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ANY COLOUR THAT WAS LEFT in Perenelle's face had effectively drained itself dry, as through her tears she could see Gideon extend a hand out towards her.

His cheeks were flushed— and his eyebrows screwed so tightly together it looked as though Gideon's face would collapse in on itself. Though Perenelle did not even attempt to decode a possible meaning for the auburn haired boy's expression.

Her head was pounding— though it could have been from the way she hit the stone floor. It ached and ached and Perenelle worried that it would simply burst if she so much as cleared her throat.

How on earth had her day managed to turn to shite so quickly— it had been what? Fifteen minutes... maybe twenty, in a small room with her family (and Professor Mcgonagall) and yet that was all it had taken for Perenelle's world to effectively collapse around her and burst into flames.

A piece of her had been destroyed— left in the small office. Perhaps it was her sanity. Whatever it was, it felt as though someone had taken a sledgehammer to her ribcage and messily torn out pieces of several vital organs. Her dying body left to bleed out and fade on the cold corridor floor.

Her sisters reaction— had she imagined it? Vaudeline had never once left any impression that any of it bothered her beyond minor annoyance... though when Sirius said Andromeda's name. It wasn't just anger that had overtaken Vaudeline— it was white hot pain filled rage.

Sirius on the other hand— Perenelle wanted nothing more than to scream and scream until his ears began to bleed, though at the same time— she instinctively wanted to be ready, bandages on hand, to patch up any damage her banshee like screech inflicted.

He truly had no idea— none. She didn't know if he ever would. All the day had proven to her was that Sirius was incapable of imagining that any of them could possess human emotions. And if they could— certainly none regarding him were positive, or warm— or anything that Perenelle constantly felt and conflictingly fought.

She didn't only hate his insinuations— she loathed them. More so what they represented. Breeding ponies... the worst part lie in the fact that he wasn't wrong. It was true— one thing that Perenelle knew for certain was that she would be married within three years of graduating (at the very latest), she wasn't expected to have a career, her own interests, none of it. She'd follow in the footsteps of her sisters and dutifully serve as the well-bred trophy wives they were raised to be.

Not Andromeda though.

Sirius made that painstakingly clear. A small part of Perenelle wanted to be happy for her second eldest sister— though any prideful feeling was overwhelmed by an envy-driven hate. How come she got to leave? Do whatever she pleased? Why did she do so without thinking about the impact it would have on the rest of them— on Perenelle?

Why did Sirius get access to it... any of it? And not her? Andromeda's sister.

In her muddled inner turmoil and lone sobs she had forgotten about Gideon's extended hand— and she was brought back to reality by the strong— oh Merlin he was strong, older boy lifting her up and placing her back onto her trembling feet.

"Perenelle you're scaring me" He whispered frantically— his hands gripping tightly onto her arms as though he was scared she'd collapse if he let go, "Do I need to take you to Pomfrey? Or get someone? What happene—"

"—No" She managed to croak out, shaking her head softly, "No I'm okay"

She was lying— and Gideon called her out on it rather quickly with a firm no, clearly you're bloody not.

She didn't answer him— what was she supposed to say? They had only decided they were friends that day. Even then, she wasn't comfortable around him. Not fully. If anything his presence when she was already in such a state only drove her anxiety higher through the roof.

Though he showed no sign of leaving her there— and she was far too exhausted to fight him on it.

"What's got you like this?" He asked, and she hadn't even noticed they had begun to walk. She was silently following him through the corridors.

"Just a stupid detention" She muttered, staring intently at each portrait they passed, and she could see Gideon's head turn ever so slightly to glimpse at her, though it lasted only a second.

"A detention's got you like this? Merlin Black, we gotta work on getting you some thicker skin"

He had meant it as a joke, and Perenelle managed a soft chuckle, though as they kept walking she furrowed her brows in confusion,

"Where are we going anyway?"

"You'll see" Gideon smirked, and his answer did nothing to quell Perenelle's curiosity, though she followed him down another hall until they reached what seemed to be an empty wall.

