I do not own Harry Potter, the Wizarding World, or any canon characters.
Welp, this has been a long time coming and I hope you all enjoy. Thank you for reading. Have a lovely day!
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A Taste of Magic
99th Course – Confessions
Pansy was very tired.
It had been a long day. It had been a busy day of classes and with the O.W.L. exams coming soon, the professors were not teaching anything new per se, but instead focusing on commonly tested subjects from years past, trying to help them review. Having five years' worth of information on one test was a daunting prospect and they were all feeling the pressure.
She also then had to diffuse a rather prickly situation between some of the younger students from Hufflepuff and Gryffindor and since their prefects were not in sight, she dealt with it. She had been admittedly a little heavy handed, she was more than a little irritated at the time. Once, she might have reveled in the ability to punish and take points away from others, delighting in being allowed to cast judgement.
Now she was irritated that she had to do paperwork to explain said punishments and it took time to do it, time better spent doing just about anything else.
Now, it was getting later in the day and she was finishing a patrol. Thankfully she had pulled the early shift and after back-to-back days of patrols, she was glad she could finally get a break. Luckily she was ahead on homework so she could take the night off if she wanted to, despite knowing she should do more.
"Psst, Pansy!"
Pansy stopped and looked around. She found herself in the hallway outside the Uncommon Room and saw Harry through the cracked door. She smiled. "Yes Harry?"
"Come in, you just finished patrol, right?"
"Yes, how did you know?" She walked into the room eagerly.
"There's a copy of the patrol schedule for the fifth year prefects here," Harry said, closing the door behind her.
"There is?" Pansy snickered. "Who put it here? Surely not Hermione."
"I honestly don't know," Harry said lightly. He grinned. "Not saying it was Padma, but I was told that the schedule could only be seen by prefects or prefect-related positions."
"Then how are you able to see it?"
"I guess my position is somewhat like a prefect," Harry said. "I've been made the school's Raiser of Morale, or something like that." He showed Pansy a small gold badge with the Hogwarts crest on it.
"That's a thing?" she asked, confused but delighted.
"Looks like," he laughed. "The Headmaster made it for me. When we talked about the Winter Festival, he remarked that he came to me a lot for that sort of thing. I joked about getting a title and a badge and he said he would make me one and he did."
"I can think of no finer person for it," she said sincerely.
"Thanks! And hopefully I can keep earning my title. Sit. I didn't see you at dinner so I made you something."
Pansy felt touched and she smiled happily when Harry presented a beef wellington to her. "You made this for me?!"
"Yup! I had some time tonight and made it while studying here and hoped you'd walk by. Otherwise I was going to ask Inky to take it to you. Glad you came though. You can eat it while it's hot." He sliced into the crackling crust and deposited a large slice of it on a plate with a small salad of greens, shallots, and cherry tomatoes. A dollop of horseradish sauce was poured over the wellington and he put it before her.
She dug in eagerly. The meat was perfectly cooked to her liking, the pastry crisp and firm and not soggy. The sauce was creamy with an authoritative kick to it, sharp and spicy. The salad was fresh and barely dressed with a light vinaigrette. She ate hungrily and did not refuse a second helping.
As she finished the second serving, she looked at Harry. He had enjoyed her enthusiasm for her meal and they had sat together in comfortable silence with him reading and her eating. After a moment she put her cutlery down. "How do you do it?"
"You've seen me make it a few times before," he replied, looking bemused.
"No not that, I mean, how do you do it? Constantly raise the morale of others? I know you know that this is my favorite thing to eat, but even then, to make it when you are so busy as it is, and for why?"
"For why?" He blinked at her. "Because you're my friend, one of my closest friends. Why wouldn't I? I know you've been working hard too at everything and if I can help you smile, then I'm happy to."
"But once again, helping organize the festival, taking the time to do things for others, even others who aren't your friend, why?" she pressed.
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. I like seeing people happy. Especially my friends."
"I suppose you're just naturally a good person then," she said wryly.
"Oh, well, I wouldn't say that really," Harry demurred.
She frowned at him. "Why do you say that?"
He hesitated for a long moment, looking away slightly. "Uh, well, I mean, a good person does things for good reasons, right?"
"I suppose. But you're doing things because you like seeing people happy. That's hardly a bad thing," she said.
He did not say anything, still looking away.
"Harry?" she pressed.
