Harry Potter and the Levitating Ch'iyun: Part One
By infinitykat
"I broke into your house last night
And left a note at your bedside
I'm far too shy to speak to you at school
You leave me numb and I'm not sure why…
I struggle for no words and then give up
My head's up with the birds in the T-hut
A little piece of mind and I'm no better
Than the plain disgrace of all my letters."
-Snow Patrol, "Spitting Games"
Chapter Three: Spitting Games
A/N: I just want to say a quick thank you to those who reviewed last time. I bet you had to go down the list pretty far to find my story, so thanks for your effort. As you can see above, this chapter is titled after a favorite Snow Patrol song of mine. It's creepily appropriate. :)
As the day wore on, the sixth-year students were bombarded with warning teachers already guilt-tripping them about responsibility. It was almost worse than their O.W.L. preparation classes the previous year. After Potions, Harry and Ron went to Divination, where they got a break from the madness, but in Ancient Runes, the class Hermione and Lizzy attended, the lecture about the N.E.W.T. took the whole class period.
Then, after lunch, (where Harry and Ron talked animatedly about their especially hilarious lesson with Trelawney while Hermione rolled her eyes) they went straight to the Defense Against The Dark Arts classroom. The door was open, so Harry and Ron cautiously peeked in and saw their new professor at his desk, bending low over a piece of parchment and scribbling something very rapidly.
Harry cleared his throat and asked if they could come in. Professor Turnpike looked up and smiled, revealing several yellowing teeth.
"I do say, come in! My first students of the day!" he said with great enthusiasm. As the four friends entered, he stood up and shook each person's hand in turn. "So," he continued, as they took seats in the front, "Are you glad to be back at Hogwarts? I know I am."
They nodded politely.
"Yes, yes, well, I had retired many years ago, but when Dumbledore asked me to come back, I thought, I might as well take a crack at it! You know," Turnpike said, leaning forward with the last sentence, "Defense Against The Dark Arts is one of the most important skills one must know at times like these. No one knows if one will need these skills tomorrow in a great battle! But you must know about this, Mr. Potter." Harry tried to smile politely. He nodded and noticed Hermione looking at him with a bit of sadness and attempted comfort. He tried not to acknowledge it. That would lead to forbidden thoughts.
Their teacher opened his mouth to say something else, but the sound of a book clunking on the floor brought their attention to the door. Neville stood there, nervously blushing. He stooped down quickly to pick it up and hurried to the seat next to Hermione.
"Another student! Welcome!" Turnpike bellowed, and reached out his hand for Neville to shake. Neville took it and nearly dropped his book again in the action. Blushing again, he made it to his seat and sat down. There was awkward silence for a few moments until a crowd of chattering students started filling the room. Apparently Defense Against The Dark Arts was a much more popular class than Potions. Harry noticed that many of their classmates were in Dumbledore's Army. He smiled as they waved to him.
"So," Professor Turnpike began, immediately drawing a hushed audience, "I'm very pleased to welcome you to year one of the advanced Defense Against The Dark Arts class. I am Professor Turnpike, and hopefully," he winked, "we will learn together for the next two years. From what I hear, the older students at Hogwarts are much more advanced than they were in my day. We will start with some advanced, yet relatively simple, spells of defense and work our way to the fun stuff." Harry and Ron grinned at each other.
"Now," he continued, reaching into his musty coat pocket and bringing out a abnormally long wand, "we will start with the Conjunctivitis Curse. This spell is useful like the stupefy spell, as it impairs vital senses of the victim. Can anyone tell me what sense this spell impairs?"
Hermione's hand shot in the air and a few others raised theirs hesitantly.
"Yes, Miss-" Turnpike called, nodding at Hermione.
"Granger. It affects vision," she responded promptly.
"Quite right." Their professor flicked his wand and a large jar of pixies appeared. Ron sniggered, remembering a certain DADA lesson they had in second year. "Now, we will be practicing this spell on these pixies. I will now teach you the incantation without wands," he paused to push up his glasses, "Conjunctiva!"
