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Harry Potter
and the
Phantom Knights
~By: Merlock101, Sakana Kin and Moonchick
~Disclaimer: *Chuckles softly to self* If only HP was mine, if only it didn't belong to J.K. Rowling, what an interesting story this would be.
~NOTE! MUST READ BEFORE CONTINUING: This is a little story that my buds and I made up, I decided to put this segment up- before putting the real thing up- to get people interested. (After getting the okay from my friends that is!) This is sorta' like the thingy on the back of the book that tells you almost everything but not quite. What is going on in this story, is that three "transfer students from America" *author does interpretive finger guestures for the quotation marks* come to Hogwarts and enter the zany life of Harry and his friends. But these girls are more than what they seem. MUCH more *dramatic pause for effect.* They are dimension travelers who go from world to world in search of the six Earthen Angels. They are the Phantom Knights! Bringers of good and justice and trying to find the Earthen Angels, who will save all of their worlds from the evil villains . . . *Bum, bum, bumm: Dramatic impulse* the Lost Half. What with thousands of dimensions to save, powers to strengthen, Quidditch, Cho Chang bashing, and Harry/Ron/Draco to crush on there's alot for these Phantom Knights to do- how's a girl to get her homework done?
Read this, and then wait until our entire fic comes out, then all this stuff will be explained alot better.
NO flames, please. If you have any bad comments/bad criticizm I would ask you to keep them to yourself, thank you.
And now . . . The story . . .
It was that time in the evening when it had not yet become night, because the sun refused to say goodnight and pull the covers over it's head. The stars flickered now and then, growing positively impatient at the sun's stubborness. The moon yawned as it awakened from it's nice long nap, taking little notice- as it was so drowsy- of the quarrel that the sun and stars were having. But, further below them, even further than the softly shifting clouds, on the earth below- the last traces of snow daintily sprinkled the ground, leaving patches of dead grass covered in mildew and melted snow. A slight breeze tingled the air, a warm breeze from a sweet, long, summer time far away- hinting at a spring that seemed years to come. The last rays of sunlight were slowly vanishing from sight, but there was still enough to spill in through the Gryffindor common room's windows in pretty shades of pink, lavender and orange. Like watercolors from a paint tray- they blended in a bright rainbow that- like all rainbows- wouldn't last forever. That slight summer breeze poked it's way through a small crack between the window pane and the wall. It fluttered around the common room, messing-up girls' hair, ruffling papers and making mischief as all breezes like to do. It's attention eventually fell upon a young, nervous-looking boy by the steps to the girls' dormitory. His dark hair fell down his neck and over a forehead that bared a long, lightning shaped scar. His green eyes gazed hopelessly up the steps. He seemed to be waiting for something. The breeze fluttered over to him and wrapped it's sinuous body around him until it rested on his shoulder and gave him a sweet kiss on his suntanned cheek. Then, the breeze scampered off to make mischief elsewhere.
Of course the boy wasn't aware of the breeze. He had much more to worry about right now. Harry was waiting for someone at the steps. Occasionally fiddling with the sleeve of his velvet green robes, or pushing his glasses up onto his nose when they weren't even sliding off. Or trying to flatten his hair down, even though he knew that it was a futile attempt. His eyes darted from one place to another, to Fred and George as they talked with Katie Bell, and Hermione as she chatted with Seamus Finnigan about something in Arithmancy class. Jackie, Ron and Avalon were standing by the fireplace laughing at something or another. Looking around like this was making him dizzy, so he decided to just focus on the sunset out the window. But, even when Harry's eyes had stopped moving, he found himself fidgeting uncontrollably; wringing his hands, twiddling his thumbs, shuffling his feet on the carpet, and then came the shakes. Was he . . . Nervous?
Of course he was! Harry couldn't remember ever being this nervous except when he was in the Triwizard Tournament. And furthermore, Harry still wasn't quite sure why he'd even asked Kiki to the dance in the first place. Last minute decision? He guessed so. She'd just seemed so lonely standing there as he told her about being rejected again by Cho. It was obvious that she wanted to go to the Valentine's Day dance with someone and, not wanting to break her heart, Harry asked her to go with him. He'd never forget that happy look on Kiki's face, as though she'd just seen her life long dream come true. Harry sighed, that's what being nice got you into.
