Erica barged past another student, not caring to acknowledge who it was.

"Wh- An excuse me would be nice." Seamus scoffed.

"Aw, wouldn't that be lovely?" Erica turned to look at him.

"Erica." Seamus sighed.

"Finnigan." Erica copied his tone.

"Oh feck off." Seamus waved his hand.

"It would be my pleasure." Erica bowed slightly before heading off.

Seamus rolled his eyes and walked.

"Erica." Draco hummed.

"Malfoy?" Erica raised a brow.

"Hello." Draco waved.

"You want something, who do I have to kick the crap out of?" Erica crossed her arms.

"No, I'm here to talk. Make... A deal."

"Goodness me, a deal?" Erica tried to act enthusiastic.

"20 galleons if you punch Potter."

"Oh, done deal." Erica held out her hand

"I'm keeping you to this deal." He handed the money over.

"I'm off to beat up, Potter." Erica hummed as she took the money and walked past Draco.

"Better be." Draco pointed.

Erica rolled her eyes and made her way to where she expected Harry and his friends to be. That's where she found Harry, Ron, Hermione and Parker talking.

"Oi, Potter!" Erica called to him.

"Erica, go away." Harry shook his head.

"Apologies, but I have been payed for this." Erica shrugged as she approached and punched him.

"Ow! Holy fuck." Harry held his nose.

"Erica, what the fuck?" Ron grabbed her arm.

"You're telling me you wouldn't punch someone for twenty galleons?" Erica raised a brow.

"Not if it were my friend!"

"That's the thing, Ron. Harry isn't my friend." Erica pulled her arm away,"None of you are my friends."

"We were, weren't we?" Parker looked at Erica.

Erica shook her head,"No."

"So when we were kids, that meant nothing to you?"

"Nothing." Erica shrugged,"Well, I'd best be off. I'm busy, y'know."

"Busy doing what?"

"The usual." Erica replied as she turned away from them.

"Bullying people?" Parker looked at her.

"Bullseye, bingo, right on the money." Erica winked at her.

"You've changed."

"Good, anything wrong with that?"

"Very much."

"Go on, what's wrong with it?" Erica asked, turning to face her.

"We used go be best friends." Parker pointed,"But you've changed, you promised you wouldn't leave."

"Listen Parker, someone very dear to me broke a promise and I'm never going back." Erica shook her head.

"We can't help what Percy-"

"Shut up!" Erica shoved Parker against the wall," Don't say his name!"

"Erica!" Hermione gasped.

Parker looked at Erica. Her old friend. How could she be like this?

"Don't... Say his name to me. Ever." Erica turned away, hiding her face.

Parker went to say something but she quickly got up and left the hall. Erica left herself, finding a quiet corridor to sit it.

"Um... Erica?" A familiar voice asked.

Erica spun around to face the voice. Neville.

"Nev, I-"

"What's happened?"

"Nothing's happened." Erica shook her head.

"... I saw what you did."

Erica looked to the side, arms crossed.

"Why? Why are you doing this?"

"I'm pushing them away so that... I won't feel like I did then." Erica sighed.

"But they just want to help." Neville slowly sat beside her.

Erica stayed quiet, leaning against him.

"I want to help." Neville sighed.

"Nev, I- I saw it happen."

Neville looked at Erica, raising a brow.

"I was outside his door and And he- Erica covered her mouth.

"Hey, calm." Neville put his arm around her and hugged her.

Erica didn't calm down, sobbing into his shoulder. Neville gently kissed the side of her head as he rubbed her back.

"He promised, Nev..."

"I know, Pumpkin." He whispered and got a small part of her hair and played with it.

Erica looked up at Neville.

"I'm still here." He nodded.

"I'm glad you are."

"But you need to let people in, people who haven't hurt you."

"I'm scared to, Nev."

"I know, I know." Neville sighed.

"They won't want to be friends with me anymore." Erica shook her head.

"How do you know?"

"I've not been a good friend."

"Maybe you could talk to them."

"Should I?"

"I think so." Neville hummed.

"Maybe you're right.." Erica nodded.

"Try... Parker, maybe."

"Are you sure? I looked her in the eye and told her our friendship meant nothing.."

"She was your best friend." Neville sighed.

"I know." Erica almost tried to hide behind him.

"I could try talking to her?"

"Please?" Erica nodded.

"Of course." He nodded.

"Thanks, Nev."

"Right now... Wanna stay like this?"

"I do." She closed her eyes.

"Alright." Neville gently hugged her waist.

Erica cuddled into him, just wanting to feel safe again.

*********************************

Parker was in the Great Hall, flipping through the pages of a new book.

"Parker?"

"Hm?" She looked up.

"Hi, uh, there's something I'd like to speak with you about." Neville sat beside her.

"Yes?" Parker slowly closed her book.

"It's..." Neville sighed,"It's about Erica, okay?"

Parker put her book down and crossed her arms,"What about her?"

"I'll be honest here, I'm not happy with how she's going about it but she's just trying to protect herself."

"Protect herself?"

"Right now, she feels very vulnerable and is scared of being alone. She thinks that if she pushes you all away, then she won't have to feel vulnerable anymore." Neville explained.

"If she pushes us away, she will be alone.

"But if she's alone, she can't be hurt by the loss of those close to her."

"I've tried to talk to her, Nev." Parker sighed.

"But she wants to talk to you."

Parker looked at Neville.

"I know how it sounds but I think I've convinced her."

Parker sighed and looked at the book,"She really wants to talk to me?"

"She does." Neville assured her.

She bit her cheek and thought about it for a second before she nodded.

"Brilliant." Neville got up,"I'll go tell her."

"Right now?"

"The sooner the better, right?"

"Right... Yeah." Parker nodded.

"See you soon." Neville hurried off.

*********************************

"Behave, okay?" Neville pointed to Erica as they walked.

"I'll try." Erica mumbled.

"What do we not do?"

"Shove Parker into a wall."

"And.."

"Be a bitch."

"Atta girl." Neville hummed,"I'll be watching, she's in the great hall."

"You've made me nervous now." Erica shook her head.

"Don't be." He assured her.

"I'll try." Erica sighed as she walked into the Great Hall.

That's where she seen Parker sitting in the Great Hall, by the Slytherin table. Erica took in a breath before walking towards her friend.

"Erica," Parker looked at her.

"Parker."

Parker hesitated before she moved to let her sit. Erica bit her lip and sat beside her

"Neville said you wanted to talk?"

"I... I do."

"About?"

"Us."

Parker raised a brow.

"I'm sorry, okay? I'm... I'm sorry."

"Sorry?" Parker asked.

"For everything." Erica couldn't look at her.

Parker sighed and looked at Erica. Erica glanced up at Parker.

"Why... Why did you push us away? Push me, away?"

"L... It doesn't make sense." Erica shook her head.

"I'm here to listen to you, I'm your friend, Erica."

"Parker, I- What if you die?" Erica asked suddenly,"What if I lose you?"

Parker blinked and looked after her,"If die?"

"I don't want any more people to go away.."

"I'm in this with you, Erica. From the very beginning I made a promise, to always be here for you."

"Parker, everyone makes promises with me and they never keep them."

Parker sighed and held Erica's hand,"I'm one to never, break promises."

Erica leaned her head against Parker's shoulder.

"Feel better?" Parker hummed.

"A bit." Erica mumbled.

"What else works make you better? Some... Cookies?"

"Yes please."

"Come on, let's sneak to the kitchen." Parker smiled.

"Alright." Erica smiled back.

Parker hummed and pulled her with her to the kitchen.