Disclaimer: I own nothing HP related, I only own my characters.
Note: Enjoy! (read previous notes from previous chapters). SiobhanPhelps: without giving too much away...Courtney & Fred such a crazy thought, what person would do that!? *grins* And yes! Matt certainly is clingy, but, I'm sure there's a good reason *wink wink*. I tweaked this chapter a tad based on your thoughts though so thank you.
Skipping is Hazardous to Ones Health
I looked around to see a lot of younger kids still in the common room, they should've been heading to class or at least in the Great Hall. But that thought instantly disappeared when I realized most of them had some wrong. One looked pale-ish green, another seemed to have more pimples than I thought was ever possible for a human being, another was leaning back in a chair, he looked between fainting and freezing. I rushed over to him first.
"Are you okay?" I asked in a near panic as he simply smiled. Smiled? I wondered as I thought maybe he was delirious. All the more reason to get him to the hospital wing. I started to pull him to his feet but Fred was carefully nudging me aside. "I have to get him to the hospital wing" I told Fred.
"He's fine" Fred replied giving the kid something that he instantly started to chew on. "Convincing though, right?" he asked.
"What are you talking about?" I asked feeling both worried for the kid's health and sanity. But when I looked back at the kid he looked, well, fine. I looked at Fred who was proudly grinning and then back at the kid. "W-what did you do?" I asked him as Fred patted the kid on the back and told him to run along.
"It's called a Fever Fudge" Fred explained pulling a piece of ordinary looking fudge from a small bag.
"That's what you've been inventing?" I said unable to keep the hiss out of my voice. "No one wonder your mum wanted to murder you. Fred, you can't go around giving these to students!" I continued hissing but he only raised his eyebrows at me; most of the common room were filled of students who had them.
"It's fine," he insisted as he went over to the pale-ish green looking girl, handing her something. It took her a minute to swallow it down, but within seconds she was fine and off to see her friend.
"Fred—" I started but he interrupted me with a kiss.
"How did you sleep?" he asked casually though I still my felt my annoyance. "Is Madison still on your mind?" he added passing out things to various students.
"I slept well and yes, yes she is" I told him but he seemed to have stopped listening. "Tell me you're not skipping class for this" I said looking around and spotting George who was writing things down but looked up as I moved closer.
"Fine, we won't" they said in unison as I glared at them.
"You need to go to class" I said to Fred lightly but he only shrugged. I let out a low sigh, glanced over at Matt who seemed just as itchy to help out the closest student. "I know it's your last year and all, but…" I trailed off, I didn't want to sound like his mother. "At least walk me to my first class" I said trying to smile and ignore the sound of a puking kid a few feet away.
"I can't love, I have to watch this lot and help George" he said glancing back at the students around George and giving me an apologetic smile as he rubbed my arm. "I'll see for lunch though okay?" he said as he eyes caught Matt. "Besides, you have company to walk with" he said in a weird tone.
"He's not you" I said in a matter of fact tone. Fred looked to be considering his options, at least for a second but then kissed my forehead.
"Go, get a good seat" he said moving over to his brother.
"Okay…" I answered, trying not to sound disappointed as I went over to Matt. "C'mon" I told him hearing my own disappointment as I looked back though Fred seemed more interested in whatever he was doing than even waving goodbye.
"I'm sure he'll go to his next class" Matt said, either to comfort me or to make a sarcastic joke. Either way his voice made me feel better.
"Doubt it" I replied as I looked over to see Matt shrug.
Some people just don't like class I guess" he said with a laugh. At least he was trying, he sounded like he was trying to mean it as a harmless comment. But why was he trying, didn't being nice come natural? There wasn't any reason for him to dislike Fred. He didn't even know him, I thought as we reached the floor Transfiguration was on.
"It's more so that my boyfriend is an idiot and lazy, but to be fair I think he's just really trying to get his business going. He's a seventh year and, well, he needs to get some kind of job before he leaves" I explained feeling slightly embarrassed that Fred was indeed skipping but also the need to justify it.
