HEATHENS - Harry Potter ✔

CHAPTER TWELVE

Kiera and Harry had not fought since that night in the corridor, though both of them acted strangely civil around one another. Kiera had been careful not to mention Anthony by name around him, though she sensed that he wasn't stupid enough to not be able to read between the lines.

Meanwhile Katie had been moved to St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries after Madam Pomfrey had been unable to do anything to cure her and Harry had replaced her position on the team with Dean. Slughorn had he would be having a Christmas Party, and each Slug Club member could invite one person to come along, a subject which Ron and Hermione had already fought about. Harry had also had another lesson with Dumbledore, this time visiting the Headmaster's own memory of the first time he ever met Tom Riddle.

It was a beautiful November Saturday and the day of the first Quidditch match of the season: Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Per usual, Harry and Ron and the rest of the team were met with a cacophony of tangled cheers and boos as they entered.

"Good luck out there, Potter," jeered Parkinson as she and Sally-Anne Perks shoved past them into the Great Hall. "Don't worry, I heard Hooch set up safety nets in case you get a seizure and lose consciousness again."

"Just ignore it," said Hermione forcefully.

"Yeah, I've been thinking," Pansy continued. "With all the ignoring you do Granger, one would think that you'd have an award by now – Oh, wait, no; that one would go to Weasley. He's, after all, more capable than anyone of ignoring the Quaffle."

Kiera sat down opposite of Harry (who had by now gotten so used to the insults they seemed to positively bounce off him) and beside Hermione, her green attire standing out effectively amongst the sea gold and red. Ron had returned to his regular insecure broody mood.

"Tea?" Harry asked him. "Coffee? Pumpkin juice?"

"Anything," said Ron gloomily as he bit into his toast with much less enthusiasm than usual.

"Cheer up, Ron," said Kiera as Harry poured him a glass of pumpkin juice. "You wouldn't want to make it too easy for us to beat you, would you?"

Regardless of her experience in the House, Kiera always supported Slytherin in the Quidditch and House Cups.

"Oi! I thought you said I was the best Seeker here," said Harry, feigning a hurt expression.

"Maybe you are, maybe not," Kiera said cryptically and leant over the table to get closer to Harry as she lowered her voice threateningly. "Doesn't matter, we're still gonna beat you, Potter." She grinned madly, causing Harry's heart to melt slightly.

"We'll see about that, won't we?" he replied as he handed Ron the goblet. "There you go, Ron. Drink up."

Ron took it, but he had no chance to get a single sip before Hermione said, "Don't drink that, Ron!"

All three of them looked at her. "Why not?" he asked.

Hermione was staring at Harry as though she could not believe her eyes. "You just put something in that drink," she accused.

"Excuse me?" said Harry, trying to sound innocent though it wasn't very convincing.

"You heard me. I saw you," said Hermione. "You just tipped something into Ron's drink. You've got the bottle in your hand right now!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry replied.

"Ron, I'm warning you, don't drink it!" Hermione pleaded, looking alarmed. But Ron downed the drink in one and said, "Stop bossing me around, Hermione."