He sighed. "I guess, well, I used to like seeing people happy from my cooking because I was hoping…they would be nicer to me." He finally looked at her sheepishly, seeing her look of confusion. "I haven't told many people this, well, not quite like this I guess, but you sort of know about my past a little, right?"
"From what little I have gleaned from what you've said," she replied slowly. "I know your…relations were unkind to you." Her nostrils flared and her eyes turned hard for a moment. "Your female caretaker was especially cruel."
"Female caretaker," Harry repeated with a small smile.
"I refuse to give her a kinder title and I would use an uglier one but she is technically of your blood," Pansy said shortly.
"You're awesome and that's okay," Harry said. "But yeah. Basically. When they found out that I could cook and allowed me to cook more, I thought they would be nicer to me. I really hoped. Then when I was cooking for their parties and dinners and things, it was so nice to see the guests look so happy with my food, and the Dursleys looked happy during the dinners and I thought they would be nice to me."
He shrugged limply. "They never did, get nicer I mean. They weren't meaner and I took that for being nicer. I didn't learn the difference until I came to school and saw how people here treated me after I cooked for them."
"Oh Harry," Pansy said, heart breaking slightly. She hugged him and he hugged her back gratefully.
"Thanks." He sighed. "It's been tough, seeing how things were and how not right they were compared to now. I've learned a lot, from you guys and Sirius and the Tonkses and the Dumbledores, from lots of people. I'm really thankful for it really. But yeah, I've come to realize that part of why I cooked so much before, why I liked it before, was in hopes of…that. So that's why I'm not sure if that's really good or not."
"It is," Pansy said. "You persisted in it, continued to do it, made it your own. You don't ask for anything besides friendship and kindness and I have learned that kindness is something worthwhile."
"I think so," Harry smiled. "Makes things better in my mind. There're so many things and people that aren't kind out there."
"That is an understatement," Pansy snorted.
"Sunny likes to bother you," Harry smiled.
"Your hair defies the laws of nature and magic," Pansy smiled. They laughed together for a while at that. After their laughter subsided, she looked away slightly. "Why did you tell me that? That has to be a very personal feeling for you."
"You're one of my closest friends," he repeated with utter ease. "I trust you."
She looked at him. "Why?"
"Are you okay? You're asking some weird questions tonight," Harry replied, looking at her with a raised eyebrow.
She poked him, ignoring his chuckling. "I am fine, better than with your lovely dinner. Please indulge me."
"I mean, I'll say it again. You're one of my closest friends. Why wouldn't I?"
"Even after our…unfortunate start?"
Harry grunted and shrugged. "I mean, yeah you were kinda rude when we first met." He smiled at her look and when she poked him again. "I mean, really rude. But you changed a lot since then. You've gotten a lot nicer and warmer. You explain all sorts of wizarding things and Society things to me. You stood up for me against Draco during third year with the honor duel nonsense and you definitely helped so much last year with the festival and through you I've gotten even more friends with Millie and Daphne, Tracey, and Blaise. You're a good friend, a really great one."
She looked down at her hands. "And it all came from you offering me a muffin when you found me crying."
"I'm glad I did," he said sincerely. "I can't imagine how my life would be right now without you."
"Me neither," she whispered.
"Besides, you trust me too, right? I mean, you reached out to me over the summer to ask for my help with convincing the other families to keep our friends here. You don't really ask others for help like that, right?"
She looked up at him. "No, no I don't."
"See? I trust you because you trust me. We're great friends."
She felt warm by his honest sincerity and his sure-footed belief in that simple fact. "Have I ever told you why I was crying that day?"
"No, and you don't have to tell me," Harry said.
"I want to. It feels so stupid and silly now though."
"If it bothers you, it isn't stupid," Harry said with a warm smile. "I learned that from Auntie Ari and Auntie Andi and the Headmaster.
Pansy smiled at that. "Draco was being particularly rude to me and it came to a head. We were childhood friends and I was…well, obsessed with him at the time. I thought we would be together for everything and we used to be quite close. Then as we were getting older, he was getting ruder and ruder and it got worse when we started school. I think he was trying to prove something to the other students and was pushing me away and it came to a head."
"What an idiot," Harry sighed. "Oh sorry."
"No need to apologize, I agree," she smiled.
"Good, I mean, come on. He had an amazing friend coming into school and he pushed her away like that? Some people just don't know what they have until they don't," Harry sniffed.
