Chapter Six
Beauty, Balls and Neville LongbottomPart One
Dear Diary,
Today I woke up with energy running through my veins. Today was Saturday and Katie Bell had scheduled Quidditch practice. The Gryffindor team really had to practice since we would play against Hufflepuff in a few weeks. I'm so excited!
I proceeded to the washroom and went through my daily routine traipsed downstairs to the common room in my spotless new Quidditch robes and Nimbus 2001 in hand.
"Hi Ginny!" I exclaimed seeing the fiery redhead sitting by the fire, scribbling madly in (what I suspect to be) her diary. Ginny immediately slammed the book shut when she saw me approaching. I smiled. "No worries, Ginny, I'm not going to peek into your diary."
Ginny sighed and put her diary away. "Thanks, Parvati. D'you want to head over to the Quidditch pitch, now? I was waiting for some one to come down."
"Sure!" I replied brightly, as Ginny lifted her broom (Comet Two-Sixty) and rose from her armchair.
"So, whatever happened to Dean?" I asked curiously.
Ginny sighed heavily. "Well, he was quite sad really, but I listened to you and I'm going to find someone for me!"
"Good!" I commended her, but felt slightly queasy in the stomach. I had always had bad luck advising people. They often seemed to backfire on me…somehow.
"Well, anyway, have you heard about the Halloween ball?"
"Ball?" I squeaked.
Ginny grinned. "Yep, but there's a twist."
"Twist?" I echoed.
"The girls have to ask the guys!" Ginny cried.
Now that's different.
"How did you find out?" I questioned as we strode out of the portrait hole.
"Poster in the common room. I was the first one up, you know?"
"So, who are you going to ask?" I inquired interestedly.
Ginny suddenly blushed. "I-I'm not sure, yet." She stammered.
A ball--hmmm--interesting. Who should I ask? I definitely knew whom I wanted to ask…but our last ball didn't go well at all. Plus, I am supposed to be over Harry Potter. It's just that we've had so much contact lately I can't get him out of my head.
Anyway, we had a great Quidditch Practice. I actually did pretty well. I'm surprised and proud at the same time. Harry was there, of course and my heart had another gymnastics practice.
I can't help how I feel about him! It's just so weird! He treats me like a giggle-machine, but I can't help liking him. Very twisted, I know. Sigh--us teenage girls have so much torment in our lives.
Later
Padma is beside herself. "Parvati! I can't believe this ball thing! WE have to ask someone? Since when does Hogwarts have so many balls anyway? I always thought it was a Halloween feast, not a ball." Padma cried." I don't want to go alone, but I don't want to ask anyone!" Padma continued.
"Don't worry about it, Paddy." I calmed her. "Just ask…um…?"
"You're load of help, Parvati," Padma commented sardonically after a few minutes of my pondering.
"Shut up! I'm trying to help you," I snapped, losing my patience. "Michael Corner!" I suddenly exclaimed. Padma shook her head disapprovingly. "Going out with Daphne Greengrass, of all people."
"Dean Thomas!"
"Ginny thing and Joanna Sparkers thing. Don't want to get involved."
"Justin Flin--!"
"Pooh--lease!" Padma cut in.
"Ernie--"
"No!"
"Fine…fin--ee, be that way…. How about…Draco Malfoy!"
"PAR!" Padma screeched, brandishing a pillow at me.
"I resent that," I sulked. Padma was really too much sometimes. Then I got a brainwave. "How about Zacharias Smith? He is in Hufflepuff, DA, Quidditch team…um…and isn't completely evil, lame, or unavailable."
Padma crossed her arms, giving me a sour look. "He is also a complete jerk."
I threw my hands in the air. "Well, Paddy. If you are willing to nit-pick at every detail…."
"Alright, alright. I'll ask Zacharias."
Problem solved. I'm am so good, aren't I?
Dear Diary,
My weekend so far was quite uneventful. The weather is quite rainy, but for it seems to have stopped. Right now, Lavender is having a dating marathon with Seamus and Hermione and Ron, like Harry put it, were probably snogging behind some statue. I was right, the yelling lessened, but their current politeness seems kind of false. I'm pretty sure Hermione cannot tolerate Ron's habits without pointing them out for too long. They'll back to normal soon enough. Anyway, I feel like a hermit in her cave, sitting up in the dormitory writing in here. I'm just going down the common room to socialize. Will be back soon.
