The few weeks leading up to the Christmas holidays were long and painful, and so were the weeks after they came back. The five had left the adventure into the tunnel behind them, and unsaid agreement that they wouldn't discuss it further. Moonshine had been avoiding Fred's eye ever since, and their conversations were often stiff and ended quickly. Alex had completely gone back to normal, and Moonshine didn't feel strange around her like she did the others. After Christmas, things mended with Maggie. She had come back after the holidays thoroughly disgruntled - spending an entire fortnight with Flick must be difficult, after all - so she was more than happy to complain about him to Moonshine. Flick was no different, shooting Moonshine annoyed glances and 'accidentally' spilling liquid on her parchment whenever he got the chance. The next incident happened three or four weeks after Christmas. Moonshine had no idea what spurred her on to do it. One night, she woke after a terrifying nightmare, drenched in sweat and trembling. And all at once, she had decided. She swung her legs out from under her sheets, and slipped her bare feet into her black school shoes, and pulled her robe around her to stop her from shivering. She crept through the corridors, trying hard not to make her leather shoes squeak on the stone floor. She ascended a staircase, hopping over the trick step. Her shoes were too loud. She slipped them from her feet and went barefoot, carrying them. Soon she was at the trophy room. She sneaked over to the fifth cabinet, and shifted some of the trophies on the top shelf. "I knew it," an accusing voice floated from behind her. She turned. Flick Cabanero stood behind her, picking at his cuticles. He glanced up, as if he had only just realised she was there. "W-what are you doing here, Flick?" Moonshine asked. "I'd like to ask you he same thing," he replied callously, smoothing his fringe away from his forehead. "You really thought you were being discreet. You and that... Weasley." He grinned, flashing his perfect teeth. "And today... I could see the cracks in you," he looked incredibly pleased with himself, like a detective who had just solved his most important case. "You two started acted weird a couple days after that detention, so today, when I knew you would return, I came here, and waited, I started to think you wouldn't come," he said. "Just wait until Professor Snape hears about this..." "No! Please!" she stopped herself before her voice could raise any higher. She didn't want to wake any professors. "So protective!" Flick ran his hand through his blonde hair, an annoying habit Moonshine had noticed him do multiple times before. "What do you want, Flick?" Moonshine asked. He wouldn't have gone through all of this trouble to uncover their plot for nothing. "I want you to tell me what is so interesting here that you feel the need to sneak around in the night to come back," Flick demanded. "And why you and Weasley have been acting weird and awkward as a result." Flick's expression was steely, wanting, thirsty to know. Moonshine paused. What lie could she spin on the spot? Then she realised. Flick had no idea that Alex, George, or Maggie were involved. "We sneak here..." Moonshine swallowed. "Often. To be together. I was just waiting for him, but I fell asleep, and came too late, so I think Fred's already left." "Oh," Flick's face fell, and Moonshine could tell he believed her, and he thought that it was more boring than he'd expected it to be. "Well, then." He turned. "I'd bid you good night, but I really don't like you." "Flick," he paused, "You won't tell anyone, will you?" Flick hummed. "Not for now..." and then he was gone. Moonshine waited until she was sure he had disappeared, then she turned the dial, and stepped inside the tunnel.
Thanks to @Alexandra_Riddle for her OC Alex!
