The Beginning of the End

Over the next couple of months, quite a bit had happened. Effie was finally coping with the drama from Harry and they were all the best of friends again. And Harry had finally gotten into the worst trouble that he could have ever gotten in. He had cursed Draco with some Sectumsepra spell that basically slashes the cursee. So now, he had to serve detention with Professor Snape and missed quidditch practices and Hogsmeade trips with Effie, Ron, and Hermione.

"I can't believe Harry isn't going to be able to play in the coming up match." Ginny said sadly. Effie rolled her eyes and sipped from her mug of Butterbeer.

"I hate to say it but it's his own fault. He used a spell that he had never even heard of and it almost killed someone. He went after Malfoy. He knows it's his own fault." Effie countered. She hated putting the blame on Harry but it was true.

"Well, maybe Malfoy shouldn't have cursed Katie Bell. Then, Harry wouldn't have felt the need to go after Malfoy."

"Look, Ginny, I like you, you're a good friend when you wanna be but I'm not going to sit here and argue with you about something you know I'm actually right on. Let's just agree to disagree and then we won't have any problems." Effie basically ended the little spat but Ginny wanted to keep going.

Ron and Hermione sat across the living area and sipped their own Butterbeers awkwardly. Hermione knew that Effie was right but she didn't dare say anything. She feared her head would be bitten off by Ginny and possibly Effie for interfering.

"Come on Ron. We have to go the the quidditch field for practice." Ginny said tartly. Ron sighed and stood from his chair, chugging the last of his drink. Effie waited until they left the common room before she spoke.

"Oh my god, I cannot stand her anymore!" She exclaimed, throwing herself back on the couch.

"You used to be really good friends though." Hermione stated, her voice full of concern.

"I know but this whole thing with Harry has made her crazy! I would be perfectly okay with her if she didn't try to rub it in my face that Harry's more interested in her." Effie ran a hand through her hair and let out a long, deep sigh.

"I don't think she's doing that." Leave it to Hermione to try and defuse a situation.

"No, you don't understand. She gives me these smug looks that have 'haha bitch, I'm about to win' written all over them. I have done nothing but be a good friend to her and this is what she does."

Hermione sighed, unable to think of anything else to say to her distraught friend.

"The only thing I can tell you is to not worry about it. All it's doing is stressing you out even more. Now, to get off topic, have you talked to Fred lately?"

The smile on Effie's face was inevitable.

"Yes, I just got a letter back from him today." She was grinning sheepishly. She couldn't help it. She didn't necessarily love Fred like that but she did fancy him a bit.

"And? What did he say?" Hermione's curiosity was dripping off of her words and Effie bit her lip, wondering if she should tell her.

"He asked me if I would considering being his girlfriend." Excitement wracked through Effie's body just repeating what he said. She wondered how bad it would be if he had actually said that in person.

"That's great! But, it would be a long distance relationship. You wouldn't be able to see him, how would that work?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows furrowing together. Effie lost excitement for a moment before it returned.

"Well, think about it. We only have a couple more months before schools out for the summer. Besides, this would just be a trial and error relationship. We might not even be all that great together."

Hermione smiled and was about to say something but was interrupted by Harry walking through the portrait hole. Effie furrowed her eyebrows and pushed the hair back out of her face.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be out on the field?" She asked, wondering if everything was okay.

"It's half way through practice and I just finished detention so there's really no point in going. Besides, I don't feel like going." He said as he unfastened his robe and peeled it off, throwing it over his shoulder.

Effie watched silently as he walked up the stairs to the boys dormitory. She couldn't believe he had gotten in that much trouble. But it was bound to have happened.

"Well, I'm going to go and find Seamus. I haven't spent any time with him in a couple of weeks." She told Hermione, pulling on her shoes.

"Well, make sure you're back by at least 9. Curfew's 11 o'clock now." Hermione said, her voice lacing with worry already.

"Yeah, yeah." Effie mumbled as she walked out of the common room.

Her plan was to go see Seamus for a few minutes, then go respond to Fred's letter, then go back to the common room so that Hermione wouldn't have a conniption. Effie spent half of the walk to the library, thinking about how Harry would react to her dating Fred. She didn't think he would care much considering he's not after her anymore.

She was secretly hoping that it would make him jealous and want to run to her but she couldn't do that to Fred. It wasn't like she didn't want to date Fred, she did. She just wanted to be with Harry more and that wasn't her fault.

Effie finally arrived at the library and walked in, hoping that Seamus was there. Otherwise it was just a wasted trip. She walked past every aisle of books in search for her friend.

"Effie?" Seamus called as he watched her walk by. Effie took a few steps backwards and stopped at Seamus.

"Hey, I was just looking for you. I missed you." She said and engulfed him into a hug. He squeezed her tightly then broke away.

"Why didn't you come see me?" He asked, a fake pout planted on his lips. Effie rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips.

"I know, I know. You've been busy with all of your boyfriends." He teased, rolling his eyes. Effie frowned, she didn't want to be reminded that she had blown off her friend just to deal with her guy problems.

"I know, I've been a horrible friend." She said sadly. Seamus reached forward and grasped her hand tightly.

"Come on, let's go get a snack."