NEW GIRL

A Harry Potter FanFiction

Chapter Twenty-One

I looked up at the clock that sat above the chalkboard. Three minutes left. Snape was droning on about some assignment we had due. I couldn't concentrate on a single word he was saying. Theo was sitting a couple of rows in front of me. He was hunched over his desk, his shirt had untucked and I could see the skin of his lower back. No arse crack. That would be majorly unattractive. I looked over to Monique. She mimed shooting herself in the head. I nodded in silent agreement.

"You are dismissed."

Everyone stood up in excitement.

"Oh thank God." Monique said relieved as we all headed towards the door.

"Malfoy, Sangster, Nott! I need to see you in my office now!" Snape's voice bellowed above the noise.

"Oh bollocks!" Monique said, throwing her head back. I turned to her.

"Do you think it's because you didn't hand in the last assignment?" I asked.

"Ugh. Probably."

Harry came over and took my hand. Unfortunately, he was back to full health, so I couldn't focus my attention on Theo as much as I would like.

"I guess we'll just meet you in the common room later then?"

"Yeah, I guess so."

Monique let out another sigh and joined Draco and Theo in trudging to Snape's office.

"So? You have detention then?" I asked as Monique entered the Gryffindor common room.

"Ugh, no." She said disgustedly as she sat down next to me. I looked up from my homework.

"What then?"

"I have to do stupid occlumency lessons with Snape because of my family connections to You-Know-Who."

"Ha! Sucks to you!" I said with a slight giggle.

"Oh yeah! Ha! Ha! Laugh it up!" Monique replied sarcastically, "You have to do it to fool!"

My face dropped.

"What? Are you serious? Like I need another class! Why do I have to do it?"

"Uhhhhh, because you date Harry Potter… You-Know-Who's sworn enemy." Monique replied, this time dripping in sarcasm. This relationship with Harry was turning into more of a hassle. I let out a sigh.

"So will it just be you and me?"

"Yep, you, me, Ron, Hermione, Draco and Theo."

"Theo?" I asked in surprise.

"Well, duh, of course Theo."

My heart began to race at a million miles an hour.

"So, um, what time do we have to do this?" I asked, trying to remain calm.

"Tuesdays and Thursdays 7-10pm."

"Three hours?"

"Yeah, it's like hard stuff and we have to learn it quick."

"Shit. Harry's gunna hate this."

"You bet your ass he will."

I sighed. Well, wasn't this just awesome?

Thursday came way to fast. Monique stood up.

"Ok Peeps, time to go."

We all let out a groan.

"This sucks." Harry said with a pout.

"Hey. Shut it. We're doing this for you. I don't know why you're complaining! You don't have to do the stupid class." Monique said, playfully hitting Harry.

"Yeah, but it means less time with Mong."

Hermione let out a little "Aw". All I felt was guilt burning in my stomach. I managed a smile and gave him a quick goodbye kiss.

Before we knew it, we were at the dungeons. Snape's door was already open. We entered cautiously.

"Take a seat." Snape said quietly, his eyes flicking over us. "Occlumency is a very difficult and dangerous art, dating back centuries. It is a form of mind control. I have been given the task of teaching you to combat this."

We all nodded silently.

"I will attempt one by one to take over your mind; you will try to stop me. This is not a clear-cut thing one can teach. You must learn to feel when it is coming and work out your own way of counteracting it."

This was gunna suck balls. I could tell already.

Time seemed to go painstakingly slow. He kept attacking us repeatedly. It was both mentally and physically draining. It was so hard to watch when the others were taken over. He was making us replay every bad thing that had happened to us. I felt like a lightweight compared to the pain and anxiety that happened to the others. Snape was being especially cruel to Theo. His face would contort and most times, he would cry when Snape entered his mind. It was awful. Everyone seemed to show some progress, except me. I felt like an idiot.

Eventually ten o'clock came and we all stood to leave.

"Mong, Theo, stay back." Snape said with a sneer. I looked to the others for help. They looked pitifully at me, Ron shrugged his shoulders and they left.

"Tongkummark," Snape said with a sigh as he sat down "it appears to me that you are hardly trying. Do you understand the complexity of what is happening here? I am not giving up my time to teach someone who is not willing to learn!"

I opened my mouth to retaliate, but instead chose to nod my head.

"Ugh, you may leave." Snape said disgustedly.

I waited around for Theo.

"Is everything ok?" I asked as soon as he left Snape's office.

"Yeah, I just need to do an extra class is all." He said nonchalantly.

"Oh."

We walked in silence for a moment.

"I am so sorry you have to do this Mong." Theo said softly.

"You don't have to keep apologising."

"I do. You shouldn't have to do this just to keep your boyfriend safe."

"I'm not doing this for Harry… I'm doing this for you."

"Oh."

We walked in silence again, this time Theo took my hand. We stopped at the stairs, the place we would have to depart.

"Mong, once this is all over, I… Oh never mind."

"No, what?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Clearly it does."

"I'm sure you wouldn't even think about it, but if you could, I mean, shit." Theo took a deep breath. "Once this is all over, do you think you could ever find it in your heart to even consider dating me?"

I looked into those deep blue eyes.

"Theo, it's something I consider every day."

"Really?" he asked with all sincerity.

"Mhm." I nodded my head. His warm hands pulled me into an embrace. I basked in the glow of his warmth.

"I wish this could last forever." I murmured.

"Me too, alas, it cannot." He pulled away and kissed my forehead. "I shall count the days Mong."

And with that, he left.