Chapter – 15

Harry's assailant fired multiple spells in succession towards him. Harry deflected all of it away. Some of Connor's spells instead hit the wall. The spectators who were watching had to take cover when several stray spells nearly hit them.

Harry knew that he had to end the unplanned duel as soon as he can before anyone else got injured so, in the end, he deflected one of Connor's spells back to the originator. Connor's own spell hit him squarely in the face and he fell to the floor in a crumpled heap.

Harry slowly stood up with his wand still pointing straight towards the now unconscious seventh-year Ravenclaw.

The silence that followed was deafening. Everyone that happened to be within the Entrance Hall as they watched Harry stood triumphantly over his adversary. His face concocted with untold fury. Everyone also watched in silence as they heard footsteps came marching towards Harry.

Harry didn't turn to look at the approaching footsteps. He already knew who the new arrival was. The sound of the footsteps and the swishing sound of clothes rubbing against each other were all too familiar.

"Lower your wand, Potter."

Harry did as told.

Professor Snape took one look at the now unconscious Michael Connor. "You know what this constituted, Potter?"

Harry just shrugged. He decided not to explain or retaliate. He knew all too well that when Snape is involved, fortune would never be in his favor.

Seeing that Harry remained silent, Snape continued, "A week's worth of detention. A further fifty points shall be taken from Gryffindor. Now take the boy to the hospital wing. And no magic this time, Potter. I shall know."

Snape then turned back to where he came from and left the scene.

Harry stared at the receding back of the Potion Master before turning to look at Connor. "Great! just great!" he grumbled.

Michael Connor was not exactly thinly built. He was practically Ravenclaw's version of Goyle. There would be no way for Harry to be able to heave him and carried him toward the hospital wing. The audiences were not helping either. They just stood and stared at him.

Harry decided right there and then that he was not going to break his back carrying someone five times his size. Ignoring the looks he gained from everyone around him, he again raised his wand.

Michael Connor was safe and secure inside the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey could only shake her head when she saw the unconscious Connor floating into the ward.

"We got into a fight," Harry told the resident nurse. "He was hit by his own spell."

Madam Pomfrey raised her eyebrows. "His own spell? Not yours?"

"Not mine," Harry confirmed. "He attacked first. I fired a warning shot. That's about it. It didn't hit him. He got angry and began firing even more spells towards me. I deflected one of his spells back to him so here we are."

Madam Pomfrey didn't reply. With a flick of her wand, Connor's body floated towards one of the available beds and laid there. She then pointed her wand towards Harry and began scanning him.

"There's nothing wrong with you," she concluded after stowing away her wand. "There's no need for you to linger. You can go now. I have enough to worry about, what with the Tournament and everything that comes with it. I seriously don't need another one."

"Well, if it presents any form of consolation, I got a one week's worth of detention from Snape," said Harry as he was about to leave. "And Gryffindor lost fifty points today because of me."

"Did he now? I'm not going to say you deserve it."

Harry smiled and winked at the resident nurse. "Just call it for what it is."

He then made his way out of the hospital wing, leaving Madam Pomfrey shook her head.

News traveled fast. Hermione and Ron were the first who came up to him the moment he set his foot within the common room.

"You downed Michael Connor? That's awesome, mate!" exclaimed Ron in delight.

"Ron! Harry got one week of detention and we lost fifty points! How can you say that?!" said Hermione reproachfully.

"That bloke is a pig, Hermione. He deserves what Harry did to him."

Michael Connor was known to chase girls throughout his school years. He was even known to date multiple girls at the same time, both within and outside of Hogwarts. The worst part was he didn't care who his target was. He would flirt with someone else's girlfriend if he thought he likes her. He got called out many times because of it and he got involved in fights with quite a few boys both in and out of Hogwarts. But he didn't care. He just like girls a little bit too much. Unlike Malfoy however, he was generally amicable towards Harry. This was the first time he and Harry fought.

"I know what kind of person he is but that doesn't mean that I willingly see my best friend get into trouble because of it!" She then turned to Harry. "People are talking about how you and Connor fought over a girl. I refused to believe it because it's just not you but I need you to explain."

Harry didn't answer at first. He instead took a seat at his usual spot within the common room. "Yes, we fought over a girl (Hermione made a dismayed noise). That however wasn't the whole story. I didn't date the said girl. I merely talked to her. Connor probably got jealous when he saw us."

