Chapter 12
The First Time's the Charm
- - - - -
When Willow finally arrived at lunch that same day, she found several figures huddled together, whispering. She joined Keira, glancing at her friend in confusion as the other girl straightened and gave her a brilliant smile. "Look who finally decided to join the land of the living!" she said cheerfully.
Aura, Parvati, Lavender, Hermione and a few others were all looking at Willow as though she'd grown a few extra heads or something. Frowning, she tucked into her stew and asked, "What?"
"Nothing," said Aura, blinking at her as she returned to her lunch. "Nothing at all."
But Willow had spent enough time being shunned like this in high school. Staring indignantly at all of the girls, she turned to her Potions text and propped it up against the bowl in front of her, ignoring the girls who wouldn't tell her heads or tails of what was going on.
Keira seemed to notice the tension in Willow immediately and sighed. The poor girl. First Pansy Parkinson had taken advantage of the little redhead. Twice. And then the girl misses Potions, a crucial lesson if ever there were any, since Professor Crieux went on (and on and on) in great detail about the Potion they would be constructing that night in their practical lesson.
She was sore from Practical Defense, too. Their first match was on Wednesday night, and this she wasn't looking forward to. Although Parvati was on her team, so was Blaise, and he was as anti-Keira as anyone else in their pure-blood cult group. At least Keira had someone who related to her though, and found Parvati's company to be not as annoying as she once thought it was.
The truth was, they had been planning on how to take that horrible ex-roommate of Keira's down a notch or two. The first plan was the fact that Keira's team was playing Pansy's rather under-developed team Wednesday night at eight. Their plan was to use Pansy's dragon friends to humiliate the poor girl, and Parvati was going to use herself as bait. They decided that Willow had endured enough torture being played the fool by those evil former Slytherins that Keira had vehemently opposed Willow doing anything stupid. Especially since Harry had just walked in when they started talking and began eating with a dreamy expression on his face. Obviously the misunderstanding between him and Willow had cleared up.
Willow had shown up ten minutes later, looking moody and very unhappy. Well, maybe that was because she'd been in Introduction to Magic, or else it was because she missed a very important Potions lecture. Whatever the case was, Keira felt it was either in her power or Harry's to cheer up the little American, or else Willow was going to be in History scowling at everyone. Since Harry looked perfectly happy eating his lunch while only half of the time managing to shovel food into his mouth, Keira was more than thrilled to take Willow out. The second Willow stopped eating, Keira grabbed her arm. "Let's go for a walk," she suggested.
Willow, who had spent the past fifteen minutes immersed in the text she hadn't yet foolishly read, glanced at Keira in surprise. Keira was a bookworm if she'd ever seen one. "Okay," she said slowly, tossing her napkin down on the table. Aura sent Keira a gratified expression. It would be far easier to plan the come-uppance of that Parkinson tart if Willow wasn't around. After all, this was the honor of their friend they were defending. There was nothing more noble than that.
Keira and Willow walked towards the door. Outside lay a foggy afternoon, with intermitten spurts of rain. It really was a depressing day. Seeing the somber look on Willow's face, Keira edged closer to her. "What's going on?" she asked quietly. "You feeling better?"
"I'm great," Willow said, although her voice suggested she was anything but. "I'm just... tired. I think I must've drank an entire bottle of that firewhiskey last night." She grimaced and pressed a hand to her forehead. "Willow and whiskey don't mix really well."
"I think you've learned your lesson," Keira said sympathetically. "Anyway, you can borrow my Potions notes if you're worried about your practical tonight."
"I'm really not," Willow replied with a slight smile. "After all, Ron's my partner, remember?"
"Oh! Right," Keira said, recalling this. Then she started laughing. "I should give my notes to Neville... the poor bloke doesn't know what he's doing half of the time." Her eyes grew sad. "There goes my chances to pass practical lessons."
"Oh, stop feeling sorry for yourself," Willow said, giving Keira a wry look. "You're doing fine in practical lessons."
"I wonder if I could get restriction again so that you and Ron could pair with Neville," Keira wondered thoughtfully, earning a slap across her shoulder.
"Don't think that," Willow said, the somber expression returning to her face. "The last thing we need is for our Keira to get on restriction again."
Keira's face tightened. "At least I'm not living with that insufferable bitch anymore."
"That's a plus," Willow agreed. For a silent moment, they both stared out across the grounds. "Want to go to class?"
"Let's," Keira said, and the two walked back indoors and started for the History wing. "I saw Harry at lunch today."
Willow seemed to brighten. "So did I."