The class repeated it in a loud ringing voice. Turnpike smiled and put them in pairs to work with a pixie. Lizzy and Ron (who ended up accidentally-on purpose together) both had trouble pronouncing the spell and eventually, frustrated by the pixie's taunting, Ron bellowed it at the top of his lungs and the pixie spent the next five minutes blindly bumping into things until Turnpike could put him right again for Lizzy to try. Ron was crying with laughter.
Hermione, on the other hand, had gotten the spell correct on the first try and the pixie was so angry, it buzzed around her head trying to pull on her bushy hair. Harry managed to pry it off and got a bad bite for his efforts. Turnpike quickly put the pixie right and moved on without noticing Harry's hand. Harry shrugged at Hermione. He too immediately blinded the pixie and pulled Hermione to his other side so when the pixie went for her again, it was grabbing at thin air.
Hermione suddenly gasped and Harry looked down at his hand. It was looking green and a few blisters were starting to form around the cut.
"Uh, Professor?" he called. Turnpike was just restoring a pixie for Dean and a proud Neville and came limping over.
"Yes, Potter? Ah! I see you've got this down."
Harry showed Turnpike his hand. "May I go to Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked. Turnpike started.
"Right. Good idea," he responded, "Take Miss Granger with you. I don't think this pixie likes her very much…" He stunned the pixie and carried it, unconscious, back to the jar.
-
Awkward silence filled the air between Harry and Hermione as they walked slowly towards the hospital wing. Harry looked down at his hand and made a huff of a laugh.
"First day back and I'm already going to the infirmary," he said with a laugh. Hermione involuntarily smiled and tried to look serious.
"It's not funny. I hate it when I have to go visit you there," she said with a sigh. Harry looked over at her, but Hermione was carefully avoiding his gaze. "Especially when it's my fault." Harry shook his head and cautiously put an arm around her shoulder.
"It wasn't your fault that we got a deranged pixie, 'Mione. Besides, I got to do what I do best."
"What's that?" she asked, sending an incredulous smile his way.
"Saving people." Hermione chuckled and shook her head.
"Some things never change," she remarked. Harry looked down.
But some things do, they both thought; and Hermione's smile faded. She knew she was probably blushing from the feeling of Harry's arm around her shoulders.
"Ow!" Harry suddenly yelled, removing his arm from Hermione's shoulder and stopping to examine his hand. Hermione looked at it and covered her mouth with her hand. Harry's wound was covered in blisters now and starting to pus.
"Let's hurry," Hermione said worriedly. They finished the rest of the trip in silence, jogging through the halls the best they could with Harry holding his injured hand out in front of him.
When they got to the infirmary, Madam Pomfrey took a quick look at the bite.
"What happened here?" she asked, turning Harry's hand over to find more blisters on his palm.
"He got bitten by a pixie," replied Hermione, "I don't know why his hand is reacting like that, though."
"I think you're probably allergic to pixies, Mr. Potter. Have a seat on that bed there. I'll be right back." Madam Pomfrey then disappeared into her office, hopefully getting a remedy. Harry did as he was told and Hermione took a seat in the chair next to the bed.
"And here I thought I was only allergic to Mrs. Figg's fruitcake," Harry joked weakly, wincing from the pain. Hermione smiled a bit and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Harry couldn't chide himself too much for his stomach flip-flopping because Pomfrey soon returned with a bowl of yellow liquid and a foaming goblet.
"Drink this," Madam Pomfrey instructed, thrusting the goblet at Harry, "And put your hand in this. It'll help the pain." She put the bowl on the bedside table and Harry immediately dunked his hand in it. He sighed with relief as the murtlap essence did its work.
Harry gave the goblet a doubtful look and downed the potion within in one gulp. It was all right-tasting on the way down, but it left an odd aftertaste that reminded him of salmon-flavor jelly beans.
Noticing the look on his face, Hermione smirked. "Not very good is it?" Harry shrugged and made an attempt at a smile.
"As long as it works," he replied.
-
Harry's bandaged hand was a topic of high interest at dinner.
"Can we see it?" Lizzy asked, setting down her fork. Harry pulled back the gauze to reveal a dark bite mark and one large blister remaining. Lizzy wrinkled her nose and Ron lowered the mashed potatoes he was aiming at his mouth.
"Put that away, will you?" he asked, nettled. Hermione gave a trademark eye-roll.
