Bumblebee: when we were kids (hp fanfic)

part 21

Hermione's pov:

"She said that her name was Margaret Montgomery," I explained, "-the woman who told us, Maud, said she had hair as black as night and eyes as dark as the river that flowed through the meadows. She went on about Tom Riddle, purple eyes, and a baby..." I informed, "-it has to be her, Mia...I know it...it just has to be."

Mia, who was seated in front of me, took a long, and startled glance at me, scanning my face for any truth behind what I said.

"I believe you, Hermione," she finally said, "...I'm not quite sure I believe her though...we need to investigate this tomorrow. I'm getting my walking back nicely, and I hope for it to be back by tomorrow morning. That way we can all set out with a fresh mind..." she glanced over at Harry with a guilty grin , "...and hopefully no grudges."

Harry looked up from his plate and flashed her a small smile, it was barely noticeable and short, yet it was enough to make her grin in return. I'm glad the two of them are getting along better now. Feelings aside, the two of them together will be the most powerful duo the Magical World has ever seen...and if faced by you know who...we can only hope Mia can put that sliver of love away for her father and help us finish him...once and for all.

"I'll be leaving by morning," Cedric said, interrupting my train of thought. I peered at him just in time to see him glancing down at his plate of food. Although, he had barely touched it for the most part.

"I wish you all well on your journeys-" he faced Mia nervously with a face as red as Ron's hair, "-and I hope you find all the answers you need."

Mia glanced up at him kindly and gave him a weak grin, "Thank you, Cedric..." she smiled, "-I hope you return to Hogwarts safely."
Everyone at the table meakly grinned at one another...that was, before...

Ron interrupted their moment with a disgusting snortle, sending all eyes casting on him. I watched him in utter disgust.

"What is this about, Ron?" I questioned snappily.

He, who was hovering over his plate, looked up at me and burst with even more obnoxious laughter. It was loud and pure, and completely outrageous...it was Ron Weasley.

"Ron," Harry smiled, adding in a few laughs of his own, "What are you laughing at?"

Wheezing now, he squinted his eyes and managed to point a shaky finger up at Cedric, who grew red just by the sights of it.

Mia began grinning widely down at him, "Cedric?" she laughed, "What about him?"

Ron wiped away a few joyful tears, and lowered his laughter to a few breathy gasps.

"He-" he paused to laugh again, "-I don't know if he can find Hogwartsssss-" his chortles interrupted his talking again.

I rolled my eyes.

"What do you mean by that, Ronald?" I snapped, dropping my fork into my plate with a clatter.

