Occlumency Part Two
The next morning brought not only the sixth year timetables, but also the arrival of Mad Eye Moody. His magical eye was whizzing away as Harry and Ron entered the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry could feel the eye stare at him as he sat down at the Gryffindor table, but decided against looking up at him.
"If you thought that last year's time table was bad, then check out this year's." Dean Thomas announced as the two sat down. Beside him, Beau Megghross sat buttering his toast. Harry nodded slightly in recognition before taking up his own timetable and examining it.
Since the would each be doing four subjects in their NEWTs, it meant that they'd have even more double sessions of their selected classes and of course, four free periods per week.
"Snape first thing every Monday, Wednesday and Friday," Ron peered over his shoulder. "Sorry mate."
Harry folded his timetable and placed it unto the table before reaching over and scooping up some eggs. He was just grateful that he'd actually been able to do Potions, especially after barely hitting the mark for "Outstanding" because of all the stress that he'd been under during his exams.
"That's funny," Hermione frowned after having examined both timetables. "It says here that I have Arithmancy when you've got Potions."
"What?" Harry asked suddenly panicked. With Ron getting an "Acceptable" in Potions and opting to drop it for Herbology, he'd counted on having Hermione there with him. "That can't be right."
"Well it is." Hermione thrust the two sheets of parchment at him. "According to them, the only class that we three have together is Defense Against The Dark Arts."
"Well what did you expect, Hermione?" Ron asked between gulps of his porridge. "All the classes will be smaller because of our O.W.L results; they had to integrate us."
Both friends said nothing as they both knew that it made sense. Harry knew for a fact that the History Of Magic class would most definitely be smaller as after five years of complete boredom, most, if not all of the sixth year had dropped it.
"Morning everyone!" Harry almost dropped his fork as the cheery voice of Alexandria Megghross greeted them as she and Ginny took seats at the table. The two were not the only ones who had sat at their table, Luna Lovegood had accompanied them and was sitting directly across from Ron.
"Morning." She said dreamily. Harry knew that the sight of Luna would not disturb anyone, especially after they'd all realized exactly who the black-haired beauty from the platform was. What he did find amusing was how bright Ron's ears had became as he choked on his porridge. As usual, Luna appeared oblivious to everything around her as she asked Neville to pass her the butter.
"Harry." Alexandria said. Harry looked away from Ron and Luna to her.
"Yes?" he could not believe that she had actually addressed him. More so, the warm sensation that was currently flowing threw his veins as her chocolate brown eyes met his green. He wondered what she wanted.
"The strawberry jam, could you please pass it?" she pointed towards the jam, which lay a few inches away from his plate.
The jam... Harry nodded, feeling a bit disappointed, and passed the jam over to her.
"Thank you."
He nodded before gazing down at his plate and eating his food. Soon the others were in animated conversation, but Harry didn't really care to join, he was too busy going over the scene of their brief conversation in his head, analysing it from every angle. Was it that she only saw him as someone worthy of passing jam? Why wasn't she smiling at him the way that she was currently smiling with Neville? Was it his scar that had scared her away, or was it just him? All these thoughts were floating around in his head as one by one, his friends began to leave the table, and he found himself alone with Alexandria.
"Harry." she called.
Harry looked up from his empty dish at her, rather surprised to find that the Great Hall was almost empty. "Where are the others?"
"They're on their way to classes. Hermione said that you have Potions now as well." Alexandria answered.
Potions? We have a class together! Harry thought jovially.
"I was wondering if you'd show me where the lab is. Hermione told me that it was in the dungeons, but I have no idea as to where that is." Alexandria shifted her bag from one shoulder to the next, never breaking her eye contact.
"S-Sure." Harry immediately got to his feet and swung his knapsack around his shoulders. "I'll show you."
"Thank you." Alexandria smiled. Harry realized that he no longer liked her smile; he loved it.
As they left the Great Hall, something told Harry to turn and look towards the High Table. Dumbledore sat, clearly finished with his meal, staring amusingly at the two. As Harry's gaze fell upon him, the Head Master winked and nodded approvingly before standing to leave. Harry smiled and hurriedly walked up to catch with Alexandria. Dumbledore's approving nod only reassured Harry that his feelings, though mixed, were right.
