𝐢. 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂 ; harry j. potter ( UNEDITED )

013. "cannot believe that this was all a dream"

The article appeared ten days ago, and Lucia was still in midst of recovery from the report Rita Skeeter had written about Harry that even Lucia would be a fool to believe in such lies. And this was coming from someone that believed in such vague and clear lies before.

     I suppose I get my strength from my parents. I know they'd be very proud of me if they could see me now... Yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them, I'm not ashamed to admit it... I know nothing will hurt me during the tournament, because they're watching over me...

She had interviewed other people about him too, and Lucia couldn't help but feel ill in the stomach when she read it.

     Harry has at last found love at Hogwarts. His close friend, Colin Creevey, says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of one Hermione Granger, a stunningly pretty Muggle-born girl who, like Harry, is one of the top students in the school.

From the moment the article had appeared, Harry had had to endure people — Slytherins, mainly — quoting it at him as he passed and making sneering comments.

"Want a hanky, Potter, in case you start crying in Transfiguration?"

"Since when have you been one of the top students in the school, Potter? Or is this a school you and Longbottom have set up together?"

Lucia snapped her gaze at the bunch of them, her fist clenched to her side. "Don't listen to them. Just wait and see when I sneak in some poiso —"

"Hey — Harry!"

"Yeah, that's right!" Harry found himself shouting as he wheeled around in the corridor, having had just about enough.

Lucia winced, "Har —"

"— I've just been crying my eyes out over my dead mum, and I'm just off to do a bit more..."

"No — it was just — you dropped your quill."

Lucia, who failed to stop Harry, grimaced. It wasn't just anybody, but it was the Cho Chang.

From the corner of her eyes, Lucia saw Harry's face becoming as red as ruby. A sudden pain struck her chest from within, which Lucia found mildly concerning as she watched Cho and Harry.

A voice in the back of her mind was saying: They would become such a good-looking couple...

But another was telling her, Stop it, you cow! They don't look good together, you're only hallucinating!

But why should she care of what Harry and Cho could become? It felt a waste to ponder over such trivial things...

"Oh — right — sorry," he muttered, taking the quill back.

"Er... good luck on Tuesday," she said. "I really hope you do well." Cho turned to a dejected Lucia with a graceful smile, "Bye, Lucia."

Lucia broke away from her daze and blushed slightly. She then smiled faintly at the girl, "Bye... bye..."

As Cho left them, Harry felt stupid.

Noticing his shoulders slumping, Lucia nudged him, and a weak yet reassuring smile painted her rosy lips. "Y-You weren't being a fool at all in front of Cho," she told him.

"Really?' Harry glanced at her hopefully.

Lucia bit her lip. "Yeah...?" she lied pathetically, which Harry caught on.

"I so did — wait, how did you know I fancy Cho?" Harry panicked.

"I can tell," she smiled wearily at him. "And I'm sure Cho didn't even notice it,"