Extending Emporium of Eris

I: Desire

Paul looks across the room at the chattering bundle of joy. Even the rays sunlight running through the glass can't compare to joy's smile.

His hair looks like waves of the ocean. It's almost hypnotizing how his eyes look around so calmly and smoothly. His voice isn't anything special, the way he talks calms yet excites him well enough.

He's come to accept it, being no more than a ghost to Harry. Harry's not interested in him, he knows he's not. He's in love with Ginny, not him; and he never will be.

Harry catches Paul's stare and smiles again, maybe even wider. Paulsen feels his heart pick up in pace and his ears burn. He turns away and leans his chin on his palm, facing out the window.

Harry frowns and turns back to his friends, pretending like nothing happened; and to everyone else, that's the truth. After all, why would the great Harry Potter even look at nobody Paul. He's not even special. At least, almost everyone thinks so.

Hermione Granger walks through the doors and her eyes immediately catch onto Paul, the calm, collected, daring boy, sitting all by himself next to the windows. She doesn't even want to look at him, it's like she's being forced to.

She keeps her head down and quickly races to her two other friends. She doesn't even look at either them, just the table.

She could go on about the boring mahogany table for ages if it'd get rid of Paul plaguing her mind.

"Hermione, everything alright?" Ron whispers while bringing his head closer to the table, as if it also lowers his voice. "Just fine" She lies, trying not to glance to her left.

Harry and Ron follow her line of sight and end up in Paul. He looks completely average, almost painfully so. Neither of them could ever imagine him doing anything wrong by Hermione.

"What, did that guy do something?"

"No!" Hermione shouts. The room silences and everyone looks at her. Her eyes dart around the classroom. She clears her throat and lowers her head again. "Just- just stop it." Her whisper blends with the idle chatter. Ron matches eyes with Harry and they shrug.