Then, the other half of Harry's conscience said to him: 'Oh c'mon, she's not that bad, Kiki's a nice girl. Afterall, she taught you to dance just so you could get Cho to go out with you. Kiki didn't act jealous, and she didn't yell at you when you mistepped and she did it all just for you. That girl asked for nothing in return except to be with you.'
"A lot more than what what Cho did, that's for sure," Harry mumbled under his breath, thinking of the *second* rejection. But, still, he cared for Cho Chang. Cared deeply for her. Like nothing else in the world. He'd give anything in the world that she'd be his forever. Even his Firebolt! Well, . . . *maybe* his Firebolt. Yet, at the same time, he found that Kiki interrupted his thoughts, what with her haunting presence and pleasantly strange scent, there was something about her that told Harry that Kiki and her sisters were no ordinary wizards.
Kiki was just . . . Kiki, Harry decided. There were no words to describe her. She ws rebellious, but obedient. Weird, interesting, studious (but not nearly so much as Hermione) and well, artsy- that had been his first impression of her. Always walking to the beat of a different drum. There was no doubt in Harry's mind that if a huge rainstorm unleashed it's fury and everyone wore raincoats for the occasion, Kiki would resort to getting wet just to prove a point. Because of her passion to spite that world of conformity, Harry had to say he liked the girl, but he always got a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach when she was near. Not a bad feeling- quite the contrary, for this was a soft, warm tickling sensation that traveled up his spine and to his scar. It made him feel like he'd just swallowed a handful of Fizzing Whizbees and a bottle of butterbeer in one big gulp. It made his soul feel light and want to swoon.
*What was wrong with him?*
Harry wasn't sure, but the feeling was similar to the way he felt about . . . No, this was not the same as his feelings for Cho. Cho was a gorgeous girl. Popular. Exotic. And very sweet. A perfectly NORMAL teenage wizard girl. With her, he could be a perfectly NORMAL teenage wizard boy, with a perfectly NORMAL teenage wizard girlfriend, and perfectly NORMAL teenage wizard relationship. Harry somehow got the impression that if he was with Kiki then he'd become even more ABNORMAL than he already was.
'Why am I acting like this?' Harry thought furiously. 'It's just *one* dance. *ONE* dance. With *one* weird girl. I may only have to dance *one* song, maybe only half if I'm struck with good fortune, just long enough to make Cho jealous. Then, it's over. DONE!'
Harry folded his arms across his chest. He thought long and hard. About anything! Quidditch, his Firebolt, Hedwig, hanging out with Ron and Hermione, . . . Kiki . . . Harry groaned.
'She's interrupting my thoughts again!' He thought about the green-green grass of the Quidditch field, the wind washing over him, Kiki, the feel of a wooden broom handle beneath his fingers, the lurch of his stomach as he dipped and dived on his broom, Kiki, cheering crowds, Kiki, the snitch in his hand, Kiki, more cheering, Kiki, the players patting him on the back . . . Kiki, *Kiki*, KIKI!!!!
Harry held his head as though in pain, but could not erase from the back of his mind, her golden hair, her sparkling eyes, the feel of her hand in his as she taught him how to waltz, her strangely pleasant scent . . . Kiki. Yes, that was Kiki. That was the girl she was inside. Although she'd hidden any hint, as much as possible, the elegant lady that she truly was- it was all there. She wasn't just a questioning child. Nor was she merely a kid with a short attention span. Harry realized something all of a sudden. It had taken him a long time to figure it out- perhaps it had always been there and he didn't search for it- but there it was. Smacking him in the face like a cream pie.
Harry liked Kiki . . . He *like-liked* her. A LOT.
The thought startled him. Was that why she gave him that tingling feeling? It was because he *liked* her? Why hadn't he seen it before? Strange, moments before he found her bothersome and annoying- but now, he cared deeply for her. Why was this happening?
'Hormones,' he decided. Afterall, he was 15 now.
Harry Potter in love with Kiki Pendragon. Harry blushed at the thought. But, did Kiki love him back? REALLY love him, back? . . . No, of course not. He doubted it. He'd never caught her stealing a glance at him, and if she ever did she was pretty good at hiding it. And if she did love him, why did she teach him to dance so that he could get *Cho's* attention? Although, Kiki did seem to want to go to the dance with him really badly.
