Chapter Twelve

Harry Potter

Dear Diary,

I found the D.A meeting room and settled myself there. I felt cold, detached from the world-at the same time my head was burning, my blood boiling. How could he do this to me? The words caught in my throat. I felt alone, betrayed and extremely depressed.

I muttered feverishly, caressing my burning face with my cool palms. My eyelids dropped-I felt disconnected. Low moans filled my ears. After a moment, I realised they were my own.

This had to be the worst day in my life, I thought miserably. The one boy who I thought liked me cheats on me with a girl who is out to get me and on top of that felt sick. Very sick. I clutched my stomach and shut my eyes trying to ignore the red that passed before them.

Didn't anyone know I was here? Padma, Lavender, Hermione…maybe I'd even forgive Draco if he came…

Forgive! Am I absolutely crazy! I'd never forgive that piece of scum even if begged me on his knees. The image of us kissing filled my mind; I shuddered.

Moments passed-my teeth began to chatter and my legs shook and the door creaked open.

I ignored it-it was probably just a mirage….

"Parvati!" a familiar voice echoed in my ear. I couldn't place it exactly, but it was soothing. I stopped trembling all over, but my eyes remained shut.

"Are you alright, Par?" the voice said again. I tried to nod, but was surprised when I felt something wet land on my forehead. The dampness spread over my face and I moaned with relief.

"Thank you," I whispered, still not recognising who it was.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. Nothing." I muttered.

I felt myself being lifted off the ground and gently being placed on a soft mattress. I grasped a hand by my side still murmuring feverishly.

The hand squeezed back but I knew it wasn't Draco Malfoy.

"I should probably take you to Madam Promfrey." The voice said.

I shook my head vigorously. "Please stay here,"

A few moments of silence issued while I breathed and my companion repeatedly rubbed the washcloth over my eyes and my head.

"Tell Harry I'm sorry. Very sorry." I suddenly said, not even thinking.

"Why?" the voice replied, shocked.

"Cause I do like very much him-I always have…." I moaned.

All was quiet. I was hardly thinking, then:

"I think he feels the same too."

"How can you be sure-? He hates me…" I mumbled.

I felt the owner of the voice get up.

"Noo!" I cried, tugging on robe sleeve. My companion sat back down again, but this time on the bed.

"Who are you?" I asked, finally coming to my senses.

"Harry."

To my surprise I found a tear trickling down my cheek.

"Why are you here?" I muttered.

"Because I care about you," was Harry's answer.

Suddenly I felt myself being engulfed into a giant hug and everything was alright again. I felt warmth. I didn't feel so sick. And most of all-I felt loved-cared for. I sobbed into Harry's shoulder, my hand pressed against his jet-black hair.

"This is not how things were supposed to happen." I said, blinking my red-rimmed eyes open.

He looked the same as ever, wise, tired, adorable, yet his expression concerned.

"I know." He replied softly. "If only one of us had acted earlier."

"No comment, Harry because I know I acted many times-you just weren't interested in my play. When did you realise-that-that-you liked me?"

'When you're with Malfoy."

"What about Luna?"

"We broke up yesterday."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Luna understands."

"Why do you like me?"

"Do I have to tell you?"

"Yes."

"Because you are you. You don't put up any pretences."

"That's all?"

"And you're beautiful, wonderfully sarcastic and intelligent, even though you don't often show it."

"Thanks."

"What about me?"

"Well, I like you, well because your Harry. Not Harry Potter-but you're just Harry and I like you for being that modest, sensitive, brave guy."

"Can I kiss you now?"

"I'm sick, Harry."

"How about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow is a new day."

"Parvati?"

"Yeah?"

"I really think I should take you to Madam Promfrey."

"Will you carry me?"

"Of course."

After a day at the Hospital Wing I was as good as new and incredibly happy. So happy-it seemed almost unreal. Harry came and saw me every few hours and he wore a similar shy yet open smile every time.

On my release day I leapt out of bed and ran to hug him.

