The first night we spent in the Gryffindor common room was so much fun. We
met everyone in our year properly; there were five boys- Harry, Ron, Dean,
Seamus and Neville. They all seemed nice enough, although Neville looked a
bit hapless really, and as for Ron's clothes! I suppose he grows fast... he
and Dean were the tallest by a long way, about three inches taller than
Lavender, who was the next tallest. Then there was Seamus and me, then
Hermione, then Neville, then Harry. There wasn't that much height
difference really, but if we were to stand in a line it was obvious. The
difference that stood out the most was between Ron and Harry. I assumed
they had had a similar experience to Lavender and I on the train, and were
going to become great friends. I didn't know at that moment how right I
was! Admittedly, they've had their ups and downs, but they always sort
themselves out. I wish it could happen like that with Lavender. Then again,
I don't suppose Ron and Harry ever fight over something like this, or do
something as unforgivable as I have...
With the conversation on the Express fresh in my mind, I couldn't help but size up the boys looks-wise. Immediately, I knew that I wouldn't be pining after Neville any time soon. Ron was all right, I suppose, but a bit too tall and gangly for my liking. Seamus was certainly full of the Irish charm, and Dean was great company, too. But there was something about Harry... his hair was a bit scruffy, I know, but there was something special. It was probably the 'super-hero' thing. I mean, Wizards and Witches of our age grew up hearing his name from before we could even talk ourselves! His eyes were fascinating- an emerald green that shone in the firelight. They were definitely his best feature. Lavender was quite fond of Dean and Seamus, and we discussed the boys in great detail that night. Hermione had spent most of her time talking to Neville, she seemed to think that we were too young for boys, 'And besides,' she said 'there's much more to a person than looks you know!' Lavender and I shared a knowing glance, and continued to rate the male portion of the Gryffindor house. We both agreed that, despite the lack of chance either of us had, the athletic looking fifth year who had been sitting in the common room corner talking to the Weasley twins was definitely the most attractive.
*******
Parvati was brought out of her memories as Iballal jumped off her lap onto the floor. She looked up to see that the door to the dormitory was open, and someone was standing, watching her. She wiped the tears away from her eyes, and saw that it was Hermione.
'Parvati? Are you ok?' Hermione ventured cautiously. Parvati shook her head, struggling hard against the fresh wave of tears building up in her eyes. But it was impossible, and she began to cry again. Hermione looked unsure of what to do. After all, she and Parvati could hardly be considered as the best of friends... but she was terribly upset. And following what she had just witnessed in the common room, well, she couldn't just leave her like that. Hermione crossed the room and sat down next to Parvati. 'Oh Hermione!' she exclaimed, burying her head in Hermione's shoulder. Hermione put her arms round Parvati. 'What happened, Parvati? I thought you and Lavender were the best of friends-' 'That's just the problem!' sobbed Parvati 'We were, but now... now I've ruined it. It's all my fault...'
*******
Earlier that evening, Hermione, Ron and Harry were walking towards the Fat Lady, after having been to visit Hagrid. They were laughing about his rock cakes as they stepped through the portrait hole ('leo grandeur'), but their smiles had faded as soon as they noticed the disruption in the common room. Lavender was screeching at Parvati from across the room. Both girls had tears streaming down their faces. Dean appeared to be holding Lavender back, as if she'd tried to slap Parvati. The rest of the common room was deathly silent, the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were standing on the stairs to the boys' dormitory, Ginny and Colin had abandoned their game of exploding snap by the fire, transfixed by the scene unfolding in front of them. A group of first year girls sitting in one of the corners looked terrified.
'How could you Parvati? How could you?' Lavender's voice was high pitched through anger and tears. 'I'm sorry... I didn't mean to!' Parvati sobbed back. 'You're sorry? Well sorry doesn't make anything change! You're supposed to be my best friend, and all you did was stab me in the back!' This last remark was the final straw for Parvati, who turned on her heel and fled up the spiral staircase to her dormitory. Lavender collapsed into Dean's arms, shaking furiously with every sob. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked to Dean for explanation, but all he could do was shake his head and shrug his shoulders. The trio went over to Ginny and Colin to ask what had happened, and were soon joined by Fred, George and Lee.
'It was awful,' Ginny began. 'We were just playing snap, when Parvati came running through the portrait hole. She wasn't looking where she was going, she almost ran straight through our game. Then Lavender arrived, and started screaming at her...' 'That's when we came down from our dorm,' continued George. 'The two of them were making enough noise to attract even Professor Binns' attention!' 'Dean came out of your dorm just ahead of us' Fred added, looking at Ron and Harry, 'he must have known something was going on...' 'Well, that doesn't surprise me,' Ginny interrupted. 'Lavender was shouting about Seamus- no doubt he'd been telling Dean about whatever happened.' There was a short silence, and then George spoke up. 'Someone should go and see if she's ok...' he was looking in the general direction of Harry, Ron and Hermione. 'Oh no, don't look at me!' Harry protested 'I don't think I'd be the best person to comfort Parvati, she's never really forgiven me for the Yule Ball...' Ron looked equally uncertain. 'You can count me out too. If it's love trouble, I'm definitely not the person to ask...' Fred and George exchanged a smirk. 'We all know that, brother dear,' Fred stated, with a sideways glance at Hermione. 'So, as it's girl trouble, it looks like it's down to you two.' All the boys turned to Ginny and Hermione. 'But I hardly know her...' Ginny looked hopefully at Hermione. 'Oh alright... I'll go... but let it be known,' she added as she headed up the staircase, 'you're all cowards. And you owe me, big time!'
