Estranged • Harry Potter {2}

7

Hermione was already gone the very next day. Sunday she would usually sleep in even an hour or two but not that day. She was probably avoiding me.

I put my hair in a bun and got ready for a day of studying. I stayed in my pyjama pants and put on a black long sleeve before sitting at a desk in the common room and getting to work. I was determined to finish everything and more if I had to that day which meant keeping my head buried in the books.

Sometime passed lunch, maybe closer to dinner, other students started bustling in. I really didn't know what time it was but I didn't care too much either. They kept talking, lots of gasping and even some "No way!" phrases that got too annoying, too quickly.

Eventually, I couldn't focus on my book anymore. Setting my quill aside I looked up, seeing who I could catch and lucky enough, Lavender was on her way by me.

"Hey, what's going on?" I asked.

"It's Katie Bell." Lavender's eyes went too wide for her face as the excitement in the gossiping grew. "She was just cursed."

"Cursed?" I frowned.

"Yeah! She had a necklace and she touched it and now... she's with Madame Pomfrey."

"She's not... dead." I choked out.

"No! Just I don't know... cursed!" She exclaimed.

"Alright, alright. I got it, thanks." I raised my hands in defense and picked up my quill again.

"You know... nobody saw her get the package. Where have you been all day?" Lavender leaned on my desk and if her words weren't enough to drive me crazy, that was.

"Right here, Lav."

"Any witnesses?"

"There will be a ton when I spill ink down your blouse." I snapped.

Lavender hopped up quickly and cleared her throat, pushing her hair behind her ears.

"You're friends with Ron, right?"

Her 180° turn was nauseating. "Sure."

"Does he fancy anyone?"

"I don't know." I groaned. "He's a big boy, he can answer that question himself."

Lavender nodded and quickly scurried away.

Gross.

With all the interruptions, I needed more time alone with the quiet. Picking up my books, I took them to the library and sat in a cubicle to finish up.

Lavender may have been annoying but she told me something I could no longer stop thinking about.

Katie was cursed. I didn't really know her. I knew she was a nice girl and I knew she could be funny. She was quiet but always had a smile to offer.

Why would somebody curse her?

I finished up my work, barely trying for the last few answers since my brain couldn't focus on anything but Katie and quickly packed up my things. I quickly got up, turning to go and crashed right into someone, dropping everything.

"Sorry." I muttered, bending down.

"It was me."

I looked up and that familiar voice came from that gorgeous face I knew all too well.

"Sorry." I said again, quickly cleaning and handing him the book he dropped.

Hexes and spells.

He was looking at what happened to Katie.

We both stood at the same time and I scratched my head a bit.