A/N: Sorry for the long update; I just got back from Brooklyn. Anyway, here's the long-awaited chapter: )
Chapter 64:
After dinner that evening, Harry found himself in the Gryffindor common room scribbling on an essay. There was only a handful of people in the Common Room. There were two first years, a group of about five giggly third years, a handful of stressed fifth years, Harry, Lavender, Parvati, and Katie Bell. Katie was deep in concentration, scribbling on a large model of a Quidditch field. She was constantly yelling at people to be quieter.
Hermione had urged Harry to go someplace quiet to do his essay, but, truth be told, the room of requirement was nearly always occupied, the library was too full of people, and the DA room had become a popular hangout. So the common room was the perfect place. Hermione and Ron were out in some closet, Ginny had retired early, Lenore was with Draco and Tabby in the Slytherin Common room, earning quite a bad reputation with some Gryffindors, and Harry had no idea where anyone else was.
Lavender and Parvati were twittering excitedly next to Harry about Michael Corner asking Lavender out. He gets around, doesn't he? Thought Harry, chuckling. It was getting annoying though. Harry looked into his book to find out where Monkwood grew, but, though he read the page over and over, he didn't comprehend anything. He slowly was caught unawares and tuned into the conversations all around him.
"And his hair! Oh, Parvati! I'm so excited; the next Hogsmeade weekend is in three weeks, and I still have to decide what to wear, and—"
"OWLs, in only three weeks; this is absolutely ridiculous, Natalie! I haven't even written my study charts; my older brother said he spent at least eight hours a day, and the stress-relieving potion from Madame Pomfrey was completely-"
"But he's a fourth year, Kat! I'm not sure, and he's a Hufflepuff, so I—"
"But Lisa! He asked you out! He's so cute!"
"I can't believe how lucky you are--"
"Yeah, Snape, the foul bastard! Detention! Just for not raising my hand, honestly… I'm beginning to think he's prejudiced against Gryffindors…"
"You think?"
"Yeah; Why does Dumbledore even keep him? He probably works for You-Know-Who!"
"Wouldn't it be fun to prove he was a spy? Honestly, nothing fun ever happens to us! In my cousin's first year, the Chamber of Secrets was open, and in my sister's, Sirius Black was on the loose!"
"Yeah, I know what you mean! My sister's boyfriend's best friend, was in the Triwizard tournament! And Victor Krum came, and there was a romantic Yule Ball…"
"Yuck; what do girls see in him—"
"Slytherin Chaser moves center field, takes left, maneuvers up, Keeper right there to stop him; Seeker nearly gets hit by bludger… ooh, Harry should teach the others how to do Sloth Grip Roll…"
After several minutes, Harry shook himself out of his daze and forced himself to concentrate on the book. Around eight, the first eyars left the common room, and, an hour later, students began spilling into the common room and diffusing throughout the Gryffindor tower, eventually ending up in their rooms. At eleven, the fifth years decided to sneak out and go to the library, and two third years went up to bed while three left the Portrait hole, giggling. Half an hour later, Katie went up to bed, and Parvati followed, leaving Harry and Lavender alone in the common room.
Around midnight, Ron, Hermione, and Lenore still weren't back, and Ginny had gone to bed. Suddenly Lavender threw down her book.
"I can't concentrate! I need caffeine!" Harry nodded.
"I'm with you there; I was actually just thinking of going down to the kitchens. Wanna come?" Lavender's blue eyes brightened.
"Really? You know how to get to the kitchens?"
Harry nodded. "Oh, yeah… I've known since third year!"
Lavender smirked. "I'm impressed, Potter… but you undoubtedly had that map. I found it on my own, in second year."
"Really?" asked Harry, impressed. "I thought only Fred and George knew about it…"
"Actually," confessed Lavender, a blush creeping up her face, "George showed me."
"But he-he-" sputtered Harry. "George wasn't dating you, wa-was he?"
Lavender grinned and flipped her dirty-blonde hair over her shoulder. "Actually, George Weasley was my first boyfriend. Just don't tell Katie; I like being on good terms with her… I've heard that she's the jealous type…" Harry laughed.
