Harry and Hermione weren't at all happy when they awoke to see Evangeline's hand bloody and cut. Hermione cast a spell to clear up the dried blood and decrease the angriness of it, before going off on one about her being an evil and vindictive woman. One thing Umbridge could not stop them doing was complaining about her.
Fred and George's reaction was the worst; both looked like they desperately wanted to smash something when they saw it, and used a few choice swear words that Evangeline had hardly heard before.
"Don't worry Evangeline..." Fred said eventually when he'd calmed down over breakfast that morning. "We'll get her back."
"No, don't do anything stupid." Evangeline warned, eyeing Umbridge at the head table.
Fred and George gave her a 'are you serious?' kind of look.
"Of course, look who I'm talking to." She sighed. "But listen, I'm fine, it hardly even hurts anymore, I promise." She assured them.
"Alright Evey... But you tell us if she does anything again. I mean it." Fred said firmly, and she nodded.
"Well we best be off, Skiving Snackbox's to make and all..." George said, and Hermione looked at him sharply. "I mean, classes to go to." He coughed, "bye."
Fred and George each planted a kiss on Evangeline's cheeks, and she smiled and returned to her breakfast.
When they entered Transfiguration, Professor Umbridge and her clipboard were sitting in a corner. Evangeline felt herself flush with the memory of detention, but didn't allow her to see. Ron desperately wanted to curse the woman, but instead settled for how good it would be to see her up against McGonagall.
"Excellent," whispered Ron, as they sat down in their usual seats. "Let's see Umbridge get what she deserves."
Professor McGonagall marched into the room without giving the slightest indication that she knew Professor Umbridge was there.
"That will do," she said and silence fell immediately. "Mr Finnigan, kindly come here and hand back the homework – Miss Smith, please take this box of mice - don't be silly, girl, they won't hurt you - and hand one to each student."
"Hem hem." said Professor Umbridge, employing the same silly little cough she had used to interrupt Dumbledore on the first night of term. Professor McGonagall ignored her, and Evangeline fought off a satisfied grin. She was happier still when Seamus handed her back her essay, and she had achieved an 'E.'
"Right then, everyone, listen closely, most of you have now successfully Vanished your snails and even those who were left with a certain amount of shell have got the gist of the spell. Today, we shall be-"
"Hem, hem," said Professor Umbridge.
"Yes?" said Professor McGonagall, turning on her.
"I was just wondering, Professor, whether you received my note telling you of the date and time of your inspec-"
"Obviously I received it, or I would have asked you what you are doing in my classroom," said Professor McGonagall, turning her back firmly on Professor Umbridge. Many of the students exchanged looks of glee.
"As I was saying: today, we shall be practising the altogether more difficult Vanishment of mice. Now, the Vanishing Spell-"
"Hem, hem."
"I wonder," said Professor McGonagall in cold fury, turning on Professor Umbridge, "how you expect to gain an idea of my usual teaching methods if you continue to interrupt me? You see, I do not generally permit people to talk when I am talking."
Professor Umbridge looked as though she had just been slapped in the face, and Ron and Evangeline gave each other a silent low five under the table.
Umbridge did not speak, but straightened the parchment on her clipboard and began scribbling furiously. Looking unconcerned, Professor McGonagall addressed the class once more.
"The Vanishing Spell becomes more difficult with the complexity of the animal to be Vanished. The snail, as an invertebrate, does not present much of a challenge; the mouse, as a mammal, offers a much greater one. This is not, therefore, magic you can accomplish with your mind on your dinner. So - you know the incantation, let me see what you can do."
"How she can lecture me about not losing my temper with Umbridge!" Harry muttered under his breath, but he was grinning. Professor Umbridge did not follow Professor McGonagall around the class as she had followed Professor Trelawney; perhaps she realized Professor McGonagall would not permit it. She did, however, take many more notes while sitting in her corner, and when Professor McGonagall finally told them all to pack away, she rose with a grim expression on her face.
"Well, it's a start," said Ron, holding up a long wriggling mouse-tail and dropping it back into the box Lavender was passing around, Evangeline giggled and shook her head, she'd managed to completely vanish hers, save for a few white hairs.
Potions came next, and thankfully the old hag wasn't there. Evangeline wad glad, she wasn't sure she could take a whole lesson with both Umbridge and Snape without sticking in her head in her cauldron.
"Quiet." Professor Snape said immediately when he came in, there was no need; his simple presence shut everyone up.
"Today you will be attempting to brew Amortentia, more commonly known as the 'Love Potion', be warned that this extremely intricate and potent potion, and I don't expect many of you to brew it correctly." Professor Snape pointed his wand at the blackboard, and the instructions appeared there. "I will not accept foolishness in this class, especially in the case of a potion so strong. Do I make myself clear?" He eyed them all closely.