"Who's the girl, Harry?" asked Seamus curiously. "Who did you speak to?"

"Fleur Delacour."

Every male within the common room gasped when they heard this.

"Blimey!" said Dean impressively. "Didn't you mention that you're going back to London this holiday? So did she say yes?"

"Yes to what?"

"The Yule Ball."

"No. I didn't invite her to the Yule Ball and yes, I'm going back to London. I was just asking her some questions. That's all," Harry explained.

"What kind of question? Like does she already has a boyfriend? Or with whom she will be going to the Yule Ball with?"

Harry glanced at Hermione who looked back at him, her eyebrows raised.

"None of those, Dean. The questions aren't important. Just forget about it, alright?"

Fred crossed his arm to his chest. "Not sure if we can forget that quite easily. We were told you sat with her for quite a long time. Sounds to me like it's a missed opportunity, mate. Are you sure you're not asking her to the Yule Ball, Harry-kins? I highly doubt you didn't. I mean, many blokes wanted her. Many would stop at nothing until she says yes. You should have seen them. Right, George?"

George agreed. "Right, Fred. Some were outrageously funny. Some looked downright pathetic. Most looked just plain sad that you could almost write fanfiction about them. So yeah, it's difficult for us to believe that you didn't propose to her."

Harry shook his head. In exasperation, he said, "Look, I sat with her for like five minutes. It wasn't that long."

"That was longer than anyone else. Everyone else lasted no more than a few seconds. Remember David Cameron of Hufflepuff, Fred?"

"Oh, I remember him. Feels like it happened just now, George. Dave fainted immediately just as he about to hand his letter to Fleur. Poor bloke. Hope she read it though."

"Did you feel anything peculiar when you sat with her, Harry?" asked Neville.

Harry found that the boys were staring at him with great anticipation. It seemed that they really wanted to know what it felt like sitting and talking to Fleur from a male's perspective. He thought for a while. "No. I don't feel anything peculiar. It feels the same way as sitting beside Hermione or any other girl for that matter. Why do you ask?"

That wasn't the truth of course. Sitting beside Fleur certainly did not feel like sitting beside Hermione or any other girl for that matter. The sensation was... different... for the lack of a better word. Her smell, her look, her voice, and various aspects of her, all combined to form something that was thoroughly wonderful and intoxicating. It felt like smelling the scent of amortentia. Except for this time, Fleur was the amortentia.

This somehow awakened the memory of him visiting Grimmauld Place together with Sirius some time ago. Sirius didn't want to return to that wretched house. He had to. There was the matter of family heirlooms that Sirius needed to settle with Gringotts. They explored the whole house. Harry gets to meet Sirius's mother who at that point was nothing more than an age-old painting. The conversation he had with her was rather interesting. He also gets to meet Kreacher, an old house-elf whom Harry suspected had a few wires unfortunately connected in reverse inside his brain.

It was there that Harry gets to look at the pearlescent-looking potion for the first time:-

Sirius showed Harry a vial of liquid back when they visited Grimmauld Place. The Black family kept a vault full of various potions ranging from the most benign to the most dangerous one ever to exist. Sirius told Harry to take a smell out of the vial.

"Tell me. What do you smell?" asked Sirius as he plugged the vial back with its cork.

"Flowers," Harry replied. "I can't tell what flowers though. Lily, maybe? With a hint of poppy and poinsettia? Can't you also smell it? Is that a perfume?"

Sirius shook his head. "It's not a perfume. Amortentia induced different kinds of smells to different people who took a sniff at it. It depends on what attracts them. Mine would be different from yours."

"I suppose. You think I'll be attracted to my own mother? I mean, her name is Lily after all."

Sirius laughed at this. "That would be very weird. I dearly hope not. Those flowers you mentioned are quite prevalent in France if you must know. Anyway, amortentia is a love potion, Harry. And a very powerful love potion at that. You'll learn how to make it in your final year."

"What on earth would your family do with a love potion, Sirius? Doesn't seem like your mother craves a love that much," said Harry incredulously.

"Many things, Harry. All of them are sinister. My family's history is as dark as its name," said Sirius grimly as he placed the dusty vial back into its cabinet. He then leaned towards Harry and whispered, "But enough of that. British girls are pretty too. Give them a chance."

"Huh?"

Harry pondered on what Sirius said during their brief time at Grimmauld Place. He then suddenly remembered that sitting beside Daphne also induced the same indescribable sensation, albeit a bit less in magnitude compared to what he experienced with Fleur. And they both smelled nearly the same.

