As Minerva McGonagall entered the great hall, the students stopped talking. The woman allowed a small smile to grace her lips, only for it to vanish when she saw Albus. Her old friend looked haggard, to say the least about his terrible state.

For some reason, he wasn't eating in the great hall for the last month. If that was not enough, the man barely left his office. The only time that she tried to drag him out, kicking and screaming if necessary, she was quickly dismissed. Any other time, she might have put up a fight. However, she was far too shocked with all the maps, books, and notes that were strewn around the once pristine office. Albus must be working on some more research, is what she told herself in efforts to excuse his recent behaviour. If the situation continued, she would contact Aberforth, consequences be damned!

"Good evening, students!" she greeted, ready to give the speech that she knew by heart, which was surprising considering how much she had invested in it. Namely, less than five minutes, but she had a great memory. "Tonight, we are celebrating Yule, or as Muggles call it, Christmas or Hanukkah. This ball is for all of you to enjoy, and more importantly, to remember the reason why the Trischool Tournament is taking place: to forge friendships. You are all given the chance to meet new people with different backgrounds and cultures; enjoy this opportunity to make friends that may turn into life-long confidants.

"You are all young," the woman announced, a mischievous smirk stretching her lips. "As youngsters, I am aware there will be misbehaviour. All I'm asking is to use your common sense and be safe. In any case, you will have more leeway for tonight, but the teachers will be patrolling the grounds just in case. Now that formalities are out of the way, our champions will open the ball!"

As the doors of the hall opened and the champions entered the room with their dates, Minerva couldn't contain the content and somewhat nostalgic sigh. Yet another generation came and would soon leave the school.

She watched as Harry Potter guided his date, whispering something into the girl's ear, making her smile. It was endearing to see yet another Potter in the process of courting, or at least that's what she hoped.

The day the boy asked her permission to invite a person who was not part of the student body, she wasspeechless. Minerva never expected him to date outside the school, but then she realized that is the only situation in which he would actually date. Much to her chagrin, she admitted Hogwarts was filled with either his fans or haters; there was no in between. It was a shame the youngsters didn't realize Harry Potter was not perfect and that fame came at a much higher price than any human could really afford.

In the eyes of the public, the poor boy had to be perfect and, if he committed even the slightest mistake, people would crucify him for it. He was not allowed to date or even be too close to any female, lest outrageous and ridiculous rumours would be spread. Once again, Minerva thanked Amelia for accepting the position of Minister. She heard from Filius the stupid articles the Prophet wanted to publish about the last Potter. Only Amelia's iron control over it and perhaps some intimidation techniques, courtesy of Moody, kept the worst of those slimy leeches at bay.

Better than anyone she knew how much words could hurt and how many lights had been extinguished because of blind hatred. She took a minute to remember all those promising individuals who were long lost to pain. When she opened her eyes, her gaze focused on her favourite student.

It was almost eerie how similar the boy was to his mother, following her steps as if they were written directions. Both were excellent students, but overall, kind souls. Not to mention they had similar tastes... Far too similar for it to be a coincidence. Sometimes, she wondered if a little bit of Lily was still alive in her son. After all, magic worked in mysterious ways.

More than a decade ago, Minerva had the opportunity to meet young Lily Potter's beau during one of the Hogsmeade visits. Yes, much to her growing frustration, the boy seemed to fit better with her than James. He was mature, always asking Lily's permission to initiate physical contact, even though they were dating for long, all because he didn't wish to put her in an uncomfortable situation. The boy respected her and her decisions, something that a young James was never able to do. And yes, Minerva begrudgingly admitted the boy was so good looking that Lily and he made what looked like the perfect couple.

She thanked whatever was controlling this life for allowing James to become Head Boy. That year was pivotal for him to understand that his last name did not grant him superiority over others... She also thanked Dorea, for disciplining her son in time. Until this day, Minerva had no idea why Dorea stormed into the great hall with her husband in tow during the boy's fifth-year, both looking at James with an inscrutable expression. For a week, James didn't attend classes. Afterwards, he acted like a different person. The pranks the Marauders pulled changed in nature; no longer were there crying victims. Sometimes, she wished she knew.

A peal of soft laughter interrupted her train of thought. The Asian girl was smiling as Harry lifted her, a slight scowl on his lips. Minerva took the moment to examine the girl further. The woman's first impression of her was simple, her brain shut down for a moment in order to try to assimilate the girl's exotic beauty. Her dark caramel skin contrasted with the pearly white dress she was wearing, her black hair was fashioned in an intricate style, held back by an ornate comb. Now, she could observe the girl acting as a teenager rather than the perfect doll she appeared to be in her office.

