Author's Notes: Wow, if you felt bad for Harry ALREADY…

Disclaimer: Characters and background are Not mine!

Tough Witch…

He followed the witch into the Hogs Head. She must be a heavy drinker, he thought to himself. This was seriously a strange day.

The girl slipped off her cloak and settled down comfortably in a chair. "You order," she told Harry when the waiter stopped at their table.

Harry told the boy, "Er…steak and kidney pie and a bottle of Ogden's firewhiskey, please."

The witch hurled her menu at him, snapping, "You wanna die? Eat chicken." Turning to the waiter, she smiled and said, "Chicken pie, please."

Harry was annoyed. "Why didn't you just order, then," he muttered under his breath. He was silenced by her glare.

As the waiter placed shotglasses and the Ogden's on their table, Harry noticed that the witch was distracted by the neighboring table's conversation. He glanced over to see two middle-aged wizards in business robes with two young-looking witches. "Why don't we do something fun after we eat," one of the wizards was saying to the girls.

The girls giggled. "Are you rich?"

"You bet, we can get a nice motel."

More excited giggles. "How much will you pay us?"

At this, Harry jumped in alarm as his companion stood up suddenly and strode over to the other table. He slid down in his seat. Now what?

The witch snapped, "So you kids are prostituting, eh? How old are you?!"

The girls looked uncomfortable. "What's it to you?" They snapped back, trying to sound brave. "We're old enough to drink."

The witch placed her hands on her hip angrily. "You think I'm doing this because you're drinking? Show me your ID!"

The girls looked at each other and hunched over slightly. Shrugging in embarrassment, they got up and quickly left the pub, muttering under their breaths.

"Yeah and you witches do good to stay out of places like this! I better not ever catch you doing this kind of thing again!"

Harry covered his face in embarrassment. Pretty as she may be, she's a vicious witch! I'm embarrassed to be with her! Me, who have fought my whole life to stay out of the limelight…blargh this is just NOT my day.

The wizards stood up angrily. One chased after the girls, while the other rounded on the witch. "Who the bloody hell do you think you are to butt into other people's business?!"

The witch did not back off. "What about you, huh? At your age! Don't you have any daughters?!"

The wizard looked her up and down. "No, bear me one!"

The witch clenched her fists and Harry sprang up to hold her back, as the other wizard's companion did the same. As the two wizards left the bar, the witch yelled angrily after them, "Get back here you arses! You wanna fight? I'll hex your ass to kingdom come-"

Harry pushed her back into her seat, not knowing what to say. It was maddening, really. He could not remember the last time someone had made him feel so…useless. He said, in what he hoped was a soothing voice, "Calm down and have a drink, hear?" Releasing a puff of air, angrily, she grabbed a shotglass. Harry obligingly filled it with whiskey, and she took it all in one gulp. Quickly. he refilled her glass, and she downed that easily too. Harry didn't think he should give her anymore so soon, but she snatched the bottle from him and filled both their glasses.

He looked up and was shocked to see tears pouring down the face. She hiccupped as she wept, swaying from the alcohol. Seeing girls cry always makes me very sad. Harry offered her his handkerchief.
She accepted it, but before wiping her face, she examined it. Between hiccups, she asked, "Did you blow your nose in this?"

Harry couldn't believe her nerve. "No."

She blew her nose in it and wept some more. Harry forgot all his earlier experiences with this witch and his heart went out to her. She hiccupped again. "To be honest," she sobbed. "I just lost my boyfriend yesterday-"

THUD. Her head hit the table, knocking over the glasses.