It was the middle of January and the weather was colder, the homework
harder and Paris was fatter. Well she felt fatter and horrible most of the
time. She was now throwing up at random times throughout the day.
In Transfiguration, she successfully turned a chameleon into a bowl which
changed colour and promptly threw up in it.
Oliver spent his time running about like a headless chicken and was very stressed as he had to hold Seeker try outs. The best of the whole of Gryffindor Tower was a fifth year named Ava Matthews, a petite blonde girl with a cold personality.
She was a fair Seeker but Oliver wasn't happy and was making the team train every night, something Paris didn't mind missing, although she occasionally ventured out of the warm common room onto the snow ridden pitch to watch her old team practice.
As the baby was to be born in June, Paris wasn't going to play Quidditch again in her school life time, something she had to come to terms with. She'd miss out on the last game of the season too and hopefully if Gryffindor got the Cup this year, she wouldn't be the Seeker who won the game.
One particularly cold and frosty morning, the Care of Magical Creatures class got a big shock. Charlie Weasley was standing grinning next to a large Welsh Green dragon that was tethered to a post and chewing thoughtfully on a cow whilst Hagrid was completely beside himself.
"Charlie?" Paris exclaimed when she saw him. She bounded over to him and he caught her up in a hug. The girls all looked on in amazement and envy, Charlie had been the heart-throb of his school days.
"Hagrid Owled me and asked me to present a dragon," Charlie exclaimed as he shook Oliver's hand.
"How are you?" Paris asked, spying a crisp burn on the side of his face.
"Fine!" Charlie laughed, touching his burn. "Madam Pomfry has already spotted me so don't worry."
Paris and Oliver stepped back from him so Hagrid could start the class. Paris watched Charlie and felt a slight tension between them. He was same old Charlie but not the Charlie still slightly in love with Paris. He'd gotten over her and in about two weeks.
Charlie gave a short talk whilst all the girls looked on, sighing with wanting and the boys were too mesmerized by the dragon to notice their lusty girlfriends.
"Class, I'd like yeh to say a big thank yeh to Charlie for comin' today. Homework fer tonigh' is to meet me back here at half pas' ten; we're going to be looking out fer Mooncalves!" Hagrid said happily and went back to talking with Charlie about William, the Welsh Green.
"Come back tonight? Is he nuts? We'll freeze!" Marino shrieked as they walked back to the castle for lunch.
"I'm sure you can think of some things to do to keep warm," Paris teased.
"Yeah," Marino replied, glancing at Percy. "Put on plenty of warm clothes."
Later that evening Paris was walking about the corridors making sure the students were all safely in their common rooms.
She had to walk around Slytherin area even though she didn't want to. She hadn't seen Marcus since Christmas and it wasn't a bad thing. He'd been absent in Potions two weeks running now.
"If it isn't Head Girly Knightley," Pansy Parkinson sang when she rounded a corner and came face to face with Paris.
"Back to Slytherin Pansy," Paris said lazily, knowing she'd do what she liked.
"Or what?" Pansy asked. She wasn't exactly a small girl but she was shorter than Paris, she put Paris in mind of a hobgoblin when she thought about it.
"Or she'll get her big, nasty boyfriend after you," another voice said, rounding the corner also. Paris knew it! She just bloody knew it!
"I wouldn't mind Wood tackling me from behind," Pansy said slyly. Neither Paris nor Marcus looked impressed at that.
"You wish, like he'd ever look at you," Paris shot back; she was becoming quite the bitch lately.
"Oh come on, he shagged you didn't he? How embarrassing, your exploits all over the Daily Prophet for everyone to see, shame on you," Pansy replied nastily. Paris noticed Pansy had wound her hand into Marcus'.
"Just go away," Paris said and went to past them but Marcus caught her arm and held it tight.
"You stay, Pansy'll go," Marcus said in a low voice. Paris tried to wrench her arm free but he held it tight, painfully tight.
"What? Marcus!" Pansy screeched, looking at him open mouthed.
"I said go, I'll see you later tonight," Marcus said and Pansy stomped off, cursing about him and Paris.
"Now we're alone," Marcus said quietly, letting go of Paris' arm which was hurting considerably now. "We can talk."
"I don't want to talk to you, ever," Paris said and began quick marching in the direction she came but Marcus caught her arm again and swung her round.
"Don't turn your back to me," He said dangerously.
"What are you, royalty now or something? Get off my arm or face detention!" Paris yelled and instead of letting go, Marcus punched Paris with his free hand. She cried out in pain, he'd caught her right on the eye. Without thinking, Paris swung her free fist and caught Marcus in the mouth with an almighty blow. He staggered back and Paris pulled her arm free.