"You know," Lizzy remarked, as they went back to their food, "Hogwarts is HUGE. I think we probably got lost about four times, right, Ron?" Ron smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry for taking your job, Harry, but we had some time to kill," Ron apologized. Harry looked at him in confusion.
"What are you talking about?" he asked. Ron cocked an eyebrow.
"You know, it's your job to show Lizzy around?" Ron said, loading up his fork.
"Oh- right, right. Shall I make up for it after dinner?" Harry said to Lizzy nonchalantly. Lizzy looked at him questioningly and then comprehension dawned.
"Sure," she replied.
"Hey Harry," came a voice behind him. Harry turned around to see Katie Bell, one of the Gryffindor chasers.
"Hey Katie, how are you?" he said politely.
"Captain," Katie replied frankly. "I hope you don't have any detention troubles this year because I want to keep our winning streak. Hey Ginny-" she called, and Ginny (who was close by) looked up, "You wouldn't mind letting Harry be seeker again, then?" Ginny shrugged.
"That's fine. I was thinking about trying out for chaser anyway," she replied with a smile.
"And that's what I came to talk about. We need to have Chaser AND beater tryouts because we lost Alicia, Angelina, Fred, AND George. They're next Friday and you better be there."
"We'll be there," Harry said. Ron was looking incredulously at his sister.
"Seriously?" he called down the table, "You still want to be on the team?" Ginny rolled her eyes.
"Of course I do Ron. Take a chill pill," Ginny said exasperatedly.
"So how's your quidditch team here?" Lizzy asked, taking a bite of potato.
"We're okay," Harry said modestly. Ron clapped him hard on the shoulder.
"Okay? You're looking at the best seeker Hogwarts has had in a century!" Ron said enthusiastically. Harry rolled his eyes.
"I'm not the best, just the youngest." Harry turned to Lizzy. "They have a rule about first years being in the school teams and they bent it for me."
"Yeah, 'cause you're the best! Thank the sages you'll be able to play this year. The cup is in the bag."
"Don't tell me you're as insane as these two are about quidditch," Hermione pleaded. Lizzy looked at her like she was crazy.
"You're not a quidditch fan? It's almost the only sport in the wizarding world!" Lizzy exclaimed, and added, in a fake Shakespearian accent, "And a noble sport it 'tis." Ron and Harry laughed pretty loudly at this one.
Great, Hermione thought, Another quidditch fanatic. I'll be excluded from every conversation this year… Harry noticed Hermione's look.
"Are you alright?" he asked carefully. Hermione looked up quickly and attempted a weak smile.
"I'm fine," Hermione replied, but Harry could tell she didn't mean it.
-
"Well, we'll see you later, then," Harry said to Hermione and Ron.
"Yeah, we'll probably still be up when you get back. We're getting a start on the potions essay. Isn't that right, Ronald?" Hermione said with a grin. Ron groaned. As Hermione pulled him away, Ron desperately mouthed, "Help me!" Lizzy and Harry were chuckling as they walked away from the main staircase down towards the part of the castle were the best empty classrooms were.
"This one looks okay," Harry remarked, pushing open a door near the charms classroom. Lizzy took a peek inside and shrugged.
"Sure. Looks fine to me." They entered and Lizzy looked around, sizing up the dimensions of the room. She strode over to a towering pile of velvet cushions in the corner and carefully pried two out. She set them down in the center of the room, relatively close to one another. Lizzy then pulled out her wand and moved some things around the room; some, like the book near the teacher's desk that she turned slightly eschew, seemed a little superfluous. She was focused in her work, carefully refining placement of objects here and there.
Harry must have been looking at her incredulously because she turned to him and explained simply, "Fung shui." Harry nodded, but still didn't think the chalkboard erasers needed to be on the floor and two feet to the left of the board. Lizzy beckoned him and sat on one of the cushions. Harry followed suit, facing her on his respective cushion. It wasn't all that comfortable, he had to say.
"So," Lizzy said, "Dumbledore mentioned that someone tried to teach you occlumency last year." Harry nodded. He had spent all summer trying to block out the memories of Snape's he had seen. "Who taught you?"
"Professor Snape," Harry replied glumly. Lizzy raised her eyebrows.
