I Follow You

Chapter 5 - Halloween

The next morning, Joana sent Cris a note on a piece of parchment - "I won't be around this week, but I'll be working on our assignment, so we can put it together before the deadline. See you on Friday."

Cris read the note and rolled her eyes. That girl was really weird, but at least she didn't leave her to do all the work by herself, in that case, Cris would have cried. And was it possible "not to be around" in Hogwarts? The girl shrugged and started eating her breakfast, when she felt someone clearing his throat - "Mhh, Cris, hi..."

"Hey Ruben, good morning."

"Listen, I liked visiting Hogsmeade with you... we could hang out these days. And I've heard about the Halloween party, I thought we could go together."

Cris blushed and smiled - "Yeah, I'd like it very much. I could show you around, just ask".

Ruben looked surprised - "Oh wow..."

"What? You thought I would have refused?"

"Well... you didn't seem so interested that night..."

Cris lowered her head and then looked at the boy... Well, this is awkward - "Oh, I'm sorry. It's that I was thinking about the fight with my brother, and the new subject to study... you know?"

"Don't be sorry, I understand. So... I have lessons 'till four, whenever you want I'm free."

"That's perfect. See you later."

The boy kissed her on the cheek and smiled - "See ya later, Cristina."

As soon as the boy was out of sight, Cris heard her friends approaching giggling - "Look who has a handsome guy whipped for her?" - said Eva.

"Yeah Cris, this is why you were so absent these last days!" - added Viri, smirking.

"Please, girls. You know no one can make me that effect. My name's not Eva Villas."

"You bitch, stop lying."

The girls laughed at the girls' antics and Amira shook her head - "Well Cris, you must admit it, you were a bit absent, you spaced out more than once."

"Stop it girls, he's just a nice guy. We could hang out and maybe something more, but please, you know that's not my thing."

"Cris is right, girls, leave her alone. Whenever she will feel ready to tell us, we'll be here."

"There's nothing to tell, Nora. And now, bitches, we should head to McGonagall's lesson."

The girls smirked again and finished their breakfast to join the other students in McGonagall's class.

...

Five days passed by and Cris spent a lot of time with Ruben and the girl really tried to have a good time with him, but there was always something that made her think about something else. She decided to give herself and Ruben one last chance that night and, if nothing happened during the party, she would have said Ruben that it was better if they didn't continue hanging out.

"Hey, there, troublemaker." - Joana's voice made her jolt.

"Joana la puta que te pariò, you scared the shit out of me."

"I'm sorry. How did it go with the assignment?" - the brunette asked, sitting near the great oak, where they decided to meet up to complete the assignment.

"I think well enough. It's not an Outstanding, but I think we'll pass it."

"Oh, please, with that thinker air of yours? I bet it's at least a Exceeds Expectations" - the brunette took Cris' piece of parchment and started reading - "I think Muggles manage to paint and represent all the different sides of the most magical of feelings - love - in a rather magical way, even if they don't know nothing about magic. Love is like Halloween. It's thrilling, makes your heart beat faster, you wait for it throughout the whole year, you enjoy it a lot. But like Halloween, love is scary, it is full of masks, you can receive a lot of candies or none, and even when you eat a lot of them, you end up with your teeth rotten and an awful stomachache. But Muggles don't care about it, and I think they're infinitely braver than us wizards. They can't read your mind, they can't go back in time to make up for their mistakes, they don't know love potions. But they risk it all anyway. And, like Muggle art and literature show, sometimes they end up with rotten teeth and stomachache, but sometimes they simply have their heart full of sweet sensations."

Cris looked expectantly at the other girl - "Well? What do you think? It's that horrible?"

"Are you joking Cris? It's the most incredible metaphor I've ever read about love!"

"Are you serious?"

"For sure! This alone is an outstanding grade! I've written all the historical and artistic things but you, troublemaker, you managed to catch the essence of Muggle art. Goddammit, who's the lucky person?"

Cris blushed and lowered her eyes, heart beating faster and thoughts running through her head - "No one, I'm just a keen observer."

"Well, keen observer, you just signed for the most legendary outstanding Hogwarts has ever seen. Hermione Granger you better beware!"

Cris giggled - "Well, for being a foreigner you know a lot about Hogwarts history."

Joana smirked and changed the subject - "By the way, since we're talking about Halloween, I'll see you at the party after we've finished?"

"Oh yes, and you?"

"I'll be there if you go."

"Yeah, I'll be there with Ruben."

The brunette avoided for a moment the blonde's eyes and took another parchment - "Well, then we'd better get a move. You won't like to be late for Ruben."

Cris' breath caught for a moment in her throat, she thought she had seen a spark of jealousy in Joana's eyes, and her tone alone had been enough to make her shiver. But she let it slip and started writing listening to Joana's suggestions.