'She must've felt sorry for me,' Harry realized. *Poor little Harry Potter with no parents, who lives with his mean uncle and aunt, but who's also famous in the wizarding world with little time to himself. Can't go anywhere without countless stares and whispers.* Harry felt disgusted at the thought of having someone like him only out of pity.
'If she does like me, it's only because I'm famous,' Harry realized. 'Quidditch Seeker . . . Rich . . . Own a Firebolt . . . And this stupid thing.' Harry ran his fingers along his scar. 'If she cared about me, she's probably no different than any other girl who would throw herself at my feet just to say that she was near *The Great Harry Potter.* Right alongside Ginny, Parvati, Lavender and Moaning Myrtle in the *Harry Potter Fan club.*' Harry gazed out the window at the setting sun, thinking that if he could, how wonderful it would be to take Kiki in his arms where they would both ride off together on his Firebolt into that sunset. Away from everyone else, away from problems, and there he'd find out if she loved him or not- for real.
'I won't tell her,' Harry decided. 'I'll never tell her how I feel about her.' He didn't want the pain or the rejection. Harry wondered what it would be like to never love someone that way. So simple. So easy. So lonely . . . He shook his head to clear away the tears that he thought might arise at any unsuspecting moment. He instead focused with those eerie green eyes of his up the stairs where Kiki was probably still fixing her hair, putting on her make-up, unaware that the boy was still waiting with a faint, questioning heart. He shook his sadly and turned his back to the staircase.
'Never . . .' he thought again. 'I'll even wipe away any thought of loving her. She's a snake. A demon that would wrap your heart around her little finger and twist it until you can't breathe you're in such pain, even if she doesn't do it on purpose. She has a kind heart. But, like any serpent, she's unintentionally dangerous. I can't love her. No, it is Cho that I love. . .'
"Your mind and body are here in the common room, but your heart lingers elsewhere," mused a familiar voice.
Harry turned his head to find that it was Hermione, giving him a knowing grin.
"Huh?" He said, looking confused.
"Your heart is at the top of the stairs where a strange, young girl is about come down to meet you." How did Hermione know this stuff?
"I'm just *waiting* here for her," Harry glanced at his watch. "And she's taking forever!" Harry kept his face turned downward at his watch to hide the fact that he was blushing profusely. Hermione only smiled and shook her head. She placed a hand on his shoulder and said softly into his ear.
"Calm down, you'll do fine, just be yourself. Everyone likes that." And having said what she wanted, Hermione turned slowly on her heel and walked back over to Seamus. Harry sighed. Hermione was right. He needed to clam down, take things one at a time and just be himself. He was so tense, no wonder he was being so emotional.
Just then, he heard soft footsteps and a door closing. The footsteps grew a little louder, they were coming nearer. Harry's back was turned, but he recognized the presence as it traveled up to his scar and tingled there.
'I don't love you. . . I don't love you. . . I do NOT love you Kiki Pendragon . . .' He kept repeating over and over in his head. But, only when the sound of footsteps cease did he turn around to face her. And when his eyes traveled from her pale pink, high- heeled Mary Janes to her face, he couldn't have been more afraid except when confronting Voldemort. All the color went from his face, he felt himself go numb and he barely noticed that his mouth was hanging open. All the young boy could do was stare at her. Gape at her, as though she was something as rare as a unicorn.
Kiki Pendragon was beautiful.
Her hair fell down past her hips in radiant, spun-gold curls. It looked like warm sunshine against her pale pink robes that were decorated in lovely sparkles and little red roses all along the bottom half of the dress. Then, there was a large delicate looking butterfly at the breast- that revealed some cleavage that Harry never realized Kiki possessed. A lovely golden heart-locket glittered around her neck. Her eyes seemed to be dancing tonight. The lashes fluttered now and then over those eyes that resembled dark jewels of an endless enchanted sea. Where were her glasses? Maybe she had contacts.
Harry couldn't move, he was so enchanted by her. This, this . . .angel was coming to him? Impossible! But, there she was. She blushed sweetly and smiled an embarrassed grin. It was enough to break the boy's heart.
"Good evening," Kiki said.