"Okay; I won't. But come on."
"Wait," said Lavender cautiously. "We'll get caught. The kitchens are a hike from here…"
"Not if you have an invisibility cloak," said Harry idly.
"But the invisibility suits are in the DA room; that's not very close either!"
"Not suit," said Harry, suppressing a smile, "Cloak. Which happens to be upstairs in my trunk. I'll go get it, shall I?" Harry grinned as he saw Lavender's eyes light up, impressed.
He tip-toed up to his dormitory and rustled through his trunks. In fifth year they had gotten a bulletin bored for the room, and a large sign on it said that the room was reserved April 12th from nine to one AM, by Seamus. Harry chuckled. When he grabbed his invisibility cloak and Marauder's Map, he hurried downstairs. As he glanced over the Marauder's map, he saw that Calista was sitting in Snape's office, with Snape. Harry shuddered. Remus was visiting Evelyn again, Ron and Hermione were actually a fair distance apart, and Lenore and Malfoy were too close together for Harry's liking. His eyes scanned the map once more, and, surprisingly, Tabby was sitting with Seamus, in the room of Requirement. Harry decided not even to ponder this, and instead looked for Ginny's dot, which was still and peaceful in the fifth year girls' dormitory in the Gryffindor Tower.
When Harry reached the common room, Lavender picked up the invisibility cloak with interest.
"I like it," she whispered, fingering the cloth. "It's so… mysterious. Slippery. It's like a shadow that consumes you, and you don't know if you'll ever be able to breathe again…"
"I never knew you were a metaphorical type of person," commented Harry, as he and Lavender threw the Cloak over themselves, heading out of the portrait.
"Who's there?" asked the Fat Lady, startled.
"Mind your own business," whispered Lavender. Harry laughed.
For the rest of the way to the Kitchens, Harry and Lavender were silent. They passed Mrs. Norris once, but that was about it, besides seeing a pair of first years sleuthing through the corridors. When they reached the picture of the fruit, Harry tickled the pear, and watched as the portrait swung open.
Harry stepped into the room, Lavender right behind him, and threw off the Invisibility Cloak. Lavender looked excited as three elves rushed over to them.
"Miss Brown! Mr.Potter! What can Twinkly do for Sir and Miss?"
"Hi, Twinkly!" said Lavender brightly. "Do you have any hot chocolate, perhaps? With marshmallows. And possibly, if it isn't too much, some chocolate chip cookies?" Twinkly the elf beamed.
"Of course! And for you, Sir?"
"I'll have the same as Lavender, please," said Harry. "And if possible, could I see Dobby and Winky later?" The elf frowned.
"Yes, sir, of course. But Dobby is trouble. You is putting bad ideas into Dobby's head for four years! And Winky is poor in health; useless elf. She does nothing for her master. I will tells them that sir is wanting to see them, but I is not liking Dobby and Winky. They's bad elves!"
Harry decided it would be useless to argue. He just smiled as the elf scurried away.
"I'm glad Hermione isn't here with her spew nonsense," smiled Lavender. Harry chuckled.
"You don't know the half of it! For a year no elves but Dobby would go near the Gryffindor tower because of that girl…" Lavender laughed.
"This was a new way of coming into the Kitchens," she said suddenly.
"What do you mean?" asked Harry.
"I've always come a different way," she remarked, frowning slightly.
"There's another way?" asked Harry, puzzled. "Where?" Lavender looked at him teasingly.
"There is, but… I'm not telling. It's cool to have it all by myself."
"But it isn't on the map!" protested Harry.
"The map doesn't know everything, Harry. Now. Off of that subject." Harry was about to protest, but she refused to answer. A moment later, five elves carried over two steaming cups of hot chocolate and a platter of warm cookies.
"Thanks," said Harry appreciatively. The elves bowed and hurried away.
"Mmm," said Lavender, taking a sip of her hot chocolate. "This is delicious. I love hot chocolate."
"Me too," said Harry, taking a long sip. It was very good.
"Harry, are you a metaphorical person?" asked Lavender, grinning, as she bit into a cookie. Harry frowned.
