((A/N: Wow I'm so proud that you guys like this! Thank you! ^ ^ Keep
reviewing, it makes me happy. And you know what they say about happy
authors? They write good chapters! (Well I suppose they don't say that
but.well.you know. Anything for the reviews! ^ ^;;)))
The days fell into a pattern, in which Harry would go through his classes, distracted, until he went to visit Rhiannon. During his visits, Harry always felt accepted, not because he was the Boy Who Lived, but because of who he really was behind the hero front he put up to hide the insecurities any fifteen-year-old boy should have. He enjoyed his time with Rhiannon, replaying the conversations in his head as he lay in bed at night.
One Wednesday afternoon, Harry entered the hospital wing to find Rhiannon on her feet, leaning heavily on the railing on the side of her bed.
"Rhiannon! You're-" Harry stopped and ran over. "Are you allowed to be up?" he continued in a quieter voice.
Rhiannon nodded and took a slow step forward. She stood for a moment then wobbled and fell. Harry's reflexes kicked in and he caught her neatly, before she could fall very far or get hurt. Harry blushed slightly and mumbled something that sounded stupid even to his ears, and quickly stood Rhiannon up. Rhiannon smiled faintly and thanked him, still leaning on his arm.
"You okay?" Harry queried worriedly, "Are you positive you don't want to wait a little longer before you try to walk?"
"Don't worry Harry, I'm fine. I just need a moment to rest, then will you help me again?"
Harry shrugged and waited as Rhiannon seemed to gather her strength again. She took a halting step forward, and Harry moved with her. Another, and another, Harry supported Rhiannon as she gradually made her way across the partitioned area.
They stopped at the edge of the curtain and Harry exclaimed, "Great! Next thing you know, you'll be able to walk around Hogwarts too!"
Rhiannon smiled at him and murmured a quiet thanks. Harry felt himself turn red at her smile, and he ducked his head with a shrug. They walked falteringly back to the bed and Rhiannon sat again, "Madame Pomfrey says I should be able to walk around easily in about three days. Will you show me around then?" Rhiannon asked and Harry nodded,
"I'll see you then," Harry stood and left, waving at Rhiannon as he pulled the curtain closed behind himself.
* * * *
Three days passed quickly as Harry rushed through his classes in a childish eagerness for Saturday to come. The morning of the awaited day dawned bright and clear, Harry noted absentmindedly, as he got dressed and walked down to the Common Room and out of Gryffindor Tower. At eight in the morning, the minority of the students were awake, and the few who were were all heading to the Dining Hall for breakfast, so it was easy enough for Harry to slip past his sleepy-eyed fellow wizards and make it to the hospital wing. Inside, Madame Pomfrey made him wait while she went to help Rhiannon get up and get dressed. Harry perched on a chair and waited, until the mediwitch emerged again, with Rhiannon in tow.
It made Harry stare, to see the girl dressed in regular clothes, with her hair pulled back. She looked.beautiful. Rhiannon seemed to notice him staring at her and raised an inquiring eyebrow, so he quickly looked away as he stood,
"Ready?"
Rhiannon nodded, "Yup."
"Hungry?"
She grinned, "Starving."
Harry smiled back, "Great, let's go." Thanking Madame Pomfrey on their way out, the two youths left the hospital wing. Outside, Rhiannon stopped and stared around her, almost as if she was trying to memorize everything she saw. Harry was glad to see that she seemed to like Hogwarts, and he led her on a tour as they made their way to the Dining Hall to join the other students who were awake.
As they passed the other tables, a quiet buzz of questions followed in their wake; none of the witches or wizards had seen Rhiannon around and they wondered who she was. Rhiannon herself seemed a little taken aback at the number of students who attended Hogwarts, and she hid behind Harry just a little as they found seats at the Gryffindor table.
Some Gryffindors greeted Harry with welcoming shouts and puzzled expressions, but the only one bold enough to actually ask Harry was Seamus, who elbowed him and waggled his eyebrows, "Who's the lovely lady, Harry?" Harry glared, Rhiannon flushed, and Seamus grinned, "Oho! What's this Harry? Out with it, eh?"
Harry sighed, "This is my friend-" he was interrupted by gasps from his friends, "-Yes my friend. Her name's Rhiannon."
Dean joined in, "Rhiannon? Pretty name. Hey listen, if you haven't claimed her, Harry, can I take her out?"
Harry glared at Dean, "Why don't you ask her yourself?"
Dean bowed, "I think I will," he turned to Rhiannon then. "Ms. Rhiannon, seeing as Harry hasn't claimed you, would you do me the honor of accompanying me on a date?"
Harry laughed, "Didn't know you could be so eloquent Dean."
Dean shrugged and smirked, "It's one of those talents you wouldn't understand, Harry dear."
Harry laughed again and swatted Dean, who dodged then popped right back up, looking at Rhiannon expectantly.
Rhiannon looked away and bit her lip, thinking. Finally, she looked up and her eyes danced, although she kept a straight face, "Sorry Dean, I only go on dates with the ineloquent."
Dean slapped his chest with a mock-wounded expression; "Ah the lady strikes!" he recovered with a grin, "Ah well. I have some studying to do, see you two later!" With a wave, Dean absconded ((A/N: heehee funky word, ne?)), leaving Harry and Rhiannon sitting together, surrounded by chattering students.
Harry smiled ruefully, "Sorry 'bout him Rhiannon."
"Don't worry about it. He's funny," Rhiannon assured him, and they turned to their food.