"Whoa!" Harry cried, staggering backward slightly. I squeezed his hand and grinned up at him. A sentence formed into my mind:

Love is a bird with a key and it's just opened the door to my heart. It sounded so extremely cheesy yet…beautiful. I glanced at Harry; messy black hair and emerald green eyes and knew at once…I loved him with all my heart. And I think he knew.

Harry and I walked hand in hand down a dark corridor. It was hard to imagine I had done the same thing with Draco Malfoy just two days ago down that cobblestone path in Hogosmeade. The image of Draco still smarted. My nails dug deeper into Harry's palm, but he didn't seem to mind. I don't know how long this romance will last, but while it does I know it will be one of the best times in my life.

"So, how's Eclipse?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Great! I really think McGonagall is proud and I might become a raven-I'll have to think about it. How about you?"

"I'm not sure what animal-oh…Malfoy." Harry's voice dropped slightly. He pulled me closer to him. Draco was walking down the hall with some Slytherin girl at his side. I frowned, gritting my teeth at the sight of him. All my anger came flooding back. Malfoy was not going to have the last word, I decided inwardly.

"Harry?" I said, my eyes flitting towards Draco.

Harry reluctantly moved way and stood by the wall, watching Malfoy through narrowed eyes. The girl, a willowy blonde also moved away.

"Got Potter now, have you?" Draco said coldly.

I nodded, fixing him with an icy stare. "Whatever happened to Eve?"

"She dumped me as soon as she realised we were still on." Draco replied, trying to sound casual. I felt like smacking him.

"Oh really?" I inquired. "So you admit you used me to get to Eve?"

Draco looked away. "Yes, at first that was my plan…but then I really began to-to-like you."

I took a step back. Disgusted.

"I was disgusted, so I found Eve and when you saw what happen-"

"Yes, I did." I informed him in a hard voice.

Draco almost looked guilty. "Look, Parvati, you're a Gryffindor-I'm a Slytherin-you'd be much happier with Potter!" he said, looking toward his shoes.

There was an awkward silence in which Harry bent down to tie his shoelaces and a cluster of second-years passed us in the hall.

"But I liked you! I told you everything and you betray me?" I cried, my chin wobbling dangerously.

Draco shrugged. "I'm sorry, Patil."

I sniffed, looking away. "You're the most unfeeling, insensitive jerk I've ever met!"

"My pleasure," Draco replied tiredly and extended his hand.

"Goodbye,"

I didn't take the hand, instead I reached out and punched him squarely on the nose.

"Good riddance!" I spat and stalked off with a laughing Harry running to catch up with me.

When we arrived at Gryffindor Common Room, the place erupted with cheers. Gee! I didn't know everyone would miss me so much! Then Hermione came bounding my way with a piece of parchment in her hand.

"You got second place, Parvati!"

"For what!" I exclaimed cluelessly.

"That poetry contest-your work was published-" piped up Padma.

"In the Quibbler!" I turned to see Luna smiling serenely up at me.

"Good job!" cried Ginny Weasly, linking arms with Neville.

"Ruddy well done!" cried someone else.

"Cheerio!" giggled Lavender taking another sip of Vinay wine.

Harry glanced at me smiling. "I loved the poem." He said sincerely, wrapping me in a giant hug and dropping a quick kiss on my lips. A smile spread throughout my features as I shrieked. "Yes! I WON!"

A wonderful kind of happiness filled inside me.

"Second place!" reminded Seamus jovially, placing his arm around Lavender's waist.

I scowled at him. "You're not mad about the thing are you?"

"What thing?" Neville and Seamus answered in unison.

I smiled lightly. "Thanks-you guys are the best."

Everybody was happy for a reason to celebrate. Food was brought up and the Gryffindor common room was decorated gaudily. Some one cranked up the music and laughter filled the space. Soon, thought I began to feel tired again. Harry noticed immediately and took my hand.

"Are you okay?"

I nodded, grinning. "I love you when you're so concerned about me.'

