The Potter Twins and the Prisoner of Askaban {3}

16. Silver Wisps

"Who'd you think you'd fool, baby, digging your own grave?" ~ Fire, PVRIS

It was incredibly easy to inform Hermione of the letter I received last night, purely because of how angry Ron and Tay were at her for the part she played in the confiscation of our Firebolts. Harry wasn't as angry at her, simply because he knew that she meant well, but he is still mad, I know he is.

Hermione was surprisingly nonchalant about my news, and the only thing she wanted to talk about was how Tay would react.

"She can't know," I tell her, "she'd hate me forever."

"I know you don't want to hurt her, but you can't keep it a secret forever," she says, "Tay, Harry and Ron will all have to find our eventually."

"I'll make sure they don't," I persist, "I won't tell them until I know everything is cooled over. We can keep it a secret, I know it. We've been friends for months now and they don't know."

She sighs. "Haylee, don't you think they'd prefer it coming from you, rather than hearing it from someone else? How do you know that Draco hasn't already gone and told all his friends? They could potentially come back and tell Harry, just to taunt him."

I know that's somethign they would do, but I know that Draco wouldn't tell them. "He knows that I don't people knowing yet, he wouldn't tell anybody..."

She doesn't reply, she just purses her lips slightly.

"I promise I'll tell them, Hermione. Just give me some time to let Tay get over him," I say, "she can't stay angry at him forever, and when she forgives him, I'll tell her everything, along with Harry and Ron."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Haylee."

*~*

It is a relief when everyone returns to school after the New Year, simply because it means that Draco and I can finally talk every over. It also means that Gryffindor Tower will become noisy again, taking the tension that appears whenever Hermione and Ron are in the same room away. Tay came around quite quickly, forgiving Hermione for what she did. Ron, however, seems to be taking this grudge to the grave.

I am growing more anxious about my Firebolt as the next game grows closer. We can't win with Harry and I on Shooting Stars, and I don't want to let Wood down, seeing as this is his last chance at the House Cup.

He approaches us the night before term begins, clearly with something important to say.

"Had a good Christmas?" He says, and then, without waiting for a reply, he sits down, lowers his voice and says, "I've been doing some thinking over Christmas, Haylee. After last match, you know. If the Dementors come to the next one...I mean...we can't afford either of you to - well - "

"We're working on it," I say quickly. "Professor Lupin said he'd train us to ward the Dementors off. We should be starting next this week; he said he'd have time after Christmas."

"Ah, Wood says, his expression clearing. "Well, in that case - I really didn't want to lose our best Chaser, or our Seeker, for that matter. Have you ordered new brooms yet?"

"No," Harry says.

"What! You'd better get a move on, you know - you can't ride those Shooting Stars against Ravenclaw!"

"They got Firebolts for Christmas," Ron interjects.

"Firebolts! No! Seriously? Real - real Firebolts?"

"Don't get excited, Oliver," I say gloomily. "We haven't got them anymore. They were confiscated."

Harry explains how they are being checked for jinxes.