the smell of books.

Cecilia couldn't help but admire Margo's vibrant personality, which seemed to attract a lot of friends. It was easy to see why people enjoyed her company so much. Cecilia knew that she would miss the lively atmosphere that Margo brought to the dormitory during the summer months.
As Margo suggested the idea of being her wing woman, Cecilia nodded in understanding. However, she quickly dismissed the notion, convinced that no one would find her interesting enough. The prospect of dating someone filled her with nervous energy, and the thought of allowing someone to get close enough to truly understand her was daunting. She didn't have any close friends outside of the dormitory, and she wasn't one to strike up conversations with strangers.
For Cecilia, the understated friendships she had formed within the dormitory were the closest she had ever come to having a sense of family. The idea of letting someone get close enough to her to become a friend was both exhilarating and terrifying. “I don’t know,” she shrugged, “I don’t think any boys would find me very interesting. I have nothing to talk to them about.”

They jogged down the staircase and headed towards the kitchens, a bounce in her step at the thought of a sweet treat. She wanted something with apricot. No! Strawberry!

"Okay, two ways to think about it," Margo said thoughtfully. "First-of course you do! You talk to us! We've been taking for an hour and it's been fine. You don't have to entertain them, they should be happy to have your company."

"But..." she said, swaying her head as she considered. "If you think you don't have stuff to talk about... make memories to talk about! We're only young once, girlie, we can't waste our youth stuck in our own heads, you know? Life is something you do with other people!"

Cecilia rolled her eyes in response to Margo's comment and sighed, "But, Margo, we share a bedroom. You are the only one who gives me a reason to talk. I don't think anyone else is interested in me or my thoughts." Her lack of self-confidence was evident, and she felt like she couldn't hold anyone's attention for long, except when they needed something from her.

Cecilia had never experienced what it was like to have a real connection with others. Her life had been a revolving door of adoptees and adopters, leaving her feeling alone and disconnected. "I don't know what it's like to have other people in my life," she murmured as she followed Margo. "Apart from the girls in our dorm, I don't have anyone else." Her words were tinged with sadness and a longing for a sense of belonging.

They had reached the painting that would open up into the kitchens, but her girl was having a crisis of confidence and that would not do! Margo could be accused of being in her own world, but she always had her eyes on the people around her. And with her quick-to-speak nature she never allowed anyone to suffer in silence.

She stopped and turned, putting her hands on Cecilia's shoulders. "Okay, listen to me," she said, looking her in the eye. "Some people get dealt a shit hand. From the little you've said about your life, you got dealt some shit cards. I validate that."

She'd learned that word when she'd accidentally gone to therapy... long story.

"And also," she said, stealing another therapy phrase. "What people don't say is that... relationships are not things we're owed. We don't just... get the people in our lives. Some people for sure have it easier when it comes to that... but look at Molly! She's more quiet than you. Part of it was me, yes, but I haven't just stuck around for no reason. She's had to work to keep our friendship going."

She shimmied Cec's shoulders a bit, smiling to try to loosen her up. "Don't wait for a reason to talk, MAKE a reason to talk. Talk without reason, that's what I do! Say enough nonsense and you'll find people who are interested, and don't even think about the ones who don't, because they sound boring." She cocked her head. "Make sense?"

Margo's perspective on relationships was an entirely new concept for Cecilia, leaving her with much to ponder. As she contemplated the idea, she couldn't help but admit, "I'm not sure I know how to approach relationships the way you do."

Opening up about her past was not something Cecilia did often, but she felt comfortable enough to share with Margo. "I spent a long time in the orphanage, and no one ever stuck around long enough to want to adopt me," she confessed. "Strange things always seemed to happen when I was around, driving prospective parents away. I guess it was because I subconsciously used magic, something I wasn't even aware existed until I turned eleven."

The quest for sweets was momentarily out on hold. Margo loved food but she found it much more delicious to dig into a friend. Metaphorically, of course.

Margo offered a sincere look of sympathy as she listened, acknowledging that this was a big deal for Cec to admit, to vocalize. Margo knew remarkably little about her dormmate, and she was honored to be included in this moment.

"I can't even imagine," Margo said, shaking her head, before scooping Cec into a hug, giving her a tight squeeze before release. "I never thought about lucky I was to have a family who knew what magic was, you know. And to, well... have a family around me. That has to be so hard."

Cecilia stood there, motionless and rigid, held tightly in Margo's embrace. Her words tumbled out, a confession that had been locked away for so long. "It wasn't just family, it was the other children too...some only there for a week, others for a few months. All gone before I could work up the courage to let them in...but it is part of my life." She shrugged her shoulders, trying to brush it off. "You are really lucky."

Finally released from Margo's hold, Cecilia wrapped her arms around herself, as if trying to hold herself together. The crack in the wall she had built around herself was widening, and she felt vulnerable and exposed. It was an uncomfortable sensation, but at the same time, it made her feel lighter. It was strange to have let Margo in the way she had, but there was something about the girl that made it feel safe to do so.

Margo didn't release Cecilia as the girl seemed to take the brief captivity as permission to spill forth more of those truths that had plagued her so. Though Cecilia didn't return the hug, Margo fancied that she could feel the girl melting a bit, and so she softened the hug, drawing her friend into her, into the comfort of friendship.

After a moment, she released her, though kept her hands at her arms, keeping her rooted. "It is part of your life, a big one," Margo affirmed, nodding. "But it won't be all of it. Here, you are wanted. Here, you are home. Especially if you start believing it yourself."

Cecilia was at a loss for words to describe the overwhelming emotions that Margo's friendship and understanding evoked within her. It was a sensation she had only encountered within the pages of books, something she had yearned for but never truly experienced until now. Yet, in Margo's presence, it felt real and comforting—a balm to her soul. Gratefulness welled up inside Cecilia, filling her heart with warmth and appreciation.

"Thank you," Cecilia whispered, her voice barely audible as she cast her gaze downward, her eyes fixed on her own feet. She struggled to find the right words, knowing that mere expressions of gratitude could never fully encapsulate the depth of her feelings. Margo's acceptance and support had been unwavering ever since they arrived at Hogwarts, making her the closest semblance of a true friend that Cecilia had ever encountered.

In Margo, Cecilia found solace, reassurance, and a sense of belonging. The trust that had blossomed between them was a priceless gift—one that Cecilia cherished beyond measure. With each passing day, their bond grew stronger, offering Cecilia the courage to face the challenges of their magical journey with renewed hope and resilience.

"So, we were headed to the kitchen, right?" she asked hoping to change the subject.

Cecilia seemed to be relaxing into Margo’s comforting touch, a win if there ever was one. Margo supposed her almost-codependency on Molly had prevented her from getting to this point with her dormmates until now. Which would be a curiosity for later. Now that Molly was refocusing on school, perhaps other new opportunities for friendship would arise.

At Cecilia’s thank you, Margo gave her a final squeeze before saying, “Any time.” And with Margo, any time did really mean any time.

A smile bloomed across her face at the mention of the kitchen, bringing Margo back to how this sweet moment had even come about. She turned and gestured excitedly to the portrait that would lead them to the kitchens, excitement building in her bright eyes. As she tickled the pear in the bowl of fruit and the portrait swung open, Margo’s heart buzzed with the warmth of a friendship solidified.