AN: Some short and amusing because I have no life but Russian quizzes in store for me. To new readers: Canon characters have different gender. Names start the same as their canon ones.
I could have edited this better, but my new medication makes me drowsy.
Title is from the Mike Doughtry song I Hear the Bells.
Disclaimer: I own my idea for NaNoWriMo, not Harry Potter
Title: The Bells are Ringing
Words: 1K
Summary: Behind every obnoxious couple are people wanting to break them up.
"I don't want Logan Brown for a brother-in-law." Hector looked up from his reading and saw that Gid Weasley was sitting across the table. He was straddling the back of a chair and appeared to be in a great amount of distress. "You have to help me break them up."
"You want me to what?" Hector had a hard time keeping his voice in a whisper. Madame Pince shushed them from her fortress.
There was a giggle coming from the large shelf behind Gid. Through the open spaces between the books, Hector could see the familiar plait of Rory's hair. His blood went cold and he had the urge to rip his book in half when seeing Logan there with her. Perfect Logan with his perfect blond hair that was never bushy, and always had perfect fair skin…
Hector wasn't going to lie to himself anymore. He had definite feelings for Rory Weasley. He was captivated by her long red hair, and by the freckles on her knees. He loved her loud laugh and raunchy jokes. He missed her so much that it felt like an actual ache! Hector had all of these emotions for her, wanting to say them so that she would know, but it was probably too late.
"Just apologise to her already!" Gid threw his hands up, ignoring the dark looks that the librarian was giving him. "Halley and I are sick of you two arguing. Why can't you two make up already?"
Hector looked down in the pages of his book, no longer finding the passage about Goblin-Merpeople relationships that exciting. The past few months had been hard. At first, things had been wonderful between him and Rory, and then everything fell apart and he wasn't sure how or why, but now Rory was having her tonsils examined by his horrid roommate, and all Hector could do was seethe in self-hatred and jealousy…and was doing this all while ignoring his other friends. Like Halley who was becoming devoted to a strange potions book, and Gid who was arguing with his own girlfriend and very much needed advice.
Hector had the sinking feeling he was becoming a horrible friend.
"What am I sick of?" Just like that, Halley appeared behind Gid.
He twisted around and ended up falling the floor with a yelp.
Her mouth twitched at the display. "I won't be sick of that."
Gid huffed as he brought himself back on his feet and put the chair back. "You never expect the people you talk about to just show up like that."
"I thought it was amusing," Hector said. He saw Madame Pince glaring at them, making scratches in her book. It was probably more marks against their names. "Can you scare him like when he's flying?"
"That would depend on the bludgers," Gid muttered just loud enough for them to hear. Halley glared pointedly at him. Gid saw that and smiled warmly at her. "Hey, do you want to help us break them up?"
"Them?" Halley pointed to the giggling couple that were oblivious to everyone else.
"I never said I was in on the plan!" Hector shut his book. "You are a horrible brother, Gideon. And you," he pointed at Halley. "Why aren't you happy for her?"
"Hypocrite," said Halley. She leaned against Gid's chair. "Why don't you tell him how much of bleeding hypocrite he's been?"
"Gladly." Gid leaned back precariously in his chair, and counted off each offense with a finger. "Every time you see Rory is when you get moody, whenever we study in the common room all you do is glare at them—and you never answer my questions, you haven't gone to see us at any Quidditch practices, you're not happy—Bloody—" Halley tipped his chair back up to stop him from falling. She took over from there.
"And I don't want to pick sides," she said. She placed a hand at her hip and glared at Hector. "Do you know what it's like to be in the middle of you two arguing? It's horrible, but at least I have him to complain with." Halley pointed a finger at Gid.
He nodded gravely. "You two are our main conversation starter."
More flabbergasted than anything else, Hector could stare at his two friends. Since when were they so chummy and talked about him and Rory behind his back? "I can't believe you two."
"He knows we're right," said Gid.
"I know," Halley agreed.
Those two shared a conspiring smile and Hector frowned. Those two honestly believed it was a good idea. Was this inane plan of theirs actually going to work? Rory and Logan would break up, but what would really be the outcome? A bitter roommate and a sad witch that he cared for deeply? It wasn't the right thing to do no matter how badly he wanted to be in Logan's place.
"No," Hector decided.
"He's worse than Phlegm with his condescending attitude," Gid said. "He's never nice to Nellie or to the rest of our friends."
"I never see Rory anymore," Halley added. "And they're so obnoxious together."
Hector sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. All he could see in his mind's eye was that horrible image of Rory and Logan intertwined during that Quidditch celebration. "Then get used to it." He opened his eyes and saw his friends looking deflated at the answer.
Halley squeezed Gid's shoulder. "We tried. I need to get back to my Transfiguration essay."
"Yeah." He shrugged and caught Halley's hand before she walked away. "Don't forget you're supposed to show me how to do a Wronski Feint tomorrow."
She beamed in a way that lit up her face. It occurred to Hector that he had never seen her with that look before. "I wouldn't miss it." She vanished between bookcases, unaware of how Gid's eyes never left her.
"You and Halley look close," Hector observed with a dry voice. He opened his book again and pretended to read.
"What? We're friends!" Gid broke out of his stupor. His face became blotchier and blotchier as his voice rose. "I don't like her like that way anymore! It's not like she's going to come up to me, saying—" (in a voice that was nearly like Halley's) "—Oh, Gid, I find you suddenly so fancible. You and your Quiddtch-toned muscles and tall height—"
"Well, you are tall." Halley's blushing face appeared from behind a bookshelf.
Gid dropped his head into his hands.
Hector shook his head. "How much did you hear?"
Halley mumbled something and vanished behind the bookshelf again.
"Gid—" Hector started to say.
"I know."
"I think it's rather cute."
"Shut up."