Page 92 of Wallflower

I looked at Dare's angry face, and realized I'd never actually seen him upset before.

"How could you jump in if you didn't know how to swim?"

"I was just thinking about saving her," I said.

"Flower," he said and held my face between his hands. His eyes hadn't left mine once since he'd saved me. "You could've drowned. Are you getting that?"

Actually I was. The reality began to sink in as my teeth started chattering, and I gripped the edge of the pool tight.

Dare nodded. "Okay, that's it. You're coming to my house."

"But—"

"No arguments," he said. "We have a pool, and I'm going to teach you."

"I'm not sure my parents will let me do that," I said. "After what happened."

Dare leaned forward. "I'm not asking, flower."

"Okay," I said quietly.

At her bark, we both looked over to see Hermione, her mouth open in what seemed to be a grin as she looked at something behind us. And there was Professor Snape, sitting beside the pool, looking at all of us like we were ridiculous.

"He seems unimpressed," Dare remarked. "I had to jog with him in my arms to try and catch you."

"You're such a good boy, Professor Snape," I said. "Good boy for staying out of the pool."

In response, Snape let out a big yawn.

CHAPTER 16

"So, how'd you get them to let you come?" Dare asked.

"Just told the truth," I said.

"And that would be…?"

"I said I was going to a friend's house."

Dare smiled at that. "And they didn't ask any questions? Maybe they're more like my parents than I thought."

"No, they had a few. But it's all good," I said.

I thought back to the conversation I'd had with my parents after returning Snape and Hermione to the shelter. Paris had given us and our wet clothes a strange look, but she hadn't said anything. After drying Hermione off with a towel and grabbing my cello, I'd driven Dare to his house and immediately called my mom.

"Which friend?" My father was the one who spoke after I gave my initial explanation. That was when I discovered Mom had put me on speakerphone. "Have we met her?"

I'd hesitated and heard my father sigh.

"It's Dare isn't it," he'd said.

"Yeah," I'd said. "But heismy friend, Dad. You were the one who encouraged me to make more friends, remember?"

"I did…but honey, I just don't know about you hanging out with him. At his house."

"I'm sure his parents will be there," I'd said, though I really had no way of knowing.

He was silent a beat, and Mom came on the line a second later.

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