As far as first weeks of school went, it ended up going well for Violet after the blip on the first day - but somehow she was blissfully ignorant to what was going on in Harry's detentions. She noticed how he was incredibly tired the morning after his first detention, and even though she asked him what had happened, his response was "writing lines."

She was suspicious, that was for sure. What didn't help was his spirit slowly being crushed throughout the day as more and more work was piled onto them. He and Ron even went to the library in a last ditch attempt to get a head start on Transfiguration homework because they'd absolutely failed on their Vanishing Spells. Violet and Hermione had been lucky on that front, with the former taking five attempts before succeeding, the latter only three. They had earned Gryffindor ten points each from McGonagall.

If anything, Violet was glad that she was just about keeping on top of the immense workload they'd been given in the first couple of days. Her only worries were Umbridge and Harry.

She tried not to let it show - considering Ron and Hermione were completely fine about the fact that Harry had only said he was "writing lines" - but his exhaustion earlier that morning hadn't gone unnoticed by Violet.

So naturally, when he went off for an early dinner and his five o'clock detention, Violet decided she'd stay up in the Common Room working until he got back. Hermione opted for the library, while Ron disappeared entirely, which left Violet on her own at one of the tables. Truthfully, even she was at the brink of demotivation when seeing the stack of textbooks she'd gotten out when carrying on with homework that day. Day two, and every subject had handed them homework so far.

Fifth year was something else, to say the least.

She must have been an hour into Potions homework when Ginny slid into the seat opposite her.

"Doing alright, Vi?" the redhead asked her. Violet nodded, barely looking up from her essay on the properties of moonstone.

"What's up, Ginny? I've got quite a bit of work to get through-"

"Oh! Oh, I know, I just wanted to ask if you still wanted to try out for the Quidditch team?"

Violet finally looked up at Ginny, and raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying out for the Quidditch team?"

"Probably not," she replied with a shrug. "It's for Keeper. I'm more of a Chaser."

"Keeper? I struggle to throw a Quaffle, let alone defend a goal post…"

Ginny laughed. "Come on - it can't be that bad!"

"I… well, when Harry came to stay at mine for his fourteenth birthday, we played a bit of Quidditch with dad. Hardly Quidditch, actually, but for the life of me I could not keep my balance…"

Ginny considered that for a moment, but shrugged. "If you're Keeper, you don't have to throw the Quaffle or catch it - just… block it."

"Hmm… you see - you make it sound so simple, Ginny, but I think my hand-eye coordination would disagree…" Violet murmured, getting back to her work. She didn't have time for this, and as much as she liked the Weasley girl, she did have a stack of homework to finish off.

"Come on, Vi-"

She sighed so deeply that it shut the other girl up quickly. Realising how it had come across, Violet pinched the bridge of her nose. "Ask me again tomorrow over breakfast? Sorry, Ginny, but I really need to get this finished…"

"Ah, yea, sure - sorry, Vi…" With a sheepish smile, Ginny left her in peace. It felt like she could breathe again now that she was in her own space.

Violet lost track of time in her homework, managing to rattle through Herbology and Potions, becoming alarmed upon seeing Ron had joined her around nine o'clock at night, questioning Harry's whereabouts.

"Oh!" Violet was slightly frazzled when Ron spoke to her, before she became very suspicious of where Harry actually was. "He's… not back from detention yet. Or maybe he just… went to the library…" A delicate frown had beset her face, and she leaned back in her chair to gaze out the window.

Was she trying to make up an excuse for the fact his detention had gone on suspiciously long?

Now that night had fallen outside, she momentarily became distracted by the clear skies, thoughts of flying on a broom drifting through her mind as she stared at the open expanse before her. She thought she could see the appeal of attempting to go for a spot on the team. Maybe being Keeper wouldn't be such a bad idea…

"Vi? Vi?" Ron snapped his fingers in front of her face and she turned away from the window, suddenly aware of the fact he'd been talking to her this whole time. "You alright?"