"Maybe…" he said, thinking. No, he definitely wasn't…
"Do you think life is kind of like… an ocean, Harry?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, thinking. This conversation was way over his head.
Lavender laughed. "Well, everyone is a swimmer. In the beginning of life, you're in the shallow end, with floaties, but, as time goes on your floaties are taken away and it isn't shallow anymore. It's deep, and dark, and you can't see the bottom. It's scary. And there are waves; sometimes they're little, but sometimes they're huge, Harry! And storms. And sometimes, when you're swimming, you grow tired and can't stay up. You begin to sink, even though everyone thinks you're still with them. And soon you're looking up, through the water, helpless. If you're lucky you can get up long enough to yell for help, and someone will save you, and support you for a little while. But, if not, you get carried away with the tide. You know?"
Harry was a bit taken aback. That was deep. And he was using a pun on words in his thoughts. "Wow, Lavender… that's… very… unexpected."
"What do you mean?" she asked. "Do you think I'm like Parvati? There's so much more to me; to life- than gossip and laughing. It's confusing. It's like a strong tide, pulling you, so hard, into the other direction. The ocean is scary, Harry…" Harry nodded slowly. He could see what she meant.
"Well," said Harry, "maybe it's a river. In a river, there are rocks, and there are waterfalls, and rapids, and calm water. Rivers go through all sorts of places."
"But rivers have ends," said Lavender sadly. "It is easy to get to the end of the river. Rivers lead into oceans."
"Maybe oceans are the afterlife?" suggested Harry.
"No, no… Life is an ocean. Rivers are… not life."
Harry shrugged. "Whatever you say, Lav." Then he felt like using another pun. "Whatever floats your boat."
"Ha ha," said Lavender sarcastically, smiling. "So the Boy-Who-Lived is a comedian, too?" Harry nodded promptly.
"That's me, the wondrous Harry Potter. Invincible, funny, intelligent, irresistible…" Lavender pushed Harry playfully.
"You are not irresistible."
"Aren't I?" asked Harry skeptically. He and Lavender both froze awkwardly for a moment. Luckily, though, Dobby suddenly came to the rescue.
"Harry Potter, sir!" he squeaked. "Dobby was hoping to see Harry Potter soon! Dobby was worried, what with the rise of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named… it is dangerous for Harry Potter, and Dobby wants Sir to be safe."
"Thanks, Dobby," said Harry happily. "How are you? Where's Winky?' Dobby looked down sadly.
"Winky is not getting better, Sir. Winky is in bad health. Dumbledore, noble man, is letting Winky go see a counselor, but Winky is not happy going. Winky misses her master, though Dobby says that they is not her master anymore. Winky does not listen."
"I'm sorry, Dobby." Dobby brightened.
"Don't be sorry, Harry Potter, Sir. Who is this girl?" he asked, grinning.
"Oh, this is Lavender," said Harry. "She's been here before. She's my girlfriend, Ginny Weasley's, friend."
"You are seeing Wheezy's sister?" asked Dobby, grinning. "She is, I hope, as noble and kind as Sir Harry Potter and Harry Potter's Wheezy is. Harry Potter deserves the best, Sir." Harry smiled as he saw Lavender hiding a grin.
"Oh, yeah, she is, Dobby. Don't worry."
"Oh!" exclaimed the elf suddenly. "I is having a present for Wheezy's sister! Let me get it!" Dobby quickly hurried away, and Lavender nudged Harry.
"And which person started the Harry Potter fan club?" she joked. "Who's your Wheezy?" Harry rolled his eyes.
"Ron," he muttered.
"What?" asked Lavender, grinning.
"RON!" said Harry loudly. "Long story." Lavender giggled.
"I'm sure it is, noble Harry Potter Sir. I hope your Wheezy is as noble and kind as you are, Sir."
"Oh, come off of it!" said Harry, rolling his eyes.
A minute later, Dobby returned with a crack, holding a pair of knobbly socks that said "I Love Harry Potter!" One sock was embroidered with snitches and the other with Gryffindor Lions.
"Oh, thanks, Dobby," said Harry. "I'm sure she'll love them!" Lavender nudged harry again, and they left for the Common Room.
A/N: REVIEW! :-D