"I see…" Lizzy pondered it for a moment. "His chi is sort of off. Not centered," she decided, "No wonder it wasn't working out." Harry grinned. "Anyway, we're going to try an approach that you probably haven't done before. You know what meditation is, right?"
"Erm…sort of," Harry replied sheepishly. Lizzy waved a hand at him with the assurance that his ignorance was acceptable.
"That's fine. It's an ancient Asian technique to center your energy, relax, rejuvenate, that sort of thing. Sit in meditation position," she instructed, indicating her folded legs, "And place your arms in a comfortable arrangement. By the way, you don't have to have them in the stereotypical pose," Lizzy continued, touching fore fingers to thumbs and making a ridiculous grimace, "That's just for the experts like me." She winked. "Now, close your eyes and focus on one thing. For example, the number one. Just keep repeating it in your head. Let everything else fall away. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth."
Harry did as he was instructed, starting to get that horrible "this is stupid" feeling. He tried to shake it off and concentrate on one.
One…one…in through the nose, out through the mouth…one…one…one…one hand…one…one…only one can live…one…one…one equal…
Thinking that Harry was deep in meditation, Lizzy quietly raised her wand.
"Legilimens!" she whispered…and was mentally blown back by the flood of memories that crashed into her mind.
It is dark…a snake slithers by and the darkness is pronounced by an all-consuming light shooting out of a gigantic cauldron…facing a man…but more of a snake with piercing red slits for eyes and men in white masks and inky robes…a man with long dark hair being hit with a spell and thrown back through a curtain…pain and complete shock to the heart…
Lizzy tore her eyes away from Harry and squeezed them shut as her thoughts became her own again. Yet, all she could see were those eyes…those eyes like the center of fire that is so hot you can't look at it too long…but worse. Is this what Harry saw in his nightmares? Lizzy cautiously looked Harry who was bent over the floor, trying to steady himself with his hands. He was gasping for breath and reached a shaky hand to his glasses, which had fallen off when Lizzy assaulted his mind.
"I…I…I'm so sorry, Harry…I thought…you were…" Lizzy stammered, and eventually fell silent. Harry replaced his glasses and sat up. He sighed.
"It's…it's all right. You didn't know…what kind of thoughts I'm trying to clear," Harry said softly. Lizzy wanted to ask him who the fallen man was and what was the significance of the curtain was. She opened her mouth to speak but closed it when she saw the tired look on Harry's face.
"Okay…Let's just work on meditating for a while, I guess. No more spells, I promise," Lizzy said shakily. Harry nodded and closed his eyes again.
-
For the next month, the lessons continued just as Lizzy said. Just meditation and no trial of Harry's progress. Lizzy was too afraid that she would take him off guard again and be subjected to those awful memories. It felt too awkward to ask him about them. Also, Harry's patience was wearing thin. He could barely keep his mind off Hermione, let alone keep from her and Ron that he was working on occlumency.
One night, he sat with Hermione at a table off to the side of the common room, away from Lizzy's "social club" by the fire. She was surrounded by Gryffindor boys of all ages (including Ron), chattering animatedly about her old school. The boys were rapt with attention, looking as though if she told them that she was a toad in a former life, they'd believe her. Hermione looked on with disgusted indignation.
"Something's not right with her," she said quietly, almost to herself, "She's almost too perfect, don't you think?" Harry looked up and glanced Lizzy's way.
"I dunno. What do you mean?" he replied, treading carefully. Hermione rolled her eyes and gestured towards the gross display of hormones.
"That's what I mean. Don't you think it's a little odd? I mean, when has Hogwarts ever had a transfer student?" she said suspiciously, and looked thoughtful. Harry paled. She was in her detective mode.
"Never, I guess," Harry replied weakly.
"There must be some ulterior reason why she's been transferred. I've never heard of anyone being transferred because of good grades before, right? We should check this out…" Hermione trailed off, looking thoughtful.
"I dunno…" Harry said again.
"Well, why not?" Hermione demanded, looking surprised. Harry shushed her and beckoned her closer.
"It just…it could be something serious, something that the teachers are keeping from us for a reason," Harry explained quietly.
"But…" Hermione pleaded.
