Rose McGill was very willing to help. Gwen didn’t explain the situation verbatim, but she slid enough hints into the conversation that Rose would get the point. She saw to it that she would meet with Abigail twice a week and offered them her office at their disposal.
“That’s ok.” Rose grinned. “I think we’ll be ok in the common room.”
Gwen grinned back. “Thanks for all your help.”
“My pleasure Miss LeFey.”
But Abigail was not to be the main concern of the day. Malfoy’s gears had been cranking since the opening feast and he was finally putting one of his plans into action.
During DADA lesson with the Slytherins Gwen was being particularly helpful to Professor Smith. It was a rather difficult lesson to get through, involving complicated theories that the students were sure to confuse. She was at his elbow the entire time, offering up any suggestions that might help the students comprehend better.
Anthony was more than grateful for her assistance and grinned widely at her. He patted her on the bottom, a source of much embarrassment, but she was certain that no students had seen him do so.
Malfoy however, never stopped watching, waiting for his opportunity. “Potter not doing it for you anymore? Moved on to Professor Smith?” He whispered viciously.
Gwen might have hauled up and slapped him had it not been for her immense personal restraint. This job was far more important to her than getting even with the little bastard. She gave him her nicest smile and replied “That is none of your business.”
When she turned away Malfoy stood quickly, making sure that Professor Smith’s back was turned. He yanked on her long ginger ponytail and with a tap from his wand had cut most of it off. Gwen whirled on him, this was the last straw.
“How dare you.” She fumed.
Professor Smith ran to the rescue. “Mr. Malfoy I suggest you take your seat and desist in the harassment of my assistant. Eighty points will be taken from Slytherin house and if it happens again you will serve a detention.” He turned to Gwen and quietly added: “why don’t you take the rest of the lesson off?”
She smiled gratefully at Professor Smith and counted her blessings that Malfoy would no longer be a student when she became a teacher. After class she waltzed over to his office and approached him with a hand extended. “Thanks Anthony.”
“Ah no sweat.” He said, clasping her hand in a peculiar hand shake. He was trying to get her to snap thumbs with him as he pulled his hand away. He succeeded, and Gwen couldn’t help but laugh. “Sometimes ya gotta let shit slide and other times ya gotta put your foot down. This was one of those boot in the ass times.”
Gwen was glad he didn’t talk like that in front of students, but appreciative of his help nonetheless. He pulled what remained of her hair out of his pocket and handed it to her. “I probably should’ve given the little wretch a detention.”
“It’s just hair.” She said, tossing it into the waste bin. “It’ll grow back.”
“It looks nice short, you carry it well.” He said as she tucked a strand behind her ear. She had spent the rest of the lesson in her office with her own wand, trying to even out the strands until her hair rested in a soft bob an inch above her shoulders. She smiled, wondering how she would explain the hair cut to Minerva.