* It's so pretty outside! Ther's a rainbow... and yeah... Anyway, this is longer than most of my chapters, so enjoy!
Clara moaned into her pillow. She could practically hear the discreet smile on Ginny's face. Snapping her head up from the cushion, she scowled. "Shut up."
Ginny played with her flaming hair. "But it's so funny watching you! You're like a little doll… Mind you, you're small enough for it to make sense."
"I thought I said shut up!"
Ginny bounced on her bed. "But, you're like, 5 foot! That's so short!"
"Thanks for making me feel great, Ginevra."
Ginny narrowed her eyes. "Fine, I'll stop. But, you really need to stop burying your face in that pillow. People might think you're weird."
Clara sighed. "It's not my fault! I'm super stressed. First, I have to think of a way to deal with John. Then, I have to help Hermione! She's locked herself in the library, and she's obviously sick."
Ginny nodded along. "Well, I have a solution. A, you put your stubbornness aside and tell John. B, you personally ask Hermione what's up."
"I can't just ask her what's up!"
"Yes, yes you can."
"And I'm not stubborn!"
Ginny chuckled to herself. "Sure you're not. Well, we'd better get to sleep. I don't want to miss the Quidditch match tomorrow."
Clara nodded. Tomorrow was the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw game, and they had to win. Though, with Harry having his Firebolt, it wasn't going to be difficult.
The next morning, Clara and Ginny went down to the Great Hall. They had asked Hermione to join them, but she kind of just glared at her book harder, and said 'no.'
The Great Hall was bustling. Students from all different houses crowded around Harry, who had laid his Firebolt on the table. Penelope Clearwater, Percy's girlfriend, was studying the broom with awe. Then her face lit up, as she seemed to have been given permission to hold it.
Clara and Ginny sat down a few feet away from Harry, as there were just so many people around him.
Penelope thanked Harry, and bounded off. Percy whispered something in Harry's ear, to which Harry chuckled to silently. Then, Percy ran off to join his girlfriend.
"I wonder why she's going out with Percy anyway," Ginny muttered.
Clara laughed. "It's not going to last long, I can tell you that."
"They've been dating for a year now!" Ginny exclaimed.
"Ah, correction. They're not going to be dating for much longer."
"I bloody hope so."
Clara smirked. "Language!"
"Oh, please. I've heard worse from you. Remember when you forgot your charms homework-" her voice faltered, and her face contorted into one of disgust.
Clara soon realized why. Malfoy, was standing right behind Harry, taunting him.
"Sure you can manage a broom, Potter?" An evil glint seem to refract from his eye. "Got plenty of special features, hasn't it? Shame it doesn't come with a parachute, in case you come too near a Dementor."
"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy. Then it could catch the snitch for you," Harry retorted.
The Gryffindor table howled with laughter. Even Clara broke into a grin, but it didn't last long. Her eye caught Malfoy's. Clara gave a death stare that said, don't you dare.
His face, however, seemed to light up maliciousness. He smiled devilishly and said, "Next time you visit Heaven, tell me. Wouldn't mind a trip there myself, since I'm stuck in this hell hole." Then, he swaggered off, his cronies following him.
The Gryffindor table went silent, and Clara felt a lump forming in her throat.
"Let's go," Ginny suggested. Clara nodded, and she slowly got out of her seat and walked back to the common room.
At 10:30, Ginny and Clara decided to go to the match. They stumbled around, trying to find good seats. For fifteen minutes, nothing happened. Then, the teams came out. Clara noticed the blue and silver outfits from the other team.
Everybody was clapping, eager to have the match start so that they could see the Firebolt in action.
Clara noticed that there was only one girl on the Ravenclaw team, Cho Chang. Clara didn't really know her, as she was two years older than she was, but she seemed nice enough. Plus, she was short, and that was something that Clara could relate to.
The team captains shook hands, and then, Harry kicked off the ground. Clara could see that Harry was able to get the most altitude in the least amount of time. Then, the whistle blew and the game began.
Clara payed close attention to what was happening. Harry was leaning on his broom, trying to catch a glimpse of the snitch.
"- the Firebolt, incidentally, has a built-in auto-brake and-"
"Jordan!" McGonagall's voice boomed.
Clara and Ginny couldn't help but look at each other and laugh. It seemed that the commentator, Lee Jordan, was an advertiser.
