A.N.: For those who read the reviews, notice the wonderful flame that now graces the rest of them? I really had wished that person would have bothered to leave a reply link, so I could properly thank them for their opinion. Anyway, here's chapter sixteen, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I thought I should mention I use a lot of direct quotations from the book in this one.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGGGHHHHHHHH! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
I sat up at the distant scream. What on Earth...? I thought as I scrambled out of bed. I could feel the panic and confusion coming from the boys' dorms. I tried to focus on it, but anything I could notice was lost in the loud thumping of my own heart. Hermione fumbled with her hangings and grabbed her housecoat. I put on a sweater that was draped carelessly over my chair and snatched my wand from my night table. We ran out to the common room, quickly followed by the rest of Gryffindor girls. The common room was still a mess from the Gryffindor celebration.
"Excellent, are we carrying on?" said Fred Weasley brightly. I almost giggled at the look of childish delight on his face.
"Everyone back upstairs!" said Percy, hurrying into the common room and pinning his Head Boy badge to his pyjamas as he spoke.
"Perce - Sirius Black!" said Ron faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"
The common room went very still. Oh Merlin, I thought, dreading the worst. My heart stopped as I looked for Harry and thankfully, he was standing behind Ron, pale as a sheet and eyes staring into space in front of him.
"Nonsense!" said Percy, looking startled. I couldn't believe Percy wouldn't believe his own brother, or at least consider it! "You had too much to eat, Ron - had a nightmare-"
"I'm telling you-"
"Now, really, enough's enough!"
Professor McGonagall was back. She slammed the portrait behind her as she entered the common room and stared furiously around. She was scary and I instinctively stepped back.
"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"
"I certainly did not authorise this, Professor!" said Percy, puffing himself up indignantly. Git, I thought. I was using this extra time to find my way to Ron, try and see what had happened and make some sense of it. "I was just telling them all to go back to bed! My brother Ron here had a nightmare-"
"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!' Ron yelled. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"
Professor McGonagall stared at him, disbelief clearly written on her face.
"Probably a nightmare, Mr. Weasley," she said.
"Please, Professor," I spoke gently. All eyes turned to face me and I boldly walked towards her as the crowd broke. My cheeks burnt, embarrassed, but the genuine fear in Ron's heart could not have been provoked by a mere nightmare. "He's telling the truth." Whispers erupted all over the room.
"Quiet everyone! What is this you said, Miss Champlain?" asked McGonagall, walking towards me in a careful manner, as though afraid I would bolt from the spot where my feet remained rooted to the ground.
"Ron, Professor. He's telling the truth," I repeated, more confident this time. I locked my gaze onto Ron's fearful face.
"Don't be ridiculous. How could you possibly know that?"
I shrugged slowly, keeping my eyes on Ron. "I just can, Professor," I sighed, closing my eyes tiredly. Hermione squeezed my hand and I looked at her anxiously. "Ron's right, I know it," I whispered to her. She paled.
"Ask him!" said Ron, pointing a shaking finger at the back of Sir Cadogan's picture. "Ask him if he saw-"
Professor McGonagall glared at him suspiciously before heading outside. The common room became eerily quiet as they leaned forward to hear the exchange.
"Sir Cadogan, did you just let a man enter Gryffindor Tower?"
"Certainly, good lady!" cried Sir Cadogan. I gasped. How could a portrait be so foolish? I thought angrily. There was a stunned silence, both inside and outside the common room.
"You - you did?" said Professor McGonagall. "But - but the password!"
"He had 'em!" said Sir Cadogan proudly. "Had the whole week's, my lady! Read 'em off a little piece of paper!"
I couldn't help but feel a bit smug with myself for having known that Ron was right, but the gravity of the situation hit me full in the face as Professor McGonagall returned, her face as white as chalk. Who would be dumb enough to do that, though? Honestly, I thought, but I was brought out of my silent giggles as I felt a large amount of dread coming from behind Ron and Harry. I couldn't help but sympathize with this person. Oh, oh poor, poor Neville.
"Which person," she said, her voice shaking, "which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's passwords and left them lying around?" Poor Neville, I thought again as his dread became stronger. I flinched a little and used Hermione's arm for support. She looked at me worriedly and I shook my head, meaning that I didn't want to talk about it right then and that I'd be fine. I looked at Neville and tried to give him my courage and encouragement. Determined, he lifted his hand bravely, still shaking from head to toe.
He was banned from Hogsmeade, he got detention and we were all forbidden to give him the password. Sir Cadogan was replaced by the Fat Lady, and trolls were set up as extra protection. Neville had to wait while they glared menacingly at him. Ron became an instant star. For once, people forgot that Harry was the Boy Who Lived and focussed their worshipping on Ron, who enjoyed the attention. I was happy for him, he was such a great person and deserved to be in the spotlight. Harry and I heard Ron's tale at least a dozen times.
