✓ Heavenly

005. Poison Ivy

"I don't hate you," Venus muttered, knuckles white from clutching into her garments. "I've never hated anyone before," she said raising her voice so Harry could hear her, "but you've certainly tested my limits."

Harry was silent and Venus continued speaking, finding herself unable to stop.

"Do you know what it feels like to have a parent, alive, out there somewhere and them not contact you even once. Going to his house over the summer was my Aunt's idea, not mine or his," she croaked, tears welling up in her eyes, "You know, when he escaped third year, I wrote him letters. Everyday. And he never replied, I stopped the month before the term was over."

"I— Erm— I'm sorry," was the only sentence Harry could muster. Venus nodded and cleaned the tears from her face.

"Yeah, me too," she chuckled pointing to the scar on her lip. "Goodbye Harry."

"But I want to—"

Venus cut him off. "Why? Why do you want to even speak to me?" she said; her voice grew exponentially louder each word.

"I guess," Harry croaked. "I wanted to know you."

Venus felt a pang hit her heart painfully. "I'm sorry about everything, Harry, I don't want to get to know you," shesaid simply. "Now, please, just don't talk to me."

Harry watched Venus disappear into the girl's dormitories. He wanted to chase after her, but she'd made it perfectly clear that she did not want to see, hear or talk to him. Without letting himself look into it, he headed straight for the boy's dormitories. After Venus, he was not in much of a mood to talk at the moment.

Meanwhile, Venus had just disclosed everything that happened with Harry to Constance. She said phrases like: "Oh Merlin", "Oh what a git!" And "Oooo!" as Venus explained everything.

Parvarti Patil was shuffling through her trunk taking out decorative flowers and shawls to decorate the posters of her bed. She hadn't made eye contact with Venus since they'd arrived. After the ordeal with her and Lavender at dinner, she kept quiet. Venus wasn't even sure she breathed around her.

"She still hasn't looked at me," Venus whispered to Constance.

"She'll come around," said Constance, giving a light shrug. "You did the right thing defending Harry, even though he's a complete dimbo."

Shouts and screams erupted from across the hall. Venus was already irritated; now she had to deal with the boy's causing ruckus when the first years had just gone to sleep. She grabbed a cardigan and wrapped it around herself. The shouts weren't because they were laughing or goofing around, they were angry. McGonagall was going to be just peachy if this turned physical.

"Don't you have a go at my mother," snapped Seamus from inside a dormitory.

"I'll have a go at anyone who calls me a liar," she heard Harry shout back.

"Don't talk to me like that!"

"I'll talk to you how I want," said Harry, his temper rising so fast he snatched his wand back from his bedside table. "If you've got a problem sharing a dormitory with me, go and ask McGonagall if you can be moved, stop your mummy worrying—"

"What on earth is going on in here?" They all turned their heads to Venus standing with her arms crossed in the doorway. Ron had appeared behind her. His wide eyes traveled from Harry, who was kneeling on his bed with his wand pointing at Seamus, to Seamus, who was standing there with his fists raised.

"He's having a go at my mother!" Seamus yelled.

"What?" said Ron. "Harry wouldn't do that- we met your mother, we liked her. . . ."

"That's before she started believing every word the stinking Daily Prophet writes about me!" said Harry at the top of his voice.

"Well, I don't really care Seamus, and Harry put your wand down! The first-years are asleep and you're going to wake them with all your screaming." Venus scolded. Seamus dropped his fists, Harry did the same with his wand.

"You know what?" said Seamus heatedly, casting Harry a venomous look. "He's right, I don't want to share a dormitory with him. Venus, is there a spare bed in another room?"

"Yes. In Lee Jordan's dormitory, I'll tell McGonagall in the morning that you requested a switch." she sighed, Seamus quietly thanked her

"-Because I refuse to share a dormitory, with a madman!" Seamus said heatedly.

"That's out of order, Seamus," said Ron, whose ears were starting to glow red.

"Out of order, am I?" shouted Seamus, who in contrast with Ron was turning paler. "You believe all the rubbish he's come out with about You-Know-Who, do you, you reckon he's telling the truth?"

"Yeah, I do!" said Ron angrily.

"Then you're mad too," said Seamus in disgust.

"Yeah? Well unfortunately for you, pal, I'm also a prefect!" said Ron, jabbing himself in the chest with a finger. "So unless you want detention, watch your mouth!"

Seamus looked for a few seconds as though detention would be a reasonable price to pay to say what was going through his mind; but with a noise of contempt he turned on his heel, vaulted into bed, and pulled the hangings shut with such violence that they were ripped from the bed and fell in a dusty pile to the floor. Ron glared at Seamus, then looked at Dean and Neville. He grabbed his things and pushed past Ron and Venus at the doorway.

"Anyone else's parents got a problem with Harry?" he said aggressively.

"My parents are Muggles, mate," said Dean, shrugging. "They don't know anything about no deaths at Hogwarts-"

"You don't need to explain yourself, Dean." Venus said lifting her hand to stop him from speaking. "Ron, it's really noble how you defended Harry. But if you ever abuse your power like that again, McGonagall will hear about it." She sighed and turned toward the inside of the dormitory. "Harry, are you alright?"

Harry stared at Venus. His eyes, which were usually brightly green, looked faded into a dull brown. "I thought you didn't want me speaking to you," he said coldly laying back on his pillows turned away from Venus.

Venus nodded, pursing her lips. "Goodnight Ron, Dean, Neville." she said grabbing Ron by his shirt before he entered the dormitory. His freckled face looking down at her in dismay. "Don't ever stop defending him. He's going to need it this year."