"Looks like you two talked," Keira said casually.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Willow asked, turning to Keira with a slightly suspicious look in her eyes. "Did you say something to him last night?"
"It was Hermione's fault," Keira admitted. "He was acting like an ass. He's a guy, Wil. They're not sensitive. They're not anything, really. He was acting like a doo-fus and we set him straight. That's all."
"I kind of got the impression he really didn't mean to say what he did," Willow said with another half-sigh as they started up the stairs. "He's adorable even when he plays captain oblivious though."
"He's just plain adorable all the way, eh?" Keira said, winking at her friend. It gained her another slap on the shoulder and she rolled her eyes and the indignant huffing noises Willow continued to make all along the corridor. They were the first to reach their classroom.
"What do you suppose we'll be assigned for this week's essay?" Willow asked as she yawned, dropping to the floor outside the closed door.
"Oh, I hope it's something interesting," Keira said, rubbing her eyes as she dropped down beside Willow. Reaching into her bookbag, she extracted her Potions notes and handed them to the girl sitting next to her. "Take these and copy them during class and I'll just give you the History notes later."
Willow shrugged as she took the parchment pad. "Thanks."
"No problem," Keira replied with a grin.
Their classmates started showing up within the next ten minutes and soon the door was unlocked as the students filtered into class.
Willow cheered up even more when Harry walked down and took the seat on the other side of her, much to Keira's delight. She barely noticed when Neville walked over and sat down on her other side, with Seamus and Dean next to him. Ron and Hermione sat on Harry's opposite side. Aura, Parvati and the other girls from lunch sat in the row behind them.
Keira grinned. It felt good to have magically-inclined friends, especially after having many years where she was looked down upon for being strange and unusual. And then there was the fact she made things happen without really meaning to. It wasn't her fault she was a witch. It just sort of came from her mother's side. Nothing to it, really.
Once the hour had passed, everyone was drowsy leaving the room.
"That was worse than Binns," Harry groaned as he stuffed his pad back in his bag. "And he was boring."
"I'll agree with you there, mate," Ron said, yawning as he rubbed at his eyes. "Did you get a load of the homework assignment? Fifteen inches on the old Wizard rebellions of the ancient Greek order... blimey!"
Hermione even looked as though she would have liked nothing more than to lean against Ron's shoulder and doze.
Willow, on the other hand, was perfectly coherent, despite the fact she'd been sleeping quite drunk. Whatever Padma had given her had helped her headache considerably. She smiled at her neatly translated Potions notes and swapped with Keira for her History of Magic ones.
Keira and Parvati then went off to practice while Willow headed straight for the Library in the company of Neville, who was looking a bit lost. Willow decided she would probably catch up better talking to someone who didn't know the material like she did. For the next few hours, they pored over research books and made even more notes about the practical potion they were to concoct that night.
"I'm doomed," Neville said after their second hour, staring at his page with his head between his hands. His eyes were looking a little forlorn.
"Don't be like that," Willow chided him gently. "Keira's a great partner and she knows what she's doing. You'll be all right."
"We have our first practical exam next week," Neville replied with a hearty groan. "We have to do those potions alone."
"It won't be bad," Willow assured him as she closed Dangerous Potions and Their Uses and stared at her own notes. "I'm pretty sure Keira and I are studying this weekend. You could come and join us."
Neville looked startled by her invitation. "I couldn't," he said, quickly dropping his eyes on his own hastily-compiled notes.
"Why not?" Willow asked with a frown, setting her quill aside. "What--" Suddenly, there was a dawning comprehension in her eyes. "You don't have to be afraid of Keira, Neville. I know that most of Malfoy's group despises her, but they can't torment you for being her partner."
Neville paled at this. "You probably know by now that I was one of the most teased people at Hogwarts besides Harry," he said quickly.
Willow gave him a sympathetic smile. "I've heard the stories," she said softly.
"Then you'll know why I can't be around Keira," he replied, looking relieved that she understood him. "I'd never hear the end of it."
"I probably never will either," Willow said with a sigh as she started tucking her notes and text back into her bag. "But you don't see them hurting me... or, wait." Her eyes darkened. "I guess I have been a rather popular target with them lately."
"You don't like all of the attention, do you?" Neville asked, her eyes wide as he stared at her.
"I never do," Willow replied sadly. "I was ignored throughout most of high school. When my best friend Buffy came, though, things changed. She was considered the height of cool in her old school, and when she transferred, I was like an instant groupie. It's nice having that again." She smiled wistfully at Neville. He was looking at her the same way Xander would when she talked like this. "You remind me a lot of my best friend, Xander," she said finally.