*
Draco Malfoy sat at his usual seat in the Potions lab but this time he wasn't trying to block out the drone of Crabbe or Goyle as they'd both received a "Dreadful" on most of their subjects and had been lucky that Dumbledore had even allowed them back. Sitting beside him was the current object of his fantasies, Jaida Megghross. They were currently waiting on Snape to arrive, but while the others took their few minutes of freedom as an opportunity to socialize, Jaida's head was currently buried in a novel. Draco looked over at Pansy Parkinson, who was shooting daggers at Jaida from her seat behind them; he seriously doubted that Pansy owned a novel. Pansy, who'd seen him staring at her, smiled at him and quickly wrote a note on a piece of parchment and handed it to him.
Didn't think that you went for the book reading nerds, Malfoy.
Draco smirked before dipping his quill into the ink and wrote a response.
Didn't think that you knew how to write, Parkinson.
Pansy read the note and scowled at him before tearing the paper to shreds. Draco smiled an icy smile of death towards her before turning back towards Jaida. Ever since the evening before, Draco had been watching her actions. Jaida wasn't the other airheads that graced the Slytherin common room (which he seldom inhibited), she actually had brains. He liked the fact that she hadn't chosen to spend their free time gossiping or practicing how to style her hair as Pansy and her pack of giggling idiots were currently doing, and he especially liked the fact that Jaida didn't hang out with them. Despite the fact that Pansy had set them all against her, he knew that she wasn't in the least saddened by this.
"Is there a reason why you're staring at me, Draco?" Jaida asked as she turned the page. Draco was slightly shocked to hear her voice. She'd been spending the past ten minutes reading and hadn't once glanced his way.
For the second time since he'd arrived Hogwarts the evening before, Draco Malfoy was at a loss for words. He watched as the corners of her mouth curled up into a smile, not quite sure whether it was because of her novel, or the fact that he was dumbfounded.
"The Professor." she closed her novel and sat up straighter. Draco looked behind her and sure enough, Professor Snape stood by the doorway surveying the room. Draco turned and frowned at Jaida.
"How on earth did you know?" he whispered. She shrugged smiling in time for Snape to make his presence felt throughout the rather chilly laboratory.
"I'd thought that only the cream of the crop had been allowed into my NEWT Potions class." Snape signalled for the door to close and began to walk up the isle. "Why is it it that with only two years in which to get you prepared for your exam, that only Mr. Malfoy and his counterpart have their Potions textbook opened?"
Draco smirked as Snape mentioned his name, but Jaida looked unmoved.
"Potter!" Snape yelled.
Draco, along with the rest of the class, turned to look towards Harry Potter, who had a rather dazed and confused look on his face. Draco looked beside him and saw that Jaida's equally beautifully sister, Alexandria, was seated beside him and understood why. Clearly he wasn't the only one that was smitten by the Megghross women. Harry looked around the class wildly before he realized that Snape had in fact arrived.
"Professor?" he asked.
"You do realize that the only reason that you made it into my class by measly one mark, don't you? You of all people should be reading their textbook if you are to pass."
Draco, along with a few other snickered, but Harry looked placid as he stared coldly towards the professor.
"I made it, didn't I?" Harry asked.
Behind him, Draco heard Pansy gasp. No one dared talk that way towards Snape.
"You did." Snape said with an equally cold stare. "But as I have already informed our dear headmaster. Should you fail to pass this term, you will be in need of another class." Snape turned away from them and walked towards his desk. Draco gave Potter the same icy smile that he had given Pansy before turning and looking towards the professor.
"Now as I have previously said before Potter's dreamlike state interrupted me," Snape sat behind his desk. "We have exactly two years before you have to sit your NEWTs. Now if you thought that the OWLs were stressful, then I suggest right now that you book a bed at the infirmary as the NEWTs are the exams to take. Over the next two years you will learn potions that will aid you in your different career paths and depending on how you use them, will lead to your success or your defeat. These next two years are to not be taken lightly, so if you, like Mr. Potter are dazed and confused, I suggest that you seek a more remedial class such as Care Of Magical Creatures for example."