"Hmm?" She shook herself out of her stupor. "Yes. Um, what did you need help with?"

"Potions, if you wouldn't mind…"

She nodded, and got to work with him. Violet didn't let Ron copy - oh no, she was sticking to her guns with that one - but asked him all the right questions that would at least help guide him in the right direction. They managed to get through about half of his essay before Hermione came back from the library, saying that she and Ron needed to do their Prefect duties before it got too late. It was about ten o'clock at this point, and there was still no sign of Harry.

The Common Room was beginning to empty out as everyone else started to head to bed, but Violet remained. She wouldn't be leaving until Harry got back and she could ask him precisely why his detention was taking as long as it did. She didn't care if she had to wait up until midnight or later - it was day two and there was absolutely no need for him to already begin falling behind on his work because of Umbridge.

She picked up her Transfiguration homework next. She sat reading through the textbook first, making bullet points about everything she needed, slowly but surely her head feeling heavier and heavier…

"Violet?"

She was being shaken awake by none other than Harry himself. She glanced down at her Transfiguration textbook, and then at the clock - it was about ten past midnight. Violet rubbed her eyes and scowled at Harry as he settled himself opposite her.

"Where have you been?"

"Detention," he said simply, getting his Potions homework out.

"Really? Umbridge had you there for seven hours?"

He nodded solemnly, before raking his hands through his hair in a distressed manner as he stared down at what his homework entailed. Violet softened on seeing how stressed he was, and even more so when she noticed his right hand was bright red, with what looked like the beginnings of a strange mark becoming etched into it.

Violet reached across the table and took hold of it, causing him to hiss in pain. He almost tore his hand back, but when Harry realised how tender she was being, he let her keep hold of it. She tilted her head to the side as she tried to make out what the marking was.

"I… I must not tell… lies…" she breathed. She looked at Harry with horror. "You said she was making you write lines!"

"She is," he replied darkly. "With a quill that uses blood. So that the message - when written enough-"

"Is marked permanently on your hand," Violet sighed. "I've read about those. It's abuse - torture! I'm assuming you're not going to be telling McGonagall about this, are you?"

He looked at her oddly, finally taking his hand back. "I… no… I'm not. How did you-?"

"Considering you didn't tell any of us what happened yesterday, there's no use in convincing you to go to McGonagall, is there?"

Harry shook his head. "No. I don't want to give Umbridge the satisfaction. Please don't mention this to Ron and Hermione? I'll tell them soon…"

"I won't. Promise," she replied softly, before fishing out her Potions homework and handing it to him. "I know I said you shouldn't copy, but I don't think I can stand to see Snape treat you horribly if you don't do well in your homework. Reword it. I can stay up a bit longer with you if you want, I've finished up Herbology-"

"Go to bed," he insisted. "You were asleep when I got here. You don't need to wait up for me."

"I was worried about you. Of course I did."

"I know. But go and sleep. One of us needs to be a bit more refreshed tomorrow."

"Right…" Violet started to pack up her things, slinging her bag over her shoulder and then approaching Harry on the other side of the table. She leaned down and pressed a kiss to the top of his head. "Good night, Harry."

"Good night, Vi," he replied quietly, quickly giving her hand a gentle squeeze before she retired for the night. She was barely halfway up the stairs when Harry called after her, and she curiously turned back to see he was at the bottom of the stairwell.

"I - I didn't ask, but - are you okay? After yesterday?"

"Oh!" She wasn't sure why she was so surprised by the question. "I - I'm okay today. Sleeping really helped. Hopefully it won't happen again, though."

"If it does, you can't blame me if I lose my temper in front of her again," he said.

"That's sweet of you, but-"

"I don't wanna see that woman reduce you to a shell, Vi," he said firmly, and it made her heart swell to what felt like three times its size. "She's not doing that to you."

