Chapter Seven: War

"So where've you been all night?" Ginny asks as I slip into the dorm room. "We missed you at dinner." Ginny looks to Flora, who is busy ignoring me. "That includes her though she's probably not allowed to admit it."

"Allowed?" I ask taking off my robe and sliding into my pajamas. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Cho's her older sister remember? She's practically forbidden to talk to you." Ginny smirks.

"I guess I should've known." I roll my eyes. "Don't worry Flora I'm not offended. I know you've gotta stick by your sister. Family is thicker than roomies after all." Flora simply shrugs.

"So…where were you at dinner. Don't tell me you stayed outside in all that rain." Ginny pesters.

"Well yes and no…" I say. Ginny pats down a spot on her bed and tells me to sit. She wants the whole story. "Well Cedric invited me to meet him after the game at the Quiditch pitch."

"And you met him even though it was raining?" Ginny interrupts.

"Let me finish!" She quickly puts a hand to her mouth. "As I was saying I met him on the field. His plan was to give me flying lessons but said he couldn't due to the rain so I fooshed us to San Francisco." Ginny gives me a questioning look. "Oh fooshing is like apparating for cupids. And he gave me flying lessons there. Needless to say for some reason my hair is still wet." I shake my damp head for emphasis.

"You're so lucky. The guy I like doesn't even know I exist."

"Yet" I say adamantly. "He doesn't know you exist yet."

"What, do you see the future now too?" I bite my lip and Ginny gives me a disbelieving look. "Whatever… we should probably go to bed." I nod and Ginny turns off the light.

"Hey sleepyhead, wake up!" Fred says throwing an orange peel at my head. I sigh and look up at him.

"Sorry I didn't sleep much last night." Fred and George exchange devilish grins. "I didn't mean it like that!" I say throwing the orange peel back at them.

"Well you might as well have." George says pointing to Cho. "…because Chang is really giving you the stink eye." I turn to look at the Ravenclaw table and sure enough Cho and her friends are all shooting me daggers with their eyes.

"Yikes" I say turning back to my food. "She really has it out for me doesn't she?"

"Sure looks like it." Alex says sitting next to me by pushing George to the side.

"Hey!" George protests.

"So what did you and Cedric end up doing last night?" Alex asks ignoring George.

"Well he gave me broom riding lessons." I say.

"That is what she said." George jokes and Alex hits him on the back of the head with her book.

"Wait wasn't it raining?" She asks. "Why did he give you broom lessons in the rain?" Alex continues.

"Well actually I fooshed us to San Francisco." She gives me a look of shock. "He didn't even freak a little! I love the wizarding world." Alex laughs.

"Miss Halliwell?" I look up to see Professor McGonagall standing over me. I nod. "Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office." Uh oh. I get up to leave. "Oh and Miss Halliwell…"

"Yes?"

"He likes lemon drops." What? What is that supposed to mean? I nod and go on my way.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean anyway?" I say standing outside the staircase waiting for the entrance to open. "What does 'he likes lemon drops' mean!?" The entrance opens. "Oh the password…" I comment quietly and walk up the staircase.

"Sir?" I ask entering Dumbledores office. "Professor Dumbledore?"

"Ah yes hello Miss Halliwell." Dumbledore says appearing before me." Care for a licorice snap?" I look at the bowl Dumbledore pushes forward and shake my head.

"No thank you." He puts the bowl away. "Sir, since you don't seem mad or disappointed in me, I have to ask, why am I here? I'm not in trouble am I?"

"No, no quite opposite Miss Halliwell. Please take a seat." I sit down in front of his desk and he sits behind. "I would like to discuss your potions class."

"I resent anything Snape said about me. I think he really just doesn't like me. Whatever he said I did I didn't do it!" I say panicked.

"Well, like you or not…." Dumbledore chuckles. "…Snape has noticed your talents for potions. He suggested that you be switched to a higher level class." I was stunned. "He said you had quite a gift." Really?

"Really, he said that?" Though we may have a mutual hatred of each other, I was flattered that Snape thought I had a talent for potions."

"Yes, so I'm putting you into the sixth year class which is next period so you ought to hurry."

"Thank you, thank you very much sir." I get up and hurry down the stairs in excitement. But of course whenever clumsy me is running, yep you guessed it. I ran straight into someone.

"We need to talk." It was Cho and boy did she sound mad.

"Look I don't have time for this Cho. I don't know about you but I have to go to class." I try to leave but she stops me.

"No you listen to me. I want you to keep your grubby paws off of Cedric." Paws? Great so now I'm a dog… or cat.

"For your information Cho Cedric asked me to meet him not the other way around." I spout through gritted teeth. "All he did was teach me how to ride broom and if you haven't noticed lately your not his girlfriend."

"This isn't over Halliwell." And we're back to last names. "You better watch your back."

"Oh I should watch my back?" I laugh at the very idea. "I fight demons every day. I'm not scared of you Chang."

"This means war Halliwell." I scoff and turn on my heel in the direction of the dungeons. If it's a war she wants then it's a war she'll get.

A/N: So finally I got this up. It's been written and sitting in my notebook for so long. So review especially if you want another chapter anytime soon cause I am so busy it's not even funny. Anyway lots of love.

~ Erin