Last First Kiss {HP Next Generation}

Chapter Eighteen

"There you are!" Hope said brightly as Henry returned to the compartment. Much to his dismay, Benjamin was still there and to make matters worse, he had taken Henry's seat besides Hope.

"Here I am." He replied dryly before plopping down across from the two. As if he didn't suffer enough with his best friend's attention being divided with another person, it seemed all Hope and Benjamin spoke about was quidditch.

Henry never really enjoyed quidditch unless he was cheering on Hope in the stands. So to hear Benjamin discuss the Ravenclaw quidditch team, nearly brought Henry to sleep in pure boredom.

Eventually, Benjamin excused himself to use the bathroom, finally leaving the two alone for a moment.

"Henry, I know you're going to hate me for asking and I'm pretty sure I know the answer already...but are you okay?" Hope asked him.

"I'm fine, Hope." Henry told her forcing a smile on his face. "Never better."

"Are you sure? I mean...because you know you can tell me if anything is bothering you...even if it's me. I know I drive people mad all the time-"

"No, Hope. It's not you." he said softly. "It...you couldn't bother me even if you tried your hardest."

"Are you sure about that?" she grinned. "Is that a challenge?"

"Hope..." he said cautiously as she stood up on her seat in a crouching position. "Don't do it...Hope...I mean it.."

She leaped over and landed on the seat beside him, making a screeching noise.

"Merlin, Hope..."

"Guess who I am!" she said tucking her hands under her arms to give herself the appearance of having wings. She screeched in his face again causing him to laugh.

"Stop!"

"You have to guess first. You have three tries!"

"I don't want to play this-"

She screeched louder.

"Stop!"

"Come on...just a little guess! At least try, Ry Ry."

"Either you're a deranged chicken-"

"Close...but no."

"Or your Buckbeak."

"Bingo!" Hope shot up throwing her hands in the air only to hit the top of the train. "Ow!"

She dropped her hands and shook them at her sides.

"I think the more important question is...are you okay?" He asked as she sat down beside him.

"I've experienced worse." she said. "Still bloody hurts though."

"Here, let me see. We all know I am a magical Healer." He made a kissy face at her, which made her giggle as she pulled her hands away but Henry was quicker, grabbing one of them and kissing her finger. "There that's one!"

"Henry!" she tried to fight him but her laughter overcame her rendering her powerless as he proceeded to kiss her fingers.

"Oh and by the way," Henry said as he held her hand, " I'm telling Buckbeak you made fun of him."

"Noo!"

"What's with all the yelling?"

Henry dropped Hope's hands as Benjamin returned.

"Sorry, Henry was just healing me with his magical majestic seacow abilities." Hope said nudging Henry's shoulder.

Henry looked at her, and seeing the bright smile on her face, he couldn't bring himself to frown.

He raised his hands and wiggled his fingers. 

"Moo bubble bubble." 

"Well, if it isn't Dopey Hopey..."

Hope glanced over her shoulder to see Peeves trailing behind her, the usual smirk of mischief clear on the poltergeist's face.

"What do you want Peevey-Bear?"

He gave her a look, not all too fond of the nickname as she smiled back at him.

"Where's the Seacow?" Peeves asked her.

"Good question. I've been asking the same thing myself all day." Hope sighed. 

Ever since the train ride, Hope noticed the lack of her best friend's presence as he claimed to be busy with all sorts of things that she wasn't allowed to be part of apparently. She noticed that he was hanging out with the Finnigan siblings quite a bit, which didn't bother her, but she did miss hanging around him for the majority of the day.

"Oh, is someone avoiding you?" Peeves said in a taunting tone.

"No," Hope rolled her eyes at him. "He's...just busy...that's all."

"Busy avoiding you."

"That's not true," Hope growled. "It's not like we have to be around each other, all day everyday." 

"Right." Peeves replied simply. She shot him a dirty look but the poltergeist only continued to smile.

"Shut up!" she said.

"Why? I was merely agreeing with your statement. Someone's sensitive."

"Sorry." Hope said before glancing up and down the empty corridor. She turned back to Peeves, without her partner of crime, Peeves was going to have to do for the time being. "Wanna have some fun, Peeves?"

'As if you have to ask, but sorry Dopey Hopey, I have fun on my own!" he laughed in her face before disappearing, leaving Hope alone in the corridor.

"Git."

She pressed her lips together as she dug into the pocket of her robes and pulled out the bouncy ball she had snagged from the shop. Holding the small ball in her hand, she smiled as she shrugged her shoulders and released the ball from her hand.

"Fine, I'll just have fun on my own then."