"Or what they don't have, thinking they do," Pansy whispered. She took a deep breath. "Harry, do you trust me?"
"I've said that a few times tonight," he said wryly.
She giggled nervously. "Right, of course. Harry, do, do you like me?"
"Of course I do." Harry blinked a few times. "Oh, wait, do you mean, like as in fancy?"
Pansy nodded.
Harry blushed furiously. "Oh, uh, I, uhm."
"Do forgive me for putting you on the spot like this," Pansy said, her nervousness fighting with her amusement.
"Sure," he laughed sheepishly. "I never really thought about you like that. Is that rude? I'm sorry-"
"No it is okay," she interrupted, patting his arm soothingly. "I know I sprung this on you. I have just been thinking for a long time now and I really wanted to ask. I'm sorry."
"No, don't be." He coughed awkwardly. "Do…do you like me?"
"I think I did," Pansy said honestly. "I did have a crush on you for some time."
"And I didn't get that. I am so sorry, I'm such a prat," he said, looking horrified.
Pansy laughed freely at his stricken expression. "Don't apologize. Really! It's actually adorable how oblivious you are sometimes."
"Thanks?"
She giggled again before sobering. "Like I said, I was so…devoted to Draco. Growing up with him, I thought I would be marrying him, even as children. I wanted to be with him and do everything with him and that was the future I imagined for myself. A future all Pureblooded Society girls should want and strive for."
"Really?" Harry asked.
She nodded. "Really. We didn't know any better. I didn't know any better. Not until Draco showed his true colors and…until I saw how different things could be because of you." She looked at him. "Because of how kind you are, how kind and sincere you are to so many people."
"That's good, right?"
She smiled. "Very good." She sighed. "You have done so much for me, for us. Millie, Daphne, Tracey, we all have an opportunity to do something different, be something different because of you."
"What did I do?" he asked, nonplussed.
"You showed us possibility," Pansy said. "You showed us that we could be outside the norm. That we could do it, to be different. My life now, it is nothing like I ever could imagine before. Past me would be horrified at what I am now. Now I am horrified at what I thought I wanted."
"I still don't think I did anything special," he said, scooching away from Pansy's irritable poking and look, "but I'm not going to take all the credit. You made the effort too. You didn't have to change like you did. But you did. You stood up for me against Draco and that must have been really hard. You also told them about Dobby too. And you brought Daphne, Tracey, and Blaise into the group. You didn't have to do that. If I did something, so did you. More than me maybe."
She blushed but felt warm inside. "I really did, didn't I?"
"You sure did." They sat there in silence that was tenuous but warm, a thread of awkwardness weft through a tapestry of shared history and comfort.
"At the risk of sounding like an ever bigger prat, but you don't anymore? Have a crush on me?" he asked after a moment, sounding very awkward.
Pansy laughed and laughed and after a moment he joined her. The laughter was bright and merry and warm and went on for some time. "I would be concerned if you didn't ask that," she said, wiping tears of merriment away. She took a few breaths, marshaling her thoughts.
"I…a part of me wants to. You are very dear to me and I think very highly of you. After Millicent, I would call you my closest friend. And a very selfish part of me does not want to lose that." She looked at him directly. "Another part though, doesn't want to see you like that anymore because I want to keep changing. I want to see what I can do, Pansy Parkinson. Not as a Pureblooded Society daughter bound by tradition to find and support a Pureblooded husband and partner. But me, the Pansy I am now and who I could be."
She groaned and rubbed her forehead. "Which makes no sense because I am only who I am now because of you, and me wanting that is actually kind of rude."
"Not at all. We've established that it wasn't me, or just me," Harry insisted. "You didn't have to take the muffin. I thought you were going to throw it back at me honestly."
"I was tempted," she admitted.
He laughed. "You didn't have to join us that Potions lesson. You didn't have to do anything you did after that. But you did. No one made you, you chose to. You are who you are now because of you too. Like you tell me to be proud of my achievements, that I made cooking mine, then you need to be proud of what you've done too."
"How perfectly Society of you," she said with wet eyes. "Using my words against me."
"I learned from the best," he replied with a smile.
She smiled. "Thank you," she whispered. She hugged him easily when he opened his arms and they stayed there for a long moment, embracing warmly without reservation nor awkwardness.
