Disclaimer: I own very little, let alone the characters of this story.
*** Thanks goes out to Hermione Weasley for always being such an enthusiastic reviewer. It really means a lot to me and I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as all the others! Lily Michelle I'm so glad you thought the last chapter was great and you're right…I did skillfully get around Lee and Katie in that last chapter…and for that I give you this chapter (in which something HUGE happens)! I hope you like it! Andie it's great to see you back again! I'm so glad you're still loving my story! And I'm glad you'll be able to read more often! Thanks so much! Fredngeorgegirl you are right: it is VERY sad about Padma but I had to do it, you know? Thanks so much for reading and reviewing and I must say, I'm excited for you to read the chapter with "Lady in Red" too! It really is a great song! Thanks for pointing me to it! Ronaldrose hello! I enjoyed writing that last chapter for everything…I even liked writing how sad Padma was and Seamus and Lavender are just…cute. That's the only way to put it! Thank you so much for reading and reviewing! Ron Is Mine is a really fun screen name, and hey! You're new! I'm so glad you've enjoyed my story! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as the others! Americanangel you're questions about the twins and Natalie…and even some stuff dealing with Carmen and Lee…will be answered (or presented…this chapter might just be a little confusing)! I'm looking forward to everyone's response to this chapter in particular, I must say, so please continue reviewing! Thanks so much! HogwartsHoe this is your chapter! I love this chapter so much and I'm looking forward to reading your review on it! I hope you enjoy it and thanks for all the awesome words of encouragement! Ednyadove I just caught up reading your fanfic and it's absolutely lovely (GO READ IT EVERYONE!)! I really had fun writing the Ron/Hermione part and I'm glad that you enjoyed reading it as well. They really are just cute! Thanks so much for reviewing! Celeste thanks so much for the review! I'm glad to know the last chapter was your favorite! That really means a lot to me that it was! I hope you like this chapter too! TO EVERYONE: This chapter may be a little confusing and there is a note at the end of the chapter…if anyone has any questions, ASK AND YE SHALL BE ANSWERED! LOL! Thanks to everyone for being so wonderful! You guys make my day wonderful! Love you all!
Chapter 36: Interlude in the Shower
Harry woke up early the next morning. The morning sun streamed in through the window and found its way through the slit of the brocade curtains surrounding his bed.
He rolled onto his side and looked straight ahead, staring at what little he could through the opening between the curtains.
Listening closely to the every morning sounds that filled the dorm, Harry knew who was awake and who was asleep. He knew what everyone was dreaming. For instance, Neville was snoring/wheezing in his sleep which meant he wasn't dreaming at all. Neville's roommates had learned early on that Neville was really only dreaming when he was tossing and turning. Dean though, Dean was making soft noises and Harry really didn't want to imagine what Dean was dreaming of. He could imagine Seamus was happily dreaming of Lavender and likewise Ron was dreaming of Hermione.
Harry hadn't dreamt of Parvati.
No, rather he had dreamt of the problems that could very well arise in the next few days.
"Dumbledore is supposed to be all knowing…if that's true…then why is he breaking my sister's heart?" He knew Parvati was only worried about her sister but he angry with her for even saying that. Dumbledore would never break anyone's heart unless there was a good reason. Did that mean then Dumbledore was breaking her sister's heart? He just didn't know anymore.
"Harry are you awake?"
That was Ron. The sun must have been bothering him too.
Harry made a little noise to let his friend know that he was awake.
"Harry, I was thinking…well, how are we going to get Malfoy to talk to Pansy? It's not that I like either one of them, you know. I think they're both slimy gits but Dumbledore would never not take care of them. How are we going to get Malfoy to tell Pansy how he feels?" Ron repeated.
"Maybe we should talk to him?" Harry suggested.
"It won't be that simple though Harry. You know that," Ron said.
Harry drew open his curtains. Ron's head was peeking through the curtains around his bed. "I don't want Dumbledore involved unless we absolutely have to," Harry thought. "I mean, it's not like someone's going to die or anything," he teased although neither of them thought it was funny.
Ron nodded. "I don't want to either…but I don't exactly relish the thought of talking peacefully to Malfoy."
Harry silently agreed. There was silence between the two boys, except for the breathing of the others. "I wonder how the twins are doing on Natalie."