"No, Hermione. I don't…I mean, the last time I looked too far into something without telling an adult…" he trailed off, looking down. Hermione comprehended in an instant, slapping her hand over her mouth.
"Oh Harry," she moaned, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean-" Harry straightened up.
"It's all right. I'm sure it's nothing. Besides, I think we have something to fill our time with," he said, placing a hand on one of the many books cluttering the table. Hermione giggled and with a quick hand squeeze went back to work, blushing.
Harry inwardly sighed with relief. That was close. Almost too close.
-
As it turned to October, time seemed to drag along painfully slowly. Every student above second year was anxious for Halloween's arrival and its feast and Hogsmeade trip. Also, the sky outside was not sunny or rainy; its mood would be best described as "misty." So, as the students tramped down the Hagrid's hut for Care Of Magical Creatures lessons, they gradually felt more and more damp. Hermione would show up every time with her hair almost the size of Hagrid's, which particularly tickled Malfoy and the other Slytherins, not to mention Lavender and Parvarti who tried to hide their twitters behind mittened hands.
It was early morning at Hogwarts, and Harry reluctantly opened his eyes. He slowly closed them again, hoping for a few more minutes of solitude. The past six weeks were by far the most difficult of his time spent at Hogwarts, even with the tumultuous last two years. Every week he had Quidditch practice, Occlumency practice, and, as of the last week, Dumbledore's Army meetings. It was back by popular demand even Turnpike was turning out to be very competent teacher. All these things, topped with a delectable amount of homework, (at least to Hermione,) made Harry dread the fact that it was indeed…
Monday.
Harry lay there in the silence, savoring every moment of it. He had Potions and Divination that morning, Occlumency that evening, and…what was that sound? Harry's mind and eyes snapped to attention as he heard the bathroom door close and the floorboards creak towards his bed.
"Harry?" Ron's voice whispered urgently. Harry grunted in response. "Could you…I mean, could you help me…" Harry, intrigued by Ron's incapability to make words, reached over to his glasses and tugged opened his hangings.
"Yeah?" Harry said, pinching his eyes shut in the blinding sunlight. When he managed to open them, he saw Ron standing at the foot of his bed, looking terribly nervous about something and adjusting his school robes.
"I need your opinion…I was going to do something today, but if you think it's stupid…" Harry squinted at him.
"What is it?" Ron's ears turned a lovely shade of pink.
"Well…you know it's Hogmeade this weekend…"
"Yeah…"
"And it's Halloween as well…"
"I'm aware…"
"And I…erm…" Harry covered his face with his hand, frustrated at Ron's idiocy so early in the morning.
"Just spit it out, man!" He practically yelled. Ron's ears were definitely a violent shade of magenta now.
"Should I ask Lizzy to go with me?" Ron squeaked in one breath. Harry looked surprised.
"Like on a date?" He retorted, sounding incredulous. Ron looked down.
"Well…I…" Ron stammered, deeply embarrassed.
"Go for it," Harry said, straight-faced. Ron looked up so quickly his neck almost cricked.
"Really? I mean…d'you think she'd say yes?" Ron's face lit up with hope.
"Definitely, mate. I'd say go for it," Harry said again, smiling. Ron grinned.
"Thanks, mate. Well, better get down to breakfast," he said cheerfully and flounced out the door. Harry looked around the dormitory and realized with a shock that he was the last to get out of bed. He quickly got dressed and grabbed his books, hoping that he would be able to shove something down before Potions.
-
"What do you think?" Lizzy asked, holding up her dark hair in a French twist. Hermione joined her at the mirror and shrugged.
"It looks great, but why so much fuss? It's just school," Hermione said.
"I know, but…can I tell you a secret?" Lizzy said, letting her hair fall over her shoulders and twisting her hands together nervously.
"Sure. What is it?" Hermione replied, her eyebrows raised.
"My horoscope said that I'm in for some romance today, and I think…oh this is stupid…"
"No, tell me." Lizzy's brow knitted together in a grimace of embarrassment.
"That Ron is going to ask me out today," she said quickly. Hermione laughed and sank down to sit on her trunk. Lizzy's face fell. "It's stupid, isn't it? Oh, I shouldn't've-" Hermione regained her compose.