"He must be very lucky that you don't fight with him over it and let him make his own decisions like that" Matt said though, again he didn't seem to sound sincere. "If Courtney skipped I'd have mum send a howler or something" he added, giving a light laugh.
"Well, if he were Draco I would too, but it's not really up to me to tell Fred, or George, what they should be doing. I'm his girlfriend, not mum" I said, more so retelling myself.
"How long have you two been together?" Matt asked as I watched a few younger Gryffindors head in the opposite direction.
"It's a bit complicated. Since January but we've dated before, we just, tend to have more hard times that split us up" I said, which was the shortest explanation I could think of.
"It must suck dating a twin, they probably tell each other everything, I hope the break ups weren't too bad, though, it doesn't look like you and George have the best relationship" he said with a shrug. I cleared my throat, trying not to think about it, trying not to defend myself or George. Still, Matt didn't know us, so it was important to make sure he heard things correctly.
"The breakups weren't always 'for the best' and well, him and Melinda broke up a lot due to my cousin's stupidity" I said. "From George's standpoint it looked like I rooted for Draco" I said feeling a weight of relief. I had told other people that, Lee, I considered him my best friend and he never judged, just listened. But yet as I told Matt I felt, almost at peace with that the fact that George simply did not like me and it was partly my fault.
"Sorry if I sounded harsh, I haven't really talked to anyone outside of my small group of friends back home and we—well, we were, different" he said.
"Were? You're not friends with them anymore?" I asked, a little too anxious sounding.
"Not really, but, it's for the best" he said with a firm nod as if he were trying to convince himself. He had bad group of friends which meant he had a checkered past. Instantly I wanted to know more, I also wanted to hug him and say he was with better people now, but I knew better, I knew it was too soon and I also knew, somehow, hugging him would cause some kind of spark.
I started to ask what he meant but we were close enough to the Transfiguration classroom that enough girls could get full view of Matt. I wasn't surprised to see Lavender had moved closer first, it always seemed as if she was trying to move her way into the center of attention or gossip.
"I'll see you inside" I said instead as I started to move toward my friends but Matt gently touched my shoulder.
"I'm right behind you" he said quietly as we moved away from the giggling girls. I looked at him with curiosity; I thought most guys would want that amount of attention from girls, especially with his good looks.
"Tammie! There you are—oh…" Ron said,. "And Matt, yeah, I forgot you were in our year" he said as Hermione and Harry moved closer in. I felt Hermione's eyes anxiously on me, but she also seemed extremely hesitant. Did she find out whatever Fred has sent her to look for? I asked but Ron's loud voice had distracted me from my thoughts. "I thought perhaps you had gotten lost and were just following her, but that's brilliant, maybe I'll stand a chance this term, you know, with all the girls staring at him" Ron said explained nodding his head at Matt as his ears turned red.
"That's not very nice Ron" Hermione said, though she seemed to be caught between scolding Ron and staring at Matt. I exchanged looks with Harry; we were both trying not to laugh as Ron made a sarcastic comment.
"It's alright Hermione, it may alarm Ron, but once inside I generally take the most enclosed seat, hardly anyone sees me. I don't like being a distraction" Matt said with a smile. "Education comes first" he said smiling directly at Hermione, who didn't seem to have anything to say or do but smile though her eyes slowly shifted to me, just for a second.
"Class." We turned to see Professor McGonagall standing outside her door; she hadn't changed at all. Tall, thin, stern face, strict looking. I sometimes wondered how she was head of our house, but then I remembered how concerned she was after our third year and how she seemed to ignore extended conversations I had with Melinda or Draco when I was either supposed to be in class or in bed. Though to be fair, Snape ignored it too, unless we were with Melinda in which case he'd unfairly punish me and Melinda but not Draco.