Her eye was throbbing and bleeding freely, she went to walk away again but Marcus threw his weight against her and pinned her to a wall so they were face to face.
"That's some punch you got there," He said, amused. His chin was red from blood from his lip. "But next time we're alone like this, don't expect to get away with just a punch in the face, oh no."
He was just mere inches from Paris and she had never felt so ill in her life. She needed to get away from him and now. There something between the two that Paris was very unsure about but it was bad, really bad.
"We're not going to be alone again, ever," Paris hissed, not bothering to struggle away as Marcus' grip was too firm. She looked into his eyes momentarily and realized they were grey, grey as storm clouds. She just couldn't read him, there was viciousness in his eyes and that was about it. Paris felt he was a very hateful person.
"You're nothing but a jumped up little Mudblood with a little too much up her sleeve for her own good," Marcus replied, stroking Paris' hair from her face gently.
"You know nothing about me," Paris spat and tried to kick him sharply between the legs but failed as Marcus maneuvered himself out of the way and ended with his forearm pushing into Paris neck, trapping her further.
"Yes, you kept saying that but I really do know more than you think. For example, how much better your sister is than you, how much more loved she was than you, how successful she is, how much more beautiful she is than you will ever be. It hurts, doesn't it?" Marcus explained softly but with a cruel, mocking tone in his voice. Tears had begun to sting Paris' eyes at his words, at how hurtful he was being.
"How do you know?" She whimpered, feeling all her childhood demons flooding back to her.
"I'm not to answer that now but all in good time dear Paris. All in good time," Marcus whispered, stroking her face softly. The blood from his lip had now stained the front of his white school shirt and Paris felt the dried blood on the left side of her face crack as she whimpered.
She was absolutely petrified this moment in time. She wasn't usually scared of Marcus; she stood her ground and made sure he was put in his place. But he spoke with such truth that it scared Paris right to her bones. She worried about her baby most of all.
"I hate you. I really do hate you," Paris said passionately.
"The feeling's mutual," Marcus replied and stepped back from her, motioning for her to leave. She said nothing more, just walked away from him in a slight daze. Her throat hurt and her eye but she had no strength to get her wand and fix them.
She knew this feud with Marcus wouldn't end, only get worse. She had no idea what he was capable of.
Paris skipped down the stone steps of the girl's dormitories at quarter past ten later that night. She had planned to meet Oliver in the common room so they could walk over to the forest together.
She pulled her woolen hat lower and positioned her hair so it covered the black eye that was forming. She had tidied up the cut but bruises were much trickier and she didn't want to go to Madam Pomfry about it, it might finish the old bird off.
"Ready?" Oliver asked cheerfully as Paris went to meet him. He went to kiss her but she turned away, hiding her eye.
"I feel a bit sick, I don't want to throw up over you or anything," Paris lied as Oliver looked hurt. She took his hand and led him out of the common room.
"Are you alright?" Oliver asked uncertainly as Paris insisted on keeping her head down.
"I'm fine, fine! How was practice tonight?" Paris replied, changing the subject tactfully. She knew he wouldn't be able to resist a Quidditch conversation.
"Not too bad. Ava needs serious tweaking; I really wish you were playing. It's weird having someone else as Seeker," Oliver replied wearily. Ava was proving more difficult than Oliver expected.
"I'm sure she'll be fine," Paris said, relaxing slightly as they had just stepped outside and it was very dark. They walked the rest of the way in silence until they met up with their teacher.
"Take yeh sketch books an' try and be as quiet as possible. Good luck!" Hagrid said, beaming at them as he passed Paris and Oliver their sketch books.
The pair made there way into the forest. Mooncalves only came out on a full moon to do a little dance and collect food stores. They were brilliant white and a slightly larger than a normal sized dog.
"Shall we stop here then?" Paris asked when she found a decent sized clearing. They stopped and set their backpacks down. Paris stuck her lit wand in the ground as a make shift torch while they set themselves up.
When they had got their pencils out and were lying comfortably on their stomachs, they found they weren't exactly sure what to talk about.
"Our first kiss was in the forest, remember?" Paris said, smiling fondly.
"Yeah," Oliver replied. "Yeah it was."
"Funny how things can change so quickly," Paris said, pulling up a clump of moss and pulling it apart. She wasn't too conscious about her eye as it was very dark but her mind was stuck on Marcus Flint. She knew she should tell Oliver but she really couldn't face it. He'd do his nut.
"Everything changed for the better though, don't you think?" Oliver asked, looking at Paris.
"Yeah, of course," Paris said, wondering if she really meant it. Oliver smiled and kissed her softly and quite suddenly.
