A Brief Moment of Eggcellence
The closer it got to exams, the more annoyed Ron got with Hermione. Harry was getting exasperated but still did the work Hermione told him to do. I was in the library looking for a book that would help with learning Irish Gaelic when I hear Ron complaining again.
“Hermione, the exams are ages away.”
“Ten weeks!” Hermione snapped, “That’s a second for Nicholas Flamel.”
“But we’re not six-hundred years old either!” Ron groaned. “And why are you studying anyway? You already know all of this!” I had to clench my fist as I fought the urge to walk over there and smack him upside the head. I get distracted from my thoughts when I notice Hagrid wandering the aisles. I was about to go ask him what he was looking for when a Slytherin called me over to look over their parchment for Snape’s class. I help them in time to follow Hagrid out of the library and down the hall.
“Hagrid!” I call, jogging to catch up with the giant man.
“Eva! Whater you up to?” Hagrid smiles down at me.
“I want to start learning Irish Gaelic.” I hold up the book for him to see. Hagrid tucks his book closer to his chest and I raise an eyebrow. He lasted a few seconds longer than I thought he would before waving for me to follow him back to his hut. Fang barks in greeting as his head pushed into my chest.
“Hello, and how are you?” I coo, kissing the top of his head as I scratch behind his ears.
“He’s doin' fine, though still a bloody coward,” Hagrid grumbles though the gentle pat he gives the mastiff implies he doesn’t care.
“What has you acting all secretive?” I prod leaning up to take a peek at the book he set on the table. Dragons, a book about dragons. No, he couldn’t have.
“Hagrid, you didn’t!” I hop up on a chair to get a better look at the gamekeeper.
“I did!” He beams, pulling a dragon egg out of the pot hanging above his fire, oven mitts in place.
“Do you know what type it is?” I reach out to touch the egg, only stopping myself last second when I feel the heat coming off the thing.
“No, the person I won it from didn’t say,” Hagrid nods to the book, “That’s what the book is for.”
“You know it’s illegal to have one,” I stare in awe, transfixed by the shiny black surface of the shell. Hagrid waves my concerns away and we both pour over the book in an attempt to identify the egg. I looked for all the information I could about dragons for the next few weeks as we wait for the egg to hatch. I managed to push the egg out of my mind when I was in my lessons with the other professors so that they didn’t get suspicious. Minnie knew something was up though, she kept giving me these looks that had me leaving the room as soon as I was able. I was on my way back to the chambers after a potions lesson with Snape when I see Blaise and Draco arguing about something ahead of me. I don’t hear what they are saying, only watching as Draco gets mad and tells Blaise something that makes a smug smile spread across his face.
I watch as Blaise and Draco keep giving that same smile to the Gryffindor trio for a week before finally catching them going to Hagrid’s hut after their lesson. He must have told them it was hatching. I run up to them and fall in step with Hermione who was a bit behind the two boys.
“Do you know?” I ask when she turns to acknowledge me.
“Yes, and so do Blaise and Draco. We need to get Hagrid to get rid of the egg before he gets in trouble.” Hermione was worrying her lip between her teeth.
“Especially since it’s a Norwegian Ridgeback, he could get into even more trouble with how rare they are.” I agree with her, but I knew Hagrid won’t be getting rid of it so easily. “But it’s not going to be an egg for much longer.” Hagrid opens the door with a smile on his face.
“It’s nearly out!” He ushered us in and the boys notice me for the first time. Harry gives me an excited smile while Ron scowls at me. The egg lay on the table with a deep crack across its surface as it gently rocks side to side. A clicking from inside held my attention, she was excited.
“Do you feel that?” I ask as I forego a chair and lean against the table. I see Hagrid nod in agreement while the other three spare me a confused look in my periphery. A scraping sound had the first-year Gryffingdors covering their ears and the egg split open. The baby dragon tumbled out of the remains, landing directly in front of Hagrid who had a few tears running down his hairy face.
“It looks like a crumpled, black umbrella.” Harry frowns as the dragon sneezed a couple of sparks.
“He’s beautiful ,” Hagrid murmured. I frown as something itches in the back of my mind, something that was wanting to be acknowledged. Hagrid reaches out and strokes the dragon’s head. She snapped at his fingers, revealing her pointed fangs.
“Bless him, look, he knows his mummy!” Hagrid beamed in delight.
“Hagrid,” Hermione hesitated, “how fast do Norwegian Ridgebacks grow exactly?”
