lumos/ h.p.

28

harry potter was shocked. saige black was the most stubborn person he knew, and she was just giving up? of course, it benefited them greatly, but it was if she had been losing herself. the girl hadn't appeared anywhere near them at mealtimes, always choosing to sit at the farthest end of the table with her mysterious journal. and now, as harry received his first letter in a week, it hurt. "blimey, harry. thought she might keep it up for another month." ron spoke over a mouthful of fried egg, hermione looking over at him with a blatant look of distaste at his behaviour. the girl turned to harry, an intelligent glint in her eye showing she was ready to inform him of something. "it's odd behaviour. perhaps she's been cursed like ginny last year? that book seems off, harry." she frowned. saige seemed to be the only girl she could actually talk to. some things the boys just didn't understand. "hermione, you don't get it. it wasn't like ginny. she was almost possessive over the book. as if she just had to keep it safe, or else something bad could happen. she was... different." harry sighed, shoulders drooped over his almost untouched plate. he glanced to the head of gryffindor table, seeing saige hunched over her book at the very end. his heart began to beat significantly faster as he stood, ron tugging at his sleeve. "oi, where are you going?" he narrowed his eyes as harry shook him off. "to go see her," he said, marching down his side of the table until he was stood behind saige black's back. his eyes were trained on the book, as she wrote with a muggle pen on the blank page. 'how are you doing?' she scribbled, the words disappearing from the page only to be swiftly replaced. 'i'm fine, love,' the page spelt out in hasty handwriting, 'remember that your muggle studies paper is due tomorrow, okay?' harry could hear her sharp intake of breath as she remembered. 'i forgot.' she wrote. "it's on muggle cultures around the world, you know." harry reminded her sheepishly. saige slammed the book shut, turning around to face him. "what are you playing at, harry?" she chastised cautiously. saige slipped the pen behind her ear, snagging a buttered roll and getting up from the table. "see you in class, selene," she smiled, looking at the strawberry blonde girl that was sitting next to her. the girl turned, smiling brightly at her. "you too, saigey." her eyes darted between harry and saige. "hi, potter. saige- play nice." selene reminded the girl. saige nodded dutifully, saluting her friend. "aye aye, captain." they smiled at each other before saige grabbed hold of harry's robe sleeve, barely giving him time to process her close friendship with selene before she dragged him out of the great hall. "look. before you start pestering me with questions, i want to say something." she took a deep breath. " i'm sorry for snapping on you. and avoiding you. and keeping things from you. but i promise that if i had the choice, i would tell you, okay?" harry could tell she was nervous. the ghost of a smile played on her lips. "so.. friends?" she asked, folding the leather-bound book under her arm. harry grinned. saige never was one for sugar-coating the truth. she hated to be coddled, and she expected no less of her companions. "what do you think, black?" he raised a playful eyebrow. the bright smile that sat etched into her lips was infectious to the other teen. harry was taken by surprise as she wrapped her arms around his torso, squeezing him tightly. he stood, mesmerized by her attitude, and finally did the same, arms finding a spot around her neck. she pulled away from him, smiling gently as a tiny blush formed on her pale cheeks. harry, on the other hand, was impossibly blatant. his face burned red, almost a direct colour match to the scarlet on the gryffindor crest. "um, i have to get to quidditch practice, but i'll see you soon?" he spluttered. she nodded silently as harry walked down the corridor, with a newfound vigor he hadn't felt in a long time. "missed you too, potter." she muttered, as she turned back down towards the great hall, a smile playing on her pink lips.