Disclaimer: All these characters belong to J.K Rowling, except Elizabeth Fairchild, who belongs to me, and Roger Fairchild who belongs to my dear sweet friend, Lily Potter. I hope you all like this story; it's only my second one! If you like it, give me some advice for plots for a sequel! :o)
~Thanks~
¤ Elizabeth Potter ¤
Acquaintances
Only one more day until the weekend, Harry thought. He cracked his knuckles under the desk, making Lavender Brown, who sat in front of him, turn around and glare. He gave a look of apology, and glanced back up at Professor Snape, who was looking unusually mean today, Harry thought. His gaze fell on the clock, which appeared to be moving slower than ever, like every second was a minute, every minute, maybe a year.
"Would you like to answer the question, Potter?" Snape asked, apparently for the second time, his beady eyes boring down on Harry as if to say Ha! I caught you!
"What was the question again sir?" Harry asked.
"It's not the weekend yet Potter, you're still in class. Would you like to tell the class what you were thinking about that was so much more important than the subject of using forest plants for a transportation spell?" Snape was towering over him. Harry felt his cheeks grow hot as he muttered, "No, sir."
"Then would you like to answer the question?"
Just then the door to the classroom opened. Everyone's heads turned simultaneously. Saved, Harry thought with a sigh of relief. A girl that Harry had never seen before entered carrying a stack of books similar to his.
"I'm sorry for interrupting your class, sir, but is this potions?" She asked, smiling at Professor Snape. She shifted her books to one hand to push her shoulder length brown hair out of her face.
"Yes it is, and you must be the new girl. You've come from the United States I hear? Well I'm sure things are quite different there, but here, next time you will be sure not to be late to my class, thank you. Now would anyone like to give this young lady a tour of the school, since she doesn't seem to know where she's going?" He peered around the room. Harry's hand shot into the air. Anything to get out of Potions, he thought, and plus this new girl had practically just saved him from making a fool of himself if he hadn't already, and he owed it to her. Beside him Draco Malfoy's hand rose also.
"I'll do it, Professor," he drawled.
"I think Potter will do it. You've already done enough damage today, Potter, maybe you can redeem yourself," Snape said with a snort, "Remember that all of your work will be made up by tomorrow, and you will have to copy all the notes we're about to take." The class groaned. Harry couldn't believe his luck.
He gathered his books and walked to the back of the class where the girl stood, waiting for him. She followed him outside, where he paused for a moment to shut the door. Harry shifted his books to his left arm, and extended his right, introducing himself as, "Harry Potter." She tried to move her books but couldn't so Harry took them for her.
"Thanks," she said, offering him her own hand, "I'm Elizabeth Fairchild." Her bright blue eyes glowed at him, and he could tell he was blushing.
"Sorry about my just appearing, I just got here, and, well, I really don't know my way around. I'm such a mess! I didn't interrupt anything in your class did I?" Elizabeth asked shyly.
"No, I mean, you practically saved my life!" Harry exclaimed. He then told her the whole story, and how everyone except the Slytherins hated Professor Snape anyway. She giggled, when he finished with telling about when in his third year, a paper map had called Snape's hair greasy. She told him some about her teachers in America. They found out that they were both in Gryffindor, which pleased Harry.
He hoped she hadn't noticed he'd been staring dreamily at her the whole time. He loved the way she laughed, like a little giggle sort of, but it made him feel appreciated. And he loved the way she looked at him, like they'd known each other forever, and how she talked to him, how she told him everything. She asked him once if she was boring him, talking so much, and all Harry could think of how much he loved to hear the sound of her voice. No one person had ever captivated him, and after only one day… Of course, she had no idea that Harry was thinking about her, like she was an angel or something. That's it, Harry thought, she must be an angel.
"Are you listening to me?" Elizabeth asked, giving him a mock accusing glare, and elbowing him in the side. Harry laughed and elbowed her back, saying, "Of course your majesty, your wish is my command!" She giggled, and he got that dizzy feeling again.
Harry guided her through the school, a pleasant chatter going on the whole time. He heard the bell ringing, but all he wanted to do was stay with her.
"Well I guess we better get back to class," Elizabeth told him. No way! Harry's mind exploded. He would have done anything just to spend another minute with her, the girl of his dreams.
"Wait!" Harry exclaimed. His mind raced. He had to think of something. "There's one more class." Grasping her wrist, he dragged her into the last empty classroom on the hallway, and before she could say anything, pulled her toward him and kissed her passionately. At first she seemed to try to get away, but then she kissed back, putting her arms on his shoulders. Harry knew that there was no place he'd rather be.
"POTTER!" Harry jumped. Startled, he pulled away from Elizabeth, and spun around to see Professor Snape glaring at him from the doorway.
