Chapter 8- The Psychological Complexities of Dawn: The Lake Kiss

"I would die if Peter Briggs sang at the Yule Ball," Lena Grogan laughed. Dawn couldn't help but hang out with Grogan now that her options of hanging out with Purebloods were very limited, and the other three girls were not what Dawn wanted for company. Stella Kuo freaked her out somewhat, always knowing what was going to happen in the next few minutes, and Theresa Whitby hadn't spoken a nice word to her since Dawn had been in third year and asked Whitby not to sit on her from fear of being crushed. Most would have assumed that she would spend all her time with Vidya Tummala, but Tummala was oblivious to the fact that no one liked her.

So, much to Baddock's dismay, Dawn was spending a lot of time with a Mudblood. Baddock did enjoy the attention he was receiving. Since he was almost always at Dawn's side, the majority of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang students now believed that he was some sort of 'God's Gift to Woman.' What other possible explanation would there be to the fact that two beautiful witches were hanging out with a greasy-haired jerk than if had a… Dawn stopped her mind, not even wanting to think about what was in Baddock's pants.

"I don't think I know any of his songs," Dawn said to Grogan's comment. The two girls were walking around the Beauxbaton's Lake after their lessons with Dumbledore were finished Tuesday afternoon.

"None?" Grogan's usually almond eyes widened. "I saw him in concert this summer. And I knew all his songs except his new release, Unbreakable Vows of Heartbreak. It's his best hit yet. Did you know he used to be in Slytherin when he went to Hogwarts?"

"I didn't know he even went to Hogwarts."

"He graduated the year before we started," Grogan stated.

The two girls had left their cloaks in their compartments and were carrying their shoes and socks, but were still suffering from heat. Grogan dropped her shoes and socks and pulled a ribbon out of her pocket to tie up her long red hair.

Dawn dropped her shoes and socks too. She looked out at the lake and the floating Durmstrang boat. The water was crystal clear and as smooth as glass. Just standing on the shore, Dawn felt slight relief from the heat. But she was still sweating. A crazy idea came to mind as Dawn watched what appeared to be a dolphin surface momentarily.

She backed away from the lake a few paces, and then she ran at it and leaped into the water. Immediate relief washed over her. She dove under the water and surfaced a few meters out. On the shore, Grogan stood, contemplating whether or not she would join Dawn.

Dawn swam out a few more meters and heard a splash as Grogan jumped into the cool water. Grogan resurfaced next to Dawn.

"With us two in the lake," Grogan began speaking, "it's amazing than none of the Durmstrang boys have jumped off the deck of the boat yet."

"If we got one or two of the Beauxbatons girls to join us it would only be seconds before those boys did come," Dawn reciprocated. Both girls laughed.

Half an hour later, the girls finally began to make their way back to shore. They had already discovered a colony of Merpeople, and swam through a colorful reef, barely avoiding a shark attack.

Kevin Whitby and Dennis Creevey had just approached their abandoned shoes and socks. Dawn saw a glint in Grogan's eyes that looked suspiciously familiar; she had seen that same glint in many Slytherin students' eyes before. Grogan was up to something.

"Which one are you sweet on?" Dawn asked.

Grogan looked at her and laughed. "What makes you think I like one?"

"You spend plenty of time with them," Dawn said, "and it's common knowledge that Creevey and you had a fling fourth year. I was just thinking that maybe there were still some remnants of it left over."

"There might be some truth in that," Grogan replied. She looked at the boys again who were talking on the shore. The girls remained in the water. "Dennis gets a little dazed when he gets kissed; at least when I kiss him he does."

"Really?" Dawn asked, "And Whitby?"

"As if!" Grogan cried. "Like I would kiss him. And it's not like he even likes me. He's got a thing for girls with black hair."

Dawn lifted her eyebrow and looked at her own black hair. She pointed at herself to ask Grogan silently if she meant her.

"Either you or Kuo," Grogan replied. "He does seem to like to argue with her, but then again, I think he pulled Dennis away from you in jealousy in Paris when you were flirting with him."

"I was not flirting," Dawn stated. Grogan gave her a disbelieving look, so Dawn began to make her way out of the water. Grogan followed.

"Hey boys," Grogan chimed. "Any way we could help you?"

"I see you two found a way to cool off," Creevey said. He wasn't wearing shoes or socks, his shirt was not tucked in, and the top few buttons were unbuttoned. Dawn could not believe how much more mature he looked than his brother had a little more than a month ago.

"Water any good?" Whitby asked. He was in full uniform, except for his cloak and his tie was undone. His blonde hair was matted to his head and his whole face looked damp with sweat.

"It's okay," Grogan said. "How about you test it out."

A smile crossed Creevey's lips. "I think I will. Care to join me girls?"

Dawn smiled. She had just gotten out of the water, but already the heat was getting to her again. Grogan was already diving back in the water. Creevey pulled his shirt off and followed her. Dawn waded in a little before she dove in and resurfaced near the two Muggle-borns.

"Come on in Kevin," Grogan yelled, "nothing's going to eat you."

"Except maybe that shark we saw," Dawn laughed. Whitby, who had just pulled off a shoe, turned green and claimed he was fine in the shade of a large tree.

Dawn heard a splash, and saw Grogan throwing water at Creevey. Creevey dove under the water and resurfaced in between the two girls. Grogan looked rather happy, happier than Dawn could remember her looking in a long time. Grogan slowly swam to Creevey, talking all the while about how proud she was of him for making Hogwarts' Champion. When she was only inches away from Creevey, her smile grew even wider, and Grogan congratulated Creevey by pulling him into a passionate kiss.

Dawn found Creevey's face hilarious as he contemplated being kissed by the beautiful redhead. On shore, Whitby was staring at the lake surface in astonishment. Grogan simply swam to shore before blowing another kiss to Creevey; she then began to make her way back to the train.

"You would really make a cute couple now that you are taller than her," Dawn said to the still astonished Creevey.

He turned to her, his face flushing. "I… uh… did not see that coming," Creevey said.

"You seemed to enjoy it," Dawn replied.

"On some levels, maybe," Creevey said. He bit his lip, and Dawn immediately knew what he meant. He had liked the kiss; he wished it had been from a different girl. "I think I'll go back to shore now."

Dawn watched as the boy swam back to the shore and grabbed his shirt. Rejoined by his friend, the boys began to walk back to the Hogwarts' Express. She swam to shore, and looked back at the boys to see Creevey turn to gaze at her for a moment. She had denied what Baddock had told her days ago, but maybe Creevey did fancy her. Dawn thought about Grogan for a moment, and came to a realization that had she been Pureblood, or even Half-Blood, there was not doubt that the Sorting Hat would have put her in Slytherin.