"I saw them last night after I…um…left Hermione and they told me everything was going smoothly. She's even beginning to ask them good questions. I guess she asked them who was Lee's first kiss," Ron told Harry.
"Who was Lee's first kiss?" Harry asked curiously.
"Angelina," Ron whispered. "Back in second year I guess. It's not a big deal, not at all, but Fred still likes to act cranky if you mention it. I reckon he doesn't like the thought of Angelina at any age kissing other boys."
Hmm, must be a Weasley trademark.
"But he answered her politely," Ron quickly finished. Ron sighed and Harry heard the rustling of sheets. "Merlin these beds are cramped, aren't they?" Ron observed loudly.
Dean groaned. "Shut up Weasley…some…of us…are trying…to…" But his voice faded off before he finished what he had set out to say, saying all they needed to know with the silence.
Ron threw back the curtains on his four-poster bed. "I'm getting up now," he announced quietly to Harry through a yawn. He reached his hands toward and the ceiling and stretched his long body out.
"I'm going to the loo," he said to no one in particular.
Harry rolled onto his back and stared up ahead. He knew it was useless to try and fall asleep again. The room was too bright with sunlight.
He clumsily got out of bed and because he was temporarily blinded, until he put his specs on that is, he thumped into numerous things, including his nightstand which in turn sent his wand, which he had lazily left on the nightstand the night before clattering down to the ground.
Dean bolted upright in bed. "OK, I'm awake!" he startled.
Harry looked at Dean strangely, quietly amused by his roommate's awakening skills.
Dean fell back into his pillow. Harry chuckled and shook his head. Even though he was in his pajamas still, he decided to trek his way into the common room. It wasn't yet seven o'clock in the morning—Sunday morning, by the way, but there was already a head of long hair curled up in the chair by the fire, reading a book.
"Natalie Pickett, right?" Harry asked quietly. He felt even the mere presence in his voice disturbed the silence.
Natalie looked up from the pages of her book and nodded. "Good morning." Her voice came out as a breath. "What are you doing up so early?"
He came and sat down on the sofa. "I could ask you the same thing."
She sighed. "Yes, I suppose you could." She officially shut the covers of the book and held it on her lap. "I had a hard time sleeping. A lot has been on my mind as of recently. Lee, for example," she finished. Her eyes wandered over to the flickering flames of the fireplace and stopped there.
"He sounds like a really great guy," she began again. "I've never really talked to him before. Of course, I knew who he was. Everyone knows who Lee Jordan is." She smiled distantly as if she was remembering something good. "Carmen had a crush on him," she blurted out softly.
Harry's jaw dropped.
Natalie looked at Harry strangely. "What?" she asked, utterly confused by the way he was staring at her.
"What did you just say?" he repeated slowly, carefully.
She drew her dark brows together. "What? All I said was that everyone knows who Lee Jordan is."
"No, after that," Harry whispered. His breath was coming in short as he was stunned by what he thought he had heard her say.
"What? Oh, you mean about Carmen liking Lee? I thought everyone knew that," she commented. That same confused, quizzical look was still on her face.
Harry jumped up from his seat and ran up the stairs, bursting in on Ron in the bathroom. The mirrors were foggy from the showers.
"Harry? Is that you mate?" Ron asked. Harry could hardly tell where his friend's voice was coming from, much less see Ron through the thick fog.
"Ron! I've got to tell you something!" Harry exclaimed.
"What?" Ron yelled back. His voice echoed in the tiled bathroom.
"Turn off the water Ron!" Harry yelled.
Ron fumbled with the nozzle and finally Harry only heard the constant drip of the water from the faucet. Ron emerged from the fog with only a towel around his trim waist. "What is it?"
Harry took a deep breath. "Carmen Lowery has a crush on Lee Jordan."
Well, what did you think of that? I KNOW I said earlier Carmen had a crush on a Hufflepuff…and I thought she did until I wrote these last scenes, in which case the line "Carmen has a crush on him" just sort of popped out there. But I like it. It makes for a few more interesting scenes later on! LOL! Thank you so much for everything and please, be kind, 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.
Parting is all we know of Heaven and all we need of Hell.
~ Emily Dickinson