Later
I went down to the common room, expecting it to be a slightly full at least, but the only other person in the room was Harry. He was bent over his homework, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Now, I wanted to return to my cave. I know I like Harry and all, we would never work. It was just a silly crush. Right? Right? So, I'm just trying to be friends with him to get know the boy behind the scar….
"What are you doing?" I asked curiously. Harry startled, nearly jumped out of his skin.
"Parvati!" he gasped, massaging his neck. He had turned so fast, I suspect he had got a crick.
"Sorry," I said sheepishly, glancing around at everything but him. My eyes fell on his homework. It looked like Divination with all the graphs of the planets and tarot illustrations. I peered interestedly at Harry's chart, which seemed to be making rather peculiar predictions. "So, you're supposed to die of a an owl peck in two weeks according to your placement of the card?" I inquired amusedly.
Harry shuffled his papers about. "Whatever," he mumbled and scrawled a couple more 'predictions'. I frowned.
"Some parts of divination are really interesting, you know."
Harry cocked his head. "Really?" he questioned skeptically.
"I'm not saying I believe all of it, but Scardo is really quite fascinating!" I announced sharply, getting annoyed at his cynical tone.
"What is Scardo?" Harry asked rather meekly.
"Well, it's like giving a very important, sentimental piece of you to a Seer and then they mix a very complicated potion that involves your sentimental piece. The person drinks the potion and… becomes the seer, but only in mental form. " I paused briefly to see if Harry was still following.
"See, the potions is so strong for a moment the person and Seer's powers connect and the person is allowed foretell their own future. It is very accurate because there is nothing ore valuable to a Seer than a person's own gut feeling. In the end, you are your best key to telling your future."
Harry nodded his head, a thoughtful expression etched on his face. "That actually sounds… interesting. Why don't we learn it Divination instead of these pointless prediction nonsense?"
I shrugged, suddenly feeling shy again. "I don't know. Maybe Firenze and Trelawny think it's too hard, or something."
"Well, if it involves Potions…."
I chuckled then glanced around at the deserted common room again. "Why isn't anyone out?"
"Hogosmeade, remember!"
"Alas, I had forgotten," I swooned dramatically and tittered nervously. I was acting like such a goof. Honestly.
Harry smiled, shutting his heavy volume of 'Ponderer'. "Well, I had to stay back because I had loads of homework, but what about you?" Harry gazed at me inquisitively with those eyes. Oh, those eyes. Oh, those eyes.
Unable to function properly, I tittered nervously and unexpectedly broke into a familiar song.
" Goodnight, Goodnight,
You can tuck yourself in,
And Sleep like you can't wake up.
Dreams of the long gone…
Shadows of the past…
Tears in your eyes… -- "
I stopped, horrified. Not only was that a most bothersome… ballad… by the Broomstick Brothers, but I SANG it…in front of Harry Potter. And let me tell you, I'm TONE deaf. Can't carry a tune even for my own life. Harry stared at me strangely. "Are you feeling, okay?" I blushed a bright red.
"Well, I crack inappropriate jokes, get dramatic and sing when…when…I forget to go to…to…Hogosmeade!" I explained shrilly and stupidly.
Harry burst out laughing. "Parvati, you're too much!"
"Really? Have I put on weight?" I exclaimed dryly, feeling like an utter idiot inside. On the outside, I did the Lav-hyperventilating dance. "Ohmigod! Ohmigod! I'm just too much!" It wasn't even funny, but Harry chortled again.
"You're such a… drama queen," he accused, grinning.
"No, you mean troubled teen!" I replied, avoiding his beautiful emerald green eyes. "and maybe slightly loony!" Harry added mirthfully.
"Or I just could be a mad-woman!" I cried, getting to the game of insulting myself. There was an awkward silence in which I shuffled my feet and Harry cracked his knuckles.