The girl was graceful and moved with Harry as if they danced a hundred times. There was also certain familiarity in the way they held a whispered conversation while ignoring the world around them. Yes! Minerva was certain that she would win the bet before the summer; she could almost savour all the sweets she was going to enjoy during her vacation.

"Don't even think about it, the pot's mine," Filius warned her, an amused smile adorning his face.

"Just look at them!" she grumbled, signalling the pair.

"Exactly, I am looking and that's how I know that Harry won't have a girlfriend this year... or in the near future," the man said with a sigh, the amusement vanished from his visage, leaving behind something that Minerva was unable to decipher.

Sometimes, she really wanted to see what Filius did, but she knew that her sanity would be obliterated by the knowledge. So she only smiled and placed a comforting hand on her colleague's shoulder.

Sometimes, it was better not to know.

"They're looking at you," Harry whispered to Hwasa as they walked onto the dance floor.

"Who wouldn't?" was her easy response, a smirk pulling on the commissure of her lips.

For some reason, the student body was left speechless at the sight of the six champions entering the room, their eyes never leaving the group. Harry could understand them to a certain point. Fleur was leading the procession. While the girl looked stunning on daily basis, she put especial care into her appearance for the night, looking even more beautiful. Also, it was a surprise for the students to see Neville Longbottom, the quiet Gryffindor boy, as her date.

There was also Daphne. The girl could punch most male students and they would thank her, believing themselves to be lucky. Tonight, she looked like a real ice queen - as beautiful and untouchable as ever. Not to mention the tiny, but considerably important, detail of the popular Cedric Diggory having Luna as her date for the night. If that was not enough, two of the most popular champions had unknown people as companions.

Harry looked at his sister, walking in front of him, giggling at something that Viktor said. That was the moment he decided that he really cared about the Bulgarian boy. However, if he got too close to his sister, then he would personally apologize to the Krum matriarch because her son would never be able to give her grandchildren.

"You're glaring," Hwasa admonished him in a whisper as they got in position to dance. "If you continue looking at Lizzy people will think that you like her more than me."

She used her nails to caress his neck as the music began playing and he had to use all of his self-control to not react. He did not want her claws anywhere near his body. While life was hard, Harry enjoyed living it, thank you very much.

"I like her more than you," he stated without hesitation.

"How dare you!" she hissed in faux indignation.

"Get your claws away from my jugular, woman," Harry said in the most even tone he could muster.

"You're no fun."

"I have literally seen you attack people with those," he deadpanned.

"Only a few... Okay, yeah, more than a few. That's the reason I keep them long," she whined, clearly wanting to make some kind of childish face but unwilling to do it in front of so many people. "Whatever, the old man wants to talk with you during the holidays."

"Did he say when?"

"He only said you should visit him. Don't look at me like that, I'm just the messenger."

They continued to dance in silence for a few moments. The song picked up in intensity.

"Are you sure you're going to be able to lift me?" the girl asked, a teasing edge on her voice.

"I don't mean to compliment you, but you don't look heavy."

"I do mean to offend you, but you look weak."

Harry scowled at her and lifted her without problems when the time came. However, he had to admit that she was heavier than he expected. How could something so small weigh so much? He kept all these thoughts to himself; otherwise, more than his pride would end up bruised before the dance was over.

"When did you have the time to rehearse this dance?" Harry asked instead. A heavy sigh was the only answer he received.

"Your aunt was really excited, she sent Ella to teach me," she reluctantly admitted.

"My apologies, Ella can be quite intense."

"She's a sadist," was the cheery response, a somewhat pained smile plastered on the princess' face.

The music stopped and the hall was filled with deafening applause. The champions gave a slight bow to the students and then proceeded to their table.

Harry took advantage of the moment to look for his friends. There, at a secluded table were the Weasley twins, talking animatedly with their friends. He could only recognize a few of the Gryffindor Quidditch team and a dark-skinned boy who tended to help them with their experiments. On a nearby table, Justin, Draco and Blaise were talking with a group of people. Of them, Harry only recognized Daphne's little sister and Madam Bones' niece, yet he guessed that the older girl who was sitting beside Blaise was his date. That said, this conclusion had little to do with his prodigious brain, as he liked to call it, and more to do with the blatant flirting the duo were engaged in.

