Chapter Five

Forests, Forgiveness and a New Friend

Harry caught up to me, panting. "Why did she go in here in the first place…?"

Tears streamed down my face. Harry looked extremely uncomfortable. "None of your business," I said briskly.

"The forest is unsafe. There are creatures in here…you can't even imagine!" Harry called after me.

I ran faster and stumbled over a large tree root, falling face first into the dirt. The corners of his lips twitching, Harry helped me up.

"Padma…!" I called.

"Padma! Harry called.

We reached fork in the path and I began towards the left one.

Harry grabbed my arm. 'Don't go there. That's were the Aragog lives!"

Scowling, I wriggled free of his grips and practically screamed 'Padma'.

No answer. The forest remained still.

We progressed along the right path.

"Padma!"

"Padma!"

"PARRA!" Came out of the weird stillness of the forest.

"Did you hear that!" I screamed at Harry.

Harry nodded apprehensively.

Then suddenly he went pale. "Grawp."

"What?" I asked, confused.

"Grawp. Padma is with Grawp."

"Who is Grawp?" I questioned impatiently.

Harry didn't answer.

"What is Grawp." I tried.

"N-n-nothing." Harry returned weakly.

I trashed through the heavily tangled vines to see…

A huge brown mould towering the sky and screaming from its giant fist was my twin.

I gasped. Grawp was a…GIANT!

"Padma!" I shrieked, waving madly, beside myself.

"Parrrrrr!" Padma screamed back in a strangled voice. Harry looked flustered, then:

"Parvati, you have to get Hagrid," he whispered urgently.

"I know he's large, Harry, but he is no match for Grawp." I cried back.

"Go! I'll stay!" said Harry forcefully, propelling me forward. I looked from the monster, which was currently swinging back and forth,to Harry.

"Don't leave Padma alone!" I commanded.

Harry nodded and I took off. I clutched my wand tightly and stumbled through the forest, hardly aware where I were heading. Panting, sweating and aching, I leapt over logs, boulders and plants. My heart thudded painfully in my chest. I think this was the way….

Suddenly there was a deafening sound of hooves clacking at the ground and a snort that sounded oddly familiar. I stopped running to see three very nasty looking centaurs gazing at me with disdain.

"You think you can wander around our home anytime, do you now?" spat a jet-black centaur.

Helpless and lost, I pleaded, "no, this is the first time. You see my sister was angry with and she came in here and that giant captured her. I have to help her! I have to get Hagrid."

The centaurs snorted. "Hagrid is unworthy of entering the forest. Do you know that the giant is brother?"

I gasped. "It can't be! Grawp's too big."

The centaurs stamped their hooves in impatience. "Get lost, human. Do what you have to do, but never return." A gray centaur commanded. I nodded quickly and they let me pass.

Sighing with relief, I reached the clearing. My hair was tangled, my face sweaty and my robes torn, but I didn't care. Hagrid was teaching a fifth-year class.

"Hagrid!" I cried, waving my arms.

Hagrid turned toward me, his brow furrowed.

"You have to help!"

When Hagrid did not comprehend and dragged him away from the curious fifth years and explained.

"Blimey!" Hagrid exclaimed.

"I know!" I wailed.

Hagrid then commanded me to stay here occupy the fifth year class.

"Where is Hagrid gone?" questioned Colin Creevy.

"Did some Nadavers get at you, Parvati? You look as if you've been attacked by a bunch of Nadavers," piped up Luna Lovegood.

What are Nadavers, I thought to myself.

"Do know anything about um…Fiflophonia?" Ginny Weasly inquired seriously.

I grinned at her gratefully.

"Sure, they are water-creature and when you go underwater they--"

I hoped Padma and Harry were all right.

Out of the corner of my eye saw two figures approaching but Hagrid wasn't with them.

Later

An hour later, Padma and I were relaxing in the nearly deserted Gryffindor common room. We specially asked Harry if we could skip DA today because we desperately need to sort things out. Being the kind of person Harry is, he agreed.