Lily with a hint of poppy and a dash of poinsettia.

"Are you sure? Even when she was just passing by we all felt weird. I ran into the wall when she walked past me the other day during lunchtime. Dean forgot how to speak the day before when he walked past her at the Entrance Hall," said Seamus.

"Yes, I am sure. You don't see me speaking backward or kissing the wall passionately after that meeting with her, do you? Maybe there was something else that had nothing to do with her that causes all of you to act weird. But anyway, she's a free agent. She has yet selected anyone to be her date for the Yule Ball. You guys are still in the running. Good luck."

That last statement somehow brought smiles to everyone's face.

The prospect of having to endure a week's worth of detention wasn't the only thing that hung within Harry's mind for the next few days. Not that he was concern about it. Detentions felt nothing to him. What troubled him however was a rumor that was now circling around like wildfire:-

'Harry would be attending the Yule Ball with Fleur Delacour.'

He facepalmed the first time he heard about the rumor. Many of his friends from other houses went up to him demanding confirmation.

"Who told you this? Who started the rumor?" he asked.

"I don't know. I heard people talking. So is it true?"

Those were their replies.

For the next few days, Harry endured anger and jealousy, not only from most of his schoolmates but also from most of the visitors as well. The females were angry at him because they thought Harry duped them by saying that he won't be attending the Yule Ball. The males were jealous of him because they thought he had snagged the most beautiful girl of them all. This was made even worse when another rumor surfaced about how close he was with another hotly pursuit girl, Daphne Greengrass.

Many unfortunately refused to believe him despite his denial.

Michael Connor, embarrassed by his defeat in the hands of Harry, led an all-out smear campaign to discredit Harry. He had become even worse than Malfoy. He resisted facing Harry though, unlike Malfoy, and preferred to attack from afar.

Harry still had friends on his side though. The Gryffindors wholeheartedly believed him when he said nothing really happened between him and Fleur. Roger Davies, Cedric Diggory, Ernie McMillan, and Justin Finch-Fletchley were among others who also believed him. They all tried to help by explaining to everyone else what really went on. They achieved limited success though. While there were students who changed their minds and believed, the fact that Fleur treated Harry differently made their jealousy continued to seethe.

"I don't get it. I thought when I said I am not going to the Yule Ball with Fleur, people are going to be happy. And yet the opposite happens!" he ranted to Hermione one day. "Just because she allowed me an audience doesn't mean that something is going on between us!"

"People believed what they want to believe, Harry. Remember our second year? The whole school thought you're the Heir of Slytherin," said Hermione.

Harry sighed. "Yeah, I remember that. In the end, it was Harris Pritchard's father who petrified the students including you, Hermione. Not some sort of mythical creature that came out of a non-existent chamber of something-something. By the way, have you heard anything from Fleur's side? Did Daphne tell you anything?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. I heard none. I mean I did ask Daphne about her cousin. She just shrugged. Why don't you ask her instead?"

"I told you she has been avoiding me ever since, remember?"

"Oh, right. Well, then go ask Fleur," Hermione suggested. "I'm sure she wouldn't mind. You talked to her before."

"I thought of that but I don't think that's a good idea though. The rumor will heat up if people see me talking to Fleur again. I just wish that she does something about it."

But unfortunately for Harry, Fleur did nothing of sort. He was absolutely sure that Fleur knew and completely aware of the rumor about her and Harry that was spreading and yet she made no effort to quash it. Instead, she made the situation for Harry even worse. As of late, all her actions only fanned the flame even further. She would give him the widest and sweetest smile she could give whenever she saw him and she had no qualm doing it in direct view of everyone else. No conversation took place between them, however. Harry was careful enough not to let that happened. He knew what could happen if it did.

But then again, his efforts were met with marginal success, no thanks to Fleur. It was true that they didn't speak, but everyone could see how differently she acted whenever Harry was around. It was reported that she was quite haughty, snobbish, and dismissive especially to boys who she deemed lesser. He however never saw those traits whenever he and Fleur occupied the same space.

Hermione told him that Daphne was just like Fleur - snobbish, haughty, and dismissive as well. The only reason she treated Malfoy well was because of the protection Pansy Parkinson afforded her. Of course like Fleur, Harry never saw this with his own eyes.