"Why'd he scarper though?" asked Ron after finishing the tale yet again. "He hadn't hesitated to kill innocent bystanders all those years ago." We sat in the common room, each of us lost in our thoughts. It had been two days since Black's attack and Harry had grown rather distant with me. With everyone, really. Always staring off into space, his eyes filled with thoughts that I can only imagine, I thought as I watched him from my armchair across from Ron. He finally blinked, startled, and looked at me. I smiled discreetly at him and he returned it.
That's when I felt an odd presence in the room. I got up and looked around suspiciously. I crept closer to the boys' staircase and the presence became stronger. I concentrated on it and a picture had begun forming in my stunned mind when I was snapped back to reality.
"Woah, you okay Mina?" asked Ron from his armchair. Harry looked back at me slowly. I ignored them and tried in vain to capture the magical presence again. Whoever it was, it was not someone with noble intentions, I thought nervously as I sat next to Harry. He was staring into space again.
Harry and Ron were invited to Hagrid's hut the day Neville got a Howler from his grandmother. I myself decided to pay Hermione a visit in her usual dark, gloomy spot in the library, where she was scribbling ferociously, her face hidden behind her thick bushy hair.
"How about a break, Hermione?" I said. She remained silent, so I repeated my question. Still, she kept quiet but she stopped writing. She dropped her quill and looked at me. Tears streaked her pink cheeks and she was having difficulty keeping her emotions under control, yet it didn't worry me much. I had somehow been able to close my heart off, which made me almost unable to feel anything. Almost being the key word in there, I thought.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" I asked, worried, placing a hand on her shoulder. She threw her arms around my neck and I patted her on the back awkwardly while she cried on my shoulder. "Hermione? You can tell me," I persisted softly.
"He could've died, Mina," she said. "He could've been killed by Sirius Black that night, oblivious to how I feel about him and how sorry I am about Scabbers's death."
"You know, if you're sorry, you probably should apologize to him."
"You can be as dense as Ron and Harry sometimes," she huffed, pulling away and wiping her wet cheeks on her sleeve.
"And why's that?" I asked heatedly.
"Because I can't admit to being wrong, I just can't! Especially to Ron, of all people! I'm a know-it-all, I'm supposed to be right about everything!" she said loudly. "Being right is what I do best! If I don't do that, then what am I good for? It's my identity, my personality. It's ... me." There was an awkward silence as I digested what she told me. It makes sense, I suppose, I thought. It's a shame though, their friendship would be mended in a heartbeat.
"I see," I said from lack of anything better to say. The awkward silence was soon filled by Hermione's quill scratching rapidly on her parchment. "Where have you been all weekend, Hermione? You can't have been doing homework this whole time."
"I was at Hagrid's," she muttered, embarrassed, although I didn't see why.
"What's wrong with that?" I asked, frowning. "I was at Hagrid's on Friday after supper."
"It's just weird, that's all," she mumbled. "I mean, Hagrid is a great listener, but I'm just a little ashamed I didn't confide in you first." Startled, I didn't understand why she was ashamed. What does it matter who she confides to first? As long as she tells me eventually, I thought. "Ginny told me best friends are supposed to confide everything to each other, but I... I couldn't." She blushed and avoided my eyes.
"How come? Was it something I said or did?"
"Don't take this the wrong way, alright?" she warned, exasperated. I nodded. "Sometimes... it's just that... well... oh bugger, here goes nothing." She turned in her seat to face me and took a deep breath before placing her calculating eyes on mine. "You close yourself to others too much. By that, I mean that it's hard to get to know you because you're always closing everyone around you. I feel like you don't trust me because you won't let me in, and I don't know why," she explained. " It's almost as if you're afraid to let people see who you really are." I looked down at the table, away from her perplexing gaze. She sighed and I took that as a sign that she was hoping I'd explain what was going on in my head. Either way, she doesn't really have time or the emotional capacity to listen to my fears as a Connector, the troubles about the custody trial or my relationship with Harry, I thought. But maybe, if I just let her in a bit at a time, it won't seem like so much... I could use someone to confide in. "Perhaps another day." She returned to the position I found her in, eyes fixed intently on her parchment, ignoring my presence. I mulled over what she had just explained to me and I understood what she meant. Then I remembered some of her earlier words.
"Do you... do you really consider me as your best friend?" I asked timidly. She seemed surprised and taken aback but she quickly recovered. She became thoughtful.
"I never really thought about it much, but yes, I do believe that you are one of my best friends," she answered truthfully. I nodded by lack of anything meaningful to say and blushed, embarrassed. She noticed my expression and frowning, she asked what was wrong. I almost said 'nothing, everything's just peachy', but if I was to start opening up to people, I had better start somewhere.
