It's the middle of October and autumn is in full effect at Hogwarts University.
The leaves covering boundless trees across campus have turned to an orangish yellow. A crisp chill is in the air, and a constant fragrance of apple cinnamon wafts through the towers.
It's the first time out of my room in what felt like days. I fell into a deep depression following my traumatizing meeting with Dumbledore. The disturbing experience sent me into a downward spiral straight to psychological hell.
On top of that, I'm ashamed of the way I behaved around Dumbledore. The little to no control I have over my growing rage has only flourished as predicted by the headmaster. By association, I'm inwardly aware that my right eye is gaining dominance and more control by the day.
The days where I referred to it as my 'bum eye' are gone. It's inarguable that the unpredictable, yet to be discovered negative side effects are precarious. But the intoxicating surge of power gives me an empowering rush only leaving me wanting more.
Craving more.
Through the course of my self-established isolation, Dumbledore graciously excused my absences from class for the time being. My professors allowed my homework to be delivered and received through Malfoy. He would occasionally try to teach me new spells but there were too many accidents involved; there was now a gaping hole next our bedroom door and we were running out of pillows to practice on.
After apologizing to Malfoy for my blind accusations, our friendship bounced back resiliently. He wasn't much of a talker.. or a forgiver.. or one to speak on his feelings.. but he showed in his own ways that he forgave me. Helping with my schoolwork was one of them.
It's my first day returning to class and we were just dismissed from Charms. My arm was no longer in that bloody sling and I was passed by Snape, surprisingly, to partake in quidditch practice today. Hermione offers to walk me to practice since her next class was on the way. Though I really wasn't in the mood to mingle, I missed her gorgeous face and her company.
Hermione's hair is up in an elegant bun with a few loose strands framing her heart shaped face. A collared black and white polka dot blouse wraps around the nape of her neck beneath her robes.
"So.. how are you doing?" she asks.
"I'm good," I blandly reply adjusting the duffel bag on my shoulder. She stops walking in place with an incredulous look on her face. "What?"
"What do you mean what?" She closely observes me with furrowed brows. After letting out an exaggerated sigh she resumes her pace and walks a few feet ahead of me. She then spins on her heels; halting once more. "You haven't gone to class in over two weeks. Ever since your meeting with Dumbledore, you haven't even gotten out of bed. You were only willing to do so for quidditch practice today. Draco told me.."
"Well Draco is being dramatic. I got out of bed.. to like, shower and stuff.." I grimace at the borderline pathetic statement. "What were you doing with Malfoy anyway?"
"Nothing." She squeezes her textbooks, hugging them closer to her chest. "He was just teaching me the new levitation spell, that's all."
"Yeah, like I'm supposed to believe that," I sneer. "The smartest witch in the school definitely needs help from a Malfoy, right?"
"Well he's been helping you, hasn't he?"
I languidly raise my eyebrows in agreement.
"And stop changing the subject, Harry." Hermione creates a human barrier stopping me in place. "What you experienced that day with Dumbledore was horrific. Borderline barbaric.."
I chuckle shaking my head. "You're telling me."
"I'm serious." Her hazel eyes ignite as they meet mine. "I know you don't want to talk about it.."
I frivolously nod my head in another agreement. But she continues anyway.
".. Just remember that I'm here for you no matter what. Okay?" She cradles her books in one arm before giving both of my hands a tight squeeze.
I lightly smile looking down at her. "Thanks Hermione, I could really use a friend right now. To be honest, Professor Snape gives shit advice," I tease.
A bashful smile spreads across her lips as she folds her arms. "How many times must I tell you not to talk down on a teacher? Don't you think spitting in his face a few weeks ago was good enough?"
"Blimey, that's right. How dare I violate your crush?"
"I do not have a crush on a teacher!" she shouts, her cheeks turning tomato red.
"Mmm, I am unsure.. whether.. I agree with you, Miss.. Granger," I taunt in my best elongated 'Snape voice'. She giggles as I stroke my chin. "Mmmyes, I will be.. seeing you.. in detention.. you naughty little girl."
Hermione tries to hide the beaming smile behind her hand. "Stop!" she warns before firmly slapping my chest with unexpected force.
"Ow, bloody hell!" I bend over pretending to be in immense pain. "You hit my arm," I whine covering my eyes.
"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry!" she panics placing a hand on my back. "Are you alright?"
I slowly raise my head with a grin before charging at her. I forcibly grab both of her hands and our bodies twist and tangle in the impromptu battle. Her books crash to the floor as I stumble over her. I'm now hunched over her, firmly grasping her wrists from behind. I have her perfectly locked in place.
