reputation - (h.p.)

1.17 . eyes of peaceful forest

𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧

THE WEEKS FOLLOWING THE YULE Ball melted together until Gaia was slapped in the face with the realization that almost an entire two months had past. In those two months, truth be told, she had not been doing much other than studying the material of the second, and more difficult term of the school year, going on date after date with Mikhail, and trying to keep Harry from throwing his egg off of the Astronomy Tower with how frustrated he was with it. 

       It was not a very fun two months. 

       She hardly got to spend any time with Harry and Ron unless she was helping the former with his preparation for the second task, which was now coming up in just a few short days. She could tell that panic was starting to set into Harry as excitement grew amongst all of his classmates, which did not help to aid his nerves. 

       Gaia wanted to be there to support him as much as she could, but, much to her dismay, her Godparents were quite thrilled with her selection of suitors for the Ball, and not so subtly instructed her to continue courting him. Since both of their families were now involved in their relationship, there was really no choice but to keep up appearances with Mikhail, all the time. She actually still found the boy to be quite enjoyable company, but she would much rather be spending her time with Harry, Ron, and Hermione than sitting in stuffy Hogsmeade shops and trying to keep up with the bothersome smalltalk and flirting. On occasion, she even found herself sitting with him in the Great Hall, which was undoubtably the worst part of the job, as the Durmstrangs sat at the Slytherin table and none of them were particularly fond of Gaia. 

       But she had endured and kept a smile pasted on her face at all times. And when she asked Mikhail if he would be alright with her helping Harry for the week leading up to the challenge, he instantly understood and supported her decision. 

       Gaia couldn't help but find herself thinking that, of all the options out there, he would not be the worst arranged marriage in the world, should it ever come to that. 

       Presently, she, Hermione, and Harry were bundled up in their heavy robes and scarves overlooking the view beneath the bridge. Hermione, as much as Gaia loved her, had her wand in a knot out of secondhand stress for Harry. 

       "I just wish that you — that we would have figured this stupid egg out weeks ago!" she stated, visibly flustered. "I mean really, the task is two days from now!"

       "Really? I had no idea." Harry's reply was dripping with bland sarcasm that earned him a dirty look from the bushy-haired girl to his left. 

       "I've been keeping a countdown calendar," Gaia said matter-of-factly. "Every night before I go to sleep I cross off another day and say a prayer to Merlin to not break Harry's noodle arms."

       "I do not have noodle arms—" he began, but cut himself off with an angry and restrained sigh. Gaia only laughed at his expence. 

       "You are trying to figure this egg out, aren't you?" Hermione chastised once more, reminding Gaia of a mother hen who is entirely too accustomed to her toddlers' bickering.

       Harry, who had been fighting the smile that was subtly growing on his face after Gaia's jab, turned to the girl, expression suddenly far less pleasant. "What's that supposed to mean?"

       Uh oh, Gaia thought to herself. 

       Hermione sighed, evaluating a less accusatory approach. "It just means that these tasks are designed to test you. In the most brutal way — they're almost cruel."