******
With the conversation on the Express fresh in my mind, I couldn't help but size up the boys looks-wise. Immediately, I knew that I wouldn't be pining after Neville any time soon. Ron was all right, I suppose, but a bit too tall and gangly for my liking. Seamus was certainly full of the Irish charm, and Dean was great company, too. But there was something about Harry... his hair was a bit scruffy, I know, but there was something special. It was probably the 'super-hero' thing. I mean, Wizards and Witches of our age grew up hearing his name from before we could even talk ourselves! His eyes were fascinating- an emerald green that shone in the firelight. They were definitely his best feature. Lavender was quite fond of Dean and Seamus, and we discussed the boys in great detail that night. Hermione had spent most of her time talking to Neville, she seemed to think that we were too young for boys, 'And besides,' she said 'there's much more to a person than looks you know!' Lavender and I shared a knowing glance, and continued to rate the male portion of the Gryffindor house. We both agreed that, despite the lack of chance either of us had, the athletic looking fifth year who had been sitting in the common room corner talking to the Weasley twins was definitely the most attractive.
*******
Parvati was brought out of her memories as Iballal jumped off her lap onto the floor. She looked up to see that the door to the dormitory was open, and someone was standing, watching her. She wiped the tears away from her eyes, and saw that it was Hermione.
'Parvati? Are you ok?' Hermione ventured cautiously. Parvati shook her head, struggling hard against the fresh wave of tears building up in her eyes. But it was impossible, and she began to cry again. Hermione looked unsure of what to do. After all, she and Parvati could hardly be considered as the best of friends... but she was terribly upset. And following what she had just witnessed in the common room, well, she couldn't just leave her like that. Hermione crossed the room and sat down next to Parvati. 'Oh Hermione!' she exclaimed, burying her head in Hermione's shoulder. Hermione put her arms round Parvati. 'What happened, Parvati? I thought you and Lavender were the best of friends-' 'That's just the problem!' sobbed Parvati 'We were, but now... now I've ruined it. It's all my fault...'
*******
Earlier that evening, Hermione, Ron and Harry were walking towards the Fat Lady, after having been to visit Hagrid. They were laughing about his rock cakes as they stepped through the portrait hole ('leo grandeur'), but their smiles had faded as soon as they noticed the disruption in the common room. Lavender was screeching at Parvati from across the room. Both girls had tears streaming down their faces. Dean appeared to be holding Lavender back, as if she'd tried to slap Parvati. The rest of the common room was deathly silent, the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were standing on the stairs to the boys' dormitory, Ginny and Colin had abandoned their game of exploding snap by the fire, transfixed by the scene unfolding in front of them. A group of first year girls sitting in one of the corners looked terrified.
'How could you Parvati? How could you?' Lavender's voice was high pitched through anger and tears. 'I'm sorry... I didn't mean to!' Parvati sobbed back. 'You're sorry? Well sorry doesn't make anything change! You're supposed to be my best friend, and all you did was stab me in the back!' This last remark was the final straw for Parvati, who turned on her heel and fled up the spiral staircase to her dormitory. Lavender collapsed into Dean's arms, shaking furiously with every sob. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked to Dean for explanation, but all he could do was shake his head and shrug his shoulders. The trio went over to Ginny and Colin to ask what had happened, and were soon joined by Fred, George and Lee.
'It was awful,' Ginny began. 'We were just playing snap, when Parvati came running through the portrait hole. She wasn't looking where she was going, she almost ran straight through our game. Then Lavender arrived, and started screaming at her...' 'That's when we came down from our dorm,' continued George. 'The two of them were making enough noise to attract even Professor Binns' attention!' 'Dean came out of your dorm just ahead of us' Fred added, looking at Ron and Harry, 'he must have known something was going on...' 'Well, that doesn't surprise me,' Ginny interrupted. 'Lavender was shouting about Seamus- no doubt he'd been telling Dean about whatever happened.' There was a short silence, and then George spoke up. 'Someone should go and see if she's ok...' he was looking in the general direction of Harry, Ron and Hermione. 'Oh no, don't look at me!' Harry protested 'I don't think I'd be the best person to comfort Parvati, she's never really forgiven me for the Yule Ball...' Ron looked equally uncertain. 'You can count me out too. If it's love trouble, I'm definitely not the person to ask...' Fred and George exchanged a smirk. 'We all know that, brother dear,' Fred stated, with a sideways glance at Hermione. 'So, as it's girl trouble, it looks like it's down to you two.' All the boys turned to Ginny and Hermione. 'But I hardly know her...' Ginny looked hopefully at Hermione. 'Oh alright... I'll go... but let it be known,' she added as she headed up the staircase, 'you're all cowards. And you owe me, big time!'
******