The angel speaks!
The sound of her voice threatened to melt him to nothing. He pinched himself. Nope, he wasn't dreaming. Kiki the angel was still there. Kiki seemed to be shocked by Harry's looks as well, as she kept looking at him with a stunned look on her face.
'What's that for?' Harry wondered 'Does she think *I* look good tonight, or something?. He tried to compose himself again, and taking a big gulp, he replied:
"Hi," he said in a surprisingly steady tone of voice. "You look . . .You look . . ." how could he find the right word to describe how phenomenal she looked right now. "You look beautiful." He finally said, wondering if it sounded sincere. It must have, because Kiki blushed an even darker shade of red and looked at her pale little hands.
"Thank you," she replied meekly.
'Ohh man, that's cute,' Harry thought blissfully. He extended a tanned, shaky and callused large hand to the girl, and in return was given a white, cold, soft and dainty little hand. He led her down the stairs to his arm which he offered and in turn she took that arm.
The angel descends from the heavens to a mere mortal!
*What was that he'd said about not loving Kiki Pendragon? . . . *
The pair stood there for a moment, as though suspended in time for a split second. Wondering if this was really happening to them. Was this a dream? What was coming over them?
"It's about time you got down here!" Jackie exclaimed. The fascinating moment ended. "It took you forever! What were you doing in there?!"
"I told you to be careful not to 'fall-in'!" Avalon giggled, Ron burst into laughter.
"Hey, you try getting this hair to curl!" Kiki protested, pulling gently on a curly lock that sprang back into place once she let go, snapping out of the daydream. "I'm surprised I got it to curl at all."
"It looks nice," Harry muttered, wishing he hadn't said anything. It felt weird giving all these compliments. He hoped she didn't think he was an idiot.
"So, are we going?" Fred asked.
"Yeah, let's go, I still have to meet Draco!" Avalon nodded. The group nodded to each other and set out through the portrait hole.
"Wow, you look great tonight," Avalon complimented Kiki. "You're gonna' turn some heads, babe."
"Thanks," Kiki said. "You and Jackie look awesome tonight, too."
"Of course, all three of us *always* look good," Avalon said jokingly, flipping a clump of hair over her shoulder.
"Oh yes, darling, how silly of me," Kiki replied, in a nasally-snobby sort of voice. The group laughed and continued on down the hall, where they eventually met up with Draco who hurried over to Avalon's side with a grin and a single red rose that appeared between his fingers with a delicate wave of his hand. Harry suddenly remembered something. He searched around in his pocket and was pricked by something sharp.
"Ow!"
"What?" Kiki asked.
Harry pulled out the slightly crumpled pink rose, the source of pain, and handed it to Kiki.
"Thorns," Harry muttered.
Kiki's eyes widened, a smile crossed her painted lips. "Oh, Harry, it's so pretty. Thanks."
"It's a little crumpled," he frowned looking at his rose in comparison to Draco's perfect one.
"It's pretty to me," Kiki replied, looking at the tiny gift happily.
'Just like you are to me,' Harry thought. 'And so much more.'
Jackie glared at Ron. "Hey, where's my rose?"
"Er. . ." Ron's face went pink up to his ears, he looked dumbfounded. Jackie had meanwhile folded her arms across her chest and was giving Ron a pouty, annoyed look. Ron quickly pulled out his wand, gave it a flick and a whole bouquet of blue roses erupted from the tip of it.
"That's better!" Jackie exclaimed and gave Ron a quick little kiss on the cheek.
"Quick thinking," Harry muttered over his shoulder to Ron.
"Yeah," Ron replied, looking quite smitten. "And it was worth it, too!"
Jackie giggled again and rested her head on Ron's shoulder. Everyone, turned back to their own dates.
As Kiki was straightening out a winkle in her robe, Jackie whispered into Avalon's ear:
"Looks like she's already turned one head," she gestured toward Harry who was gazing longingly at Kiki- who wasn't paying any attention.
"That's so cute," Jackie giggled. Avalon giggled along with her.
"What?" Kiki asked her two best friends. "Why were you giggling?"
"Oh, we're just excited about tonight," Avalon replied.
Kiki was still puzzled as Harry led her down the steps to the Great Hall.
