Tanwen walked along the corridors deep in thought. Just then she heard someone calling her name and she turned round to see Marcia's head sticking out round the corner of a wall behind her.
"Hey, come and see what we've found!" she said excitedly, beckoning with her hand.
She went over to discover a room, slightly set back from the main corridor by a few paces. A long tapestry that had previously hung in front, concealing the entrance was pushed back to one side to allow her passage through. Marcia was busy magicing tables to the far walls, stacking them neatly. The rest of the room was a weird shape like a squashed orange, the floor was carpeted in Gryffindor red and the walls held the tattered remains of tapestries depicting a rampant lion. Several bookcases lined the walls, some of them with labelled drawers, although whatever they had originally read was long gone.
"What do you think?" Marcia said, turning to grin at Tanwen, "I think it's an old classroom converted into a kind of study room."
"Pretty cool," Tanwen agreed, trying to muster up some enthusiasm.
"Not very cosy at the moment I know, Cassie and Mark have just gone to get some cushions from the Charms cupboard."
"How did you find it? I don't remember even noticing the door from the outside before," Tanwen asked.
"Yeah, well you wouldn't have done," Marcia agreed, "us three were walking back from the library- Mark was being more of a pain than usual with Cassie and pushed her through the tapestry. You should have seen his face when she vanished! Absolute classic!" She grinned at the memory, "anyway that's how we found this room. Isn't it great? I mean, we could set it up real nice and use it for like our own private common room." She beamed at Tanwen.
Her enthusiasm was catching and Tanwen couldn't help but grin back, "and we could also use it to meet up with non-house friends right?"
"I guess," Marcia agreed graciously, "but only people we really trust. I want this to be our own private area!"
"And if any of the teachers do find out then we can tell them we're making a group study room and bring back the desks," Tanwen said.
"Now you're getting the idea," Marcia replied approvingly, smiling happily.
Tanwen set about helping Marcia to clean the room. Together they dusted the bookshelves and cleaned the windows. They were just wondering about lighting the fire in the small grate they had discovered behind a large pile of books when Mark and Cassie came back into the room, their arms loaded with cushions. Cassie's face was slightly flushed and Mark was grinning like a madman.
"Ok, what's going on?" Marcia asked immediately as the pair dumped their loads onto the newly cleaned floor.
Cassie's blush deepened and Mark winked at her.
"Oh!" said Tanwen, grinning too.
"I see," Marcia added, snickering. She grinned at Cassie and then spoke to Mark, "do you think you could shoo for a while. Girly chat time."
"What?" he grinned, "no way, if you're going to talk about me then I want to hear it!"
"Who said we were going to talk about you?" Tanwen asked, turning to Cassie, "honestly, you'd think that was all we ever talked about!"
An evil glint appeared in Marcia's eyes, "actually, I have really bad period pain and I was wondering if you girls had any tips?"
It was Mark's turn to flush, "alright, alright, I'm going! But come and get me from the common room when you're done. I want to help fix up this room."
The others agreed and he left, letting the tapestry drop behind him, concealing the entrance. Marcia shut the door and rounded on Cassie.
"Well?"
Cassie blushed, "Well, I was standing on a stool to reach some of the cushions hidden towards the back of the cupboard- so Flitwick wouldn't notice how many were gone, I mean, I know we're allowed to use some but I didn't think he'd like it if we-"
"-get on with the story," Marcia ordered, settling herself down on the pile of large cushions on the floor.
"Ok, ok," Cassie retorted huffily, "I was getting to it! Anyway, like I said, I was standing on the stool to get the cushions, Mark was standing behind me, pulling others of the shelves on the other side. And I leant over to get a large one I'd spotted at the back and over balanced. The stool shot out from underneath me and I grabbed onto the shelf."
"Then what happened?" Tanwen asked interestedly.
"Don't interrupt the girl or we'll never get to the end of the story," Marcia chided.
"Well," Cassie continued, ignoring Marcia, "Mark span round and wrapped his arms round my waist, so I didn't fall and lowered me to the ground." Cassie began to blush again, "and then when I turned round to thank him I thought he was looking at me in a really odd way and then he just leant down and kissed me!"
The other two gave excited squeals and Marcia giggled, "I was wondering how long it was going to take."
"What?" Tanwen asked in surprise.
"Tanwen, have you been walking around with your eyes closed lately?" Marcia asked amused, "Mark's been after Miss Parker since Christmas."
"Really?" Tanwen and Cassie chorused.
Marcia nodded as she laughed, "your faces!"