"You've... brought me to a wall" She announced, and Gideon rolled his eyes, turning towards her and lightly shaking her by the shoulders,

"Oh but it's so much more— prepare yourself Nell, I wouldn't take just anyone here— mates only"

Nell. Her nose crinkled in distaste, no one called her that. She didn't like the way it sounded.

"I don't fancy Nell all that much" She complained, and Gideon groaned. She had interrupted what looked to be a thought of deep concentration.

"Well I like it— and shh for a second, I need to focus"

He went back to his weird concentration face— if you could even call it that, and Perenelle's brow raised in amusement at his strange, serious expression. At least she had stopped crying.

A few seconds went by, and suddenly the lone wall began to materialize into a door. It was seemingly out of nowhere— and Perenelle couldn't stop her mouth dropping in amazement.

"What th—"

"— See, I told you"

Gideon opened the door and beckoned her inside, and as she stepped through Perenelle was met with what looked like a common room. Though it was void of any specific House colours.

"The boys and I found this beauty last year" Gideon said— a proud smirk etched onto his perfect face as Perenelle gazed around the room in wonder.

"We were hiding from Filch and thought we'd reached a dead end— next thing we knew the doors appeared, and we've been coming here ever since"

"It's— it's incredible" Perenelle stammered, sitting down on a plush black couch, and Gideon went to do the same, plastering himself onto an identical one opposite her, a small coffee table between them.

"We haven't shown anyone else— so make sure this stays our secret" He said, and Perenelle nodded, "Frank hasn't even told Fortescue, but, I figured if anyone deserved a little escape..." He led off, and Perenelle's cheeks flushed scarlet. She had nearly forgotten the state she was in when they had quite literally ran into each other.

"Thank you" She said, tucking her feet under her on the couch— it was soft, she couldn't believe it had appeared out of thin air.

"Aye don't mention it" He waved her off, "We don't quite understand it yet, but the room has anything you could possibly wish for, it's absolutely barmy"

"— except for food and drinks, we've figured that out. But we started leaving those here in case we needed them, they disappear with the room but reappear when we need it again" He quickly corrected, and Pera nodded.

"What were you doing wandering? It's past curfew" Perenelle said suddenly— her inner prefect suddenly returning now that she had calmed down.

Gideon rolled his eyes, "if you must know, I was supposed to be meeting Frank and my brother in the kitchens— but, they can get on without me"

She suddenly felt guilty, as her feelings had ruined Gideon's plans. She must have shown so on her face, as Gideon quickly continued,

"Don't feel bad though— it's really no bother, they'd understand if I told the—"

"—Please don't" Perenelle quickly interrupted, her mouth suddenly dry at the idea of anyone, but the two older boys especially knowing about the state Gideon had found her in. Of any of it really.

He didn't say anything for a moment, and Perenelle made herself busy picking at her fingernails. It was a nasty habit— not one she did often, though it was enough to drive Vaudeline up the wall in disgust whenever she spied her twins mauled fingers. She wondered guiltily what her sister was doing at that moment.

"Fancy a drink Nell?"

Nell— there he went again, and she thought for a moment before nodding. Gideon disappeared to one of the corners of the room before coming back with what looked like two firewhiskey & soda's— the bottle of whiskey tucked under his bicep. He disappeared again after setting them onto the coffee table, returning with a record player and a few vinyls.

She took a sip from her drink and grimaced— ugh, he poured it strong, and Gideon chuckled at her reaction.

"Sorry it's not chateau rum— the stuff's a bit fancy for my taste" She smiled at that, though shook her head.

"It's fine"

They lapsed into silence, Perenelle slowly sipping, her cup held between her hands as Gideon fiddled with the record player.

Perenelle found herself thinking back to Sirius' words and their implications.. and she frowned. Perhaps it was the half cup she had downed in such short succession, but she stared at Gideon who had just managed to get the record player to spout music. Albeit at a low volume.

"Do you.. ever feel like you have no control in your own life?"

"I don't know what you mean" He frowned, leaning back onto the couch. Whatever music he had begun to play Perenelle didn't recognize it. It was nice though.