"She was being protective of herself, maybe? I don't know. Seems to me that 'worthiness' plays an important role in how she perceives everyone. Of course, she treated the females better than the males," said Hermione.

Speaking of Daphne, there was still no end in sight to the sudden 'confrontation' he had with her. Hermione noticed this as well. She said to him that she missed Daphne and Tracy. The two girls no longer joined Harry and Hermione at the library. Harry told Hermione what Fleur regaled to him. Hermione said she already knew all along that Daphne took a liking to him.

"The clues are there. The way she speaks to you and the way she looks at you, it's all there. I just choose not to do anything about it because I know you're not ready. She spoke about you quite a lot you know. She wants to know everything there is to know about you so I told her what I know. She was willing to wait until you're ready. But this relationship she has with that boy from Beauxbaton stump me as well. I really don't know what to say to that," said Hermione.

They both were in the library at that time. Daphne and Tracy were nowhere in sight.

Harry sighed. "Do you know that feeling when you're sure that every path you're planning to take just feels wrong? That's what I feel right now."

Hermione stared at Harry. "You felt responsible."

But Harry shook his head. "No. More like helpless, as in not being able to help her at all. Honestly, I have no idea what I need to do. How do I diffuse the situation between me and Daphne? I am happy that she already got someone. I just don't want to lose her as a friend."

"Maybe you should rethink your strategy of giving her some space. Maybe you should confront her and tell her what you think," Hermione suggested.

Harry pondered on Hermione's suggestion for a moment.

"You know what? You're right. I'll confront her. Let us hope she's willing to listen. If things don't turn out well for me and her, at least I'll have closure," Harry decided eventually.

"What about Fleur?"

"I'm going to ignore the rumor," Harry replied after a few moments of contemplation. "Once she got a partner for the Yule Ball, the rumor will die by itself and I will be spared from all these crap. All she needs to do is to make the right decision for herself and make it quick."

Hermione was unconvinced, however. "She probably already came to a decision, Harry," she muttered.

"Well, that's good, isn't it? Now all she needs to do is to announce to everyone who the lucky lad is."

Hermione went silent.

"I might be wrong, but I think she already did," she said.

Harry refused to believe that he was the 'lucky lad' no matter how hard Hermione tried to convince him.

"There are a lot of things that sounded wrong in your statement, Hermione," Harry argued. They were on their way back to the common room from the library.

"Harry, I'm telling you this based on what I saw. All the signs are there if you know where to look," argued Hermione back.

"Well, you saw it wrong."

"Then why is it that she smiles at you whenever she sees you? Why is it that she treated you differently from the rest of the boys? Why is it that she allows you to sit right next to her when she never allows that to anyone else?" Hermione insisted.

"Because I asked her nicely? Because I stated my intention early on that has nothing to do with the Yule Ball? Daphne introduced me to her if you remember. We were like acquaintances, we know each other. There's no reason for her to be rude to me," said Harry. "Furthermore, how would you know she never treated other boys the way she treated me?"

"Something tells me that is a rare occurrence."

"You're reading too much into it, Hermione," said Harry dismissively. "I am no psychologist. I don't read into signs and stuff but even I can tell that what you said is utter rubbish. By the way, why are you trying so hard to convince me? As I recall, you're not into this kind of thing."

"Because your current problem won't just go away that easily, Harry. That's what I'm trying to tell you. There is a good chance that Fleur might already have made her choice and you're in it."

"Hermione, she's already seventeen. In less than a year she'll come of age and become a legal adult. I'm fourteen years old. I'm just a kid. I'm even younger than you and Ron. She's crazy if she picks me as her companion to the Ball. Can't you see how awkward it look if both of us walk into the Great Hall hand in hand that night? I don't see her lowering her standards anytime soon," said Harry.

By this time, they reached the portrait hole.

"There's no way you can guess what she was thinking, Harry," muttered Hermione just as Harry was about to announce the entry password.

Turning to Hermione, Harry replied, "I could say the same to you. Look, I'm going back to London this Christmas. I'm not going to the Yule Ball. Maybe you're right that she really pick me to be her date for the Yule Ball but bear in mind that when the time comes, she'll probably be dancing with Filch that night if she keeps this up. I pray that you're wrong, Hermione. I'm not the right person for her."

He then turned to face the Fat Lady portrait and spoke the password. He was about to head to his dormitory when Hermione suddenly grabbed his arm.