The conversation went along in the same vein for a few more minutes before Cassie said, "So can we go and get Mark back now? He can help us transfigure these cushions."
"Umm, can we wait for a while before we call him back?" Tanwen asked, uncertain as to how to bring up the subject of Cedric and Sarah and what had gone on only half an hour earlier.
"Why? What do you want to talk about?" Marcia asked.
"Are you ready to talk about Cedric yet?" Cassie asked.
Tanwen looked at her dumbfounded, "but-I-how did you-"
Cassie smiled, "you haven't once mentioned him since the incident with Clem. If it were me, you'd be hearing about him ever five minutes from the way you're acting."
"Is it that obvious?" Tanwen asked.
"Well, only to the people that know you best. It's obvious to us that you still fancy the pants off him," Marcia added.
It was Tanwen's turn to blush now.
"There you go," Marcia said, pointing to her pink cheeks.
"Marcia!" Cassie reproved, "you're not helping." She turned to Tanwen, "so what do you want to talk about?"
"Well…" and she launched into as brief a narrative as possible of recent events, telling them what Cedric and Sarah had both said and then, when she had finished she fell silent, waiting for her friends' verdicts.
"Hmm," Cassie said thoughtfully, "well, it seems to me that things between you and Cedric might not be so hopeless as you think-he obviously doesn't think as badly of you as you think."
"Yeah, plus, it was a good thing that you two have finally got round to talking about what happened, even if it was only briefly," Marcia added.
"And, more importantly, he forgives you," Cassie put in firmly.
"I guess," Tanwen said doubtfully.
"And, from what Sarah said, their relationship was never really meaningful anyway. It certainly doesn't look like it's going to go on much longer either," Marcia said, "so all in all I think these are pretty good developments in the ongoing Tanwen-Cedric saga."
Cassie frowned at her, but then spoke to Tanwen, "so, what did you make of all this?"
Tanwen sighed, "well, I suppose you're right, I wouldn't say I'm a very good judge of character anymore so I'd rather believe what you guys say than what I think…the only thing is…it's going to be really hard to be his friend."
Cassie nodded sympathetically and moved over to sit next to her friend, putting an arm round her shoulder and giving it a squeeze, "come on, let's forget about that for now and get to making this place great. You can cross that bridge when you come to it."
"I guess," Tanwen agreed, nodding.
"Right, well in that case you can go and get your beau back," Marcia said to Cassie with a grin.
Resisting the urge to retort Cassie went off to get Mark. When she came back a few minutes later she was joined by Dom and Lou as well as Mark. Together they set about transfiguring the cushions into large poufs and squishy chairs that reminded Tanwen of the inflatable furniture Muggles were beginning to find fashionable. Of course, none of them were advanced enough to be able to transfigure their cushions into proper armchairs or sofas, although after much effort Mark did manage to merge several squishy chairs into one, long and very low sofa. Unsurprisingly, Marcia didn't bother to help with the transfiguring and instead performed a tricky little charm to colour the walls a rich golden cream colour and then a similar version for the floor turning the scarlet into a deep burgundy.
"Very nice," Tanwen said approvingly.
Another ten minutes of group work managed to provide an overhead canopy of shimmering golden gauze transfigured from a large moth eaten tapestry. All in all they had made it into a very comfortable room.
While the boys went off to get some celebratory food and drink from the kitchens, the girls rifled through the books on the shelves for a silencing spell so that no-one outside would be able to hear anything that was going on inside their room.
Before long, Lou found what they needed and after a few failed attempts got it up and running. Then the four girls flopped down on the cushions. Tanwen pulled off her outer Quidditch uniform, revealing a fitted t-shirt in Gryffindor red and the cream bottoms that made up the kit.
"I always wonder about that," Cassie said, "it seems like you have to wear an awful lot of clothes to play, don't you get hot? I mean, football players only wear shorts and t-shirts mostly."
"Not really," Tanwen replied, "sometimes a bit at the beginning, but generally it can be quiet cold flying so you appreciate the layers."
"Hurrah! Food!" Marcia cried, jumping up to help as Mark, Dom and Jon came through the door, their arms laden with goodies.
"This place is cool!" Jon said approvingly, dropping down next to Cassie, "reminds me of a harem, what with the low seating and drapes across the ceiling." He grinned, "say Cassie, would you like to be part of my harem?"
"No she would not!" Mark said, answering for her and sitting down on her other side.
Tanwen grinned, "I'll be in your harem Jon, but only if you give me lots of beautiful jewellery and expensive gifts."
