Chapter nine
"Eat slugs!"
Delaney's POV:
School was off to a great start. I was more than excited for this year. I noticed Cedric and the other Hufflepuff quidditch players and slowly walked over to him. "Cedric?" He turned around and said "Delaney, how was your summer?" "It was good. Yours?" "Mine was great. Did you need something?" I nodded adjusted the glasses on my face. "Uhm, Cedric, I was wondering about quidditch. Would it be better for me to try out this year or next year?" Cedric gave me a warm smile and said "next year would be better. But, I'll allow you and Hazel to be on the team this year because you're so good on brooms. "Really?!" I asked excitedly. "Yes, of course." "Thank you! I'm really excited." "Is anything else?" Cedric had a very calming presence to him and he awaited for me to answer his question. "Prefect. When can you become a prefect?" "I can start you next year or the year after. That'll be my last year of course." "You graduate in two years?!" I said, being in shock. Cedric chuckled and said "yes. But, don't worry. I feel that if I leave Hufflepuff in your hands, you'll all be fine." I smiled at him and he did the same. He walked away with the other quidditch players and Draco was now standing next to me. "You want to join the quidditch team?" He said. I turned to him and said "yes." "I have an announcement tomorrow. I'm sure you'll be proud of me." "Proud of you?" Draco nodded with a smirk. A younger boy ran into Draco and I as we stood in the hall. He had been running. "I'm so sorry!" He said as he looked up. Draco scoffed at him and went to say an insult. I stopped Draco and said "it's ok..." "Colin. Colin Creevey." I smiled at him and said "I'm Delaney Lacework." Draco rolled his eyes and I nudged him. "Malfoy." He introduced himself. Colin gulped at him and said "I know you. The other kids say you're quite mean." "What?! Who said that?!" I giggled at Draco and said "it's fine." Draco looked at me with a scowl. I noticed the camera in Colin's hands and said "do you take pictures for the school?" "Yes. I really enjoy it." "Well, that's good. If you'll excuse us, Colin, we have to get going." Colin nodded and Draco and I walked away. "I'll see you, Laney. I have to go." I noticed Blaise and Goyle waiting for him. "Bye." I said. "Bye." He said softly as he approached Blaise and Goyle.

-

I currently sat in the courtyard with Hermione, Ron, and Hazel. "Have any of you seen Valerian?" Hazel asked. Ron scoffed and said "why?" "Dunno. Just haven't seen him much." "He's a Slytherin. Doesn't really matter." I looked down at my herbology homework and started on it. "The twins and Harry are practicing today, right?" I said. "Yeah. What do you care if the twins are practicing?" Ron said. I looked up at him to see a scowl on his face. "Was just wondering." I replied with a shrug. Ron scooted closer to me and looked down at my homework. "I'm not that good at herbology. Can I have a look?" I nodded and Hermione shook her head at me. "It's not cheating, Mione." "I guess not." She said. The Gryffindor quidditch team was making their way to the quidditch pitch. But so was the Slytherin team. "You've got a new seeker. Who?" Oliver Wood asked Marcus Flint, who gave him a smirk. Draco stepped up. I gasped softly and the four of us approached the two teams. "Malfoy?" Harry said in shock. Draco smirked and said "that's right. That's not all that's new this year." I noticed their brand new brooms. I gasped and Ron said "those are Nimbus 2001's! How'd you get those?!" "A gift from Draco's father." Marcus said. Hermione glared at Draco and I quickly realized this was Draco's big announcement he had told me about yesterday. I stared at Draco's quidditch uniform, feeling a bit jealous that he got to play before I could. All I wanted was to play quidditch. "At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in. They got in on pure talent." Hermione said to Draco. "Yeah. Must be nice to be able to join the quidditch team whenever you want." I said. Draco looked at me and said "and Cedric won't even take you on his team. It's probably because you're such a freak." My eyes widened and George went to step forward but Fred held him back. "A freak?" I asked, appalled. "Yes. A freak. The only friends you can muster up are the Weasley's and Potter. You're mother's a Slytherin and you decide to perceive yourself the way you do. It's sickening." My lips parted in shock and I could feel the tears welling up into my eyes. "And you. No one asked for your opinion. You filthy little mudblood." Ron scoffed and said "you'll pay for that one, Malfoy. Eat slugs!" He went to cast the spell onto Draco but because his wand was broken he had casted it on himself. Ron fell back onto the ground and his face started to turn white. "You ok, Ron?" Hermione said. I put my hand on his shoulder and said "Ronnie?" Ron moaned softly and then coughed up a slug. Everyone around us groaned in disgust. A camera then went off. "Wow! Could you turn him around, Harry?" Colin asked. "No, Colin, get out of the way!" Harry and I helped Ron to his feet. I noticed Valerian lingering next to Draco who was laughing at the whole situation. I thought him and I were friends. I couldn't believe the words that came out of his mouth. "Let's take him to Hagrid's." Hazel looked at Draco and gave him the finger, also using her wand to make them all trip. Except Valerian. "That's what you all get for being twats." He walked away and Draco huffed. Ron then puked up another slug. George grimaced and Fred did the same. Oliver frowned at the situation. Hermione grabbed our books and things as we made our way to Hagrid's hut. "Laney..." I looked at Ron and said "yeah?" "If I throw up on you. I'm sorry." I sniffled and said "it's ok, Ron. I'll forgive you." Ron then coughed up a slug, almost hitting my shoes. "Bloody hell." I patted Ron's shoulder and we made it to Hagrid's hut. Hagrid gave Ron a bucket so he could continue to throw up the slugs. Every couple of minutes, Ron would have another one come up his throat.