Harry Potter
and the
Phantom Knights
~By: Merlock101, Sakana Kin and Moonchick
~Disclaimer: *Chuckles softly to self* If only HP was mine, if only it didn't belong to J.K. Rowling, what an interesting story this would be.
~NOTE! MUST READ BEFORE CONTINUING: This is a little story that my buds and I made up, I decided to put this segment up- before putting the real thing up- to get people interested. (After getting the okay from my friends that is!) This is sorta' like the thingy on the back of the book that tells you almost everything but not quite. What is going on in this story, is that three "transfer students from America" *author does interpretive finger guestures for the quotation marks* come to Hogwarts and enter the zany life of Harry and his friends. But these girls are more than what they seem. MUCH more *dramatic pause for effect.* They are dimension travelers who go from world to world in search of the six Earthen Angels. They are the Phantom Knights! Bringers of good and justice and trying to find the Earthen Angels, who will save all of their worlds from the evil villains . . . *Bum, bum, bumm: Dramatic impulse* the Lost Half. What with thousands of dimensions to save, powers to strengthen, Quidditch, Cho Chang bashing, and Harry/Ron/Draco to crush on there's alot for these Phantom Knights to do- how's a girl to get her homework done?
Read this, and then wait until our entire fic comes out, then all this stuff will be explained alot better.
NO flames, please. If you have any bad comments/bad criticizm I would ask you to keep them to yourself, thank you.
And now . . . The story . . .
It was that time in the evening when it had not yet become night, because the sun refused to say goodnight and pull the covers over it's head. The stars flickered now and then, growing positively impatient at the sun's stubborness. The moon yawned as it awakened from it's nice long nap, taking little notice- as it was so drowsy- of the quarrel that the sun and stars were having. But, further below them, even further than the softly shifting clouds, on the earth below- the last traces of snow daintily sprinkled the ground, leaving patches of dead grass covered in mildew and melted snow. A slight breeze tingled the air, a warm breeze from a sweet, long, summer time far away- hinting at a spring that seemed years to come. The last rays of sunlight were slowly vanishing from sight, but there was still enough to spill in through the Gryffindor common room's windows in pretty shades of pink, lavender and orange. Like watercolors from a paint tray- they blended in a bright rainbow that- like all rainbows- wouldn't last forever. That slight summer breeze poked it's way through a small crack between the window pane and the wall. It fluttered around the common room, messing-up girls' hair, ruffling papers and making mischief as all breezes like to do. It's attention eventually fell upon a young, nervous-looking boy by the steps to the girls' dormitory. His dark hair fell down his neck and over a forehead that bared a long, lightning shaped scar. His green eyes gazed hopelessly up the steps. He seemed to be waiting for something. The breeze fluttered over to him and wrapped it's sinuous body around him until it rested on his shoulder and gave him a sweet kiss on his suntanned cheek. Then, the breeze scampered off to make mischief elsewhere.
Of course the boy wasn't aware of the breeze. He had much more to worry about right now. Harry was waiting for someone at the steps. Occasionally fiddling with the sleeve of his velvet green robes, or pushing his glasses up onto his nose when they weren't even sliding off. Or trying to flatten his hair down, even though he knew that it was a futile attempt. His eyes darted from one place to another, to Fred and George as they talked with Katie Bell, and Hermione as she chatted with Seamus Finnigan about something in Arithmancy class. Jackie, Ron and Avalon were standing by the fireplace laughing at something or another. Looking around like this was making him dizzy, so he decided to just focus on the sunset out the window. But, even when Harry's eyes had stopped moving, he found himself fidgeting uncontrollably; wringing his hands, twiddling his thumbs, shuffling his feet on the carpet, and then came the shakes. Was he . . . Nervous?
Of course he was! Harry couldn't remember ever being this nervous except when he was in the Triwizard Tournament. And furthermore, Harry still wasn't quite sure why he'd even asked Kiki to the dance in the first place. Last minute decision? He guessed so. She'd just seemed so lonely standing there as he told her about being rejected again by Cho. It was obvious that she wanted to go to the Valentine's Day dance with someone and, not wanting to break her heart, Harry asked her to go with him. He'd never forget that happy look on Kiki's face, as though she'd just seen her life long dream come true. Harry sighed, that's what being nice got you into.
