Beauty and the Badass: Best Mates Forever

Ember rolled back over onto her stomach, staring upwards, though she avoided that one picture with Sophia in it. She tugged her shirt up again and resumed squishing at her belly button, because, for some odd reason, it helped her think better. Maybe it was the movement or the pressure on her stomach, but it calmed her body down enough for her to sit still for a longer bit than she normally would have. And she listened, oh how she listened, her ears drinking in every single word flowing out of Eveleen’s mouth, not only because it was information she desired a great deal, but because this was so impossibly rare. Eveleen and Ember rarely ever discussed things like this, especially with such an air of seriousness. Normally there was at least a little bit of goofing around involved. Ember hadn’t even been sure she’d get a decent answer, but like always, Eveleen got her, and seemed to sense the absolute sincerity of Ember’s question.

If Ember was honest with herself, Eveleen’s description of a relationship, scared her a bit. The idea that two people could be so invested in one another that they just wanted to be closer… It astounded her and sent her head reeling a bit, partly because she wasn’t sure she had ever felt it, and partly because her sweet little Eveleen was outwardly admitted to being involved in the act of frick-frack. She had known of course. It had been obvious in the way Eveleen’s bed always smelt like boy and the way the pair held themselves differently when they were together. Ember couldn’t even pin point what it was that was different, but she just sensed it whenever she saw the pair together. A stronger, more palpable bond that hung in the air maybe. A change in chemistry.

And then there were emotions. Gosh, Ember had never even really considered that too much. She knew two people should at least like each other to date, but personally, she had never gotten past the initial ‘hey, I kind of like you, let’s make out in this broom cupboard’ kind of emotions, at least, not until recently. She’d liked lots of people before, but she’d never considered doing with them what Eveleen did with Duane, not, at least, until she’d found herself taking a liking to Sophia. And even now, she wasn’t positive if it was a physical thing because the Hufflepuff was so impossibly attractive, at least to her, or if she genuinely wanted to be with her romantically. She spent too much time telling herself ‘no’ to figure it out.

The need to be close, the high expectations, the feelings, that Ember struggled with in general because she had such a select few that she was willing to display. It seemed like a lot of trouble just to be with another person, but, if someone like Eveleen, who hadn’t shown any interest in actually dating anyone until she had met Duane, could do it, then there had to be something there that was worth it. Perhaps it was the exciting and new portion Eveleen spoke of, or maybe it was something else… That draw two people who loved each other seemed to have between them…

Images flew threw Ember’s head in quick secession. Her Da tackling her mother down on their bed and tickling her until she was laughing so hard she cried. The way Eveleen and Duanes’s fingers entwined when they held hands, like just being palm to palm wasn’t enough. The way one of her older cousin’s face had lit up when his bride had started coming down the aisle… Joy and affection and pure happiness all rolled into one simple thing: a bond between two people stronger than anything she had ever known.

It made Ember’s heart ache.

”I want that.” The Gryffindor whispered, reaching up and flicking at the photo of the three girls sitting on Eveleen’s bed, though, her eyes only locked on Sophia. And she doubted herself. No. She wasn’t emotionally attached to Sophia like Eveleen was to Duane. Sure, she definitely wanted in the girl’s pants, there was almost no being around the other girl without that, but she couldn’t tell if she liked her in a way that would be of the sort two people were supposed to have. Not that it mattered anyway, because even if she knew if she liked Sophia in such a manner, she couldn’t have her.

Ember rolled over, burying her face against Eveleen’s bed covers, hiding it away at her cheeks started to go pink. ”How did you know though? That it was… That you liked him like that through the crazy horniness? And what if… What if you had liked him but he didn‘t like you back? What then?”

Beautiful. Ember’s head swam around that word slowly, contemplating it and pressing it into the image of Sophia in her mind. She could remember when Eveleen had told her the news about her cousin, the absolute sadness in her best mate’s voice as she explained it. Except, Ember could clearly remember that Eveleen hadn’t needed as much consoling as the Gryffindor had been ready to give, like she had already had someone do it. It hadn’t been until a short while later that Ember had realized that Duane must have been involved, though, she had never asked Eveleen about that. It was a personal thing and though they were best mates, usually Ember allowed Eveleen all the privacy she wanted, not pushing for information for the most part, and letting it come when Eveleen was ready to give it.

