Obliviate My Choices {Book 4}

17. Tongue tied over three words

Harry and Ron left the hospital wing first thing on Monday morning, back to their normal annoying selves. The positive about the whole thing was that Hermione was friends with Ron again (but I think they both wanted to be more).

Hermione, Gennie and I got them from the hospital wing and Hermione told them that Ginny had been arguing with Dean. I'd heard the arguments, and it did get pretty heated. It looked like Ginny and Dean would be breaking up soon, which I was looking forward to.

"What did they row about?" he asked, trying to sound casual as we passed a first year girl. She dropped her potion scales and they shattered.

"It's all right!" said Hermione kindly, hurrying forward to help her. "Here ..."

She tapped the broken scales with her wand and said, "Reparo." The girl did not say thank you, but remained rooted to the spot as they passed and watched them out of sight; Ron glanced back at her.

"I swear they're getting smaller," I muttered.

"Well you and the boys are giants, so..." Gennie teased, and I shoved her almost into the wall, shrieking.

"Never mind," said Harry, a little too impatiently. "What did Ginny and Dean row about?"

"Oh, Dean was laughing about McLaggen hitting that Bludger at you," I said. "Mind you, I was about to argue with him before Ginny stood in."

"It must've looked funny," said Ron reasonably.

"It didn't look funny at all!" said Hermione hotly. "It looked terrible and if somebody hadn't used that slowing down spell he could have been very badly hurt!"

"Yeah, well, there was no need for Ginny and Dean to split up over it," said Harry, still trying to sound casual. "Or are they still together?"

"Yes, they are--but why are you so interested?" asked Hermione, giving Harry a sharp look.

"I just don't want my Quidditch team messed up again!" he said hastily, but Hermione continued to look suspicious.

"He's so obvious it's funny," Gennie snorted, and I held back a smile, thinking how ironic the situation was. Three years ago, Gennie might have ripped Ron's sister's head off for Harry even daring to like her.

How things change.

"Harry!" Luna had appeared at the end of the corridor and was dashing towards us, her radish earrings swinging.

"Hey, Luna." I smiled. "You okay?"

"I'm fine, thank you." she said with a dreamy smile. She turned to Harry, rummaging in her bag. "I went to the hospital wing, but they said you'd left..."

She pulled out a large green onion, a toadstool and what appeared to be cat litter into Ron's hand, before pulling out a piece of parchment.

"... I've been told to give you this."

It was a small roll of parchment, which Harry was apparently the time of his lesson with Dumbledore that evening--which I still couldn't go to. 

"Nice commentary last match!" said Ron to Luna as she took back the green onion, the toadstool, and the cat litter. Luna smiled vaguely.

"You're making fun of me, aren't you?" she said. "Everyone says I was dreadful."

"No, I'm serious!" said Ron earnestly. "I can't remember enjoying commentary more! What is this, by the way?" he added, holding the onionlike object up to eye level.

"Oh, it's a Gurdyroot," she said, stuffing the cat litter and the toadstool back into her bag. "You can keep it if you like, I've got a few of them. They're really excellent for warding off Gulping Plimpies."

"That'd be great, the Quibbler said they were a right pest." I said genuinly. As odd as her father's maagazine was, I still got a subscription and intently read them every Tuesday.

"There's a free one in next week's issue." Luna said with an excited smile, before skipping off.

"You know, she's grown on me, Luna," Ron said, the Gurdyroot in hand as we set off again for the Great Hall. "I know she's insane, but it's in a good --"