On the other side of the room, there were the rest of his friends, sitting with older students. Adrian and Flora were laughing at something the guy beside Terrence said. Perhaps the same thing that made the boy blush a fiery pink. For some reason, Theo and Hestia were sitting with another group, too engaged in conversation to even look at the dance floor.

Seeing his friends interacting with people outside of the group made Harry smile. It was good their circle of friends and acquaintances extended beyond the limits of the Court. Humans were social animals and even the most solitary ones needed to interact with others every once in a while. Besides, he would feel guilty and mildly worried if their social lives circled around him.

"So, we're supposed to enjoy a late dinner and then dance some more?" Elizabeth asked of no one in particular as she eyed the champions' table, clear distaste in her expression.

"That's basically what a ball consists of," Daphne told the girl, though she mirrored her expression.

"At least we don't have to deal with pompous boot-lickers," Cedric provided cheerfully.

"Don't be mean to the boot-lickers," Luna admonished the prefect. "They like the taste of dragonhide. The ones you mean are called politicians."

Harry had to bite back the smile that threatened to appear. Count on Luna to animate the situation. When they were all in their places, food appeared in the middle of the table. With a sigh, Harry remembered why he did not enjoy the food at school. Ignoring his plate, he filled his goblet with fruit juice and hoped Dudi had been the one to make it; otherwise, he would stick with water for the night. He was not surprised when the princess and his sister were the first ones to dig into the desserts, followed closely by the other females. What is it with the double X chromosome and the constant craving for sugar? Harry wondered.

"What?" Hwasa asked in an innocent tone while she ate her ice cream.

"This is meant to be a late dinner."

"You're the one who hasn't even touched the food. Besides, it's far too late to have dinner."

"You're eating ice cream," he deadpanned, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Your point is?" she asked, taking another spoonful.

Harry decided to ignore the girl in favour of his sanity. From a distant corner of his conscious mind, he heard his sister, Fleur, Daphne, and Hwasa having a heated debate about ice cream favours, with Iwan and Viktor being active contributors. Neville and Luna were having a calmer conversation about different types of plants and animals. He opened his eyes when he felt someone poking his side.

"At least I'm not the only one who isn't a fan of ice-cream or a nature connoisseur," Cedric joked, smiling slightly.

"Never say that in front of them, they'll try to exorcise you," he warned his friend, not entirely joking. "So how did the Quidditch match go?"

"Right, you were duelling with Flitwick," the prefect murmured. Harry wondered if he asked the right question when he saw the fanatic glint on the boy's eyes. "It was a tie. Tough match that one, the three Gryffindor chasers recruited players from different houses. Honestly, Angelina has an eye for talent! If Fred hadn't asked her out then I would have."

"I'm guessing they're your toughest competition for the cup."

"Yeah, Fleur will make us train until we drop, she wasn't happy with the results."

"Your fault for making her the captain," Harry commented, amused at the pained expression of the older.

"We didn't make her the captain... Well, yeah, we sort of did," Cedric admitted sheepishly.

"Are you staying with us during the holidays?"

"I want to, but my father didn't like the idea," was the dejected answer he received.

"Are you coming to visit us then? One of my elves can pop you to the castle whenever you want."

"Really? Then yeah, I would really like that. Thank you, Harry."

"Don't worry about it; you're always welcome at my house. Besides, my elves need people to take care of or they'll rebel."

The conversation died there and they settled into a comfortable silence while Cedric ate his meal and Harry took sips of his juice. The latter lost his sense of time, far too consumed in his own thoughts to pay attention to his surroundings until something ice-cold was placed on his neck. The boy resisted the urge to flinch, though his back stiffened. Without any hesitation, he grabbed the princess's gelid hand and placed it in her lap, glaring at the smiling girl throughout the process.

"You weren't paying attention to me," she said in a singsong voice.

"That's not a good reason to attack me."

"What do you mean? I was just fixing your tie."

This lie was delivered so swiftly that, if Harry did not know the girl any better, he wouldn believe her. Giving up on the subject, he looked around only to notice that the table was empty.

"And the others?"

"You were so distracted that you missed the speech of one of your professors. She also invited all the students to dance, so they went to have fun."

After her explanation, he noticed all the people crowding the dance floor. However, the music that made the floor vibrate was so soft it could be dismissed as white noise. For a moment, he wondered how the professors managed to do it. This did not last long, as he could almost hear Aunt Eleadora nagging him for not treating his date right.