“Slightly slower than other species, she should be about the size of Fang in a month.” I take my turn to let the dragon nip at my fingers, keeping them just out of reach so I didn’t get bit, before gently scratching right behind her jaw. The dragon leans into my hand only to be startled when Hagrid jumps to his feet and runs to look out his window.
“What’s the matter?” Harry gets up to go to the man.
“Someone was lookin’ through the gap in the curtains - it’s a kid - he’s running back up to the school.”
Harry opens the door to look out and I hold my breath when I see his shoulders tense.
“Blaise knows about the dragon.”
The next week was tense as we tried to convince Hagrid to give the dragon up. It didn’t help that I was starting to bond with her. Turns out that Parseltongue translated to dragons as well. I would be the one to stay in the hut talking with Norbert as Hagrid went out to do his gamekeeper duties. Hermione was getting more insistent throughout the week once she noticed how attached I was. By the end of the week, Norbert had tripled in length and took to curling up on either mine or Hagrid’s lap. Norbert was laying around my shoulders when the trio comes by with their latest attempt to reason with Hagrid.
“Just let him go,” Harry urged, “Set him free!”
“I can’t.” Hagrid protested. “He’s too little. He’ll die.” I look around at all the empty brandy bottles and chicken feathers littering the room. Norbert was too pampered to be in the wild. I cough a bit when I inhaled some of the smoke coming out of her nostrils. Hermione hands me some water as the boys continue to talk with Hagrid.
“He really knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where’s Mummy?” Hagrid called and the dragon just snorted another furl of smoke.
“He knows I’m not a dog right?” She asked as I scratch her head. Instead of answering her, I unwrap her from my shoulders with a gentle nudge over to Hagrid. She went with mutters of not being a pet, only to melt as Hagrid pet her. I notice Harry furrowing his brow as he watched Norbert, filing that information away for later.
“He’s lost his marbles,” I heard Ron mutter to Harry.
“Hagrid,” Harry got the gamekeeper’s attention, “give it two weeks and Norbert’s going to be as long as your house. Zambini could go to Dumbledore at any moment.”
I share a look with Hermione as Hagrid’s mood fell. I felt sorry for him, finally getting the thing he wants the most only to give it up. I could never do it, as evident by my continued presence around my soulmates.
“I - I know I can’t keep him forever, but I can’t just dump him, I can’t.”
I think of a certain redhead at the same time that Harry turns to Ron.
“Charlie,”
“You’re losing it, too,” Ron frowns, “I’m Ron, remember?”
“Don’t be daft, he’s talking about your brother.” I shake my head, “The one who works in Romania, with dragons?” Ron scowls over at me even as Hagrid seemed to think about the idea.
“We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back into the wild!” Harry looked proud of himself for his idea and I could tell Hermione was nervous with how she was fidgeting with her hands. I take her hand in mine as the boys finally convince Hagrid of the idea, lending her some comfort to her fraying nerves. This was the worst time for something like a dragon to happen.
“I do not like the spotted one,” Norbert huffed as the three left. The dragon climbed up my legs and torso to rest on my shoulders, allowing Hagrid to pet her head before leaving to go take care of something.
“He has his moments,” I defend him, managing to stop myself from rolling my eyes.
“Why do you not tell them I am not a male?” I fill a bowl with water and let the reptile climb onto the table to drink while I find where Hagrid had put the rat cage.
“There was nothing in any of the books we found that said how to distinguish a male Norwegan Ridgeback from a female. It would be suspicious if I told them you were a girl,” I tell her, letting her snatch a few rats from the crate. Norbert whines some more before falling asleep for a nap. I remain in the hut with a pale of water until Hagrid comes to release me for the night. I start sneaking down at night to help with feedings, only mildly disgruntled when Ron shows up a week later.
“Be careful,” Hagrid warned the boy as I stood to the side watching. Ron was overeager and eventually got nipped on the hand. Hagrid had me wrap his hand while he told the boy off for startling the beast. Ron stared at Hagrid with disbelief drenching his face as I cleaned the bite. I roll my eyes as he stomps away in a huff. He doesn’t even know what he did wrong. I leave as well, letting Hagrid bond with Norbert as he sings a lullaby for the Ridgeback.
“Why is Ronikins in the hospital wing?” Fred and George ask at our study session the next day. I raise a brow at the look they were giving me, choosing to ignore the way Pansy giggled at the exchange.
