SEVEN A WRINKLE IN TIME

"Eurydice! Please tell the boys I'm not crazy for already having the potions essay done!" came Hermione's voice from over by the window. The girl had just been minding her business taking up the loveseat with a book in her hands, a muggle book Heloise had given her called A Wrinkle In Time. It was quite an interesting read and she had almost forgotten where she was until the Granger girl called her name. Since the incident with Katie Bell, there was a closeness that seemed to be ingrained in Hermione and Eurydice as if it was a... girls sticking together thing they mutually understood about it. Eurydice was just grateful to have a friend in her own house.

"I've started it, but please don't tell me you've finished!" Eurydice called back with a laugh, not looking up from her book. Her attention was re-directed when someone pulled the book from her hands.

"Meg smiled with pleasure," Harry read from the page with a smile on his face as Eurydice fought for the book. "She could feel herself blushing and she wondered if the blush would be visible in the moonlight — what's this about, Di?"

"It's about magic!" Eurydice explained as Harry laughed and handed her the book, "I love muggle interpretations of magic, so much more imaginative than we are! Who would've thought we just wear these silly old robes instead of big, magnificent ensembles? Rather boring, I say."

Hermione ran over, leaning over the back of the couch, "Is that A Wrinkle in Time? My mum read it to me when I was younger, you're going to hate the ending."

"Why would you tell her that, 'Mione?" Ron added with a scoff, "Now she's not gonna finish it!"

"Oh, calm down, I'll finish it," Eurydice shook her head as she placed her bookmark between the pages and held the book on her lap. It was strange to think about how quickly things had changed. Eurydice hadn't expected to grow closer with Harry this year, especially after last year's mistakes, yet here she was, being included in their conversations like she had always been one of their friends. "Sheesh, you guys are far too invested in my progress with this novel."

"Whatever, what're you writing for your potions essay? This one won't let us copy hers," Ron groaned and Hermione swatted him playfully. "Ow!"

Eurydice laughed as Harry motioned for her to move her legs so he could sit down next to her. She let him, turning to Ron and saying, "You are not copying anything from me — ask Harry, he's the new potions expert, isn't he?"

"Not with essays!" Harry whined, "It's like twelve inches of parchment to do!"

"That's nothing!" Hermione and Eurydice shouted at the same time before bursting into a fit of giggles.

"Merlin, now we've got two girls laughing at us, I can't take this, I'm off to bed!" the ginger exclaimed, "'Arry, you coming?"

Harry looked at Ron for a moment before shaking his head, "I'll be up in a few."

"Don't wait up on my account, I've just got my book and my fire," Eurydice chuckled as she waved the book gently, her eyes focusing on the flame in front of her instead of the boy next to her.

Hermione seemed to pick up something that Eurydice didn't quite grasp because she yawned and said, "Well, I think I'm gonna turn in as well. See you guys tomorrow."

Eurydice was quiet once they were alone. It was just her and Harry in the common room, but she wasn't sure what she could say. Finally, Harry broke the silence, "Don't mind me, go ahead and read your book."

The girl thought for a moment before opening to the page she was on and continuing where she left off, "Okay, hold it, you two," came a voice out of the shadows. Charles Wallace stepped into the moonlight. "I wasn't spying on you," he said quickly, "and I hate to break things up, but this is it, kids, this is it!" his voice quivered with excitement.

"This is what?"  Calvin asked.

"We're going."

"Going? Where?" Meg reached out and instinctively grabbed for Calvin's hand."

"Eurydice?" Harry interrupted, his voice softer than she thought she had ever heard. She looked up at him, closing the book ever so softly. He was closer to her now, she could almost feel his warmth but she couldn't be sure it wasn't from the open flame in front of them. The heat radiating through her veins was certainly not from the fire, she knew that. "Can we... can we try again?"

There was no way this was happening. She had to have fallen asleep on the loveseat and now she was in a dream. Yet, here she was, as she nodded and Harry pressed his lips against hers it felt so undeniably real. It was soft and slow in a way she has never been kissed before, her manicured nails pressing ever so gently against Harry's jawline, scared to grip too tightly for fear he would fade away and she would wake up alone. Harry tangled one hand in her dark hair as he held the side of her face, fingers twisting around black locks with ease.

It was over too quickly as someone cleared their throat. Breaking apart, Eurydice looked over to the stairs where Ron was standing in his pajamas, red in the face.

"Uh, sorry to... interrupt, I was just gonna ask when Harry was comin' to bed, never mind me, I'll just... be going now," Ron said, not giving them any time to respond before he very slowly headed back up the stairs. Eurydice was fairly sure she heard him mutter something to himself as if he was coming to terms with what he just saw.

As soon as he was gone, Eurydice and Harry looked at each other before both of them burst out laughing. It felt good to genuinely laugh for the first time in too long. Things had gotten oddly dark at Hogwarts and Eurydice couldn't remember the last time she had a genuine fit of can't-breathe laugher.

"I guess that's what we get," Harry laughed after a moment. He looked over at the book that had been since tossed aside, "Now, uh, I believe we were going somewhere?"

"Yes, we were," Eurydice shook her head teasingly, biting back her smile as she picked up the book once more and began to read, "I don't know exactly," Charles Wallace said. "But I think it's to find father."

Suddenly, two eyes seemed to spring at them out of the darkness; it was the moonlight striking on Mrs. Who's glasses. She was standing next to Charles Wallace, and how she had managed to appear where a moment ago there had been nothing but flickering shadows in the moonlight Meg had no idea. She heard a sound behind her and turned around. There was Mrs. Whatsit scrambling over the wall..."

She wasn't sure how long they sat there in front of the fire, reading A Wrinkle In Time, but with the way Harry was looking at her she could have stayed there forever. The clock had to be pointing well past the one when she finally yawned and stretched, closing the book for the last time that night.

"I think we should head off to bed now, classes in the morning and such," the girl spoke, standing up from the loveseat and cracking her back. "I hope my voice wasn't too droning for you to listen to."

"It was beautiful," Harry said as he stood up as well. It seemed like he hadn't said this on purpose because his cheeks flooded red and she held back her giggle. "Er, sorry, uh, goodnight, Eurydice."

As she stood at the base of the stairs, she longed to kiss him again, but now wasn't the time for that, she just knew. She smiled, "Goodnight, Harry."