Frozen Lily

Chapter 9 - Will Thornton

"...And he's got really soft lips, and he's so strong, and he's a Quidditch player... It was amazing..."

We were in the library, finishing off our Potions homework. Well, I was, anyway. Mia was treating me to 1,001 things I really didn't need to know about her date with Will the day before yesterday. She'd been talking about it nonstop since she got back from Hogsmeade, which was fine for the first hour, but got kind of repetitive after. I hadn't really been able to talk to Alec since our last failed date, which was kind of depressing. I never sat near him in Transfiguration, our only lesson together, and according to Mia he and Will had an increased number of Quidditch practices in preparation for the Slytherin vs Gryffindor match on the 21st. Everyone was rooting for us (not the Slytherins, though, obviously).

I drummed my fingers on the desk and tried to focus on the Potions homework. I wrote down the last few answers and checked them against the information in the textbook before gently pushing the textbook shut. Would Alec expect me to ask him out this time? Or did he just not want to ask me out again? What if he was glad I got knocked out before our date or something? What if it was him that froze me? I shook off the thought. He did seem really sad when he came to visit me... And he held my hand... Although he is like, the one of the most crushed on guys in my year. Except for Will and a couple of others; Kyle Davies and Joe Finch-Fletchley,

"Are you even listening? Anyway, we were looking at the Shrieking Shack and it was all snowy, and then I turned to him and slipped on the ice and he stopped me falling and then we were staring into each other's eyes and then we just- he brought my face up and he kissed me! And it was amazing and he is such a good kisser... And then after we were walking back up to the school and he kissed me again! In the Entrance Hall! It was just a short one but ah- it was divine..." Mia sighed romantically.

"D'you think you guys are going a bit fast?" I asked. Mia looked at me like I had grown a second head.
"No! I mean sure it was the first date, but it was only a quick snog anyway, a minute tops... And I think I love him, he's the only guy I can think about and we just have it..." She snapped her fingers. I raised my eyebrows. "I mean the spark! Spark!"

"Y'know, you two are the most adorable couple I know -" Mia snapped out of her daze momentarily and smiled at me. "- But that's probably not going to help you understand Golpalott's Third Law." I gestured to her barely started Potions homework.

Mia huffed and dipped her quill in the pot of ink. There was some quiet shuffling from behind a bookshelf opposite the door. Not wanting to get told off by the librarian for some made up reason, I started reading the instructions for our homework out to Mia.

"...Fine. So, we just use Scarpin's Revelaspell on the poison and then...?" She asked.
"Yeah, then we find the ingredient that - oh hey, Will!"

Will dropped his bag next to Mia and they smiled nervously (and it was SO CUTE) at each other. "Oh, you guys got the same Potions homework as us! Basically you just have to look up the counterpart for each of these ingredients in our textbook - here," he explained, pulling Advanced Potion-Making closer and flicking through the pages. "See? It's all on there."
Mia smiled shyly up at him (he was at least 5'9", it was hilarious) and he put an arm around her shoulders. They looked adorable and completely in love with each other. I did take Will for an anti Gryffindor kind of Slytherin at first, but it's pretty obvious now that they were made for each other. I suddenly felt like a huge third wheel. Deciding to give them a bit of privacy, and not wanting to see any more of their PDA, I stood up suddenly.

"Oh yeah... I just remembered Chloe wanted me to wait for her after Quidditch practice, I'd better get down there..." I winked at Mia and waved at Will, who started asking her out to the Christmas party. Mia smiled gratefully at me before returning her gaze to Will. I paused at the door, hearing footsteps behind me, and I saw Vera drop a stack of books from behind a bookshelf opposite the door, her gaze thunderous. She suddenly looked up and saw me, so I hurriedly looked back at Will and Mia. They were back to the Potions homework, Mia's head resting on Will's shoulder. I backed out of the door, gently closing the door behind me.

Vera didn't know about Mia and Will, did she?
Who am I kidding... If looks could kill, everyone in a five mile radius would be dead.

I really wish I knew how to do a memory charm, but I'd probably accidentally remove Vera's whole memory, which would not be good. I may really dislike her and everything she stands for, but I didn't want to be that horrible. She probably has people who love her at home.
I took off down the corridor.

When I arrived at the Quidditch pitch the team were still halfway through their practice, so I just took a seat in the stands and waited for Chloe and Jess to finish. They both played as chasers on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, though Jess did seem to prefer being a beater at the tryouts. The team was flying in loops around the stadium, a mass of scarlet and gold with the occasional streak of ginger as Chloe's hair flowed behind her broom.

Eventually, the team slowed down and landed on the ground. I could see the captain, a muscly seventh year called Conor Finnigan, patting the team on the backs as they walked back to the changing rooms. I hurried down from my seat in the stands and waited for them on the path that wound around the stands. Eventually, they came out, Chloe plodding along and Jess practically skipping.

"I wonder when the next practice is?" Jess asked no one in particular.
"First Thursday back after Christmas." Chloe replied monotonously. I looked at her confusedly. "Can't stay at Hogwarts for Christmas." She explained. I nodded sympathetically. I inclined my head at Jess. "Conor wants to make her Captain when he leaves next year."
"Ah. Congrats Jess!" I cheered.
"Thank youuu!" She sang.

"Oh yeah, are you staying for Christmas?" I remembered. She nodded happily.
"We can finally go to the Christmas party this year!" She realised aloud.
"Hey Chloe, what should we get you for your birthday?" I changed the subject. She seemed to perk up a bit. "It is the first day back after the holidays," I added.

"Ooh, I don't know... just money I guess. Wizarding money, I mean." She added. Jess suddenly jumped up.
"I just had the perfect idea... Wait, nope, not telling." She giggled. Chloe rolled her eyes.

"Oh yeah! Bad news guys..." Chloe and Jess looked at me.
"I think Vera found out about Mia and Will." I finished sadly. Chloe exhaled in resignation. Jess balled her gloved hands into fists.
"Dammit Vera! Why does she have to stick her nose into everything?! Ugh, how did she find out anyway?"
I explained about her overhearing Will asking Mia out as we walked back up to the common room.

"Well... At least Mia and Will are going out together again?" Chloe stated optimistically. I nodded.
"Festive." The Fat Lady swung open to allow us in.

"Lily, have you seen Mia anywhere?" Aaron immediately asked me.
"Uh, last time I saw her was in the library... I don't know where she is now though, sorry. Why?"
Aaron unfolded a slightly torn piece of parchment with a photo on it and some messy writing scrawled on top. He thrust it into my hands and carried on speaking.
"I saw some girl trying to get into the common room, but they ran off when they saw me and my friends. They dropped this." He glared at nothing in particular.
"Is it photoshopped? Did someone make this up?"
I looked at him blankly.
"Never mind."

I looked at the photo and gasped. In the blurry, moving photo, that was taken shakily from behind a bookshelf, was Mia and Will. Someone, and I could confidently guess who, had caught them kissing. I read the ink scratched onto the back of the photo.

GRYFFINWHORES AND SLYTHERINS DON'T MIX. STAY AWAY BEFORE I MAKE YOU, BITCH.