Ice Cream and a Challenge

"I figured we could all use a break from walking around so much," Blaise said as they arrived at the ice cream shop.

Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour, was the typical hang out spot for young witches and wizards shopping in Diagon Alley. Gemma had lots of good memories of this place. When she stayed at the Leaky Cauldron a couple of years ago Mr. Fortescue was kind enough to give her free ice cream whenever she wanted.

She followed her group of friends as they all sat a large table. Gemma quickly took the place between Millicent and Pansy, so she wouldn't be **** to sit next to the boys.

"Gemma what do you want?" Millicent quickly asked her before the boys could fight over her.

"Strawberry and Peanut Butter," Gemma said remembering her favorite flavor the last time she was here.

Only wait....she wasn't supposed to have been here....maybe she could spin it to be believable...

"I-I had it the last time I was here... after going to Gringotts it was pretty good..." Gemma lied to the group.

The rest of her friends quickly told Millicent their orders, and the stout brunette witch was off to the front counter.

Gemma was relieved when the group accepted her lie as the group started some mindless chatter about the next school year.

Eventually Millicent returned with their orders and everyone was in a state of sugary bliss. Well they were until Gemma noticed a familiar couple enter the Ice Cream Parlour.

Gemma almost choked when she saw them. She tried to play it off as a cough, so no one would be too suspicious. She grabbed one of the napkins on the table and quickly held it up to her face, fake coughing again.

It was bad enough seeing Fred and George but this was too far, too soon. There entering the shop was her former best friends, Ron and Hermione.

She quickly averted her eyes from the door, as her friends looked at her in concern over her coughing.

"I-I should slow down," Gemma said slowly trying to laugh it off.

"Yeah we're not in any rush," Theo chuckled.

Inside Gemma was nervous, very nervous, this would probably be her hardest test to pass today. Maybe she just needed to trust in Dumbledore but she knew she was probably going to end up saying that word. She figured it was only a matter of time, but this was still too soon for her.

Just as her nerves started eating away at her, it happened. Her friends had noticed them.

"Ugh....Draco....look who just stepped up to the counter," Pansy said with an exaggerated grimace.

The blonde wizard along with everyone else in the group focused their attention at the front counter.

"The Weasel and the Mudblood, just as our day was going so well..." Draco groaned as he turned his attention back to his ice cream.

"Figures those two would show up...wonder where Potty is..." Millicent added as she too turned back to her ice cream.

Gemma thought she was in the clear when the group slowly returned to their ice cream, but her hopes were quickly lost when Draco started talking to her.

"Gemma I know your French but have you heard the word Mudblood before?" Draco asked her slowly.

The tension at the table quickly rose. It seemed like everyone at their table was looking at her now. Silently waiting to see what she would do.

"Y-yes I saw it in the Black Library," Gemma automatically explained, "We have a different word for their kind in French, Sang-de-Bourb."

Another one of Dumbledore's responses...figures he was one of the brightest wizards around he must have thought of everything...

"W-what do you think about them, the Sang-de-Bourb?" Blaise slowly asked her.

"I don't like them of course, the Mudbloods, my Grand-Mère raised me to be a proper witch after all," Gemma automatically responded as her face contorted into a look of disgust.

No that wasn't true! Gemma screamed internally. She knew it was necessary, she knew she had to say it, but she hated every second of it.

The table of Slytherins slowly relaxed hearing her words, she had shown them she was one of them. A proper pureblood witch, it was no surprise she was placed in their house.

Gemma felt sick. Her stomach twisted and turned. She wasn't used to this. It was all happening too fast. She thought she had been ready but just this conversation made her second guess herself.

Gemma was thrown out of her thoughts when she the frizzy haired brunette known as Hermione Granger look at her weirdly.

_She knows! _Gemma immediately thought.

But that would be impossible! Dumbledore said it was the utmost importance that no one know what she was doing. He wouldn't have told her. Then what else could it be?

Then it came to Gemma. _That Look! She knew that look! That's her curious look!

Hermione is looking at her because she's never seen her before she must be curious about who this new girl sitting there was!

No, no, no, no, no. Gemma was not ready for that! She knew that curiosity would eventually get the better of her former friend and she'd come over even if she was called a Mudblood just to learn who was at the Slytherin table.

Gemma needed to leave, they needed to leave now._

Gemma slowly pushed her ice cream away from her.

"I-I think I've lost my appetite..." Gemma said trying to come up with a reasonable excuse to leave.

"I don't blame you, seeing that disgusting pair, let's get out of here," Draco said quickly pushing his own away.

That wasn't what she meant! But she was also slightly thankful for their hatred since it would let her get out of this situation without talking to Ron or Hermione.

One by one her friends pushed away their ice cream, and stood up to leave. Gemma quickly followed them out of the shop.

The small group of teens stopped in front of the store.

"Can't go anywhere these days without seeing their kind," Pansy muttered dejectedly.

Gemma saw most of their group nod their head in agreement.

"There's one more stop we can go to if you're up for it Gemma." Draco said changing topics.

"W-where to?" Gemma asked curiously.

"It's not on Diagon Alley though, it's on another street, but I think you'll enjoy it," the blonde-haired wizard explained smirking at her.

"S-sure let's go," Gemma agreed saying anything to get away from here.

Gemma didn't get what they meant at first but she soon would...