Draco looked over at Harry and smirked. He knew that the half-giant known as Hagrid was a soft spot of Harry's and that Professor Snape was trying to goad the black-haired wizard. Harry however, stared straight ahead at Professor Snape almost as if he hadn't heard his comment. He turned in time to see Professor Snape wave his wand at the board and a set of ingredients appeared.
"The truth, my dear class, can be your worst enemy. Can anyone tell me why?" Professor Snape asked. Beside him, Draco watched as Jaida's hand went up.
"Yes, Miss Megghross?" Snape asked. Draco noticed that Snape hadn't used the same mocking tone as he did with Harry and was thankful that he wouldn't have to spend the next two years witnessing Snape criticize her.
"Depending on certain situations, if you needed to lie in order to protect yourself, the truth, if discovered, would lead to your ultimate downfall."
Snape nodded. "Exactly, Miss Megghross. Five points to Slytherin." Draco watched as he stood and walked around his desk.
"On the board is a potion, which if brewed correctly shall lead the person who takes to answer any question asked truthfully. Can anyone tell me what such a potion is called?"
Draco saw as both Harry's and Alexandria's hands went up. He knew the answer of course, but was too lazy to raise his as well.
"Miss Megghross?" Snape asked.
"Veritaserum, Professor."
Snape nodded. "Veristaserum is the name of the potion. It is so powerful that it takes a full moon to mature, which means, my dear students, that at the end of this month, when this potion is ready it will be graded and this mark will represent a third of your grade. I shall be testing each and every potion on you all and if you should fail," his dark eyes rested on Harry, "you have failed this semester. Begin by writing down these ingredients, which shall be followed by a list of instructions when the last person has finished writing."
Draco took out his quill, as did Jaida, and began to write down the ingredients.
"You know Draco," Jaida whispered while writing. "I thought you to be above Pansy's silly ways. There are far more important things in this world than keeping malice with Harry Potter."
Draco looked at her stunned as for the third time, he was at a loss for words. If this was any indicator as to how the school year would go on, Draco knew that the year ahead would be anything but fun.
*
Ginny Weasley sat in the library after a day of nothing but stressful classes as she tried to get a head start on her History Of Magic assignment, which despite the fact that she was being asked to write an essay on three feet of parchment, was due the following Monday. She about to look up giant wars, the topic of her essay, in the rather large textbook, when someone walked up to her table.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" Ginny looked up from the text and found Beau Megghross standing beside her. She was rather surprised to find the older Gryffindor, but after to learning to perfect the art of pretending to be unemotional from her years spent chasing after Harry, Ginny didn't show this. Instead she simply nodded and used her feet to extend a chair towards him. He smiled at her and Ginny looked down at her textbook so that he wouldn't see the red that was tempting to creep upon her cheeks.
"You're Ron's sister, right?" Beau asked as he began to take his quill out of his bag. Ginny looked up and nodded. She was always just Ron's sister; no one even attempted to give her an identity.
"What's your name?" Beau asked.
Ginny looked up surprised that he had inquired. "Ginny."
"Short for Virginia??"
Ginny shook her head. "Ginevra."
"Well may I call you that?" Beau asked.
Ginny looked up confused. "Ginevra?"
Beau nodded. "It's a rather beautiful name."
Hearing this caused Ginny to smile and strands of her auburn hair fell into her face as she nodded. Before she could blink, Beau reached over and tucked the strands of hair behind her ear. His touch was warm and it made Ginny's head a bit light. Beau, either unaware of what he was doing to her, or too used to it to even care, looked over at her textbook.
"History Of Giants. Is that for History Of Magic?" He asked.
Ginny nodded. "I've got an essay on giant wars due next Monday."
"I got an "Outstanding" in History Of Magic." Beau said as if it were nothing. "I could help you if you'd like."
Ginny was at the top of all of her classes, but it didn't matter to her, Beau Megghross was offering to help her with something. "Don't you have homework of your own?"
Beau shrugged. "It's not that important. I've got two weeks to complete it."
"Okay." Ginny accepted his offer. She watched as Beau got up from the seat opposite her and came and sat beside her. As he reached across to get her textbook, his arm brushed against hers and Ginny was glad that her hair had once again fallen into her face, so that he wouldn't see her blush. The nearness of him was doing something to her. At a table across from them, a group of Slytherin girls sat watching Beau.
