A/N: Holy cow, school sucks up my life! Sorry this chapter took so long. R&R!
So, after cooling my head, I went back to the common room. I was late, but the only person who saw me was Marcus Flint, and he couldn't have cared less. I hadn't seen him much due to Quidditch being cancelled this year for that stupid Triwizard Tournament. Just another popularity scam for Potter.
He really makes me ill.
I sat in a daze in front of the fire, since most of the nice, squishy armchairs were open. Almost everyone had gone to bed. A few second or third year girls sat in the corner murmuring over homework. It sounded like they were in Divination. What an utter waste of time.
Considering my options, it seemed like I had to find a way to apologize. It was either that or face all-out gloating from Pansy for the rest of my life. Both choices equally unappealing, equally distasteful. Either one would bring a severe blow to my pride, and my pride was something I was quite fond of.
If I did apologize, would it even work? She had her own stupid, stubborn, muggle-pride. It didn't seem likely that she would be very open to giving the plan another shot.
Maybe I had been…unreasonable? No, not really. I didn't want or need her help, so why on Earth did she think I would accept it? In any case, now I had to swallow my pride for her annoyingly sensitive feelings. Females.
What did girls like, anyway? Everyone seemed to think that girls like chocolate and flowers or something, but I was certainly not going to get her something that obvious. People would assume things.
Something small in size, unnoticeable by others…
A charm? She likes charms, right?
This was stupid. Why even bother, when she was probably just going to refuse to go to the ball anyway?
But I supposed it was worth a shot, just in case there was a chance that the plan could be salvaged. Eyes on the prize.
What charm to use, then?
A charmed note…maybe like a paper folding charm or something? Yes, that would work. But she was good at charms; she wouldn't be impressed unless it was intricate and complicated. A multi-layered paper charm? That might work, but it would be quite difficult. Though that would make it more likely to please her.
Intricate and delicate. That would be the key. I pulled a piece of parchment paper from my bag and stared at its blank surface.
…
Nothing. I couldn't think of anything to make. I continued sitting and staring for a few more minutes before I decided that it wasn't getting me anywhere.
Looking around the room, my eyes lit upon a painting of a large, black, fierce-looking dragon, mid-flight. I had always liked that picture. I sat and looked at it for a while, just like the paper, when it dawned on me that that could be the charm. A dragon.
But it would be so difficult. First, I'd have to fold the paper carefully so that the edges were all even, then I'd have to figure out the correct movements of my wand. After that, all I could do was hope it wouldn't explode or something.
I checked my textbook, and it mentioned a similar technique, but it wasn't exactly the same, so I'd have to improvise. Great. Why was I doing this again?
Eyes on the prize. This is to get back at Potter.
Taking a deep breath, I started with a paper containing notes I no longer needed. One fold, two, three and four. Ready. I glanced again at the diagram in the textbook, which I had propped open against my bag on the table.
Here goes.
Twist, swish, jab. Turn, flick and tap lightly. No! Too hard! The paper crumpled up into a small ball. Shoot.
Starting over…
On my next attempt, I jabbed - or something - rather than flicked, and shot a small jet of flame onto the paper. Gah! I frantically tried to smother the flames that were creeping along the paper at an alarming rate. I succeeded, but not before singeing my left sleeve. But that could be quickly remedied. Later.
That sort of thing went on for a while until I finally got the first movements down. Now to try the animation charm. Another look at the book.
Animatus. Simple enough, right? Not so much. This part took longer than the paper folding. It was infuriating. It looked so simple, but it wasn't!
I must've spent an hour and a half, paper folding and animating charms together, before I got a dragon that could glide along and land properly.
Pushing back my chair, I heaved a sigh and rubbed my eyes. They were starting to itch and my neck ached from hunching over the table. Now for the other half. Hopefully it wouldn't take as long as the dragon.
The girls from the corner had already gone up to their dormitories, and I sat alone in the large common room. It was odd how large the chamber seemed without anyone in it. The flames from the fireplace were starting to die down, but I didn't want to add another log. I took a moment for myself and watched the dancing shadows making patterns on the illuminated carpet. It was hypnotizing, really.
Breaking out of my reverie, I turned back to the table and dug through my bag. My fingers felt along the bottom of the liner, all gritty with dirt and random junk. After a few moments, I found what I was looking for – a small gift box.
It had contained a chocolate at one point, but I had given it to Crabbe the other day. It had had coconut in it. I hate coconut. So the empty box had been rattling around inside my bag, but it still looked to be in good shape. It was green with silver-leaf inlays and could fit in the palm of my hand. Untying the silver ribbon, I opened it to make sure there weren't chocolate smears or crumbs or anything inside. But everything seemed fine, so I started to work on the charm.
After what seemed like hours – but was probably really only forty-five minutes – I finally finished and, stumbling up the steps to the dormitory, crashed into my large, four-poster bed. Funny, I usually thought it was rather drab, but that night it seemed the most wonderful bed in the entire world. I fell asleep almost immediately.
A/N: So, recap: School sucks up my life and calculus burns my soul. But I finally have time to write! A weekend without homework? gasp Amazing! Well, anyhoo, I promise to try to get the next chap up soon (maybe this weekend while I have the time). Current favorite music: Crashings by Falling Up.
