Monday had come, and Harry was so entirely busy with classes and visiting Dumbledore that it was near night until he had a chance to see if Lia was around. With a fruitless attempt, Harry retreated back into the common room, where Hermione and Ron were sitting on the embroidered couch together.
"Don't look so excited to see us." Ron said, Harry could catch a slight irritation in his voice.
"Don't mind him, Harry. Him and Ginny just got into it because…. well Ginny and Dean were snogging right here on the couches when we got back from dinner."
"Its like the common room is just the place for all sorts of inappropriate behavior. Isn't that right Harry?"
"What?" Harry acted surprised.
"Walked down here because I was making sure you didn't go off and do something crazy, barely got over the first step and saw you and Lia. I take it she doesn't hate you anymore?"
"Get off it Ron."
"Yeah Ron, I think you are overreacting. Harry kissed Cho last year, Ginny is almost 16 and well… I kissed Viktor a few years ago. " Hermione admitted.
"You did what? You didn't tell me you kissed Krum!" Ron seemed nearly enraged.
"You're not my keeper Ron, I don't have to tell you everything!" Hermione bellowed.
"That's a big thing to keep from me!" He yelled back.
"You're so vile!" Hermione shouted as she stomped out of the common room, and straight into her dorm.
After the commotion had cleared, Harry noticed that Lia was standing in the dark hallway leading into the common room. Ron scoffed and also took an unpleasant leave straight up to his dorm.
"Not a good time to make an entrance, huh?"
"You.. I was looking for you earlier." Harry stumbled over his words.
"I was tutoring Draco, remember? That boy couldn't turn a cup into a frog for the life of him-"
"I should really go to her, Harry." Lia urged, staring upon the wide staircase leading to their dorm.
"When can I see you next?"
"Well, we have classes tomorrow, but I am assuming I am going to have to make sure Hermione doesn't blow Ron to the moon."
"What about the morning, before class?"
"Headmaster Fink and I meet for coffee on Tuesday mornings."
"Night?"
"I tutor Draco until about 8:30, so we could meet for dessert here, if you would like to?"
"Ron and I are practicing his skills tomorrow before we start real team practice on Thursday, I promised him."
"Wednesday! We've got to be able to spare a few minutes on Wednesday."
"Wednesday I have Slug Club in the evening, and a meeting with Dumbledore. I swear if I don't go, Slughorn is going to kidnap me."
"Dumbledore wants to see you Wednesday too?" Lia wondered.
"Yes? I meet with him twice a week, every week…. He's been meeting with you?"
"This is actually the first time he's asked to meet. Wednesday afternoon. He wants to personally help me in my Defense Against the Dark Arts. I guess Fink said a student teaching position to open at Eaglecrest, and he wants me ready for it, so I'll be meeting with Dumbledore on Wednesdays and assisting Snape in class."
"Why are you so brilliant?"
Lia smiled, then could only imagine the distress Hermione could be in all alone up in her dorm.
"I should be with her Harry. She's bloody loves that boy." Lia exited with a kiss on Harry's cheek, then quickly disappeared into Hermione's dorm.
A rush of Gryffindor's came bounding through the door, all full and cheerful from dinner. Neville was the last Gryffindor through the threshold, who seemed to line the edge of the room, afraid Harry would Avada Kedavra him where he stood.
"Neville, what are you doing?"
"Harry!" Neville nearly shrieked his name.
"Harry, I am so sorry, Lia.. I didn't know I just-"
"Neville, you have nothing to apologize for."
"Wait, you aren't mad with me?" Neville calmed himself.
"Why would I be?"
"I asked Lia on a date?" Neville inquired.
"You fairly asked her on a date before I did. No one can have claims on her Neville, she makes her own decisions. You made the first move." Harry smiled.
"Well, she's very beautiful, Harry. She's outright the prettiest girl in all of Hogwarts… well except for one." Neville blushed.
"Goodnight Neville, please stop creeping around, its weird."
Harry excused himself from Neville and realized he was rather hungry. He kept a stash of snacks under his bed, which was his next destination anyway. Up the same steps he went, through his wooden door, straight into his room where he saw Ron with a pillow bunched into his chest. Harry could see that Ron was upset, but didn't have the courage to pry him for what was on his mind. The tiny plate of pastries had mostly half eaten pumpkin pasties and a few piece of lemon candies. Quietly, he munched on the crumbs of the pasty and laid in bed looking through his the book of The Half Blood Prince. There was a tiny knock on the door, and Ron wasn't in any condition to answer it. The open door revealed a beautiful silver platter with a plate covered in a delicious looking sandwich, and another tiny plate full of an overly large slice of apple pie. The sandwich had a tiny American flag waving, with a note tucked under the plate.
"Harry, stop eating rubbish under your bed. Give the pie to Ron, and tell him to stop sniveling."
