“In March several of the Mandrakes threw a loud and raucous party in greenhouse three. This made Professor Sprout very happy.“The moment they start trying to move into each other’s pots, we’ll know they’re fully mature,” she told Harry.”

“Bubotubers,” Professor Sprout told them briskly. “They need squeezing. You will collect the pus —”“The what?” said Seamus Finnigan, sounding revolted.“Pus, Finnigan, pus,” said Professor Sprout.”

“Harry looked around; there was Ginny running toward him; she had a hard blazing look in her face as she threw her arms around him. And without thinking, without planning it, without worrying about the fact that fifty people were watching, Harry kissed her. After several long moments, or it might have been half an hour-or possibly several sunlit days- they broke apart.”

“She glances at each of her three companions, at the protective veneers they’re all wearing, trying to mask the different lies they’ve told one another. The lies they’re all continuing to try to maintain. Hoping these lies will carry them through the rest of their full and satisfying lives, despite the truths they’ve chosen not to tell the most important people in their worlds.”

“Unexpectedly, she took several trotting steps and then threw in a couple of feeble attempts at bucking! She felt good enough to try and play! ... Instead of slowing down, she broke into a very awkward canter, punctuated by all sorts of goofy attempts to throw her heels up. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at her faltering display of joyful rejuvenation.”

“We’ll try…we’ll try to stop hurting each other. We’ll takethis easy. We’ll go slowly.”