((A/N: It is 1:16 AM as I finish this chapter *dies* Hehe good times. Well I hope you like it. More will be forthcoming. Amazing how articulate I get at one in the morning ^_^;; Well, review and you'll get more sooner! Ja ne!))
The days fell into a pattern, in which Harry would go through his classes, distracted, until he went to visit Rhiannon. During his visits, Harry always felt accepted, not because he was the Boy Who Lived, but because of who he really was behind the hero front he put up to hide the insecurities any fifteen-year-old boy should have. He enjoyed his time with Rhiannon, replaying the conversations in his head as he lay in bed at night.
One Wednesday afternoon, Harry entered the hospital wing to find Rhiannon on her feet, leaning heavily on the railing on the side of her bed.
"Rhiannon! You're-" Harry stopped and ran over. "Are you allowed to be up?" he continued in a quieter voice.
Rhiannon nodded and took a slow step forward. She stood for a moment then wobbled and fell. Harry's reflexes kicked in and he caught her neatly, before she could fall very far or get hurt. Harry blushed slightly and mumbled something that sounded stupid even to his ears, and quickly stood Rhiannon up. Rhiannon smiled faintly and thanked him, still leaning on his arm.
"You okay?" Harry queried worriedly, "Are you positive you don't want to wait a little longer before you try to walk?"
"Don't worry Harry, I'm fine. I just need a moment to rest, then will you help me again?"
Harry shrugged and waited as Rhiannon seemed to gather her strength again. She took a halting step forward, and Harry moved with her. Another, and another, Harry supported Rhiannon as she gradually made her way across the partitioned area.
They stopped at the edge of the curtain and Harry exclaimed, "Great! Next thing you know, you'll be able to walk around Hogwarts too!"
Rhiannon smiled at him and murmured a quiet thanks. Harry felt himself turn red at her smile, and he ducked his head with a shrug. They walked falteringly back to the bed and Rhiannon sat again, "Madame Pomfrey says I should be able to walk around easily in about three days. Will you show me around then?" Rhiannon asked and Harry nodded,
"I'll see you then," Harry stood and left, waving at Rhiannon as he pulled the curtain closed behind himself.
* * * *
Three days passed quickly as Harry rushed through his classes in a childish eagerness for Saturday to come. The morning of the awaited day dawned bright and clear, Harry noted absentmindedly, as he got dressed and walked down to the Common Room and out of Gryffindor Tower. At eight in the morning, the minority of the students were awake, and the few who were were all heading to the Dining Hall for breakfast, so it was easy enough for Harry to slip past his sleepy-eyed fellow wizards and make it to the hospital wing. Inside, Madame Pomfrey made him wait while she went to help Rhiannon get up and get dressed. Harry perched on a chair and waited, until the mediwitch emerged again, with Rhiannon in tow.
It made Harry stare, to see the girl dressed in regular clothes, with her hair pulled back. She looked.beautiful. Rhiannon seemed to notice him staring at her and raised an inquiring eyebrow, so he quickly looked away as he stood,
"Ready?"
Rhiannon nodded, "Yup."
"Hungry?"
She grinned, "Starving."
Harry smiled back, "Great, let's go." Thanking Madame Pomfrey on their way out, the two youths left the hospital wing. Outside, Rhiannon stopped and stared around her, almost as if she was trying to memorize everything she saw. Harry was glad to see that she seemed to like Hogwarts, and he led her on a tour as they made their way to the Dining Hall to join the other students who were awake.
As they passed the other tables, a quiet buzz of questions followed in their wake; none of the witches or wizards had seen Rhiannon around and they wondered who she was. Rhiannon herself seemed a little taken aback at the number of students who attended Hogwarts, and she hid behind Harry just a little as they found seats at the Gryffindor table.
Some Gryffindors greeted Harry with welcoming shouts and puzzled expressions, but the only one bold enough to actually ask Harry was Seamus, who elbowed him and waggled his eyebrows, "Who's the lovely lady, Harry?" Harry glared, Rhiannon flushed, and Seamus grinned, "Oho! What's this Harry? Out with it, eh?"
Harry sighed, "This is my friend-" he was interrupted by gasps from his friends, "-Yes my friend. Her name's Rhiannon."
Dean joined in, "Rhiannon? Pretty name. Hey listen, if you haven't claimed her, Harry, can I take her out?"
Harry glared at Dean, "Why don't you ask her yourself?"
Dean bowed, "I think I will," he turned to Rhiannon then. "Ms. Rhiannon, seeing as Harry hasn't claimed you, would you do me the honor of accompanying me on a date?"
Harry laughed, "Didn't know you could be so eloquent Dean."
Dean shrugged and smirked, "It's one of those talents you wouldn't understand, Harry dear."
Harry laughed again and swatted Dean, who dodged then popped right back up, looking at Rhiannon expectantly.
Rhiannon looked away and bit her lip, thinking. Finally, she looked up and her eyes danced, although she kept a straight face, "Sorry Dean, I only go on dates with the ineloquent."
Dean slapped his chest with a mock-wounded expression; "Ah the lady strikes!" he recovered with a grin, "Ah well. I have some studying to do, see you two later!" With a wave, Dean absconded ((A/N: heehee funky word, ne?)), leaving Harry and Rhiannon sitting together, surrounded by chattering students.
Harry smiled ruefully, "Sorry 'bout him Rhiannon."
"Don't worry about it. He's funny," Rhiannon assured him, and they turned to their food.
((A/N: It is 1:16 AM as I finish this chapter *dies* Hehe good times. Well I hope you like it. More will be forthcoming. Amazing how articulate I get at one in the morning ^_^;; Well, review and you'll get more sooner! Ja ne!))