"Like.. I don't know— things are expected of you but you think that if you had the choice you wouldn't do them yourself" She tried to explain, taking another sip of her firewiskey and soda.

Gideon didn't answer her at first— and stared at her. Perenelle wasn't sure if he was truly staring at her or merely looking in her direction as he pondered the question. Regardless, it made her nauseous.

"I think.." He paused— as if he was rethinking his words, "I think that if you don't want to do something then you shouldn't do it"

She almost wanted to laugh at his answer— as he painted it so obviously. Though her situation held far more nuance.

"I don't think it's always that simple" She chided, before downing the rest of her drink. She stole the whiskey bottle and poured more into her cup. She didn't care for the soda.

"It can be if you make it" Gideon shrugged, and he was tapping his knee along to the rhythm of whatever song was playing. It was a man singing— though it sounded muggle. Perenelle wondered how he had gotten it to work with a magic record player, though she didn't ask. It seemed as though if anyone could figure it out it would be him and the other two musketeers.

"You sound like Sirius" Pera complained, though she regretted it almost the second his name had left her mouth. She didn't want to think about him. Though— she didn't think she'd be able to escape it now.

"I like to think I have far more couth than your cousin" He joked— and Perenelle's mouth set in a straight line.

"You're nicer" She shrugged, taking another sip of the firewhiskey, wincing as it slid down her throat, "You apologize when you hurt people, I don't think he's ever even thought of doing that"

Gideon frowned at her words, and Perenelle avoided his gaze.

"You guys had one of those detentions tonight.. right? I think I've heard him complain about them in the common room" He paused, and continued with his next words much softer, "I take it he's the one who made you upset?"

She was picking at her fingernails again, "Mcgonagall seems to think she can make us all kiss and makeup" She avoided his question.

"I like Mcgonagall— she's tough but she's fair, her methods might be unorthodox but the woman's a bloody genius if you ask me" Gideon shrugged, he too, avoiding the true conversation.

Neither of them said anything, and Gideon began to sing along to the song that was playing under his breath,

"— slow down you crazy child... so ambitious for a juvenile..."

he didn't have a particularly talented singing voice— neither did she. Though Gideon's voice still made her heart nearly skip a beat. She tore her eyes away when she realized she was staring at the way his adams apple bobbed with each lyric.

"It's Vienna— Billy Joel, you ever heard of him?"

She shook her head, and he took a swig of his drink.

"I didn't think so, he's muggle— bloody mastermind though, this record's his new one"

She nodded, and he continued tapping his knee,

"So.. did Sirius say something.. about control?"

He finally asked it— and Perenelle sucked in a breath.

"He told Vaud and I that we didn't know how to make any choices for ourselves" She shook her head as she said it, "That all we're good for is being trophy wives basically"

Gideon furrowed his brows, and Pera looked down at her glass, "I think it's bothering me so much because he might have a point"

"—nah" Gideon said quickly, "Sirius is just a prat"

She fought a small smile, and Gideon continued,

"I like him, don't get me wrong— but you can do whatever you want, maybe you will, maybe you won't, but that's outta line Nell" He paused, "Sounds to me like he underestimates you"

"Thanks Prewett" She said softly— quickly wiping at her eye. She didn't know why his words garnered that reaction, but she wiped the stray tears away before Gideon had a chance to notice.

They sat there for a little while longer— listening to Billy Joel or whatever Gideon said his name was. Then she let him walk her back to the dungeons, not all the way— but close enough.

She stood out in the corridor for a minute after he said goodnight, watching him walk away until he turned the corner to the staircase. Of everything that had happened that day, she was happy that it ended how it did. Somehow Gideon managed to raise her spirits.

Maybe he had a point and Sirius did underestimate her. She could do whatever she wanted. The only question was would she.

Though that was a question for another day.

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woot woot gideon only chapter I repeat gideon only chapter!
imma need y'all to pretend vienna came out in 1976 & not 1977 please & thank you cause it's just too good
until next time, jess <3