠀"I doubt very much that you told him that, Malfoy," she shook her head, "But even so, you haven't told me why you need my help. I won't do it for free after everything you've said to me and how you've treated me. Or are you forgetting all the times you've called me a mudblood? That you've called my friends traitors? Do you want me to go on with the list? Because I can do it without a problem."

⠀⠀"Are you going to keep remembering everything I know I've done or are you going to listen to me?"

⠀⠀Her face was beginning to heat up with anger. She wanted to throw a punch at Draco but she knew she would be kicked out of the Library, or in a worse case scenario, he would punch her back. She doubted it, but she never knew what to expect.

⠀⠀"Speak quickly."

⠀⠀"As I told you, I needed an essay for Potions, but the date has passed and well, now I need one for Astronomy."

⠀⠀"I'm not good at that one," she objected, too confused, "You're top of the class!"

⠀⠀"But I need it, Dunnet. Will you do it or not? Just so I don't keep wasting my time and leave."

⠀⠀"All right, I'll do it, but it's the only thing I'm going to help you with, Malfoy," she threatened him. They had requested it for the following week, and if it served to keep him out of her life, it seemed like the best option.

⠀⠀"But I need more favors," he said simply, shrugging his shoulders.

⠀⠀"Then I won't do anything."

⠀⠀What was in it for her? The thought of hitting him wouldn't leave her head, and at that moment she remembered again that he was a member of the Inquisitorial Squad, which meant that in addition to deducting points for being a prefect, he could give her a punishment, and even worse, with Umbridge. She cursed the blond in her mind when she saw him chuckle.

⠀⠀"Maybe now you think my proposal won't help, but later you will," the boy finished, getting up from his chair. His face did not express any feeling, even after having been shouted at by Layla. "See you, Dunnet."

⠀⠀And he left the Library, leaving her alone in the chair.

⠀⠀The Hufflepuff grumbled to herself, very annoyed. Who did Draco Malfoy think he was to go and threaten her? Because that had been it, in other words. She'd never tried to get his attention, and she knew he wasn't interested in her life or what might happen to her, but she couldn't help but be intrigued at how strange it all looked. The worst part was that the previous time he'd sought her out she'd kept it to herself and hadn't told anyone, but now she'd have to put up with Megan wanting to know what he'd told her, and she surely wouldn't leave her alone; she'd know he was up to something and it would be more complicated to keep it to herself.

⠀⠀She leaned her head back on the table, with an attempt to forget what had just happened, though she knew it would be impossible.

⠀⠀When Layla left the Library ten minutes after Draco left, she decided to go for an aimless walk. She didn't want to run into him again, so she had waited so it wouldn't happen.

⠀⠀In her thoughts there was nothing, surprisingly. She always used to have something on her mind which was usually what kept her entertained, but after what happened, she didn't know what to think about or where to go. She had to go to her room, it was obvious, but she didn't feel ready to face Megan and most likely Wayne as well; her friends cared a lot about her, and to have one of the people who seemed to hate her the most suddenly want to talk to her was unusual.

⠀⠀"Wandering aimlessly?" Asked a dreamy voice beside her, walking with her. The Hufflepuff recognized that girl as Luna Lovegood, mostly because of the lion hat from the Quidditch match occasion and because she always saw her very lively at DA meetings.

⠀⠀"There's nothing better than having exams around the corner and getting distracted," she mocked herself. The truth was that it was false, since she had been studying every day for many hours like crazy, "And what are you doing here?"

⠀⠀"They hid my parchments," she replied as if it didn't matter, "it was probably the nargles. So I'm here to see if they left them around."

⠀⠀"And... don't you need them for your homework?" She tried not to comment anything about those creatures she didn't know about.

⠀⠀"Yes, but I can buy more on Saturday if I can't find them."

⠀⠀She was beginning to suspect that her parchments had not been hidden by the nargles, but by other classmates. She understood from that situation that they had done it on purpose. People were so mean to those who were different from the rest that they tended to have those horrible attitudes.

⠀⠀"Do you want me to help you look for them?" She paused, looking at her kindly.

⠀⠀"You have more important things to do, but you're too polite to tell me," she smiled and laughed a little; despite her lunatic face she looked cute, and that gesture made her like him. Layla didn't know what to say, because she really had to go to her room now. "See you!"

⠀⠀"What a habit people have of leaving me alone," she murmured, not upset, but a bit surprised.

⠀⠀Five minutes later she reached the entrance, tapped the barrels the right way and entered the place. There weren't many people, except Ernie and Hannah, whom she waved to before going up to her room. She already knew what she was going to face and preferred to go cautiously so she wouldn't fall on her ass when she heard her friends getting worked up.