Clara went back to watching the game. Harry was flying about, and he had just passed Katie Bell from the Gryffindor team. But, not far behind, was Cho chang tailing him. She was surprisingly good at flying too. Clara admired her skill, as she was flying an old broom with excellence. It even forced Harry to swerve a couple times too. Of course, Clara couldn't help but appreciate the fact that she was the only girl on the team.
Katie Bell succeeded in getting a goal, and all of Gryffindor applauded. Clara was smiling and clapping along as well.
Harry was flying low to the ground, and he was obviously chasing after the invisible snitch. Clara shrieked when a bludger nearly missed him. Gryffindors sighed when harry lost sight of the snitch.
Lee Jordan kept on advertising, and professor McGonagall kept on scowling and yelling at him. It was quite funny.
Harry dropped a bit lower, and immediately started accelerating. Everybody held their breath. Out of nowhere however, Cho appeared and blocked him.
Wood was having a fit, and although Clara couldn't necessarily hear him, she knew what he was saying. Harry, the poor gentleman was too kind to knock the girl off her broomstick.
Harry sped up, and Cho began tailing him again. Clara knew that she was using Harry to find the snitch.
Harry dived again, and Cho followed. But in a dramatic twist, he veered out of the dive sharply. Cho however, kept flying downward. Clara smiled at the trick.
Harry was then flying toward the Ravenclaw end. Cho was lower in altitude, but was also heading in the same direction as well. It was obvious that the snitch had been spotted.
A gasp went throughout the crowd. Below Harry, were three cloaked figures that sort of looked like Dementors, but clara didn't get the same feeling from them… Plus, the way that they moved… Clara caught a glimpse of a pale hand from under the black cloak.
"Oh, that bastard," Clara muttered. It didn't take a genius to figure out that the person under the cloak was none other than Draco Malfoy. He must've been accompanied by his 'friends' as well.
Clara felt her heart speed up though, when she realized that Harry probably didn't know what was going on. But then, something… something beautiful happened.
A silvery blast erupted from Harry's wand. It bounded around Malfoy and the others so that they tumbled down from the air.
In all the excitement, Clara didn't realize that Harry had caught the snitch. She stood up though, and clapped for her friend when she did, though.
Clara and Ginny sprinted out onto the field to congratulate Harry. Harry seemed to be engrossed in an army of hugs, pecks, and other congrats from all Gryffindors too.
Clara ran up to him, and hugged him tightly. "That was bloody amazing!"
"Thanks," said Harry, red from at the attention.
Professor Lupin came from behind Harry, and said something in his ear. Harry smiled brightly.
"The dementors didn't affect me at all! I didn't feel a thing!"
"That would be because that er, weren't dementors," said professor Lupin. "Come and see."
Clara didn't want to miss this, so she fought her way through the crowd to see Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Flint (Slytherin team Captain) all struggling from underneath their long, black capes.
McGonagall seemed to be seriously going at it, and Clara smiled again. It was quite amusing to see her professor lose her temper like this.
Clara couldn't suppress her laughter when Malfoy and Goyle weren't able to get themselves out of the robes.
From behind her, Ginny tugged on her arm. There was an evident smile on her face. "There's going to be a party, let's go!" she squealed. Clara smiled.
The whole common room was packed. Everybody was laughing, smiling, talking eating- except Hermione who was sitting by herself in a corner. Clara slowly made her way toward her, with a cup of pumpkin juice in hand. But, Harry got to her first.
"Did you even come to the match," he asked. Clara strode in beside him.
"Of course I didn't," Hermione said. She didn't look up from the book she was reading. Clara could tell that Hermione was thoroughly upset. "I'm very glad we won, but I need this read my Monday," she continued flatly.
"Come one Hermione, have some food," Harry pleaded.
Clara knelt down beside her friend. "Hermione, we all know that with this noise you're never going to be able to read. Just, give it a rest and have fun!"
"I can't have fun when… he's in my general presence." Her eyes wandered to where Ron was standing.
Of course, that was the moment Ron decided to join in the conversation. "If Scabbers hadn't been eaten, he could've had some of those Fudge Flies… He really did like them too…"
Hermione burst into tears. She ran to the girls' dormitories, sobbing.
Clara glared at Ron. "Can't you give it a damn rest?"
"No. If she just acted like she was sorry… But she'll never admit she's wrong."