Then, the other half of Harry's conscience said to him: 'Oh c'mon, she's not that bad, Kiki's a nice girl. Afterall, she taught you to dance just so you could get Cho to go out with you. Kiki didn't act jealous, and she didn't yell at you when you mistepped and she did it all just for you. That girl asked for nothing in return except to be with you.'
"A lot more than what what Cho did, that's for sure," Harry mumbled under his breath, thinking of the *second* rejection. But, still, he cared for Cho Chang. Cared deeply for her. Like nothing else in the world. He'd give anything in the world that she'd be his forever. Even his Firebolt! Well, . . . *maybe* his Firebolt. Yet, at the same time, he found that Kiki interrupted his thoughts, what with her haunting presence and pleasantly strange scent, there was something about her that told Harry that Kiki and her sisters were no ordinary wizards.
Kiki was just . . . Kiki, Harry decided. There were no words to describe her. She ws rebellious, but obedient. Weird, interesting, studious (but not nearly so much as Hermione) and well, artsy- that had been his first impression of her. Always walking to the beat of a different drum. There was no doubt in Harry's mind that if a huge rainstorm unleashed it's fury and everyone wore raincoats for the occasion, Kiki would resort to getting wet just to prove a point. Because of her passion to spite that world of conformity, Harry had to say he liked the girl, but he always got a funny feeling in the pit of his stomach when she was near. Not a bad feeling- quite the contrary, for this was a soft, warm tickling sensation that traveled up his spine and to his scar. It made him feel like he'd just swallowed a handful of Fizzing Whizbees and a bottle of butterbeer in one big gulp. It made his soul feel light and want to swoon.
*What was wrong with him?*
Harry wasn't sure, but the feeling was similar to the way he felt about . . . No, this was not the same as his feelings for Cho. Cho was a gorgeous girl. Popular. Exotic. And very sweet. A perfectly NORMAL teenage wizard girl. With her, he could be a perfectly NORMAL teenage wizard boy, with a perfectly NORMAL teenage wizard girlfriend, and perfectly NORMAL teenage wizard relationship. Harry somehow got the impression that if he was with Kiki then he'd become even more ABNORMAL than he already was.
'Why am I acting like this?' Harry thought furiously. 'It's just *one* dance. *ONE* dance. With *one* weird girl. I may only have to dance *one* song, maybe only half if I'm struck with good fortune, just long enough to make Cho jealous. Then, it's over. DONE!'
Harry folded his arms across his chest. He thought long and hard. About anything! Quidditch, his Firebolt, Hedwig, hanging out with Ron and Hermione, . . . Kiki . . . Harry groaned.
'She's interrupting my thoughts again!' He thought about the green-green grass of the Quidditch field, the wind washing over him, Kiki, the feel of a wooden broom handle beneath his fingers, the lurch of his stomach as he dipped and dived on his broom, Kiki, cheering crowds, Kiki, the snitch in his hand, Kiki, more cheering, Kiki, the players patting him on the back . . . Kiki, *Kiki*, KIKI!!!!
Harry held his head as though in pain, but could not erase from the back of his mind, her golden hair, her sparkling eyes, the feel of her hand in his as she taught him how to waltz, her strangely pleasant scent . . . Kiki. Yes, that was Kiki. That was the girl she was inside. Although she'd hidden any hint, as much as possible, the elegant lady that she truly was- it was all there. She wasn't just a questioning child. Nor was she merely a kid with a short attention span. Harry realized something all of a sudden. It had taken him a long time to figure it out- perhaps it had always been there and he didn't search for it- but there it was. Smacking him in the face like a cream pie.
Harry liked Kiki . . . He *like-liked* her. A LOT.
The thought startled him. Was that why she gave him that tingling feeling? It was because he *liked* her? Why hadn't he seen it before? Strange, moments before he found her bothersome and annoying- but now, he cared deeply for her. Why was this happening?
'Hormones,' he decided. Afterall, he was 15 now.
Harry Potter in love with Kiki Pendragon. Harry blushed at the thought. But, did Kiki love him back? REALLY love him, back? . . . No, of course not. He doubted it. He'd never caught her stealing a glance at him, and if she ever did she was pretty good at hiding it. And if she did love him, why did she teach him to dance so that he could get *Cho's* attention? Although, Kiki did seem to want to go to the dance with him really badly.