⠀⠀As expected, that happened, and when she opened the door, Megan and Wayne had expressionless faces and made her sit on her bed, with them in two chairs across from her. They were ten seconds silent before they spoke.

⠀⠀"What did that son of a bitch do to you?" The angry blonde wanted to know. She could tell that she felt like hitting him.... well, that since the Library.

⠀⠀"Nothing, Meg," she didn't know whether to tell them the truth, but it was the right thing to do, otherwise it would be worse for her, "He just wanted me to give him a test, apparently."

⠀⠀The brown-haired man didn't believe her answer because he looked at her as he did when he knew she was lying. She hated sometimes being so transparent towards them, but they only wanted her good.

⠀⠀"Are you sure?"

⠀⠀"One hundred percent," she assured them, giving them a calming smile, "Anyway, I put him in his place, and I hope he won't bother me again."

⠀⠀"Had he ever reached out to you before?"

⠀⠀Layla shook her head at her best friend's question. She and Wayne looked at each other in complicity, and she just wished they wouldn't say anything else about it because she just wanted to sleep. Her head had started to hurt a little and she needed it.

⠀⠀Suddenly something came through her window, startling the three friends, and landed on the brunette's legs. It was a parchment airplane. At the curious looks of the people in front of her, she opened it and could recognize that handwriting as Ron's, so she smiled.

What do you think about me picking you up in five minutes at the entrance of your common room?

⠀⠀She blushed. Maybe she could tell him to hurry with her to the infirmary to get something for the pain since she didn't know where they would go next. Probably to the kitchens.

⠀⠀Not to explain herself, she passed the note to her friends, who quickly read it and their faces changed.

⠀⠀"For Helga, how romantic!" Megan exclaimed excitedly, getting up from there and going to her things.

⠀⠀"It's just a note, Meg," Layla teased, although deep down she had been much more excited about it, but she didn't want to say it out loud.

⠀⠀"Ron is getting better and better at it, even though he's so absent-minded. I always think it's Hermione who helps him," Wayne commented, sitting down next to her and adjusting the collar of the blouse she was wearing, "Still, I keep repeating that he's the best match for you."

⠀⠀"And the only one I'm interested in," she muttered to herself, but as the boy was so close, he heard her and smiled.

⠀⠀The blonde came and sat down in front of her in the same chair as two minutes ago, placing make-up and posing in front of her face.

⠀⠀"You need a touch-up! You look terrible, Lay," she giggled, starting to swipe a bit of various things across her face. She wanted to laugh, but Megan slapped her hand when she did, so after hearing Wayne laugh, she decided to stay still.

⠀⠀"She doesn't need makeup," the boy interjected when the blonde finished, and smiled big, "she's beautiful just as she is."

⠀⠀"Men always say that, but I want her to look pretty for Ron... Oh, damn, he must be here by now!"

⠀⠀Layla looked at the same clock she did and realized it was true, so she got up and ran out the door.

⠀⠀"I'll be back soon!" She announced before closing it. Megan could be heard answering her.

⠀⠀"Don't come back if you want to!"

⠀⠀What a fool, she thought, shaking her head. She had no such intentions with Ron, or at least they had never discussed it per se. She knew her best friend was much more experienced at it and didn't dislike it, but she didn't feel like it, and Megan knew it, she just loved to tease her and make her uncomfortable.

⠀⠀When she went down to the common room, Ernie and Hannah were still practicing some spells. She said goodbye to both of them and walked out. She was very excited to see Ron with a small bouquet of tulips, and very nervous.

⠀⠀"They're for you," he held them out to her, blushing, and greeted her with a little hug. Layla didn't know what to say, she just smiled big, took them and admired them.

⠀⠀She didn't remember telling him that those were her favorite flowers, so her mind quickly went to Megan and Wayne, who were the only ones who knew. He laughed unconsciously.

⠀⠀"Didn't you like them?"

⠀⠀Layla looked up from the tulips to Ron, who had become flustered. She shook her head.

⠀⠀"It's not that, honey, they're beautiful," she murmured gratefully, and gave him a kiss.

⠀⠀She couldn't describe their kisses with any other word than perfect. She wasn't an expert kisser and she knew he wasn't either, so at first they were always shy and sloppy, but over the weeks they had both gotten used to each other and she couldn't ask for more perfection in a moment than when she kissed him. The brunette had the habit of whenever it was over, she gave him another short kiss on the lips; she didn't know why, but she liked the fact that she was (of the two of them) the last one to take that step. It had been something new, so she loved doing it.

⠀⠀"Thank you very much indeed," she said again, taking him by the hand, "Where are we going?"

⠀⠀"It's a secret," he assured her, smiling. She returned the gesture, starting to get a little too excited. She imagined scenes like in romantic movies.