"It's just.. I've never had a best friend before." I tried to act nonchalant about it, but it was not a casual matter.
"How come?" she asked. "You're such an easy-going and laidback person, I can't imagine you having a hard time making friends!" When I hesitated, she rolled her eyes. "Come on, spill! You've got to learn to open up to me! And Harry and... and Ron, too."
"OK," I sighed. "I've never had a best friend, or a good friend, or a friend. I've had acquaintances, people I sat with at lunch or that I hung out with once in a while, but never... never called anyone my friend, because no one ever knew me well enough for that. I have a bit of a trust issue, as you've noticed."
"Because... of the Connection?"
"Partly," I said. "I never really had time for friends. I was always keeping myself busy with infirmary work, extra credit Potions classes, Quidditch practices and helping Mom at the shop. At best, I had two free nights a week, and one of them was always spent reading in the living room while Dad watched hockey on TV. And of course the Connection always got in the way."
"I've never really had friends before Harry and Ron either," she confided. "Part of the bookworm, smarty pants role. No one wanted to have anything to do with me."
"So we're sharing a first!" I exclaimed, trying to lighten the mood. "Well, apart from Harry and Ron. But yay!"
"I guess so," she giggled. First time she giggles in a long time. Or laughs in any way, I thought. "I just want you to know that I'm here for you and that you can trust me."
"Do you... do you trust me?" I asked, biting my lip.
"Yes. With my life, I swear it," she said without hesitation. An odd but not unwelcomed sense of pride filled my chest and I smiled.
"Thanks. It means a lot to me," I admitted. I felt suddenly compelled to tell her that I trusted her as well, but I wasn't entirely sure. Do I trust Hermione with my life? I thought, searching for an answer. I closed my eyes and opened them when I found my answer.
"I trust you too, Hermione, with my life. It's myself I don't trust," I told her. Although her eyes lit up considerably, she seemed satisfied and disappointed at the same time. "I promise you though, it's nothing you've said or done," I added with a small smile that she matched with one of her own.
"Adamina, stay behind please," said Lupin after class as the rest if the students filed out. I waved to Harry, Ron and Hermione as I walked to the professor's desk, where Lupin was sifting through a massive pile of papers for something.
"Do we have to do this, Professor?" I whined.
"Yes," he chuckled, still searching. "We've put this off for long enough now." His face fell and the laughter died when he lifted his head and his eyes landed on me. I looked down at my wringing hands.
"Mom told you, didn't she?" It was more of a statement than a question.
"Yes," he said softly, his greying sandy hair obscuring his face. The reality of the custody trial hit me then and I raised my eyes to keep from crying in front of a teacher I admired so much. He started to circle his desk and out of reflex, I took a few steps back. I sat on a close-by desk and slumped my shoulders, head bowed.
"She can't win, can she?" I asked hopefully, looking at anything but him. He had leaned back on the front of his large wooden desk and crossed his thin arms over his chest.
"I wish I knew," he sighed bitterly. "I'm afraid I've never had to experience what you will have to go through." A few tears slip down my pale cheeks and I couldn't stop a stifled sob from escaping. I hated crying in public, so I made a foolish attempt at hiding my pain. I noticed Lupin shift uncomfortably and I sighed, looking up. I was surprised to see him so serious and saddened.
"If she were to lose the custody trial, Professor, would that be it?" I asked.
"Your mother wishes me to remain silent on this, Adamina," he said quietly. His response angered me and I breathed in heavily trying to control the strong emotion that was rage that wanted to burst out of my chest. "She has her reasons," he added quickly, unfolding his arms and raising them in an attempt to calm me. "She's got your best interests at heart. She loves you, Adamina, you know she does."
"Love. Yeah, she loves me, but she doesn't trust me!" I replied bitterly. "She keeps me in the dark like some kind of child!"
"You are still a child, Adamina! But most importantly, you are her child," he said hotly.
"I am not!"
"Yes, you are, and your current behaviour proves it. But it doesn't matter." He sighed and ran his hands over his face, fatigue written all over his worn features. "She just wants to protect you."
"She can't protect me from this though," I said wisely. "She can't protect me from the Connection because it happens to me by me, and the custody trial will happen, whether she wants it to or not!"
"You have no idea what your mother, and your father, have been going through to keep you out of this business!"
"Of course not, because they won't tell me anything!" I yelled, standing up as the same tingling from the Quidditch match tickled my fingers. "I take time to ask questions and to write them meaningful letters and all I get is a play-by-play of what a certain Muggle student said in Dad's classes or what odd customer came into Mom's shop! They think me incapable of anything!"