Paris realized they didn't have a particularly romantic relationship, their one and only time together was at Halloween. It seemed there wasn't time or need for it but by judging by Oliver's kiss, he thought different.
"How many layers of clothes do you actually have on?" He grumbled after unsuccessfully searching for skin.
"I thought it'd be chilly," Paris replied honestly.
"Merlin," Oliver sighed rolling his eyes. He reached for his wand and muttered 'Nox'. They were plunged into complete darkness whilst Oliver conjured a heat spell around them and he threw in a silencing spell for good measure.
Tiredness mixed with happiness washed over Paris the next morning at breakfast.
She grinned as she sat down at the Gryffindor table and helped herself to a large breakfast. Fred was looking at her as if she'd just morphed into a Flobberworm but didn't say anything.
"Good morning Rissa," Oliver said cheerfully, as he sat down next to Paris and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He almost fell off his seat when he Paris' eye.
"What is that?" He thundered, making several people turn and stare. Paris was confused momentarily but soon realized what he'd seen. She'd completely forgotten about her incident with Marcus.
"It's, it's nothing," She stammered, dropping her head so her hair hid her eye and her red face from view.
"That is not nothing! Who hit you? Who hit you?" Oliver demanded, wrenching Paris' wrist so she spun and faced him.
"Um," Paris said, stalling for time. She didn't want a big scene made out this, people were already whispering about her enough without this.
"Paris! Who are you defending? Who hit you? Tell me!" Oliver was shouting all these questions at her, each word louder than the last.
"Wood!" Professor McGonagall thundered, striding toward the pair after excusing herself from the teachers table. "What in Merlin's name are you disrupting breakfast over?"
"This!" Oliver shouted back, turning Paris to her teacher and pulling her hair from her face for her.
"Paris?" Professor McGonagall questioned, waiting for an answer.
"I, it was an accident I'm sure, I think I must've rolled onto something in my sleep, perhaps..." Paris mumbled but no-one believed it. As if things couldn't get any worse, Marcus Flint strutted up between Gryffindor and Slytherin tables, smirking like an idiot. His fat lip was unmissable.
"You!" Oliver roared and he flung himself at Marcus. Marcus was obviously quite prepared for attack as he retaliated almost immediately.
Paris put her face in her hands, a riot at breakfast time between her boyfriend and worst enemy was not something she particularly had hoped for, especially as now Professor Snape and Lupin were wrenching the fighting pair apart and no-one looking merciful.
Oliver spent his time running about like a headless chicken and was very stressed as he had to hold Seeker try outs. The best of the whole of Gryffindor Tower was a fifth year named Ava Matthews, a petite blonde girl with a cold personality.
She was a fair Seeker but Oliver wasn't happy and was making the team train every night, something Paris didn't mind missing, although she occasionally ventured out of the warm common room onto the snow ridden pitch to watch her old team practice.
As the baby was to be born in June, Paris wasn't going to play Quidditch again in her school life time, something she had to come to terms with. She'd miss out on the last game of the season too and hopefully if Gryffindor got the Cup this year, she wouldn't be the Seeker who won the game.
One particularly cold and frosty morning, the Care of Magical Creatures class got a big shock. Charlie Weasley was standing grinning next to a large Welsh Green dragon that was tethered to a post and chewing thoughtfully on a cow whilst Hagrid was completely beside himself.
"Charlie?" Paris exclaimed when she saw him. She bounded over to him and he caught her up in a hug. The girls all looked on in amazement and envy, Charlie had been the heart-throb of his school days.
"Hagrid Owled me and asked me to present a dragon," Charlie exclaimed as he shook Oliver's hand.
"How are you?" Paris asked, spying a crisp burn on the side of his face.
"Fine!" Charlie laughed, touching his burn. "Madam Pomfry has already spotted me so don't worry."
Paris and Oliver stepped back from him so Hagrid could start the class. Paris watched Charlie and felt a slight tension between them. He was same old Charlie but not the Charlie still slightly in love with Paris. He'd gotten over her and in about two weeks.
Charlie gave a short talk whilst all the girls looked on, sighing with wanting and the boys were too mesmerized by the dragon to notice their lusty girlfriends.
"Class, I'd like yeh to say a big thank yeh to Charlie for comin' today. Homework fer tonigh' is to meet me back here at half pas' ten; we're going to be looking out fer Mooncalves!" Hagrid said happily and went back to talking with Charlie about William, the Welsh Green.
"Come back tonight? Is he nuts? We'll freeze!" Marino shrieked as they walked back to the castle for lunch.
"I'm sure you can think of some things to do to keep warm," Paris teased.