The story, about Duane comforting Eveleen, brought to mind how Sophia had come and brought her back to her feet after Ember had watched her beloved Nimbus get blown up like a firework. It was scarily similar, those feelings of closeness and being cared for, the gentle way in which Sophia had held her and stroked her head, just letting Ember cry it out until she was ready to speak again. The absolute sureness she had felt, in the fact that Sophia gave a fuck that Ember be alright…

Perhaps, if she paid closer attention to what her heart was telling her, over the screaming of her loins, Ember would be able to figure out if there was more to her feelings for the girl than just a physical attraction. Then again, what was the point? Sophia was a straight girl with pretty eyes and she would never, in a million years, want Ember like that. The Gryffindor just… she didn’t…

”I think… that‘s fabulous, Eveleen. It’s really wonderful and sweet of Duane… How he takes care of you. I appreciate you telling me this. It helps a lot.” Ember admitted, lifting her head up a bit to peek through her red hair at the Ravenclaw she admired so much. And she really did appreciate it. A lot. Because it helped her figure out her own head a little bit better and what she needed to do, but… There was still just that one little issue. ”But… I… I can’t tell, ‘leen. I don’t… I don’t have the right parts. Because, because…” Ember faltered, struggling now. She had never, ever admitted it out loud beyond joking, and even those could just be taken as such. And yet… this was Eveleen, who had probably already figured out Ember was bisexual, and yet, it still terrified the Gryffindor to say it aloud. She dropped her face back down into the bed and brought her arms up, hiding away as her cheeks starting to flame.

”It’s a girl.” Ember whispered, voice muffled against the blanket that smelt much like Eveleen and a bit like Duane. Her shoulders quivered and she bit her lip, waiting for the awkwardness she was sure would come. ”I want to bang a girl.”

Ember’s eyes went wide, completely startled by Eveleen’s reaction. She had been expecting something else, either consoling reassurance that she was normal, or blatant disgust that Ember could feel such a thing for another girl. The Gryffindor had expected Eveleen to maybe know, but she definitely had not expected her to call Ember on exactly who it was as well. How did she know? How the absolute fuck, did Eveleen always seem to know?! She had to be some kind of magician, no that was stupid, they were witches, or perhaps she had a bit of a seer in her, or no, that probably wasn’t it either. Oh gosh, Ember hoped she hadn’t been obvious… What if Sophia had noticed? No… No, she wouldn’t have treated her so kindly when they were in the game keeper’s hut if she had known Ember wanted to do naughty things with her.

The Gryffindor kept her face hidden, buried against the covers and in her arms, in too much shock to move right at the moment. And then Eveleen was asking her questions and telling her nice things, the way Eveleen always seemed to do, though usually it was something about getting it next time when Ember had failed learning a trick so many times she had actually grown quite frustrated. This was a different situation entirely. Eveleen had her all figured out and Ember hadn’t even noticed. Geez… The Ravenclaw was smarted than the Gryffindor gave her credit for, yet again.

And then she was being yelled at and whacked repeatedly with a pillow.

Finally, Ember sat up, reaching out and grabbing hold of Eveleen’s pillow, her entire face, from stretching from her forehead, down over her ears, and beyond the collar of her shirt, was crimson. Normally when she blushed, on the rare occasion that it happened, it was just her cheeks, but Merlin, right now…