"That's not true, and hardly fair-"
"SHUT UP! Who are you, anyway, to come nosing into my family's business?" The look of hurt on his face was enough to snap me out of my rage and the tingling stopped. I clamped a hand over my foul mouth as my own eyes widened with shock. He lowered his face and his white knuckles showed how hard he was gripping the desk. My eyes watered as a fresh wave of tears arose at my shame.
"Professor, I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean it. I'm sorry," I sobbed quietly. I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder. "I should go," I whispered, avoiding looking at him. But as I turned to leave, I was surprised and relieved to feel his cold hands on my shoulders. I closed my eyes and faced my teacher.
"Mina." I almost smiled. He used my nickname, I thought. "Please look at me," he demanded. I sniffed and did as I was asked. His face was cold and distant, but his eyes were soft and understanding. I understood that his face was merely a mask, one that he must have used many times over the years to hide his true feelings. I looked away, ashamed of my hurtful words to him. He lifted his right hand hesitantly, took my face in his hand and forced me to look at him. "I understand your pain, especially with the Connection, when you lose control. I understand your issues with trust and I know in how much confusion your mind is. But trust me when I say that-" he paused, closed his eyes and took a deep reassuring breath before he ploughed on, "trust me when I say that I care about you." My attention focussed on him in an instant. I had expected a sermon, an admonishment, detention and minus house points, but not this. I blinked.
"Why?" I asked bluntly, confused as to how he could possibly care about a whiny, dramatic, annoying pre-teen like me. I sniffed again.
"It's hard not to," he chuckled softly and I smiled a little. "You draw people to you, through your jokes and your smile. People trust you and all they want is for you to trust them as well. You care about everyone, you're optimistic... most of the time, anyway." I wrung my hands nervously, my heart swelling with pride. "You're a wonderful person, Mina. I wish you could see it."
"I'm a terrible person," I scowled painfully.
"No you're not. Absolutely not," he insisted as he squeezed my shoulders.
"But I was so cruel earlier! I had no reason and no right to question your motives," I continued.
"Everyone loses control sometimes," he dismissed.
"But when you lose control, Professor, is there a possibility that you will hurt, or even kill the people you love?" I asked, confident he would admit the negative.
"Yes," he whispered distantly. "Once a month."
Shocked, I raised a hand to pat his shoulder but I knew a simple pat wouldn't be enough. I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him tight, pressing my cheek against his chest. Caught off guard, it took a few seconds before he gently placed his hands on my back and rested his chin on my head.
"I'm sorry you have to go through that," I whispered to his chest. "Especially so often."
"I'm sorry you have to go through that at all," he smiled. I pulled back a bit and grinned up at him. "Let's call it a night. All this emotion has tired me out."
"OK," I nodded as I hugged him quickly. "Goodnight, Professor."
"Goodnight, Mina."
"So you're going into Hogsmeade then?" I asked Harry casually on Thursday night after a rather demanding Potions lesson with Scarlett and Oliver. I had to jinx them with a Tickling Charm twice (twice!) for them to stop snogging. I had just walked into the common room after talking with Hermione, who was concerned about Harry sneaking into Hogsmeade. I made a point of telling her it was Harry's decision, and that I was not going to risk angering him by trying to persuade him not to. Besides, I would sneak out too, if I wasn't afraid of... losing control, I thought.
"Yes," he nodded from across the sofa where he was lying down. I sat at the other end, facing him. "And-"
"I won't try to dissuade you," I interrupted, using Hermione's words. 'Dissuade', I laughed mentally. Who uses a word like that? Oh, right. Hermione does.
"Thanks," he smiled as he flipped the page to a photo album. I rested my hand on his crossed legs. "I wish you would come with me," he added warmly as his eyes stared fixedly at a page.
"You know I would if I could," I sighed as I imagined Harry and I holding hands in the Three Broomsticks, although I doubted my picture was very accurate; I'd never been in there before. I imagined we were drinking Butterbeer. My parents had bought a few bottles over Christmas holidays. "Can you bring me back a Butterbeer, Harry?" I asked lazily as I stretched and snuck over to him. I lied down next to him and he slipped an arm under my head as he flipped the next page in his album. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply, relaxed.
"Of course I can, if you give me the money for it," he smirked. I opened my eyes and slapped his chest in mock-anger.
"I will not give you money for that! You can very well afford to buy your girlfriend a Butterbeer," I laughed.
"Is that what they're calling you these days?" he smiled casually, not looking at me. I blushed. Oops. I hadn't meant to say that... is he supposed to ask me to be his girlfriend, or is it kinda an unspoken, obvious fact? I thought nervously.
"Uh..."
