Believe
Chapter; Fifty-Three
Year; Six
! #$%^&*(
Alice,
Your first step as a couple. Yay!
Congrag on the spot. James – Harry's dad, used to be a chaser.
Someone's after Dumbledore, you have to be very careful Alice.
It is possible that it could be Malfoy, be wary of him.
Take care, and lots of frogs,
-Dad
#$%^&*()
About a week later, Alice was sitting in the common room by herself reading one of her books on healing next to the fire. She had moved on from cuts and burns and was now moving on to broken bones. It was interesting stuff really.
Harry had been very quiet lately, which was the opposite of Ron and Hermione, who had been fighting a lot lately, which was odd. Ron also seemed to be in bad mood when ever Ginny and Michael were around, which also put Ginny in a bad mood which usually resulted in the two siblings fighting. All in all, her close group of friends were arguing, it was times like this that Alice missed all of her older friends – Fred and George… Cedric and Matt too even, she'd missed how she'd always manage to have fun with those people.
"Alice?" A voice yelled. Alice ignored said voice.
"Hey, Alice!" Alice heard Ron yell from the portrait hole. "Aren't you supposed to be at that Slugclub thing Harry and Hermione are going to?"
Shit! That was on wasn't it? She'd been so caught up with her book and then her rambling thoughts… Should she just skip it? Would it really matter?
"Shit, for the love of dead Marshmallows!" Alice yelled before tearing up to her dorm and throwing the first dress that she could find on.
She put on a tight-ish black dress that was modest up the top and went down to just above her knees, and it had a dark green belt around the middle. It also had these two awesome pockets at the top – lovely dress really.
Alice brushed her hair; it always fell right after brushing it – damn she loved short hair. And not having it in her to put nice shoes on she grabbed her bright red converses. She wore them during Quidditch practice, it was the only reason they were out. They looked very odd with the rest of her to put it lightly.
Alice ran down the stairs and yelled a good bye to Ron. Ignoring the amused looks she got for her shoes and ran down to Slughorn's party thingo.
Alice kept running crossing though the halls until she came to a stop in front of the Slughorn's door.
Alice opened it slowly, and peeked in as she stepped inside. Everyone was seating at a small round table, everyone eating ice-cream politely, except for one boy would looked like he was trying to suffocate himself with it. Lovely.
"Ah, Miss Black! Come in! Come in!" Slughorn welcomed.
Alice was happy to see Harry, Hermione, and Neville sitting across the table from Slughorn. They were here, and funny enough, Alice had almost missed it… Whoops, she could blame the consecution.
"Sorry, Sir, I got caught up… doing whatever it is that I do," Alice said, as she started walking towards the empty seat next to Neville, near Harry and Hermione.
As soon as she touched the chair, Harry shot to his feet. Alice eyed him for a second before she slowly sat down, a pleased smile gracing Alice's face. Harry was adorable sometimes.
He'd been too focused on being a gentleman to think past the idea that no one stood when one girl went to sit, and now everyone was staring at them.
"No matter, just in time for dessert. That is, if Belby's left you any," he said before chuckling quirkily. Alice glanced towards the boy next to her, Belby, who had cleaned his bowl of ice cream. Alice's gaze then moved to Cormac, who was attempting to seduce Hermione.
Alice laughed slightly, as a conversation started again. The dinner finished in a half an hour after Alice showed up. And Alice soon found herself walking back to the Gryffindor common rooms with Harry, Hermione and Neville.
"So," Hermione began. "What were you doing?"
Alice glanced back at Hermione. "Hm? Planning world domination?"
"Using Monkeys again?" Harry blurted out hearing their conversation.
Alice closed her eyes and nodded. "Talking to me again…?"
The silence was awkward. "I'm sorry…"
Alice huffed.
~53~
The first Quidditch match of the season was on the first Saturday of November, which was today.
The Quidditch team had been down one player since Katie Bell had been curse and sent to St. Mungo's, meaning that Dean was now to replace her. Dean had been telling Alice how excited he was as he and Alice walked down in the hall, which was when she saw Slytherin's new badges. 'Weasley Is Our King'.
Alice was okay with this but if Dean messed up the game… She'd kill him, Alice took Quidditch seriously. More seriously than she took everything else - except maybe becoming a healer.
Alice was now sitting at the Gryffindor table with Harry, Hermione, Dean, Seamus, and Ginny. Alice only turned to look up at the door as a pale Ron who looked like his old nerves had come back, walked into the Great Hall, everyone on either side, Gryffindor or Slytherin cheering for him. Ron sat down on the other side of Alice with a thud as he gulped. Ron better not mess up either – she'd kill him as well.
"So how was it then?" Ron asked, pushing his plate away from him, looking toward Hermione.
"How was what?" Hermione asked with a sigh, putting down her paper.
"Your dinner party?" Ron bit out in annoyance. This was good keep his mind off it.