"No-well, the horoscope part is ridiculous, of course, but it wouldn't be too far-fetched to think that Ron is going to ask you out," Hermione said with a slight smile. Lizzy gasped in excitement.
"You really think so?" Lizzy squeaked hopefully. Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"Well, yeah. Hogsmeade is this weekend and if I know Ron, which isn't so hard, he's so bloody transparent; he's going to ask you to go with him." Lizzy squealed and embraced Hermione.
"Oh, thank you so much!" Lizzy said, and turned back to the mirror. Hermione stood up and with a flick of her wand, Lizzy's hair wound itself up into an elegant knot on the back of her head.
"Wow," Lizzy whispered, "That's way better than what I was going to do." She then proceeded to apply every kind of makeup known to mankind. Hermione sat down on the vanity seat and started playing with one of the many lipsticks Lizzy owned.
Lizzy paused her mascara application and said, "You can use that if you want." Hermione glanced up at her reflection and shook her head.
"That's all right. I don't wear makeup," Hermione replied, looking sadly at herself and her mound of frizzy hair. Lizzy put down the mascara and looked at Hermione seriously.
"Well, you are naturally pretty. So I guess the makeup isn't necessary," Lizzy said quietly. Hermione shook her head again and found that she was fighting back tears. Hermione wanted to hate Lizzy for her popularity with the boys, but she had to go and be nice in times like this.
"No, I'm not," she whispered. Lizzy sighed.
"Yes, you are. And I bet some choice boy real estate would agree with me," Lizzy said, winking. Hermione stared at her incredulously.
"Riiight. Like who?" Hermione said slowly, looking apprehensive of Lizzy's response. Lizzy grinned.
"Harry," she said, grinning even wider. Hermione's jaw dropped involuntarily and she blushed profusely.
"Don't lie," Hermione demanded. Lizzy put her hands in the air.
"I'm not! You should see the way he looks at you. I swear to god. If anyone's getting asked out this weekend, it's going to be you," Lizzy replied with a smirk.
"Anyway," Hermione said, trying to shift the conversation to a less uncomfortable subject, "How would you be able to tell? You've got the majority of the Gryffindor boys fawning over you all the time." Lizzy laughed and shook her head.
"Those idiots? Please. Besides, I'm not like you. I have to wear makeup to look decent," Lizzy confessed, "It takes a lot of work to get me looking like this." Hermione shot her another incredulous look. "For real! Did I tell you yet that my hair is almost as curly as yours?"
"Now you're really lying," Hermione said with a laugh. She went to her trunk and began searching for the books she'd need for the day.
"No! I'm serious! I mean, did you ever think that it was kinda weird that I'm French and my hair is straight? I'm jealous of you. You don't need all that crap." Hermione shook her head again and lugged her now-bulging book bag over her shoulder.
"Well, if you're really not lying, which I doubt, you'll have to tell me your hair secret someday," Hermione said, patting Lizzy on the shoulder and walking out the door. She was still blushing.
-
As Harry descended the marble staircase in the Entrance Hall, a flood of other students was splashing out of the Great Hall. Emotions ranged from the eager (first years off to Herbology) to the Monday-induced glum. As Harry searched the crowd for Hermione and Ron, he caught a glimpse of Cho Chang, who looked at him for a moment, then turned away blushingly. Harry hardly cared and hoped they wouldn't start having "accidental" meetings around school again.
"Hey Harry!" Hermione called from the edge of the crowd. She was waving a stack of toast in one hand and holding a bottle of pumpkin juice in the other.
"Thanks so much," Harry said, taking the food from her and starting to eat. Hermione beamed at him and blushed, remembering what Lizzy said. Ron was scowling about something, looking over his shoulder at Malfoy and his entourage. He was looking particularly smug about probably the same thing.
"What's up?" Harry asked Ron. He scoffed and turned to Harry.
"Apparently, Malfoy made a big score last night and is showing off to anyone who will listen," Ron grumbled, and turned his head to continue his scowling. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Stop being so jealous, Ron," she said. Ron narrowed his eyes at her.
"I'm not jealous, I…" he began, and seeing Lizzy approach them, continued, "I just think that no one should treat women like some kind of meat to be chewed up and spat out again." Lizzy wrinkled up her nose.
