𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗸, harry potter

˗ˋ 95

CHAPTER NINETY FIVE
✧
-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH SHE EATS 

. . .

"It appears that my house has been left in complete disorder in my absence." Aviana let out a sigh as she sat in front of him, her hands knitting together on the dark wood of the table before her. 

"Meaning?" Harry asked.

"My mother." Aviana said, quite plainly, and before she elaborated Harry got the feeling that perhaps, just maybe, she had returned. But he would be wrong. "She sent someone for all of her possessions, and now her room is sitting bare and empty." 

"And that is complete disorder?" 

"Yes." Aviana frowned, her fingers thrumming against her knuckles. "None of the house-elves saw anyone come in or out so I have no idea who it was. Not even a Caterwauling charm could alarm them. Never mind." She raked a hand through her hair, leaning her elbow on the table. "Apologies for the insistence on the tea. Zolly seems to forget that we aren't at home, and... well, you're a guest." She stared down at the table for a moment, before purposefully moving her elbows from the wooden top. 

"No, it's fine." Harry replied. A mug appeared before him all of a sudden, as did a cup of coffee in front of Aviana. He stared grimly down at it for a moment, still wallowing in the new-found atrocities of the school. "How's Malfoy, not too much damage I suppose?" He thought as though he had hardly had any time at all to do anything, but that belief may be thoroughly skewed by the uprising of his temper once more."

The corners of Aviana's lips turned up for a moment. "Just about adequate." She crossed her legs under the table, the tip of her shoe resting against Harry. "You should have broken his arm or something. He's just got a wonky nose and is being incredibly dramatic. He's in the hospital wing." Aviana added, folding her arms. "Either way, I'm not speaking to him anymore."

It didn't register in Harry's mind for a moment, before he looked up, confused. "Huh?"

"I'm shunning him?" Aviana rose her eyebrows, waiting for it to click. "I'm not speaking to him. I've had enough of everything and anything he has to say." She paused for a moment, to take a sip of her coffee. "It's gets me absolutely nowhere."

"But.. but he's supposed to be your friend." Harry frowned. He might have hated Malfoy, and he was most aware that a little part of the whole dating façade was to benefit Aviana and how much he had been annoying her, but this was a surprise, and he hadn't expected to hear it. 

"Thank you Zolly." Aviana said, as a plate of what looked like tomato sauce covered vegetables was placed under her nose. She picked up a fork, stabbing an aubergine right through the centre. "Yes, he is, isn't he? He doesn't act like it though. Complete disregard for anything I do or say." She hummed, taking a bite.

"But.. but I thought you were friends."

Aviana looked up at him. "Do you think I have no morals, Harry?" She asked, head tilting.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed, almost suspiciously, most certainly confused. "I thought they were loose at best." He replied.

Aviana nodded. "At best, yes. But I told him not to continue, and when he did what he said was completely out of line, and he got what he deserved for that. It's in my best interests, for my sanity, to not speak to him for a while, and with any luck he'll get the message." She shrugged. "We'll actually have to start snogging him right in front of him as well, rub the salt in the wound a bit." 

He would come back to that later. "Because of what he said to me and the twins? Harry asked.

"Mrs Weasley... although she seems to disregard my existence at times, has helped me too." She said, softly again, like she was afraid of him even hearing it at all. "When I found out Sirius was my father."

"Yeah. Yeah, she did." Harry folded his arms, leaning on the table. He swallowed, decided to change the subject, because from Aviana's apparent deep interest in the meal before her, the topic had delved into a realm within which she wasn't completely comfortable. "Sorry for distracting you during the match. You were playing wonderfully." 

"Is that a compliment I hear?" Aviana smirked, teasing. "The wondrous Harry Potter, best Seeker Hogwarts had seen in years, is complementing me, a lowly Slytherin Chaser?" 

"You know you're a good player." Harry shook his head, despairing. "Forgive me if maybe I wanted to tell you so. I've been playing against you for years and this is the first time I've actually had a chance." 

"You could've told me before." 

"And ended up with a Quaffle stuck to my head for a week like you did to Smith?" Harry countered, smiling. "I'd rather not. But... just some of the shots you made - and I know they were against Ron, but even still... you were up by sixty in the first twenty minutes, it was insane." 

And she couldn't help but smile, so widely, then, brushing hair back out of her eyes. "Thanks. I should tell you though, I refuse to do anything unless I've perfected it, so..." She trailed off and shrugged. 

"You can't learn Quidditch through reading. Hermione tried in first year, it's impossible." 

"No, I just kept practising. Didn't like being in the castle when Gilderoy Lockhart and a basilisk was running around, so I would go down and practise on the pitch. Did the same in third year, until I saw what looked like the huge black dog that tried to kill me in Hogsmeade."

"Sirius probably could've made more welcome attempts." Harry mused. 

"You're telling me. He ruined my favourite coat." Aviana shook her head. "It was lovely as well. Although, I don't think it would have gone well if he tried to drag me to the Shrieking Shack in human form." 

"No..." Harry trailed off. 

"I would've screamed holy-hell and that would've been over. You ever watched a Muggle horror movie?" 

"You have?" Harry blinked, before nodding. "You scream like that?" He asked. 

Aviana stabbed a slice of tomato with her fork. "Wouldn't you like to know, Potter." She grinned, eyebrows raised. 

"Shut up." Harry laughed. 

"You gonna come to my other matches?" Aviana asked, head tilted. "Be my Gryffindor cheerleader?" She watched him hesitate. "You might be banned from playing but that doesn't mean you can't watch it." 

"I don't know..." Harry shrugged. "I might." 

"I would appreciate it. I'll finish the match and then be showered in compliments from my fake Gryffindor boyfriend about how good of a player I am." Aviana shrugged. 

And Harry just reached across the table to brush hair out of her face, tucking the loose strand behind her ear. 

✧