Harry stood in front of Elizabeth, as if protectively, and, mustering up all his courage, managed, "Sir! I…I… I can explain… I… uh…"
"Potter, I asked you to show the new student the school, not harass her!" Snape spat.
Harry knew he was done for. His heart fell. Now he had gotten them both in trouble. Maybe he would get expelled, and never have to face any of them again. Not Snape, not McGonagall (he could already see the stern, angry look on her face), not Hermione (he wondered what kind of scorn she would have for him if he did return), not even Elizabeth, who probably hated him now and would probably never speak to him again. He glanced over at her as they followed Snape down the long corridor to Professor McGonagall's office. Her eyes were glued to the floor, where his should have been too. When they reached the door, Snape led them inside. The two took seats across from Professor McGonagall, and Snape whispered the story in her ear. He stood back, as if to watch in satisfaction, Harry thought, as his least favorite student got expelled.
"That will be all Severus," McGonagall said sharply. Snape looked like a small child who had been told there was no Easter bunny, but he backed slowly out of the room. McGonagall looked at Elizabeth and then at Harry, who seemed to be wishing his name was Severus.
"So, would either of you like to explain this little… incident?" She gave Harry the evil eye, and he sunk lower, if possible, into the chair. He wished the chair would eat him, although that wasn't a wise thing to wish in such a school.
"Potter?" She turned her head suddenly to him, and he cowered in the chair.
"I… well… um…" Harry stammered.
"I, I can explain," Elizabeth said suddenly. Professor McGonagall looked surprised, but not half as surprised as Harry.
"Ya see, um, I, it's my fault," she said.
"Oh, really?" McGonagall asked skeptically.
"Um, it is, because I kissed Harry first," she finished. Harry couldn't believe his ears. This was twice she had saved him. He was definitely in love…
"Alright, Miss Fairchild. You can go back to class. I hope you got a good enough tour that you can find your way back. And the password to the Gryffindor tower is water beetle." Harry knew McGonagall hadn't believed one inch of her story, he'd gone to Hogwarts long enough to see that. He sighed.
"Oh yes, Professor, it was a lovely tour. Thanks Harry," Elizabeth exploded, her eyes shining at Harry. She winked at him, and swept out the door. He blushed looking at the floor, a small grin spreading across his face.
"So that's the story? Just a little puppy love," McGonagall said looking at Harry.
"I like her," Harry blurted out, "I mean, I really like her. It's like, anything I want I can't have. Anything I need, I can't get. And then when I saw Elizabeth, and it was like, whoa! Where have you been all my life?" Harry grinned at Professor McGonagall, "But I guess that sounds silly…"
"No, Harry, it's perfectly reasonable. We all go through that stage. I guess if that's it, you can go back to class," said the teacher, smiling at him almost kindly. Harry's eyes widened. He gathered his books, and realized he still had Elizabeth's too. He could give them to her later. I'll still be alive, Harry mused, and I'll still be attending Hogwarts.
He felt like he was floating back to the Gryfindor tower, where the rest of his classmates crowded around him.
"I can't believe you! Harry I thought you of all people…" Hermione Granger scorned. Gosh, news travels fast, Harry thought.
"Way to go Harry!" his best friend Ron Weasley exclaimed slapping him a high five.
"That's so sweet!" Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil cooed.
Harry walked through the crowded common room, toward his dorm. Ron followed.
When they got inside, Harry told Ron what happened, ending with, "I think I'm in love… When I think of Elizabeth I get all tingly, you know?"
"Yeah, Lavender," Ron said dreamily. Just then, the door to the dorm opened slowly, and Elizabeth peeked in.
"Harry? Do you still have my books and stuff?" she asked. Harry elbowed Ron in the stomach.
"I was… just going," Ron muttered.
"When the door shut, Harry lifted Elizabeth's books off of his own stack, saying, "Hey, I'm really sorry about getting you in trouble like that, it's just…"
"Oh, it's okay, I didn't get in trouble. You didn't either did you?" she asked taking the books and sitting down on the bed beside Harry.
"No I didn't. I…" Harry leaned forward and whispered, "I can't believe it though!"
"Me neither!" she whispered back, "I got sent to the headmaster's office the first day here! My brother Roger will be impressed. He's still back in the states. But you know what Harry?"
"What?" Harry asked hopefully.
"I'm glad you kissed me," she leaned closer to him, and to Harry's surprise, kissed him gently on the lips.
When she pulled away, she whispered, "I, I better go."
"Yeah," Harry replied, still dazed, feeling like he had stars in his eyes. As she shut the door softly behind her, he fell back onto his pillow. Ron entered again, asking excitedly, "How'd it go?"
"Great," Harry said dreamily, "No, perfect."
Wasn't that lovely? Ill write a sequel if people want, so give me some ideas for another one.