"I... I do?" Neville asked.
"You do," Willow said firmly as she screwed the cap on her jar of ink and tucked it inside her backpack. "Neville, you're a great man. You just have to believe you are. I can see it and I barely know you. Why can't you see it, too?"
And she rose, leaving Neville sitting there lost in his own thoughts.
Dinner was a hurried affair as many were excited to complete this potion Professor Crieux had assigned to them. Many were surprised and quite distracted when they discovered their old Hogwarts professor, Snape, would be overseeing the practical lessons. Neville looked even more pale at this, and glanced at Willow and Keira almost helplessly.
Since neither woman knew who Snape was, they felt fine as they walked up to the top of the tower. Once they were let inside their classroom, they found their usual tables.
"Howdy," Willow said, joining Ron at theirs. Her eyes lifted as she saw Neville shrink back slightly from Keira before chuckling. "Poor Neville."
"I think Keira scares the hell out of him," Ron replied, opening their practical lessons manual and ripping out the pages they had to fill out. "Should we start?"
"Oh, yes," Willow grinned, pulling out her own notes and spreading them over the table.
They had just started collecting ingredients from the storage cabinet when the door opened and a figure clothed in a long, swishing black robe entered. Willow felt Ron tense next to her and she elbowed him in the ribs and nodded at the roots he'd been ever-so-carefully shredding. He continued working, although he cast a wary eye on the Professor swooping from table to table, his face showing his clear displeasure at many of the students.
Willow actually froze when adding an ingredient to their simmering cauldron when Professor Snape stopped at the table Keira and Neville were working at.
"Miss... Isley, is it?" the man asked, looking down his hook-shaped nose and from between greasy curtains of long black hair and blinking coldly at the short, dark-haired woman standing next to the cowering, trembling mass that was Neville.
"Yes," she said coolly, setting her own knife aside and turning to Professor Snape with the expression of casual interest. "Can I help you, sir?"
"Are you aware, Miss Isley, that Mister Longbottom here has had an abysmal history of potions making and has been known to destroy and destruct many items during the process of creating potions?"
Keira twisted her lips and glanced down. But when she looked up again, her gaze was defiant. "Actually, Professor, I find Neville here quite capable of making potions. He's quite good at it, actually. He makes a mean Veritaserum."
Professor Snape's gaze hardened when he saw just how set her face was. Neville was looking at Keira as though he'd never seen anything like her before, and most of the class was staring at the pair of them, Ron and Willow included.
"Carry on," Professor Snape snapped, swooping down upon Hermione and Kaz. Hermione was looking as though she were about ready to cry, as Kaz had added lionfish scales at the exact wrong time, and copious amounts of black smoke were now issuing from their cauldron.
"Poor Hermione," Ron said quietly, watching as his girlfriend angrily started berating Kaz despite the glares and the suggestions she quit doing so as Professor Snape swooped down upon them.
Willow silently agreed as she counted out Ron's roots and added them carefully to the cauldron before sticking the ladle in Ron's hand. "Stir for two minutes counter-clockwise," she instructed as she turned to the checklist she had created and made a small mark. She then turned to their worksheet and quickly filled in the paragraph underneath Ron's scrawl of the paragraph above. Once Ron finished stirring, he set the ladle aside and turned to her list.
Little did they know that Professor Snape had now come to their table and was watching the pair like a hawk.
"Everything seems to be progressing well enough here," he said coldly, causing both Willow and Ron to jump slightly.
"Uh, yes," Willow said quickly, gesturing towards her checklist and their half-completed worksheet set. Professor Snape stared at their potion, which was a bright shade of silver at the moment, and stalked away, glowering. Ron looked immensely relieved, especially since Snape was going back to Hermione's table.
Once they'd finished the lesson and had given Professor Snape a sample, both Ron and Willow left Practical Potions together, the fourth group to leave. Surprisingly for many who had watched their encounter, Neville and Keira had been the first to go. Professor Snape had been outright shocked and had accepted their worksheet and their sample without a word. His eyes had narrowed as he saw Keira give him the brightest, most fake smile she could manage as she cleaned away their supplies.
Keira and Neville were in the study lounge waiting for them when they returned.
"Good job!" Ron said approvingly as he sat down on Keira's opposite side. Willow chose a comfortable armchair and curled up sleepily in it.
"I would have loved to see the look on Snape's face when he realizes how perfect your potion actually is," she said with a yawn.
