two can keep a secret,

chapter twenty-one.

Lilith.

It's Friday, and I'm in Minnie's classroom. We decided to have tea again.

"So," Minnie says, snacking on a biscuit, "have you gone dress shopping yet?"

I shake my head and bring my tea cup to my lips, taking a quick sip. "No, Pansy and I were going to go tomorrow. I was thinking of getting Christmas presents next week." I shrug. "I have an idea for Dad, Pansy, and Draco. But Blaise I'm not so sure on. I could get him cuff links, or maybe an earring. His parents— well, his new stepfather— would be pissed, but he's been wanting one for a long ass time."

Minnie chuckles into her cup and shakes her head. "I say get him both." She pauses. "Parents are so unaccepting these days. I never did understand it. Though, I guess all us teachers have been around you kids long enough to understand how to accept more things." She smiles and shrugs.

She resituates in her seat and sets her cup down. "Have you and Mr. Riddle gotten closer?"

I laugh and have to set my cup down. I shake my head. "Not even close. If we aren't at each other's necks it's mostly just random conversation and him scaring me because he hides in the shadows."

"You let him sit next to you on the first day."

"Because I know what it's like to be alone."

"Another thing the two of you seem to have in common."

I chuckle. "We don't have much in common, Minnie. It's all daddy issues and controlling on his part."

"Professor McGonagall?"

I turn around and see Potter in the doorway. I set my cup down and slouch in the chair, even though I know he sees me.

"Sorry to interrupt."

"It's okay, Mr. Potter," Minnie says.

I nod to the door and grab my bag. "I need to get back to the common room, so I'll go now." I stand and start towards the door, turning back to Minnie before I get to the door. "I'm guessing Mr. Riddle is awaiting my company in the journey of Dad's torturing essays. This week's assignment is Befuddlement Draught." I pause and bow. "Him and I need to be more reckless if we're going to go crazy," I say, "Put the two borderline psychos together with the most chaotic potions possible and we'll both need to go to an asylum."

Potter looks at me like I actually do need to go to an asylum.

(just you wait Harry)

I leave and go to the common room.

Only Pansy is down here, the other three are somewhere else. But Pansy's busy with the other girls in our class, and some of the younger ones. I decide to start on the Potions essay because, of course, I have nothing better to do and Warrington is talking with his friends.

I ran up to my dorm when I first got here, put my robes in there.

We've gotten all kinds of potions to work on this year. Most of them are what our level is supposed to be. Others are more advanced, which we still do good on those ones. Others are just because we want a semi-crazy one and Dad gives us easy ones if we stop bickering for five minutes. Our record is four minutes and fifty-six seconds. We count.

This is what our level is supposed to be at, Ordinary Wizarding Levels. It's one of the easier ones in my opinion.

I should probably just finish this essay on my own. Riddle isn't here to force me to go to the library so he can sit there and do nothing like always. I think it's just an excuse to get out of the common room, or to get me away from Warrington every once in a while.

Warrington is my boyfriend, of course I'm going to spend some time with him. You can't expect me to not. I don't know what Riddle's deal is with it all, it doesn't affect him in any way. But then again, we're in the same group. Maybe Warrington just annoys the shit out of him.

I start to pack my things as people start to get up. I walk over to Warrington. When he sees me he turns to me and tilts his head, waving off his friends that are standing behind him.

"Oh, hey, Lilith, we were just about to go to the courtyard," he says. One of his friends shoves his shoulder and he looks back for a second, smiling. He turns back to me and scratches the back of his neck. "It's nice outside, so we were all going to hang out out there."

I nod and fix my bag on my shoulder. "Yeah, nice as it'll be for the end of November, right?"

He laughs nervously. I tilt my head to the side. Perks grabs his shoulder and glances at me before leaning forward and whispering in his ear. He smiles and looks at her before turning back to me.

Um okay?

"Look, I, uh, actually need to talk to you, Lilith," he says after a minute. Perks goes back over to the girls again and starts giggling with them.

"Shoot."

He sighs and scratches the back of his neck again. "So, how do I say this?"

I shrug. "Just say what you want to say," I say softly, "Go for it."

"I've been thinking a lot lately, and I just think that it would be better if we went our separate ways."

All emotion leaves my face. Everyone around us quiets and glances at each other before looking back to the two of us.

I nod and take a step back, hooking my thumb around my bag strap. "All right. Separate ways we go."

"Look, Lilith, I really do love yo-"

"Better terrible truths than kind lies. And you're on the lying scale right now."

"Lilith, I'm sorry."

I nod, spreading my fingers out over the bag strap. "It's okay, Warrington. I think it'll be best for the both of us."