Chapter Nine
Bludger Babe, Quaffel Quarrels, and Snitch Snogs
"Crap!" My voice echoed through the vacant hallway as I tripped and fell flat on my face, my books flying out of my hands and into mid-air. I groaned and rolled over on the floor, tears joining in my eyes. "Good morning, Elyse," I murmured to myself. I slowly regained composure and knelt down to pick up my four first class books. I was already twenty minutes late to Astronomy and I knew I would be in major trouble for it.
"Elyse!" My eyebrows knitted in confusion as I didn't recognize the voice calling my name behind me. I turned around to see Harry coming down the hallway at a quick pace.
"Hey, Harry," I said uncomfortably, re-adjusting my books in my arms and shifting my weight from one leg to the other.
"Need some help?" He offered as he approached me.
"Nah," I shook my head and smiled. I blinked back the tears from a minute ago and stood there in a moment of very disturbing silence. "What are you doing out of class?"
"Eh, Well, not much. I'm actually in Care of Magical Creatures right now with Hagrid and I had to come up here and ask Oliver a question about today's practice. You're coming right?" He smiled innocently as my stomach sank, remembering the practice I was dreading.
I nodded my head slowly, "Yeah... Should be interesting I guess." I uttered a small laugh and we stood in silence again.
"Elyse, can I ask you a question?" Harry's stare was intent, and I couldn't bring my eyes to meet his own beautiful emerald ones.
"Sure, I guess," I pretended to not know what he was about to ask and looked out the window.
"Why did you kiss me?" Harry was still staring and my guilt was growing.
"I, uh--" I was grasping for answers. The longest silence of my life followed.
"Well?"
"I just wanted to see what it would feel like," I replied and smiled on the inside. Good job, Elyse, I said to myself.
"Feel like to what?" Harry's gaze was really getting annoying just because I felt too guilty to answer him truthfully and stare him in the face at the same time. I knew he knew I was lying.
"To kiss you, Harry. To kiss you." I said flatly, as I turned around and walked quickly down the hall, towards the Astronomy tower.
I felt a hand on my elbow no less than ten seconds later and I was turned around with force I wasn't expecting.
"Elyse, I think I like you..." He paused and I gulped. "I like you a lot."
"Harry, this is not the time or the place. Please. What are you saying anyway?" I stared up at him curiously. He had to be at least five inches taller than me. My books got heavier and heavier as the silence continued.
"I don't know... It's just. Ever since you kissed me, something's different about me and about... just-- everything." He did a half smile that actually made my knees weak.
I didn't respond, maybe because I didn't know what to say or because I didn't have time. The next thing I knew, his lips were upon mine again and my books were on the floor. His hands were upon my waist and he pulled away a few seconds later.
I stood there with my mouth wide open.
"Now what do you think?" He smiled again before picking up my books off the floor. I just stood there in awe.
"I'm," I paused, trying to think clearly again. I wasn't expecting that kiss for the life of me. "confused and well--, I just don't know what to think." I took my books from him.
We stood there for about thirty seconds before I turned around and walked off, still in a daze.
"Think about it?" He called out after me as I stumbled down the hallway.
~*~
For the rest of the day, his words resounded through my head.
"Elyse! Elyse!" Professor McGonagall was yelling at me from the front of the classroom. I snapped out of my day dream immediately.
"Um," I cleared my throat loudly, "Yes ma'am?"
"Are you with us now?" The whole class was turned around and looking straight at me. I felt my heart beat at a faster pace.
I nodded my head quickly. "Yes ma'am."
I had been like this all day, in every class, with every professor. Luckily, this was the last class period, but the dread of that evening's practice was weighing heavily on my mind. What would I do around Fred, George, Oliver, and Harry? Could I handle it? I found myself staring into space continuously, trying to decide which I liked more.
"Elyse, what is up with you today!?" Angelina elbowed me in the side as I tried to eat a few bites of the roast sitting in front of me for dinner.