"Are you... you do want... to be called that?" he asked, his stutter betraying his nerves. The beat of his heart against my hand quickened. He looked down at me and I up at him. I nodded timidly and we both smiled. He closed his album and placed it beside him. He slipped his other arm around my waist and gently pulled me closer as he shifted on his side to face me. He carefully placed an errant strand of blond hair behind my ear and kissed my forehead nervously. I closed my eyes as he kissed my nose longingly. I tilted my head upwards and felt his warm breath on my lips. I inched closer. We were hit by a large fluffy pillow.
Startled, I sat up, lost balance and fell off the sofa. Pain shot up my butt and my back.
"Mina! Are you alright?" asked Harry as the Weasley twins laughed loudly. I glared at them.
"Watch your proximity Potter!" wheezed George.
"Especially in full view of the entire Gryffindor populace," laughed Fred. I blushed furiously and got up. Harry, also blushing, had sat up on the sofa and he patted the spot next to him, his photo album on his lap. I plopped down gracelessly and stuck my tongue out at Fred and George. Dean and Seamus were also laughing, until Hermione spoke.
"Shut up, will you?" she said irritated. She rolled her eyes as they walked away and continued her homework.
I felt really uncomfortable with Harry now, because we had come so close to kissing on the lips, which might have led to...
"Can I look at your photo album with you?" I asked shyly, pointing at the brown book on his lap. He hesitated before nodding slowly. He opened it and I scooted closer. I leaned my head carefully on his shoulder as I looked at pictures of his parents. They look so happy, I thought.
"Aren't they beautiful?" he said, his voice barely louder than a whisper. He was looking fondly at the moving pictures, his eyes full of love, grief and something like envy, but not quite. I licked my dry lips.
"Harry, they're wonderful," I whispered. I was at a loss for words. What am I supposed to say? Sorry they're dead? That you never had a chance to know them? That they never had a chance to see how amazing you are? I thought frantically.
"I wish I had known them," he said softly. "I used to dream that being at Uncle Vernon's was temporary, that my mum would come get me some day. That my dad would..." he stopped talking. I was painfully aware that this could not be easy for him and I slipped my hand in his. Looking at him and encouraging him to go on, I squeezed his hand. "It hit me over Christmas break, just now, that they were really, really gone, and that I would never know them. All because of a traitorous, murderous..." He squeezed my hand hard, almost painfully. I bit my lip to keep from gasping out. I covered our hands with my other one and he relaxed.
"Don't shoot me for asking," I began, "but... why is Sirius Black so intent on killing you?"
"Something about finishing Voldemort's work," he grunted angrily. "Stupid, son of a-"
"I see," I interrupted. "Harry? You know when you snuck out to Hogsmeade before Christmas?" He tensed. "Hermione said you had learnt something important that... well, that put you in quite a state, but you never told me what that was." I looked at him expectantly, and with a sigh, he explained how Sirius Black had apparently been best friends with his dad, James Potter, and that Black had been the one to betray his parents to Voldemort. I gasped and clasped a hand over my mouth in shock.
"He's also my godfather," hissed Harry coldly. "If it couldn't get any worse. My dad's best friend, best man at his wedding," he pointed to his parents' wedding picture where stood Sirius Black, laughing merrily, "my godfather... and traitor. Betrayed my parents as soon as they went into hiding after they made him Secret-Keeper of their location." He let go of my hand and both his hands curled into fists. He was having difficulty controlling his boiling rage. "It's because of him I never had parents! That I had to live with hate-filled relatives for eleven bloody years! That at every Christmas and birthday, I had to watch my cousin open mountains of presents that he'd eventually break or grow bored with but that I still couldn't touch! That I had to imagine what it was like to be really hugged, or comforted, or loved!" I cried for him then. Wrapping my arms around him, I cried on his shoulder and he fell silent, staring at the fire. Eventually, everyone, even Hermione, left the common room as I sat next to him. I sniffed discreetly and wiped my tears. "I didn't mean to say all those things," he said bitterly.
"I'm glad you told me. I wanted to know," I replied, placing my hand delicately on his cheek and turning his face towards mine. I argued with myself whether I should tell him that I could very well lose mine over a stupid custody trial, but I decided against it. Right now, he needs to know that I care for him, I thought."I won't pretend to understand how it's made you feel over the years... but Ron's here, Hermione's here and I- I'm here for you, now, and I know I don't intend on leaving any time soon," I said, smiling a little. I brought my hand down to his chest and he covered it with his.
"Thank you," he whispered as he lowered his head carefully, painstakingly slow to brush his lips on mine. "It means a lot to me," he said just as softly when he pulled back. I kept my eyes closed, relishing in the wave of happiness that spread from my lips to my toes. "You meant a lot to me," he added as he kissed me again. And again until I began giggling and he was smiling.
