Lemon Grass and Sleep

A CERTAIN WITCH'S BIRTHDAY

The hallways were filled with the scent of Christmas as students looked forward to the upcoming holiday eagerly. Scarves were wrapped tightly around necks and hats covered up every single head that could be seen outside.

More importantly, today was a very special day.

"Hello there, Tommy," Glinda bounced across the hallway before hopping up into the windowsill beside me. "Just a wonderful day, isn't it?"

"Yes, I would say it is," I replied in mock boredom, letting out a sigh as I leaned back on my hands.

She gave me a pointed look that told me if I didn't pull out her present immediately, she was going to break into the Hufflepuff dormitory and cover my bed in itching powder.

"Right, right, on with it then." I dug around in my satchel for a moment before pulling out the clear vial. I'd attached a thin pink bow around the neck of the bottle, along with a tag that said 'For Glinda'.

A liquid that changed from purple to green, then green to white, swirled around in the vial. It swished from side to side, gleaming in the hanging lanterns as I presented it to Glinda.

"Oh, is this what I think it is?" She murmured as her eyes widened.

"Right on, thought you'd find it increasingly important as O.W.L.s neared."

"For once, I think you're onto something, Soot," Glinda smiled warmly as she took the glass and twirled it around to watch it sparkle in the light. "Wit-sharpener, did you make this yourself?"

"Took me a few tries, I'm surprised I got the stain out of my shirt."

"Likewise," she barely replied, entranced by the gift. "I'll remember this."

"You better, especially when my birthday rolls around again."

"Yes, I'll splurge on chocolate that isn't on sale."

"My chocolates were on sale?"

"You think I'd pay full price?"

The library was beginning to fill with more and more students as the day went on, becoming a little loud as classes ended and dismissed. Glinda and I found ourselves sharing the large wooden table with students we'd never met before, yet we all shared a common goal: pass our O.W.L.s. And that was plenty enough to unite us in page flipping and nervous mumbling.

"What's stopping you from going up to him right now and telling him you'd like to snog in a closet?"

"Glinda," I whispered indignantly, "There are people here."

"Right on, I am able to see, thank you."

"Could've fooled me with how you're talking now."

"So? Answer my question, Soot."

"Because there's people over there, too, Baker."

"Mm, yes, it is a library. A public one at that."

"One doesn't usually act so forward in a library, especially when everyone over there is a Gryffindor."

"Ooh, rather scary that lot is." The two of us looked over to see half of the table in a nervous frizzy as they quietly talked over each other, quizzing different people over different books. Fred sat beside a girl, I remember her being on the quidditch team as well, and it made me feel queasy.

"He's with a girl anyways, probably already gave her chocolates or something."

"They're not even looking at each other, what's it to her if you go over and do what she isn't?"