Embers

Chapter Two

Lavender still didn't seem to grasp that you could kiss someone without that meaning you were seeing each other, which led to a lot of misunderstandings — especially when Henri began to find Parvati after class and walk the grounds with her.

He never made a move to touch her again — in fact, he kept a respectful distance between them. She found she quite enjoyed his company, now that he was actually talking instead of kissing her. His life was hectic with nearly a dozen siblings, and he had so many funny stories that Parvati often laughed until she couldn't breathe.

Lavender, of course, assumed she and Henri were snogging during their hours spent on the grounds. Lavender asked for as many details as she could give, and although Parvati wouldn't admit it, she quite liked the slight boost in popularity her "relationship" with Henri was bringing her.

On the morning of New Year's Eve, Lavender laid in bed, holding her necklace in the air and tapping the charms with her wand. "Do you use your tongue?"

Parvati winced. "Lav. I don't really want to talk about snogging anymore."

Lavender sat up, her hair frizzy from sleep. "Why not? You do an awful lot of it."

Parvati shrugged, slipping out of bed. "Should we wake up Rosalind? Breakfast starts in twenty minutes."

Of course, with so many people at Hogwarts because of the Yule Ball, the Great Hall was filled with hundreds of loud students. Lavender pulled a gold ribbon off of one of the multiple Christmas trees and braided it into Parvati's hair.

Neville, Dean, and Seamus sat with them, and Parvati listened to Neville ramble about Herbology. After she had defended him from Malfoy in their first year, they had formed something close to a friendship. He was quite easy to talk to, and she found his clumsiness endearing.

As they finished eating, the boys returned to the common room to play chess, and Henri used their absence to ask Parvati if he could attend Hogsmeade with her on the next visit. She agreed, ignoring Lavender's incessant poking under the table until Henri returned to the Ravenclaw table.

"What, Lav?"

"You have a date! You're going on a date!" Lavender beamed up at Parvati in disbelief.

"It's not a date."

"Ssshhh!" She put a finger against Parvati's lips, looking around at her peers. "Don't let anyone hear you say that."

"Why?"

"Because of course it's a date! You like him, and he seems to like you. You snog him all the time! And, not only are you one of the prettiest girls in the whole school —" Parvati rolled her eyes "— but you're going on a date with a seventh year! From Beauxbaton!"

Parvati frowned. "I've already been 'dating' him. I don't see how this could change much."

"Who else do you know that's dating a fit seventh year at 15? Ti, this could make you the coolest girl in our year."

"That's if people even find out that he asked me," Parvati said, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"Oh, they'll find out," Lavender said, raising her eyebrows. "If you don't start telling people, I will."

Parvati was nowhere near opposed to being the coolest girl in her year — in fact, she grew more excited for her weekend in Hogsmeade than ever before.

She told nearly every person she talked to. It was quite easy to slip into conversations, and their reactions ranged from excitement to jealousy. A few girls began asking her for tips with guys, and Parvati spoke in vague parables until they grew frustrated and left her alone. More people talked to her than ever before.