"I think what you're doing is amazing," Harry said. "And you obviously trust me a lot too by talking to me like this, so thank you. You're going to keep on doing amazing stuff, being a leader and a negotiator, and I'm going to keep cheering you on and being beside you for it."
"The same to you," she said with complete conviction. "I will always do my best to support you and watch you rule the cooking world." Her voice softened. "I always want to be someone that thinks the world of you, and cares about you deeply."
"Me too. I mean the thinks the world of you and cares about you deeply, not the think of myself like that," he stammered.
She snorted and laughed. "Thank goodness you clarified that." She rested her head on his shoulder, leaning against him comfortably. "Do you have someone that you like? Like as in fancy?" Her smile grew as she felt him stiffen. "And yes, I am putting you on the spot again."
"Uh, well, maybe," he muttered, blushing furiously.
She looked up at him. "Is it Lavender?"
"Is it that obvious?" he gasped, face redder than red.
"In some ways," she said mysteriously. She smiled warmly, putting him at ease.
"I do," he admitted. "I don't know how she feels but, yeah."
She nodded. "She cares deeply about you too." She sighed softly and her smile grew. "Well, in the event that you and Lavender become something, you and I will be best friends. I know you and Lavender are best friends, but you simply cannot be best friends with your partner. A best friend is a confidant for you to complain to about your partner and you cannot complain to her about her, now can you?"
"Does it work that way?" Harry asked, looking amused and confused at the same time. "Also, you're being presumptuous about that aren't you?"
"You are hanging out with us Slytherins by using that vocabulary," Pansy said, making them laugh. "Call it intuition."
"If you say so," Harry said.
"Besides, I never thought you could only have one best friend," Pansy said lightly. "But I am rather greedy that way."
He laughed. "I'll never not take the chance to have best friends. You might have to fight with Hedwig for who's first though."
"She can be the first among equals, I know better than to fight with her," Pansy said seriously.
"Probably for the best," Harry grinned. He sobered. "I'm really sorry if I ever hurt you."
"You never have," Pansy said seriously. "And you know me, I will tell you if you slight me."
"I trust you to do that," he said, his smile returning.
"Good." She hugged him again. "Thank you, Harry. For setting me free and being my best friend."
"Thank you for being mine," he said, hugging her back. "Thank you for everything."
She gave him a slightly complicated look. "Talk to Lavender by the way."
"Oh? Your intuition?"
"Something like that," she smiled.
-0-
Pansy looked up suspiciously, her wand in hand. She had left the Uncommon Room but had not wanted to go back to her dorm yet. She wandered about and found herself in the hallway that she had hid in those four years prior, close to where the original Household Charms room was. She had sat there, fiddling with a handkerchief in her hands and had heard someone walking but saw no one.
"Who's there?!" she called out, wand at the ready.
"It's me! Don't Curse me!" Lavender lifted the edge of the cloak and looked at Pansy, her face and a part of her front visible with the rest of her not.
"Is that an invisibility cloak?!" Pansy gasped.
"It is! It's Harry's."
"Of course he has one," Pansy sighed. "I'm surprised he doesn't use it all that much. Well no, I'm not actually. What are you doing wandering about this late?"
"Looking for you and I'm not a prefect so I can't wander around so easily after curfew so I borrowed the cloak. Scoot over." Lavender sat beside Pansy and threw the cloak over them both.
"How did you know I was here?" Pansy asked.
"I didn't actually. I went to the Slytherin common room but Millie said you weren't there. So I wandered around for a while then found myself here and I saw you."
"I see." They sat side-by-side in slightly awkward silence. "Did Harry talk to you?"
"He said you wanted to talk to me," Lavender said.
"No I didn't," Pansy said, frowning. She sighed and palmed her face. "I did tell him to talk to you though. He must have misunderstood."
"Oh? Oh. You two had a talk?" Lavender asked, sounding gentle.
"We did. I confessed to him that I did have a crush on him," Pansy said slowly. She waited for Lavender to say something but when she looked at her, she only saw patience and sympathy on the other girl's face. "But I don't anymore, and I mean that."
"I believe you," Lavender said kindly. She leaned against Pansy and Pansy leaned back. "Can I ask why not?"
"Because…because right now, I want to be me," Pansy said. "As selfish and self-centered as that sounds. All my life, I had the idea that any worth I had was to be a dutiful wife of a proper family. Yet now, I have all this possibility before me, all this opportunity. I suddenly have so many options and I want to be me and find out who I am and where I can go from my own efforts."