Keira saw how tired Willow looked and rose. "I think I'll head towards bed. I should probably read some stuff on Ancient Charms and Rituals." She gave a loud, fake yawn and walked towards Willow. "Come on. I'll walk you up."
As they entered the bank of elevators, Willow waited patiently for what Keira had to say. As the doors closed though, Keira simply looked at Willow and gave her a genuine smile. "Thank you," she said softly.
"What for?" Willow asked, feeling confused.
"Whatever you said to Neville," Keira replied as the cage began to lift.
"You defended him against his arch-nemesis," Willow pointed out.
"I know," Keira replied. "But you called him a good man, and that meant more to him than..." she paused, frowning. "Let's just say he's got a new confidence now." There was a sparkle in her eyes as she said this, and she gained a suspicious look from Willow.
"What did he say to you?" Willow asked, grinning slightly as the doors opened and they walked out onto the quiet fifth floor.
"He said he was sorry that he avoided me, even though I'm the smartest person he's met besides Hermione," Keira replied with a laugh. "I think he was afraid of what Malfoy might do to him if they caught him in my company. And then he saw how much Malfoy tortured you, and you're still standing. You complimented him, to boot. Whatever you said to him... it worked."
They arrived at Willow's door. Remembering what had happened there just a few hours ago, she grinned. Keira rolled her eyes and said, "Good night, Willow," before walking away.
Willow was humming a bit as she changed into her pajamas. Padma returned just after ten, dropping her own Practical Potions things on her desk with a sigh. "I hate Snape," she said. Willow just gave a girlish giggle as she set her Introduction to Magic textbook aside. "You're happy."
"I just love Mondays," she sighed. "Don't you?"
Her answer was a fierce glare and yet another roll of the eyes before Padma strolled out.
- - - - -
Tuesday morning at eight was when the Quidditch teams were posted. Willow was among the first in the large huddle to see who made which team. She was thrilled when Harry was on the first team and as its Seeker to boot.
Harry was waiting with Ron and Hermione at the back of the queue, looking irritated. "Damned dragons," he kept muttering.
He was quite surprised when Willow came out of nowhere, threw her arms around him, and squeezed him until he was sure he couldn't survive without oxygen. When she pulled back, he saw that she was beaming. "You're in!" she squealed, hugging him again quickly, before turning to Ron. "And you made Chaser," she said, sounding confused.
To her relief, Ron looked thrilled at this as Hermione took his hand, her brown eyes sparkling warmly as she and her boyfriend shared this happy moment.
Once they reached the front, Harry received confirmation that he had made the first team. Ron was on his team, too. Along with Ron, the other chasers were Aura Starr, which was keen, since she really was a good flyer, and, to his utmost horror, Kaz Rozokov. Ron looked enraged by this, but it was nowhere near how angry Kaz was once they entered the cafeteria.
He was sitting across from Malfoy, whose Dragon team consisted of seven from Dragon Isle. Draco looked as stunned as Kaz felt, as though they'd just been severely defeated in some great war. Keira was sitting with Aura and looking as though they had just won some battle heartily, and were giggling over that morning's issue of the new school publication, The Times.
"Parvati was just named as editor," Keira explained as Willow sat down next to her. "That means that Pansy won't have a chance to keep bashing you and Harry in it. In fact, compared with last week's issue, there's nothing there with you in it!"
This cheered up Willow slightly.
That day's lessons seemed to fly by so quickly that she was half-expecting to go to Potions when she sat down to dinner that night. She was also feeling slightly nervous, since Harry had promised her a date, and had sent her a letter to be delivered while she was at Runes. It was written very plainly, reading: Quidditch Pitch, Ten O'Clock. She grinned as she tucked the note inside her backpack. It was not a look lost on Draco Malfoy, who gazed at the redhead sadly.
After dinner, Willow and Keira retreatd to the library. They were soon joined by Hermione, who was bored since both Harry and Ron were at Quidditch practice. They all decided to work on their essay for History of Magic, and Willow was even halfway through her chapter on the Animagi in her Introduction to Magic class by the time she realized it was nearly nine thirty. With a gasp of horror, she turned to both Keira and Hermione. Hermione was still researching her History essay, looking stern that both Willow and Keira had finished theirs. Keira had been dozing with her head on her arms, but looked up, startled by Willow's sound.
"I've got to go!" Willow said, shoving all of her books inside her bag and running out of the library. She was halfway to her own room when a voice called out to her in the darkness.
"Oi, Willow!"
She froze when she saw Draco Malfoy approaching her, looking absolutely stunning in a pair of khakis and a blue sweater that truly brought out the silver of his eyes. "Draco," she said, trying to dart around him, but he blocked her. "What is it, Malfoy? I'm kind of in a hurry."