I barely registered Hermione leave the dormitory as I woke up on Saturday morning. Too lazy to actually get up, I stretched and sighed. Although I didn't want to leave the warm covers of my bed, I knew that if I wanted to say good-bye to my friends I'd have to eventually leave this soft mattress. I got dressed quickly in Muggle jeans and a large blue turtleneck sweater and brushed my hair to get the bigger knots out. I didn't bother putting make-up on.
Harry made a show in the Entrance Hall saying bye to Ron, probably to get Hermione off his back. I didn't blame him or her, both of their sides being understandable. As long as they speak to each other soon. I hate them not talking, I thought as I followed Harry up to the third floor. We held hands as we hurried to the creepy one-eyed witch statue, laughing at the looks random students shot us. He checked the Marauder's Map to see if anyone was coming and to his disappointment, Neville was heading our way. We ducked behind the statue, giggling, but Neville spotted us.
"Harry! Mina!"
We groaned and came out of our hiding space. "Hello, Neville," I said as Harry stuffed the map away.
"I'd forgotten you two can't go into Hogsmeade either! This is going to be great, we can hang out all day!" Harry and I looked at each other. I saw that Harry was rather anxious to be getting on his way, and the look of annoyance was so adorable I stifled a laugh.
"Harry and I were just going-"
"Odd place to meet for three Gryffindors," sneered Professor Snape.
"We're not - meeting here," said Harry, glaring at Snape. "We just - met here."
"Indeed?" sais Snape. "You have a habit of turning up in unexpected places, Potter, and you are rarely there for no reason. I can simply deduce that your," he paused, running his eyes over my body in disgust, "girlfriend is no different... I suggest the three of you return up to Gryffindor Tower where you belong."
We set off for the tower without another word. Harry looked back at Snape. Once at the tower, I nudged Harry in the ribs and winked at him. "Oh, shoot," I said. "I forgot to go to the library and get that book for Ancient Runes. Do you think you could go get it for me, Harry dear?" I said, batting my eyes at him dramatically. I could tell he was trying very hard not to laugh.
"Of course, darling," he said, bowing his head a bit. "Anything for the love of my life." I almost burst out in loud laughter just then, but I was silenced by a quick peck on the lips. "Be right back."
"Thank you so much," I said, hugging him to whisper in his ear. "You'd better get me that Butterbeer, Potter," I whispered. I blew a kiss at him as he turned the corner of the hallway. Neville seemed a bit uncomfortable. He was shifting nervously from one foot to the other when I sat in the common room sofa.
"So - uh - umm - you and Harry - uh - seem to be getting along great," he finally said. I laughed and he calmed down a bit.
"Yeah," I sighed. "Really great, actually."
Neville and I didn't do much that day. We worked on our vampire essays and played Exploding Snap with Ginny and Colin Creevey. It wasn't until lunchtime that Neville noticed that Harry wasn't around. I shrugged as Luna came to eat with us.
"He probably just got caught up in some homework while he was there," I lied.
"He could have come back up to the common room and worked with us," said Neville. "He would have been loads of help."
"I don't think he would have been. I would've kept him quite... occupied," I said as an embarrassed blush crept up my neck. Neville, wide eyed, kept rather quiet from that point on, so I chatted with Ginny about magical beauty products and with Luna about Cricklerdons, whatever those were. The sun had set when Harry, Ron and Hermione returned to the Gryffindor tower, all of them with decrepit pale faces. "What is it?" I asked, sensing something wasn't right.
"Hagrid lost. Buckbeak's going to be put to death," said Hermione, voice cracking. My face fell.
"Oh no! How come?"
"Malfoy's dad's frightened the Committee into it," she said, wiping her eyes. "You know what he's like. Well, you wouldn't, Mina, but he's awful, trust me. And the Committee! They're a bunch of doddery old fools, and they were scared. There'll be an appeal, though, there always is. Only I can't see any hope... nothing will have changed."
"Yeah, it will," said Ron fiercely, determination etched on his face. "You won't have to do all the work alone this time, Hermione. I'll help." At first, it looked like she didn't believe him, but then her eyes lit up and she smiled broadly. Her eyes filled with tears again, but this time, I doubted she was sad.
"Oh Ron!"
She flung her arms around his neck and broke down completely. Ron looked terrified so he patted her awkwardly on the head as she sobbed, but something nagged at me that it was more to this odd reconciliation than it seemed. Finally, she pulled away from him.
"Ron, I'm really, really sorry about Scabbers..." she sobbed. What?! Now it's okay to say sorry?? I thought, shocked and happy at the same time.
"Oh - well - he was old," said Ron looking thoroughly relieved that she had let him go. "And he was a bit useless. You never know, Mum and Dad might get me an owl now."