He gave one last chuckle, then sat himself up straighter, "I mean...he couldn't find Hogwarts earlier today-" his goofy from creased higher as he looked around at us all, "-we got lost out in the middle of nowhere. Who knows what sorts of wild beasts were hiding to get us."
I peeked over at Cedric, trying my best to be discreet. He, however, saw my glare, which made him grow redder by the second.
"I have to admit that this is true," he responded, lowering his own fork into his plate softly. I watched as it hit the side with a light clink, "-I'm not the best with directions..." he stuttered nervously, "-I suppose I'll find my way easier if I could just remember things better. Unfortunately, sometimes it is not that easy. I'm best with outdoor sports and matches...not learning subjects in school. I have to tell you I'm not very diligent in my studies however."
Mia glared over at Ron with a tight-knitted brow, sending him an angry glare.
I watched as he crumbled in nerves, gulping deeply and sending his eyes back down to his plate
"Sorry," he mumbled.
She rolled her eyes whilst a sigh and looked back over at Cedric, who was watching his plate with a red face. She gave a short smirk before speaking.
"It's not a big deal. Hogwarts is far away and you had no directions...it's understandable."
A thin grin grew over his lips as he looked up at her. Once their eyes met, he took a deep breath.
They sat like this for quite a while, just staring and breathing. I glanced over at the rest of the table, to see if anyone else had noticed.
Sure enough, Harry and Ron were both red-faced, glaring at the two of them with eyes as firm set as stone. Harry's gaze was quite obviously found out of jealousy, while Ron's appeared to merely be out of disgust. The glasses on Harry face lowered as he squinted his eyes tighter, scrunching up his nose as his fork picked around at the food blatantly.
"I'll be off to bed now," Cedric finally said, his voice seemed softer, I noticed, "-I have an early morning."
Mia nodded, then glanced back at her plate guiltily, "Of course."
The two of them refused to look back at one another as he walked over to his room. He walked quickly and swiftly, then shut the door with a little slam to shield himself from all of us.
Harry watched him with a firm set gaze until he disappeared behind the safety of his door.
"He was asking about you, you know?" Ron smiled, stabbing his fork into a baby potato on his plate. He watched as it plunged into the skin, "-He thought you and I fancied one another."
"-Why, that's ridiculous!" I shouted, interrupting him with a wide and obnoxious smile, "You and Mia? Could you actually imagine?"
Everyone shot their eyes over to me.
Ron glanced just as quickly, shifting in his chair as he returned his gaze back on Mia, who was smirking over at me. I rolled my eyes at her, then continued eating my food with a sickening feeling in my stomach.
"I told him no, then he started asking all sorts of questions...I told him what I knew, but not willingly of course. He told me once he returns to Hogwarts, he'll put a good word in for me with all of the upperclassmen..." his grin grew wider as his eyes glistened dreamily, "...including some of those ladies from Beauxbatons...you know? The ones I like so much?"
Harry grinned childishly, hiding his smirk with a fork to the mouth.
"Yes, we know, Ron-" Mia smiled, flaring her nostrils in a giggle, "-I do wonder why he was asking about me..." she paused to take a fork of potatoes to the mouth, "-it is quite interesting, don't you think?"
Her eyes scanned us all over with a smile of their own.
I giggled back at her giddiness, taking a big and joyful sigh, "It is quite obvious he fancies you, Mia. When we're all here, he looks only at you...as if you're the only person sitting in the room!" I laughed.
She grinned all flirtatiously and flustered, "You really think so?"
I began grinning excitedly at her, when a foul look from Harry captured my attention. His eyes drooped with jealousy...and his body practically drenching with guilt and the definable scent of regret.
This would be the perfect chance to show Harry how much he's missing...and to not play with women's hearts. I always saw Ron as one to do things like this...but never...never...did I suspect Harry, hurt as he is.
After my quick moment of thinking and contemplation, I began glaring at Mia again.
"I think he's planning on asking you to the Yule Ball!" I giggled, thrusting my hands merrily into my lap, "-could you imagine? The two of you walking in together, arm-in-arm...surprising the crowd with your dress...and him surprising his chums with your beauty. The two of you will dance all night-" I looked over at her and smiled widely, "Oh, wouldn't it be wonderful?!"
A slow and steady smile spread over her lips, whilst a fast and jealous frown grew on Harry's.
"It would be quite fun," Mia admitted, setting her fork down with a dreamy gaze, "-I just wonder if I could ever fancy someone like Cedric...I mean, he is tall...and handsome...and brave...and stro-"
"-we get it," Ron interrupted, a ghastly look on his face.
Mia glared at him with a big smile, "-what I'm meaning to say is...he's great and all...I just don't like him in that way...it was a good thought, Hermione..." she whispered, "....just not one for me."