"Yeah," Marino replied, glancing at Percy. "Put on plenty of warm clothes."
Later that evening Paris was walking about the corridors making sure the students were all safely in their common rooms.
She had to walk around Slytherin area even though she didn't want to. She hadn't seen Marcus since Christmas and it wasn't a bad thing. He'd been absent in Potions two weeks running now.
"If it isn't Head Girly Knightley," Pansy Parkinson sang when she rounded a corner and came face to face with Paris.
"Back to Slytherin Pansy," Paris said lazily, knowing she'd do what she liked.
"Or what?" Pansy asked. She wasn't exactly a small girl but she was shorter than Paris, she put Paris in mind of a hobgoblin when she thought about it.
"Or she'll get her big, nasty boyfriend after you," another voice said, rounding the corner also. Paris knew it! She just bloody knew it!
"I wouldn't mind Wood tackling me from behind," Pansy said slyly. Neither Paris nor Marcus looked impressed at that.
"You wish, like he'd ever look at you," Paris shot back; she was becoming quite the bitch lately.
"Oh come on, he shagged you didn't he? How embarrassing, your exploits all over the Daily Prophet for everyone to see, shame on you," Pansy replied nastily. Paris noticed Pansy had wound her hand into Marcus'.
"Just go away," Paris said and went to past them but Marcus caught her arm and held it tight.
"You stay, Pansy'll go," Marcus said in a low voice. Paris tried to wrench her arm free but he held it tight, painfully tight.
"What? Marcus!" Pansy screeched, looking at him open mouthed.
"I said go, I'll see you later tonight," Marcus said and Pansy stomped off, cursing about him and Paris.
"Now we're alone," Marcus said quietly, letting go of Paris' arm which was hurting considerably now. "We can talk."
"I don't want to talk to you, ever," Paris said and began quick marching in the direction she came but Marcus caught her arm again and swung her round.
"Don't turn your back to me," He said dangerously.
"What are you, royalty now or something? Get off my arm or face detention!" Paris yelled and instead of letting go, Marcus punched Paris with his free hand. She cried out in pain, he'd caught her right on the eye. Without thinking, Paris swung her free fist and caught Marcus in the mouth with an almighty blow. He staggered back and Paris pulled her arm free.
Her eye was throbbing and bleeding freely, she went to walk away again but Marcus threw his weight against her and pinned her to a wall so they were face to face.
"That's some punch you got there," He said, amused. His chin was red from blood from his lip. "But next time we're alone like this, don't expect to get away with just a punch in the face, oh no."
He was just mere inches from Paris and she had never felt so ill in her life. She needed to get away from him and now. There something between the two that Paris was very unsure about but it was bad, really bad.
"We're not going to be alone again, ever," Paris hissed, not bothering to struggle away as Marcus' grip was too firm. She looked into his eyes momentarily and realized they were grey, grey as storm clouds. She just couldn't read him, there was viciousness in his eyes and that was about it. Paris felt he was a very hateful person.
"You're nothing but a jumped up little Mudblood with a little too much up her sleeve for her own good," Marcus replied, stroking Paris' hair from her face gently.
"You know nothing about me," Paris spat and tried to kick him sharply between the legs but failed as Marcus maneuvered himself out of the way and ended with his forearm pushing into Paris neck, trapping her further.
"Yes, you kept saying that but I really do know more than you think. For example, how much better your sister is than you, how much more loved she was than you, how successful she is, how much more beautiful she is than you will ever be. It hurts, doesn't it?" Marcus explained softly but with a cruel, mocking tone in his voice. Tears had begun to sting Paris' eyes at his words, at how hurtful he was being.
"How do you know?" She whimpered, feeling all her childhood demons flooding back to her.
"I'm not to answer that now but all in good time dear Paris. All in good time," Marcus whispered, stroking her face softly. The blood from his lip had now stained the front of his white school shirt and Paris felt the dried blood on the left side of her face crack as she whimpered.
She was absolutely petrified this moment in time. She wasn't usually scared of Marcus; she stood her ground and made sure he was put in his place. But he spoke with such truth that it scared Paris right to her bones. She worried about her baby most of all.
"I hate you. I really do hate you," Paris said passionately.
"The feeling's mutual," Marcus replied and stepped back from her, motioning for her to leave. She said nothing more, just walked away from him in a slight daze. Her throat hurt and her eye but she had no strength to get her wand and fix them.
She knew this feud with Marcus wouldn't end, only get worse. She had no idea what he was capable of.
Paris skipped down the stone steps of the girl's dormitories at quarter past ten later that night. She had planned to meet Oliver in the common room so they could walk over to the forest together.