“I have no idea,” I deflect, “I had nothing to do with it.”
“Ron says he got bit by a dog,”
“You didn’t sic Fang on him did you?”
“For goodness sake,” Hermione groaned, “Can you do this later? It’s hard to concentrate with you interrogating Eva.” I stick my tongue out at the twins with a smug look on my face only to deflate at the warning look I get from the bookworm.
“Blaise went to go ‘borrow a book’ from Weasley the Fourth. He might not be in a good mood when you see him,” Draco warned Harry and Hermione. I smile as I look around our table, at how everyone had gotten close during the semester. Draco and Harry were sitting with their heads bent together over their homework. Cedric was helping Neville with a transfiguration spell with Percy watching to make sure they didn’t make something explode. The twins were still formulating the spiked sweets, occasionally sliding the parchment over to me to get my opinion. And Pansy was leaning her head on Hermione’s shoulder as they worked on their revisions together. After my birthday, I started noticing more and more how important our little family was to everyone.
Later that night Hermione found me in my plant room, the look on her face making me worry.
“What’s wrong, Piseag?” I bit my tongue when the Scottish Gaelic nickname slipped out.
“Norbert is being moved on Saturday. Zabini got the letter from Charlie though, he knows when it's happening.” Hermione slumped into a chair.
“So soon? I’m going to miss the little fella,” I gently stroke the vine of the flitterbloom I was taking care of. The tentacle-like appendage wrapped around my hand as the plant detected my distress.
“You know he can’t be kept here, not only is Norbert growing spectacularly fast but he is eventually going to burn down Hagrid’s hut.” I was reminded. I nod to let her know that I heard her, letting my attention stay on the plants. I give the flitterbloom one last pat before grabbing the watering can and moving on to the fanged pansies. I drop the watering can as I jump back from the plant when it tries to bite me.
“Are you okay? What happened?” Hermione was by my side, her hands grabbing mine to inspect me for damage.
“I’m fine, Mia.” I let her worry, but when my words don’t ease the furrow in her brow I stop her hands and give them a gentle squeeze. “Hermione, I’m fine,” Her eyes rise to meet mine at the use of her actual name.
“I don’t know why you keep those plants, you could get hurt.” She sighs with a glare at the pansies.
“They’re harmless most of the time, they just want food,” I reassure her, guiding her back to the chairs.
“At least you’re not helping with Norbert anymore, he bit Fang’s tail!” Hermione relents, curling up in the chair like her codename. Maybe that’s how she got it?
“Norbert’s just wanting to play,” I shake my head with a fond smile, “Baby dragons don’t have to worry about biting each other with the scales and all that.”
Hermione rolls her eyes and pulls her homework from her bag as I finish the rounds. I join her in the chairs and pull my Irish Gaelic to English dictionary out of my bag. I spent the rest of the week getting more involved with the classes to distract me from Norbert’s eventual departure. When Saturday arrived I hid behind a suit of armor as I wait for the trio of Gryffindors to arrive. A hand wraps around my wrist, a feeling of wrongness creeping up my skin from the source of contact. I was quick to yank my arm from their hold knocking the armor over, it was just barely stopped from hitting the ground with a hurried whisper of the levitation spell.
My breathing was harsh as I took a few steps back, itching at my wrist as I tried to get the feeling from my skin. Muffled sounds flowed around me as tremors raked through my body. A hand appeared over my frantic hands and I flinch away from the appendage. Looking up I was greeted by two worried faces.
“It’s just us,” Harry had a sympathetic look in his eyes. My mind was catching up with my surroundings and I was able to start calming my breathing back down and let Hermione touch me. I sink forward to let my forehead fall on her shoulder as her hands soothed over my irritated skin. Her touch washed the wrongness away and I pull back to give them a weak smile.
“We need to go,” I whisper, and let Hermione put me between her and Harry under the invisibility cloak. The night was very dark, the clouds blocking any light from the moon. A perfect night to smuggle a baby dragon out of the castle. Norbert was ready to go with rats and brandy galore in with her.
“I’ve packed his teddy bear in case he gets lonely.” Hagrid’s voice was muffled in his grief. I bite my lip at the sound of ripping fabric, wanting to hug the giant man but after earlier I was hesitant to let anyone else touch me.
“I think Norbert just ripped the head off the teddy,” Harry muttered to me as he helped Hermione cover the crate with the cloak.