"But of course, my lady," Jon replied with a grin, "but pray tell me, why is our good friend so prickly all of a sudden?"
"I think you'll find it's because he's no longer in the bachelor ranks," Marcia said, sitting with Tanwen and handing her a sugary doughnut.
"Really?" Jon said, turning to question his friend. Cassie was studying her drink, a steady heat beginning to rise in her cheeks. "Miss Parker," Jon said, noticing her discomfort and grinning, "do you have something to do with this?"
"I'll say!" Mark said grinning and draping an arm round her shoulders.
"Welcome to the couples world," Dom said, sitting down next to Lou, who was busy arranging the food and drink.
"What about me, don't I get welcomed too?" Jon added slyly.
They all turned to look at him, Tanwen fighting to keep a knowing smirk off her face.
"Who is it this time?" Marcia asked.
"Maybe this time I won't tell," he replied smugly, folding his arms and stretching out his long legs in his low seat.
"Well some of us don't need to be told," Tanwen said in a lofty tone, taking a small bunch of grapes and popping one into her mouth.
He gaped at her, "but you can't possibly know who it is!"
"More importantly, how come you didn't tell me?" Marcia demanded.
Tanwen rolled her eyes, "It wasn't as if I did it on purpose oh gossip queen, I was just distracted that's all."
"Ok then, who is it?" Mark said, "one of you two put us out of our misery."
"Tanwen can, I don't believe she does know," Jon said in a convinced tone.
"Ok then," she shrugged indifferently, "it's Cho."
"Cho Chang?!" Dom echoed incredulously.
"How on earth did you know that?" Jon said again, "she only asked me out like fifteen minutes ago!"
"Figures she'd ask you," Marcia grinned, "never short of willing volunteers are you?"
Jon ignored her and looked at Tanwen.
"I overheard you two talking when I came in from Quidditch practice," Tanwen said, "don't look so scandalised Jon, I mean, you were only talking in the secret corridor at the top of the marble staircase where no-one ever goes!"
The others laughed. "Ok fine," Jon accepted, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
They spent the rest of the evening in there as Jon had met the others as he was coming out of the common room. Apparently Hermione and Ron had had yet another argument, this time it was something to do with the fact that Ron thought Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, had eaten Ron's rat, Scabbers. Anyway, things were pretty tense in there at the moment so they all voted to stay well clear until curfew.
***
The next morning the Gryffindors trudged down the lawn towards the Greenhouses for their Herbology lesson. Outside stood several large potted plants and even larger empty pots standing next to them. Each plant was more like a squashed tree than any normal plant. The trunks were just about small enough for the tallest members of the class to reach their arms round and have their fingertips touching. Long, thick leaves with vicious looking spikes in a vibrant shade of purple sprouted from the top.
The fifth years Care of Magical Creatures lesson was visible a short way down the lawn sat in small groups, watching the people settling themselves around the half dozen or so squat trees.
Standing between Lizzie and Cassie, Tanwen recognised the fifth years in Care of Magical Creatures were Hufflepuffs and Slytherins. She gave a small wave to Cedric and Will and moved so she was hidden by a large purple leaf from their sight. Lizzie laughed,
"Very subtle," she grinned. Tanwen glared at her and folded her arms across her chest.
"Right class," Sprout said, making her way over to the carrying a large, bulky sack, "today we're going to be re-potting these Neutri Cacti. They are, as you can see, extremely bulky, and they are impervious to magic so the re-potting will have to be done manually." Several people groaned and Tanwen sighed heavily, she had a vivid memory of what had happened the last time they'd had to re-pot plants. She much preferred pruning, that could be done at a distance. She could hear Lizzie sniggering behind her and glared at her again.
"Miss Gray, pay attention please," the Professor said, "now, what I want you to do is get yourselves into small groups of three, at least one boy to each group, because these plants are going to be heavy mind. Then one from each group must come and see me to collect protective head gear for each member of their group, while the others arrange themselves around their chosen plant."
The students scurried to obey her instructions, Tanwen pairing with Lizzie and Alex. While Tanwen went to get their oddly shaped masks, that looked strangely familiar, the other two went to chose a plant.
"Almost exactly like fencing masks," Jon told her as he joined her in the queue forming in from of Professor Sprout.
"Oh, I thought they looked familiar!" Tanwen replied.
"I don't like thinking about why we have to wear these," Dave said glumly from behind her.