Padma sighed and stretched herself on the floor before the crackling flames.

"I'm sorry," I gulped, my heart heavy.

Padma rolled onto her back. "Me too."

I joined her on the floor. "You have nothing to be sorry about. You trusted me and I betrayed you," I argued.

Padma shook her head. "I shouldn't have trusted you enough to let you date Terry! What was I thinking!"

I felt stung. "Sheesh--" I began.

"The guy is a creep. No sooner than we have our fight, he goes of with Cho Chang!" Padma raged

"Seriously?" I exclaimed, feeling a little better and then a little worse.

Padma cracked a sad grin. "Hey, I fell for him too, Par."

"What was I thinking!" I suddenly cried. "Just because it wasn't like a History of Magic class…I thought everything would be okay."

"Only it turns out Arithmancy is just as bad!" added Padma, chuckling.

I joined in. "I'm never going to lie to you again, Paddy," I vowed solemnly.

Padma laughed once again, rolling her eyes. "Sure, Parvati, but thanks for trying."

We spent the rest of the evening playing Witch's Monopoly and laughing.

Dear Diary,

So, that is my tale of Terry Boot, heartbreaker (?)… sort of heartbreaker. Now when I see him in the halls and stuff and I disregard him completely.

I do, however, still foster feelings Harry Potter. I realized I was totally rude to him during the forest fiasco, so I should make peace.

I saw him walking alone to Defense against the Dark Arts this morning, so I caught up with him.

"Hi, Harry. Where are Hermione and Ron?" I greeted him in a friendly manner.

The boy with the cutest messiest hair and most intense eyes stared at me blankly.

"Probably snogging behind some statue again," he then answered sourly, looking decidedly angry.

My eyebrows rose all the way up. This was an interesting piece of information. Wow…Finally Ron plucked the courage, I thought inwardly. However, Harry didn't look very happy about it. On a sudden impulse I caught his arm, before he began walking away.

"What!" I exclaimed.

Harry looked at me wearily, regretting that he even told me. "Don't tell anyone."

I snorted, slightly stung. "I'll try my best, but it's hard for a penniless gossip queen, like myself," I replied cynically.

Harry heaved a sighed, running one hand through his messy jet-black hair and turned to walk away again.

For a moment, I felt slightly lost. I should be considerate and thoughtful, I decided and I caught up with him again.

Harry cast an annoyed glance at me. "What, do you want, Parvati?"

"Harry, you and I need to talk," I said patiently.

Harry wore a confused, bewildered expression on his face.

Frowning, I hauled him over to a nearby bench.

"Aren't you happy for them? I mean, even without my excellent Divination skills, I'd saw it coming." I began.

Harry looked forlorn. "I suppose. It's great…it's just weird, you know. Like yesterday at DA, I left completely left out. I miss them, more than anything…." Harry voiced pitiably.

I patted him consolingly. "They're new couple. Don't worry all their 'affection' will slowly simmer down and they'll be normal soon enough."

When Harry didn't say anything, I continued, "you three have been through so much together, I bet this Ron and Hermione thing will strengthen the friendship and lessen the yelling between them..."

Harry cleared his throat. "Yeah…well. Just feeling a little lonely without Ron and Hermione." He looked so miserable, I had to do something.

"…Well um, until they return to Planet Earth, you're stuck with me!" I cried cheerfully.

Harry made mock grimace. "Does this mean tea leaves?" he asked.

"No, it means a new friend." I completed wisely. Harry cracked a weak grin, murmured thanks and we walked together to our next class.

"OH MI GOD!" shrieked Lavender, going completely insane. She was ecstatic that Ron and Hermione were going out and was in the process of encouraging Hermione for them to double date with Seamus and herself. Just one problem!that was would be completely insane.

That Lavender…!

Hermione grimaced. "Well, Lavender. Ron and I just want to spent our first few dates alone before…."

"Of course, of course," interrupted Lavender. "But when we do, we all have to go down that tunnel of love in Twirland Theme Park." She said excitedly. "Parvati can come too if she finds herself a boyfriend…."

