ETHALINE

THE PROPOSALS

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"Oh, for goodness sakes Harry stop bouncing your leg." Hermione said as she stomped on his foot from under the table.

Harry groaned and glared at her from across the table. It was moments like those where he missed Ron. He still wasn't speaking to him, thinking Harry had entered the contest without telling him how to have all the glory.

"Why didn't you tell me you entered the contest?!"

"Oh, I don't know! I wanted to die by myself?!"

So now there he was, thinking about Ethaline while Ginny and Hermione kept him company. "What's the matter Harry?" Ginny asked as she reached for some orange juice.

"Nothing." Harry replied, looking behind them and towards the Slytherin table where Ethaline was sitting with Theo and playing a game of chess.

"You won't win." Harry heard her tell him, a giggle following afterwards.

"One kiss I will." Theo fired back.

Harry could imagine her reaction, her face turning red as she shook her head. "You're delusional." Ethaline replied.

"Harry." Hermione snapped her fingers in front of him, never in a million years thinking he was looking at her. Instead, she thought he was zoning out.

"Huh?" Harry asked, shaking his head slightly as he rested his bad arm on the table.

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him, "So who are you taking to the Yule ball?" The red heard asked, practically telling him to ask her.

Harry shrugged his shoulders, "I don't uh...don't know." He said, looking over at her and watching as she turned red. Ginny stayed silent for the rest of lunch.
Hermione on the other hand said she had to go see Ron, since they were taking turns with Hermione. As for Harry he stood up and said he had to go see Cedric.

As he walked outside, he noticed a bunch of Hufflepuffs sporting around a pin that said Harry Potter stinks. "You stayed up all night," Ethaline said as she ate a piece of carrot, "To bewitch hundreds of pins?" She asked in disbelief.

Draco smirked, "Maybe." He yawned as Blaise shook his head.

"Come on mate, he hasn't done anything—"

"Sounds to me like you're defending him." Draco snarled, turning to face Blaise. "Sympathizers aren't welcomed here."

Blaise didn't add anything else. "Did you do your homework for Care of Magical Creatures?" Ethaline asked Pansy who seemed to be tired as well.

"I didn't." She groaned and she turned to her best friend, "Ethy, you love me, right?" She asked in a serious tone.

Ethaline nodded immediately, "Of course." She answered.