"I can see why they chose you. I choose you if I were them," she said.

Hermione then walked past him and made her way towards her dormitory, leaving Harry looking stricken.

The next few days, much to Harry's relief, Hermione didn't raise the issue after that little argument they had. Things had gone back to normal for both of them. He was still banking on Fleur to help him quashed the rumor by making a denial or selecting anyone who would potentially be her date for the Yule Ball. Whichever way she chose was fine by him. He was confident that the rumor would die on its own the moment everyone saw the man who gained the honor to hold her hands during the Ball.

But there was still one issue that he needed to address. Daphne. And he got the chance one day right after Arithmancy's class ended.

"Daphne! Wait up!" he called out to her.

Before, Daphne would wait until everyone else leaves the classroom so that she, Hermione, Tracy, and Harry could leave together. Nowadays, she would be the one to dash out of the classroom before everyone else.

Daphne quickened her pace the moment she heard Harry calling out to her. But of course, Harry was quicker and he was able to catch up with her in the nick of time.

"Wait!" said Harry. "We need to talk."

But Daphne ignored him. She kept on walking.

"I just need a minute. Look, I'll follow you back to your common room if I have to," he pleaded, looking at Tracy, signaling her for help.

Tracy nodded. She tapped Daphne's shoulder and said, "He just wants to talk. This has been gone for far too long. At least listen to what he has to say."

Much to everyone's surprise, Daphne stopped walking. But she still didn't look at Harry. Her back resolutely faced him.

"Thank you," said Harry to Tracy. He then turned to Daphne. "I heard your story. Your cousin told me. Now please don't be angry with her! She was merely helping," Harry quickly added when he saw the sign of rage build upon Daphne's face. "I'm the one who you should be angry with because I'm being too nosy."

Daphne began to calm down a little bit. Still, she remained silent. She stared resolutely to the floor.

"Whatever it is, we can still be friends, Daphne," Harry continued. "I don't think just because you already have someone, you can't have friends. Hermione and I miss both of you, a lot. We just wish things go back the way they used to be."

It took her a while to reply to Harry. "Maybe things won't go the way they used to be," she softly said. "It's just a memory."

"Is it so hard to keep our friendship intact? You changed all too suddenly. Hermione and I were caught off guard. At least tell us the reason."

Daphne slowly turned to look at Harry. Tears could be seen streaming down her beautiful face.

"I love you," she admitted chokingly. "The longer I look at you, the stronger my feeling is for you. It's unbearable. You don't know what it feels like, to know that I can't have you and knowing you're not having anyone. That is why we can't be friends. That's why we have to part ways."

This time, Harry was the one who became silent.

"I was wrong to make the first move," Daphne continued. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "I've been watching you since the beginning of our second year. I was astounded by your bravery, your altruism, and how you prevailed against all odds. You achieved so much for someone so young and yet you remained just the way you are, that awkward boy who I heard had lost everything."

She gave a great sigh before continuing, "What Fleur and the girls said is true. I already have someone and I love him. But now I love you too. I don't know what else I can do other than staying away from you."

"I truly appreciate this friendship we had, Daphne. You opened my eyes to a lot of things and you helped me a lot even when there was no need for you to do so. You showed me that there's more to Slytherin than just Malfoy and his gang. I truly don't want it to end. I really do. But I also understand your dilemma. If this is the only way, I accept. I'm probably the wrong guy for you to fall in love anyway."

Daphne looked up at him. "Is that what you always tell to yourself?"

Harry smiled at her. "Let put it this way. I know where I stand in the whole scheme of things. I came from a broken family. I carry a lot of baggage with me. But I'm not here to talk about myself. As I said, I understand your dilemma. Nevertheless, I also know that you're brave. I take it that you don't want to be separated too far from your family which is why you willingly enrolled here when Beauxbaton would have treated you better. You probably don't have to hide there like what you did here. It takes a lot of willpower to willingly hide behind someone as notorious as Parkinson but you did it anyway."

Daphne said nothing to that. She remained silent.

"If what Fleur said is true, you have about less than a year here at Hogwarts before you depart for Beauxbaton. You know, we may no longer be friends, but you could still bring along some good memories of your time here when you leave. Think about that," said Harry.

It took Daphne a while before she finally nodded. "Thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome."

With that, Daphne turned around and left. Tracy followed her, but not before nodding appreciatively to Harry.