"Is it true about you and Potter?" he asked with a scowl. Willow blinked at him in surprise. Since when did he not know about her and Harry? They'd been seeing one another, even though it was sort of casually, for over a week now. Maybe even three. Time seemed so lost now.
"Yeah," she said, giving him a look as to demand he explain why he hadn't known this.
"Oh," he said, his eyes darkening in disappointment. "Forget it, then."
"Fine," she said tightly. "I will." She had taken no more than five steps when she realized something. Turning, she shouted, "Malfoy!" He turned back to face her. "Thanks for... whatever you did Sunday night."
"Anytime," he said, giving her a tight smile before disappearing into the darkness. Feeling as though she was finally free of him, she raced to her room to find something to wear for what she considered to be her true first date with Harry Potter.
- - - - -
It was nearly five minutes after ten when Harry checked his watch again. He'd been checking it so often, it was as though time had stopped completely. He leaned on his Firebolt, sighing. He really hoped she'd gotten the note. Since Quidditch practice was from six to nine two days a week for their team, he hadn't been at dinner, so he hadn't seen her since lunch.
He was about to head back towards the dormitory when he saw her. His eyes widened. She looked... what was it... breathtaking? That she did... since the very sight of her took his breath away. She was wearing a long skirt and a matching tunic-top of some shimmering material. Her hair had been pulled back into a ponytail, and her smile was brightening the entire stadium, already lit with gigantic, magical floodlights.
"You look... great," he finally choked out as she reached him, standing awkwardly across from him.
"Thanks," she smiled, leaning over and hugging him. "You look pretty... red." He was still dressed in his red Quidditch robes. Flushing slightly, he pulled them off, leaving his jeans and grey sweatshirt underneath. He felt badly about not dressing up for her, but she didn't seem to mind it in the least.
He realized then they were still standing across from each other, staring awkwardly. He laughed at the ridiculousness of it all. He had kissed her, for Merlin's sake. She had been in his arms. The prospect of a first date must have been frightening for both of them. Taking initiative, he took her hand as they started back towards the hill.
"Where are we going?" she asked, sounding breathless. He glanced at her in confusion, but saw that she was smiling broadly at him.
"To that little coffee shop off of the medical wing," he said quickly. The coffee shop had been a little secret opened up to them. Full of books describing ancient runes, it was a fantastic place to chat with your mates, play different wizarding games and enjoy the best of both Muggle and non-Muggle caffeinated beverages. It had also not opened yet. It was slated to open this coming weekend, but Harry had spoken with the woman running the place. She guaranteed him two hours of quiet time.
He had decided to take it.
They reached the shop in ten minutes time, and that was with Harry returning his robes and his broomstick to his Quidditch locker off the main stadium. Once they were inside the darkened shop, he glanced around and grinned. There, at the center table, was a single candle lit. A glass rose lay on the sparkling wooden surface.
Willow gasped, her hand clasping her mouth. Her eyes were full of wonder as she stared at Harry. For all the dunderhead he acted sometimes, he really could be sweet. He lifted the rose and handed it to her. "I couldn't find anything more permanent than this," he said quietly. "Because any live rose would have wilted before your... err... presence."
She grinned. Typical Harry. She stepped forward and wrapped him in her embrace, kissing his cheek. "You're sweet," she said, pulling back. "Thank you."
"Anytime," he said, tucking the glass rose in her hair. Turning, he pressed a small button on the side of the table and the lights in the shop around them turned on. They were tiny white twinkle lights around the sitting area. Since there wasn't much inside the shop yet, just this table and a great number of lights, she was surprised when a soft song started playing over some loudspeaker she couldn't see.
Was this the same Harry who had told her time and time again he didn't like to dance? She liked to think it was, yet there they were, in each other's arms, turning in time with the music. And, after the dancing came an espresso with real muffins being served. By the time midnight came and went, neither one of them was ready to give up this night yet.
It finished with a moonlit walk back to their dormitory. Willow couldn't believe that she'd had such a great time doing something so simple. Then again, the Bronze had been the same way. She grinned loftily at Harry, who returned it with a grin of his own before bending down and kissing the tip of her nose.
All too soon, they reached her door. Turning, they hugged again, but it was Willow who took initiative as she threaded her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was a deep, fiery kiss that took them both by some surprise as they pulled back.
"Good night, Harry," she said, her eyes twinkling as she returned to her room, closing the door behind her. He could just see Padma's sleeping figure inside.