A lump in her throat about how defensive Harry was being, Violet couldn't string together another coherent sentence. Instead she merely nodded and hurried on up to bed with tears welling in her eyes as she got into her pyjamas. They were a mixture of happiness and worry, because she was questioning why Harry would go through that kind of torture by himself but still put himself in harm's way for her?

She fell asleep in a strange mood that night, but was pleasantly surprised to find that the next morning - although Harry was clearly tired after staying up late to finish up some homework (he slipped her back her Potions parchment on the sly) - he was clearly a little chirpier. He did admit to her during lunch when they retreated to the library to do their Divination homework that he'd been having a strange dream about a locked door at the end of a corridor; that still couldn't dampen his spirits.

"Also - what was Ginny talking to you about this morning at breakfast? You two were pretty… hush hush," he then remarked.

"Ah. That," Violet clucked her tongue as she pored over her Divination textbook. "I'm going to try out for Keeper on Friday. We're having a practice session this evening. She helps me with that, and in return I'm helping her out with some trickier Transfiguration. Only seemed fair."

He couldn't help himself - he laughed.

"What?!" Violet snapped. "I thought you of all people would be supportive of the idea!"

"No! No - I am," Harry quickly saved himself. "I find it funny you and Ginny cut a deal, that's all! I'm not laughing about you trying for Keeper. I think - I think it's good - great, even - that you want to go a bit further than just books and Potions."

She raised a questioning eyebrow at that statement, mock anger on her face. If anything she found it highly amusing that Harry was apparently coming out with accidental backhanded compliments.

"I - I just mean that - you know… we've been trying to get you on a broom for years…" He was growing steadily redder and redder. "And the only reason you're doing it is because you… made a deal with Ginny…"

Violet put down her quill and leaned across the table towards Harry so that their faces were only inches apart. "Would you like me to throw you a rope so you can get out of that hole you're digging?" Very briskly, she brushed her lips across his own and promptly returned to her homework. Cheeks pink, Violet carried on as if she hadn't done that, leaving Harry bemused.

"That was bold for you," he muttered, also going back to Divination, frantically scribbling something of merit down.

"Don't expect it again any time soon," she replied, coolly. "That's more your forte, I think."

"What? Being bold?"

"That, and your awkward flirting…" She was nearly as red as him. "It's more fun when you make me flustered."

How either of them were able to concentrate in Divination after that, Violet had no clue. She couldn't look him in the eye properly, and Ron was left to wonder what on earth had happened in the library that lunch time.

True to her word, when Harry went off for his five o'clock detention with Umbridge, Violet found herself walking down the grounds with Ginny, Firebolt in hand - Harry had been happy to loan it to her, since she'd already taken a spin on it.

"On Friday you'll have to use one of the old Cleansweeps," Ginny pointed out.

"I know," Violet replied. "Could hardly refuse this though, could I?"

Ginny smirked. "No, I suppose not."

Violet eyed her oddly as they headed onto the pitch. "What's that look for?"

"You've definitely been flirting with Harry!"

Violet rubbed the back of her neck, mildly uncomfortable and very sheepish all in one. "Well - I wouldn't call it flirting-"

"Oh come off it - you so have. About time too."

"You're - you're not annoyed?"

"Why would I be annoyed?"

Violet gulped. "It's just - well, Bill may have mentioned something last summer… it's why I kept very quiet about my own feelings for Harry."

"Ah. That." Ginny chewed on the inside of her cheek for a moment, before shrugging. "No harm done, really. If I'm being completely honest I saw you two at the Yule Ball and thought: okay. Maybe Harry's got his eye on someone else. It started to fade off then."

"But in the summer-"

"Most likely because me and him had spent a lot of time together," she explained as casually as possible. "I never meant to get some quiet whenever the pair of you came up in conversation. It was bad of me, really. All I'm gonna say is if you really are into him - if you really will date him one day - please look after him. He's special that one, and I know you already do look after him, but-"

Violet cut across her. "I get it. I really do. Any good friend would say the same. Look, I can't stand seeing him hurt when he gets himself into trouble - or when trouble comes finding him and gets him involved - so I don't think I could live with myself if I actually did anything to break his heart if we did date."