⠀⠀"Just don't kidnap me!"

⠀⠀"I hadn't thought of that, but it's a good idea," Ron teased. Layla laughed with him and, holding hands, they started walking.

⠀⠀The halls were sparsely crowded. It was Sunday and most of the students were out enjoying the sunny weather, doing homework or studying; luckily she had spent her entire day earlier (and not going to Hogsmeade) to revise as much as she could with Megan and Wayne. She didn't know if the redhead did too, but she imagined he did, otherwise Hermione wouldn't have let him out. No one said any words, they just walked; the Hufflepuff was actually following him, since she had no idea where they were going.

⠀⠀"So you won't tell me?" She tried again, and watched as Ron denied. She snorted, at the boy's amused look.

⠀⠀As they reached the castle exit, she saw only Hagrid's hut and the Forbidden Forest in the distance, making her a little nervous. The thought crossed her mind that they shouldn't be there, because Umbridge was always watching nearby and could punish them severely. The last thing they wanted was minus points or worse. She let Ron know about her concern, and he smiled, as if he had the solution.

⠀⠀"Did you think I'd make us come without knowing how to cross?" Layla blushed, as it was obvious. Both he and his friends seemed to have everything figured out all the time.

⠀⠀He pulled out of the backpack he was carrying a sheet, which made the brunette look surprised. If she wasn't mistaken, it was a Cloak of Invisibility, as she knew there were several in the world and she thought it looked great. She guessed it wasn't his, but tried not to ask until he answered on his own.

⠀⠀"It's Harry's, and it's a secret. You can't tell anyone."

⠀⠀"Of course I won't tell anyone," she pretended to be offended. She would never tell on Ron, let alone his friends.

⠀⠀"I know," the Hufflepuff's heart began to pound at the sight of Ron's smile, and thanks to him, they both got under the cloak and started walking towards the Forbidden Forest.

⠀⠀Layla had never been inside. That is, except for the classes they had gone to. She was very fearful, strange creatures gave her the creeps and she sometimes froze. On one occasion, when she had seen some animals Hagrid had shown them the year before she had almost fainted. The gamekeeper and professor had a great mania for unusual creatures even though it created problems for him, and even though she loved him dearly, she couldn't understand it.

⠀⠀"Wh-Why are we going in?" She whispered, nervous. She had started to shiver a little as they approached the place, and she was surprised to see Ron so calm. She should have figured that after four years of having trouble at school with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, he wouldn't freak out over something like that.

⠀⠀"There's something I want to show you."

⠀⠀She swallowed heavily, nodding. She knew he couldn't see her, he was just holding her hand, but just like that, they began to walk a little deeper, causing Layla's skin to tingle and a thousand possible scenarios to run through her head where they were eaten or severely punished by Umbridge. She admired Ron's courage to go to the place, even knowing who was 'headmistress' at the time.

⠀⠀"You'd better hope we don't get caught."

⠀⠀The red-headed boy laughed. The Hufflepuff didn't think it was so funny, but she knew she had to trust him.

⠀⠀A couple of minutes later, they came to a small river inside the forest. Layla had no idea that was in there, because it was so nice and big. The grass around it was green and alive, making her smile. When they stopped she saw something amazing, and that was that that area of the forest was full of butterflies... but not just any butterflies, they were too beautiful, brightly colored and shining on their own; each and every one fluttered above the river and the flowers that were at the foot of it, giving them a great spectacle.

⠀⠀She couldn't help but laugh when an orange butterfly flew up to her and settled into her hair, very comfortably. The brightness it gave off bothered her a little at first, but then she got used to it. Ron, next to her, smiled at the sight of her, and laughed again when a butterfly settled on his shoulder.

⠀⠀"Hagrid told me about this place the other day and I knew I should bring you here. It's really nice, isn't it?"

⠀⠀Layla nodded. It was by far the best setting she had ever witnessed. She would never forget that moment, and she was grateful that she was with him.

⠀⠀"It's amazing," she murmured happily, moving to face him, and that's when she noticed the butterfly on the redhead's shoulder. She reached out her hand, and it landed on her index finger, "You're very pretty, you know that?"

⠀⠀"You're pretty," said Ron, blushing. The brunette looked him in the eyes and smiled, then leaned closer and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.

⠀⠀How could she describe what she felt for Ron Weasley? She had no idea... Actually, every time she thought of him she knew she was deeply in love, but for real, not like before, which was something fanciful. When she looked at him, she felt that she was not on Earth, since for Layla only he and she existed. She had no doubt about her feelings towards the red-haired man, and although she didn't know precisely if he felt it with the same magnitude, she didn't care; with that simple gesture it was clear to her that Ron loved her, and that was more than enough for her.

⠀⠀"You are too."