Holly walked into the room and taking one look at the girls arranged around her bed all staring at her and walked out.
Only to be stopped by Bethany "You're not going anywhere"
Bethany escorted her to her bed and sat her on it. Holly felt like she was about to be put on trial or interrogated by the Marshall court of women.
"Oh no" said Holly "I will not sit here and be lectured to make me go out with Ron. He lives on the other side of the world for goodness sake"
If
there's a prize for rotten judgement
I guess I've already won
that
No man is worth the aggravation
That's ancient history,
been there, done that!
"I've been through the man stage and honestly I'm better off without them. Look at me now, independent, I'm confident and happy" she glared at no one in particular arms crossed.
"But you still wish for more"
"I
won't go through this again let me spell it out I. won't .date
.again. ever." Who'd'ya think you're kiddin' No chance, no way You swoon, you sigh It's
too cliché I thought my
heart had learned its lesson
He's the
Earth and heaven to you
Try to keep it hidden
Honey, we can see
right through you
Girl, ya can't conceal it
We know how ya feel
and
Who you're thinking of
I won't say
it, no, no
why deny it, uh-oh
I won't say I'm in love
It feels so good when you start
out
My head is screaming get a grip, girl
Unless you're dying
to cry your heart out
Oh
"Holly,
please" Cheryl begged "Don't turn a cold heart all over again"
"I won't do it, I can't be hurt again"
"Forget the past, Ron isn't a bad guy, he won't hurt you"
"They all do" tears streamed unpredictably down Holly's face "I can't do this. I promised myself that I would never be helpless again; I would never put myself in that situation. I need to be strong; I don't need a man anyway. I will not spend anymore nights crying myself to sleep over any guy"
"Better to be crying over something you've lost than tossing and turning over something that might have been" said Lily softly "I did it over James he seemed like such a player and it hurt every time he asked me out. But after a while I saw straight and look how its going to turn out! I have an amazing son"
You
keep on denying
Who you are and how you're feeling
Baby, we're
not buying
Hon, we saw ya hit the ceiling
Face it like a
grown-up
When ya gonna own up
That ya got, got, got it bad
"I am not putting myself through this" Holly steamed "I don't even like him"
Alyssa flared up "You do like him, and he likes you. Throw away the past forget what you've seen it's what's inside that matters. Adrian was a mistake; he used you and abused you. Not all men are like that"
"Adrian was an idiot"
"Besides its obvious you've fallen for Ron" said Hermione "It's in the way you can sneak a glance when you think no one's looking, or a smile at his antics from a corner."
"She's right" said Bethany "It was even that blush when you couldn't acknowledge his chivalrousness in shielding you from my wave"
"The
way I look at it you not only like him your in love with him" No
chance, now way
I won't say it, no, no
"I
am not in love with him. You can't make me say that I do" Give
up, give in
Check the grin you're in love
"You're
in love, it's obvious. If not, what is that glowing grin you always
have when you've just talked to him?" This scene won't
play,
I won't say I'm in love
"Now
give up this charade and give him a chance. It's better to have
love and lost than never to have loved at all" said Lily
"The person who said that has no idea!"
"I'm saying that"
You're
doin' flips read our lips
You're in love
"I won't give anyone another chance to break my heart. I'm fine to stay single, I can be strong alone"
"No one said you had to be strong alone"
"We're here for you always, and so will he"
Girl, don't be proud
You're
way off base
I won't say it
Get off my case
I won't say
it
It's O.K. you're in love
"I really think we can do any more girls" said Schlen "Beach anyone?"
The other girls agreed, changed and were going down the stairs when Bethany recognised that Holly wasn't following.
"Coming Holly"
"No, I need some space to think"
"Your
loss" Oh
At least out loud,
I won't say I'm in
love
The girls all left the room for the beach and Holly stared out the window watching them streak to the surf boys in close pursuit. She automatically picked out Ron's bright red hair and figure, out from the pack. From the sand Ron turned and as caught her eye smiled invitingly waving her down. She smiled and shook her head.
'Well' she thought 'At least out loud I won't say I'm in love with him'
----------------------------------------------------------
Ron sat unhappily watching everyone else swimming. He was pouting ever so slightly when Ginny came over her wind dancing like fire around her face
"Still unhappy about Holly?" Ginny asked
"I've tried everything and she hasn't even budged. I'm on the verge of giving up"
Ron rested his head in his freckled hands exasperatedly.
"It's not your fault" sighed Cheryl coming up the beach. She was soaked to the bone and covered in sand but had a look of resolution on her face. "You need to know something about Holly. She's been hurt before, and she's resolved not to get hurt again even if it means throwing all men out of her life forever"
"Wow" said Ginny "I picked up she'd been hurt, but not that extremely"
"She was shattered"
"What happened?" demanded Ron
"Well there is a guy in our year named Adrian Marcovas, he's in my house… you know equivalent of a Slytherin boy. Anyway, he was one of those charmers that make you feel special, inviting smile all those compliments, you know the drill. He and Holly started dating in our fifth year and for the first month it was great. He showered her with flowers and expensive jewelry etcetera. Then he got a little violent and began to hit her, abuse her, never sexually but Holly hid it from us for ages. Glamour charms and makeup began to show through eventually. She was ashamed that she wasn't strong enough to fight back, I guess. Adrian then started to cheat on her more publicly. In the process Holly's heart broke, I think she may have even thought she loved him. Even when they finally broke up it hurt… he'd parade around with some girl on his arm while Holly hid her scars."
"That's terrible"
"I'm not finished. In the end we found out he'd gotten frustrated with her because she wasn't a slut like any other girl he'd dated. He was scum and we still haven't had the guts to tell Holly why he turned violent. On a brighter note he got expelled the next year for this part in a very…uh….illicit trade. Holly was really his evil turning point."
"But…But… I'd never do that to Holly!"
"You need to get that through to her"
"It doesn't seem that she wants to hear it though"
"Something will happen and it'll get through"
Ron sighed hopelessly, like that would happen.
Needless to say he was wrong.
-- INTERLUDE- SOMEWHERE IN BRITAN----------------------------------------------------------------------
"My lord" The shadowy figure knelt at Voldemort's feet said in a smooth feminine voice.
"What news do you have at Hogwarts, Professor Beldwin?" he put a high emphasis on the professor.
"Time Travellers, m'lord. Young Pettigrew among them."
"Where are they?"
"Australia. The fool Dumbledore has been searching for a way to send them back"
"Thank you. I will quash Potter's defeat of me through the rat, you will see"
"Yes m'lord"
"Assemble the Death Eaters, we attack tomorrow"
"Gladly"
Beldwin swept from the room, her cloak billowing in a cheap imitation of Snape.