"Ew," she said, but looked at Ron as though he was sweet for trying, anyway. Lizzy pulled Hermione towards her and whispered something in her ear, which Hermione seemed to find particularly amusing. They walked ahead of Ron and Harry, giggling and glancing back at them every once in a while. Ron rolled his eyes, but his ears were almost maroon. Harry just looked puzzled.
"Jealous?" Harry asked matter-of-factly.
"Yeah," Ron replied, defeated.
-
I find it easier to sit and stare, than to push my limbs out towards you right there.
After a particularly tortuous Potions lesson, where they tried to mix a seemingly useless hairball potion that Snape insisted would show up on the N.E.W.T., our heroes glumly slumped down the corridor to their next class. Harry kept throwing meaningful looks at Ron while Lizzy and Hermione discussed their excitement over their next class, Ancient Runes. Every time, Ron looked more and more on the edge of being sick. Finally, Harry cleared his throat and announced that in his rush to get out of the dormitory, he'd left his Divination things in his trunk. Ron looked absolutely frightened as Harry strode away and threw a wink over his shoulder at him.
Swallowing hard, Ron made up his mind. "Uh, Hermione? Could you excuse us for a moment? I need to ask Lizzy something," he said shakily. Hermione looked as though she was going to protest for a moment, but then made a weird face as if she knew the answer to a question in class but wanted to give someone else a chance.
"Okay. I'll save you a seat in class, then, Lizzy?" Hermione said, trying to hide a smile at the look on her face. Lizzy came out of her horrified trance.
"Wha? Oh-oh right. Thanks," she said, her face the same color Ron's ears were glowing at the moment. There was an awkward silence as Hermione walked away and stopped to talk to a couple of their Hufflepuff classmates. "So…" Lizzy said finally, "What did you want to ask me?" Ron nervously ran a hand through his hair and stuffed the other in his pocket.
"Well…erm…it's Halloween this weekend…" Ron began. Lizzy nodded with baited breath.
"And…well, it's the first Hogsmeade trip as well…"
"Uh-huh," Lizzy managed.
"I was wondering if…" Lizzy raised her eyebrows… "Would you like to go with me?" Ron finally blurted. Lizzy smiled and blushed even harder. She opened her mouth to respond…
"OY! LIZZY!" came a voice. One of Hermione's companions, who Ron vaguely recognized as That Obnoxious Indian Kid, was beckoning Lizzy to hurry up to class. The other Hufflepuff, That Obnoxious Indian Kid's Girlfriend, punched him in the arm. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Hold your horses!" Lizzy screamed back at him. She turned back to Ron, sighing. She immediately became shy again though, and nodded her head. "I'd love to go with you."
"Really?" Ron said in a strangled voice. Lizzy nodded again and looked down. Ron grinned.
"LIZZY! HEY, LIZZY! LET'S GO!" Now both T.O.I.K. and T.O.I.K.G. were yelling at Lizzy and frantically waving their arms toward the Ancient Runes classroom. Hermione was attempting and failing to shush them.
"Well, I've got to go, but I'll see you at lunch?" Lizzy said with a smile.
"Okay," Ron said, completely relieved.
"Bye then," Lizzy replied, and stood on her toes to give him a quick peck on the cheek. She hurried off to her friends, leaving Ron elated and also in awe as he touched his cheek gingerly with his fingers. He glanced at his watch and realized with a jolt that he was late for Divination. Ron took off at a sprint down the hall, only pausing to jump up and touch one of the candle-lit chandeliers.
…to be continued.
Post Note: I cut this one off because it was dragging on forever. Its original title is going to be used in chapter 5. Anyway, here's some credits/connections:
Hermione and Lizzy's Hufflepuff friends is a cameo of Ray and Lily from my favorite T.V. show, Radio Free Roscoe. I had to put them in there somewhere.
The random song quote in the middle was from Snow Patrol's "Spitting Games," which is also the title of the chapter.
The phrase "as if she knew the answer to a question in class but wanted to give someone else a chance" is from The Princess Diaries. The answer? That Mia and Michael are in lurve. :) Ahem. Anyway…Review, please!