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'IN THE CORNER'
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♡

!! underage drinking.

Gryffindor parties were famous for their obnoxious, wild chaos, and occurred at least once a month. Word would quickly spread to the rest of the houses whenever one was planned, so it wasn't unusual to see groups of Hufflepuff's and Ravenclaw's—or even the occasional Slytherin—amidst the abundance of red and gold.

The Gryffindor students below fourth year usually vacated to either their dorm rooms or elsewhere in the castle to avoid the loud music and crowd of half-drunk older students.

Mina wouldn't exactly call her self a party-goer, as the last 'party' she attended was technically the Yule Ball back in her fourth year, just months before Cedric Diggory won the Triwizard Tournament. Aside from that, despite Harry's many failed attempts to bring her along, she had never been to a Gryffindor party.

Until now, that is.

As soon as the portrait hole opened, and the four (Mina, Charlie, Josiah and Ella) stepped inside beyond the strong Muffliato charm, immediately they were met with popular muggle songs playing over some sort of modded speaker that spread the music equally around the room. It was barely lit inside—just bright enough to see each other's faces—and a coloured light hovered at the ceiling, showering strobes of moving bright colours onto the students below.

There was a table of plastic red cups and bottles of varying sizes surrounding a large glass bowl filled with some sort of mixed drink, and the common room itself was packed with chatting and laughing students almost to the point of making her feel claustrophobic.

Luckily, Josiah spotted Hermione not too far away, so the four manoeuvred away from the portrait hole and stepped through the crowd of off-key singers in the middle of the room; avoiding the overhead liquid that sloshed from the cups of those dancing on the couches.

Once they reached Hermione, the bookworm in question traded smiles with them all—as they could barely hear one another over the party to speak anyway. Charlie stood beside Mina, his arm innocently pressed against hers as the five formed a small circle by the wall.

"What's this party for, anyway?" She half-yelled above the noise to Charlie. He couldn't hear her, however, and leaned in closer. "What's this party for?" She repeated in his ear, and he shrugged.

"Hermione?" He called to the girl standing across from them. "What's the party celebrating?" He asked. She looked around for a moment, but eventually shrugged in response. Charlie chuckled a little, and leaned back down to Mina.

"I guess it's just a party for the sake of partying," he commented, and she laughed. They were interrupted, however, as someone bumped roughly into Mina's back, sending her forward a little.

Charlie steadied her—a hand on her elbow—as a slurred "Sorry...my bad..." came from behind them.

Turning around, Mina watched as Cormac took a long swig from one of the red cups, and crinkled it before throwing it over his shoulder. His cheeks were a little flushed as he stumbled again, laughing non-stop at something one of his—equally drunk—friends said, and she felt him brush up against her.

Shifting uncomfortably, Mina stepped forward away from him—as much as she could in such a crowded space—but he only came closer, trying to lean against her. Seeing this, Charlie's hand met her shoulder, and he steered her to stand in front of him.

Now, it was his back that faced Cormac, who, surely enough, finally wandered away from the two.

She sent him a thankful glance over her shoulder, and looked back to see Ella giving him a nod of approval. Josiah nudged her arm, and moved a cup close to her face.

"Smell this," he said above the noise. She eyed him sceptically and sniffed it, but instantly recoiled and made a face.

"What is that?"

"The punch. If you have any, don't take a big sip," Josiah laughed, motioning to Ella who swayed a little from where she stood.

"I'll pass," Mina shook her head vigorously, and Charlie's voice came over her head from where he stood behind her. She could almost feel his body heat radiating from his shirt.

"I'll take a sip," he laughed a little, and Josiah handed him the cup. Charlie's lips met the rim of the cup, and he tilted it up a little as he took a sip. Instantly, his face screwed up as he lowered the cup, and coughed a little into his hand. "God, that's brutal," he cleared his throat, and handed the cup back to Josiah, who grinned.

"Good choice," Charlie said into Mina's ear, and she smiled; amused. "I don't get how people can drink a whole cup of that stuff."

"Neither," she scrunched her nose. Hermione then traded places with Ella, and began speaking to Mina and Charlie about an Ancient Runes theory she'd learnt that week. Not quite following the conversation between the two, Mina looked around the party from the small corner she stood in.

She wished she didn't, however, because her eyes immediately fell upon Harry in the crowd.

He and Heather were leaning their backs against the same wall, and as the latter affectionately leaned into his side, he put his arm around her shoulder. Despite the warm room, Mina felt goosebumps rise on her skin—and suddenly she felt much colder than usual.

She tore her gaze away from the two, trying to focus on whatever Hermione was saying about another translation she'd come across. She thought of the perfectly kind boy standing behind her, his chest almost touching her back, and the rhythm of his voice as he spoke. She thought of the muggle song playing that she knew off by heart, or the way she almost couldn't smell anything anymore after the scent of that drink. She thought of anything, anything, to get her mind off of the boy always in the back her mind.

But she couldn't.

She glanced back at the two just for her heart to plummet like never before. The colourful lights brushed pinks and purples over their figures, illuminating them enough to show Harry's hand gently cup the side of Heather's face as he leaned in and kissed her.

And suddenly, Mina could barely breathe as though she'd taken a kick to the stomach. For a moment, she forgot about the people around her and Charlie behind her and the loud music playing—because all she could see was Harry kissing Heather, not her. Never her. She watched as Heather didn't pull away, and only moved closer; her lips against his, arms around his neck, their eyes closed. Why would it ever be her?

"Mina?" Josiah spoke. She couldn't remember the last time he'd said her proper name. But it was like she was in the far end of a tunnel, and everyone around her was at a very long distance away. His voice almost seemed like an echo. He followed her gaze, and his expression sank as he realised what she was looking at. "Mina—" he said again, now gaining the attention of Hermione and Ella, but she was walking away before he could stop her.

Tears blurred Mina's vision. Everyone around her turned into a mere kaleidoscope of smudged colours and shapes as she waded her way through the crowd.

She kept her head down, trying desperately not to cry when so many people were around her—but her lip had already started trembling. She knew then that there was no turning back as the tears finally streamed down her cheeks, glittering in the strobes of coloured light passing over her face.

Mina brought up a hand to cover her mouth as she sobbed, pushing through the bodies upon bodies of students around her; ignoring the concerned gazes of those who noticed her amidst the chaotic party.

It felt like forever until she finally broke free of the crowd and somehow found her way to the portrait hole, pushing the door open into the warmly lit outside corridor. Alone, she gasped for air between her crying—unable to catch her breath or truly comprehend her surroundings, because all she could think about was Harry and Heather and his heart set on her and his eyes following her and his lips only on hers—

Mina was walking down a long staircase, but it soon felt too hard to keep going—her legs felt too wobbly and slow—so at some point she stopped and sat on the closest step, trying to muffle her crying into her sleeve.

She wasn't by herself for long, however, because soon there was an arm wrapped around her shoulder and someone else's hand on her arm, and Ella and Josiah's voices were speaking softly, trying to comfort her.

But Mina couldn't comprehend their words, because one thought in particular circled her head and drowned out their voices; renewing the tears spilling from her eyes all over again...

I wish I were Heather.

♡

a/n:
IM IN THE CORNER WATCHING YOU KISS HER OOOOHHHHH
-g