CHAPTER 4
The next morning, I awoke to Mrs. Weasley standing over me.
"Wake up, dear! You better get down to breakfast, you're going to Diagon Alley today!", she exclaimed, and bustled out to the hall to wake Harry and Ron.
I walked down to breakfast, still in my pajamas (so was everyone else). I sat down at the table by Hermione and Mr. Weasley who was reading the Daily Prophet. Harry sat down by Hermione, with Ron to his right. They were still yawning. Fred and George had obviously again refused to come downstairs. Within a few moments we were all nibbling toast in silence. Hermione suddenly jumped up from her chair.
"Why don't we switch seats, Natalie? I want to read Mr. Weasley's newspaper.", she said, pushing me into her empty seat next to Harry.
Hermione winked at me and I gave her an unnoticeable side smile. I looked back at Harry.
"Will you pass me the butter? Natalie? Natalie? Natalie!"
"What?", I asked (back to reality).
"The butter, please.", he said, almost with a laugh.
"Oh, yeah, here.", I passed the butter with a shaky vioce.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid,", I thought to myself. I was so embarrassed. I casually and silently finished my toast and headed for the stairs. As soon as she saw me leave the table, Hermione came running after me. As soon as we were upstairs she burst into laughter.
"Your face was red!", she exclaimed.
"I feel horrible.", I muttered, hiding my face in my hands.
"Why? He smiled at you. Didn't you notice?", she said, as quiet as possible.
"No, Hermione, I was too busy staring at the floor! Anyway, he was probably just laughing at how stupid I am."
Hermione rolled her eyes and walked into the bathroom. I went back into the guestroom and got dressed. When we were both ready, we went downstairs were Mr. Weasley, Ron, and Harry, were waiting to go to Diagon Alley by Floo Powder. Hermione grabbed Ron by the arm and drug him into the fireplace. She tossed a fistful of powder into the air and yelled 'Diagon Alley'. They vanished without a trace.
"I'm going last.", said Mr. Weasley.
That just left Harry and me. I gulped, and took a deep breath.
"C'mon.", said Harry, grabbing my hand.
We stepped into the fireplace and Harry threw a fistful of powder into the air. I closed my eyes tightly. Both of my palms were dripping (especially the one that was enclosed in Harry's hand. I opened my eyes, wondering why we weren't moving or getting anywhere. I saw Harry smile at me and blush.
"You've never done this before, have you?", he whispered.
"Nope."
"Don't be scared.", he mumbled.
Even though his words were comforting, I wasn't too thrilled about Floo Powder. I heard him say 'Diagon Alley' and I felt my stomach drop. It was like being on a 1,000m.p.h. elevator. I fell on my back, and something fell on me.
The next morning, I awoke to Mrs. Weasley standing over me.
"Wake up, dear! You better get down to breakfast, you're going to Diagon Alley today!", she exclaimed, and bustled out to the hall to wake Harry and Ron.
I walked down to breakfast, still in my pajamas (so was everyone else). I sat down at the table by Hermione and Mr. Weasley who was reading the Daily Prophet. Harry sat down by Hermione, with Ron to his right. They were still yawning. Fred and George had obviously again refused to come downstairs. Within a few moments we were all nibbling toast in silence. Hermione suddenly jumped up from her chair.
"Why don't we switch seats, Natalie? I want to read Mr. Weasley's newspaper.", she said, pushing me into her empty seat next to Harry.
Hermione winked at me and I gave her an unnoticeable side smile. I looked back at Harry.
"Will you pass me the butter? Natalie? Natalie? Natalie!"
"What?", I asked (back to reality).
"The butter, please.", he said, almost with a laugh.
"Oh, yeah, here.", I passed the butter with a shaky vioce.
"Stupid, stupid, stupid,", I thought to myself. I was so embarrassed. I casually and silently finished my toast and headed for the stairs. As soon as she saw me leave the table, Hermione came running after me. As soon as we were upstairs she burst into laughter.
"Your face was red!", she exclaimed.
"I feel horrible.", I muttered, hiding my face in my hands.
"Why? He smiled at you. Didn't you notice?", she said, as quiet as possible.
"No, Hermione, I was too busy staring at the floor! Anyway, he was probably just laughing at how stupid I am."
Hermione rolled her eyes and walked into the bathroom. I went back into the guestroom and got dressed. When we were both ready, we went downstairs were Mr. Weasley, Ron, and Harry, were waiting to go to Diagon Alley by Floo Powder. Hermione grabbed Ron by the arm and drug him into the fireplace. She tossed a fistful of powder into the air and yelled 'Diagon Alley'. They vanished without a trace.
"I'm going last.", said Mr. Weasley.
That just left Harry and me. I gulped, and took a deep breath.
"C'mon.", said Harry, grabbing my hand.
We stepped into the fireplace and Harry threw a fistful of powder into the air. I closed my eyes tightly. Both of my palms were dripping (especially the one that was enclosed in Harry's hand. I opened my eyes, wondering why we weren't moving or getting anywhere. I saw Harry smile at me and blush.
"You've never done this before, have you?", he whispered.
"Nope."
"Don't be scared.", he mumbled.
Even though his words were comforting, I wasn't too thrilled about Floo Powder. I heard him say 'Diagon Alley' and I felt my stomach drop. It was like being on a 1,000m.p.h. elevator. I fell on my back, and something fell on me.