"I don't think that's selfish at all," Lavender said. "That's really strong and brave of you to want to do that."
Pansy smiled gratefully. "And I came to realize that I care so very much for Harry, and I want the best for him. I always will."
"You don't think you'd be the best for him?" Lavender asked seriously.
"I certainly could be," Pansy said confidently, making Lavender laugh. "Or something close. But no, I don't think I am exactly what he needs and deserves. And, I think you are." Pansy looked at her friend. "You've always stood by him."
"Not always," Lavender said glumly. "The Ball was a mess."
"Well, we all have lapses in judgement and that wasn't solely your fault. Tom-arse played a role," Pansy said, and they both snorted at that. "But otherwise, you have."
"That's what I was thinking about too, for a while now," Lavender said quietly. "I always felt close to him. I care about him a lot. Then I started realizing just how much and thought about what he means to me. How I feel around him and how I feel with him and without him."
She looked over. "What about what you need and deserve?"
"I don't know," Pansy said honestly. "But I'm so happy for the chance to learn and discover it. All my life, I was told what to want for a future. But now, I have a chance to determine that for myself. All us Society girls here get to now. It's so freeing and wonderful and terrifying."
She looked down at the handkerchief. "I will forever be grateful to him for it."
They sat in a less awkward silence for a few moments.
"What would you have done if I did want him like that?" Pansy asked with trepidation.
"Honestly? I don't know," Lavender said seriously. "If he wanted you like that too…I'd like to think I'd accept it gracefully. And I hate to admit it, but knowing now that you don't fancy him like that makes me really happy. But I also don't want you feeling sad about it either. I care about you too."
Pansy sighed softly. "Sometimes I wish I hated you."
"You do?" Lavender asked, sounding hurt.
"Not really," Pansy said with a small smile. "But I think there was a time where I was terribly jealous of you and did dislike you a little. You were so close to him and you both lived in the tower together. Not to mention you are so damn kind to everyone and so damn cheery and bubbly."
"I was jealous of you last year," Lavender said, surprising her. "You and Harry were getting close and he looked like he could talk to you on a different level, you and Daphne. And I just felt awkward and lacking. You're so poised and elegant."
"That's ridiculous," Pansy snorted. "You, jealous of me? You are warm and kind. And your figure is to die for."
"You're so smart and cunning," Lavender countered. "And you're really pretty. I wish I had your features."
"You do not."
"I do!"
"I wish I looked like you some days!"
They stared at each other incredulously before bursting out laughing. When they heard footsteps, they clamped their hands over their mouths and giggled quietly as a pair of prefects walked by, looking around for the source of their previous laughter. When the prefects left, they sat there together in comfortable silence.
"I told Harry that when you two get together, he and I will be best friends," Pansy said.
"Wait, what?"
"You cannot be best friends with your partner. They need to complain to their best friend about their partner."
"You can totally be best friends with your partner!" Lavender said indignantly.
"No, you cannot. You have to accept it," Pansy said, patting Lavender's hand.
Lavender huffed but smiled. "We'll discuss that later. There's no guarantee that Harry and I will be together," she added wistfully.
"I do not think you will have a problem," Pansy said with a small smile.
"Really?"
"Call it intuition. Besides, aren't you taking divination?"
"Yeah yeah," Lavender smiled. "Come on."
"Where are we going?"
"Where going to do what all girlfriends when their girlfriends get their hearts hurt." She threaded her arm through Pansy's. "Even when they wanted it and it's from a good person." They walked slowly beneath the cloak and Pansy had the biggest smile when they slid past another prefect with the other person none the wiser for their presence. Eventually they made their way to the Uncommon Room and Lavender unlocked it with her key. "Sit, I'll be right back she said," and disappeared under the cloak once more.
Pansy did as asked and sat there, wondering what Lavender was up to. In a remarkably short time, the door opened and at first it did not look like anyone was there. Parvati then appeared with a big smile, alongside Lavender and Luna and Millicent. A few moments later, Hermione walked in followed by Padma, Sue, Susan, Daphne, and Tracey.
"What are you all doing here?" Pansy asked, eyes wide.
"Here to support a pal of course," Parvati said. "Lavender said we needed some girl solidarity power."
"It's after curfew though," Pansy gasped. She looked at Hermione when she said that.
