Someone to save me | Harry Potter

Chapter Fourteen

I sat in the Gryffindor common room suddenly wishing I had gone home with the rest of my family. It was  Christmas eve and most of the school had gone home the night after the Yule Ball. I opted to stay at school at try and figure out the clue in my egg for the second task, I knew I would never get anything done being home with all the distractions of my family. Hermione and Ron had gone home as well, leaving what felt like just me and Harry in Gryffindor tower. 

Harry and Ron had of course apologized to Hermione and I for their behavior at the Yule ball, and we of course forgave them instantly. Their genuine apology made it impossible to stay mad at them for too long, but they did try and stay away from Damian after that. My family had now been gone about a week, and I was missing them. I have never spent a Christmas away from my family in my entire life, and now it felt as if I was all alone. 

I sent my gifts home a few days before with my owl, and I hoped they would get them in time. I sent Andi and Aurora some matching heels from Hogsmeade I saw, I really just picked a random pair that wasn't hideous since my fashion sense isn't the best. Damian I sent some Quidditch equipment, it was signed by the Bulgarian team, but that was probably less exciting given the fact their star seeker was now attending school with us. My parents I just sent home some magical pictures of the twins, Damian and I from our months here at school. Sentimentality is the best way to please our mother. 

I sat watching the crackling fire and the glistening ornaments on the Christmas tree in the common room, a mug of hot chocolate in my hands trying to warm me. It was rather lonely here without the rest of my friends and classmates, but they would all be back in due time, I had other things to worry about.

"Hi Ali." Someone said from behind the couch making me jump.

 "Harry, you scared me." I laughed, scooting down the couch so he could sit down beside me. He mumbled a sorry and started looking to the fireplace as well.

 "We're running out of time for the second task/" He said, his eyes not leaving the glowing embers in the fireplace. 

"I know, I'm avoiding opening my egg, that screeching sound gives me a headache." I chuckled. I remember the first time I opened the egg after the first task, I about deafened the whole Gryffindor house.

"There has to be another way to figure it out," He said. 

I nodded my head and leaned back against the couch trying hard to think of something to make this clue easier for us. I wonder if Cedric or Fleur, or even Viktor had figured this clue out yet.

 " So you and Malfoy getting closer?" Harry asked,I could tell he was trying his hardest not to sound like an ass.

 I nodded slowly and blushed thinking about my kiss with the blonde boy who was several floors below us.Draco hadn't gone home for Christmas either, and I had built a snowman with him earlier in the day. 

"Yeah we are, I know you don't like him but he's different with me." I told him. Harry had a look of disagreement before shrugging his shoulders. "Besides the person I wanted to go to the ball with didn't ask me." I said looking to Harry hoping he would catch on to the fact that he was the person I was dying to ask me to the ball. 

I hoped for weeks Harry would muster up the courage and ask me, even as just friends, but he was clueless. It kind of hurt me that he went with Parvatti, someone I know he had only spoken to a few times, It was obvious she was a last resort and the fact I wasn't even an option for him hurt me even more.

"The person I wanted to go with already had a date." He mumbled playing with the ends of his sweater. Somehow I knew that he wasn't talking about me, I saw the hurt in his eyes when he watched Cho dance with Cedric at the ball. But I guess it was better to have Harry as a friend, than nothing at all.