Effervescence | h.p.

i | xxxii. the levitation spell

When Lyra went to breakfast the next morning, her presence didn't go unnoticed by many. She was a nice, pretty, and quite famous girl who almost everyone wanted to befriend — everyone noticed when she had vanished from her daily routine for days on end.

She entered the Great Hall with Harry on her right side and Hermione on the left, acting as barriers and protection from at least some of the prying eyes. People just stared as she walked, leading to a lot of discomfort for the girl and her cheeks to obtain a light pink flush.

One set of eyes that constantly followed the small girl in Gryffindor robes belonged to none other than Draco Malfoy of Slytherin. He watched as she walked uncomfortably towards her seat that she would always sit at. He saw when she had grabbed Harry's left hand and intertwined her fingers with his in an attempt to calm herself.

He, along with others that were closer to the girl than some, remained in his seat, patiently waiting for people to clear out from around her before asking why she had suddenly disappeared days prior. But Draco knew, at least a little bit, why she had been gone.

He knew she had hit her head and needed to stay in the hospital wing of the school, not that she had such a long stay because of her 'furry little problem' as she and her family would call hers and Remus' lycanthropy. He had wanted to approach her, see if she was all right, but he decided against that and he chose to wait until Potions class.

Sitting at the Gryffindor table was Lyra, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Jordan, Dean, Seamus, and Neville in one big group. Lyra was between Harry and Hermione — who sat next to Neville — leaving Jordan to sit across from Harry, Dean across from Ly, Seamus across from Hermione, and Ron across from Neville.

The group all talked to each other, but many stuck to conversing with their across-the-table partner, meaning Lyra stuck to speaking mainly with the one and only — Dean Thomas.

"So, my lovely Lyra, what have you been up to?" Dean asked. He had been one of the many people who visited her while she was in the hospital, so he had known what she was up to, but they had a very easy-going relationship very quickly.

"Oh, you know, just sitting in a hospital bed, bleeding out constantly," she sarcastically replied.

"Ah, I see," he nodded with raised eyebrows in mock understanding. "And uh — what, pray tell, landed you in said hospital wing so you weren't having sleepovers in my warm, comfortable, love-filled dorm?"

"Just decided to throw myself onto the stone floor of the dungeons — as one does. You know I much rather lay on that than hang out with you in your, what did you call it? 'Love-filled dorm?' I would never want to stay with my favorite brown-eyed beaut. Never."

"Ouch, that one hurt, my dear," he said with his hand clenching his robes that sat above his heart. "My darling Lyra has hurt my heart beyond the point of repair. How will I go on?" he said loudly, placing the back of his right hand on his forehead as he leaned back dramatically.

"Without me, you needn't go on," she stated dramatically with a false serious expression. "Without me, there is no reason to continue on in this lifetime," she giggled.

"So sorry, have I interrupted something?" a new voice said suddenly from behind Lyra.

She turned in her seat to find her sight filled with nothing but yellow and black fabric. "Cedric! Hello!" Lyra said.

"I just wondered how you were. Obviously better than when we last spoke, as you aren't in the hospital," said Cedric. He had dark hair and beautiful grey eyes, similar to Sirius.

"I'm doing better, thank you. It's very Hufflepuff of you to follow-up with me," she grinned at the taller boy.

"Yeah, I guess it is," he laughed lightly as he scratched at the nape of his neck. "So, um — I'll see you around, yeah?" he asked awkwardly.