Hermione shrugged sheepishly. "I mean, some rules can be bent a little for good reason. Besides, we're allowed to escort non-prefects around the castle after curfew for good reason. Besides, we're friends." She looked over at Daphne and Tracey. "That said, how did you two get here without getting in trouble?"
"I borrowed Blaise's badge," Daphne said, patting the badge on her robes.
"I need to talk to him," Hermione sighed. "He shouldn't do that."
"He doesn't know he did it," Tracey said. "What?" she said when Hermione glared at her. "Pansy was already here and there wasn't any more room under the cloak which I'm super jealous of by the way."
"You could get into a lot of trouble for stealing a prefect's badge and impersonating a prefect!"
"I cannot impersonate Blaise. First of all, I do not have any clothes that are that tight," Daphne said complacently. "Second of all, he is taller."
"And you're not Italian," Luna said helpfully. "Not even half."
"Also true, thank you Luna," Daphne said seriously. "Tracey, placate your girlfriend."
"Okay," Lavender laughed, cutting into Hermione's retort. "We can save that for later. Come on, we're here for Pansy."
"Are you okay?" Padma asked sympathetically.
"I am, truly," Pansy said softly. She really was, overall. She was also deeply touched that they were all there for her. "I appreciate you coming out though, and braving the consequences."
"We've been friends for a while," Sue said and the others nodded. "Of course we would."
Lavender walked to the ice box and opened it. She leaned in, her upper half disappearing well into the enlarged interior. They could hear her rustling about within, moving things over. "Harry said the latch is way down here in the corner and-ah ha! Found it!" She pulled a few containers out of the ice box.
"There's a hidden compartment in the icebox?" Parvati asked. "And he hid it from us?!"
"Said it's for emergencies and this qualified," Lavender said brightly. She brought the containers over. "Here's a tiramisu, and some ice cream, and some fudge."
"Oh is there milk? I can make milkshakes," Luna said brightly.
"I better make some tea," Hermione said. "To cut through all the sweets we're about to eat."
"I brought some of this too," Daphne said, pulling a bottle from her robes.
"We are not adding drinking alcohol on top of the other rules we're already bending!" Hermione snatched the bottle out of Daphne's hand. "Tracey, placate your best friend!"
Pansy started to laugh and it took a while for her to stop.
A few hours later, well past curfew and into the night, they left the Uncommon Room with overfull stomachs and full spirits. Hermione escorted Lavender and Parvati back to Gryffindor Tower while Padma did the same for Sue and Luna back to Ravenclaw Tower. Susan walked with Pansy, Millicent, Daphne, and Tracey and left for the Hufflepuff den and the rest returned to Slytherin. After last hugs, Pansy laid in bed with Millicent lying in hers.
"Ow, no Sunny, you can't lie on my stomach right now, sorry," Millicent groaned. "That's a good girl."
"Thank you," Pansy whispered.
"For what? Being your bestie? No need," Millicent said. She looked over at Pansy. "How are you feeling?"
"Currently? A little ill," Pansy confessed and they both giggled. "We ate a lot."
"Yeah we did. I kinda want to see Harry's reaction when he learns we wiped out all of the emergency desserts," Millicent giggled. She sobered. "But are you really okay? And you and Harry?"
"I really am," Pansy said with conviction. "It was a good conversation and while I'm a little sad about what could be, I am happy that I know what I want and that my friendship with Harry will be fine. Better than actually. Same with Lavender."
She smiled. "I told him that he and I are best friends now because when he and Lavender are together, they cannot be best friends."
"Of course not. He can't complain to her about her," Millicent snorted. "That's just not right."
"That's what I said," Pansy smiled.
Millicent looked over at her friend with a sad and proud expression. "Are you sure you don't fancy him?"
Pansy's expression was soft. "It's something a little more complicated than that."
-0-
"Are you okay?" Harry asked the next morning, looking concerned.
"Not really if I'm being honest," Lavender said, massaging her stomach. "My tummy is very mad at me."
"You look a little…yeah you look a little unwell," Harry said diplomatically. "The food wasn't bad, was it?"
"No it was great and I don't think it was what we ate, but how much," Lavender groaned.
"Are Parvati and Hermione in the same way?" Harry asked with a smile.
"Oh yeah, they're in bed still," Lavender giggled before wincing.
"Should we go to the Infirmary for some potions?" he asked.