I shook my head in response, trying to clear my mind. I noticed Angelina and Alicia were staring at me, both seated to my left and right and Fred and George were also glancing over more often than usual. Every time I'd look up at the other end of the table, Harry's eyes would meet mine and I'd feel guilty all over again and look down at my plate hurriedly.
"Everyone ready for practice? I've got these new plans..." Oliver handed out sheets of paper.
"Too bad, we can't go over them today. Remember? We're teaching Elyse how to fly!" George laughed and slapped Oliver on the shoulder. Everyone stood up from the table and I tried to plaster a fake smile on my face. I followed them out of the Great Hall, and up to our tower to change into Quidditch practice robes which Katie let me borrow a pair of hers. I put my hair up and sat down with a load thud on my bed.
"Elyse, what is wrong with you?" Alicia sat down next to me as she fastened the front of her robes.
"Seriously, girl, something is up." Katie added as she put on her other shoe, tying it carefully.
"I don't want to talk about it." I said, trying to avoid the subject, even though I knew I'd have to talk to it about somebody and it might as well have been those three.
"You know you're going to end up talking about it eventually. And we have a few minutes before we have to go down to the field. What is it?" Angelina came and sat on my other side looking me in the face with a serious expression etched across her own.
"It's just..." I paused.
"Wait, let me guess. Boys," Katie smiled half-heartedly and sat down on the floor in front of me. I nodded in response.
"Ah, shoulda known," Alicia smiled at me, too.
"So who is it this time?" Angelina was still serious. She was actually making me a bit nervous.
"Fred," I paused as the three of them nodded.
"We knew that much. Any others?" Katie asked.
"Um... yeah, just a few."
"A few??" Alicia laughed. "Uh huh... this is the last time we need to invite a pretty new girl to play Quidditch or even hang out with us." She hit me playfully and I smiled a little more than I had in the last day and a half.
"So, who it is?" Angelina said in a pushy manner.
"Um... Harry, George, and of course, Oliver," I started playing with one of the fastens of my robes and bit my lip nervously, wondering how their reactions would be.
"Well, seeing you with Oliver doesn't really make me think that's gonna work out, no offense, but I mean... You just seem so much more like Fred or George's 'type'," Katie added sincerely, which made me smile. I did like Oliver, yes, but she was right. He probably wasn't the guy for me.
"What about Harry?" I reminded them.
"When did Harry even come into the picture?" Alicia asked me suspiciously.
"Yeah, I've never even seen you two talk." Katie said.
"Eh... long story. We've talked twice and..." I stopped. I didn't want to tell them I'd kissed him and Fred.
"And..." Angelina urged.
"Okay, so I kissed him twice. Or he kissed me once, because I kissed him first. But on two different days," I said the words so quickly I was out of breath. The other girls just sat there until Katie started laughing.
"Well, you've got some trouble with that one. I don't know what to tell you." Alicia said in a sarcastic manner. "If it were me, I'd go for Fred or George, but that's just me."
"And I'd go for Oliver, but I'm not a Fred and George 'type' like I think you definitely are," I saw Katie blush for the first time.
"You are hiding something, Katie." I said with a curious tone. Once she cracked her huge smile, I grabbed a pillow and threw it at her.
"UH UH!" Alicia exclaimed. We all started giggling, even Angelina.
"When did this happen?" Angelina said, still throwing pillows.
"Two days ago." Katie responded as we all calmed down a bit.
"And you didn't tell us!?" I laughed for the first time in a while.
"GIRLS! WHAT'S GOING ON UP THERE? WE'RE READY TO GO! IT'S ALREADY 5:45!" Oliver yelled up the stairway. We continued to laugh and put the pillows back on the bed.
The three grabbed their brooms as we left the dormitory. With every step, my happiness for Katie faded into feeling sorry for myself. I still didn't know what to do.
But, I guess I was about to find out.
