nineteen

•••

        "Oh em gee!!" Chloe exclaimed, bringing Ivy into a hug. Ivy laughed as she led her to her room, where Jessica and Bella greeted her excitedly. The walls were covered in light pink paint, and her bed was a simple black and white design. Ivy sat down next to Bella, who was laying on her stomach and painting her nails bright red.

"I'm so happy you came!" Jessica said as she styled her hair, putting it into some weird updo.

"Me too! I'm kind of surprised you invited me, Chloe," Ivy said before Chloe scoffed.

"Don't be!" Chloe said, smiling and waving a hand. "We love you. And help yourself to anything in here. Nail polish, scrunchies, you name it!"

         Ivy smiled and grabbed some blue nail polish from the desk hesitantly and began to lather it on her fingernails. Chloe sighed as she plopped down in one of the comfy chairs and stretched out.

"My parents are at work. I swear, they're always away. I don't mind, though. They're a little overbearing. And this gives us time to do whatever we want without them breathing down our necks," Chloe said.

"I feel you. My parents are super protective," Ivy said as she held up her hand to look at the drying polish.

Bella gasped suddenly. "We should go to hogsmeade!"

"Yes!" Jessica yelled pumping her fists in the air and giving Bella a high five.

         "That sounds fun," Ivy said with a grin as they looked over to Chloe.

"Alright. Well it looks like we're going to Hogsmeade, ladies!" Chloe said before they cheered. Bella stood up suddenly and grabbed her shoes, slipping them on. Jessica walked into the bathroom to get ready. Ivy looked in the mirror for a second.

"Chloe, do you have scissors?" Ivy asked as she ran her hands through the brown locks on tops of her head. Chloe came up and stood behind her.

"Yeah, why?" Chloe said slowly as she handed a pair of sharp scissors to Ivy. Ivy then tied off her hair, holding the scissors dangerously close to where she was about to cut.

"Should I?" Ivy asked, looking at Chloe through the mirror. Bella began to chant 'do it! Do it! Do it!' Over and over. Chloe nodded.

"Go for it."

Ivy snipped away, bringing her averagely long hair above her shoulders. She turned to look at the back and grimaced, beginning to cut that too.

"You look so good! I have always said you rock short hair," Jessica said, walking out of the bathroom and standing next to Ivy.

"Now, for our night out on the town, let me do your makeup. I'm talking dramatic makeup," Bella said as she led her into the bathroom, immediately grabbing a pallet of eyeshadow. "You're getting a glamorous smokey eye."

Bella brushed the dark makeup onto her eyelids, holding her face still with the other. Once she was done with that, she grabbed the eyeliner and swiped it on thickly. She brushed her eyebrows and handed the mascara wand to Ivy.

"I can never put mascara on other people, you do it," Bella muttered as Ivy went to work, putting it on with ease.

Bella nodded, next putting dark red lipstick on her lips.

"You put concealer on this morning, so I'm not putting anymore on. I think we're almost done!" Bella said, adding the finishing touches to her face. She stood back to admire her work, smiling at Ivy. "Good. Fucking perfect. You can look in the mirror now."

Ivy turned around and looked at herself. It was strange to see so much makeup lathered onto her. She usually went for a very natural look that enhanced the natural beauty of her bare face, but Bella went all out, and she did a great job.

"Wow. This looks really good!" Ivy said as she got closer to the mirror.

"Hell yeah it does. And you made it easy, your bone structure is practically perfect," Bella said as she walked out of the bathroom, swaying her hips. Ivy walked out a moment later.

"Okay, lets go to Hogsmeade," Chloe said as she hung up the note she finished writing on the fridge that read, 'at Hogsmeade, will be back by curfew.'

        They each grabbed the floo powder when it came to their turn, shouting Hogsmeade. They whirled away, then walking down the streets  and into the Three Broomsticks.

        "There isn't really enough alcohol in Butterbeer to get most people drunk, but Ivy, you're petite enough that a large glass plus a bit of mine could probably get you a bit tipsy," Jessica said as Chloe gasped excitedly.

        "Yes!" Chloe said with a grin, "that would be hilarious!"

        Ivy smiled. "You sure? I'm not a house elf, but okay. I'll try."

         The three girls smiled and clapped at their antics, excited for Ivy to get halfway drunk. They ordered and chatted amongst themselves, waiting for their large glasses to come.

        After a few minutes, Madam Rosmerta placed their Butterbeers on the table. Ivy rarely drank a whole large glass of Butterbeer, but decided to do so for tonight, plus Jessica's leftovers. They talked about school and fashion and other things, sipping on Butterbeer.