"Good night," he mumbled to the door, turning and walking towards the stairs. He was halfway down the hall of the sixth floor corridor to his own room when a sharp voice cried out.
"Potter! It's past twelve thirty!"
It was Percy Weasley, and even as the Professor dragged him to their dormitory office to berate him for being out of his room after their midnight curfew, Harry didn't care. He just smiled sort of dazedly while glancing over Percy's shoulder as the older Weasley flapped his arms like a bat and made goldfish-pucker mouth gestures as he shouted.
Harry didn't care if he was put into restriction a hundred times. He would endure every last one of them to have another first date like that one again.
- - - - -
Potions the next day was filled with the air of gossip. Keira swooped down on Willow in an instant, since the redheaded girl hadn't been at breakfast that morning.
"So?" she asked, her hands on her hips.
"So what?" Willow asked as everyone was checking the parchment posted on the outside door for their grades in their practical lessons.
"What happened? Why weren't you at breakfast? Was it a good date?" Keira asked, firing rapid questions at Willow. The other girl just rolled her eyes.
"It was great," Willow sighed dreamily; Harry had just walked in, and was looking around the classroom. His eyes crinkled when they saw Willow. Keira was surprised when Willow blushed slightly and turned to walk down towards their usual row of seats. For some odd reason, their public displays of affection had been reduced to some lovey-dovey looks.
Willow was doing it mostly for Draco, who she knew still liked her, despite the fact he'd walked away from her without trying anything, which was a first, even for that horrible cultish group.
Keira and Harry assumed their normal seats on either side of her. Keira looked really happy to see that Neville was making a point in talking to her everytime they had class together and this she could appreciate.
She just wished it didn't have to come to the expense of his standings that night during their scioccio match. Neville was on Pansy's team, and since Keira and Parvati were planning on humiliating Pansy, well, Neville was just doing to have to endure it.
Keira had decided to tell him what they were planning beforehand. That morning at breakfast, she had explained the plan to him in full detail. Neither Harry nor Willow was around, even though Padma said with certainty Willow had returned alone after midnight that morning.
Willow was humming under her breath and doodling on her pad as Professor Crieux walked into the room and started lecturing, once again, on death potions.
It was boring matter for Keira's mind. Seizing a corner of Willow's parchment, she jotted, How was the date?
None of your business, was Willow's reply.
Oh come on. I'm practically your best friend.
You're right. I'm sorry. It was awesome. Here, Willow underlined awesome three times, and added a smile-face beneath it.
What do you mean awesome, Keira jotted quickly. Harry was staring at them, but Willow was turned away enough to continue writing without him being able to read it.
We went to that new shop opening. It was great.
Keira rolled her eyes, but they were now forced to pay attention, as Professor Crieux was telling them about their first written examination coming up the following Monday. After class, Willow took off for Intro to Magic, while Keira, Harry and everyone else in their group set off for Practical Defense.
This was basically a training session for the four teams playing in the next two days. Harry's team was playing Draco's team on Thursday night. Catching Parvati's eye after another gruelling hour-long practice, both girls jogged over to Pansy, who was moaning about a sore back to Rozalynn, also on her team.
"Hey, Pansy!" Parvati called sweetly. "Did you hear we have to wear uniforms tonight?"
"What do you mean?" Pansy asked. She'd spent most of the first fifteeen minutes of class chattering with her usual group of girls. To Keira's delight, Pansy looked panicked for a moment before relenting with her usual casual smirk. "Oh, go blow off, Patil," she snapped, running a hand through her short, shining hair. "Go back to your little playpen."
"Ooo-ooh," Rozalynn said, snickering at Parvati's scandalized look.
"Look forward to beating you," Keira called at them cheerfully as both girls pulled away. As soon as they were out of hearing distance, they both dissolved into laughter. Blaise was eyeing them both in deep distrust when he saw them.
"What's with you two?" he demanded.
"Oh, nothing," Keira said casually, trying and failing to hide the large evil grin spreading rapidly across her face. "Nothing at all."
It took Parvati all of her self control to hold her giggles.
Meanwhile, Aura had been spending the day writing a little song. It had been Ron's idea, with Hermione's insistance that it really worked well. Aura had actually had some experience in writing music, so she was only too glad to write it this time.
Pansy wasn't going to know what hit her.
