Undistinguished (H.P.)

Chapter 48: Love?

oOo

Romilda Vane. 

The Gryffindor who tried to slip Harry the love potion in the shape of some cauldron cakes. 

Veronica heard the whole story once she and Harry had made it to breakfast and by that point, word had gotten around about Ron in the hospital wing, and why Lavender was seen running away crying. 

The couple were sitting at the Gryffindor table, whispering quietly to each other, trying to avoid all the looks and gestures being thrown their way until they were rudely interrupted. 

"Potter! Just the man I've been looking for!" a booming voice demanded, and they looked up to find Cormac McLaggen had slid into the seat opposite them, smiling smugly at Harry. 

Harry seemed to visible sigh in annoyance and glanced at Veronica with a knowing look in his eyes before addressing the impatient guy. 

"Cormac." He greeted him with distress in his tone, wanting nothing more than to not be in this conversation right now. 

"We need to talk about something very important," the egotistical voice of McLaggen sounding around them, "alone." 

After being sent a dirty, condescending look by Cormac, Veronica found herself waiting for Harry in the Entrance Hall, shocked by the blatant disrespect from the boy. Especially considering she had done nothing to him. 

She was quickly distracted by raised voices echoing down the corridor. 

"My brother is in the Hospital Wing right now, and you didn't even ask me how I was!" 

Everyone stared at Ginny Weasley as she and her boyfriend Dean screamed at each other, the boy storming in one direction and the ginger girl in the other. 

Veronica stared worryingly after the Gryffindor couple, considering going after Ginny until a hand on her shoulder shook her from her thoughts. 

Harry saw the far off look in her eye and believed she was truly upset over how Cormac treated her a few minutes ago. 

"I'm sorry for McLaggen, he really doesn't know when to stop nagging me about Quidditch, especially now we're one player down for this weekends game," the boy explained, partially ranting to the girl that was barely paying attention. 

She stopped him apologetically, "Harry, honestly it's fine - I need to go talk to Ginny she ran past just now." 

While she was describing what just happened, she edged away in the direction she saw her run off to. 

"Ginny and Dean?" Harry seemed confused, but Veronica knew she could explain properly later and jogged away to catch up with Ginny, leaving her baffled boyfriend staring after her. 

oOo

Sniffling and sobbing gave away the location of the Weasley girl quite easily as Veronica didn't have to go very far before noticing the ginger curled against the wall down an almost empty corridor. 

She raced over to Ginny and quickly wrapped her arms around the poor girl, quietly shushing her and whispering gently into her ear. 

"Shhh, he's not worth crying over," she rubs her back comfortingly while Ginny buries her head into Veronica's shoulder. 

A few minutes later, the Gryffindor was calm enough to talk, snivelling slightly while wiping the tears from her eyes. She looks up at Veronica, grateful for the girl's presence. 

"Thank you, Ronnie. Everything seems to be going wrong all at once," she explained, "I just don't have the energy to deal with it all right now."