Forbidden [d.m.] || rewritten

chapter 25

{mature content warning}

S A G E   P O T T E R

It was finally the day of Slughorn's Christmas Party. We were only six days away from the holiday and I had never looked forward to a Christmas more than this one. Hermione was still inconspicuously avoiding Ron at all costs, so I hardly spent anytime with Harry when Ron wasn't with Lavender.

If Ron was with Lavender, which was actually the majority of time nowadays, Harry was always with Hermione and I. It was never the four of us anymore.

"He's at perfect liberty to kiss whoever he likes! I really couldn't care less!" Hermione grumbled as her, Harry, and I strolled through the library stacks.

"Really? You don't care?" I asked her, already knowing that she'd fib her answer.

"No! Not at all!" Harry looked at me with the this-girl-is-crazy eyes. "Well, I mean...I was under the impression we'd be attending Slughorn's Christmas party together...now I've had to make other arrangements."

I was growing worried about her mental state. I couldn't tell if she was trying to convince us or herself that she didn't care about Ron getting it on with Lavender.

The three of us stood in the aisle, backs against the shelves as Hermione put her final book away. Harry folded his arms across his chest.

"What do you mean other arrangements?" He pondered.

Hermione twiddled her thumbs shyly. Harry didn't have a date to this party yet, either. Given that it was the day off, I figured he had given up.

"Hermione, I had a brilliant idea." Harry spoke and she nodded for him to go on. "Well, I just thought, seeing as neither of us have anyone to go with and Sage is, well, my sister, we should go together. As friends."

"Harry, that's excellent." I agreed.

The look on Hermione's face told me she didn't think so. "Fuck." She put a hand up to her forehead and sighed. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Who are you going with now?" I asked her in a sort of parental tone.

"Er—" She peered down at the floor and pulled a piece of parchment out of her pocket to mess with it. "It's a surprise. Y-You'll see. Anyway, it's Harry we have to worry about. You can't just bring anyone."

"Wha— I'm fine! I don't need a date to this thing." Harry said in defense.

"Yes, you do." Hermione and I said in unison.

Hermione pointed across the library to a curly-haired girl with big dark eyes. I recognized who it was as soon as she eyed my brother carefully. Romilda Vane, a fourth-year in Gryffindor who had an obsession with Harry. I, unlike Harry, was observant enough to tell that she was psychotic.

"That's Romilda Vane. She's been trying to smuggle Harry a love potion all year." Hermione whispered to us as Romilda have Harry a subtle wave.

Gross.

"Really..." Harry suddenly seemed intrigued.

Hermione and I grimaced our faces in irritation. I took the parchment from her hands and smacked Harry on top of the head to disrupt his gaze at Romilda.

"She's not actually interested in you, idiot." I said to force him back into reality.

He ignored me and settled his eyes on her again. I knew he was just doing this because Ginny was unavailable at the moment, too. Hermione made hand gestures in his face to grab his attention.

"She's only interested you because she thinks you're the Chosen One!" She bleated.

"But I am—"

She took the parchment back into her hands and aggressively hit him on top of the head harder than I did. "Okay." Harry snapped his head back towards us. "Sorry. I was kidding. I'll ask someone I actually like. Someone cool."