This Is War

Of Death and Enemies

There was a clear bubble outside the grounds of Hogwarts: it stretched out with a silver glow, touching the furthest ends of the Forbidden Forest with the faintest show of light. The bubble, strangely beautiful, contained all sorts of protecting spells that kept anything unwanted out. It was majestic, the amount of magic living every second to protect them, but it was also equally as depressing. Hogwarts really didn't feel like a home away from home now. It was prison away from another prison. Nothing was safe. 

"Come on, Lav!" However, through the gloom that filled the atmosphere, there was still a handful of people that went along with their lives the way they always had; teenage hormones and misfortunes continued to run on automatic. "This is getting out of hand, don't you think?"

Aiming her furious glare away from a target ahead, Lavender Brown flashed it to her best friend. "Nothing's getting out of hand," her blue eyes were narrowed, her voice shrill and firm, "I'm just protecting what is mine."

Parvati Patil looked unconvinced, her face showing it perfectly. "You're not even sure if they're dating, Lavender," she sighed. "Besides, don't you think that, you know, stalking him might not earn you any points?"

"I'm not stalking him," Lavender  informed. "I'm just..." She paused as she returned her attention to the telescope she bought in the summer from Weasleys Wizard Wheezes.

Parvati's expression suggested that she thought her best friend was insane (well, that it was showing more than ever now). "Hermione," she muttered, looking for backup, "can you please help me out here?"

Looking up from a thick book she checked out from the library — that she'd been thoroughly enjoying until Gryffindor's two famous gossiping witches decided to join her at the bench outside in the grounds — Hermione stared skeptically at her house-mate.

Leaning a little closer to Hermione, Parvati added, "Just tell her she's being pathetic, will you? You know how she was when she was with Ron. Do you want to inflict that on some other innocent boy?"

Watching a little annoyed as Lavender had her right eye glued to the telescope again, Hermione huffed in defeat. She closed her book, clearing her throat awkwardly. "Lavender?"

"Granger," Lavender responded casually, adjusting the settings of her telescope.

"I know that this is none of my business—"

"Then stay out of it,"

"—but I agree with Parvati," Hermione completed, ignoring the blonde's previous snide remark. "You're handling this all wrong. Stalking him is not the answer. He's just going to feel cornered. Besides, Luna shouldn't be dragged into this. She's not bewitching Dean into be friends with her, you know."

Lavender lowered her weapon of observing, her blue eyes narrowing at Hermione. "We don't know that. She's always on and on about her Nargles and other rubbish creatures. Maybe they're all code names for powerful love potions or her using the Imperius Curse. It's Loony Lovegood, what other reason can there be for Dean spending so much time with her?"

Hermione looked past her house-mate's head; In the distance, sitting beneath a grand, willowy tree, Dean and Luna talked animatedly, their books and notes on their laps ignored. Hermione could see why the scene was odd to other, considering that not many people sat down to have a chat with Luna, but Hermione was not an outsider; she saw the link that tied the Ravenclaw and the Gryffindor together. And a bond like that came from sharing something indescribable—like being the only shred of sanity in a dark place when death threatens to come for you.

Glancing back towards her fellow Gryffindors, Hermione frowned. "Luna is a very sweet—"

"Oh, forget it!" Lavender interjected, standing from the bench. "I don't need lectures about this. I'm a mature and coherent girl. after all. But mind my words: all is fair in love and war." She pocketed her telescope after it shrunk to a miniature size, continuing her frowning at the brunette as Parvati rolled her eyes behind her. "And this is a whole lot of both, Granger. I'm not going to let another girl steal my man. Not after what happened with you."