"Do you want to…um…er…go for a walk?" Harry suddenly spoke shyly.
Struck by surprise, I nodded. "Of course, I mean there's nothing else to do and I-I'll just get my cloak and--"
"OK, I'll wait for you outside," Harry agreed.
Ohmigod! Ohmigod! I thought as I raced upstairs. This was like a date. Well, not really, but I had to wear the best cloak ever. I selected the satin ruby one that made me look like Red Riding Hood. Quickly I applied a shiny coat of Glisten n'Gleam rouge and Wicca Wide mascara. I ran a comb trough my tangled mass of jet-black hair and pulled on my groovy ebony boots. I viewed myself in the mirror. Prefect, I thought, posing a Wendelle Hancock move with the famous pouty lips. Wendi was like my idol because I wanted to become a famous Boutique Witch-wear model, but that was a long time ago.
Anyway, I grabbed my handbag with my wand and whatever-nots inside and rushed back down. I strode confidently through the portrait hall and glimpsed Harry waiting for me. If Harry found me attractive he didn't show it.
"Where do you want to go?" he asked casually.
"The courtyard!" I answered at once.
The courtyard was absolutely beautiful that day. Sure, the grass was all dewy and I was well aware I would have to ask Padma to fix my boots with an adjustment spell…but it was wonderful. The sky was a powdery blue with large, grey, looming clouds. The flowers were enjoying the last few days of their existence since it would be November soon. I breathed in the cool, refreshing air. "This is nice," I whispered. Harry nodded, but seemed far away in thought. "What about Grawp?" I asked suddenly, as we circled around a few rose bushes.
Harry's eyes clouded over. "Hagrid refuses to take him back where he belongs."
"But he's dangerous!" I squeaked, shuddering. "Padma keeps asking me about him, you know."
Harry swallowed, coming to a stop. "Parvati, what do you think of Voldemort?" This question took me by surprise. Harry never speaks to me about serious things. "Are you…afraid?" I asked hesitantly.
Harry shook his head his somberly. "Not of him, but the war, maybe. I'm scared that…." Harry trailed off, gazing at the ground.
"People dying?" I finished for him.
Harry nodded. "And I can't talk to Ron and Hermione anymore lately…so that's why….'
"It's ok, Harry. You can talk to me," I consoled. Suddenly, I felt my eyes fill up with tears. "I'm scared too, you know. For my mum, Padma and my friends…. War is an awful thing, it's going to change everyone," I said wisely. A solitary tear leaked down my cheek, but I blinked it away.
Harry sighed sadly. "I'm sorry for bringing it up," he spoke when he saw me blinking back more tears.
"We're going to fight, right?" I questioned in a small voice. "Us…we're Dumbledore's Army…." Overcome with emotion, I looked at the ground. I'm not good with dealing with grave matters, especially ones that involved death. Harry gingerly placed his hand on my shoulder as if to comfort me. I froze, even though the warmth of his hand on my shoulder was reassuring. Why the hell was I crying? Whenever Hermione brought up the topic of Voldemort or the war I always said I didn't care, I would die anyway. And Hermione always replied that I was wrong and would care someday. Maybe this was that day.
I gulped back more tears. "Ok, let's go back," I said thickly. Harry didn't let go of my shoulder until we were back in the common room. I said goodbye quickly. He asked me if I was ok and he went back to his homework. Then I came back here and till now have pored all my thoughts in this diary.
Yours,
Parvati
Dear Diary,
A new day, but no date. It seems like everyone is talking about the Halloween Ball. Lavender has been going non-stop about Seamus's newfound generosity. He actually bought her a bracelet. As for Hermione she said that Ron practically dragged her to the Room of Requirement and proposed to go to the ball with him. And there is me… no date, no dress and no…no…Neville. Neville. I looked around the great-hall. Neville Longbottom wasn't in his usual spot next to Dean. I wondered where he was. I wondered why I was thinking where he was. Pansy Parkinson swished past me, her nose stuck in air. Suddenly she came to a halt. "Hey, Patil. Tell your little Gryffindor friend to stay away from my friends," Pansy pointed at a pretty girl standing next to her.