"That's from your girlfriend isn't it?" Ron whispered through the pillow.
"The pie is for you." Harry handed over the plate.
"Harry, did you know that Hermione kissed Krum?" Ron said with half his mouth full of pie.
"I dunno Ron, she never told me, but I just figured. We are all almost adults now, I just kind of assume that you guys are kissing people."
"I haven't. I haven't ever snogged a girl."
"Well Ron, you're not…. unattractive. You just need initiative."
"Coming from the chosen one." Ron hissed.
"Ron, may I remind you that Lia literally hated my guts when she came here. Stop crying and get yourself out there."
Harry rolled over in his bed and wolfed down the sandwich that he had never tasted before. The little American flag fit beautifully right on Harry's nightstand, so it was the last thing he saw before he closed his eyes to sleep.
Wednesday afternoon had arrived quickly and Harry was sitting snugly in Dumbledore's office waiting to dive his face into Voldemort's memories. Harry and Dumbledore shared the moment when Albus had first met Tom in the orphanage, as just tiny child. This memory chilled Harry, he saw the evil manifesting as a small boy in his tiny room at the orphanage. No sooner that Harry was in Dumbledore's office, he was already heading out with the image of Tom Riddle haunting his mind. Harry knew that he only had roughly an hour to get to Slug Club, which he was dreading before it even started. Dumbledore seemed to insist that Harry give in to the requests of Slughorn, so he put his reservations aside, and rushed back to the common room to begin getting ready. To his surprise, Lia and Hermione were in the common room, Hermione with a DADA book in her lap, and Lia with a curling iron in her hand and a piece of Hermione's hair in the other.
"If you are being attacked by an Inerfi, what is attacking you, and what should you do?" Hermione asked.
"An Inferi, is a reincarnated dead body, and should be battled with fire. Inferi are created in the branch of Necromancy." Lia rattled off, while spraying a compressed can onto Hermione's hair.
"Good Ophelia! Brilliant!" Hermione jumped.
"Don't jump, Hermione. I don't want to accidently burn your scalp!"
"I'm sorry, am I interrupting?" Harry asked.
"Just studying, and getting Hermione ready for Slug Club." Lia smiled.
"Lia has to have her ducks in a row if she's going to be student teaching with Snape."
"Harry, do you have an outfit to wear?" Lia demanded, with her curling iron pointed straight at him.
"Well…. I was just going to wear this." He said, gesturing to his jeans and sweater.
"I am sure you have a nicer sweater than that. You guys are little celebrities to good old Horace, you have to dress like them. Okay, Hermione, your hair is all done. "
Hermione jumped from the floor and sprinted to her dorm, Harry seemed unmoved by the excitement. Lia used her wand to wrap up the iron, and Harry was soon being dragged up into his dorm, which was surprisingly empty.
"Ron.. where's Ron? He should be here."
"One look at Hermione in the common room and he stomped back out. He's upset that Slughorn didn't invite him to his club meetings. I am assuming he is spending his time at the field practicing."
Lia ruffled through Harry's closet, tossing shirts over her shoulder, where Harry was using his wand to keep them in a neat pile.
"A whole damn closet, and I can't find one nice shirt. Harry Potter, what I am going to do with you?" She turned and smiled.
"Ah! I've hit the jackpot." She yelled, pulling an article out of the closet.
A bright blue button-up shirt was clutched in Lia's hand, and she held it up to Harry's chest.
"This is the one. It brings out your eyes." She beamed.
Harry began lifting his shirt over his head, and the upper bare half of his body took Lia back a few steps. Diving his arms into the sleeves, Lia buttoned up the front, enjoying being so close to Harry, and being able to touch his chest with her bare knuckles.
"Harry, you're so pale." She chuckled, while still holding the unbuttoned portions of his shirt.
"I know." He laughed back.
Harry couldn't help himself, he kissed her again; the thought of his shirt being half unbuttoned and Lia so close to him nearly drove him mad.
"Harry, you're going to be late. You have to go now." She broke the kiss, and finished buttoning up his shirt and using her fingers to fix his hair.
"Right." He said, after tucking in his shirt.
"You look great and it only took a few minutes. Now come on, you know Slughorn doesn't like tardiness."
She rushed him out of his dorm, flicking her wand, which simultaneously made Harry's clothes hang themselves back up into the closet. Hermione was standing in the common room tapping her foot with a clutch in her hand.
"Go on you two. Have fun!" Lia sent Harry off with a peck on the cheek.