We filled into the classroom; I waited by the door until I saw Melinda who seemed more than happy that I was in the room before her. I looked at the front of the classroom; there were still a few seats open. I never enjoyed sitting directly in front of the class but I knew Melinda did if it was a good class. Thankfully she lead me to the middle row, a few seats in front of Harry and Ron and a couple of seats behind Hermione and a Ravenclaw I didn't know.
"Now, I'm sure you've all seen the notices in your houses that O. are this year. It would be wise to pay special attention to your lessons this term and next. If you plan to continue my class you not only need an O.W.L but I also recommend an A or above." I looked around, focusing on Neville and Seamus, I wondered if they'd just give up this class early on so they could somehow avoid the O.W.L. I smiled at Melinda and she smiled back, I knew we both had plans to continue Transfiguration; Melinda would because she wanted as many O. as possible and I would because this was one of my favorite and best subjects.
Professor McGonagall continued talking about the O. but I was I barely listening, most of the information was stuff I already read. Besides, a part of me felt it unnecessary to be told about how difficult it was to battle exams when I, along with my friends managed to win battle over an insane Professor, or rather, supposedly if she was somehow back at Hogwarts.
I let my mind wonder; a few times I'd glance over at Melinda who scribbling notes but stopped momentarily to glare at me. I pulled out my parchment and a quill, dabbled it in her ink bottle and started making small notes about what McGonagall was saying.
"Now, on more happier, one thing you'll have to look forward to is if you get an O in my class you will be able to apply as an Animagus" A low buzz went around the room. My ears perked up, one of the few lessons, or at least discussions I had been waiting for since third year was about Animagus, the ability to transform yourself into a creature of your liking. "We don't need to talk about that today; there are plenty of lessons for something like that. I just thought I'd share that bit of news with you lot" Professor McGonagall said trying to hide her own excitement as she listened to the excited buzzing in the classroom "Alright, settle back down everyone" she said tapping her wand. "Today we're going to try Vanishing Spells. It's really not as hard as it sounds. It will more than likely show up on the O. . so I want you all well prepared. Let's began shall we?" she summoned a box of watches and asked Neville to pass them out.
Once we all had one we were given the rest of class to make them disappear. I was slightly annoyed that I managed to make my watch disappear on the second attempt. That would only mean I had to sit still, bored out of my mind for the remainder of the class. Melinda and Hermione both got theirs to disappear right after I did; Melinda opened her mouth to say something but Professor McGonagall was at our table in a second. "It would be wonderful if you three could go around and assist the others who are having more trouble" she said sternly. "Granger, I think Weasley and Potter can manage" she said just looking out the corner of her eye at Hermione who was inching toward the two boys. Ron looked more disappointed than Hermione who just shrugged and made her way over to Neville who looked like he wasn't having any success.
Melinda looked around, clearly none of her fellow Ravenclaws needed help, or at least they were too determined to do it themselves to ask for assistance. I watched her settle her eyes on Seamus, though she didn't seem to move. I wondered if she debating on going over too soon, in case he somehow set his watch on fire and burned both their eyebrows off. "Go on…" I said nudging her in his direction. "Who knows, he could be that special flame you're always going on about" I teased as she gave me a hard nudge and of the eyes before reluctantly going over to Seamus, who looked more surprised than anything to see Melinda willing to help him.
It took me a moment to decide on who to help, mainly because I didn't want to help anyone. I was good in this class but I was a lousy and impatient instructor when it came to helping others. I always figured they just be able to watch and do the same thing, no explanation needed. Imitation, concentration and paying attention was how I thought everyone else learned. Probably the only reason I was so good at this class, it required little explanations. "Miss. Allen" Professor McGonagall said looking at me sideways.
"Oh, right, sorry" I said feeling embarrassed as I walked away from my desk. I looked around again; Matt was in this class wasn't he? I asked myself as I searched the rows. As soon as I made eye contact with him I wished I hadn't. His crystal blue eyes were staring at me, a small grin on his face as I almost walked into the desk a pair Ravenclaws were at. I apologized and quickly made my way to the back of the room.
"Come to help me have you?" he asked with a devilish smile.