'She must've felt sorry for me,' Harry realized. *Poor little Harry Potter with no parents, who lives with his mean uncle and aunt, but who's also famous in the wizarding world with little time to himself. Can't go anywhere without countless stares and whispers.* Harry felt disgusted at the thought of having someone like him only out of pity.
'If she does like me, it's only because I'm famous,' Harry realized. 'Quidditch Seeker . . . Rich . . . Own a Firebolt . . . And this stupid thing.' Harry ran his fingers along his scar. 'If she cared about me, she's probably no different than any other girl who would throw herself at my feet just to say that she was near *The Great Harry Potter.* Right alongside Ginny, Parvati, Lavender and Moaning Myrtle in the *Harry Potter Fan club.*' Harry gazed out the window at the setting sun, thinking that if he could, how wonderful it would be to take Kiki in his arms where they would both ride off together on his Firebolt into that sunset. Away from everyone else, away from problems, and there he'd find out if she loved him or not- for real.
'I won't tell her,' Harry decided. 'I'll never tell her how I feel about her.' He didn't want the pain or the rejection. Harry wondered what it would be like to never love someone that way. So simple. So easy. So lonely . . . He shook his head to clear away the tears that he thought might arise at any unsuspecting moment. He instead focused with those eerie green eyes of his up the stairs where Kiki was probably still fixing her hair, putting on her make-up, unaware that the boy was still waiting with a faint, questioning heart. He shook his sadly and turned his back to the staircase.
'Never . . .' he thought again. 'I'll even wipe away any thought of loving her. She's a snake. A demon that would wrap your heart around her little finger and twist it until you can't breathe you're in such pain, even if she doesn't do it on purpose. She has a kind heart. But, like any serpent, she's unintentionally dangerous. I can't love her. No, it is Cho that I love. . .'
"Your mind and body are here in the common room, but your heart lingers elsewhere," mused a familiar voice.
Harry turned his head to find that it was Hermione, giving him a knowing grin.
"Huh?" He said, looking confused.
"Your heart is at the top of the stairs where a strange, young girl is about come down to meet you." How did Hermione know this stuff?
"I'm just *waiting* here for her," Harry glanced at his watch. "And she's taking forever!" Harry kept his face turned downward at his watch to hide the fact that he was blushing profusely. Hermione only smiled and shook her head. She placed a hand on his shoulder and said softly into his ear.
"Calm down, you'll do fine, just be yourself. Everyone likes that." And having said what she wanted, Hermione turned slowly on her heel and walked back over to Seamus. Harry sighed. Hermione was right. He needed to clam down, take things one at a time and just be himself. He was so tense, no wonder he was being so emotional.
Just then, he heard soft footsteps and a door closing. The footsteps grew a little louder, they were coming nearer. Harry's back was turned, but he recognized the presence as it traveled up to his scar and tingled there.
'I don't love you. . . I don't love you. . . I do NOT love you Kiki Pendragon . . .' He kept repeating over and over in his head. But, only when the sound of footsteps cease did he turn around to face her. And when his eyes traveled from her pale pink, high- heeled Mary Janes to her face, he couldn't have been more afraid except when confronting Voldemort. All the color went from his face, he felt himself go numb and he barely noticed that his mouth was hanging open. All the young boy could do was stare at her. Gape at her, as though she was something as rare as a unicorn.
Kiki Pendragon was beautiful.
Her hair fell down past her hips in radiant, spun-gold curls. It looked like warm sunshine against her pale pink robes that were decorated in lovely sparkles and little red roses all along the bottom half of the dress. Then, there was a large delicate looking butterfly at the breast- that revealed some cleavage that Harry never realized Kiki possessed. A lovely golden heart-locket glittered around her neck. Her eyes seemed to be dancing tonight. The lashes fluttered now and then over those eyes that resembled dark jewels of an endless enchanted sea. Where were her glasses? Maybe she had contacts.
Harry couldn't move, he was so enchanted by her. This, this . . .angel was coming to him? Impossible! But, there she was. She blushed sweetly and smiled an embarrassed grin. It was enough to break the boy's heart.
