Future Nostalgia / Harry Potter Fanfic

Sectumsempra, Rocky Relationships, and Their Last Meeting With Dumbledore

Harry told Estella, Ron, and Hermione everything that had happened during next morning's Charms lesson (having first cast the Muffliato spell upon those nearest them). Estella was impressed by the way Harry had wheedled the memory out of Slughorn and positively awed when Harry told them about Voldemort's Horcruxes and Dumbledore's promise to take Harry along, should he find another one.

"Wow," said Ron, when Harry had finished telling them everything; Ron was waving his wand very vaguely in the direction of the ceiling without paying the slightest bit of attention to what he was doing. "Wow. You're actually going to go with Dumbledore...and try and destroy...wow."

"Ron you're making it snow," said Hermione patiently, grabbing his wrist and redirecting his wand away from the ceiling from which, sure enough, large white flakes had started to fall. Lavender Brown, Estella noticed, glared at Hermione from a neighboring table through very red eyes, and Hermione immediately let go of Ron's arm.

"Oh yeah," said Ron, looking down at his shoulders in vague surprise. "Sorry...looks like we've all got horrible dandruff now..."

Estella grinned as Ron brushed the fake snow off Hermione's shoulder. Lavender burst into tears. Ron looked immensely guilty and turned his back on her.

"We split up," Ron whispered. "Last night. When she saw me coming out of the dormitory with Hermione. Obviously, she couldn't see you, and Estella was way ahead of us so it looked like she walked in on me and Hermione."

"Ah," said Harry. "Well-you don't mind it's over, do you?"

"No," Ron admitted. "It was pretty bad while she was yelling, but at least I didn't have to finish it."

"Coward," said Hermione, though she looked amused. "Well, it's a bad night for romance all around. Ginny and Dean split up too."

Estella nodded.

"How come?" asked Harry.

"Oh, something really silly...She said he was always trying to help her through the portrait hole, like she couldn't climb in herself...but they've been a bit rocky for ages. Plus, Ginny spends most of her time with Luna anyway."

Dean looked unhappy but seemed to be in a deep conversation with Seamus.

"Of course, this puts you in a bit of a dilemma, doesn't it?" said Hermione.

"What do you mean?" asked Harry.

"The Quidditch team," said Estella. "If Gin and Dean aren't speaking..."

"Oh-oh yeah," said Harry.

"Flitwick," said Ron in a warning tone. The tiny little Charms master was bobbing his way toward them, and Estella and Hermione were the only ones who had managed to turn vinegar into wine; Estella's glass was full of deep crimson liquid, whereas the contents of Harry's and Ron's were still murky brown.

"Now, now, boys," squeaked Professor Flitwick reproachfully. "A little less talk, a little more action...Let me see you try..."

Together they raised their wands, concentrating with all their might, and pointed them at their flasks. Harry's vinegar turned to ice; Ron's flask exploded.

"Yes...for homework," said Professor Flitwick, reemerging from under the table and pulling shards of glass out of the top of his hat, "practice."

They had one of their rare joint periods after Charms and walked back to the common room together. Ron seemed to be positively lighthearted about the end of his relationship with Lavender, and Hermione seemed cheery too, though when asked what she was grinning about she simply said, "It's a nice day."