"You have a fan club." Ginny whispered. Beau looked over at the table, sending the third year Slytherins into a fit of giggles and the braver ones waved. Beau just smiled charmingly at them (causing them to swoon) before turning to face Ginny. "You're far more important than they are."
Ginny swallowed. "Beg pardon?"
"Your assignment." Beau raised her textbook slightly. "It's far more important than a group of silly girls."
"Oh." Ginny said a bit disappointed. "I suppose that it is." Beau went on searching the pages for information on her assignment and Ginny sighed softly as she watched. She knew that she was slightly foolish for believing that he of all people would actually like her. He had officially became the most wanted boy in Gryffindor, placing him second below Malfoy, as soon as he'd left the Sorting Hat the night before. People that famous never wanted girls like her, Harry had taught her that much.
"Here we go." Beau pointed to the chapter before turning slightly to face her. "The Great Giant
War."
"Thank you." Ginny smiled while taking the book from him.
"You have rather pretty smile, Ginevra." Beau whispered. Ginny looked up at him smiling and found that he was being very serious.
"Thank you." She replied.
"But then again," Beau continued almost as if he hadn't heard her. "You are a rather pretty girl." Hearing this really caused Ginny to blush and smile even wider. Not quite knowing how to reply to the statement, Ginny bent her head and went back to reading.
"Excuse me," Colin Creevey appeared at their table, camera in hand as always. "but may I please take your picture?"
Ginny looked up at him quizzically. She was used to Colin snapping at everything in sight, but quite frankly, she wasn't in the mood for him right now. "What for?"
Colin shrugged. "Dennis transferred to the American wizarding school so that he could be closer to my dad and I just wanted to send him a few pictures in my next letter."
Ginny had heard that the Creeveys had recently had a divorce and she knew how close Colin and his younger brother were. She could only imagine how awful he felt without his counterpart around. She was about to open her mouth to tell him 'Okay', when Beau spoke up.
"It depends."
"On what?" both she and Colin asked.
"On whether or not I may get a copy." Beau said rather seriously.
Colin shrugged once more. "Sure."
Beau nodded and to Ginny's surprised, leaned over and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. Colin raised the camera, about to take the picture and began to count. Ginny's first instinct was to lean her face a little closer to Beau and to smile, which she did.
"Hey Colin," she said as he turned to go.
"Yes?"
"May I get a copy as well?"
Colin nodded, then turned to go over to the group of giggling girls.
"That should be a really nice picture." Beau said while picking up his quill.
Ginny looked up from her novel, noticing that he had yet to move over. "Why?"
"Because it has you in it."
Ginny's response was to blush and return to the text. She had no idea as to what she was reading, she was just doing it so that she didn't have to look up at Beau. If he kept on throwing compliments at her, she didn't know if she'd be able to keep herself from liking him. A small part of her reminded her that Harry didn't compliment her much, so maybe there was a chance that Beau actually like her as well.
'Maybe...'
*
The owls arrived with the evening post as soon as Harry sat down to dinner later that evening. Hermione was busily reading the Evening Prophet to pay him the slighest attention, and with Ron gone to take a first year off to the infirmary, he had no one to talk to. Reaching for the plate of chicken, Harry saw as Luna Lovegood once again sat down at their table.
"Hello Harry." She said dreamily.
"Hello Luna." Harry said as he poured himself some pumpkin juice. "Here to see Ron again?"
Luna smiled dreamily at the mention of Ron and declined to answer, Harry just smiled and reached for his fork. He was about to take a bite of his chicken when a barn owl swooped down to the Gryffindor table and dropped a roll of parchment in his lap. Harry, who wasn't used to getting letters, looked down at it curiously.
"I believe that it's yours." Luna said before spooning herself some wild rice.
"You've gotten a letter?" Hermione raised an eyebrow before folding up her paper and placing it by her side. Harry nodded while staring at the parchment curiously almost as if trying to figure out who could have sent it.
"Well do hurry up and read it." Hermione said impatiently.
Harry looked up at her. "Who's letter is it?"
Hermione's response was to roll her eyes as she poured herself some pumpkin juice.
"Someone wrote you?" Ginny appeared at the table and sat in her usual spot. Surprisingly, Beau Megghross was at her side.