“Bye-bye, Norbert!” Hagrid sobbed and I was quick to hiss for the dragon to behave before the others slipped under the cloak with the crate. “Mummy will never forget you!”
It was slow going to get the crate up the hill back to the castle, how two eleven-year-olds and a twelve-year-old accomplished the task was beyond me. Midnight was ticking closer and I finally grew tired of heaving the crate up the stairs and set my corner down on the step.
“Oh for Godric’s sake!” I hiss, stealing Hermione’s wand. I murmur the levitation charm and left the other three trailing behind me as I finish the stairs. We went down corridors and up more stairs on our journey to the tallest tower.
“Nearly there!” Harry panted when we reached the corridor beneath the tallest tower. Sudden movement ahead of us had me stopping with a jerk, making Harry mumble a curse. I force them into the shadows as I watch the dark outlines of two people grappling with each other just feet away from us. A lamp flared to life.
Minnie, in her tartan bathrobe and hair net, had Blaise by the ear. The blood drained from my face as I took in the scene, noticing Akira slinking into sight as she scented the air. I made eye contact with the kneazle and felt as if the familiar was seeing through the invisibility cloak as her eyes narrowed.
“Detention!” Minnie’s voice had me breaking my eyes away from Akira. “And twenty points from Slytherin! Wandering around in the middle of the night, how dare you - “
“You don’t understand, Professor. Harry Potter’s coming with a dragon!”
“What utter rubbish! How dare you tell such lies! Having a dragon is illegal, where would he even get one?! Now come, I shall see Professor Snape about you, Zabini!” Minnie dragged the boy away, Akira waiting a few seconds before following.
The steep spiral staircase up to the top of the tower was over in a blink after that. We drop the cloak after the brisk night air hit us and I pulled in a few unobstructed breaths. Hermione did a sort of jig.
“Zabini’s got detention! I could sing!” She giggled.
“Don’t,” Harry advised, a smile pulling at his mouth.
Chuckling about Zabini, we waited. Norbert was thrashing about in her crate. Hermione let me tuck myself under her arm when I started to shiver a minute into the wait and Harry came to huddle on her other side. At the ten-minute mark, four broomsticks came swooping out of the darkness.
“Pipsqueak! How in the world did you get wrapped up with a dragon?” Charlie caught me up in a hug. “Wait, you can sniff out the most bizarre creature and befriend it with no problem.” I slap him in retaliation before dragging him over to where Harry and Hermione were listening to the other three explain the harness they rigged up. We stood back to give them room to buckle the crate into the harness.
“Charlie, this is Hermione. She’s my friend from years ago,” I introduce the two as Harry started shaking the hands of the other three dragon researchers.
“Nice to meet you, any friend of Pip here is a friend of mine. Careful she doesn’t drag you into studying too much, this one is relentless when it comes to homework.” Charlie warns with a big smile. I reach out to punch his shoulder only for him to dodge the attack.
“Don’t forget to write every now and then,” Charlie waves, and then they were going…going…gone.
We slipped back down the spiral staircase, the other two looked like they had been relieved of the weight of the world off their shoulders. But I felt the loss of the dragon like a pain in my chest. But there was something to be said about Zabini in detention and the threat of Hagrid getting arrested gone that lifted my spirits. What could ruin this moment for us?
Filch waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs is the answer to my unasked question.
“Well, well, well,” He whispered, his eyes locked on me specifically, “we are in trouble.” Harry’s hands went to pat at his pockets and I have to stop myself from smacking my forehead. We left the invisibility cloak at the top of the tower. Akira appeared on our trip to Minnie’s study on the first floor, where Filch left us to wait for her.
Hermione was trembling on the seat next to me and Harry was stuck in his head. Minnie isn’t going to accept any excuses for being out of bed this late and at the tower that was off-limits except for classes.
“This is as bad as it gets, nothing could make this worse,” Harry mutters to himself.
“You had to say that,” Hermione whined, “it always gets worse when you say that.”
I tilt my head a fraction of an inch as I hear slippered feet approaching, curling up for protection before I notice what I was doing. Minnie comes into her study with Neville trailing behind her, his head hung low.
“Harry!” Neville burst when he saw us. “I was trying to find you to warn you. I heard Zabini saying he was going to catch you, he said you had a drag-”
Harry shook his head and Neville fell silent as it registered what he was saying. But Minnie was watching them with sharp eyes. I could imagine smoke coming out of her nose like Norbert with how mad she looked.