"Do you want to dance?" he offered to his date, extending his hand.

"Oh my! And here I thought you would never ask," she muttered in faux surprise.

Hwasa moved her hand, not towards Harry, but towards the hem of her dress. She lifted it until her ankles were visible.

"I can't dance in these."

"You did just fine the last time," he pointed, but internally agreed with her. No wonder she was almost his height, the woman was wearing stilts instead of shoes.

"But it's painful," she almost whined, a slight pout on her lips.

"You forget a really important detail," he murmured, nearing her. "We have magic."

With a swift motion, Harry produced his wand from its holster. A graceful wave of it and the girl's shoes turned into plain flat shoes.

"You just ruined my style for the night," she sighed, "but thank you. Now, if you don't mind, we have to dance unless we want your sister to nag us for the holidays."

Harry huffed, but offered his hand once again. The pair walked towards the dance floor, ignoring the eyes that followed their every movement. He closed his eyes when the music suddenly changed from a soft background tune to whatever the band was playing. For a few seconds, he weighed the pros and the cons of losing his hearing to blasting music or losing it to his aunt. In the end, the former won by a wide margin. In his humble opinion, this torture would only last a few hours; his aunt would bother him the whole holidays. The woman had an obsession for making Harry experience what she called 'what every teenager should try at least once.'

They settled into a semi-free spot... Well, it was more one of the few places where people were not crammed together and it was the best he was hoping to get. They began dancing.

"You're too stiff," Hwasa yelled in his ear, though her voice was almost lost to the music.

"I don't know how to dance to this," he admitted, begrudgingly.

The beats were contagious but utterly unknown. He was totally lost in this new territory.

"Oh, so there is something the great Harry Potter cannot do! And it's simply dancing!" Hwasa covered her mouth, holding his shoulder to steady herself for her laughter made her lose her balance. He was not amused at her reaction.

There are many things that Harry could tolerate, but having his pride harmed was not one of them. He silently bade farewell to his stoic image. However, if he was challenged to do something, he would do it. He was challenged to dance, so he would dance. Hwasa yelped when Harry suddenly twirled her around.

"You shouldn't have said that," he whispered into her ear as she glared at him.

For a reason he was yet unable to understand, the tight control that he kept over himself dissolved. For the first time in many years, he allowed himself to let go of his inhibitions, even if it was just for a few hours.

Harry did not know how much time passed, but he guessed it was way past midnight. Music changed according to the bands that were playing. Likewise, his dance partners changed. While Hwasa and he were taking a break, grabbing drinks from the enchanted armour that acted as a waiter, Luna took the opportunity to snag his date away. From there on, he danced with most of his friends and their dates. In the end, he guessed it did not really matter who his dance partner was, as long as they were not too clumsy. Through many stepped-on toes, he learnt that Susan Bones was not a gifted dancer, though she had a dry sense of humour to match his own. He also discovered Neville was an excellent dancer... However, he further learnt the boy should be kept away from the punch that some student managed to spike.

While Neville had to be kept away from the punch, Blaise had to be kept away from the female population in general. All Harry knew was that his friend and his date disappeared somewhere a while ago. He only hoped Blaise respected the sanctity of the Court's Headquarters, for his own sake. On a brighter note, Harry discovered Adrian was a really emotional drunk, which was quite amusing, especially considering the boy's tough image. Terrence was also a surprise, shamelessly flirting with his date, making him blush profusely. Quite the surprise, especially considering Terrence's shy nature. Thinking about it, those two also disappeared a while ago.

Through careful observation, also known as blatant staring while you pretend to look at the wall, Harry concluded the professors were responsible for the spiked punch. Galleons were passed from one adult to another when different students reacted to the alcohol they had consumed.

In spite of all of this, or perhaps because of it, Harry enjoyed the night.

"So here you are!"

Harry looked to the side, towards the approaching princess. Her hair no longer looked immaculate, though her makeup was as perfect as ever. The wonders of magic.

"You abandoned me for Luna," he accused her when she collapsed on the chair beside him.

"Of course I did," she stated matter-of-factly. However, Harry was not concentrating on her words, but on how close she was.

"You drank that punch," he sighed, wrinkling his nose at the stench of alcohol. Suddenly, his head snapped towards the dance floor, searching around for a familiar figure.

"Lizzy didn't have any of it, don't worry! Besides, she and Victor left a while ago."

"I don't think I'm willing to trust you with that..."

