Undistinguished (H.P.)

Chapter 40: Jealousy

oOo

Before Herbology one morning, Harry dragged Veronica to the side of the Entrance Hall, letting the others walk ahead of them. 

She glanced at him curiously, "what's going on Harry?" she asks, his concerned shuffling making her quite concerned. He kept his eyes on the floor, staring at his feet and playing with his fingers until she grabbed his hands and tilted his chin up so they can make eye contact. 

"Harry, come on. You can tell me?" giving him a reassuring smile, a smile that can't help but appear every time she looks into his green eyes. He smiles back in response, but the nervous look didn't fade. 

"I was just wondering, um.." he was interrupted from the rambling as Seamus and Dean walk past patting him on the shoulder as a friendly greeting. 

His eyes watch them walk away, trying to distract himself and prevent the words from coming out, but Veronica wasn't letting him get away so easily. So as he turned to walk she grabbed his arm and pushed him against the wall. 

'What is it, Harry?! Tell me!" she demanded as she stepped closer to him, pressing herself against him and their faces leaned closer together. 

"Urm okay," he took a deep breath, "Slughorn's having a Christmas party thing and um we can bring dates. So... I was just wondering if, um, you'd maybe want to, not that you have to but..." she stopped him from the stuttering by planting a kiss on his lips, quickly silencing the boy. He didn't seem too bothered by the interruption anyway. 

"Is that is? Of course, I'll go with you, Harry. You didn't even have to ask me, we're already together," she chuckled at his nervous stupidity. He smiled embarrassedly back at her before giving her another kiss, turning them so that she was now on the wall. 

She placed her hand on his lips as he tried to lean in once again, "As nice as this is my lover boy, we have classes to get to, Herbology to be exact". With that she pushes off of the wall towards the grounds outside, ignoring his groan and grumbling from behind her, the slightly playful yet oddly serious complaining from the boy made her giggle as he chased her all the way to the greenhouses. 

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Throughout their Herbology class, Ron was continuously moaning about the Slug Club, which Veronica knew he was bitter about because he wasn't invited and both Hermione and Harry were busy those nights. 

It was pretty awkward, to say the least. Especially after Hermione admitted she was going to ask Ron to be her date to the Christmas party. The boy was visibly shocked, yet he wouldn't admit it as his pride seemed to be too big for that. That and his jealousy over the fact Hermione could invite any other boy she wanted. 

Veronica and Harry both felt the tension in the air as they exchanged glances, hiding their smirks from the pair sitting opposite them. It was almost painful watching them hide their feelings from each other. 

"And they say that we were uncomfortable to watch before we got together," the boy whispered to her, making her laugh as she nodded in agreement before shushing him and turning her attention back to Professor Sprout.

Harry's words did make her wonder what it was like to hang around them last year. She had a major crush on him and everyone seemed to know about it, even before she did. It was embarrassing, especially when Harry had started showing feelings towards Cho and yet she remained starstruck on the boy. 

It was a noticeably different scenario from Hermione and Ron's feelings for each other as they were already so close, being best friends for almost 6 years, they must know each other so well. Veronica understood that it's difficult from their perspective as the 'love-hate' relationship they had going on seemed to be hard to get out of. 

She just hoped they could realise their feelings for each other before something bad happens that leaves either one or both of them heartbroken. 

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There seemed to be an air of tension in the Gryffindor Common Room when Veronica entered looking for Harry one day. Everyone sitting around was silent and didn't even notice her walk in, all their eyes peeled on the argument taking place in the middle of the room. 

When she saw the ginger siblings standing opposite each other, she wasn't entirely surprised. Ginny's hand were on her hips as she glared angrily at Ron, who stood with his arms crossed stubbornly, his eyes trained on Dean who seemed to be inching nervously away from the pair slowly. 

"Get over yourself, Ron! My love life is none of your business! Just because you've never kissed anyone!" her raised voice echoed around the room, her voice trembling in anger. 

This made Ron splutter uncomfortably, "w-what does that mean exactly? I'm sure loads of people haven't been kissed yet!" and he gestured around the room yet still ignored people's eyes. 

"Oh come on, you're really that oblivious! Hermione had her first kiss years ago with Krum, and in case you haven't noticed Harry and Veronica are getting quite serious. Maybe you should just grow up!" Harry turned quickly towards Veronica who was still stood by the entrance after Ginny gestured towards her during the outburst. 

The boy scurried over to her, grabbing her hand and pulling her in front of him, protecting himself from any further outbursts. What a gentleman. 

Veronica hated seeing people argue, especially family, and so she decided to intervene before anything worse was mentioned that the two siblings may regret later on. 

"Okay guys, break it up. You're arguing over nothing!" she grabbed Ginny's arm but the girl ripped it away violently, giving Ron one last dirty look before storming up the stairs, presumably to her dormitory, and didn't glance back. 

Ron didn't know what to do with himself, his face was bright red from holding back his rage and he was trying to contain himself, not very successfully as he turned towards Hermione who was standing there aimlessly. "You kissed Krum, seriously? That bonehead!" he exclaimed shaking angrily. 

"Don't turn this onto me, Ronald, you're the one overreacting!" Hermione seemed like she was holding back tears due to her voice wavering as she yelled at him. 

"Whatever," Ron grumbled and, like his sister, sent a glare towards the group and then took off upstairs. 

The students around them seemed to realise the show was over and the noise rose again as people went back to their own conversations. Hermione went over and sat on the sofa by the fireplace, Harry and Veronica following her and they absorbed themselves in a discussion about anything except the boy that just ran from them. 

The situation was getting more and more difficult as Veronica realised more than just their romantic relationship was on the line, their friendship and Ron's family were also in the firing line of the boy's redirected anger and she couldn't find an easy way out. 

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