"We might have to confess to some rule bending if we did."
"Madam Pomfrey wouldn't care much but maybe I can do something about it. Want to wait here?"
"I'll come with you, I'm hoping walking a bit helps," Lavender said. She and Harry left the Gryffindor common room. "A little slower please," she begged.
"Sure," Harry grinned. He lent her his arm and they walked slowly to the Uncommon Room.
Lavender sat at the table with a groan. "Are you going to make some potions here?"
"I was going to start with some teas. Ginger, peppermint, and green tea are all good for upset stomachs. So I'll make some and see how you feel and if it works, I'll take some back to Parvati and Hermione." He filled a kettle with water and set it on the hob with a small pot of water as well. He then started shredding ginger root and bruising mint leaves. "Do I need to make more for the other girls?"
"You might," Lavender said, looking away guiltily.
Harry followed her line of sight and he gaped at the containers sitting on the rack. "How much did you girls eat last night?!"
"Uhm, I think everything that was in the emergency space," Lavender said, blushing.
"That was so much! No wonder you feel sick," he laughed.
"You're not mad, are you?" she asked hopefully.
"Not at all. I'm actually really impressed. That was a lot."
"We'll pay it back or help make more," Lavender said. "You know, eventually."
"I'm not worried about that at all," Harry chuckled. He put the shredded ginger root into the pot to bubble and boil while the mint leaves steeped in a small tea pot with water from the kettle. The air grew fragrant with the smell of fresh mint and spicy ginger. After a taste test, he poured out a cup of ginger tea and mint tea and brought them to her. "Normally I'd add some sugar or honey or something but let's not for a bit."
"Sounds like a good idea," Lavender said and took the mint tea first. She sighed softly, feeling the hot pleasantly acrid liquid flow down her throat and soothe her stomach. "Oh that's nice," she said with evident relief.
"Is everything okay with Pansy?" Harry asked when some color returned to Lavender's face.
"Oh yeah, she was fine. Probably heroically sick like me though right now," Lavender said, smiling at Harry's laugh. "Good thing we didn't drink the firewhiskey that Daphne brought too. That would have been really bad."
"Oh I bet," Harry laughed harder. "Why did she want to talk to you?"
"Oh, uhm, actually, I think she meant for you and I to talk," Lavender said slowly. "But she and I needed to talk too and it was a really good one."
"Glad to hear it, but why do you and I need to talk?" Harry asked, looking confused.
Lavender sipped the tea, trying to marshal her thoughts. "Boy I picked a terrible time for this," she muttered to herself before she coughed. "Uh, well, boy this is a little awkward. She told me about the talk you and she had."
"Oh." Harry flushed deep red. "I still feel like a prat about it. I honestly didn't know."
"You're a little oblivious sometimes," Lavender said brightly. "But I mean, a lot of us are a lot of times."
"True," he grinned. "I guess I never thought anyone would ever like me that way."
Lavender frowned deeply. "Don't tell me, your relations said something disgusting to you."
"Something like that," Harry said limply. "But I know now not to listen to what they used to say to me, about that sort of thing. You taught me that."
Lavender set the cup down so she would not be tempted to throw it at the wall. "One of these days, I'm going to give them a piece of my mind."
"They don't deserve any piece of you," Harry said sincerely.
A smile fought through her anger. "Fine, how about a piece of my magic?"
"Don't want you getting in trouble over something like that, it isn't worth it."
"It would be to me," Lavender said grimly. She looked over at Harry and her heart trembled. She searched deep down for her Gryffindor courage. "Harry, you trust me, right?"
"I do," Harry said with complete and utter conviction.
She took a deep breath and coughed, bending over and coughing hard. "I'm okay," she gasped when Harry patted her back, looking alarmed. "Sorry, air went down funny." Blushing hard she took another deep breath. "Harry, I like you. As in, like, fancy like." She did not look at him for a long time, afraid of showing her face and the uncertainty and vulnerability on it. However, at Harry's lack of response, she finally did look at him.
He was staring at her, his eyes very large and looked completely and utterly gobsmacked, mouth slightly open.
"Harry? D-Did you hear me?" she said with a hint of indignation.
"Maybe? You said you like me, like as in fancy like?"
"Yes, I said that," Lavender said, slightly annoyed and with more than a slight amount of trepidation.
"O-Okay, then yeah, I heard you," he said in a slightly punch-drunk tone.
