Fights

Chris followed Jason through the seventh floor. Jason repeatedly looked around and Chris had to duck behind the statues and walls for avoiding getting caught. At last at the last corridor when Chris ducked behind an old wizard's statue, she saw Ginny quietly coming from the direction of the Owlery and by the looks of it, she didn't want to get caught either.

What's up with these sneaking today? Chris thought.

Unfortunately, Jason noticed Ginny too.

"Who's there?" Jason called but Ginny was already gone.

Crap Gin!

Realizing that Jason was almost in front of her, Chris came out.

"Chris? What the hell?" Jason looked shocked and angry. "Were you following me?"

"No," Chris replied defensively. "I was looking for you."

"Why?" Jason asked crossing his arms. "I thought, it was your idea to stay away for some time."

"Yeah, well — I wanted to ask you if you want to come with me at Slughorn's Christmas party," Chris blurted out.

"Really?" Jason looked surprised then he turned serious. "When is it?"

"The day before we leave for Christmas."

"Oh!" Jason looked away. "I can't, sorry. I'm busy."

"Of course, you are," Chris smiled sarcastically. "You know, I really thought after this much time apart you would like to spend a little bit time with me but I get it. You are busy. Alright, do whatever you are doing but I don't think we are going to be like before. I don't think so."

Angrily Chris whirled around and started walking.

"Wait, Chris!" Jason mumbled and Chris stopped. She expected at least a sorry but then Jason said something that made Chris angrier. "Who are you going to ask for the party?"

Glaring at nothing, in particular, Chris sighed then with a poisonous smile she looked back at Jason and said, "Harry Potter."

Jason looked more shocked than before as he opened his mouth but Chris didn't wait for him, she marched away thinking why she mentioned Harry.

You could have been mentioned, Adrian! Stupid brain!

Well, Chris wasn't alone in fighting, that night, Ginny and Dean had a full-blown fight at the common room; even Ron, who was inseparable from Lavender, looked up at them in shock. After the fight, Ginny refused to sit in the common room and ran up to the girls' dormitory. Chris tried to follow her but she said she wanted to be alone. So in the end, Chris and Colin sat with Harry and Hermione for the rest of the evening.

Colin was working on his Astronomy homework, Hermione and Harry were making notes on Everlasting Elixirs, and Chris was reading the Prince's Advanced Potion making book and correcting Harry and Hermione's mistakes. Though Hermione was still a little suspicious about the book, Harry took the help gladly and tried to convince Hermione that the Prince was a good student just like her.

"Anyway, Harry," Hermione rolled her eyes and changed the topic. "You need to be careful."

"For what?" Harry looked up from his notes.

"I'm talking about earlier. I went into the girls' bathroom just before I came in here and there were about a dozen girls in there, including that Romilda Vane, trying to decide how to slip you a love potion," said Hermione darkly. "Now that you don't have a girlfriend anymore, they're all hoping they're going to get you to take them to Slughorn's party, and they all seem to have bought Fred and George's love potions, which I'm sure will work —"

Chris stopped reading and carefully looked up to see Harry's reaction.

"Why didn't you confiscate them then?" demanded Harry looking angry.

"They didn't have the potions with them in the bathroom," said Hermione scornfully. "They were just discussing tactics. As I doubt whether even the Half-Blood Prince"— she gave the book a nasty look —"could dream up an antidote for a dozen different love potions at once, I'd just invite someone to go with you, that'll stop all the others thinking they've still got a chance. It's just two days later, they're getting desperate."

"Leave the Prince out of it," said Chris closing the book. "And no need for antidote if Harry avoids eating anything from those girls."

"Good point and there isn't anyone I want to invite," mumbled Harry looking down.

Chris looked at him a little taken aback. The words hit had her hard, more than she expected them to.

"Well, just be careful what you drink, because Romilda Vane looked like she meant business," said Hermione grimly.

"Er — Harry, she just entered and they are coming towards us," whispered Colin.

Chris looked up and sure enough, Romilda Vane was walking to them with her giggling girlfriends.

"Hi, Harry!" said Romilda Vane. "Fancy a gillywater?"

Hermione gave Harry a "what-did-I-tell-you?" look over her notes.

"No thanks," said Harry quickly. "I don't like it much."

"Well, take these anyway," said Romilda, thrusting a box into his hands. "Chocolate Cauldrons, they've got firewhisky in them. My gran sent them to me, but I don't like them."

"Oh — right — thanks a lot," said Harry.

"You know I can report you," Chris said grabbing one of the Astronomy books from Colin.

Though Chris didn't look at the girls, Romilda Vane understood for whom the words were.

"For what?" She snapped defensively.

"You know very well for what," Chris said turning the pages of the book without reading a word.

"Don't know what you are talking about," Romilda said angrily then smiled at Harry. "See you, Harry."

They walked away giving Chris a dark look.

"Was that necessary?" Hermione said smiling.

"Yes," Chris said firmly still looking at the book. "Because I thought Filch had banned anything bought at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?"

"And when has anyone ever paid attention to what Filch has banned?" asked Colin laughing.

"But I thought all the owls were being searched. So how come these girls are able to bring love potions into school?" said Harry staring at the box.

"Fred and George send them disguised as perfumes and cough potions," said Hermione. "It's part of their Owl Order Service — and Chris — you are holding the book upside down."

Chris stopped turning the pages and noticed Hermione was right. She slammed the book close. Colin, Hermione and Harry chuckled. Chris rolled her eyes and then all four of them burst into a laugh.

The entire next day, Ginny was very upset and was debating about if she will go to Slughorn's party or not.

"Oh, c'mon," said Colin putting an arm around Ginny's shoulder. "Just because you had a fight with Dean, doesn't mean you can't attend parties anymore."

"Yes, I agree," said Chris. "Anyone will be glad to go with you and if you want to go alone, you and I can go together."

"You aren't going with anyone?" asked Ginny surprised.

"Well, no," Chris said looking away. She was thinking about asking Harry for the whole day but there was a fear of getting rejected or worse, Ginny getting hurt. In their first year, everything happened with Ginny and Riddle because of Harry and Chris, after all.

"Hello everyone," Luna joined the Gryffindor table.

"Hi Luna," Chris quickly looked at her and smiled.

"Hey, you are late," said Colin. "Did someone disturb you again while you were alone?"

"No, they don't, after you jinxed them that day," smiled Luna brightly. "It's Harry. He asked me to go to Slughorn's Christmas party with him."

Chris was putting a piece of a pie in her mouth and hearing this she stopped for a moment.

"Harry?" said Colin looking as shocked as Chris.

"Yes, he asked me just now, if I want to go," said Luna as she started eating. "I have never been to this kind of party before, but I think it will be fine. Harry is very nice and —"

Colin abruptly got up.

"Colin?" Ginny looked up.

"I — will see you later," Colin hastily walked away.

"I said something wrong, didn't I?" Luna said with a frown.

Ginny and Chris exchanged a quick look and Chris got up.

"I will see what happened to him," she said and hurried away.

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To be continued. . .