"Yes Professor Snape." They replied.
There was a buzz in the room as everyone collected their ingredients and equipment, before making their ways back to their cauldrons.
"I always thought this was a sixth year thing." Evangeline said as she tried to crush her sopophorous beans and add them to the bubbling cauldron.
"Maybe he wants to give us a head start for our NEWT year," Hermione shrugged, doing the same.
"I can't bloody..." Ron dried to crush his beans, but they kept slipping from under his knife.
"No..." Evangeline walked over to him and stood beside him closely, putting her hands on his. "You have to push straight down, don't bend your knife." She did so with his hands, and the bean was crushed. "See?" She smiled up at him, and he nodded, letting out a shaky breath when she walked away. Harry noticed, and hid a grin.
Evangeline was quite proud of herself as she made her potion; she'd done better than usual, and seemed to be right on target. As an extension of this, Ron and Harry's potions were quite perfect as well, due to the help she gave.
"I actually think I might get a good grade on this." Harry said, pouring some of his potion into a phial, as Ron tried not to focus too much on the strong smell of honey emanating from his potion.
"Yeah, it'd be a first as well..." Ron laughed, doing the same, however his hand slipped slightly, sending a ladle of the potion pouring onto the desk, and subsequently splashing up into Evangeline's face.
"Ugh." She winced as the pink liquid spattered her glasses, a few drops up her nose and in her mouth.
"Oh crap! I'm sorry!" Ron said quickly, wrapping the sleeve of his robe round his hand and trying to wipe off her face quickly.
"It's okay, it's okay." She said, taking off her glasses.
"Here." Hermione pointed her wand at Evangeline's face and cleared away the potion.
"Thanks." She said, replacing her glasses.
"I am so sorry Evangeline." Ron said, slightly embarrassed.
"Don't worry," she chuckled reassuringly, "it's normally me causing the accidents."
...
When they walked down the lawns towards the Forest for Care of Magical Creatures, they found Professor Umbridge and her clipboard waiting for them beside Professor Grubbly-Plank.
"Oh, shit." Evangeline groaned at the sight off her, and her hand tingling as she thought about it.
"You do not usually take this class, is that correct?" They heard her ask as the four headed for the trestle table where the group of captive Bowtruckles rested.
"Quite correct," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, hands behind her back and bouncing on the balls of her feet. 'I am a substitute teacher standing in for Professor Hagrid."
Evangeline looked over at Malfoy, whom was whispering with Crabbe and Goyle; clearly he was looking forward to speaking ill of Hagrid to Umridge. Evangeline glared at him, and he noticed her looking, breaking from his whispers to smirk at her.
Professor Umbridge walked among the students during this class as they continued their Bowtruckle sketches. Evangeline, Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed away from the group slightly, and highly doubted that she would bother talking to them. They kept a close eye on her as she walked among the groups.
She put her next question to Goyle, and the four looked at each other worriedly.
"Now, I hear there have been injuries in this class?" Goyle gave a stupid grin. Malfoy hastened to answer the question.
"That was me," he said. "I was slashed by a Hippogriff."
"A Hippogriff?" said Professor Umbridge, now scribbling frantically.
"Only because he was too stupid to listen to what Hagrid told him to do," said Harry angrily. Both Ron and Hermione groaned; Evangeline rubbed her forehead with her hand. Professor Umbridge turned her head slowly in Harry's direction.
"Another nights detention, I think," she said softly. 'Well, thank you very much, Professor Grubbly-Plank, I think that's all I need here. You will be receiving the results of your inspection within ten days."
"Jolly good," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, and Professor Umbridge set off back across the lawn to the castle.
"We have to do something about her." Hermione said in hushed tones to Evangeline as they crossed the grounds after class.
"What do you mean?" Evangeline frowned in confusion.
"Well, You-Know-Who's back... We can't exactly just not learn how to defend ourselves can we? And if she won't teach us..."
"We'll have to teach ourselves." Evangeline finished, a slight smile creeping onto her face. "Brilliant."
"We'll have to bring it up tonight, after Harry's detention?"
"Sounds like a plan Hermione."
...
Evangeline felt odd that evening in the common room as she, Ron and Hermione waited for Harry to return from detention. She sat in the window finishing off an essay as the rain sloshed on the glass, but found that whenever she looked at Ron, she felt a tightening in her chest and stomach, she could feel her blood rushing through her veins and all she wanted to do was touch him. There was no doubt she had felt like that before, but it seemed to be different this time, stronger.
