Chapter Three: The Hoggy Head

'Come on Lav! Let's go! Everyone's already downstairs,' Parvati shouted to Lavender who was doing the finishing touches of her make up.

It had been a week since the incident and Parvati was feeling much better, not that she was alright with Harry now but the fact that they were going to Hogsmeade today had cheered up.

'Coming,' Lavender said as she hurried out of the bathroom, 'How do I look?'

'Gorgeous as usual, Seamus won't be able to take his eyes off you,' Parvati said with a wink.

'Is that a real compliment or is it just because I lent you my new boots?'

Parvati giggled. 'Both!' she exclaimed.

They rushed to the Entrance Hall as fast as they could, which was not that fast as they were both wearing heels and joined the impatient crowd.

'Alright, you lot. These two are finally here so leave!' Filch said in a gruff tone. 'And don't bring back any mess!'

Filch was of course worried as it was a snowy winter's day which could only mean more cleaning.

Parvati and Lavender quickly sat in a carriage that Seamus had saved for them.

'Sorry about being the third wheel guys,' Parvati said sheepishly.

Seamus patted her playfully on the back, 'Don't be daft, although I'm sure Dean wouldn't mind giving you company…'

'Thanks but no thanks; he just broke up with Ginny. I couldn't do that.'

'Yeah, it's part of the Code,' Lavender piped in.

Seamus raised his eyebrows, 'Where do you two come up with these things?'

'From the Unwritten Laws of Dating,' Parvati said with a smile nudging Lavender to play along. 'There are all kinds of rules. Only for the guy who's willing to buy you something from Gems and Jewels, who always responds to your blabbering, who never calls you fat…'

'So Seamus, you'd better watch out. You never know when you'll be breaking the code and then I'll be forced to break up with you,' Lavender said with a dramatic sigh.

'Oh and I wouldn't want to do that,' he said in low voice coming closer to Lavender and…

Parvati looked out the window, not wanting to disturb the two. You have no lucky you are Lav, she thought sadly to herself.

When they reached Hogsmeade, they hung out for a while before Parvati could not take it anymore and insisted that she needed to do some Christmas shopping.

'I'll meet you guys later at Hogwarts.'

'But…'

Parvati shushed her with her hand. 'Don't worry, I'll find Ginny or somebody and tag along with them. Have fun!' she said with a bright smile and skipped off to the nearest shop.

'Anything in the Daily Prophet today Hermy?'

Hermione frowned at her nick name but answered, 'As a matter of fact, yes. Around six people believe they saw a couple of the escaped Death Eaters around Wales.'

Ron paled slightly at hearing that but continued by asking, 'Nowhere near here right?'

'Fortunately but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be careful. I can't believe you two wanted to come to Hogsmeade in this state, especially you Harry.'

'You're here and besides there are aurors swarming around the place,' Ron gestured around the inn where Harry spotted at least three of them.

'I only came to make sure you didn't do anything stupid, I wouldn't be surprised if you two…'

But what, Hermione expected Harry and Ron to do, they never found out. Hermione's eyes had widened in surprise and her lips curled into a smile as she ran to a hulky someone who had come through the door.

'Victor!' she squealed, 'Whatever are you doing here?'

'Herm-o-ninny,' Viktor said with a smile, 'I came for seeing you. I vaz vorried ven I saw the Daily Propheet today.'

'Silly, Wales is miles away. You didn't have to…'

'These Death Eaters can do anything. I know how they vork. It could be a treek.'

Harry turned to Ron who had turned completely red in rage; in fact he very much resembled a tomato at the moment. He watched as Ron stomped towards Viktor and said,

'Yes, I'm sure you know all about the way they think, don't you Krum?'

Viktor frowned at him, 'Vat do you mean?'

Ron then turned to Hermione, 'Isn't it a little bit of a coincidence that he shows up today, trying to be the hero, eh? I'm sure this is a 'treek' as he calls it.'

'Ron!' she said angrily, 'I can't believe you're saying all this nonsense. Viktor would never do that.'

'Hermione remember what school he's from and you heard what Harry said, he saw the Dark Mark on Karkerhoff's arm. Them two were a little chummy weren't they?'

'I waz never 'chumz' vith him. He only vas nice to me because ov my position in the team,' Viktor said in an irritated tone.

Ron snorted 'It's like I said Hermione. It's probably been his plan all along. Getting friendly with you finding stuff about Harry and now suddenly showing up when there are Death Eaters on the loose ready to support him if he…'

'RON! Stop it now! I don't know where you come up with these things but Viktor hasn't been doing no such thing! In fact, I've been asking him to keep an eye out for us, to protect Harry,' Hermione shouted angry tears forming in her eyes.

Now Harry was fuming. He did not need them to baby-sit him all the time, 'Am I incapable of looking after myself then? Afraid I'm going to do something idiotic like last time? That's what it is, isn't it? You lot just expect me to mess up and get into trouble. Well, I don't need you're help. I'm tired of discussing the same thing over and over again, tired of thinking about Voldemort and tired of you two fighting!'

Before any of them had a chance to respond, he had gone.

Parvati rubbed her hands together regretting that she had not worn her gloves; they had clashed horribly with her clothes. So far she had not had much success in shopping. It was not the fact that there were not any appropriate gifts around but because she hated being by herself. She did manage to tag along with Ginny for a while but then even she had linked up with her new boyfriend, Colin Creevy. Parvati had smiled at seeing them together, they made a cute couple but being alone had just made her depressed. She tried to distract herself with the new jewelry display at 'Gems and Jewels' but it had proved useless. She stared up at the sky and watched as the snow fell from it. It looked beautiful. Just as she was enjoying he sight, she felt someone collide in to her, knocking both of them on to the ground. Fortunately, the person had fallen before her and she landed on them with a big 'Youch'. Parvati looked down to see she had fallen on top of the last person she wanted to see, Harry Potter. His face was screwed up in pain and, as quick as she could, she scrambled off of him. She patted the snow off of her cloak, checked that Lavender's boots had not gotten damaged and was about to walk off when she saw Harry's face properly. His cheeks were tear stained and his nose was redder then it should have been. Before she could stop herself, she asked, 'Are you alright?'

Harry, whose eyes had been shut and was still on the ground, looked up at her, bewildered.

'Parvati?' he asked, his voice wavering.

'Um, yeah it is. I didn't hurt you did I?' she asked not hiding her surprise at the tone of his voice.

Harry did not answer, but instead propped himself up in a sitting position. Parvati immediately crouched down beside him.

'I'm okay, really,' he said with obvious pain.

'No, you're not. Come on, there's a mediwitch just further down.'

Harry shook his head and was about to say something when voices calling out for him could be heard. He quickly got up and grabbed Parvati's arm.

'Come on,' he said limping on his left leg.

'To the mediwitch?' she asked.

'No somewhere else.'

'The Three Broomsticks?'

He looked behind him, in the direction of The Three Broomsticks and clicked his tongue.

'The Hoggy head?' she asked again.

A small smile broke out on Harry's face, 'Yeah. Let's go to the Hoggy Head.'

'What's so funny? Oh,' she said when he pointed to the sign in front of him which read 'The Hog's head'.