I rolled my eyes at Hermione, who shot her 'there goes Lav" expression at me.

"So, how did it happen?" I questioned interestedly, leaning forward. The three of us were spending some 'quality roomie time' together in the dorm. Lavender, who never remains in the same spot for two long, was currently waltzing across the room, humming 'Lue Ebunad' by the Weird Sisters. Hermione was sitting on the ground, legs crossed, a slightly dreamy look in her eyes. I was flat on my stomach, sprawled on my comfortable four poster bed with the latest edition of 'Witch Weekly' open in front of me.

"What?" said Hermione cluelessly.

Lavender stopped waltzing and flopped onto the ground, waiting for Hermione's story.

"You and Ron!" she cried exasperatedly. Clearly, Lavender still hadn't got over her a insignificant fling with Ronald Weasly.

"Oh," Hermione murmured, a tinge of pink reaching her cheeks. "Well, at lunch yesterday. Er…Ron asked me to take a walk and we did."

"Around the courtyard?" I asked suddenly.

Hermione glanced at me strangely. "No, around the greenhouses. Anyway, then he asked me out. It was really… adorable,"

"Wow," I said.

"How… boring!" cried Lavender.

Hermione got that dreamy look in her eye. "No, it was really special." Something told me Ms. Granger wasn't telling us the entire story.

"Well," chirped Lavender brightly. "Parvati, you have to get a boyfriend!"

I groaned. "Please, Lav. I'm doing the Handbook thing remember. Only a stupid guy would remain my boyfriend while I was investigating--"

"Whatever, Par, I saw this really cool quiz in the 'Witch Weekly'--" Lavender cut me off, snatching my magazine and flipping through it until she found what she was searching for.

"Ok! This is it!" Lavender gasped excitedly. Hermione leaned forward curiously.

I groaned again. "Please--" I began.

Hermione was looking over Lav's shoulder and shot me a thumbs up sign. "Normally, I wouldn't agree with this Parvati, but this could get interesting."

I stuck my tongue out her childishly, but conceded, just to be a sport.

"Alright, you have to do the quiz and one attribute of the guy of your dreams will appear when you're finished." Lavender announced dramatically, handing the 'Witch Weekly' to me.

I took it, shaking my head amusedly.

The Wizard of Your Dreams Quiz

Witch Weekly

What are the qualities you like in your man?

Sensitive & superior

Brave & thoughtful

Good & understanding

Sexy & evil

If your man gives you a present, what do you secretly hope they will be?

Flowers, of course!

A book filled with useful information that I fill my brain with!

Beautiful dress robes that I can wear for our next date.

Pet pythons to wrap around my neck like a shawl.

What eye colour do you prefer in the man of your dreams?

Blue…how positively adorable!

Green…just beautiful…!

Brown…come here, puppy!

Grey…sexy!

What would you nickname your man?

Honey

Sloppy

Bopkin

Sexy poo

Where would you want to go for your special date?

A theme park

For a picnic

Nearby village

Moonlight skinny-dipping.

In your dream man, what is the main attribute?

Kindness

Turns you on

Intelligence

Sexiness

"Done!" I declared, shutting the magazine. Lavender immediately ripped it out of my hands and turned to the quiz page. She frowned, and then giggled only for a second.

"So Parvati's dream man would be a sexy, evil guy with grey eyes who gives her pet pythons to wrap around her neck like shawls. The dream guy is known for his 'sexiness' and is called sexy poo!" Lavender screeched, folding her arms.

I laughed. "It's a joke, Lav!" Hermione joined me in doing so.

Lavender's brow was furrowed. "Yep, your joke dream man just happens to be Draco Malfoy!"

She shoved the magazine under my face. I glimpsed white blond hair and swish of green material before the enchanted picture turned blank again.

I forced a laugh. "Oh, well. It's not true."

Later I did the test again and I guess the enchantment must be wearing off the picture because all I got were wisps of green. Sigh. So, I never really found out who the actual man of my dreams was….