Disclaimer: I wouldn't be offended if you pretended I own them, but I'm not pretending I own them!
*** Thank you so much to Triniroo, who reminded me to do this chapter! And so, in essence, this chapter is for you! I hope you enjoy! Thanks so much to Aquamarineangel, it was a pleasure to review your story and so I hope you like this chapter! Hermione Weasley, thanks for telling me you like the little notes I write to each of you, I was going to continue doing so but I was afraid it annoyed everyone! You're an awesome reviewer! Spicey, I'm glad you're happy this won't be a Harry/Ginny fic…they're cute sometimes but sometimes they really sicken me. I'm glad you enjoy this story! Thank you everyone for reading and reviewing!
Chapter 19: Friends and Enemies
Parvati turned away from the window and looked at Harry sheepishly. A slight blush tinted her dark cheeks and Harry was quite aware of the fact she was one of the two most gorgeous witches at Hogwarts, the other one being her twin sister Padma.
He grunted deeply, somewhere in the back of his throat. "Maybe we ought to wake those two up. I imagine Madame Pince will be coming soon."
Parvati traveled the short distance to the table and winked slyly at Harry, who smiled in turn while he watched her shake Hermione and Ron. Ron nearly fell off his chair and Hermione yelped when she saw what her support was. "Oh dear," she whispered in a sleep-muted voice while she watched a shocked Ron jump from the floor. Their faces had turned red.
Harry immediately decided he liked this side of Parvati Patil.
"What time is it?" the still drowsy Hermione asked.
Ron squinted into the lighted window. "How long have we been here?"
"I think we spent the night here," Harry told them. He had fun watching their red faces turn nearly purple. It was entertaining to torture them.
"Parvati was wondering if there wasn't any mention of what to do when two people who supposedly like each other fall under the same curse. There isn't, is there?" Harry quizzed.
Hermione, still looking dazed, sat there for a quiet moment before speaking. "I don't know, but I am thinking we need to get out here before—
Too late. They could hear Madame Pince muttering the unlocking spell from the other side of the library door. They heard her key turn and heard her slowly open the library door.
She was humming a tune they didn't recognize.
"I think we need to leave now," Ron mouthed. He motioned for them to follow him and took them behind a few bookcases as Madame Pince looked through the checkout list she kept impeccably up to date.
Quietly they tiptoed out of the library. None of them had been breathing and let out a unified sigh of relief, that is, until they felt the presence of someone behind them, someone dark…and ugly.
Harry was the first to turn around. His emerald eyes met with a blackened cloak and his eyes moved upward, meeting the horrid face of Snape. His stomach wanted to practice upchucking.
The other three turned and looked at Snape with worried expressions.
"Well, well…it's a bit early for four Gryffindors such as yourselves to be wondering the hall, isn't it?" he commented snidely. He took in there appearances; Harry looked relatively awake but his hair was more out of place than usual. Hermione's eyes were bright from just waking up and her hair was not so bushy but rather long and curly and shiny, as if she hadn't showered yet. Ron's face was flushed and his hair too was at odds and ends. Parvati's dark tresses were mussed up and the thick black mascara she wore adorned the bags under her eyes, not her eyelashes. He carefully chose what to comment on.
"Ms. Patil, you look rather unkempt. Should I as what you four have been doing or do I not want to know?" he asked. His words caused all four of them to redden. Slightly.
"We just returned from the Quidditch pitch," Harry lied. It was lame but it was the only thing he could think of.
Snape's lip turned upward. "Is that so?" he asked. His dark eyes flickered and Harry was fairly sure Snape knew he was lying. "Ms. Granger hates Quidditch. And where are your other teammates?" Snape asked.
"Right here, Professor," Angelina said from somewhere behind the Professor.
Snape's pale nostrils flared and he slowly turned around. Sure enough Angelina Johnson was there. "The boys went up to Gryffindor already to shower. Harry was just talking with Ron about the new play we learned. That's all." She smiled sweetly and rerouted her movement back to Gryffindor.
