𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐑

the one with a complicated love story

"Poor man wants to be Rich.
Rich man wants to be King.
A King isn't satisfied till he rules everything."

•

PIGWIDGEON WAS MUCH too small to carry an entire ham up to the mountain by himself, so Harry and I enlisted the help of two school screech owls as well. When they had set off into the dusk, looking extremely odd carrying the large package between them, I leaned on the windowsill, looking out at the grounds, at the dark, rustling treetops of the Forbidden Forest, and the rippling sails of the Durmstrang ship. An eagle owl flew through the coil of smoke rising from Hagrid's chimney; it soared toward the castle, around the Owlery, and out of sight. Looking down, I saw Hagrid digging energetically in front of his cabin. I wondered what he was doing; it looked as though he were making a new vegetable patch. As I watched, Madame Maxime emerged from the Beauxbatons carriage and walked over to Hagrid. She appeared to be trying to engage him in conversation. Hagrid leaned upon his spade, but did not seem keen to prolong their talk, because Madame Maxime returned to the carriage shortly afterward.

"Lover's spat," Harry chuckled lightly.

"Oh?" I squeaked. "You're talking to me now?"

"Well," he shrugged. "I can tell you Malfoy's a slimy little twit but I've been saying that for a while now and you've never listened. I doubt you'd start listening now."

I remained quiet. It wasn't like the trio weren't talking to me. It was just that there was an underlying tone of disapproval everytime they talked to me.

"You kissed him?"

"He kissed me."

"When?"

I thought back. It seemed like an eternity ago that Draco kissed me. I've fought a dragon, went on a ball, kissed him two more times, did laps with Viktor and stayed underwater rescuing Draco since that first angsty kiss.

"The day our names came out of the Goblet."

It was awkward. Harry and I had grown accustomed to being each other's only living family. Although, sometimes Harry forgot that. Sometimes I forgot that too. We had been orphans way too long. But we played the part well and, just like any normal pair of siblings, it was awkward for me to talk about Draco to Harry. It was kissing you brother's nemesis trope.

"Are you-" Harry waved his arms between me and the wall I was leaning against.

"What?"

He waved his arm some more. I caught on.

"I'm not dating him, if that's what you're asking. You might've noticed, I'm barely talking to him either."

"Did that prissy little ferret just kiss you and left?"

"Sort of."

"Do you want me to break his nose?"

"Harry," I laughed. "If violence would've given me a solution, don't you think I'd have myself broken his nose?

"Do you know how to punch though?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Viktor taught me how to box. I wouldn't try me if I were you," I laughed some more. Then I sighed. "When he asked me to the Yule Ball, I thought things might get better you know? That maybe, even if we're not in a relationship, we'd be friends at least. And it was so great at the Ball. We danced, we went out -"

"Kissed some more," Harry said and made a gagging noise.

"Yes," I said sharply against his immaturity. "We kissed some more. So I thought we'd be okay. I thought maybe he'd ask me out finally, but things just became even more awkward about that. I do believe he didn't intend to kiss me. It just accidentally happened."