Bludger Babe, Quaffel Quarrels, and Snitch Snogs
"Crap!" My voice echoed through the vacant hallway as I tripped and fell flat on my face, my books flying out of my hands and into mid-air. I groaned and rolled over on the floor, tears joining in my eyes. "Good morning, Elyse," I murmured to myself. I slowly regained composure and knelt down to pick up my four first class books. I was already twenty minutes late to Astronomy and I knew I would be in major trouble for it.
"Elyse!" My eyebrows knitted in confusion as I didn't recognize the voice calling my name behind me. I turned around to see Harry coming down the hallway at a quick pace.
"Hey, Harry," I said uncomfortably, re-adjusting my books in my arms and shifting my weight from one leg to the other.
"Need some help?" He offered as he approached me.
"Nah," I shook my head and smiled. I blinked back the tears from a minute ago and stood there in a moment of very disturbing silence. "What are you doing out of class?"
"Eh, Well, not much. I'm actually in Care of Magical Creatures right now with Hagrid and I had to come up here and ask Oliver a question about today's practice. You're coming right?" He smiled innocently as my stomach sank, remembering the practice I was dreading.
I nodded my head slowly, "Yeah... Should be interesting I guess." I uttered a small laugh and we stood in silence again.
"Elyse, can I ask you a question?" Harry's stare was intent, and I couldn't bring my eyes to meet his own beautiful emerald ones.
"Sure, I guess," I pretended to not know what he was about to ask and looked out the window.
"Why did you kiss me?" Harry was still staring and my guilt was growing.
"I, uh--" I was grasping for answers. The longest silence of my life followed.
"Well?"
"I just wanted to see what it would feel like," I replied and smiled on the inside. Good job, Elyse, I said to myself.
"Feel like to what?" Harry's gaze was really getting annoying just because I felt too guilty to answer him truthfully and stare him in the face at the same time. I knew he knew I was lying.
"To kiss you, Harry. To kiss you." I said flatly, as I turned around and walked quickly down the hall, towards the Astronomy tower.
I felt a hand on my elbow no less than ten seconds later and I was turned around with force I wasn't expecting.
"Elyse, I think I like you..." He paused and I gulped. "I like you a lot."
"Harry, this is not the time or the place. Please. What are you saying anyway?" I stared up at him curiously. He had to be at least five inches taller than me. My books got heavier and heavier as the silence continued.
"I don't know... It's just. Ever since you kissed me, something's different about me and about... just-- everything." He did a half smile that actually made my knees weak.
I didn't respond, maybe because I didn't know what to say or because I didn't have time. The next thing I knew, his lips were upon mine again and my books were on the floor. His hands were upon my waist and he pulled away a few seconds later.
I stood there with my mouth wide open.
"Now what do you think?" He smiled again before picking up my books off the floor. I just stood there in awe.
"I'm," I paused, trying to think clearly again. I wasn't expecting that kiss for the life of me. "confused and well--, I just don't know what to think." I took my books from him.
We stood there for about thirty seconds before I turned around and walked off, still in a daze.
"Think about it?" He called out after me as I stumbled down the hallway.
~*~
For the rest of the day, his words resounded through my head.
"Elyse! Elyse!" Professor McGonagall was yelling at me from the front of the classroom. I snapped out of my day dream immediately.
"Um," I cleared my throat loudly, "Yes ma'am?"
"Are you with us now?" The whole class was turned around and looking straight at me. I felt my heart beat at a faster pace.
I nodded my head quickly. "Yes ma'am."
I had been like this all day, in every class, with every professor. Luckily, this was the last class period, but the dread of that evening's practice was weighing heavily on my mind. What would I do around Fred, George, Oliver, and Harry? Could I handle it? I found myself staring into space continuously, trying to decide which I liked more.
"Elyse, what is up with you today!?" Angelina elbowed me in the side as I tried to eat a few bites of the roast sitting in front of me for dinner.