"Bit deep."

"You started it, Weasley," Violet said, an eyebrow raised.

Laughing, Ginny swept her long hair back over her shoulder. "Okay, Merryworth, let's see you do a couple of laps. I'll go grab the Quaffle after, and then… just position yourself over by the goal posts and we can get started."

Violet nodded, mounting the broomstick and setting off - a little wobbly at first - around the pitch. She thanked her lucky stars that she had a bit more control over the Firebolt this time in comparison to when she rode it during her third year and nearly vomited. The memory of it brought a smile to her face as she completed her first lap; she slowed down on seeing that Ginny had taken to the air and was hovering in the centre of the pitch, Quaffle under one arm.

She sped up again after that, far too aware of the fact she was being watched. Either way - Violet knew Ginny was there to help, so tried to go a bit faster. The result of that was she found it trickier to slow down to a more normal speed; she nearly fell off the broom, but saved herself at the last possible second as she skidded to a halt.

Ginny flew over to her.

"Not bad. You have decent enough control, and it may come as a shock to you, but you are a natural flier. Down to your dad, I suppose?"

"Probably," Violet murmured. "Fancy throwing the Quaffle at me?"

"Yeah, go on then."

Violet zipped over to one end of the pitch, her heart racing. What if she was absolutely useless and couldn't stop Gnny from scoring? She was all too aware of how well the girl played, and quite frankly Violet didn't feel like embarrassing herself. She tried not to let her nerves show as Ginny came zooming towards her, all the while the thought of don't be stupid echoed through her mind.

As she saw Ginny go to make a throw to her left, Violet panicked and zoomed in that direction, colliding with the Quaffle and going spinning. She steered the Firebolt in the opposite direction in an attempt to slow down and come to a halt, which thankfully worked. Heavy breathing, Violet looked at her friend to see she was quite shocked.

"Well… that worked! Wouldn't recommend doing it again though."

"You think?" Violet retorted as she flew back toward the goal posts while Ginny retrieved the Quaffle.

It went on like that for the next half an hour. Ginny going full speed to the goal posts and Violet trying her best to save it. She missed at least two thirds of the shots Ginny made, but the one third that she did save she ended up being quite proud of herself. She still struggled with the balance on her broom whenever removing a hand from it to defend the hoops, but she was able to do something worthwhile with it.

Eventually Violet called it a night and suggested they go do homework instead, thoroughly exhausted.

As they walked back up to the castle, they started chatting again. "Maybe I shouldn't try out for the team," she said conclusively.

"Why not?"

"I can't improve much more than that. I hate taking my hands off the broom…" she said with a shudder. "I'm much better at racing around the pitch rather than playing an actual game."

"Come on, Vi," Ginny groaned. "You can't be any worse than whoever else is planning to try out!"

"Honestly, I appreciated the help, but… I'm not sold." Violet was uneasy. "I don't think Angelina would want me wasting her time. Besides - I dread to think how my nerves would cope in front of people playing Quidditch. It was bad enough with you!"

"You got nervous in front of me?!"

"Well yeah, you're really good at Quidditch, Ginny…" Violet murmured, electing to take her hand down from the bun it had been in. She noted how her friend watched the black mess cascade down in a chaotic waterfall, a little mesmerised.

"Oh come on - you said you would," Ginny eventually said, snapping out of it.

"I've changed my mind," Violet said with a shrug. "I will just… go to the matches, and show my support."

"I bet you will…" Ginny winked at her.

Violet nudged her playfully with her elbow. Admittedly, while she'd come out of this evening no longer liking the idea of joining the Quidditch team in the slightest, she'd had fun with Ginny.


I was re-reading OotP the other day and honestly I think I prefer the less instant effect of the quill on Harry in the books - in that it takes time for the cut to appear. So I've gone down that route. The OotP section of this fic will be very much a mix of book/movie based events. Hope you're all enjoying still!

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-OL.