"Daphne saw how your friends were acting after drinking the punch and got rid of it. Although Fleur doesn't really mind, she's having fun," she commented, pointing at the dancing couple almost eclipsing the floor.

"Do eat something before you leave, I don't want you arriving at the castle smelling like alcohol."

"Getting drunk while being underage is something everyone does, Harry. It's part of being a regular teenager."

"Excuse me if I love myself too much," he retorted, handing her the closest pastry he could find.

"You're boring," she said but took the offered treat without hesitation.

"I'm smart enough to know that consuming a depressive drug while I'm young, not to mention stressed out, can only bring negative consequences."

"You're such a spoilsport... I'm sure neither your aunt nor Sirius would mind if you indulged at least once before being a real adult."

"I agree with you. Thinking about it, Sirius would even try to encourage me. But I just don't see the point of it," he said, trying to find a way of explaining his perspective. "You can have fun without alcohol. If you don't, then you aren't really having fun."

"Well yeah, but it doesn't feel the same. I'm not talking about getting drunk to the point of forgetting your name, but about getting a little tipsy. You just forget about everything and it feels good."

"Are we really going to have a debate about drugs while you're under the influence of one?"

"Okay then, we'll do it some other time," she conceded, taking a large bite of her pastry to emphasize her indignation. Yet, she was unable to suppress her smile. "Be a good host and show me around the place," Hwasa demanded after finishing her food.

"Why?" Harry was genuinely confused at the strange request.

"This school is infamous and I, for one, am really curious. Besides, when am I going to get another chance to explore the place? Come on," she almost whined, looking at him with pleading eyes.

"Sure," he muttered with a sigh.

They walked out of the great hall in silence. Harry wondered where to take the princess because, while Hogwarts had a variety of places to explore, at this hour they were normally out of bounds, and the places that were available were far too important to him to show to any stranger. In the end, he chose the inner court.

The donation he made rendered results faster than he was expecting. The members of the Educational Board almost deemed the school unfit when they felt the gelid temperature of the hallways and some classrooms. Therefore, while they finished their inspections, they constantly cast spells to make the place habitable. This, however, had an unintended side effect. The castle's inner courtyard was also affected by this temperature change, resulting in an almost spring-like atmosphere. Considering it was still snowing and the ice melted, it was not an ideal situation.

Professor Dobrev tolerated it for exactly two days, until she almost slipped on the wet grass. The next day, multiple runes were etched on different surfaces and, although the snow kept falling, it never reached the ground. Harry guessed the elves were thankful towards the woman, if the special food she was served during meals was any indicator. At least they no longer had to clean all the mud from the hallways.

Overall, it was a pretty decent place to see, not to mention the only one he was willing to take her. Besides, he was not willing to walk outside the castle and the astronomy tower was too far. He had no idea how much of that hellish punch she consumed and stairs tended to not sit well with drunks.

They walked towards one of the gazebos in the place and sat on the closest bench.

"This place is pretty," she muttered, staring at the multiple lights illuminating the place.

Harry had to agree with her. At least whoever decorated the place had much better taste than the person in charge of the hallways did. But then again, it was not saying much. He turned around when he saw an enchanted suit of armour approaching them, tray in tow. It laid two cups in front of them and then walked away, finding a visible place to lean on and falling still.

"I guess this is how the teachers are preventing the students from having too much fun," Hwasa commented between giggles.

"Considering how it's looking at us, I may agree."

"Will you tell me what's bothering you?" she asked at last, examining the contents of her glass before sipping on it and smiling at the taste.

"What makes you think there's something bothering me?"

"Seriously," she deadpanned, sighing heavily. "Your makeup doesn't entirely cover the bags under your eyes. Also, you're much more quiet than usual and that is something. Besides, Lizzy is worried. She can read you better than anyone else and if she thinks that there is something to worry about, then there is something to worry about."

Harry did not respond. Instead, he took a sip from his cup without checking the contents. Much to his relief, it was simple tea with a bit of honey and lemon. This was a subject he was not willing to speak about with his friends, much less the princess.

"You've been acting this way since the summer," she muttered, changing strategies when she realized how unwilling he was to talk. "Do you remember the chat we had during the Cup? I guess I have to tell you this again: I'm not your friend or your family. I care about you but I won't interfere in your life."

"I know," he whispered, having an inner debate on whether to share the information or not. In the end, he gave up. The burden he was carrying was getting too heavy, and while he loathed showing his weaknesses, he also knew that it would end up consuming him sooner rather than later. "Do you remember Voldemort?"