"What?" I snapped. I simply cannot tolerate Pansy Parkinson.
"Longbottom was harassing Eve, so I took care of him," Pansy shot me a spiteful smile. The brunette behind her, glared at me.
I stood up. "What do you mean?" I questioned suspiciously.
"Oh, you know what I mean," Pansy regarded me with her eyes dangerously narrowed.
Then she left with the doll-faced brunette in a tow.
"Neville!" I groaned. Only he'd be stupid enough to ask a Slytherin out. I prodded at Lav, who was currently blowing kisses to Seamus sitting across from her. Lav was so inattentive at this point….I sighed, pulling out my wand and preparing to go in search of poor Neville.
After searching for many moments, I had reached a deserted Charms hallway, when an idea struck. Honestly…I was so stupid. "Accio Neville!"
For a moment there was nothing. I stepped out of the way, suddenly afraid. Then out of nowhere a howling figure that resembled Neville came hurtling towards me. "Nooo!" I screamed, dodging out of the way. I heard a huge heavy thud and then nothing at all. Neville had apparently crashed into the wall and was sprawled across the floor.
"Oh no!" I whimpered. I had killed him. I felt his pulse, which was weak, but still there. I let out a relieved sigh. Before, I could do anything else there was pit-patter of footsteps and I felt my stomach churn. Had anyone seen Neville? Oh no….
"Miss Patil!" barked a harsh Professor McGonnagal. I raised my eyes fearfully. "Professor…I can explain…."
"Oh really?" spoke a soft voice from the shadows. Snape.
Just perfect. "Yes, Pansy Parkinson--" I squeaked.
"Miss Patil, we'll find out later. Is Mr. Longbottom alright?" Professor McGonnagal cried.
"I think so," I said faintly.
She expertly levitated Neville. "I'll deal with you, soon. Serverus, help me with the boy, will you?"
Reluctantly Snape followed McGonnagal, throwing a spiteful look at me.
I was dead meat.
In Herbology, while repotting Medusoidous, Professor McGonnagal entered Green House 5. I shivered. Lavender leaned over and whispered, "good luck, Par."
Hermione shot me a sympathetic glance. I had told them both about the incident on the way to the greenhouses. Hermione had been a mixture of concern for Neville and scorn for my stupidity. Lavender had been sympathetic to my plight.
"Miss Patil!" Professor Sprout called kindly. Quaking in my new Reebok sneaks, I pulled of my thick dragonhide gloves and walked up front. Professor McGonagall greeted me with a severe, withering glare. "Come along," she commanded. I followed her meekly out of the greenhouses.
Neither of said a word, until I couldn't bear it any longer.
"Um…where are we going, Professor?"
"Hospital Wing," McGonagall answered briskly. I gulped.
To see Neville, of course…. "Miss Patil, I never thought you to be so…foolish. The Accio spell can only be used on objects. For people, it's dangerous. Moreover, you're not allowed to do magic in the hallways." McGonagall addressed me grimly.
"B-but you don't understand, Professor! Pansy told me she took care of Neville in a bad way and I went to find him. I searched forever and I just thought Accio would work…." I did my impression of a poor a little goody-goody.
Professor McGonagall's face softened around the edges. "Poor boy…. But that does not excuse you, Miss Patil. Your intentions were good, but I have no other choice to give you lines."
"Lines?" I queried apprehensively.
"I will not perform an Accio spell on a human in the hallways again, sounds appropriate."
My jaw dropped. "Yeah…" I managed at last, surprised at my good luck.
In a few minutes we had reached the Hospital Wing. I desperately hoped Neville didn't remember a thing. McGonagall and I entered. I glanced hesitantly around. Neville was lying helplessly in a nearby cot.
"I'll leave you two, now, Miss Patil, you know what to do, don't you?" Professor McGonagall stated sternly. I nodded, staring at Neville with a sick feeling forming in my mouth. His head was bent down and his hands clasped together.
"Hi," I said quickly. Neville raised his head feebly. "Parvati…!" he then cried passionately, struggling to sit up. I admit… I recoiled, stepping back.
"I'm really sorry," I began in the cool, confident voice I had practiced in my head.
