Love at First Sight (Harry Potter)

The Egg and The Eye

|RIA WEASLEY'S P.O.V.|

I waited until we were back in the castle. It was late at night by the time we had left Hagrid's cabin, and Hagrid had looked a hell of a lot better for our company; He was no longer crying, and had even laughed boomingly with us when Ron had choked on his fourth (and final) tea cake. Hagrid was, slowly, starting to become a shadow of his usual self again. Only then, when he willingly took his wide-toothed comb to his knotted hair, did we feel comfortable leaving him.

The grounds were dark and still on the walk back to the castle, as were the corridors within the castle itself. This was not unusual, given curfew was in just a half hour's time. Even the common room itself was nearly empty, apart from a young couple cuddled together on an armchair in front of the fireplace.

The flames, crackling and roaring, were all that we heard as we climbed through the portrait hole. Harry had gone remarkably silent after Hagrid's mentioning of the golden egg, and so Ron had quit trying to make conversation with him after many failed attempts on the walk inside. Instead, he had turned his attention on Hermione. The two had chatted well enough together whilst I kept a close, quiet watch on Harry. I was studying his thoughtful expression, trying to decipher whatever was running amuck in his mind. It all was entirely peaceful — well, that was until Ron had made a pressing poke about Krum. The conversation ended quickly after that, in disgruntlement.

Now, Hermione wasted no time in continuing on towards the girls' staircase. "Goodnight," she had called back to Harry and Ron, but without looking at either of them directly. She was still miffed from her argument with Ron; I could see it in how rigid her shoulders were as she stomped up the steps with heavy footfalls, soon disappearing around the corner into the hall of dorms.

A few incoherent grumbles left Ron's mouth. He trudged over to the couch,  where he lazily climbed over the armrest rather than walking around. The couple in the armchair peered over at him, but were quick to turn away again after seeing the overall annoyance surrounding his body as a whole. In fact, Harry and I hadn't even made it the entire, short distance over before the couple had stood up and headed for the dormitories themselves.

I sat down where they had just been, sinking into the plush, thick fabric and soaking in the heat of the roaring fire with grateful welcome. My chilled skin had already begun to thaw as Harry sat in the armchair diagonal from me, looking incredibly uncomfortable still. He stared into the hearth, his hands on his knees and his mouth clamped shut. The flames were dancing in his emerald eyes enticingly, glinting in his circular lenses.

I cleared my throat slightly, adverting my eyes away from him and towards Ron — who was now laid across the entirety of the couch with his face pressed deep into the cushions. I grimaced slightly.

"D'you know how many people have sat on that couch —?" My lips were curled with disgust, so much so that I stopped myself mid-sentence. Ron turned his head to look at me, his cheek smushing against the cushion as his eyes opened, "just today even."

A deep, stressful sigh escaped Ron. It was as though he hadn't heard me. He began, completely unrelated, "What d'you suppose attracts her to him?"

My brows furrowed. I turned my chair slightly, just enough that the back of my right shoulder was to the fire's heat and I was mostly facing Ron. But, out of the corner of my eye, I still had a perfect view of Harry.

I knew what Ron was talking about — or, rather, who — but I pushed him still.

"Who?" I questioned innocently, feigning light confusion and biting on the insides of my cheeks to hide the smile that was threatening to reveal itself. Ron sighed again, his left arm slipping from beneath his belly and falling off of the couch, where it dangled towards the carpet helplessly.