| Inked | (George Weasley)

Chapter Twenty-Three

It took four showers to get the neon chalk dust out of Olive's hair.

Four.

It took twice the amount of time it took her to take all four showers to get Natalie and Cho to stop nagging her during the late hours of the night. They would never let Ollie get away with hiding something- Natalie and Cho had university degrees in getting secrets out of Olive.

And although the shy girl didn't tell them where she had been, why she was covered in neon pink and green chalk dust, or who she was with... Olive did get something off of her chest.

"I'm sorry." Olive whispered, being careful not to wake Marietta. She had managed to get dressed in complete darkness, and had dragged the two back down to the common room to talk.

"For what?" Cho asked, "If this is about tonight, you don't need to apologize."

"If anything, it looked like you had the most fun you've ever had all year." Natalie added. Olive looked down at her lap, allowing a wet lock of curly hair to fall into her face.

"No, I'm sorry for avoiding you guys... and Cedric... and even the twins. I was just feeling really down about what Ingrid said- and I don't know." She sighed, "I thought being alone was the best way to solve that."

"Ollie-"

"No- I'm not done." The metamorphmagus said, her tone strong and confident- a side to Olive that had been hidden behind social anxiety and nerves from Ingrid's bullying, "You guys were trying to be there for me, and I completely ignored all of you. It wasn't right, and I just made myself more unhappy than I already was. Tonight made me realize that I have the best friends ever."

"You're still not going to tell us what happened tonight, are you?"

"Not a chance."

"Then your sappiness will only make me cry, Olive, I thought we all made a pact in like third year?"

"I'm trying to apologize here!" Olive laughed, "This is the most I've ever said in like weeks so please bear with me."

Natalie took a seat next to her best friend, draping an arm around her to pull Olive into a hug. Cho joined, plopping down on the other side.

"Okay, okay, we understand." Natalie chuckled, "You're Olive- you're stubborn and shy and that's why we love you."

"Is Natalie being emotional?" Olive perked up her head as she spoke, "Cho, I think she's running a fever."

"I think Nat's got a case of the nice-flu." Cho laughed, "Take advantage, Ollie, I think Nat was saving the rest of that for Jasper."

"Oh ha ha." Natalie pushed herself off the couch and rolled onto the floor, staring back up at her two friends a loopy grin, "You two are hilarious. Can't you see I'm dying of laughter?"

"Or the nice-flu." Ollie shrugged, "I think the latter is the best explanation."

"Well, Olive, it's nice to have your shimmering personality and input back in my life again." Natalie chortled, "After a long, depressing period of time that lacked your dazzling words of wisdom."

"Guys?" Jasper poked his head out from around the corner of the common room, "You know I'm still here, right?"

Natalie grabbed the nearest pillow she could find, chucking it at the fellow fifth year. Jasper ducked, the pillow grazing his his mop of curly brown hair.