Hermione and Harry nearly ran to Slughorn's office, passing Ron who was covered in mud holding a broomstick. Harry waved and Hermione snickered, but neither had time to stop and ask him what he was doing. Luckily, everyone was just gathered around talking in Slughorn's office, and no one had taken a seat yet at his large round table. Harry was the first to grab an open chair as he watched Slughorn get impatient for everyone to settle themselves in. Hermione naturally took the seat next to Harry, and Neville sat alongside her. Slughorn waved in for large dishes of ice cream to be brought in, and the all floated lovely in front of each student. Horance was delighted to see Harry's face, as if he actually glowed watching Harry sit and take bites of his chocolate ice cream.
"So Harry, it's nice of you to join us. As most of you know, Harry's parents were also a part of my little clubs so naturally young Mr. Potter fits right in."
"What about you Miss Granger, your parents do what now in the muggle word?"
Hermione went on about her father's profession as a dentist, as Harry's stomach started to fill. The table went around and everyone discussed their parents and what they did in the muggle or magical world. Harry wondered why he even came at all, seeing as the Slughorn didn't even ask him to elaborate on his parents. He felt a sense of guilt, as he sat there being pampered and Lia and Ron were back in the common room all alone. Although he was most certainly bored, it was still better than being alone. The night dwindled down and Slughorn ended the club with individually asking the students if they would like to come to his big Christmas party.
"You plus one, Potter, so bring a nice date. I see you around that Lia lass, I tried getting her to come to Slug Club, but she's denied every request. See it that she makes it to my Christmas party." Slughorn insisted as he assisted Harry from his quarters.
Hermione was already long gone, after Cormac nearly chased her from the room. Harry took the long way back to the common room, the sugar rush from the ice cream made him feel more happy than usual. He strolled past the vacant courtyard and saw a full vanilla colored moon high in the sky. There were green vines growing on the walls, which Harry always remembered as just plain old vines. As the moon climbed higher, he saw small buds open into small glittering flowers. He picked a bouquet of them, and tried to recall in Herbology what they were, but in the end could come up with nothing. Filch was hurrying students out of the hallway, and Harry slipped undetected to the Grand Staircase. Harry spoke the password to the Fat Lady in the painting and she let him in with shifty eyes, seeming jealous over the sparkling flowers. Harry could see the flames of a dim fire, and a bright blue light illuminating in front of it. The closer he got, he could see Lia sitting on the floor, one leg with a book on it, the other bent. The blue light was a patronus, a wolf to be specific, and Lia's freehand not holding down the book was petting it.
"Oh Harry, you're back." Lia said, closing the book on her leg.
The patronus inched toward Harry and began to growl, as if it were a real animal, and Harry didn't doubt it's bite.
"Apollo, no, no. He's fine." Lia called to the charm.
The animal backed off, and vaporized back in to Lia's wand.
"Are those for me, Harry?" Lia sweetly asked.
"Lia, your patronus…."
"What's wrong with him?" She got defensive.
"Nothing, that was absolutely astounding, how did you-"
"I don't know, one day he came out of the wand while I was practicing the patronus charm, and the name just came to me. Now he comes out whenever I call or when he gets lonely... If a patronus is able to even feel boredom."
Harry was speechless, he had never heard of a patronus actually taking a personality and being somewhat pet-like. He couldn't even imagine the kind of power is needed from a witch to create such magic.
"You didn't wreck the stem, I think I can actually replant these and make them grow in our dorm."
"Our dorm?" Harry nearly hissed.
"Yeah, there was an extra bed with Hermione and Ginny, and they asked if I wanted to take it. It was only used to hold their junk, so I agreed. It's nice not being alone stuffed in between two male dorms. They don't mind my plants, and definitely not my books."
"Enough about me, Harry, how was Slug Club." She gestured for them to sit.
"It was boring, really. The best thing was the chocolate ice cream… and"
Harry gulped, he knew that Lia liked him, but that line of "girlfriend" was still blurred. Harry never properly asked Lia to be his girlfriend, and the thought alone made his palms sweaty.
"And…." Lia waited impatiently.
"Slughorn is having a Christmas party, and we're allow to bring a date. And I was thinking, because I am sure you'll be here over holiday, and I know, well I think you like me, and I was just wonder-"
"Of course, Harry. I would be delighted."
Gently, she tossed another log on the fire, not losing interest and seeing right through Harry, knowing there was more on his mind.
"Lia, I just… I need to clarify things." Harry stumbled through his sentence.
"Out with it." She grinned.
"Well, I am not seeing anyone else. I don't want to see anyone else. I like you, I like you a lot. Are you seeing anyone else?"
"Of course not, Harry. I have a bit more decency than to kiss more than one boy in a period of time."
"I didn't mean to offend you-"
"I know, Harry. You're cute, but go on."
"I've just never really had the chance to say this, so it's very awkward for me to try and word. But Lia, I want you to be mine, and me to be yours. Would you like to be my girlfriend?"
Lia bit down on her lip and hopped from the couch to stop Harry's two hands from shaking.
"I was only going to give you a few more days before I asked you my damn self. Harry, I was yours a long time ago."