I shook my head in response, trying to clear my mind. I noticed Angelina and Alicia were staring at me, both seated to my left and right and Fred and George were also glancing over more often than usual. Every time I'd look up at the other end of the table, Harry's eyes would meet mine and I'd feel guilty all over again and look down at my plate hurriedly.
"Everyone ready for practice? I've got these new plans..." Oliver handed out sheets of paper.
"Too bad, we can't go over them today. Remember? We're teaching Elyse how to fly!" George laughed and slapped Oliver on the shoulder. Everyone stood up from the table and I tried to plaster a fake smile on my face. I followed them out of the Great Hall, and up to our tower to change into Quidditch practice robes which Katie let me borrow a pair of hers. I put my hair up and sat down with a load thud on my bed.
"Elyse, what is wrong with you?" Alicia sat down next to me as she fastened the front of her robes.
"Seriously, girl, something is up." Katie added as she put on her other shoe, tying it carefully.
"I don't want to talk about it." I said, trying to avoid the subject, even though I knew I'd have to talk to it about somebody and it might as well have been those three.
"You know you're going to end up talking about it eventually. And we have a few minutes before we have to go down to the field. What is it?" Angelina came and sat on my other side looking me in the face with a serious expression etched across her own.
"It's just..." I paused.
"Wait, let me guess. Boys," Katie smiled half-heartedly and sat down on the floor in front of me. I nodded in response.
"Ah, shoulda known," Alicia smiled at me, too.
"So who is it this time?" Angelina was still serious. She was actually making me a bit nervous.
"Fred," I paused as the three of them nodded.
"We knew that much. Any others?" Katie asked.
"Um... yeah, just a few."
"A few??" Alicia laughed. "Uh huh... this is the last time we need to invite a pretty new girl to play Quidditch or even hang out with us." She hit me playfully and I smiled a little more than I had in the last day and a half.
"So, who it is?" Angelina said in a pushy manner.
"Um... Harry, George, and of course, Oliver," I started playing with one of the fastens of my robes and bit my lip nervously, wondering how their reactions would be.
"Well, seeing you with Oliver doesn't really make me think that's gonna work out, no offense, but I mean... You just seem so much more like Fred or George's 'type'," Katie added sincerely, which made me smile. I did like Oliver, yes, but she was right. He probably wasn't the guy for me.
"What about Harry?" I reminded them.
"When did Harry even come into the picture?" Alicia asked me suspiciously.
"Yeah, I've never even seen you two talk." Katie said.
"Eh... long story. We've talked twice and..." I stopped. I didn't want to tell them I'd kissed him and Fred.
"And..." Angelina urged.
"Okay, so I kissed him twice. Or he kissed me once, because I kissed him first. But on two different days," I said the words so quickly I was out of breath. The other girls just sat there until Katie started laughing.
"Well, you've got some trouble with that one. I don't know what to tell you." Alicia said in a sarcastic manner. "If it were me, I'd go for Fred or George, but that's just me."
"And I'd go for Oliver, but I'm not a Fred and George 'type' like I think you definitely are," I saw Katie blush for the first time.
"You are hiding something, Katie." I said with a curious tone. Once she cracked her huge smile, I grabbed a pillow and threw it at her.
"UH UH!" Alicia exclaimed. We all started giggling, even Angelina.
"When did this happen?" Angelina said, still throwing pillows.
"Two days ago." Katie responded as we all calmed down a bit.
"And you didn't tell us!?" I laughed for the first time in a while.
"GIRLS! WHAT'S GOING ON UP THERE? WE'RE READY TO GO! IT'S ALREADY 5:45!" Oliver yelled up the stairway. We continued to laugh and put the pillows back on the bed.
The three grabbed their brooms as we left the dormitory. With every step, my happiness for Katie faded into feeling sorry for myself. I still didn't know what to do.
But, I guess I was about to find out.