"Good evening," Kiki said.
The angel speaks!
The sound of her voice threatened to melt him to nothing. He pinched himself. Nope, he wasn't dreaming. Kiki the angel was still there. Kiki seemed to be shocked by Harry's looks as well, as she kept looking at him with a stunned look on her face.
'What's that for?' Harry wondered 'Does she think *I* look good tonight, or something?. He tried to compose himself again, and taking a big gulp, he replied:
"Hi," he said in a surprisingly steady tone of voice. "You look . . .You look . . ." how could he find the right word to describe how phenomenal she looked right now. "You look beautiful." He finally said, wondering if it sounded sincere. It must have, because Kiki blushed an even darker shade of red and looked at her pale little hands.
"Thank you," she replied meekly.
'Ohh man, that's cute,' Harry thought blissfully. He extended a tanned, shaky and callused large hand to the girl, and in return was given a white, cold, soft and dainty little hand. He led her down the stairs to his arm which he offered and in turn she took that arm.
The angel descends from the heavens to a mere mortal!
*What was that he'd said about not loving Kiki Pendragon? . . . *
The pair stood there for a moment, as though suspended in time for a split second. Wondering if this was really happening to them. Was this a dream? What was coming over them?
"It's about time you got down here!" Jackie exclaimed. The fascinating moment ended. "It took you forever! What were you doing in there?!"
"I told you to be careful not to 'fall-in'!" Avalon giggled, Ron burst into laughter.
"Hey, you try getting this hair to curl!" Kiki protested, pulling gently on a curly lock that sprang back into place once she let go, snapping out of the daydream. "I'm surprised I got it to curl at all."
"It looks nice," Harry muttered, wishing he hadn't said anything. It felt weird giving all these compliments. He hoped she didn't think he was an idiot.
"So, are we going?" Fred asked.
"Yeah, let's go, I still have to meet Draco!" Avalon nodded. The group nodded to each other and set out through the portrait hole.
"Wow, you look great tonight," Avalon complimented Kiki. "You're gonna' turn some heads, babe."
"Thanks," Kiki said. "You and Jackie look awesome tonight, too."
"Of course, all three of us *always* look good," Avalon said jokingly, flipping a clump of hair over her shoulder.
"Oh yes, darling, how silly of me," Kiki replied, in a nasally-snobby sort of voice. The group laughed and continued on down the hall, where they eventually met up with Draco who hurried over to Avalon's side with a grin and a single red rose that appeared between his fingers with a delicate wave of his hand. Harry suddenly remembered something. He searched around in his pocket and was pricked by something sharp.
"Ow!"
"What?" Kiki asked.
Harry pulled out the slightly crumpled pink rose, the source of pain, and handed it to Kiki.
"Thorns," Harry muttered.
Kiki's eyes widened, a smile crossed her painted lips. "Oh, Harry, it's so pretty. Thanks."
"It's a little crumpled," he frowned looking at his rose in comparison to Draco's perfect one.
"It's pretty to me," Kiki replied, looking at the tiny gift happily.
'Just like you are to me,' Harry thought. 'And so much more.'
Jackie glared at Ron. "Hey, where's my rose?"
"Er. . ." Ron's face went pink up to his ears, he looked dumbfounded. Jackie had meanwhile folded her arms across her chest and was giving Ron a pouty, annoyed look. Ron quickly pulled out his wand, gave it a flick and a whole bouquet of blue roses erupted from the tip of it.
"That's better!" Jackie exclaimed and gave Ron a quick little kiss on the cheek.
"Quick thinking," Harry muttered over his shoulder to Ron.
"Yeah," Ron replied, looking quite smitten. "And it was worth it, too!"
Jackie giggled again and rested her head on Ron's shoulder. Everyone, turned back to their own dates.
As Kiki was straightening out a winkle in her robe, Jackie whispered into Avalon's ear:
"Looks like she's already turned one head," she gestured toward Harry who was gazing longingly at Kiki- who wasn't paying any attention.
"That's so cute," Jackie giggled. Avalon giggled along with her.
"What?" Kiki asked her two best friends. "Why were you giggling?"
"Oh, we're just excited about tonight," Avalon replied.
Kiki was still puzzled as Harry led her down the steps to the Great Hall.