”How do you always know?” The Gryffindor asked quietly, staring at Eveleen, eyes still wide open with wonder. And then, her mouth spread open in a toothy grin as she yanked the pillow free from her best mate’s hands and proceeded to pay her back, whacking at Eveleen’s torso and over her head. ”Then again, you can’t always know everything, because, if you did, you would know it was you. For the longest time, it was bloody you, Eveleen Swan. You’re the dim thing!” Ember teased, giving Eveleen a few more hits with the pillow before she stopped, heaving a sigh and hugging it to her chest. She buried her face in it, drinking in the safe smell of Eveleen, liking the pillow much better than the blanket because it smelled less like boy. ”And I appreciate the support, but you’re wrong this time. Sophia… She wasn’t trying to kiss me. She was teasing me about not peeking. And when I licked her cream, I wasn’t even… I honestly was only thinking about not letting it go to waste by having it end up with some horrible fate like a napkin. I didn’t even… I only really, really started liking her, or rather, wanting to do things with her, right after Nimbus got… I mean, the attraction was there already because she is fucking gorgeous, Eveleen, but… She doesn’t… She‘s not… She‘s straight, okay? I can just tell.”

Ember hugged the pillow tighter, wanting to hide away in it now. It felt bad. Saying it out loud. That the girl she wanted, even though it was physically, would never be able to want her back in that fashion. Merlin, this sucked. ”So, I can’t tell her, and I’m never going to, and it’ll probably blow over like it did with you, though… I… If I’m honest, ‘leen, I have never wanted to fuck someone so bad before. I’ve spent more time awake in my bed lately than sleeping in it, it’s that… intense. I can‘t be around her without… without… I always have to take a really cold shower afterwards. And I can‘t stop thinking about her even then, and I feel bad, because if she knew she‘d be so embarrassed. She‘s not strong like you or me. If I told her, she‘d probably break and never speak to me again.”

The Gryffindor pressed her face down into the pillow, shaking her head and trying to get a hold of herself for a moment before she looked back up at Eveleen, blue eyes shining slightly. ”I don’t even know if I like her, like her. Why ruin a friendship over something so stupid anyway? Sophia needs us as friends, not creepers who want to get in her pants just because she is the hottest thing to ever walk the planet. Breaking her happiness isn‘t worth chasing mine. So… Let‘s just forget it okay? Pretend I didn‘t say anything.”

Eveleen’s words met Ember’s ears, even if the Gryffindor didn’t exactly like them. Everything about Sophia so far, as Ember knew her, screamed that she was straight. There was no way that pretty girl would have a thing for women, she was… too much of a girl? Ember sighed, knowing that was probably wrong of her to think, especially because it only placed a stereotype on a lot of people who were girly and also liked girls. Not that Sophia was super girly, she did run around in jeans and band t-shirts most of the time… like Ember did. But that didn’t mean anything aside from the Hufflepuff liking to be comfortable, right? Perhaps Eveleen was a little bit right. Maybe Sophia would like a romantic relationship, but then again, the girl was still working on learning how to have friends. There was no way the girl who had difficulty trusting people could be ready for a boyfriend. She had only just really started accepting Ember and Eveleen as true mates on that trip they’d taken to Hogsmeade together.

”But she basically told us.” Ember grumbled into the pillow, remembering the time Sophia had mentioned one of those moving picture people, a man, being attractive. And then Ember got quite distracted by the image of Sophia, sitting in a box, quite like one would find a cute little kitten waiting for a home and she got completely distracted away from thoughts of the other girl’s sexuality. She grinned, squishing the pillow closer to her chest and rocking slightly. ”Oh, ‘leen! She would be so, so adorable in a box though! And honestly, I don‘t think she‘d be ready for anything romantic. She had enough trouble with just us, remember?”

Blessedly though, Eveleen changed the subject, making Ember feel much more at ease. She dropped the pillow and grabbed for Eveleen, wrapping her arms tightly round the eagle’s torso. She pressed her cheek against the front of Eveleen’s, until their noses were almost forming an angle, her lips whispering, ever so impossibly close to Eveleen’s without actually kissing her. ”You know you will always be the most gorgeous woman in my life, dearest Lady Eveleen of Brixton. I would have stolen much more than just your innocence, I‘d have had your heart as well.” Ember whispered in her most seductive voice possible, sounding completely serious. And then she took hold of Eveleen’s chin and ran her tongue up the side of the Ravenclaw’s face in a very dog-like manner. The Gryffindor released her best friend and bolted, up from the bed, laughing and snatching up a pillow should she need to defend herself, not hearing the tapping on the window that usually signaled that there was mail.