"He's been staring at it for the past three minutes or so." Hermione said before taking a bite out of her pasta.
"Well aren't you going to read it?" Beau asked while sharing himself some of the vegetable pasta. Harry was about to ask him where he was coming from with Ron's sister, decided against it as Ron was about to sit at the table. He didn't want Ron to go crazy and embarrass Ginny by causing a scene. Instead, he simply unrolled the parchment and began to read.
September 2nd, 1996
Mr. Potter,
You are hereby ordered to meet with me in my office this evening after dinner. Professor Dumbledore has asked that we continue with our Occlumency lessons, despite the fact that I have argued against this. If you are not going to take these lessons seriously, Mr. Potter, then I suggest that you do not bother to come. I would no sooner teach an unwilling student, than suffer the Imperius Course.
-Severus Snape
Harry re-read the letter twice before handing it to Hermione. Ron, who was seated beside Luna once again, looked at him curiously before turning back to the conversation that the two were having. Apparently he didn't realize that his younger sister was currently conversing with Beau Megghross.
"Hello everyone." Alexandria smiled at them all before sitting at the table. Harry looked up from his plate to say 'Hello' as well when he realized that she wasn't alone; she had brought her sister Jaida with her as well. "This is Jaida."
It wasn't the norm to have a Slytherin at their table, and so she received more than a few curious stares from the Gryffindors, but as she was Beau and Alexandria's sister, they didn't think anything of it.
"We meet again, Harry." Jaida smiled at him before reaching for the bowl of pasta salad. Harry figured that like her brother and sister, she too was a vegeterian.
"You two have the same classes?" Hermione asked after handing Ron the letter. Harry nodded before glancing at Ron. It didn't take him long to read the letter and soon he was handing it back to Harry.
"You should go." Ron announced.
Hermione nodded. "Most definitely."
"Don't you see who the letter was from?" Harry asked.
"All the better why you should go." Hermione said. "He won't be light on you and right now you need this."
Harry sighed realizing that he was being defeated and nodded. "But if I don't like it, I won't be going back."
"Fine." Hermione and Ron said. Harry hadn't heard them though, he was busy looking up at the High Table, but to his dismay, Snape was not there, nor Dumbledore. He did however, see Hagrid, who waved cheerily at Harry before turning to address Professor Sprout.
"Harry," Alexandria's voice lured him away from the table.
"Yes?" Harry asked. He then realized that the nearest pumpkin juice jug was beside him and handed it to her without her asking. She looked as if she were going to say something, but smiled as thanks instead. Harry didn't bother to read into her actions, because he figured that there was none. They'd sat together in Potions and though Snape hadn't arrived until twenty minutes after the class was due to begin, she had chosen to read Hogwarts: A History instead of conversing with him as he'd hoped that she would and during Transfiguration, she'd chosen to sit with her sister instead, leaving him to sit with Dean Thomas. If she'd wanted to speak with him at all, she'd had ample opportunity.
"Are you alright, Harry?"
Harry looked up at Jaida and nodded before returning to his plate and finishing his meal. Later when he was finished, he said a hasty goodbye before heading towards Snape's office. He arrived with a most pensive look on his face as he was still in deep thought about the Alexandria issue.
"Mr. Potter, from the look on your face, I can tell that this is going to be a most fruitful evening." Snape said amusingly. Harry glared at his back as the professor used his wand to transfer something from his mind to the Pensieve, which once again sat on his desk. As soon as Snape was finished, he turned and faced Harry.
"You already know which circumstances have brought you here, Mr. Potter, so there really is no need for conversation. None the less, is there anything that you wish to be cleared up?" Snape asked.
"Yes." Harry said. "Why isn't Professor Dumbledore teaching me?"
"Professor Dumbledore feels that I ought to continue with our lessons as I, unlike him, will make these procedures anything but endurable." Snape responded. Harry remembered Hermione telling him the same thing, but he still wished that he could be taught by anyone except for Snape, especially after the way their last class had ended.
"Are you ready Mr. Potter?" Snape asked.
Harry nodded, but before he could even reach for his wand, Snape was already pointing his at him.
"Legilimens!" He shouted.
The office swam before him and vanished. As promised, Snape was trying to find out what had had him peeved as an image of Alexandria popped into his head as she read her book. Suddenly, Harry snapped and a voice in his head arouse. No, you can't see this!