She was broken out of these thoughts when Harry emerged from the portrait hole, holding his hand.
"How was it?" Evangeline asked grimly, trying not to look at Ron as she set down her essay, and walked over to him.
"Not fantastic," he laughed slightly, and soaked his hand in the solution of strained Murtlap tentacles that Hermione had made. "Thanks." He said to her gratefully.
"I still reckon you should complain about this," said Ron in a low voice.
"No," said Harry flatly.
"McGonagall would go nuts if she knew-"
"Yeah, she probably would," said Harry dully. "And how long do you reckon it'd take Umbridge to pass another decree saying anyone who complains about the High Inquisitor gets sacked immediately?"
Ron opened his mouth to retort but nothing came out and, after a moment, he closed it again, defeated.
"She's an awful woman," said Hermione in a small voice.
"Awful's not a strong enough word Hermione." Evangeline said quietly, looking from the wound on Harry's hand to her own. "Not a strong enough word."
"You know, I was saying to Evangeline earlier on- we've got to do something about her." Hermione said firmly.
"Poison in her tea?" said Ron grimly. Evangeline gave a slight laugh and looked at him, regretting it immediately as she felt her pulse race.
"No: I mean, something about what a dreadful teacher she is, and how we're not going to learn any Defence from her at all," said Hermione.
"Well, what can we do about that?" said Ron, yawning and stretching up. Evangeline made the mistake of glancing at him.
"God, his arms, he's got amazing arms..." She thought.
Hermione sent a tentative glance to Evangeline, who nodded, encouraging her to continue.
"I was thinking that –"
"We were thinking..." Evangeline added, knowing that the idea might be slightly ridiculous, and not wanting to leave Hermione hanging.
"We were thinking that- maybe the time's come when we should just - just do it ourselves."
"Do what ourselves?" said Harry suspiciously, still floating his hand in the essence of Murtlap tentacles.
"Well - learn Defence Against the Dark Arts ourselves," said Hermione.
"Come off it." groaned Ron.
"It's not that silly Ron." Evangeline said firmly, opting to look at his shoes rather than his face. "This is important, if we don't learn how to defend ourselves, well, we're just like sitting ducks."
"You want us to do extra work? D'you realise Harry and I are behind on homework again and it's only the second week?" Ron went on.
"But this is much more important than homework!" said Hermione. Evangeline, Harry and Ron's jaws' dropped slightly.
"It's about preparing ourselves, like Harry said in Umbridge's first lesson, for what's waiting for us out there. It's about making sure we really can defend ourselves. If we don't learn anything for a whole year-" Hermione carried on, that inspired look on her face.
"We can't do much by ourselves," said Ron in a defeated voice. "I mean, alright, we can go and look jinxes up in the library and try and practise them, I suppose-"
"There's only so much we can learn from books though." Evangeline said, sitting down in an armchair, chewing her lip in thought. "We need to put things into practice. No great witch or wizard has become great by just sitting around and reading books."
"We need a teacher." Said Hermione finally, looking at Evangeline. Both were now thinking the same thing.
"If you're talking about Lupin..." Harry began.
"No, he's too busy, we wouldn't get to see him enough." Evangeline said dismissively.
"Who, then?" said Harry, frowning.
Hermione heaved a very deep sigh. "Isn't it obvious?" she said. "I'm talking about you, Harry."
There was a moment's silence, where all could be heard was the sound of the wind and the rain on the windows.
"I'm talking about you teaching us Defence Against the Dark Arts."
Harry stared at her, and looked to Ron for help... But Ron appeared to be thinking deeply, as if considering it, and Evangeline couldn't help but feel slightly giddy at the idea they were sparking.
"Ron looked great when he's thinking... He always purses his lips a bit and frowns... He's gorgeous..." Evangeline's pulse started up again.
Finally, Ron spoke.
"That's an idea." He said.
"What's an idea?" Said Harry exasperatedly.
"You," said Ron. "Teaching us to do it."
Harry was grinning slightly, clearly he thought they were joking.
"But I'm not a teacher, I can't-"
"Harry, you and Evangeline are the best in the year at Defence Against the Dark Arts," said Hermione.
"Why can't Evangeline teach us then?" Said Harry, gesturing to her.
"Because I haven't done the things you've done Harry." She said, looking at him imploringly I haven't saved the Philosopher's Stone from You-Know-Who, I haven't killed a Basilisk and destroyed Tom Riddle..." She counted off on her fingers.
"But-"
"I haven't fought off about a hundred Dementor's at once."
"You know that was a fluke- the Time Turner-"
"And I didn't fight off You-Know-Who again last year." She finished. She, Ron and Hermione were smirking now.
