Chapter 31: The one with birdwatching in the library

Disclaimer: I am just a mere visitor in the sublime world constructed by J.K Rowling. Anything that rings a bell is hers.

A/N: Ky refers to Lavender as Bobby

Chapter 30

Cold hands, ice cold hands…drift up my stomach…my ribs…ascending. Suddenly the hands stopped being cold and get warmer. Everything is warmer, everywhere is warmer, all sensations on fire. That mind numbing fear is replaced with a calming sensation of trust. I open my eyes and stare deep into a pair of mismatched eyes. One bright green, the other dark grey, but both set my soul on fire with intensity. A screech above snapped me away from the stare, and my heart sped up. The blue sky disappeared into scales of black, the sun became a fiery glow that emerged from an opened mouth, heading straight at us.

It took me exactly 452 seconds and 987 steps to find Mi once I woke up from...whatever that was.

Those eyes were too familiar, but it made sense right. I practically spent all day with one and then thought about the other before I went to sleep. Not that I always think about him before I sleep but its Ron's fault really! I mean I spent all that time with him, and he is Harry's best friend, so it only makes sense to think of one when thinking of the other…right?

But what the fuck with the dragon?

I turned into the library and Madam Pince stopped me.

"Miss Thornton?"

I turned and looked at the Vulture. "Madam Pince?"

"You're in your pyjamas."

"And you're in yours."

She looked at me affronted. What, it's not an insult. She can dress as haggard as she wants, no judgements here. I turned and stalked off. I ignored the group of sniggering third years and ducked between two bookshelves and found my target.

Unfortunately, she was not alone. Harry and she were whispering furiously, he must have seen my shadow because his eyes met mine. He quickly gave me the once over, shaking his head and snapping whatever book he had shut. Mi turned around,

"Ky! What are you-"

"We need to talk."

I grabbed her and began walking to a shelf, but she held her ground.

"This isn't a good time, Ky; I have to help-"

"Listen here princess. Whatever girly drama you have going on can wait for later. Hermione is busy."

I looked at Harry, opening my mouth to bellow at him that I did not have girly dramas…then stopped. Realization then hit me that I was in fact having a girly drama! I'm not that idiotic girl that dreams about boys and runs off to her best friend to dissect the hidden meaning in the illusion. I'm not the girl that dreams about boys. Period. I'm becoming Bobby!

With that thought I turned to walk away, but a hand on my shoulder stopped me. It was a flitting action; one second there was slight pressure and then nothing.

I turned and looked at Harry, taking him in for the first time this morning. He looked tired, and stressed and like he ran his hands through his hair a hundred times. His mouth was creased in a frown and his eyes where circled by heavy bags.

"Look …sorry. I'm just a little…weird this morning. Hermione is as available as she wants to be to speak to you. That's her choice; I was being a complete-"

Harry didn't finish his sentence as I wrapped my arms around his torso. He looked like he needed it, and it seemed like it was working. I could hear his heartbeat slow down and the air around us got lighter.

I let go and turned around, walking away from his shocked face. I didn't get far though when a very unfamiliar, deep voice grunted my name. I looked to my left, and there in the shadows of shelves stood the unlikeliest of people beckoning me forward. I of course complied.

"What's up Hawk?" His dark features creased together in confusion.

"Maybe you confusion. I am not this Hawk. I am Victor Krum. I am Durmstrang Champion."

"Yes, yes, I know. And the seeker of the Bulgarian team and my friend's dream boyfriend."

He straightened up and his black eyes became alight with excitement. "Dream boyfriend. I like that. This friend maybe same friend I dream of too."

I looked at him, confused. Hawk liked Ron too? Was The Victor Krum coming out to me in between the Zit Zapper: one wand movement away from perfect skin and Wizards Wardrobe: match your magic to your mitten's books. Actually, it kind of made sense, what better place to come out. The confusing part was the fact that Hawk was coming out to me…a complete stranger. I put my hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Hawk…erm…let's see. Just go with the feelings, move with the motion you know? If it feels right, don't deny it. Erm…there's nothing to be ashamed of."

He shoved my hand from his shoulder with an irate look on his face.

"Of course, there is nothing to be ashamed ov. Vy vould I be ashamed! It is you who should be ashamed. You and your pretending to be her vriend. I haf right mind to go tell her. She is untamed beauty, smart and kind and pretty smile. Only von fault with her is bad choice in friends. I am no shamed to be liking her. She is-"

"Woah woah woah stop bucking off your broom Hawk. You were talking about Mi…. Hermione?"

"Yes, and I am-"

"You like Mi!"

I started jumping up and down clapping my hands together and for the second time today I felt like Bobby. I stopped and reeled myself in.

Hawk was scuffing his shoe on the floor, a surly look on his face, muttering something about 'not knowing if you call it like'. I grabbed him by the shoulders and made him look me in the eye.

"Ignore whatever was said before. So how long have you been crushing on our brown-haired beauty."