“I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr. Filch says you were up at the Astronomy Tower. It’s one o’clock in the morning. Explain yourselves .” I flinch at her tone, tightening my balled-up position.
For once in her life, Hermione didn’t answer a question from a teacher. She was busy examining her slippers with her muscles tensed enough to imitate a statue. Harry wasn’t explaining either so Minnie turned her sharp gaze on me. I refused to look up, knowing I wasn’t going to be able to keep it a secret from her.
“I think I’ve got a good idea of what’s been going on,” Minnie folded her arms as she regarded the three of us. “It doesn’t take a genius to work it out. You fed Blaise Zabini some cock-and-bull story about a dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I’ve already caught him. I suppose you think it’s funny that Longbottom here heard the story and believed it, too?” I peek out of my knees to see the hurt and confusion in Neville’s eyes.
Neville had just wanted to help his friends, and to go out in the dark no less. The boy deserved to be in Gryffindor.
“I’m disgusted,” said Minnie. “Four students out of bed in one night! I’ve never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. As for you, Mr. Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this.”
“Mamaidh,” I try to speak up only for her to raise a hand.
“I will get to you later,” She didn’t take her eyes off the two Gryffindors in front of her.
“All three of you will receive detention - yes, you too, Mr. Longbottom, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it’s very dangerous - and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor.”
“ Fifty? ” Harry gasped. There goes their lead after the last quidditch match.
“Fifty points each ,” Minnie said, breathing heavily through her nose.
“Professor - please- “
“You can’t - “
“Don’t tell me what I can and can’t do, Potter. I’ve never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students. Get to bed, all of you.” Minnie dismissed us. There was a lag in my body following through with my thought to move, my body unfolding from the chair slowly.
“I still need to talk with you, Miss McGonagall.” I froze at the hardness in her tone. I have never heard Minnie this mad before, not even when the hippogriff had gotten loose in the school. I stand still as the three shuffle into the hallway, leaving us alone.
“Will you tell me what really happened?” Minnie questioned. I can’t tell her, no, Hagrid would get in trouble. My mask was firmly in place, refusing to let the tears fall from my eyes at the thought of disappointing her.
“Very well,” Minnie sighed, “You are grounded for the next week. You are to sit in all of my classes, sit up at the head table with me every meal, and no study group with your friends in the library.” It was fair, I had broken her trust. I nod in acceptance and follow her back to our chambers, never once raising my head from where it was hanging. Minnie offered me a hug once in the living room and I sink into her embrace.
“You know why I’m doing this, right?” She whispered against my hair and I nod into her bathrobe. I was sent to bed with a kiss pressed to my head.
I was hopeless to watch as all of Gryffindor turned its back on my three friends, their fall from first to last in the house cup running was a sore subject. The Slytherins were thanking them for their fall in the ranking since they were now on track to win the cup for the second year in a row. I kept my walls up throughout the day, sitting at my desk in the front of Minnie’s classroom with my eyes on the papers there. I was concerned when Hermione didn’t answer the questions asked, risking a look up to see the three sitting together at the back of the Gryffindors. So they were being shunned.
I was released from my grounding with one week from exams. I was walking by Minnie’s study when I hear her muttering angrily to herself. I poke my head in to see her sending three notes off.
“Are those the detention assignments?” I ask softly and Minnie’s shoulders drop as she motioned me further in.
“Yes, they were. I don’t know what Albus is thinking, sending first-years into the Forbidden Forest to search for the monster killing the unicorns,” Minnie scoffed, her brow furrowed in her anger.
“But the forest is off-limits to students!” I cry in shock. Something was nagging me at the back of my mind, but I didn’t have all the pieces to put the puzzle together.
“Hagrid is going with them, but that is no excuse.” Minnie pulled me into a hug and I let her hold me close as I sink into the hug. “Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m very glad you are not a student or you would have had to go with them.”
I tightened my hold on her, knowing she was just as scared of losing me as I was of losing her.
“Look who’s finally free from her prison sentence!” The twins cheered when I finally join them in the library, plopping on the far end of the couch from them.
“I’m so sorry,” Harry rushed out and I look up to see the guilt on his face.
“Not your fault, I didn’t have to go with you,” I reassure him.
“But,”
“Harry, I wanted to go with you. I wouldn’t have missed seeing Charlie and saying goodbye to Norbert.” I flick a small ball of parchment at the bespectacled boy. He snatches the parchment out of the air with a shy grin.