Harry could feel Snape seething. "Well, it seems you have an alibi." He looked at each of them. "Perhaps next time you won't be so lucky, Potter, Weasley." His voice was deadly calm. He turned on heel, his cloak whipping the foursome and stormed off.
They sighed, relieved and nearly ran to Gryffindor, running into Angelina who was back down from Gryffindor.
"Thanks, Angelina," the said in unison.
Angelina smiled. "It'll be our little secret," she said quietly and winked. She left the four of them to travel back to Gryffindor.
The portal door banged shut behind Parvati. "Snape really is icky, you know?" she thought out loud.
Ron snorted. "Icky isn't a strong enough word. I'm going to take a shower."
"Yeah, me too," Harry said, walking away with Ron.
Hermione and Parvati shrugged. "We might as well too."
***
The girls emerged from their showers too late for breakfast but for once, Hermione made sure she looked alright before leaving Gryffindor Tower. "Let's see, who else could Katie have liked? Or Lee? Who did Lee like?"
Parvati scrounged around in her brain to think. "Well, Alicia did say Katie liked Lee? Hmm, maybe Alicia was mistaken or something. I don't know."
The talked between each other the entire way to their Charms classroom, "Well, I still think that Lee probably liked someone else, that's really the only explanation, isn't it?" Hermione asked.
"Hermione, you're the smart one, not me so I have idea why you're asking me that," Parvati retorted. She smiled at Hermione. "But you're probably right; Lee probably did like someone else."
"I don't suppose you could figure out whom, could you?" Hermione asked.
Parvati winked and grinned wickedly just as they came to their Charms room. "I think I can handle that," she said just as they parted ways, Parvati to take her usual seat next to Dean while Hermione went to sit next to Harry and in front of Ron, who sat next to Neville.
"Where were you?" he whispered in her ear just as Flitwick told them to take out the object they were to bring today. Hermione had chosen to bring a small medallion she had brought from home. She had one the medallion that summer at a contest at the fair in London. It brought back good memories for her. They would be charming their object to change into a prism sort of thing, allowing colors to pass through the object.
"Never mind," she hissed.
She heard Ron huff and settle back into his chair. Then she heard the parchment ripping and sighed.
Within seconds she felt Ron tap her shoulder and toss the crumpled parchment over her head. It landed between her and Harry on the table. She slowly opened it, keeping her eyes on Professor Flitwick so he wouldn't become suspicious.
Where were you?
She sighed. He was absolutely ridiculous, really. Despite her chagrin, Hermione answered him, allowing Harry to read her answer too.
Taking a shower, if you must know.
Hermione passed the note back to Ron and could almost feel the heat from his body as he blushed. She smiled inwardly and settled back into her chair to enjoy the rest of the lesson.
***
"Why would write such a thing?" Ron demanded as they left the room.
"Write what?" Hermione asked.
"That you were in the shower!" he exclaimed.
Hermione couldn't help not laughing. He was so funny sometimes. "Oh please Ron, you didn't think only boys showered, did you?" Ron's cheeks burned crimson and Harry nearly doubled over with laughter.
"Hey Mudblood," Draco's familiar voice drawled. "You were almost late, what were you making yourself ugly for the Weasel?" His eyes traveled up and down her body. "Of course, for you ugly would be an improvement."
Tears stung behind Hermione's eyes but she refused to let him see them.
Ron's fists were clenched at his side and his teeth were gritted together. "Take that back Malfoy," he said darkly.
"Now why would I take back what is true?" Malfoy asked. His lip curled upward and his actually handsome face turned quite vulgar.
Harry stepped up next to Ron and answered Malfoy's question quite seriously. "Because if you don't Ron and I will pummel that pretty face of yours to a bloody pulp."
Malfoy sniggered. "Really Potty? That's something I'd like to see." He was still sniggering when Ron and Harry looked to each other. Hermione stepped back and found herself between a protective Dean and Seamus. Parvati's eyes were glued to the three angry boys.