By the time seven o'clock rolled around, the stands in the arena were filling up. Two of the dormitory advisors were going over the smooth wooden floor, polishing it with their wands. Willow arrived at ten past seven with her roommate, who kept snickering as she put on a bright red top. She'd convinced Willow to wear bright red, too, although Willow wasn't quite sure why. Once they arrived though, this question was answered quickly. They were approached by Lavender, who was giving out white t-shirts with the look of sweetest innocence on her face. From what Willow could see, there were dozens of people wearing these already. Banners were also being passed out and placed over the railings to prepare for the night to come.
Inside the changing room, Blaise was giving his team the quick once-over as they all approached, wearing their silver mesh vests over plain black shirts and long black pants. Parvati and Keira both managed to keep straight faces despite the suspicious glare Blaise kept throwing in their direction whenever they managed to catch the other's eye.
Padma said nothing as she pulled on the t-shirt over her own long-sleeved red top and persuaded Willow to do the same thing. It was then she realized that the t-shirt was already lettered in large letters that changed colors magically. They read: The 'Da' Girl. Feeling suspicious at what the others in her group had been up to, she donned the shirt and soon joined the growing crowd of others cheering. The loudspeakers above were already blaring with commercial advertisements and Aura came down a few moments later, looking especially smug, wearing a shirt with the same logo in solid violet coloring.
Another girl Willow didn't know joined Aura, holding a large sheaf of papers. Together, she and Aura passed them out. Padma took one happily and grinned. Willow saw that they were lyrics to some song.
The 'Da' Girl.
Oh, crap.
A loud bass sound started throbbing from the speakers and Aura and the other girl jumped down. "We're your hosts for the evening!" Aura shouted out in her thick, Greek accent. "I'm Aura and this is Daire!" The other girl, one nearly as tall as Aura, jumped and waved her arm, her curly brown hair falling over her shoulders. "Oh, and this is Hannah!" A blonde girl with a braid over one shoulder joined them, too. "We're gonna practice a little song!"
Willow tried to hold in her laughter, but it was hard. She saw Harry, Ron and Hermione enter, all three of them wearing the shirts. They saw Willow and Padma and started walking towards them. Dean, Seamus and many others followed behind.
Once the song was done, Willow was laughing so hard she had to clutch at her sides in order to gasp and breathe. "What the hell is this?" she asked, snickering.
"Something we'd like to call 'sweet revenge'," Pansy said, patting her arm.
The lights returned to normal as Aura and Hannah unrolled a huge banner and draped it across the railing of their section.
Over two hundred people were now wearing these white shirts and holding lyrics to this ridiculous song. It was obviously revenge on Pansy, and Willow thought it was most likely justified. She couldn't wait to see the look on Pansy's face.
Draco and the rest of his Dragon cult arrived at a quarter to eight. The announcer was back and was giving the line-ups as the teams came out and started their practice runs, making long circles around the arena, the wheels on their scooters squeaking on the newly-polished floor.
The support for Blaise's team was obviously so huge that even he didn't understand it. The first half of the game was exciting, especially since their team was obviously so much better than Pansy's. Neville, try as he could, couldn't defend anything around Kaz and Parvati's repeated assaults on their side. By the time halftime was called, Pansy's team had only scored twice. The score was 21 to 2, in favor of Blaise's team. But instead of going back to the changing rooms, Keira and Parvati both walked over to Pansy's team, which was heading back to their own changing room, their shoulders ducked dejectedly.
"Now!" Parvati squealed.
Pansy looked up, her eyes darkening in confusion. From behind her, Neville gave her a nudge as he pretended to trip over his own feet, causing Pansy to spill back onto the floor. That was when the lights went out.
Suddenly, she saw her name flashing mockingly at her from all angles as bright red spotlights zoomed around above, and a loud, throbbing beat started emanating from the speakers over their heads. And, as one, over two hundred voices started singing:
Pansy, you're a bad girl,
it's time to put you in your place,
the da girl you are,
even with a dog face
strutting your crap all over the place.
Singin -
she's the, she's the, not girl...
she's da, she's da, da girl!
Pansy, you're a trash-heap
living on the backstreet,
it's time to give up
you know you've got nothin'
even though you think you're some queen...
On the song went, to the horrible beat, and Willow saw her face tighten with anger and then slowly turned into an expression of someone who had been cornered. Once the song had ended and everything returned to normal, more jeering songs were sang out by smaller groups, but the damage had already been done. Not only had Pansy's team shown up completely out of uniform, but by wearing the rather tight and revealing cheerleading uniform she was, Pansy had finally been put in her place.
As she ran from the arena, Keira and Parvati exchanged a high-five and a hug. As Keira glanced up, she saw Willow looking at her oddly.
This was for you, Wil, she thought to herself as they pulled back.
And then they went back to their changing rooms.
