NUMB | D. MALFOY {EDITING}

xx. sectumsempra

« SECTUMSEMPRA »

         Both Harry and Anastasia had agreed to not speak about their sincere conversation in the Astronomy Tower to either of their friends. That's why the next day Hermione glared them with quizzically eyes while Ron glanced from his food to the angered Lavender across the room.

          As Hermione scolded Ron, the brunette furiously pinched her fork in her lunch as her eyes scanned the room in search of the blonde boy who seriously needed to be scolded. Harry chuckled when he noticed how destroyed the food was and nudged her.

          "Tell me how I broke up with Lavender again." The ginger turned to see Hermione and then at his friends. Confusion adorned his facial expressions.

          Anastasia, Harry and Hermione stared at each other in silence. Maybe it was a pair of glances between the three, but those looks shared more meaning than the actual words Hermione was preparing herself to say.

          "Well," She began, looking at the book in her hands. "She came to visit you to the hospital. And you... talked." Hermione glanced at her friends and then at Ron several times, her eyebrows were furrowed lightly as she spoke. "I don't believe it was a particularly long conversation." She ended with a deep sigh.

          "Don't get me wrong." Ron began, rather quickly. "I'm bloody thrilled to be shot of hers. She seems a bit—" He glared at Lavender once more and continued, "Put out."

          In silence, the four teenagers turned to see the angered Lavender, who was, in fact, murdering her food just like Anastasia was doing a few moments back. The blonde girl clenched her teeth when she noticed the quartet looking at her, so they turned back with an awkward silence embracing them.

          "Yes, uhm—" Anastasia began, playing with her food. "She does, isn't she?" She finished, rapidly turning her face to give Lavender one last glance.

          "You say you don't remember anything from that night. Anything at all?" Hermione questioned, hidden hope in her voice as the words were spoken.

          Harry and Anastasia quickly looked at each other and then back at their friend. The emerald-eyed girl smiled sadly as she saw her friend desperately trying to make Ron to remember what happened that day, anything.

          "There is something." Ron said, his eyes were lost in nothing as he talked. That made illusion to linger in Hermione's eyes. "It can't be. I was completely boggled, didn't I?" The boy said, eyeing his friends with raised eyebrows.

          Anastasia watched the illusion turn into disappointment in Hermione's eyes. The girl sighed deeply and looked down at her food with sadness. Harry noticed his friend sudden change of mood and sent her a reassuring half-smile.

          "Right. Boggled." Hermione sadly muttered, looking away.

          Hermione's eyes traveled over the Great Hall and stopped abruptly in a small group of girls walking down the small aisle between the tables. Anastasia seemed to notice because she discretely turned her head to watch Katie Bell and her friends chatting.

          "Harry." Both Hermione and Anastasia said, gaining their friend's attention.

          "That's Katie Bell." Anastasia whispered, locking eyes with her friend.

          Like a lightning bolt, Harry jumped up from his seat and took the potions book in his right hand. The determination had taken over his actions as Anastasia watched him confidently walk to the group of girls.