Ron threw the first punch. He clipped Malfoy's ear. He wouldn't have, but Malfoy ducked just as the fist came flying his way. He wasn't quite fortunate enough to get out of the total way however.
Harry was the one to throw the punch that toppled Malfoy, who lay on his back attempting to shield his pretty face from the Gryffindors' blows. He was quite unsuccessful however because Ron would aim at his ugly face and Harry would punch elsewhere, to which Malfoy would try to cover and then Ron would punch his face.
Malfoy's cries for help echoed in the hallway and continued to echo until Professor Flitwick finally came out of his classroom to see what all the commotion was about. As small as he was, he easily lifted the two best-friends from the crying Malfoy.
Even though they were almost sure to get expelled, or at least benched for the whole Quidditch season both looked triumphant.
Flitwick pulled the platinum blonde Slytherin to his feet and looked around to the group. "Mr. Thomas, what's going on here?" he asked as his eyes finally settled on the black Gryffindor Prefect.
"Well Professor, Malfoy called Hermione a foul name and Ron and Harry were only protecting her dignity," Dean answered smartly.
"That isn't true Professor!" Malfoy detested hotly. "They're lying!" Malfoy's head bobbed up and down for emphasis but his fat lackeys' heads remained still until Malfoy jabbed them in the ribs, then they nodded so violently it was a wonder their heads didn't fall off.
Professor Flitwick took this all in and then turned back to the Gryffindors. "Is what Mr. Thomas says true?"
"Yes Sir," the five observes answered respectfully.
Professor Flitwick's eyes remained on them until he clapped his hands together. "Very well then, Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter I suggest you go down to the Infirmary, Mr. Malfoy follow me to Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall. Together the three of us will determine a punishment for you, and then you may go see Madame Pomfrey. The rest of you get on to your next class."
The crowd dispersed, but not before Hermione echoed Ron's action at one point, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you," she whispered. She smiled at Harry, but didn't reach on tiptoes to kiss him. Then she fell back between Parvati and the other Gryffindor boys.
Ron and Harry made their way to the Infirmary slowly. Neither one of them was too badly hurt so they walked slowly to Madame Pomfrey's Infirmary.
"I'm telling you, you ought to tell her Ron!" Harry said loudly.
Ron's head whipped around and when he was certain no one heard his friend he shushed him. "Geez Harry, do you want the whole bloody school to know?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "The whole bloody school already does know."
***
"Eek!" Parvati squealed and jumped on Hermione's back as soon as the boys were out of earshot. "You should have told him!"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Sure Parvati, right. I should have told him right here in front of you and Dean and Seamus and Neville. Right."
"What's the big deal Hermione?" Dean asked. "We all know you like Ron…you shouldn't be embarrassed to tell him in front of us."
"Oh yes! It would be so sweet!" Seamus mocked gushed.
Hermione's smile was tightlipped. "Would you guys shut up?" she requested playfully.
"You like Ron?" Neville asked quizzically. His eyebrows were pulled tightly together. They all just laughed at him.
So, what did you think of that? I really had a lot of fun with this chapter, and don't worry, it won't be the last fight between Ron and Malfoy! So, here's a question: what should the deal with Lee and Katie be? I'm not sure I know, so I thought I'd ask you guys. Do you like this story? You aren't getting bored are you? Well, if you are, any suggestions would be welcomed! Thank you for reading this, it really means a lot to me. Please review!
*** As a side note, please pray/light a candle/meditate/whatever-it-is-you-do for the Allied forces in light of the war…and not only for the Allied soldiers but also the innocent Iraqi lives that will be lost. Remember, it is not Iraq we are against, but Saddam Hussein. I apologize if this request has offended you.
No government is perfect. One of the chief virtues of a democracy, however, is that its defects are always visible and under democratic processes can be pointed our and corrected.
~ Former President Harry Truman, 1947