"Just listen to me, all right? It sounds great when you say it like that, but all that stuff was luck - I didn't know what I was doing half the time, I didn't plan any of it, I just did whatever I could think of, and I nearly always had help." He said frantically, seemingly getting a little frustrated.
"Harry..." Evangeline said, walking over to him and sitting on the couch beside him. "You've seen things and done things we can't imagine, and we can't understand." She took his free hand in hers. "But you can help us try." Her voice was calm and soft, and it relaxed Harry. "You know what it's like facing Voldemort..." She swallowed when she spoke his name. "You can help us."
"Please consider it Harry." Hermione said softly.
Harry nodded eventually, and gave a slight smile.
"This is mental you know." He said, shaking his head.
Evangeline stood and stretched out her arms.
"As far as I can see, we basically base our lives around 'mental.'" Evangeline grinned, and everyone felt more at ease.
"Well, I'm off to bed." Said Hermione, trying to keep her voice natural. "Coming, Evey?" She said to Evangeline.
"Yeah." She yawned. "N'night Harry." She gave him a slight hug. "Night night Ron." She sent him a smile, neglecting to look at him again and definitely not hugging him.
She hastily followed Hermione upstairs, leaving Ron feeling slightly dejected.
"Shall we go to bed then?" He said to Harry, slightly more aggressively than he intended, feeling a tad jealous.
...
"I really like Ron's hair lately, don't you?" Evangeline said, a slightly dreamy air to her voice as she removed her skirt and tights.
"Uh... it's alright I suppose..." Hermione looked at her oddly. "Are you alr-"
"He seems to have got so much more grown up over the holidays. He's really well built isn't he? Like broad and manly..." Evangeline pulled on a pair of pajama shorts, and Hermione watched her with confusion. "I don't know why girls don't seem to fancy him... He's gorgeous really. People just don't see it for some reason." She went on a she unfastened her shirt.
"I knew you liked him, but you're acting a bit... Odd." Hermione arched her eyebrow.
"I always thought they were boyfriend and girlfriend." Parvati Patil commented, sitting up in bed. It was only then Evangeline remembered there were other people in the room; but she didn't care, all she could think of was Ron, every single thing about him. Her brain felt fuzzy.
"Me too." Said Fay Dunbar.
"I wish." Evangeline sighed, with a dazed expression, dropping her shirt haphazardly on the floor, and not bothering to replace it with a t-shirt. Her eyes suddenly went wide and she basically sprinted over to Hermione, whom thought she was going to tackle her. "D'you think I should tell him? I should tell him." She said quickly, and jumped up on her bed. "OH! We're going to be so happy together!" She said dramatically, hugging her bedpost. "We're going to kiss, and make love, and get married and have babies; lot's of babies! Ginger babies! Chubby babies! Lot's of chubby ginger babies!"
The other girls in the room giggled laughed at her behavior, and it finally dawned on Hermione what as going on; the love potion Ron had spilled, she must've consumed some of it.
"That's lovely." Hermione said, humoring her. "But I don't think you should be seeing him right now..." She said calmly, tugging Evangeline to sit down on the bed. Evangeline's eyes snapped up to her.
"Why? I want to see him. He's the love of my life. He's my soulmate." Evangeline's pupils were dilated, and her eyes wide.
"Yes but, I don't think you're in quite the right frame of mind Evey." Hermione said calmly. Obviously, she would've loved if Evangeline was finally ready to tell Ron how she felt, and for them to become a couple. But her accidental inhalation of love potion wasn't the right way for it to happen.
Evangeline suddenly sprung up to her feet.
"Don't tell me I'm not in the right frame of mind! I've never been more sure of anything in my life!" She said affrontedly.
"I'm sorry Evangeline, but you'll simply have to stay here." Hermione said firmly, like a mother to a child, as she placed her uniform carefully into her drawer. Evangeline crossed her arms in indignation, and stuck out her bottom lip.
Hermione thought that was the end of he matter, but Evangeline had other ideas. Slowly, she picked up her wand and when Hermione was down to her underwear, she sprung up, again with added drama.
"AHA!" She cast a spell on Hermione's drawers, locking them. "I'd like to see you stop me with no clooooothes!" She called in a sing-song voice, giggling as she bolted out of the room.
"Evangeline!" Hermione called after her, flushing. "You haven't got a top on!"
By this point, Evangeline was already skipping across the common room, thinking only of getting to Ron and touching him as much as she possibly could. No other thought was in her clouded mind but that.
She padded up the cold stone stairs to the boy's dormitory, and threw the door open with a 'bang.' Most of the boys were already bed, and jumped at the sound, a few were halfway through getting dressed, but she couldn't see Ron anywhere.