"Harry let go of me!" Hermione's infectious giggle warms my icy heart, and I have no intention of letting her free any time soon.
While keeping her in a bear hug, she slowly turns her head toward me and our faces end up only inches apart. My heart does a backflip as we lock eyes. The smile dissipates from her lips as we stand perfectly still; my arms now snuggly wrapped around her waist and her dainty hands now gripping my forearms.
"Hey, Potter." I glance up to find Ginny who's perched against a brick wall. The Gryffindor team captain shamelessly peers at us disapprovingly.
Maybe she felt the unexpected tension between us. Bloody hell, I wasn't expecting it either..
A pair of oversized rhinestone rimmed sunglasses rest on the bridge of Ginny's nose. She's fully decked out in her quidditch gear with a scarlet and gold cape tucked behind her neck. Since Marcus didn't have a seeker to train me, I was supposed to be tutored by her today.
"Oh hey, Ginny." I promptly release Hermione's waist. She kneels to the floor while slowly picking up her books. She keeps a close eye on the fellow Gryffindor. "I was uh- I was actually just on my way to practice," I add rather awkwardly.
"Really?" Ginny challenges. "Well, the field is that way." She points in the direction behind us.
I nonchalantly shrug my shoulders throwing my gym bag over them. "Right.. I must have missed it."
"Distractions will do that." Lightly pushing herself from the wall, Ginny struts past us looking over her shoulder at me. "Well, are you coming?"
I give Hermione a quick hug. "I'll see you around." She fluidly raises her brows in response with her lips agitatedly pursed to the side. Her eyes remain focused on my bossy quidditch comrade.
"Ginny," I call after her as I jog toward her with my gear. "Marcus wants me to screen you today. I noticed you don't have your broom.. how will you be able to, you know, train me?"
"And I noticed you went and got your bloody arm sprained which isn't fully healed. How will you be able to you know.. fly?" she replies with a slick tone. "Get you knocked out for the whole season? No, no, no. Not on my watch."
I smack my lips and stare up to the sky while taking a deep breath. "So then, what will I be doing exactly?"
"You'll slip into your uniform and leave your equipment behind.." She slowly runs a finger across my torso maintaining eye contact. ".. And you'll be on the field in 10. Got it?"
I reluctantly nod my head with closed eyes.
"And by the way," she adds stopping directly in front of me. "On the field, you refer to me as either Coach, or Captain. Not Ginny. Understand?"
I wrinkle my forehead at the unnecessary attitude being spewed my way. I didn't come out of bed today for this rubbish.
"Sure thing, Captain."
The locker room is filled with my teammates. I unenthusiastically throw my gym bag full of ready to be used equipment in my locker. After forcefully slamming it shut with my foot, I notice Malfoy across the way. He quickly tilts his chin up in acknowledgement as I do the same.
"Alright, mate?" I pat him on the shoulder as I near his side.
Malfoy cocks an eyebrow as an unspoken hello to me; per usual. He picks up either side of his forest green gym bag and shakes everything into place before zipping it. A miniature box falls to the ground and I bend over to pick it up for him.
"Since when did you fancy candy?" I ask observing the label.
Enchanted Chocolate HallowRing
My eyes narrow as I open the miniature box. A ring with a dark chocolate pretzel infused band holds two shimmery orange and black edible diamonds that smell of peach and blueberry.
"I don't fancy candy," he scoffs swiping the box from my fingers.
My mouth twists in confusion. "Then who's that for; Hermione?" I tease in a mocking tone. My smile drops as the pensive expression on his face remains. Based off his body language, I'm confident that I guessed correctly.
Yet for some reason, deep down, I hold hope that I hadn't.
"She pointed out this candy on the train; the first day we met." He delicately pinches the edible ring between his fingers raising it above his face. "I didn't have the courage to buy it for her then."
My eyes dart from side to side feeling my cheeks lightly flush.
Not only did Malfoy just fearlessly confirm his feelings for Hermione, but he actually went out of his bloody way to buy her something as romantically symbolic as this?!
I have no right to be feeling this possessive.
I mentally kick myself in the arse and suck it up. "That's uh.. that's brilliant, mate." I cancel out the risk of revealing the telling expression on my face and keep my eyesight on the floor.
Glancing to my watch I announce, "We better get to the field."
We join the rest of the team on the vast bright-green terrain. Each newbie is instructed to break off with their corresponding teammates for the first day of training.
I make my way toward Ginny who's currently lounging on a lawn chair with her heels kicked up. She has her face buried in a magazine flipping through the pages.
I'm instructed to run 5 laps around the enormous field, do 100 jumping jacks and 50 squats. I exhaustedly drag my feet toward the coach once I'm finished.