Then his lips touched mine and we kissed again. It was the most wonderful sensation in the world, I decided.

Suddenly I felt someone prodding me. It was Hermione, Lavender, Padma, Luna and Ginny, all wearing identical mischievous expressions on their faces.

"It's girl's night out!" Lavender informed me giddily.

I kissed Harry one more time and tore myself from him to follow the girls up the spindly staircase.

Yours,

Parvati

Later

We entered the Gryffindor common room and formed a circle automatically.

"What's going on?" I inquired.

Giggling was my response.

"We're going to play Snog, Shag, Marry or Push off a Cliff." Hermione announced.

I groaned. "I thought having a boyfriend would make me immune to these things."

"Oooh! You have a boyfriend-so do all of us-" Lavender pointed out.

"Except me-: Luna piped up.

No one really knew what to say.

"I think a Ravenclaw fancies you-" Ginny managed.

Luna just laughed. "Do tell…I do like fancies…but I hope he doesn't have a Googlemeyer on him!"

"What's a Googlemeyer?" asked Lavender.

"An lying spirit."

"I reckon most boys do have gogglemyers, then," Padma exclaimed, smiling. We all tittered.

"Let's pick a boy from each house then?" Hermione asked, unusually eager to play SSMP.

"I'll go first!" I cried.

"Ok…Slytherin…' Hermione glanced around the circle.

"Draco Malfoy." Ginny answered promptly.

I grimaced.

"Ravenclaw?"

"Zachy!" Padma declared.

I rolled my eyes.

"Hufflepuff?"

Surprisingly it was Luna who answered:

"Ernie Macmillan,"

I grimaced once again; everyone knew he'd had a crush on me since second-year. It was quite embarrassing actually.

"And Gryffindor-" Padma continued. The answers came all at once:

"Ron!"

"Seamus!"

"Neville!"

"Dean!"

"Godric Gryffindor!"

That was Lavender.

"He's dead, Lav." I told her, grinning. Lavender shrugged.

"Bet he was hot all the same-"

"I think Harry-just to be nice to Parvati," Hermione decided.

There was a brief pause.

"So…" Ginny ventured, glancing at me expectantly.

"Oh! Let's see…I'd push Draco off the cliff-"

There were nods of approval, except for Ginny, who cocked her head and said:

"Hey, I think he's suave and had beautiful eyes!"

The crowd tittered as Ginny shrugged.

"I'd-well-ugh-this is hard-"

"I'd guess I'd snog Ernie and shag Zacharias if he wasn't my sister's boyfriend and complete jerkhead."

Padma grinned. "Words of wisdom, my twin."

"And I'd marry Harry-because he is the wizard of my dreams!" I sighed happily. My friends exchanged knowing glances.

"Parvati, you're in lurrrvvvvvve!" cried Lavender.

Lurve-I do love that word.

"First comes love, then comes marriage then comes the baby-" sing songed Luna dreamily.

"Although might have a dog, instead…or perhaps little raven chicks-I'm still not the best with itty bitty kids," I said thoughtfully.

"Although, you might not talk like that when they are your own." Hermione said wisely.

Ginny tutted impatiently. "All this talk about marriage and babies are driving me nuts-"

"Yeah-who is next?" piped up Padma.

"Me! Me! Me!" shrieked Lavender excitedly.

Lavender pushed Blaise Zabini off a cliff, snogged Justin Finch-Fletchy, shagged Roger Davies and married Seamus. (of course.)

Then we decided the houses were a stupid idea and picked anyone we wanted to.

So, Hermione pushed Zacharias Smith off a cliff (that earned a loud Hey! From Padma) snogged Dean, shagged Harry and married Ron. (Awww…so sweet!) Although, I wonder what Ron would say when he heard about her shagging Harry!

Padma pushed Professor Snape of a cliff (a personal hooray!)snogged Terry Boot, shagged Zacharias, yet, curiously married Neville. She doesn't think Zacharias would be a good husband.

"Why?" cried Lavender, amazed.

I too, turned toward my twin.