"Pretty boring actually," Hermione bit back, before she smiled. "Though I think Harry enjoyed desert."
Alice saw Harry freeze before he glared at Hermione. Alice tilted her head to one side, why had Harry enjoyed desert? Did Harry have a perchance for ice-crème that she didn't know about? Before Alice could comment on this though Dean started a conversation with her.
"Excited for the match?" Dean asked with a chuckle, obviously not paying attention to Ron and Hermione's conversation.
"Yes, if we don't win, I will cry. I really will burst out in tears," Alice admitted, sheepishly but looking dead serious.
He just chuckled and turned back to Seamus and began to talk again.
"Slughorn's having a Christmas to, you know," Hermione continued. "We're meant to bring someone."
"I expect you'll be bringing McLaggen," Ron spat bitterly "He's in the Slugclub too, isn't he?"
Alice coughed and muttered. "Jealous."
The two Gryffindors ignored her though. "Actually, I was going to ask you," Hermione correctly Ron, sounding annoyed.
"Really?" his tone changed entirely to a more bright and happy one.
"Good luck today, Ron. I know you'll be brilliant," Lavender breathed as she sat down beside Ron. Fangirls – you can never be rid of them… But since when did Ron have a fangirl?
Alice glanced at Hermione, who was obviously feeling venomous toward Lavender. Ron smiled forcedly at her until she walked away. Alice had to resist the urge to laugh – the two were so obvious to the others feelings.
"I'm resigning," he decided instantly. "After today McLaggen can have my spot," he told them. No, no way in hell.
"Ron… If you resign, then, they wouldn't be able to find your body… you don't want that do you?" Alice said her eyes hooded slightly as she glared at him, Ron gulped.
"Murderous ideas aside… Juice, Ron?" Harry offered, slapping a goblet in front of him, a small vial tucked under his palm.
"You look dreadful, Ron. Is that why you put something in his cup?" Luna asked. Alice glanced over at her in surprise, not even having noticed her until now. Her head was adorned with some sort of Lion headdress. "Is it a tonic?" she asked with her usually dreamy voice.
"Liquid luck?" Hermione asked, looking questioningly toward Harry. He slipped the vial of Felix Felicis into his pocket, doing it rather clumsily.
"Wait!" Alice said and everyone paused. "Luna, when did you get here… and where did you let that Lion thing from?"
Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Don't drink that, Ron!" Hermione exclaimed quietly turning rigid.
"I got here a few minutes ago… I had daddy make it," Luna said dreamily ignoring the other conversation.
Ron looked at all of them, hesitating to drink the juice for a moment before he gulped the entire drink down in one shot.
"You could be expelled for that!" Hermione scolded.
"That's cool, you have to show me how you do that," Alice said with excitement.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry said casually, smiling.
"Come on, Harry, Alice! We've got a game to win!" Ron grinned determinedly before racing off with a bemused Alice and Harry. Alice didn't mind, she really did want to win – badly.
~53~
The game was going terrible, if Dean let go of the Quaffle one more time Alice would hit something. Or someone, more directly she would hit him, she wasn't going to lose because he was crap. No way in hell.
How she hated him.
"BLACK IN POSSESSION OF THE QUAFFLE, NICE PASS TO WEASLEY – BACK TO BLACK – SCORE! GRFFINDOR 60, 0!"
It was okay because Ron wasn't letting anything by him – which was good… But it didn't mean her and Ginny could keep up this ridicules thing they had going on – they needed three Chasers. And Alice could sense that Dean was getting frustrated that he wasn't getting the Quaffle.
Alice couldn't bring it to herself to care though – they were winning this!
"BLACK TO WEASLEY!...! TO THOMAS! AND SLYTHERIN IN POSSESSION!"
Hell, no! Alice made a gesture to Ginny as they flew across the field to re-gain the Quaffle. Ginny nodded her head in understanding – under no circumstances would Dean get the Quaffle.
Thankfully, Ron stopped the stupid Quaffle. He passed it back to Alice and off they went again.
"POTTER'S PUT A STONG SIDE TOGETHEHER THIS YEAR,
BUT WILL IT BE ENOUGH TO WIN?
AND…
IS THAT THE SNITCH?
POTTER AND MALFOY HEAD-TO-HEAD!
AND….
.
.
.
.
.
POTTER GETS THE SNITCH!
GRYFFINDOR WINS!
GRYFFINDOR WINS! 210-0 GRYFFINDOR WINS!"
~53~
At the end of the game, the whole Gryffindor house gathered into the common room to cheer on Ron, having him stand on the coffee table in the center of the room as confetti rained down on him. Everyone was chanting his name, everyone except Harry, Hermione, Dean and Alice who were standing near the portrait hole, talking amongst themselves.
Dean was telling Alice about the game on his front while she faintly registered Harry telling Hermione that he hadn't put the potion into his drink.