Harry just stood there, watching the two leave for what could be the last time. Turning to Hermione who was standing nearby watching the whole proceeding silently, he said, "That's it. I'm sorry."

Hermione approached him. Her face was filling with sadness and anguish.

"This is why I said if I were them, I choose you," she said.

Things had gone back the way it was for Harry and Hermione. Once again, it was just the two of them. No more Daphne and no more Tracy. Harry consoled Hermione who still couldn't get over Daphne and Tracy's departure, telling her to cherish the memories of the four of them together instead of dwelling too much on it.

"They moved on, Hermione. We have to move on too," Harry told her.

Days went by. The heat of the tournament began to rise again. November the 24th. was getting nearer. For once after so many weeks, everyone forgot about the Yule Ball and turned his or her attention towards the impending First Task.

Harry was fully expecting that Snape would call him to do the detention any time soon within that period. That did not happen. Not that he was complaining about it. He was also taken by surprise when he found out later that Snape had yet deducted fifty points from Gryffindor as he said he would.

The nature of the First Task was finally revealed on Monday, three days before it began. The champions would have to face, of all things, dragons.

"They're not kidding when they say it would be dragons!" exclaimed Justin.

Justin and the rest were gathering around the newly erected sign at the Entrance Hall during breakfast.

"How's Cedric taking it?" asked Harry.

"No idea," replied Justin whose eyes had yet left the sign. "All champions are gathering inside Dumbledore's office right now. They are probably receiving final instructions about what to do with the dragons. I guess we'll find out soon enough. Goodness gracious, dragons! I'll be pissing in my trouser if I'm one of the champions."

"I heard the dragons will come from Romania. I wonder how they're going to bring them here? It won't be just one dragon, would it?" said Ernie.

"More importantly is where they are keeping the dragons," said a seventh-year Gryffindor. "I would like to see them if I could."

"Most likely deep inside the Dark Forest. They won't do it anywhere near Hogwarts," said another seventh-year Gryffindor.

"Lucky we decided not to compete, Fred," said George.

"Yeap. Lucky we are," Fred agreed.

"But you won't win the ten thousand galleons prize money, you know," Lee Jordan teased.

Fred however shrugged. "We would like to keep our heads firmly on our neck, thank you very much."

"Yes, and we don't fancy becoming dragons' lunch and dinner either. I imagine it would be uncomfortable spending the time inside a dragon's gut," added George.

All champions turned up at the Great Hall during lunchtime later that day. Harry could see that they were not themselves at that time. Cedric's face whitened with fear. Derek facepalmed throughout lunch. Fleur herself was not spared either. He could see her hands trembling when she tried to pick up her goblet. It was the same situation with Adriana and Khristina. Only Nozomi seemed unfazed. Even then, she didn't touch her food at all. God knows what was running inside her mind. Harry couldn't see clearly what Viktor Krum and Balondemu's reaction was but he figured they also were worried.

Midway through lunch Professor Lupin came up to him. Leaning down towards Harry, he spoke, "I'm setting up a security taskforce for the First Task and beyond. I want you to be a part of it. We will be working closely with the DMLE. Would you accept it?"

Harry was completely floored. He totally didn't expect that.

"Well, yeah. Absolutely," he gushed.

Lupin smiled and patted his back. "Great! You came highly recommended by the Minister of Magic himself. I'll see you tonight at the headmaster's office."

Lupin then made his way back to the High Table.

His friends were staring impressively at him.

"You will be working with the Aurors, Harry! That is so cool!" Seamus exclaimed.

Harry just smiled in delight. Little that he realized that that night, his Christmas plans would be put in shambles.

To be continued...

A/n: I would like to thank the guest reviewer dated May 27th. It wasn't a small mistake. Thank you for pointing that out. The correction has been made. As for the guest reviewer dated June 7th. I very nearly use the term 'football'. Guess the 'soccer' term won the day.

I would like to also comment on that one single review for my 'Intermission' fic but before that, I would like to make it plainly clear that I am a Harry/Fleur shipper. I won't be writing the now-defunct 'Across the Time' fic if I am not one. I am however not against canon pairing, except maybe Ronmione. I don't get the hate tbh. Bill Weasley is a good guy. I don't see anywhere within the books that said otherwise. Just because we like Harry/Fleur pairing so much doesn't mean that we should hate the original pairing especially when there's no strong reason to do so. I could go on but I am too lazy to do that.

Anyway, enjoy.