𝐢. 𝐌𝐈𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐂 ; harry j. potter ( UNEDITED )

090. "but the blood on my hands scares me to death"

"No," Ron admitted. "It was pretty bad while she was yelling, but at least I didn't have to finish it."

"Coward," said Hermione, though she looked amused. "Well, it was a bad night for romance all around. Ginny and Dean split up too."

"How come?" asked Lucia, worry etched her face. Guilt overwhelmed her for not being there for Ginny directly after her breakup with Dean.

"Oh, something really silly... She said he was always trying to help her through the portrait hole, like she couldn't climb in herself... but they've been a bit rocky for ages."

Harry and Lucia turned their heads to the other side of the class where Dean resided. He certainly looked unhappy.

"Of course, this puts you in a bit of a dilemma, doesn't it?" said Hermione.

"What d'you mean?" said Harry in confusion.

"The Quidditch team," said Hermione. "If Ginny and Dean aren't speaking..."

"Oh yeah..." Harry groaned. "This year really isn't a good year for the team, is it?"

"Nope," said the girls in unison.

"Flitwick," said Ron in a warning tone. The tiny little Charms master was bobbing his way toward them, and Hermione and Lucia were the only one who had managed to turn vinegar into wine; their glass flask was full of deep crimson liquid.

Hermione and Lucia clasped each other's hand in glee. "Yes!" However, they can't say the same for Harry and Ron's, whose were still murky brown.

"Now, now, boys," squeaked Professor Flitwick reproachfully. "A little less talk, a little more action... Let me see you try...."

Together they raised their wands, concentrating with all their might, and pointed them at their flasks. Harry's vinegar turned to ice; Ron's flask exploded.

"Yes... for homework," said Professor Flitwick, reemerging from under the table and pulling shards of glass out of the top of his hat, "practice."

They had one of their rare joint free periods after Charms and walked back to the common room together. Ron seemed to be positively lighthearted about the end of his relationship with Lavender, and Hermione seemed cheery too, though when asked what she was grinning about she simply said, "It's a nice day."

Lucia felt quite mild for the day. She was still hung up over the fact that Harry had retold how his parents died just to get the memory from Slughorn. Albeit clever, it was also so saddening how he spoke of it so casually... She tried to turn the topic in her mind away and to the upcoming Quidditch match that she was going to commentate — hopefully not with Smith, but with Luna. Sweet Luna...

They were climbing through the portrait hole into the sunny common room, and it took Lucia moment to vaguely register the small group of seventh years clustered together there, until Hermione cried, "Katie! You're back! Are you okay?"

It was indeed Katie Bell, looking completely healthy and surrounded by her jubilant friends.

"I'm really well!" she said happily. "They let me out of St. Mungo's on Monday, I had a couple of days at home with Mum and Dad and then came back here this morning. Leanne was just telling me about McLaggen and the last match, Harry..."

"Yeah," said Harry, "well, now you're back and Ron's fit, we'll have a decent chance of thrashing Ravenclaw, which means we could still be in the running for the Cup. Listen, Katie..."

He had to put the question to her at once. He dropped his voice as Katie's friends started gathering up their things; apparently, they were late for Transfiguration.