"See? Was that really that bad?" I asked, stunned at how easily they reconciled. "Honestly!"
"You'll learn to ignore their fights, trust me," said Harry, chuckling.
We didn't get any other details until Care of Magical Creatures class because of the tighter security wards since Black's last attack.
"S'all my fault. Got all tongue-tied. They was all sittin' there in black robes an' I kep' droppin' me notes and forgettin' all them dates yeh looked up fer me, Hermione. An' o' course all them moral examples yeh gave me, Mina, I jus' couldn't get the werds out. Seemed silly comin' from me. An' then Lucius Malfoy stood up an' said his bit, and the Committee jus' did exac'ly what he told 'em..." I felt terrible for Hagrid. He hadn't stood a chance against someone as well spoken as Lucius Malfoy, although I hadn't met the man personally. I was sure, however, that Draco Malfoy was his spitting image.
"There's still the appeal!" said Ron fiercely. It surprised me how serious Ron was taking this all of a sudden. I nodded, agreeing with Ron. "Don't give up yet, we're working on it!"
We were walking back up to the castle with the rest of the class. Ahead was Malfoy, who was walking with Crabbe and Goyle, and they kept looking back, laughing derisively. I had a sudden urge to punch him. And then kick him where it hurts to prevent him from having children.
"S'no good Ron," said Hagrid sadly as they reached the castle steps. "That Committee's in Lucius Malfoy's pocket. I'm jus' gonna make sure the rest o' Beaky's time is the happiest he's ever had. I owe him that..."
Hagrid turned round and hurried back to his cabin, his face buried in his handkerchief. I felt a wave of sympathy for that caring man.
"Look at him blubber!"
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle had been standing just inside the castle doors, listening. We turned to face them.
"Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic?" said Malfoy. "And he's supposed to be our teacher!"
I was too stunned by what he had said to attempt to stop Harry and Ron when they both made furious moves towards Malfoy, but apparently I should have gone after Hermione: she got there first - SMACK!
She had slapped Malfoy around the face with all the strength she could muster. Malfoy staggered. Harry, Ron, Crabbe and Goyle stood flabbergasted as Hermione raised her hand again. I discreetly took out my wand, in case it was needed, smirking slightly at the look of surprise and pain on Malfoy's pale face. Hermione's red hand mark could be seen on his cheek.
"Don't you dare call Hagrid pathetic, you foul - you evil -"
"Hermione!" said Ron weakly, and he tried to grab her hand as she swung it back. I admired Ron's courage to try and stop her in this state. I had a feeling all this time travel she was doing to attend her classes was finally getting to her mental sanity.
"Get off, Ron!"
Hermione pulled out her wand. Malfoy stepped backwards. I sneaked behind her to be there should she need my help, but I doubted it. She was angry enough to take them on herself, and too tired and stressed to think of consequences. Note to self: don't play a prank on Hermione when she's stressed out, I thought. Crabbe and Goyle looked at the blond Slytherin for instructions, thoroughly bewildered.
"C'mon," Malfoy muttered and they left into the passageway next to the dungeons.
"Hermione!" Ron said again, sounding both stunned and impressed.
"Harry, you'd better beat him in the Quidditch final!" said Hermione shrilly. "You just better had, because I can't stand it if Slytherin win!"
"We're due in Charms," said Ron, still goggling at Hermione. "We'd better go."
We hurried up the marble staircase towards Professor Flitwick's classroom, and somewhere along the way Hermione disappeared. Time travel, what a waste of time, I said, shaking my head.
"You're late, you three!" chirped Professor Flitwick reprovingly. "Come along, quickly, wands out, we're experimenting with Cheering Charms today. We've already divided into pairs, one of you will have to go and work with Longbottom-"
"I'll go," I said. "Goodness knows how terrible it is to work with Neville," I added quietly to them, with a smile.
"Why don't you work with Hermione?" asked Harry, turning round, but she wasn't there.
"Where'd she go?" said Ron, frowning. I shrugged, but inside I was buzzing with the same question. She should be here by now. She never misses a class, I thought.
"Who knows? Washroom?" I offered. Hermione didn't show up at all, and I was getting worried. From across the classroom and in between dodging awfully bad-aimed Cheering Charms from Neville, I kept glancing at my friends, who also seemed preoccupied by Hermione's absence. I was hit by one of Neville's charms, and was sent flying into a pile of ill-placed chairs. Regardless of a sharp pain in my back, I began giggling and laughing loudly. Soon, half the class had joined in, although Flitwick was trying to weed through the crowd to get to me. I looked around, laughing at anything I saw. And Flitwick has quite the amusing appearance. I pointed and giggled, much to my horror and content. Frowning, Flitwick tried removing the charm but only managed to stop the giggles. I was still overly cheerful and would still burst into quiet sniggers when I saw something particularly funny.