I sat next to him and Harry was on the other side of him. I rubbed Ron's back, hoping he'd get better soon. "Have to wait till it stops, I'm afraid." Hagrid told Ron. Ron's face was completely pale and he'd take deep breaths before puking them up. Small tears left my eyes as I thought about Draco's comment. Now I understood why everyone said he was mean. "Ronnie." I said softly. He looked at me and said "just kill me." I chuckled and said "we can't have that. I'd lose my best friend." Ron noticed my tears and said "ignore Malfoy. He's a right foul git." "It still hurts." Ron turned to the bucket, another long black slug falling into the bucket. "It's disgusting." Ron moaned in despair. Hagrid and Hermione talked about the mudblood comment. I felt awful for Hermione. It was a horrible thing to say. "Not only did he call me a mudblood. But Malfoy said that Delaney being friends with Ron and Harry was sickening." Hermione said. Hagrid looked at me and said "Delaney, it doesn't matter who you're friends with. Ron and Harry are kind to you and make you happy. That's all that matters. And you also wouldn't want to be friends with someone who calls other people mudbloods. You're a good kid, Delaney. Don't think on it." I half smiled and wiped another tear away. Ron groaned and said "don't cry, Laney. He's an arsehole." He whispered the last part. I giggled and said "I know." I leaned my head on Ron's shoulder, holding his arm. Ron hummed in response and said "Laney, don't." "I don't care." Hermione quirked an eyebrow at us and Hazel did the same. Harry was oblivious to the situation. "Ugh, Laney, move." Ron sat up to let another slug escape his mouth. "It'll stop soon." I reassured him.

-

Hazel and I were walking back to the common room, talking about how we'd be on the quidditch team this year. "Hazel. Delaney." Valerian greeted. Hazel looked up at him and said "Valerian, how are you?" "I'm good. How was your summer?" "It was good." "Delaney, how was yours?" "It was good. I had a lot of fun." I said. Valerian nodded and said "that's good. So, I heard through the grapevine that the two of you are on the Hufflepuff quidditch team." "Yes. Yes, we are." Hazel said. "Are you two any good?" Hazel nodded and said "so good. You?" He shrugged and said "I can play." "Can you?" Hazel quipped. Valerian leaned down to her level and said "I can. Maybe when Draco fails miserably, I'll join the team." "Fails miserably?" I said. Valerian nodded and said "he's quite awful. He's only on the team because of his father. Not because he's any good." "Well, I knew that." Hazel laughed. Valerian put his hands in his pockets and said "I wish you two luck in your quidditch adventures. See you in class." He walked away and Hazel seemed to stare at him as he did so. "Do you think he's better than Draco?" Hazel looked at me and said "totally. I'm sure Draco is average. And there's no way he'd beat Harry. I thought you weren't going to associate yourself with him after today." I shook my head and said "I'm not. Not after what he said. I thought him and I were friends. Obviously not. I love my mother but I think everyone expected me to be in Slytherin." Hazel and I started to walk to the common room. "Really? You think so?" I nodded. "Yes. And it doesn't make sense because Harmony got Ravenclaw. If my dad wasn't a muggle I think he'd be in Ravenclaw. Just because of how smart he is. Considering he's a mathematician." Hazel gave me a confused look and said "mathematician?" "It's his job. And Aiden got Hufflepuff which is my mum and dad combined. And then there's me. I think mum was hoping I'd get Slytherin. So she'd at least have one Slytherin child. And most siblings end up in the same house. Harmony's in a whole separate house from Aiden and I. I don't know. After what Draco said, it's been making me think. I'm glad to be a Hufflepuff. I am. I think I belong here. I'm just worried about what other people have been thinking." "You shouldn't. What matters is, you're where you want to be. And you've got amazing friends. You don't need Draco." Hazel reminded. I nodded and said "you're right. You're absolutely right."

-

After today's events, Hazel and I went to sit at the Gryffindor table with Ron, Harry, and Hermione. I sat next to Ron and said "feeling better?" "Much better. Remind me to be more careful if I ever cast that spell again." Ron said. I nodded and said "will do." Percy refilled his cup of pumpkin juice and I noticed my older sister walking by. I hadn't seen her much. "Harmony." I called. She saw me and came over to the table, giving me a hug. "It's been a while which is so weird." She said. "I've missed you." I said with all honesty. "I've missed you too." I noticed Percy look up at Harmony, he stared at her as if she were an angel. "Hi, Harmony." She looked at Percy and chuckled. "Hi, Percy." "You're a prefect too?" He asked. She nodded and said "yeah. Just got the gig this year. Maybe you could show me the ropes. Or we could do our duties together?" Percy nodded quickly and said "sure. Of course." Fred and George sniggered while nudging each other. Harmony began talking to me about the holidays this year and how I had to come home. I totally understood that and told her that I didn't have plans with anyone. I did want to be home with my family since last year I skipped out. "I'll see you later, Percy." Harmony said as she kissed my head. Percy went to say bye back but spilled an entire cup of pumpkin onto his lap. The twins howled with laughter and Ron covered his mouth. Harmony giggled softly and said "do you need help, Percy?" "I'm fine!" He replied in a shrill voice. That made the twins laugh even harder which made me laugh.

Here's the update! I hope y'all enjoyed this!!
~skylar✨✨✨✨