There was a loud cheer that broke through the chanting that made Alice look up from Dean to find Lavender snogging Ron in the center of the room. Part of Alice was happy for Ron, another part was pitying the fact he had just found himself an obsessive, clingy, girlfriend, the last part of her felt a pang of dread as Hermione raced past her, tears in her eyes.
Harry followed her, glancing at Dean and Alice before he disappeared through the portrait hole. Alice in concern moved to follow so that she could comfort Hermione, but an arm held her back.
"Hey, come one. Stay here," Dean said as he pulled Alice back away from the portrait hole and toward him. "Harry can handle whatever's going on with Hermione."
Alice looked at him with an eyebrow raised. He obviously didn't know Harry's comforting skills, but with a sigh she allowed herself to be dragged further into the party. She'd have some fun at least; Dean wasn't as annoyed at her as she'd thought he'd be after the match as well so win?
"I should be with Harry – you know my boyfriend…"
"Don't sweat it Alice, loosen up! Ever since you started to date Harry you've been so high strung!" Dean commented.
Alice shrugged her shoulders. "Alright, I guess…"
~53~ GUESS WHAT GUYS? MORE HARRY P.O.V! ~ 53~
Harry walked through the portrait hole, glaring down at the ground. Why was she with Dean? He asked himself, as he stepped into the corridor and into cooler air. Dean had made his interest in Alice known in fourth year.
Then again so had Cedric and Harry. Alice had picked Cedric. But she was with Harry now, and it annoyed him to no end that Dean seemed to ignore that unwritten rule.
It also annoyed him that Alice didn't seem to tell him to stop after all.
It annoyed him to no end when Alice was with Dean. It had killed him to let Dean on the team, considering his "relationship" with Alice.
He was just fate's bitch.
But now that Harry was outside, his mind was brought back to Hermione as he followed the sound of her sobs to a deserted stairwell. As he walked down it, he caught sight of her at the bottom crying, with sparrows flying around her head like she was some sort of woodland creature. He approached her slowly until he stood one step higher than the one she sat at, causing her to look up at him in surprise before she quickly wiped her tears.
"Charms spell," she explained, meaning the sparrows. "I'm just practicing."
"Well, they're really good," Harry told her as he sat next to her, leaning until his elbows touched his knees.
"How does it feel, Harry?" Hermione suddenly asked him, her voice breaking on every other word as she continued crying. "When you see Alice with other guys?"
Harry started, before he painted a fake look of confusion of his face looking away from her. "Oh… kinda," he started, but Hermione interrupted him.
"I know, I know you love her," Hermione told him as another tear fell from her eye, a sad jealousy welling up inside of her chest. "I see the way you look at her. You're my best friend, you both are. I've known for years. You two are just so… happy."
Suddenly, an annoying, snotty laugh filled the room as Ron and Lavender stumbled in. The couple stumbled to a stop at the sight of Hermione and Harry sitting on the stairs, Hermione crying softly.
Harry knew what Hermione was feeling in this moment, and wanted to bash Ron upside the head for letting the feeling hit Hermione, as he knew it was. Harry scooted over slightly, as if to come between Ron and Hermione, or to block the feeling from hitting Hermione too hard, but the two of them knew it didn't work that way.
"Oops," Lavender muttered, as she saw Hermione. "I think this room is taken," she smiled before she skipped off, expecting Ron to follow her.
"What's with the birds?" Ron asked, eyeing the sparrows that flew in a circle above Hermione's head.
Hermione stood and glared at him.
"Oppugno," she muttered angrily, her voice breaking a little as she said the spell. The bird flew around her head in a tight circle before flying at Ron, causing him to duck and run until they hit the door as he past it, exploding into little puffs of feathers.
Ron stared at her wide eyed for a second before he left, looking utterly confused.
Hermione broke down again; she dropped down on one of the steps and started sobbing again. Harry moved down a step and sat close to her, letting her latch onto his arm and cry on his shoulder.
Harry sighed as he hugged Hermione and all he said was, "It feels like this – just like this, every single time."
! #$%^&*()_
"Alice, can I talk to you?"
Alice turned around the face Lavender Brown, Ron's newly official girlfriend. "Yeah, what's up?"
"You know how you're dating Harry Potter right?" She asked.
"Yes, I am, that's not changing," Alice defended.
"No, it's just… the night of the party, Harry was alone in a room with a girl, an empty classroom," Lavender whispered.
Alice's eyes widened. "Wha-what? Who?"
Lavender looked worried. "Hermione Granger. Do you think he could be, you know – cheating?"
"With Hermione?"
Lavender shrugged her delicate little shoulders. "You never know with these nerdy types."
Alice felt a sense of paranoia settle in.
*870989hjhji*)*
Dear Dad,
I have a friend right, her name is Charlie and I think her boyfriend Anthony is cheating on her with their mutual friend… What should one do in that situation?
I'll be careful.
Oh, and we won our first match against Slytherin.
YAYAYYAYAY!
Lots of Frogs,
-Alice X