"Ah, so it has to do with your mouldy thing," she acknowledged, making him huff.

"In a way it does... Remember I told you about our similarities?" She nodded in response and Harry took a deep breath before explaining. "There's much more I learnt from him. His mother was a pureblood, his father was a Muggle. The woman apparently enchanted the man to marry her. In the end, he abandoned her while she was pregnant. She died during childbirth and that's how he ended up being raised in an orphanage... I know that this sounds stupid, but I really wonder what would have happened if the man had assumed his responsibilities. Maybe if Voldemort didn't exist I could have had a normal childhood. I've been pondering the what if's. It's disturbing to know how much I crave the life I almost had."

"Moments like this remind me that you're younger than me," she murmured, her expression blank. "You know? For a time, I also wondered what would happen if the Muggles didn't have that stupid war. Then, mum would still be alive. That's part of growing up, Harry. Accepting you cannot control all the factors in your life and learning to adapt and accept it. I know that you love your mother and it's inevitable for you to want to meet her. You don't talk much about your father. I have no idea why and I am not going to ask. In any case, I only have to tell you one thing. It's time to grow up and stop believing you can control everything."

Harry closed his eyes. "You don't understand," he whispered. "You really don't understand how similar Voldemort and I are. I distract myself with the what if's because that's better than losing my mind. If that man hadn't left that woman-"

"You're being childish again," she interrupted, scowling at him. "You told me the woman had enchanted him. In any case, he was a victim of the circumstances."

"He left a pregnant woman alone," he repeated, emphasizing his words with a fierce glare.

"Pregnancy does not equal weakness," she snapped, returning his glare in earnest. "The man somehow got free from her clutches and took the opportunity to be free. Imagine waking up only to realize that you're married to a woman you don't love or even appreciate in the slightest. Maybe he didn't know she was pregnant or maybe he was too scared to be forced into submission again to really care, or maybe he was really trash. Who knows? Harry, you're one of the greatest supporters of equity I know, so it's time to realize women aren't inherently white doves and men aren't necessarily the villains of the story."

Harry did not answer. There were many things he would rather not speak about and this one was amongst them. Of course, he intellectually knew Merope Gaunt was not the real victim of the story, but it was easier to blame Riddle Senior for multiple personal reasons. However, he could not deny Hwasa's harsh words. It was time to stop trying to be a god and grow up. Neither of them spoke for a while and the air around them was charged with tension.

"Are you angry with me?" she whispered at last.

"Not really. I'm frustrated with myself, that's it."

"You know the real reason why I'm here tonight?" she asked. Harry looked at her and tilted his head, waiting for her answer. "It's because of you. Lizzy asked me to speak with you as soon as possible. She was really worried."

"I should have guessed that," he grunted, the tension dissolving from his shoulders.

"She knows that you don't tell her everything because you don't want to worry her. You should really consider speaking with her."

"Maybe one day."

Silence descended once again, but this time it was comforting instead of nerve-wracking. They engaged in a silent game of rock, paper, and scissors. That was the moment Harry realized he was terrible at fortune games. At last, they decided to call it a night when they noticed their drinks turned cold long ago.

"I had fun," she told him once they arrived at the professor's empty office. "I bet your teachers are hunting down the deviant students," she said, nudging his side with her shoulder.

"Aren't we amongst that list?"

"Well, it's almost five A.M. so I guess we are. But, the most we did was dance."

"That's before you left me for my friend."

"True, and that's why we aren't on that list."

"Whatever, get going now," Harry sighed, signalling the fireplace.

"Are you kicking me out?" she asked, giving him an exaggerated offended expression.

"I am, now leave. Unlike you, I have to wake up early tomorrow to catch the train-"

"And arrive at your house. Seriously, with so many transportation methods, it's almost offensive to use an antiquated train," she huffed, expressing her indignation with vivid hand gestures.

"Yeah, you're right, now leave."

"Without a goodnight kiss?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

"Preferably," he stated, not even reacting to her blatant flirting.

"Do you think I'm not pretty enough?" she asked, a mischievous glint shining in her eyes.

"You're right," he answered back, a smirk adorning his lips at the sight of a speechless girl.

"I am offended," she huffed at last. "Just so you know, I have tons of suitors."

"As do I."

"Hmph, I'm leaving," she huffed and stomped towards the fireplace, blowing him a raspberry before disappearing in green flames.

"And that's it for tonight," Harry muttered, a small smile on his lips as he walked to his room.