"This is great. Just a night out with the girls. Perfect," Chloe said as she took a sip of her ice cold Butterbeer. Ivy was already feeling a little fuzzy from drinking a bit over half of the container.

"Can I be honest with you guys?" Ivy said suddenly, placing her drink down. "I used to think you guys were such bitches. And I feel horrible now."

"Don't feel sorry, most people think that. And we kind of are," Chloe shrugged, laughing as Jessica and Bella nodded with her.

"Well I feel bad because you guys are actually super nice," Ivy said, taking another swig of Butterbeer. It was almost all gone. Jessica poured the rest of her own into her cup. They chatted some more.

         "We aren't nice to everyone, trust me. We just like you," Jessica shrugged, the three of them looking at Ivy in a way she found slightly intimidating. They were the three most popular girls in school, known for good and bad things. The thought of them being best friends with her without an ulterior motive sounded absurd to Ivy. Nonetheless, they were telling the truth. They did really like hanging out with Ivy.

"Ivy, feeling drunk yet?" Bella said as they all anticipated her answer, watching her with amused faces. Ivy smiled.

"I feel great!" Ivy said, nodding assuredly, not even realizing how she sounded. Chloe and Jessica high-fived.

The night was a blur. Once Ivy finished the large container of Butterbeer and most of Jessica's, she was way talkative. Ivy likes to keep her cards close to her chest; the small, minuscule amount of alcohol loosened her up to reveal them.

"You guys wanna know something? I've never had my first kiss," Ivy said as they all watched her, raising their eyebrows.

"Oh come on, why? You're hot, someone would have definitely wanted to snog you by now," Bella said as they nodded with her. Ivy sighed.

"That's what I thought," Ivy began in a solemn but sarcastic voice as the other three girls suppressed their laughter, "but I spend too much time studying. And there is only one boy I want a good snog from."

"Oh my god, who?" Chloe said, smiling at her. Ivy beamed, not really knowing where she was trying to go with this conversation.

"Remus Lupin."

They all widened their eyes at her answer.

"No way, that adorable nerd?" Chloe said, her jaw dropping with a smile.

"I don't know if he likes me. I don't wanna fuck up our friendship though, I really like talking to him," Ivy said, tapping her chin as she thought.

"You two have been hanging out a lot, I have noticed that. I have eyes of a hawk," Bella said, thinking about something. "When we go back to school next week, do you want me to say something to him about you? Like, put in a good word? I can be very persuasive, and I always sit next to him in Muggle Studies."

Ivy thought about it for a second. "Thanks, but no thanks. If he's gonna know that I like him, I want him to hear it from me directly."

        Ivy rested her face in her hands and looked off into the distance dreamily. Even in her slightly intoxicated state, she could make out thoughts and memories about Remus. When they first met, when she found out about him being a werewolf, when they got their O.W.L. scores. It also seemed Sirius thought they would be a good couple from all the comments he made about them.

"I miss him. Same for James and Peter and Sirius," Ivy said as she sat back up, running a hand through her short hair.

"I'm sure he misses you. I mean, you're a total catch! What's not to like about you?! And with that makeup Bella did, any boy would be falling at your feet," Jessica said as Ivy shrugged.

"I hope he likes me or I'll feel like a total dumbass. I do really like him, I'm not being a drunk idiot. I'm not even drunk. He's super sweet and sincere and the most respectful guy at Hogwarts, I swear," Ivy said as she yawned. "It feels like it's getting late."

"Yeah, I was about to say that we should get back to my house soon," Chloe said as she looked at the clock. "Okay. Let's go. It's getting near my curfew and I think it's best for you, Ivy."

Ivy giggled girlishly as they practically dragged her out of the Three Broomsticks. Using floo powder was a bit worrisome, but she managed.

They arrived back at Chloe's elaborate house and walked in. Her parents were home, they said a quiet hello as they walked back to her room. Ivy laid down on Chloe's bed, groaning. Jessica hopped in the shower as Bella took off her makeup. Chloe was sitting in the arm chair, sighing.

"Ivy, let me take off your makeup," Chloe said, walking over to the body laying on her bed. Chloe grabbed the wipes from the table. Ivy laughed as she smeared the makeup off, revealing her bare face.

After Jessica was done in the shower, Ivy got in and washed herself off, then changing into her pajamas. She brushed her teeth and walked back into Chloe's room, grabbing a blanket and settling in the arm chair. She was asleep within what felt like seconds.

•••