Clara had the urge to slap him good. "Merlin, you don't understand don't you? She probably does know that her cat ate Scabbers, you're just being a royal ass and keep pressing that on her. She feels bloody awful. Had you been just a good enough friend to realize that-" Clara stopped to breathe.
The two boys gaped at her.
"Royal ass?"
"Shut the bloody hell up, and go away before a bloody smack you where it bloody hurts!"
Ron scampered away.
Harry opened his mouth to speak then closed it. "You'd better be glad McGonagall wasn't here to hear you say that."
Clara panted. "Believe me, I've said worse in front of her."
"Most second years don't swear as much as you do."
"Please, I'm only a second year because I was born two months after September. I'm literally only like, five months younger than you."
"Right," Harry wrinkled his nose at the sight of the party. "It's a bit much, isn't it?"
Clara smiled. "There's no alcohol, so be glad. Actually, knowing the twins I wouldn't be surprised if the pumpkin juice bowl was suddenly spiked."
"Well, I'll be avoiding all drinks tonight. I won't leave my cup anywhere either."
Clara smiled. "Yeah… I'd better not either. That's basically the first rule girls learn: Never leave your cup out for a second."
The party ended at one in the morning with professor McGonagall storming into the room in her tartan nightgown. Clara had ducked away from sight, eager to not get in trouble. Thankfully, nobody did.
Clara crept up the stairs, and quickly changed into her night attire. Ginny was still brushing her teeth, so Clara lay down and closed her eyes. She found herself drifting off to sleep…
With a lurch, Clara found herself to be watching from the eyes of that woman again. Always the same woman. It was like, they were the same person.
Clara's mouth opened to speak. "Since when do you care about the Doctor?" Chills went down her spine when the deeper voice than Clara's spoke. But what was even more unnerving was the fact that Clara's own voice was starting to sound like hers.
The other Victorian-dressed woman smiled. "Since always. Since the Cloister Wars. Since the night he stole the moon and the President's wife. Since he was a little girl. One of those was a lie, can you guess which one?"
"He's not your friend. You keep trying to kill him." Another shiver.
"He keeps trying to kill me. Sort of our texting. Been at it for ages." Texting? What was that?
"Mmm, must be love." Clara winced at the word.
The woman looked appalled. "Oh, don't be disgusting. We're Time Lords, not animals. Try, Nano-brain, to rise above the reproductive frenzy of your noisy little food chain and contemplate friendship. Friendship older than your civilization, and infinitely more complex."
The scene dissolved.
Clara was still sleeping until she heard-
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGH! NOOOOOOOOOO!"
Clara fell out of bed. Ginny also seemed to have been woken up. With new energy, Clara sprinted out the girls' dormitories. It just seemed like something the other woman would do…
Clara skidded to a halt. Partly because of what she had just thought, partly because of John, who was standing looking very angry. His eyebrows were more killer than ever. It hit clara, that she hadn't thought much about John recently.
Ginny was behind Clara. And she was mumbling words if tire, but she also seemed to be very intrigued.
"Everyone, back upstairs!" Percy yelled. He pinned his Head Boy badge as he spoke.
"Perc- Sirius Black!" Ron said faintly. "In our dormitory! With a knife! Woke me up!"
"He's finally lost it," Clara heard Ginny say.
"Nonsense!" Percy began arguing with Ron.
The portrait door slammed from behind Clara. Everybody jumped.
"I am delighted that Gryffindor won the match, but this is getting ridiculous! Percy, I expected better of you!"
Percy stuttered at started to argue back. "Ron was having a nightmare-"
"IT WASN'T A NIGHTMARE!" Ron shouted. "PROFESSOR, I WOKE UP, AND SIRIUS BLACK WAS STANDING OVER ME, HOLDING A KNIFE!"
"Don't be ridiculous. How could he have gotten through the portrait hole?"
Ron pointed a shaky figure at the back of the painting. "Ask him, ask him if he saw-"
Huffing, Mcgonagall strode over to face Sir Cadogan, who was standing up proud. He was always talking about how good he was at his new job.
"Sir Cadogan, did you let a man into the tower?"
"Certainly, good lady!"
"You- you did? But, but the password!"
"He had 'em! Had the whole week's, my lady. Read 'em off a little paper!"
McGonagall walked back to the crowd, pale. "Which person, which abysmally foolish person wrote down this week's password and left them lying around?"
Silence. Followed by silent gasps when Neville Longbottom raised his hand.
"Well, bollocks," Clara muttered.