III.

HARRIET POTLEY

Harry…er… Harriet, upon walking out from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, didn't show up his…er …her face right away to everyone in school. She felt she wasn't ready yet to reveal herself. What if someone recognizes her as Harry and calls her gay?

That may be unlikely… but what if?

She walked around in circles, deciding where to go to find Michaela and what to say. What if she's able to distinguish her as Harry? What would she say? What would she think? Harriet continued walking around in circles when suddenly her feet hurt because the shoes were too tight and high-heeled.

"Damn!" She cursed. She decided to go back into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. She turned around abruptly and bumped hard into what seemed to be the firm chest of a guy. Harriet bounced back, sprained her ankle, and grabbed the guy she bumped into for support, but her ankle was too sore that she became outbalanced and was about to fall when the guy held her firmly, brought her back into a steady position, but he didn't let go of her.

"Are you all right?" The guy's smooth voice echoed into her head.

"Yes, thanks, but my ankle…" She looked up to face her rescuer and found that it was… "Malfoy!" She pushed him away and got out from his strong grip, trying hard to support her body with just one foot.

"I'm sorry, do I know you?" Draco Malfoy queried.

"Um… y-No! I'm… I'm… new…"

"What?"

"I'm… new here. I…" Harriet said hesitantly while trying to stand on one foot. Her foot was shaky and she knew that if she continues to stand like that, she'd surely fall stumble and embarrass herself.

"Are you all right?" Draco asked again anxiously.

"I'm fi-ah!" before she could finish, her foot had surrendered and she fell back into Draco's arms. "Oh, shit…"

"I think I should take you to the hospital wing…"

"No! I'm fine!" Harriet protested.

"OK, but you don't look fine to me," Draco replied. Harriet looked up again and their eyes met. For a few seconds, silence was hanging in the air. "You look familiar."

"Oh, what?" She looked away immediately.

"Have we met before?" He asked doubtfully.

"Um… maybe…"

"Then how'd you know my name?"

"Guess?"

"It doesn't feel like it. You look really, really familiar…"

"Nah! You're just mistaking me for someone else," Harriet replied hurriedly. Somehow, she has to move away from this guy. She knew that if she continues to stick around, Draco will surely find out…

"Let me give you a hand," Draco said as he lifted Harriet. "I'm taking you to Madam Pomfrey. She'll fix this up in no time."

"No! Put me down please…"

"Not with your sprained ankle," Draco replied and started walking towards the hospital wing, away from Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"But you don't understand… I need to go somewhere…"

"Um… no. You can go later after I take you to Madam Pomfrey. OK?"

"You know, I have feet and I can take myself to the hospital wing, so please put me down," she protested.

"Yeah, you can barely even stand." Harriet kept on protesting, but finally succumbed because Draco wouldn't hear any of her protests and she knew that Draco was right… yeah right! Draco Malfoy, helping someone? As far as I know, Malfoy probably leaves people around to suffer…

They passed through crowds of people and students and Harriet couldn't help, but blush because everyone was looking at them.

"Everyone's looking at us…"

"So?" Draco interrupted. She silenced and just kept her mouth close. Every corridor they passed, she would hear whispers from people looking at them.

"Malfoy, Malfoy… where are you taking her? To your dorm?" Someone joked. Harriet couldn't help but feel really, completely embarrass.

"I'll deal with you later," Draco replied to the joker. Then finally, a hundred years later, they arrived at the hospital wing. Draco carried her in and settled her on a comfortable chair. "Damn, you were heavy," Draco whispered.

"You could've just put me down…"

"Yeah whatever. It was worth it," Draco answered. Worth it? What the hell do you mean by 'worth it'? I swear I will get you when I'm out of this… this…

"What's the matter here?" Madam Pomfrey asked to no one in particular from the two.

"I sprained my ankle," Harriet replied.

"Oh dear! But don't worry! It will be fixed in no time!"

"Just like what I said," Draco added.

"He carried you?" This was the third time Hermione had asked Harry about his "little afternoon adventure" that night; and every time the thought came to Hermione, she'd laugh wildly.

"Yeah, yeah, I know… it's hysterical, Hermione. Go ahead and laugh your heart out," Harry replied ironically and  rather annoyed.

"I'm sor…ry…" Hermione tried not to laugh this time, but she just couldn't take it. The thought of Harry being carried by his nemesis is just superficially hilarious! When Hermione finally snapped out of it, she asked if Harry was able to talk to Michaela.

"I spent the whole afternoon vomiting and dozing off because of the healing potion! And after that nauseating time in the hospital wing, my mood changed!"