"Well?!" Lavender squeaked.
"I'm sorry! I just can't believe it, or didn't, but now I did after confirming it," Harry stammered and the inanity and his expression made her smile. "You do? Why?!"
"Really?" she asked, glaring at him. "Harry, you're amazing. You're so kind and you make me feel happy and I think you're one of the best people in the world."
"I'm not that great," Harry protested. He wilted at her glare. "I mean, well, you're like loads better than me at that. You make me feel safe and cared for, and you've really taught me how to be better and you've shown me what's right and what isn't, especially with how I was raised."
"Because that wasn't right! And you deserve better," she exclaimed. She grew shy once more. "And you really helped me too. You helped me get over a few things that I always had trouble with. You've always encouraged me to be me and when I'm with you, you make me want to try harder on all sorts of things. I really like that about you."
"Oh, well you do the same to me," he said, just as shy. "I honestly try to be polite to people at first because that's what you do, and how cheery you are. When I'm with you, it's hard not to be happy because you're just so bright and it's wonderful. Like sitting in the sunlight."
Her heart melted. "Does…does that mean you like me too? Like, as in fancy like?"
"I mean, yeah, for a while now, I think," he admitted, blushing furiously.
"Wait what? For how long?!" Lavender gasped.
"Uh, I don't know," Harry mumbled. "Maybe around last year."
"That long?! You didn't tell me?!"
"I was afraid of ruining our friendship! I didn't want to do that! I was going to ask you to the Yule Ball and-"
"YOU WERE?!" Lavender shrieked. She moaned and hit her head on the table top. "I was such a bitch to you before that and I ruined it with Tom-bloody-stupid-prick-arsehole!"
Harry grinned and patted her on the back. "I'm still selfishly glad it didn't work out if I'm being honest."
"Me too," she said. She turned her head and looked at him. "Why didn't you tell me when we had our talk when we got back to school last second term?"
He shrugged weakly. "I was just glad we were talking again and I didn't want to try my luck. Didn't know how you felt and well, yeah."
She thumped her head on the table again. "Ow," she grumbled.
"Yeah, maybe don't do that," he suggested weakly.
She sat up and patted her cheeks a few times. "Okay, well, it's my fault too. Parvati says I can be dim sometimes."
"Me too," he smiled.
She giggled. "Let's promise to always talk to each other about stuff like this and we'll take it how it is. And no matter what, we'll always be friends."
"I'd really like that," he said gratefully. He flushed again. "Uhm, so, Hogsmeade weekend is this weekend. Would you like to go to Hogsmeade for the day? Together? As in together together and not like how we used to go together?"
Lavender's smile was from ear to ear and brighter than the sun. "I'd love that. Yes please!"
"Brilliant!" Harry said, wearing a goofy grin. He leaned back against her when she scooted her chair closer. "Are you feeling better?"
"I feel wonderful," she said, her smile still wide and bright. She looked up at him. "How do you feel?"
"Happy," he said simply and sincerely.
She rested her head on his shoulder. "Me too."
-0-0-0-
Kaya - Thank you so much. Parvati is a lot of fun, isn't she?
odonnellzoo99 - Honestly, a bit of both. I thought the staff meeting would be fun to show more of the behind the scenes and see the other professors some. Big hazmat stickers with the skull on fire haha.
Hoodedgenius98 - It might be too dangerous to do that.
SixFtWookie - Voldemort on Hot Ones would be a shamble show.
Hands Off MY Wolfie - You know people that are so arrogant that they truly think themselves impervious or infallible. He counts as that. I like some spice but it sounds too much for me too. Thanks for reading.
61394 - That's how I see the schools too. That there are a lot of them out there or lots of homeschooling. The big names are the biggest ones with the longest history for their region.
poka - I thought it was time for Dumbledore to directly confront Quirrellmort and to put an answer to the question for once and for all. Drake is so fun to write for. He has such a fun irreverent personality just lurking under a dignified and dangerous surface. Plus his fued with Fawkes is just too funny.
The Sphynx - I have the benefit of having written it and going back to make sure of certain details so I remember them a bit more easily. Fawkes would never admit it though.
alix33 - That's a nice memory. It's funny how certain words get tied to certain people.
DarkRavie - Thank you.
DOOOOOOM Lord of Waffles - His days sure are numbered. Dangerously delicious indeed.