In a second, the office was brought back into focus and Harry was staring at the professor, loathe in his eyes as he held his wand out towards him. Harry had no idea how or when he'd pulled out his wand, all his knew was that Snape was currently lying on the floor with a Binding Hex upon him.
"Release me, Potter." Snape hissed. Harry stared at him for a moment, almost as if contemplating whether or not to release the professor, but after Snape shot another dagger in his direction, he said the incantation which would release him. As Snape stood, he adjusted his robes before raising his wand once more.
"As I told you in our very first lesson, Potter, you are to try to repel me with your mind, not your wand." Snape glared. "Now clear your mind of all emotions and let us begin."
Despite the fact that Harry was upset, he knew that he was there to learn and repel Voldemort or anyone else for that matter, from his mind, most importantly Snape. He closed his eyes and tried to do as he was told. As soon as a sense of serenity came upon him, he heard Snape's whisper.
Once more, an image of Alexandria popped into his head, this time it was of her smiling as she tucked her hair behind her ear. Harry immediately felt enraged that Snape was still trying to find out more about her. No! The voice shouted. I told you once and I will not say it again, NO! The image of Alexandria faded, but a few seconds later as Harry relaxed, another one popped into his head. This time is was of her at dinner as she'd accepted the jug of pumpkin juice from him. Are you deaf? The voice shouted. I told you NO! Snape appeared to be trying harder to find out more about Alexandria, but Harry wasn't about to let him. NO! NO! NO!!! With the final 'No!', the office came back into focus and Snape was holding his head. Harry watched him with intease loathe, his breaths getting more and more shallow by the second. Finally, when Snape had composed himself, he stood.
"Very good, Mr. Potter. You've finally been able to repel me with your mind." He leaned against his desk almost as if trying to steady himself. Harry wondered if he really were the one who'd had such an effect on the man. "Please clear your mind before going to bed tonight, Mr. Potter."
"So we're done then?" Harry asked suspiciously. He didn't need to look at his watch to realize that he'd been there for less than an hour.
Snape nodded. "For tonight. We'll meet here once again on Friday and if anyone asks..."
"I'm taking Potions lessons in anticipation of my NEWTs." Harry finished.
Snape once again nodded. "Clear you mind before bed, Mr. Potter."
Harry watched as Snape walked over to the Pensieve before turning and leaving the office. On his way to the Gryffindor tower, he had to pass the library and decided to stop in for a book. At the end of their lesson, Snape had assigned them a foot-long essay on the dangers and complications of the misbrewing of Veritaserum.
*
"How may I help you?" Madam Pince asked as soon as Harry approached her desk.
"Um, I have a potions assignment..." Harry began.
Madam Pince nodded before he could even continue. "Just a moment. You're the second one since dinner."
Harry stood waiting wondering whom the first person was, but his question was soon answered when Jaida Megghross appeared at the station with a rather large text on potions.
"Hello Harry." She smiled. "Here to get help with our assignment?"
Harry nodded, but didn't respond as Madam Pince returned with another copy of the book. "You'll have to return this book in the morning, Mr. Potter as I suspect that there will be more of you as the week progresses. I suggest that you take your notes tonight."
Harry nodded as she handed him the book and struggled against its unexpected weight. He turned to leave and was surprised to find that Jaida was standing there waiting for him.
"I have to give this to my sister." She explained. Harry nodded and the two of them left the library walking in step. He was trying his hardest not to think about what had happened in Snape's office as he figured that the faster that he achieved occlumency, was the faster that he could rid himself of nightly trips to the dungeons.
"So how do you like Hogwarts?" Harry asked.
"I don't know," Jaida began. "It's definitely not Beauxbatons, but then again, I didn't really like that school."
"You didn't?" Harry asked.
Jaida shook her head. "There were far too many cliques at that school... Too many labels for me to keep up."
Harry nodded seeing what she meant. He supposed that he wouldn't have liked Beauxbatons much then. Hogwarts had the occasional rivals, but no one went out of their way to disassociate themselves with people for anserine reasons.
"Say," Harry said suddenly remembering something. "Did you know of a girl called Fleur Delacour?"