He shook his head with a smile on his face. "Brown and so bushy. Wonderful. So untamed. Free. Like a bird. Like an eagle. Like a-"

"Hawk? Snap out of it, more answers less daydreaming."

He did snap out of it, and quickly too. He grabbed my hand and pulled me further down the aisle and behind another shelf.

He shushed me and I saw the reason why. Six reasons actually. Two blonde, three brunettes and one red haired but all nattering at the top of their voices, their beady eyes darting here and there in search for their prey. Hawk whispered to me,

"I haff important question to ask. Ky, Hermowninny, Herminonny…her-"

"Eagle. Code name."

"Yes, yes. Eagle. Does my eagle haff another?"

"No, she doesn't, her nest is empty. And she can do with a little feather plucking if you know what I mean."

"No, I do not…this Harry Potter alvays seems to be in her nest though."

"Oh, don't worry he doesn't pluck her feathers." He gave me a confused look, the innuendo just flying over his head. "They're not together. Eagle is single."

He sighed and then the look of relief slid off his face. I turned and saw Mi and Harry walking out of the library. "This alvays happens. She is here, I come, she goes. Deba!" I raised my eyebrows at the Bulgarian swear but saw the reason yet again, approaching fast. "I go Ky, these vultures are here. They're everywhere."

He rushed off muttering in Bulgarian away from the flock of girls. I walked out of the library, shaking my head thinking one thought.

Viktor Krum was obsessed with birds.

Harry's POV

A dragon. A fucking dragon. A beast that can burn, maul, rip, tear, and swallow me whole was on my horizon, but here I was. Sitting in the common room, staring at her. I snapped the useless book shut. I watched her as her cheeks went pink and tears trickled down them.

She was roaring with laughter, at whatever it was that Fred and George were telling her. I thought back to the other day in Charms. I was sitting behind Lavender and Parvati, and they were whispering nonstop as usual. I only started paying attention when I heard Ky's name,

"-and of course, he wasn't under the bed, I even checked under yours. Then I looked back at Ky's bed, and she was gone."

"Lav, what would Brad Pitt-"

"It was obviously a distraction. So, I followed her, but I only managed to see her sneak through the portrait…but she wasn't alone!"

"Oh Godric! Who! WHO!"

"Shhhh Parv…it was a red-haired boy. I couldn't really make out his physique from the angle."

"Well, there are lots of red-haired boys in this school."

"Oh, this was definitely Weasley red hair."

"I knew it! She's always with them. Did you see how Ron was carrying her on his back the other day…it's so inappropriate!"

"Well, she also spends loads of time with the twins. She is such a slag. I mean she's funny and stuff, but she only hangs out with boys…it's not right."

"Well, she does hang out with Hermione too."

"Does Hermione even count as a girl?"

Parvati sniggered at this, "Anyway we can't tell on her. Remember what she walked in on the other day…"

"Yeah, I know. And this is A grade gossip, and I can't set it alight. I'm dying here. Oh, wait Dean is looking this way, don't turn around now!"

I stopped listening at that. This explains why she was both late and flustered at the Feast…so it was one of the twins…. or Ron…Ron? Last night didn't go well; I didn't even hear him come into bed till late. And Hermione told me Ky was just in a weird mood in the library this morning because she is sleep deprived. Apparently, she had got back late from detention. Coincidence?

Ron and Ky though… I didn't think he liked her. But then again, I didn't think he would act like a prat about this tournament either. I guess I just don't know Ron the way I thought I did….

It seems like everywhere I turned she was with someone different. Dean, Seamus, Ron, Fred, George, Lee, and that one-time Neville! This is why I had to stay away from her. This is why I stayed as far away as I could. She was making me into this creature…this insane jealous being that was all wrong.

Hermione turned to look at the direction I was staring at, it was too late to snap my head to another direction and pretend that I wasn't staring at her. I waited for Hermione's brilliant mind to put two and two together and call me out.

"I think you should tell her. "I looked at her. Is she mental? Tell her so she can freak out and ruin everything. What everything was I wasn't sure yet, but I didn't want it to be ruined.

"Are you insane Hermione?"

She shook her head at me and rolled her eyes. "This is so like you Harry. To be so secretive. Just tell her. I mean she's been our friend for ages now. I trust her. And she is brilliant, maybe she read up on something that can help."

I looked at her confused, she laughed. "OK she probably wouldn't have read anything anywhere. But she is a quick thinker, and we need that now."

Realisation dawned on me. She was talking about telling Ky about the first task. Telling her about the dragon. Hermione was always trying to get me to tell Ky about stuff. Insisting that she was loyal and trustworthy, and she felt bad whispering behind her back about Sirius and dreams.

I wasn't ready for that yet though, and I told Hermione I didn't want her sharing secrets like that. Hermione was staring at me, and I shook my head. The less interaction I had with Ky the better, I couldn't deal with distractions with the impending doom I had over my head. I opened the book once again, not taking in a single word but listening to tinkling laughter.

A/N: Jealous Harry is fun to write – what do you think of him?

Have a good day,

Kalina