Helium | Harry J. Potter

14

After McGonagall dragged Harry out, the music resumed and voices once again filled the room. Cedric felt the need to help the poor server that the blonde knocked down. Alura didn't know if she should go chase the mystery stranger and find out who he is, or if she should stay put.

Alura, who decided that she'd rather not risk McGonagall telling her to go back, sat by the snack bar, which was vacant because Ron left, and sat next to Alura.

"Alura? Is that you?" Ron questioned. "I can't tell because of the..." he trailed off, gesturing her mask.

Alura already knew that she was sitting next to Ron because of his red hair.

"Yeah. Are you having a nice night?"

"It's alright; you?"

"It was until a guy I was dancing with got dragged out," Alura answered him.

Alura didn't know how to be around Ron. It's not like he was blunt toward her or ever implied to be, but the one word to describe their situation was awkward. After she and Harry stopped being friends, Ron made no effort to mend things. He wasn't angry with Alura, far from it, actually. He only stood with Harry because he just knew him better. It was as simple as that.

Ron immediately knew she was talking about Harry. No one missed the show that he put on after the blonde girl shouted at him. The one thing he didn't understand was why he lied about it.

Ron's eyebrows raised at the news. "I hope your night gets better," Ron genuinely said. "I'm actually about to head out myself. I only came to meet Ha-" He cleared his throat to correct himself. "I only came to meet my someone's... girlfriend, I think?

Alura gave him a comforting smile. "You can say his name," she assured him.

"I just didn't know because of everything..."

"It's fine. Well, you should go. I don't want to keep you." She smiled at him and patted his shoulder.

Ron began to leave but turned around to say something. "Alura, I really am sorry about everything. And if you even care, I don't blame you for the Ginny situation." He sympathetically smiled before leaving.

Back at Harry's dorm, he was now in his red, plaid pants and any t-shirt he could find. He was reading the epilogue to the book that Alura recommended him (I may be hinting something...) when Ron moped into the room.

"The girl you were talking about is Alura?"

Harry's head snapped up, throwing his book on the floor. "What?"

"Alura told me."

"She knew it was me?" Harry asked worriedly.

Ron plopped onto his bed, not bothering to take off his shoes. "No, she doesn't. But she told me her date got dragged out and from there I connected the dots."

Harry let out a sigh of relief. "Ron, about earlier..."

"It's fine. I'm over it"

"You're sure?"

"Yes, now tell me how the hell you started crushing on Alura." Ron propped himself against his headboard with his elbows holding him up.

"I am not crushing on Alura." Harry shook his head to him, not only denying it to Ron but himself as well.

"Sure you aren't."

"I'm being serious. I'm not."

Ron held up his hands with a playful frown. "As I said, I didn't say you were."

Harry rolled onto his stomach with his head at the footboard. He stretched his arm to the floor to retrieve the book that he had thrown.

"I don't know why I feel that way toward her. I don't think I like her..." He tried to explain, but gave up, and not even thinking said, "My hormones are all over the place."

Ron coughed uncomfortably. "Oh... I could've gone the rest of my life without hearing that."

"I think I worded that wrong. I... Never mind."

-

The morning after the masquerade ball, Alura woke up due to the sound of Daphne Greengrass shouting at the top of her lungs. Katerina seemed to hear it too since she told them to shut up before dozing off again.

Alura dashed up, wanting to make sure the screaming girl was okay. When she entered the washroom she saw Daphne wrapped in her towel and Pansy attempting to do the eyeliner that she failed a few days ago.

"Is everything okay in here?" Alura's instinct forced her to ask.

"Oh, yeah, everything's fine." Daphne waved off. "The water was just cold," she clarified, unwrapping her towel.

Alura covered her eyes, not wanting to invade her privacy.

Daphne noticed her horrified expression and laughed. "It's nothing you haven't seen before."

"I-I just didn't know..." Alura stammered, still clutching her hand to her eyes.

"Aw, you're adorable," Daphne complimented, now stepping into the warm water.

"She's in the shower now," Pansy whispered to Alura, notifying her that she could now leave.

Alura silently thanked her and went back into the dorm room. There she saw Katerina still fast asleep.

After deciding that she might as well get ready for the day, she put on her uniform with her stockings and then her tennis shoes. Tucking her wand into her pocket, she walked out the door, silently shutting it.

There were nearly two hours left until classes started, and in those two hours, she was going to attempt to figure out who the mystery guy at the ball was.

She had one conversation with him - why was she so hung up on it?

When she entered the common room she saw Theo sitting on the couch, legs hanging off of the edge, while his head rested on the cushion beneath him. He was throwing a ball in the air when Alura sat on the other side of him. He quickly sat up, the ball falling to the ground.

"Why are you up so early?" Theo asked her.

"Someone woke me up," Alura told him. "And why are you up so early? You are not a morning person."

"Blaise's alarm woke up everyone but himself."

Alura laughed and then mentioned, "I didn't see you at the ball."

Theo shook his head with a laugh. "I hate formal parties. I'm guessing I should've been there, though. I heard Harry got his ass dragged out."

"Harry?"

"I heard the Weasley twins talking about it."

"And you're positive they said it was Harry?"

"Yes, Alura," Theo confirmed clearly with a small laugh.

Alura scoffed. "Fucking amazing."