Jaida screwed up her face immediately. "She was one of the most conceited people at Beauxbatons. If you weren't her idea of beautiful, then you weren't worthy of her attention."
Harry remembered the way that she had acted before he'd rescued her sister from the lake and nodded.
"But anyway, you Gryffindors are nice, so Hogwarts is a little better." Jaida smiled at him.
"They don't like you in Slytherin?" Harry asked.
"The boys like me, but Pansy has all the girls against me." Jaida shrugged as if it were nothing.
"Beause of Malfoy?" Harry asked as they made the final ascent towards the portrait of the Fat Lady.
Jaida nodded. "But it doesn't matter. Those Slytherin girls get excited over frivolous things that I can never relate to."
"So you don't really care then?" Harry asked as they arrived at the Fat Lady.
"No." Jaida smiled.
"I'll bet that Pansy loves that." Harry laughed.
"Ahem!" The Fat Lady said. "I'd like to continue fraternizing as you two are."
Harry and Jaida turned and saw that the Fat Lady had indeed had company.
"Blast-Ended Skrewts." Jaida said.
"Correct." The Fat Lady rolled her eyes and the entrance to Gryffindor common room appeared. The two entered the room together and found that the common room was filled with mostly the older students as they had all been sacked with homework. Hermione was the first to notice them and she gave the two a funny look before returning to her parchment. Harry ignored her and turned to Jaida.
"I've got to go get my books." he announced.
Jaida nodded. "You're in Beau's room, right?"
"Yes."
"I need something from him."
Harry nodded and the two walked past Hermione and her curious stares and over to the stairs which led to the boys' dormitories. As soon as they got to his room, Jaida smiled at him before going towards her brother, who was lying on his bed with a textbook opened.
"Harry!" Ron called him over. Harry knew that he wanted to know about the Occlumency classes and was about to suggest to that they wait for Hermione but to his surprise, found that she was right behind him.
"How was it?" she asked. Harry turned almost frightened.
"Where did you come from?"
"I came to find out how things went." Hermione said. Harry noticed that she was looking over at Jaida, who was currently laughing at something that her brother had said, but refrained against mentioning it.
"It went fine. I was able to block him with my mind instead of my wand, so he ended the class early and told me to clear my mind before bed." Harry shrugged while going into his trunk for a sheet of parchment.
"So things went well then?" Hermione asked still eyeing Jaida.
Harry nodded while standing up. "Well enough considering that it was Snape." He turned to leave the room when she asked him another question.
"Where are you going?"
"I've got homework." he responded while walking out of the room. He was really beginning to worry about Hermione. She was being a bit over concerned with all of her questions and curious stares. He knew that Ron was worried about him as well, but at least Ron wasn't acting so parental towards him.
"Harry." Alexandria appeared at the bottom of the staircase which led to the girls' dormitories when he entered the common room.
"Alexandria?" he asked.
"Are you upset with me?" she frowned slightly.
"No." Harry shook his head. "I've just got some things on my mind right now."
She nodded accepting his answer. "Well I was wondering if you'd started your Potions assignment."
"I'm about to do it now." Harry made a gesture towards the textbook and sheet of parchment.
"Well could I do it with you then? My sister was supposed to lend me a book but she hasn't arrived as yet."
"She's speaking with your brother." Harry informed her.
Alexandria nodded and something about the way that she looked made Harry begin to think twice about his actions.
"But you could still start with me until she comes down if you'd like." he added quickly. Alexandria's face looked brighter as she smiled. "I'd like that."
Harry, who was feeling a bit down at the moment, suddenly felt a little better from the sight of her smile, especially when he knew that she was smiling because of something that he'd said. As they walked towards one of the few empty tables which remained in the common room, Harry strangely felt as he did when he'd walked with Cho to Hogsmeade in his fifth year; nervous as if they were going on a date when they were really going to do homework. Harry pulled out a chair for Alexandria and she smiled in response, then when he was about to take the seat next to her, he felt a pair of eyes on him. Looking around the room, he found that they belonged to Hermione. By the time that he sat down however, she was gone once again and Harry didn't even bother to wonder where she had gone. Alexandria was trying to get his attention and he'd much rather find out what she wanted than find out what Hermione was really all about.
*~*
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