"Alright, I'm done.." I squirt water from a canteen into my mouth, simultaneously wiping the sweat across my forehead. I wait at the foot of Ginny's chair as the sun casts a shadow of my body over her.
She peers up at me irritably. "You're blocking my sun. Another two laps; carry on."
I furiously swipe the magazine from her hands. Her mouth hangs agape as she swings her legs to the side of the lawn chair. Placing both boots on the grass, she promptly stands before me and raises her sunglasses.
"Look, Gin- Coach. What exactly does any of this have to do with, ya know.. training me to be a bloody seeker?!"
She exaggeratedly puckers her lips as her eyes roll from side to side in contemplation. "Hmm.. not too sure.."
"Hmm.." I sarcastically reply tapping a finger on my chin. Maintaining eye contact, I leisurely toss her magazine to the bin. Her jaw drops to the floor once more. "Then why.. the bloody hell.. ARE YOU MAKING ME BUST MY ARSE?!" I shout louder than intended.
I place both hands on my waist and suck in a deep breath before rubbing my twitchy right eye.
Ginny bites the tip of her finger with a quick eyebrow raise. Taking one step closer to me, she abruptly grabs the front of my shirt yanking me inches from her face. "Because you are so hot when you're angry." She swiftly runs her fingers down my chest digging her nails into my skin. After taking a quick glance over her shoulder, her hand lowers running a finger along the inside of my waistband. My knees quiver at the sensation.
I squeeze my eyes shut pushing the back of my knuckles against my lips. I quite literally have to shove a fist in my mouth before going off on the sexy redhead.
She slips a hand beneath my shirt and glides her fingers against my sweaty non-existent abs causing my torso to shudder. I'm livid, confused, and extremely turned on.. it's an exceptionally uncomfortable combination.
"Ginny, stop." I pull her hand from beneath my shirt checking our surroundings. "I'm wearing gym shorts."
She cackles, thoroughly amused with herself as I watch on in bewilderment. I didn't think any of this was funny.
"So where were we?" she questions folding her arms. "30 sit ups? Only 70 more to go."
"You're unbelievable." I shake my head, lower myself to the grass and lay on my back.
She smirks using her wand to retrieve the magazine from the bin. "Go cry about it to your girlfriend."
With each sit up, I view Malfoy nearing closer from behind her.
"For the last time, Hermione's not my girlfriend," I protest through gritted teeth. "And if I didn't know any better, I'd say you're acting extremely jealous, Captain."
"Psh. Me? Jealous?" After another sit up, I freeze in the upright position. Malfoy approaches her from behind holding his broomstick. "But you two were so cute together earlier. After all, you make a brilliant pair. A Slytherin and a Gryffindor? How scandalous."
Malfoy stops in place with a puzzled expression.
"Leave it alone," I desperately plead. My eyes dart between her and Draco who's now slowly shaking his head.
"Oh lighten up, Potter. I promised to never tell Ron about your little crush on her." Ginny proudly straightens her posture swishing her hair from side to side. She had no idea the current damage she was doing. "She sure seems to be the prize to be won around here; what was her name again, Helen? Hermes? Herm-?"
"Hermione," Malfoy speaks up from behind.
Ginny sharply inhales twirling toward him. "And who are you?" she scoffs.
Malfoy fails to look at her with his eyes dead set on myself. "Is it true then?" he questions prowling toward me.
I don't fancy Hermione.
I can't fancy Hermione.
She's my friend, and she was already claimed by another Slytherin who was now glaring at me. Apparently my five second delay and guilt-ridden grimace was more than enough of an answer for him.
Malfoy mounts his broom with his jaw tightly clenched. After flipping me off he kicks off from the grass, shoots above the ground and meets with the rest of our team in the air.
Ginny confusedly peers between us as the snarky smile evaporates from her face. "Uh oh.. did I get you in trouble?" she cringes. If I didn't know any better, the Gryffindor actually felt guilty for the first time today.
I run a petulant hand through my hair before collapsing on my back. "Just a little."
"Weasley." Marcus lowers himself from out of the sky on his broom. "A word, please. One of your Gryffindor's has gone and gotten his arm broken."
Ginny looks at me one last time in remorse before marching off with the Slytherin team captain.
I refrain from doing my next sit up and remain on my back against the brighter than normal green grass. I deeply inhale and tightly squeeze my twitchy right eye before opening both wide. I stare up at the sky with my hands on my stomach. Closing my left eye, I watch the ultraviolet dark blue clouds pass against the light red sky. I lightly smile at the visuals my dominant eye was currently presenting.
I spread my body flat against the field and decide to lie there for a little while.
