Guilty :||: Loved Series #4

7) Um, Hello, Dateless Cousin Standing Here

Ft. Lily and Draco

Lily's POV
"You know you shouldn't have done it," Hermione said to me, standing between Harry and Emma. We all stood watching Ron surrounded by cheering Gryffindor's all chanting his name. We were in the middle of our victory party and a heap of people had come up to congratulate me on my first game, not knowing how well I could fly. "Never took you for a cheater, Lily."

"I know, I suppose I could have just used the Confundus Charm." I gave her a side glance, daring her to call me a cheater again.

She rolled her eyes. "That was only try-outs, it's different." I held out the vial of Liquid Luck to her to inspect and she gasped, giving me a shocked look, making the others turn to us. "You didn't put it in? He only thought you did."

The other two grinned at me. "That's ingenious."

Ginny sidled up beside Harry, shaking her head with disgust. "Bloody hypocrite, isn't he? Always harping on about me kissing Micheal in public."

Our attention went back to the centre of the room where Ron and Lavender were wrapped up in each other, the crowd going wild. They were so entwined you couldn't tell whose hands were who's and our gazes shifted to Hermione as shock and disappointment flowed over her. Harry went to put a hand on her shoulder when she turned and pushed her way through the crowd, toward the portrait hole.

"Come on." Harry dragged the two of us after her, but when we got outside the corridor was empty. Going to the right, we went down a set of stairs to find Hermione sniffling at the bottom, cast in moonlight.

The spell we'd learnt in Charms class flew around her head in the form of birds, their blue feathers sometimes catching the light. We all sat down beside her and watched how she concentrated, even with the constant stream of tears running down her face. "Charms spell. I'm just practising." She mumbled, trying to wipe her eyes.

"They're really good." Harry commented.

There was a moment of silence before Hermione looked at Harry. "How does it feel, Harry? When you see Ginny with Micheal?"

Before he could answer Lavender's sickly laughter echoed throughout the room as she and Ron barged through the door. the three of us tried not to roll our eyes as Hermione stood up angrily. Lavender tugged on Ron's arm before pulling away entirely as he stood stock still staring at Mione, probably to go look for another room. "What's with the birds?" Ron asked nervously.

If looks could kill, Ron would be six feet under. "Oppugno."

The birds aggressively started tweeting, circling over Mione's head before making a beeline for Ron, who shrieked and ducked behind a pillar. But the birds were too fast to turn as they crashed into the very pillar he was hiding behind. Their bodies slumped to the floor and Ron stalked away, Hermione sitting back down with a sob.

We all wrapped an arm around her, offering her support. "It feels like this." He finally answered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

It had been a month since the incident between Ron and Hermione and Christmas was nearing. The snow lay over the land in a thick blanket, reminding me of the snowball fights Fred, George and I would have in the courtyard. It made me realise just how much I missed them. What they had both done was amazing, yet brave and difficult, something I would never be able to do. I couldn't leave Draco nor my brother and Em.

My bare feet slapped against the cool stone floor as I made my way through the deserted hallways of Hogwarts at night. The moon shone brightly in the sky, casting a white light over everything with the help of some stormy-looking clouds. My thin pyjama shorts did little to keep me warm, as I had just wrapped my favourite cream cloak over my white singlet top. I made my way up the top of the Astronomy Tower, leaning against the railing as the gentle, chilly breeze grabbed at my hair. Looking out at the mountains and forest that lay before the school all I wanted to do was walk in there and never come out, the dangers in there minuscule to out here.