"The spikes of course," Maria Royer said, turning from where she stood to talk to the Gryffindor, pushing her frizzy blond hair out the way, "they're particularly venomous."
"Fantastic." Tanwen said dryly.
Jon grinned and winked at her.
Returning to find Lizzie and Alex, she found they had picked a plant on the very edge of the group, closest to the fifth year class. She narrowed her eyes at the pair as she approached. Alex smiled back nervously, taking a step behind Lizzie.
"Is something wrong?" Lizzie asked innocently.
"Oh everything's just peachy," Tanwen said sarcastically, "I love the spot you've picked!"
"Well yes, so did I," Lizzie returned, her eyes dancing.
Alex cleared his throat, "so, shall we set about it?"
The fifth years looked on in amusement as the fourth years struggled to lift the cumbersome plants from their pots. The groups scrabbled to keep hold of the smooth bark with their gloved hands, heads encased in metal mesh helmets. Tanwen's group was having particular trouble as Alex was the only one whose arms could fit round the trunk properly.
He tripped over a raised patch of ground and the cacti tipped towards Tanwen and Lizzie on the other side, who both yelled and raised their hands to stop it from crushing them.
"Are you trying to kill me?" Lizzie panted through the mask, her arms above her head pushing against the trunk.
"Sorry!" Alex replied, shifting his grip on the trunk to try and pull it back towards him.
"Need a hand, girls?" a mocking voice called from across the lawn, there followed scuffling sounds.
"He's just lucky I can't get at my wand right now," Tanwen said grimly, trying to shift her position to avoid the descending leaf, a long spike aimed for her head.
"And me!" Lizzie agreed, preoccupied with trying to work out how to avoid being crushed.
Tanwen twisted her head to the side, the long spike catching the side of her mask and pulling from her head as she moved.
Lizzie shot a worried glance at her through her own mask, "now do you think we should call for help?"
"Professor!" Alex called, still valiantly trying to pull the trunk back by himself.
But Sprout was already preoccupied with helping an all female group, struggling with their cacti. The sound of running came from behind them and two tall figures added their weight to the side with the girls.
"Morning ladies," Will said cheerfully, shoving his shoulder into the trunk as it slowly straightened.
"What about your class?" Lizzie asked.
"We have Care of Magical Creatures now," Cedric said, grinning at her, purposefully answering her question wrong. He placed a hand either side of Tanwen's head and heaved at the trunk. It swung upwards and teetered in its pot.
"Thanks," Alex said gratefully, rubbing his sore muscles and taking off his helmet.
"No problem," Will responded, clapping Lizzie on the shoulder, "couldn't let anything happen to the wee ones now could we?"
"Did it touch you?" Cedric asked Tanwen, turning her cheek towards him.
"No, I'm fine thanks," Tanwen replied, glad that her cheeks were already flushed with the exertion of their task.
"Right… good," he said backing away, realising what he'd just done. Lizzie grinned at him and Will winked. Tanwen busied herself in getting her mask back.
"Say, you don't think you could help us do you?" Alex asked hopefully at the two bigger boys.
"Why not," Will agreed, snatching the mask from Lizzie's head.
"Hey, we're not that weak!" she protested, as Tanwen gladly handed her head gear to Cedric.
Between them, the three lifted the trunk and managed to dump it into the larger pot standing next to them.
"Right, well, we'd better be getting back," Cedric said, pulling the helmet off and giving it back to Tanwen. And with a final ruffle of Lizzie's hair Will headed back to their class with Cedric.
But instead of the expected reward of having a rest, Sprout sent them to help the rest of their struggling classmates.
"Oh good-y!" Tanwen drawled sarcastically as they walked over to join Jon and the two Hufflepuff girls he was partnering. He hadn't even begun lifting the plant yet and was busy chatting to them.
"Want a hand?" Alex said in a loud voice as they approached.
Jon jumped and grinned at his brother, "actually you can take over if you like, I see myself having more of a management role here."
"Management my arse," Lizzie retorted, poking him, "go on, get a move on."
The Hufflepuffs giggled but went to lend a hand in between the two guys.
"Right, on three I want you to lift," Lizzie ordered bossily.
Jon rolled his eyes, "she's your girlfriend." He told Alex who smiled back.
"Yeah," to Jon amazement he sounded proud of it, he shook his head wearily.
Thankfully the bell went to signal the end of the lesson and so they were saved having to do anything more.
******
A/N: Hope you enjoyed the latest instalment, sorry things are slow at the moment-things are very hectic workwise. Thanks for your reviews and for sticking with me!xxx