“So there was a dragon!” Neville perked up and I nod with the other two Gryffindors in confirmation.
“I thought Blaise had lost his bloody mind!” Pansy sat up straighter, displacing Hermione from her shoulder.
“Where did you get a dragon?” Cedric leaned forward, his brows raised in disbelief.
“Hagrid won the egg off of some bloke at the pub,” I shrug.
“Of course, that man got his hands on a dragon egg,” Percy rolled his eyes as he returned his attention to the book in front of him.
“It fits with his cerberus,” Hermione muttered as she replaces her head on her soulmate’s shoulder.
“What?!” Everyone that hasn’t met Fluffy stares at her in surprise and I sober up at the thought of their detention.
“Do you know what you’re doing for detention?” I bristle at their negative responses.
“Dumbledore doesn’t even tell you what you're going to be doing?” I growl, getting surprised looks from everyone.
“Whoa there, Pip. What do you know?” George quirks his brow and I push off the couch to pace our space, muttering angrily under my breath as I try to word my thoughts properly.
“Dumbledore thought it would be a befitting punishment to send you into the Forbidden Forest to hunt unicorn-killing monsters. You are being punished for being out of bed! Why is it that the first punishment is to send you into a dangerous situation?” I fume, dodging Pansy’s attempt to stop my pacing.
“The Forbidden Forest?!” The three of them paled in tandem. Pansy pulled Hermione closer to her as Draco gripped Harry’s sleeve and Cedric reached out for Neville.
“Unicorn killing monster?” Percy was gripping the table with white knuckles.
“You’re not going to are you?” The twins were on their feet, blocking my path. I flinch back from them as my mind starts to spin with everything that I had learned about the creatures and plants that live in the forest. Every possible scenario played through my mind about what could go wrong, the air cackling with my volatile magic. I stop and blink slowly a few times as it feels like a warm blanket had been wrapped around me, soothing my magic back into calm waves.
“You did the thing,” Draco said and I turn my head to look at the blond, not having his words register in my mind.
“I didn’t mean to!” Pansy hissed before she appeared in front of me. She reached her hand out and I don’t hesitate to place mine in hers and let her guide me over to sit between her and Hermione.
“What did you do?” George asked as I slumped against Pansy’s shoulder.
“Conas é seo a mhíniú? I can feel the magical aura in everything around me, right? Well, I also can use my magical aura to probe at things. In this case, I can use my magic to calm people down.” Hermione’s hand started rubbing circles on my back as Pansy ran her fingers through my hair.
“The first time she does this feels like you’ve been stunned. Utterly hilarious to watch,” Draco barks a laugh. I watch through heavy-lidded eyes as the Malfoy heir leans into Harry’s side even further as he shakes with laughter. The Boy Who Lived just wrapped his arm around his waist to keep him from falling out of his chair.
“I have never seen her this docile before,” Percy breathed in wonder. I tilt my head to give him a sleepy smile.
“If you remove the last letter of Weasley, and flip the l and e you get weasel. Weasels live in burrows, does this mean the Weasleys are actually weasels posing as humans?” I ask the dead silent group.
“Merlin’s balls! You got her high!” Fred collapsed in his fit of laughter as the other Weasleys looked to be rethinking their entire existence. I don’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed. When I had last hung out with just Hermione and Pansy? Yeah, that sounds right. Why am I not telling them about our bond again?
“Mamaidh is going to be mad!” I giggle, raising my hand to run my fingers through the ends of Pansy’s hair. It was like touching water, slipping right through my phalanges without getting caught. My fingers would get stuck in Hermione’s hair. That would hurt. I gasp, sitting up straight as I stare at the Weasley twins, ignoring the concerned looks on the other’s faces.
“Do you have snacks? Crisps?” I make grabby hands at the redheads who hesitate. I pout, feeling my lip start to tremble and my eyes water. Their eyes widen and they start to rummage frantically through their bags. I squeal happily when I was presented with crisps, snuggling back down between the two witches as I started munching on my snack.
“Is Eva, a cat?” Neville voices and I twist my head to see him properly, confused as to what he meant.
“That should not be comfortable,” Percy intones.
“Oh my God, Harry she reminds me of Norbert,” Hermione whispers, watching me with wide eyes. I frown when there were no crisps left in the package and drop the bag to press my face more firmly into Pansy’s side as I hug her arm to my chest. The warmth surrounding me was comforting, and I let the feeling of contentment lull me into sleep, my mind finally turned off.