Circi | 2

TWENTY EIGHT

"Letters"

January 1997

Dear, Carmen

I haven't heard from you since the New Year but I'm in dire need of advice right now.

It's Mica. She's been acting weird for a while now- a long while, actually. And not a bad kind of weird, she's just different. But also a good kind of different. She touches me more, and I don't mean hugging. If we're walking next to each other she will hold my hand and this used to be because I was being too slow but now she walks next to me. It's weird because she hates walking slow and I walk REALLY slow.

She sits really close as well. And I'm not complaining because it's nice, it's really nice. If I'm busy she'll lean her head on my shoulder, or if she's napping next to me in the library her body is pressed against mine.

It always makes me feel so warm and relaxed whenever she touches me. Sometimes it feels like my body is static, a similar sensation to dragging a feather over my skin but it's everywhere. One touch renders my senses useless, and I have to re-tune to reality like an old radio with a new antenna.

Anyway, as I said, I need advice.

Mica invited me to The Three Broomsticks on Saturday. And not in a friendly way. In fact, she asked me in front of Leslie and specifically told him he couldn't come. I know it hurt his feelings or, at least, it should have but he simply smiled and told us to have fun.

Ever since he's been teasing me about our "date". Is it a date? She never specified that it was a date but this is Mica. She doesn't specify anything. Besides, I don't even know if I'm ready to date. And if I am, what if it's not what it should be? What if we can't make each other happy and ruin our friendship? She's my best friend and, right now, I don't think I can lose her.

I didn't think I would have to confront this so soon. Of course she had to make a move, with all that stupid Gryffindor bravery and whatever.

Help?

Circi.

*

The next day, at breakfast, Circi swirled her cereal around the bowl. She picked up the milk in her spoon and poured it back out of the bowl and occasionally glanced at the open window where the mail owls came in. She'd only seen one owl all morning, having risen at the crack of dawn so she wouldn't miss any mail.

Leslie hadn't appeared yet and the hall was filling quickly, he often liked to be early and deduce the drama that had undoubtedly happened the night before. It was usually the only morning entertainment for Circi.

This morning, however, she was stuck between playing with her food, owl spotting and watching Harry Potter as he stood in the centre of the hall with his friends. She hadn't spoken to the boy for months- not that she felt the urge to- but his body was animated as he spoke to Hermione before hurrying after a group of girls who had just passed him.

She watched him carefully, chewing on a spoonful of soggy cereal slowly. He turned around and looked past his friends and towards the doors.

There, Draco stood staring wide-eyed at Harry and the girl beside him before backing out of the hall.

As Harry took off, the girl sat down and Circi recognised her face momentarily. It wasn't until Mica entered the hall and hugged her tightly did the pieces click. That was Katie Bell.

Draco cursed Katie Bell.

Potter's pretty adamant about it.

A familiar bubble of panic settled in Circi's chest. She looked around the hall. Draco was gone. Harry was gone. She stood, the bench scraping under her, and headed for the door. Glancing over her shoulder, she noticed Professor Snape speeding towards the exit as well.