"You two are a good couple," Luna agreed.

Padma blushed a deep crimson. "Well, we get out of control sometimes and we'd have a lot of b-"

"Okay-we don't need to know the rest-" I butted in, rolling my eyes.

"Maybe one day," Padma said dreamily.

"You'll get in control and get back your senses and marry each other!" Ginny suggested. We all chortled.

Ginny pushed Ron off the cliff.

"Your own brother!" I gasped dramatically.

"Well would you want to snog, shag or marry your brother then?" Ginny asked.

She had a point.

Ginny snogged Cormac McLaggen, shagged Draco and married Colin Creevey.

"Mean beans-you didn't give me Neville!" she pouted.

"Really? Shag Malfoy!" Hermione was saying, disbelief etched on her face.

When Luna's turn arrived she decided snog, shag, marry Ronald Weasly and then as an after-thought pushed Yearling Mince (a boy in Ravenclaw) off a cliff.

"Except the cliff would have to be a high, high cliff-" she said.

"All this talk about shagging and snogging-I really want to see Ron-" said Hermione wistfully.

"Cha -Zachie seems shag-luscious!" claimed Padma.

I shook my head sadly. "Honestly-I don't even know my twin anymore-"

One by one, girls began dispersing through the dormitory door. Lavender left as well, claiming she had left something the common room.

More like, she left behind her kissing counterpart-Seamus.

Hermione decided to turn in and so did I.

This has been a night I could never forget. And to just think-tomorrow is another day-

Yours,

Parvati

Dear Diary,

This might very well be the last time I write in this diary. For one thing it is the last page. For another thing I'm at last, happy. I guess when I began writing it I was very confused-I needed something to write to-now I'm ok…I feel fairly normal. I have changed from that girl in the mirror and the girl who used to write in this dairy. I'm more serious now , but still have that loony nature at heart. I've been through a lot, I've realised. My dad, my daemon, Harry, Draco, the handbook, Pansy, Eve, switches, Quidditch, balls and love potions and stupidity...of course…but now it's just a memory….

Boy, I feel sad talking like this-like this is the end of my life. I guess when I'm finished writing this final entry I'll just toss the book into the flames. I don't want to dwell on the past when I'm living the present and the future is a little ahead.

This morning Harry and I spent our day by the lake. We wolfed down the sandwiches the house elves had prepared us and drank at least three bottles of butterbeer.

It was an amazing day. The sky was a bright periwinkle blue, the sun shone upon our black heads and a cool breeze blew on our faces. It was extremely nice for the beginning of November. It was wonderfully romantic, of course. Harry had his arm around me the whole time, whispering sweet-nothings into my ear. I tousled his hair occasionally and drew outlines of hearts with my blunt nails on his skin.

Harry + Parvati For Now. It sounded incredibly mushy and the words, oddly, made me crave for chocolate ice-cream.

I settled on snogging Harry instead. Our hands intertwined and lips found each-other immediately. We fell back on the soft nearly brown grass, her hands clasped together.

"I like you very much, Harry-" I whispered, stroking his chin. I couldn't tell him I loved him already-even though I did.

Harry raised his eyebrow. "Like?"

I nodded. "For now, anyway-"

"Right." Harry said, glancing right into my eyes and smiling lightly.

But it was good to know the boy you loved, loved you right back.

Yours forever,

Parvati Patil

Drama Queen, Troubled Teen and Loon

The End

Author's Note: I think the best stories are when you feel sad at the same time satisfied too when they end. So…how did you feel about my first complete 'long' story? Phew-I can't believe I'm done! If you liked this, I think you will like the 'equal' to it-'The Book of Brown'. It's about Lavender and her diary, but it is nothing like Parvati Patil's Diary.

Here is a tiny excerpt: "Ever since I was a child I have always been known as the 'colourful' one-and not just my name either. My love for art and painting and the vivid tall-tales I used to tell summed up to the word 'colourful'. And…certainly I think I lead a very colourful life…"

-Lavender Brown

"The Book of Brown"