"That was uncalled for!" Blaise shouted at them, his face red.
Parvati walked right up to him and grinned. "But it was fun," she sneered.
Draco was pale as he glanced across the arena. Although the large group was still singing crude songs, he noticed that one person in the entire circle didn't look happy. Willow.
She wasn't a mean girl. No matter how these other girls decided to uphold her honor by doing this show of whatever it was, Willow wouldn't stoop down to their level. Maybe that was the reason he liked her so much. And that was probably the reason he was willing to give her up to Potter, even though Harry was acting like such an immature donkey at the moment, clapping hands with everyone around them and singing yet another song in Pansy's honor, something that sounded horribly like the Slytherins old version of 'Weasley is our King', only this time it came out 'Pansy's the Little Queen'.
He sighed, wishing he could go down and see if Pansy was all right.
In truth, she had gone back to the changing room and changed her mind halfway there. Glancing back at the hostile stands, she began to realize she had deserved every last word of ridicule. Who was she kidding? Willow's friends obviously stuck up for her, and not one of her own had come out to support her. In fact, many of them had just stared across the arena looking as though they were shocked beyond all belief.
The game ended with crushing defeat. Pansy's team scored three times in the second half, but it was by a whopping landslide that Blaise's team won. He even cheered at their 39 to 5 upset, and his team carried him off the field in a lap of victory.
Half an hour later, the entire study room had been converted into one huge party. Keira found Willow quickly and ran to hug her friend, but Willow just gave her another strange look.
"I hope you realize we planned that for you," Keira said, dropping onto the chair next to Willow's. "That bitch deserved everything that was coming for her."
"What else did you do?" Willow asked quietly.
"Magic," Parvati said sweetly, perching herself on the edge of Keira's chair. "Oh, don't look so worried, Willow. It was just a harmless prank!"
"I have a headache," Willow said quickly, rushing away from both women and moving towards the elevators.
"Why do I have the feeling she didn't have as much fun as we did?" Parvati asked softly.
Willow was still awake when Padma came in two hours later, smelling strongly of mulled mead and still wearing her taunting t-shirt. Changing her clothes, she noticed the look on Willow's face. "You can't tell me you didn't enjoy that."
"Oh, I did, a little," Willow replied quietly. "It's just that... I know how she feels. I've felt that way before... humiliated, embarrassed... sold out." Her face wore a wary expression.
"No one messes with our girl," Padma said firmly. "They've played you and messed with your mind for the last time. If they come at you again, they've got another thing coming."
Willow sighed and stood up, already in her nightgown. "I'm going to bed," she announced, as Padma left the room, looking concerned.
"How is she?" Hermione asked as she and Ron passed by their room.
"I don't think she liked it," Padma said, chewing on her lower lip.
"Didn't you see her laugh when she sang it the first time?" Ron asked crossly. "She's just too damned nice for her own good."
"I just wish she didn't have to be so miserable about it," Padma replied with a shrug as Ron and Hermione passed.
Then she grinned, realizing that Pansy was just about to walk into her own encore.
All of the furniture in her room, including her brand-new Muggle stereo system, had been turned upside down and now hung from the ceiling.
They could almost hear her enraged scream across the campus.
- - - - -
Chapter 13... another couple is born; best friends are tested; and a test is taken. And Halloween fun is had... Sunnydale-style.
Author's Notes
This chapter was wicked fun to write, but it took me FOREVER to come up with any ideas of something to irk Pansy about. Public ridicule seemed like a good idea to me. She used it enough against Harry is my theory.
This chapter was written and posted a hell of a lot sooner than I thought it would be. While I'd love to say that the Halloween chapter will be out sooner than, say, Halloween, I can't account for anything. I'm stuck going to River Falls this weekend so I probably won't be updating it at all... and this week will become hectic. I had a nice quiet weekend catching up on reading and writing though, and this little gem was born.
BIGHARRYFAN - thank you :)
Lightdemondarkangel - you didn't have to wait two weeks. I updated after one. Sad, I know. But I felt like doing a Dance update.
Vampyr Moon - true, but Willow kind of proved she wasn't a mudblood when she did that wiccan magic in front of him... and his obsession with the little Wicca grew from there. Nah, Malfoy's got another girl into him... or he will... maybe.
gaul1 - thank you for both reviews and thank you :)
Krylancelo - and all the attention was turned onto Pansy... oh the little tart got what she finally deserved. The last thing Willow needs is more attention, but what happens when she brings in some of that Sunnydale luck (or lack thereof!)
Untamed-Beauty - thank you :) I intend to.