I solemnly gave her a half-smile, "It's alright..." my smile forced itself bigger, "-I'm sure you'll have suitors lining at your dorm room soon anyhow."
Ron slurped up a big bite of leftover noodles, the hurriedly began talking with a full mouth.
"I heard Seamus is planning on asking you too, Mia..." his face lowered in confusion, "-I doubt he'll have much luck though."
Mia's grin faded quickly as Ron's brow furrowed deeper.
"Seamus?" she repeated, "-why that's ridiculous, I've only spoken to him once...when I asked him to pass me the ink in divination."
Ron gave a little chuckle, then shoved the remaining noodles into his mouth.
"Do me a favor and turn him down easy..." he smiled, clinking his fork against the plate, "-he's a big softy on the inside."
She gave him an awkward smile, "Why don't you do that bit for me?" her fork hit her plate softly, "-I don't think I can bare the oddness of saying no to him...especially now after I'll be expecting it..."
"-no need to worry," Ron joked, "-I'm sure one of the twins have a plan set to ask you...or Scout...or that bloody idiot, Thomas."
He rolled his eyes sarcastically as he shoveled a big bite of potatoes into his mouth.
Mia gave him a quick squint, "Zip it, Ron...it would be an honor to be asked my anyone to say the least-" she turned her attention quickly into a smugly-set smile, "-and who do you plan on going with who's so extremely perfect-"
He looked up at her abruptly, swinging his hair in front of wide and frightened eyes.
"-if you don't mind my asking, of course," she smirked.
He tightened his lips into a firm-set, wrinkled line, then glanced between Mia and I.
"Of course I don't," he snapped, furrowing his brow with anger, "-and I don't know yet...so stop your pestering...it's bloody annoying and I'm trying to eat."
His eyes darted back towards his plate as he stifled a quick gulp and muffled an embarrassed eye roll.
"Oh ya," she smiled smugly, "-of course you don't."
He slammed his fork against his plate, cracking his neck up in her direction, "Oh ya?" he barked, raising his voice in the slightest, "-and what is that supposed to mean?!"
She grinned to herself, patting around her lips calmly with a napkin, "It means that you'll most likely go with that snob, Lavender, because you're too embarrassed to ask the girl you really fancy..."
"...Mia!" he interrupted with a shout, "-shut it!"
"Of course I will, Ron," she grinned, standing up slowly and with a sense of dictatorship about her, "-And I hope you know that my sources have informed me that a certain girl of your liking has a suitor chasing after her... a certain boy...his name...I seemed to have forgotten it?"
Ron gulped, flashing a bright shade of red.
"Well, your sources must be wrong-" he snapped, "-this girl of mine doesn't have any suitors...unless they've been happening without my knowing. Which I doubt, because she-"
He paused himself with a sudden tightness to his muscles. I watched as his eyes fell to his plate, his hair following as it fell over his face.
"Never mind that," he whispered.
Mia gave him a swift nod, "As I suspected...thought you ought to know," she answered kindly.
The rest of us looked up at her fondly and for some reason, quite heavy-hearted.
"I'll be off to my quarters then..." she mumbled, holding up her crossed fingers, "...wish me luck."
I grinned up at her, holding up fingers of my own, "luck."
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Mia's pov:
"I want the right side, Malfoy!" I shouted, pointing my finger angrily at the right side of the bed, "I always sleep on the right side...I cannot...ABSOLUTELY cannot...sleep on any other side!"
He rolled his eyes with a ghastly huff, "Well there's our first contradiction, bumblebee-" he grumbled, walking over to the left side of the bed, "-I also always sleep on the right side of my bed. I prefer it over my left...and you cannot always get your way-" he sighed and flung the covers from the corner, "-and that is why I offer you this comfortable and perfectly suitable spot on the left side."
I watched carefully, with a confused and partly-surprised expression, his hand float down over the mattress, patting it a few hardy times.
"I say you sleep on the floor then," I snobbed, crossing my arms firmly over my chest in opposition, "-seeing as I will not be giving up my spot any time soon."
He narrowed his eyes tightly, firmly pressing his lips into a tight line.
"You don't run a tough bargain, bumblebee...I choose that you lay on the floor...and I will take the bed," he snapped in return.
Off he pranced, back around the bed and over to the right side in his stupid green pajamas. He approached the side quickly, smirking widely as he peeled the duvet from the rest of the bed.
"I think you are sorely mistaken-" I barked, furrowing my brow tightly as I stomped across the floor.
"The game's over, Malfoy-" I huffed, stopping his hand as he peeled the blankets further, "-I'll sleep on the left side if you insist."
He looked up at me with a slightly guilty look on his face. Knowing Malfoy, he remained uptight and smirked over me.
"Glad we could agree."
I rolled my eyes and huffed, throwing his hand down as I stomped my way back round my bed, and to the dreadfully lumpy left side.