"Where's Ron?" She said desperately. "I need him, badly."
No in the room could close their mouths, and had difficulty looking at her face. She was seemingly unaware of her state of undress. Neville went impossibly red, and opted to look at the canopy over his bed. Seamus Finnigan couldn't stop his eyes running up and down her body, and Dean Thomas dropped the dressing gown he was mid pulling on. Harry successfully managed to look at her face in confusion.
"Evangeline?" At the sound of Ron's voice, Evangeline turned quickly. He was standing in the doorway of the bathroom in his stripy pajama bottoms and dark green vest. He had foam on his lips, and his toothbrush hanging out of his mouth. Like everyone else in the room, he was wide eyed at the sight of Evangeline in her little shorts and lacy yellow bra.
"RON!" She exclaimed, running to him and pushing him inside the bathroom, slamming the door behind them. The boys in the dormitory looked at each other.
"Lucky bastard..." Seamus shook his head.
...
"Evey... What are you-" Ron felt himself go extremely red, as she pressed her body up against him and shoved him again the wall next to the sink.
"I want you Ron, you're amazing, you're gorgeous. I love you." She said breathlessly. Ron's eyes went wide and he swallowed deeply. He'd been waiting for her to say that for so long, his heart raced wildly. But there was something off about it, her eyes looked odd, and she wasn't talking like she usually did.
"I-"
"Touch me Ron." She ran her hands up stomach and chest, and he felt his skin get hot. "Touch me." Ron's hands were shaking, he so wanted to do as she said... He wanted nothing more to do as she said; but it wouldn't be right...
"What's wrong with you?" His voice was husky and his chest heaved. She looked up at him with hurt, doe-like eyes.
"Nothing... I- I just want to show you that I love you..." Her chin shook slightly. "Am I not pretty enough?"
Ron felt his chest ache. "Don't say that... You're perfect." He touched her chin unconsciously, and she leaned into his hand.
"I want you so much... Just touch me..." She brought her lips to his collarbone, and started kissing up his neck, he shuddered and closed his eyes enjoying the sensation, before his eyes snapped open in realization.
"The love potion... It went in her mouth..." He thought.
"Come on," he tried to push her away slightly, but his heart really wasn't in it, as she rubbed his chest through his vest, "stop..."
"Why?" She whispered, her lips still frantically working on his neck. "Don't you want me?" She ground against him slightly, her breasts pushed tightly against his chest. A groan escaped through his gritted teeth.
"I- I don't- Evey, please stop..." He said quietly, as he teeth pinched at his pulse point.
He wanted her, God, he wanted her badly.
"Why won't you touch me?" She hissed frustratedly, taking matters into her own hands as she grabbed his wrist forcefully brought his hand up to her breast. He closed his eyes at the feel. "Do you like that, my love?" She moved his wrist so that his hand rubbed her. He nodded frantically before he could stop himself.
She reached behind her, and fiddled with the clasp of her bra.
"Evey no." He tried to ignore his extreme arousal; he wouldn't take advantage of her, as easy and satisfying as it would be.
"You want this though, love," She said quietly, running a hand down his stomach, to the hardness in his pants, "I can feel you." He groaned and twitched, but eventually he gripped her wrists tightly, and brought her arms round in front of her. He gulped. "Not like this."
Her mouth opened and closed in confusion, the fogginess in her head making coherent thought impossible.
"Evey!" Hermione had burst into the bathroom, having unlocked her wardrobe and thrown on the first pajamas her hands had found. "Come on..." She walked over and held onto her hand, tugging her away from Ron.
"Goodbye my love!" Evangeline called as Hermione led her out of the boys' dormitory, to wait out the potion in her own room.
Ron let out a shaking breath, and leaned his hand on the sink, allowing himself to calm down from what had felt like a dream. He felt hot, and he splashed cold water on his face to try and calm the arousal he felt, and quell the speed his heart was running at. He tried not to think about how her soft lips had felt on his neck, and how her breast had felt in his palm; but he knew that he'd be thinking about it for a long time.
"I want you Ron, you're amazing, you're gorgeous. I love you."
Ron tried to stop her words echoing round his mind; she didn't mean it, she was under the influence of love potion. He tried not to think of the fact that it might've been his only chance of having sex with Evangeline.
"I can't do this for much longer; I can't go my whole life without telling her how I feel. I can't go my whole life without touching her, kissing her... Making love to her..." Ron scoffed at his own thought. Why would a girl like Evey ever choose someone like him without being under the influence of something? She could have anyone she wanted.
This was actually rather fun to write.
Don't forget to (kindly) review please! xxx