Neville shook his head. "Don't be sorry, Parvati, my sweet. You could never do anything wrong…. You…saved my life!"
My eyes widened with horror. "Neville! " I exclaimed.
Neville propped himself against the puffy pillows. "I can't believe I didn't see this before."
"What?" I demanded, baffled.
"You're beautiful…" he breathed, awestruck. My first reaction was to runaway, but I took another step-back instead. "Is this revenge?" I asked, even more bewildered than before.
"What do you mean?" Neville was as confused as I was.
"You're acting stupid. I'm sorry--I did it for your own good. Please STOP!" I cried, beside myself. Neville's antics were definitely freaking me out.
"Anything for you, Parvati, darling," said Neville, a pathetic goofy grin plastered on his face.
"Stop!" I said through gritted teeth, flushing slightly. Madame Promfrey had just passed and was shooting me a knowing smile.
Neville grabbed hold of my hand. "I have to ask you something,"
I wriggled my hand free of his sweaty grasp. "Listen," I began. Neville put on his most attentive expression and our eyes locked for a moment. His eyes. Then slowly, like a ton of bricks…it struck me.
"P-A-N-S-Y P-A-R -K-I-N-S-O-N!" I seethed, clenching my fists.
"That bitch--"
"Parvati!"
"Alright, alright, Herm!" I snapped irritably. I had retold my entire sordid tale to Hermione. She was the only person smart enough (apart from Padma, but I couldn't find her) to reverse--
"A love potion!" I bellowed, throwing my hands up. Hermione winced.
"Aren't you overreacting--"
"Neville Longbottom is completely head over heels in love with me! No, I don't think I'm overreacting" I shouted.
"Are you sure it is--"
"YEAH! It was in his eyes…tiny pink hearts with an imprint of my name on each one! Can you deny that, Hermione?" I screamed, resolving to hysterics. "It's Pansy's revenge. She told me herself…" Longbottom was harassing Eve, so I took care of him." Then I asked what she meant and she said spitefully, "oh, you know what I mean…. " I paused for breath. Hermione didn't dare interrupt my tirade.
"The point is she's twisted, evil and Slytherin! And now I have Neville crazy about me…it's sickening."
I shuddered and collapsed on Lavender's bed. Hermione's lips twitched. "Are you sure Pansy is smart enough to mix a love potion? They're not illegal for anything."
I moaned. "Must be that friend of hers', Eve or something. Stupid little flipping twitches!"
"Well if you aren't polite, Parvati, I can't help you."
I shut my eyes for a moment. People like Hermione Granger are a blessing and at the same time an utter annoyance to this world. Then impulsively, I slid off the bed and landed at Hermione's feet.
"Please…oh please…Help reverse the spell! Hermione… the Great! You're the smartest person in the world…. Please!" I begged.
Hermione pursed her lips. "Begging isn't going to get you anywhere," she said resolutely.
"I'll tell Ron about your embarrassing moment…." I said slyly, looking up. The expression on Hermione's face was priceless. "Blackmail!" she accused, but a fearful look crossed her face.
I jumped up, folding my arms. "Well if begging can't do the trick, I'm sure blackmail will."
Hermione sighed. "I was going to help you anyway, Par. You just have to be more polite."
"How many flipping times does a person have to say please?"
Hermione's plan was to scour the library for information. Brilliant--I know, but that's all we had.
"We're not going to find anything here!" Lavender had joined the Help Parvati Lose Neville team and was poring over a thick volume of 'Illegal Potions'.
Hermione raised her eyes from the leather bound book, which she had been reading. To my surprise she agreed. "You're right. We'll have to get that book…'Moste Potent Potions'…that's bound to have it!" Hermione wore a thoughtful expression on her face.
"Where is it, then?" I asked, hoping that Neville would be held back in the Hospital Wing till we found the reverse spell. When I get my hands on that Pansy….
Lavender suddenly glanced fearfully at me. "You're not feeling particularly murderous, are you, Parvati?" she asked, shutting 'Illegal Potions'.
I growled in response. Lavender little mind reading vibes was making me feeling particularly murderous towards someone else other than Pansy.