TOGETHER (A HARRY POTTER LOVE STORY) 4

7

MILLIES POV

"...Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill."

"Is this where we're supposed to be?" Ron muttered to me, glancing around. I shrugged, turning my head
to scan the bit of land we had arrived on; it appeared to be a deserted stretch of misty moor. In front of Ron and I were a pair of tired and grumpy-looking wizards, one of whom was holding a large gold watch, the other a thick roll of parchment and a quill. Both were dressed as Muggles, though very inexpertly; the man with the watch wore a tweed suit with thigh-length galoshes; his colleague, a kilt and a poncho.

"Morning, Basil," said Mr Weasley, picking up the boot and handing it to the kilted wizard, who threw it into a large box of used Porkeys beside him; I could see an old newspaper, an empty drinks can and a punctured football.

"Hello there, Arthur," said Basil wearily, rubbing his eyes. "Not on duty, eh? It's all right for some...we've been here all night...you'd better get out of the way, we've got a big party coming in from the Black Forest at five fifteen. Hang on, I'll find your campsite... Weasley...Weasley..." He consulted his parchment list. "About a quarter of a mile's walk over there, first field you come to. Site manager's called Mr Roberts. Diggory...second field...ask for Mr Payne."

"Thanks, Basil," said Mr Weasley, and he beckoned everyone to follow him.

We set off across the deserted moor, unable to make out much through the mist. I discreetly peered over my shoulder, and couldn't help but feel slightly relieved to see that Harry was now talking with the twins and not Ginny.

"So you know when you said Harry had moved on," I said slowly to Ron, making him shoot me another knowing look, "did he tell you that?"

"No," he said shortly, keeping his eyes in front of us. I made a small noise which sounded a bit like a mix between a snort and a sigh, moving my gaze to the ground. Ron's expression melted into sympathy as he looked at me, his voice soft as he went on, "Look, he used to talk about you constantly, but recently he's been more - I don't know-" He paused, clearly pondering over how to put it, "-closed off. I just assumed it was because he was finally over you."

"Finally?" I repeated, looking at him with my eyebrows raised.

"Well it was going to happen at one point, wasn't it?" said Ron, as though it was obvious. "You keep pushing him away, Millie. We - I thought it might be because you don't like him like that anymore. That's why Harry's done with it, I think..." His voice trailed off quietly, and he resorted to staring at me with a pitiful expression on his face.

"If he's done, so am I," I lied, trying to act as though my heart hadn't just felt like it dropped out of the bottom of my stomach.

"And if he wasn't done?" he said knowingly, sending me a small smile.

But, for once in my life, I kept my mouth shut, only exchanging another smile with Ron.

After another twenty minutes of walking, in which I stayed with Ron, a small stone cottage next to a gate swam into view. Beyond it, I could just make out the ghostly shapes of hundreds and hundreds of tents, rising up the gentle slope of a large field towards a dark wood on the horizon.

"Parting of the ways I think, old chap!" I heard Amos say brightly to Mr Weasley, who grasped the man's hand and shook it thoroughly. "See you at the match...!"

"Reckon any of these players will fall off their brooms?" said a voice in my ear, to which I immediately swivelled around and glared at Cedric.

"Reckon one of the two captains will manage to lead their team to a victory?" I shot back, earning myself a snigger from Ron and a scoff from Cedric.