"She could've done with a Cheering Charm," said Ron, as the class left for lunch, all grinning broadly - the Cheering Charm had apparently left them all with the same feeling of great contentment as me. I doubted that any of them were suffering from such a high level of giddiness as me. It's like last Thursday, when Harry kissed me in the common room, I thought happily, but like, THREE times better! I giggled out loud thinking of Harry's kisses and reached out for his hand, swinging my hips exaggeratedly.
Hermione didn't come at lunch either. By then, the Cheering Charms on Harry and Ron were starting to wear off and they both looked rather worried, but I was really, really happy. I arranged the food on my plate to look like a smiley face and my desert was rearranged in the shape of a rainbow. I took out my wand and with my face scrunched in concentration, I changed my food's colour to match an actual rainbow. It would sparkle a little. I giggled at my genius and wanted to spread my joy!
"Look, Harry, Ron! A rainbow!" I said cheerfully. They looked away from the oak doors to peak down at my plate at my beautiful art work.
"That's nice," said Ron distantly and Harry nodded.
"I wish Hermione was here, she'd love this!" I said happily.
"I'm really starting to get worried about her," said Harry and Ron agreed.
"Who? Me? Or Hermione?" I asked, not really paying attention, too busy marvelling at the colours of my rainbow dessert.
"Hermione," said Ron at the same time as Harry said, "both."
"I'm sure she's fine," I said optimistically. "And I'm definitely fine! Now, to eat this rainbow!"
"You don't think Malfoy did something to her?" Ron said anxiously as they hurried and I skipped up to the Gryffindor tower behind them. I sang the password to the Fat Lady ("Fliiiibertigiiiibeeeet," I sang in an opera voice I found quite amusing) and I scrambled into the portrait hole after Ron and Harry. Hermione was sitting at a table, fast asleep, her head resting on an open Arithmancy book. The boys sat on either side of her and I sat on Harry's lap. He seemed a bit surprised and the look on his face was so priceless I giggled. Then I poked Hermione repeatedly in the stomach to wake her up.
"Wakie wakie!" I said childishly.
"Wh-what?" said Hermione, waking with a start, staring wildly around. I pointed and laughed at her face. It was just so funny! "Is it time to go? Wh-which lesson have we got now?"
"Divination, but it's not for another twenty minutes," said Harry. I laughed.
"Divination," I repeated, shaking my head happily. "Dumb subject."
"What's wrong with her?" she asked, seemingly terrified of this new me. Harry ignored her question.
"Hermione, why didn't you come to Charms?" he asked.
"What? Oh no!'" Hermione squeaked. "I forgot to go to Charms!"
"How could you forget?" said Harry. "You were with us till we were right outside the classroom!"
"Not true!" I grinned. The effects were slowly starting to wear off. I was starting to feel a bit embarrassed about my sitting position on Harry's lap. Not to mention every other stupid thing I'd done before I got there. "She disappeared a bit before that." Ron stared at me like he thought I was mental. It was mildly entertaining.
"I don't believe it!" Hermione wailed. "Was Professor Flitwick angry? Oh, it was Malfoy, I was thinking about him and I lost track of things."
"Thinking about him, eh?" I winked, nudging her suggestively before I could stop myself. Harry wrapped an arm around my waist, almost as if to restrain me from escaping. I looked down at him and he too, looked quite terrified. "It's that Cheering Charm Neville sent my way," I sighed.
"You know what, Hermione?" said Ron, looking down at the enormous Arithmancy book Hermione had been using as a pillow. "I reckon you're cracking up. You're trying to do too much."
"I agree with him," I said in as serious a voice I could manage. Harry nodded under me and blushing, I made to get up but he kept me down on his lap. I was uncomfortable because I was so sure I was cutting the circulation in his legs. I was a bit bigger than he was, although shorter. He was skin and bones, poor guy.
"No, I'm not!" said Hermione, brushing her hair from her eyes and staring hopelessly around for her bag. I spotted it and pointed to it. She grabbed it quickly. " I just made a mistake, that's all! I'd better go and see Professor Flitwick and say sorry... see you in Divination!"
"Yeah, ok," I said sarcastically as I waved goodbye. "I"m gonna go too, Arithmancy's next and I need to reread my homework from last week that's due today."
"I'm glad to know that you're just as last minute as the rest of us," laughed Harry as he kissed my chin.
"Thanks, Harry, that makes me feel really great." I rolled my eyes sarcastically, a small smile tugging at my lips as I headed to Arithmancy, hoping that this time, Hermione wouldn't screw up her Time Turning schedule.