Episode Twenty Two
Part One
The term was quickly coming to a close and the students had never been more busy. Between studies and Quidditch practice Harry was particularly unavailable, something Graves took advantage of. He spent more of his time with Gwen than with any of his fellow Slytherins and soon Draco wasn't the only one who noticed their strange relationship blossoming.
Just the same Gwen tried to balance her time with both boys.
She still couldn't figure out just what it was about Harry that made her so nervous. It wasn't something she felt could easily be resolved and in the meantime she could try and sort out her feelings for Corwin which were growing stronger by the day.
One sunny afternoon strolling about the grounds Graves pulled her aside, away from the other students enjoying the perfect weather. He took her hand in his slowly. She felt her insides turning over and over. Why couldn't she just make up her mind? Two guys more than willing to chop off their own feet to make her happy and she couldn't tell whom she wanted more. The glorious Harry Potter or the tortured Corwin Graves.
Both had more baggage than she could understand, but that didn't matter to her. It was more that she'd never felt this way for any person before, let alone two people who felt the same in return.
He was looking deep into her eyes now and she felt her knees go weak. He leaned in and planted a feather soft kiss on her lips. He smiled a lop-sided kind of grin and stepped back.
"I've got to get back to the castle." He said hurriedly. "I forgot to do something." He had the biggest, stupidest smile on his face and Gwen couldn't help but giggle at him. He blushed scarlet and sprinted back to the castle with a new spring to his step.
Maybe she could make up her mind.
Part Two
As Gwen went to sleep that night she had only one thought on her mind: how to tell Harry about her feelings for Graves. Since she'd already told him about her earlier doubts it seemed only fair to explain to him the final outcome of the situation.
She was falling in love with a seventh year Slytherin named Corwin Graves.
"Harry." She began softly when she finally found a moment to have him to herself in the common room.
He gazed at her with mixed emotion, but Gwen only saw confusion in his bright green eyes.
"I want to tell you how I feel." She said. "I think I've sorted out my feelings."
"I know. I heard about you kissing that seventh year."
"Oh Harry." She said with a rush of emotion.
"I just want to know one thing." He said.
"Anything."
"What made you choose him over me?"
She took a moment before beginning. "It's a lot of things Harry. I'm not really sure. I'm really terrified of…" She trailed off. She couldn't tell Harry she was terrified of him.
He waited patiently. He really wanted to just jump up and scream, but he would rather hear it from her than some other person pushing gossip through Gryffindor house.
"You know Harry," she said with tears welling up in her eyes. "I feel the same for you as I do for Corwin. I love you so much, but it's easier with him." She hesitated again. "Maybe someday…"
He took her hand, wanting so badly to change her mind. He knew that if she did it wouldn't be anytime soon. She was right, it would be easier with Corwin. He gave her a heroic grin and through his own rising emotions said: "can I ask you a huge favor?"
"Of course." She said quietly.
"I want just one kiss from you. After that we can be the best of friends, but I just want this one thing from you before you… Just one kiss."
Before she could answer an owl swooped down and dropped a letter on Harry's lap.
"It's Hedwig." Gwen said softly, petting the owl lovingly.
Harry opened the letter, perused its contents and blanched slightly.
"Harry?"
"I have to go Gwen, it's urgent. Please, just give my request consideration." With that he walked quickly out of the common room leaving Gwen to think about just one kiss.
Part Three
Professor Snape was pacing up and down the dungeon during Double Potions on Thursday. It was unnerving Gwen, her hands shaking as she added far too much asphodel to her cauldron. She was fairly sloppy at potions to begin with and she didn't like the addition of the nervous jitters Snape was so aptly providing her.
Her mind was obviously elsewhere, aptly caught between two boys as the average sixteen year old mind usually is. Professor Snape noted the return of her hazy, daydreamy demeanor. He meant to snap her out of it by riding her in class.
He was breathing down her neck, she could feel the hairs prickling where he was staring at her. Her hand jerked sharply and she knocked a vile of foul smelling fluid on the floor. She sighed, this was not what she needed. She closed her eyes, trying to gather her composure and as she was about to grab a rag to clean up her mess she heard Snape whispering wickedly in her ear.
"Princess Guenivere would like someone else to clean up her mess for her perhaps?"
"I was about to get it professor." She said tersely. The students sitting around her pulled away reflexively; they had all seen this type of scene play out before. Gwen would open her mouth a little too far and Snape would lit into her something fierce.
"Your delay is going to ruin my dungeon floor."
"I don't believe olive juice has any acidic properties professor and I don't see how it could stain, it hasn't been sitting there long enough. If you'll let me clean it up now then it definitely won't and we wouldn't even have to have this discussion."
Snape's deadly smirk fell and an even deadlier look came into his eyes. But Gwen was too busy pushing his buttons to notice that she already had him racing in the red. He reached a hand into his robes and pulled out his wand. The rest of the students gasped and pulled even further away. Gwen never broke eye contact with him. She was one of the few who didn't fear him.
Snape pointed his wand at the spilled pile and whisked it away. His eyebrow arched. "For your impertinence Ms. LeFey, 20 points from Gryffindor. And for your continued attitude problem in this class, detention."
Gwen continued to stare him down until he finally broke away to lecture class on the proper administration of the potion they'd just made. When she finally sat back down upon her stool she had to wonder if all the trouble was worth it.
