Astoria

I can't believe it! Harry was Harry Potter? Why didn't he tell me? It was probably why he would didn't want me to wear my glasses. That git!

I moved my hands against the walls to find my way. I ended up in my favorite hiding spot in the dungeons. I could always find it even without my glasses. I was sniffing and wiping tears off my face when a large dark blur appeared, Professor Snape. Just like last year, when he first discovered me here, he stared at me for a moment and then held his palm out to me. I took his hand and let him lead me out. I wiped the rest of my face with my sleeve. After I was done, he gave me my pink glasses case. I accepted it. I release his hand to open the case and put my glasses on. I looked up at him. He gave me a nodded and walked away. We never talked, which didn't bother me. I appreciated that he always comes to fetch me ever since the first time. I went to the bathroom to wash my face, using cold water to lighten the redness. I wiped my face with a dry towel and went to my common room. Daphne was sitting on a couch with her friends. I walked pass them and stopped when Daphne called after me.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I denied, not turning around.

"Sweets?" I heard her say. I turned to her. I was devastated by Harry's lie but I wasn't about to turn down free sweets. I went to their couch and held my palm open. Daphne and her friends filled my hand with sweets.

Oh! Chocolate! Lucky me! I thought. My mood was slightly lifted.

"What happened?" asked Daphne.

I gathered the sweets and put them in my pocket. "Nothing."

"Then why are your eyes red?"

She tricked me to go to her so she could see my face. One of these days I'm going to learn to say 'no' when she does this.

"They've always been red." I said in my defense but we know it's not true.

She rolled her eyes at me, with a we-are-going-to-talk-about-it-later look.

"Sit down." she ordered me.

I sat on the couch beside Daphne while she talked with her friends. I brought sweets out and ate them there although I wanted to be alone. I would do as she says. It's a reflex. As far back as I could remember she was bossing me around. It was always like that with us. She wasn't so bad as far as sisters go. She feeds me and looks out for me, and makes her friends be nice to me.

Hours passed, Daphne was done with her friends and called it a day. We went the stairs to her dorm and sat on her bed. She closed the curtains so the others couldn't listen.

"What's wrong?" she asked me.

I thought back to the girl I saw Harry with. "The boy I like has a girlfriend."

Daphne was sympathetic. "Forget about him. Hogwarts is enormous. There are plenty of boys who are single. Have you seen the cute boys from Durmstrang?" she paused, "You know what, stay away from them. They are too old for you."

I don't like the other boys. I like Harry. I'm crossed that my Harry is Harry Potter and he has a girlfriend. I wasn't able to see the girl's face but I hope I'm prettier than her.

"The Yule Ball is coming up. We've got that to look forward too." Daphne reminded me in an attempt to cheer me up. It did, a little bit. My cousin, Theodore Nott, is taking me.

I thanked Daphne and went to my dorm. Maybe if I sleep my feelings for Harry would disappear tomorrow. The next day, I was walking through the corridor when a boy approached me. I think its Harry because he was wearing Gryffindor colors. I lowered my glasses to look at him. The large blurry figure was Harry. Funny, I recognize him without my glasses than with them on. I push my glasses up to see his face clearly for the first time.

How did I not recognize Harry James Potter? I don't usually pay attention to celebrities but his pictures are plastered all over the Wizardry World. You can't turn a corner without seeing his photograph from his first year to the present. I don't want to care about Harry Potter the Boy Who Lived. I didn't fall for his looks or his heroics. I fell for tall blurry Harry the Gryffindork.

"Astoria, can we talk?" he asked.

I glanced around to see if anyone was around. Being a Slytherin and having a Gryffindor as a friend was one thing but if other Slytherins see me with Harry Potter I'll get ostracized.

"Sure." I said.

I followed him to a private area. He stood there, trying to look at anything else but me. What? Now that I have my glasses on he can't look at my face? Maybe he really didn't like me with glasses? Well, I'm not taking them off for him or anyone again. I'm going to stare at him...with a frown.

Harry rubbed the back of his neck.

Be uncomfortable, Harry Potter. You should feel guilty for what you did.

"I'm glad you got them back. Hermione said she couldn't find you. She had to ask Snape to give them to you. I didn't know if he knew who you were."

"He did." I said.

Harry nodded.

More awkward silence followed. I got bored and stopped frowning at him.

"Were we really friends or were you secretly teasing me?" I asked him.

"No- Really no! I care about you. We are friends. I'm sorry. I just like that way you treat me. I can't explain it."

"Are long as I wasn't a joke to you I'm fine with it. Besides, I like you better as a big blur." My blur.

"Um...thank you. I think. You're not mad?" Harry's face crumpled up in confusion.

It's weird seeing his face with details. Before, it was just two eyes, a nose, and a mouth. When I think about it…I realized that he always stayed far enough to where I couldn't make out his facial features. You tricky Gryffindor!

"I was going to stay upset for a while, and then I remember you could die any moment." My heart will shatter to pieces. I'll lock myself in my bedroom, cry until my tears dry, plot revenge on your murders – that's unless your death was caused by your own reckless bravery I've heard about over the years.

"Because of the tournament?"

"And those dark wizards waiting to kill you."

"Oh, right. I almost forgot." The corners of his lips twitched. "You forgave me because I am Harry Potter?"

"I forgive you for being Harry Potter."

I hate that you are Harry Potter, the Boy-I-Can't-Be-With.