She pulled her woolen hat lower and positioned her hair so it covered the black eye that was forming. She had tidied up the cut but bruises were much trickier and she didn't want to go to Madam Pomfry about it, it might finish the old bird off.
"Ready?" Oliver asked cheerfully as Paris went to meet him. He went to kiss her but she turned away, hiding her eye.
"I feel a bit sick, I don't want to throw up over you or anything," Paris lied as Oliver looked hurt. She took his hand and led him out of the common room.
"Are you alright?" Oliver asked uncertainly as Paris insisted on keeping her head down.
"I'm fine, fine! How was practice tonight?" Paris replied, changing the subject tactfully. She knew he wouldn't be able to resist a Quidditch conversation.
"Not too bad. Ava needs serious tweaking; I really wish you were playing. It's weird having someone else as Seeker," Oliver replied wearily. Ava was proving more difficult than Oliver expected.
"I'm sure she'll be fine," Paris said, relaxing slightly as they had just stepped outside and it was very dark. They walked the rest of the way in silence until they met up with their teacher.
"Take yeh sketch books an' try and be as quiet as possible. Good luck!" Hagrid said, beaming at them as he passed Paris and Oliver their sketch books.
The pair made there way into the forest. Mooncalves only came out on a full moon to do a little dance and collect food stores. They were brilliant white and a slightly larger than a normal sized dog.
"Shall we stop here then?" Paris asked when she found a decent sized clearing. They stopped and set their backpacks down. Paris stuck her lit wand in the ground as a make shift torch while they set themselves up.
When they had got their pencils out and were lying comfortably on their stomachs, they found they weren't exactly sure what to talk about.
"Our first kiss was in the forest, remember?" Paris said, smiling fondly.
"Yeah," Oliver replied. "Yeah it was."
"Funny how things can change so quickly," Paris said, pulling up a clump of moss and pulling it apart. She wasn't too conscious about her eye as it was very dark but her mind was stuck on Marcus Flint. She knew she should tell Oliver but she really couldn't face it. He'd do his nut.
"Everything changed for the better though, don't you think?" Oliver asked, looking at Paris.
"Yeah, of course," Paris said, wondering if she really meant it. Oliver smiled and kissed her softly and quite suddenly.
Paris realized they didn't have a particularly romantic relationship, their one and only time together was at Halloween. It seemed there wasn't time or need for it but by judging by Oliver's kiss, he thought different.
"How many layers of clothes do you actually have on?" He grumbled after unsuccessfully searching for skin.
"I thought it'd be chilly," Paris replied honestly.
"Merlin," Oliver sighed rolling his eyes. He reached for his wand and muttered 'Nox'. They were plunged into complete darkness whilst Oliver conjured a heat spell around them and he threw in a silencing spell for good measure.
Tiredness mixed with happiness washed over Paris the next morning at breakfast.
She grinned as she sat down at the Gryffindor table and helped herself to a large breakfast. Fred was looking at her as if she'd just morphed into a Flobberworm but didn't say anything.
"Good morning Rissa," Oliver said cheerfully, as he sat down next to Paris and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He almost fell off his seat when he Paris' eye.
"What is that?" He thundered, making several people turn and stare. Paris was confused momentarily but soon realized what he'd seen. She'd completely forgotten about her incident with Marcus.
"It's, it's nothing," She stammered, dropping her head so her hair hid her eye and her red face from view.
"That is not nothing! Who hit you? Who hit you?" Oliver demanded, wrenching Paris' wrist so she spun and faced him.
"Um," Paris said, stalling for time. She didn't want a big scene made out this, people were already whispering about her enough without this.
"Paris! Who are you defending? Who hit you? Tell me!" Oliver was shouting all these questions at her, each word louder than the last.
"Wood!" Professor McGonagall thundered, striding toward the pair after excusing herself from the teachers table. "What in Merlin's name are you disrupting breakfast over?"
"This!" Oliver shouted back, turning Paris to her teacher and pulling her hair from her face for her.
"Paris?" Professor McGonagall questioned, waiting for an answer.
"I, it was an accident I'm sure, I think I must've rolled onto something in my sleep, perhaps..." Paris mumbled but no-one believed it. As if things couldn't get any worse, Marcus Flint strutted up between Gryffindor and Slytherin tables, smirking like an idiot. His fat lip was unmissable.
"You!" Oliver roared and he flung himself at Marcus. Marcus was obviously quite prepared for attack as he retaliated almost immediately.
Paris put her face in her hands, a riot at breakfast time between her boyfriend and worst enemy was not something she particularly had hoped for, especially as now Professor Snape and Lupin were wrenching the fighting pair apart and no-one looking merciful.