"Well? Whadaya think?" Harry said.
Laurelle stood there in awe. The castle stretched up all the way to Heaven, it seemed. Everything was happening so quickly! They entered the Great Hall, and a woman immediately approached her.
"Potter, is this a new student?' she said.
"Yes it is, Professor. This is my friend, Laurelle," said Harry. "Laurelle, this is Professor McGonagall. She teaches Transfiguration."
Did he say friend?! Thought Laurelle, Did he just call me his friend?! It looked like she was going to get along just fine here at Hogwarts.
Professor McGonagall whisked Laurelle into a separate room off to the left. There, the process of sorting was explained to Laurelle. She waited in line with the other nervous first years, trembling as much as any of them. Finally, her turn came. She could feel the eyes of the other students upon her. She sat on the stool and placed the hat on her head. "Well," said the hat. Laurelle jumped. A talking hat?! "You are certainly the easiest person I've had to sort in years! Without a doubt, you belong in Gryffindor!" The Gryffindor table cheered loudly and Laurelle tried hard to conceal the blush that was now rising in her cheeks. She noticed Harry, Hermione and Ron sitting together, now clearing a spot for her to sit. Had she not been so absorbed in the newness of everything, she would have felt two eyes in specific that were watching her with eager interest.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The next morning, Laurelle was called to Professor McGonagall's office. When she opened the door, Hermione was already standing there. "Ah, Laurelle, there you are!" said Professor McGonagall. "I would like you to meet Hermione Granger."
"We met on the train, Professor," said Hermione. "Very well, then. Laurelle, Miss Granger will be your tutor. She is top in her class. I expect you will be up to her level in no time. I have given you our best." Said Professor McGonagall, giving Laurelle a rare smile. Hermione blushed at the flattery.
Professor McGonagall was right. In no time, Laurelle was receiving high marks on all of her work, and not only was she making progress in her school work, but she was also making friends. She and Hermione had become quite good friends, and she, Ron and Harry were well on their way to becoming close. However, there were often awkward moments between Laurelle and Harry, but Laurelle simply assumed that he thought she was a bit strange and was only being nice to be polite.
Charms was a tricky subject for Laurelle. She couldn't quite master the Summoning Charm no matter how hard she tried, and she needed to learn it for their upcoming midterms, which were in a week. She was certain she could learn it in time with Hermione's help, but then, one day at breakfast, Hermione didn't look very well.
"Are you ok?" asked Laurelle, noting Hermione's sallow complexion.
"Yeah I'm- actually, I don't feel well. At all." was Hermione's answer.
Laurelle, Ron, and Harry accompanied Hermione to the nurse's wing, leaving their breakfasts behind. One there, Hermione was helped into one of the beds. Several minutes later, the diagnoses came.
"It's the flu." Said one nurse.
"Well, can't you just…fix it?" asked Laurelle.
The nurse laughed. "I'm afraid not dear. But don't worry," said the nurse. "Your friend just needs some rest and she should be better in about a week."
Laurelle left the ward with her head hanging. How was she going to pass Charms now? Sensing her negative attitude, Ron asked her what was wrong, and Laurelle explained the dilemma. Ron laughed. "Sorry," he said, "I'm not laughing at you, it's just that Harry here happens to be a pro at Summoning Charms!" He went on to recount the tale of the Triwizard Tournament. Laurelle was impressed. "Sure," said Harry, "I'll teach you."
"Oh, Harry would you do that for me?" asked Laurelle.
"Sure." said Harry with a smile.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A week later, exams were finished, and Laurelle had passed her Charms exam with flying colors (no pun intended!), thanks to Harry. The night after exams were finished, Laurelle found herself alone with Harry in the common room. It was very late and all of the other students had gone to bed, but Harry and Laurelle amused themselves by making any objects that weren't bolted down fly around the room. They were laughing and joking and having a good time in general. Finally, their conversation reached a lull, and so they sat there amid the piles of objects in a comfortable silence.
"Laurelle?" asked Harry, breaking the silence.
"Yeah?" responded Laurelle, turning her head.
She looked up to see him staring into her eyes. As adept as she was at reading books, she had no way of being able to read what was in Harry's eyes. All she could see was a sense of hesitation. She stood up on an impulse and turned around. Harry was now leaning over the spot where she had been just a moment ago. Laurelle, deeply embarrassed, turned to walk up the dormitory stairs, when Harry called to her again.
"Laurelle! Wait!"
Laurelle turned around sheepishly.
"I…um…" stuttered Harry. "Well, um, Ron is going to the Christmas Ball with Hermione, you know, as friends, and I was wondering if um…you wanted to go with me because I know that you don't have a date yet, and I don't either and…" he trailed off.
"As friends?" asked Laurelle.
"Oh, yeah, of course. As friends." answered a flustered Harry.
"Ok, then. I would like to go with you," said Laurelle with a smile. She turned around and walked up the stairs to her room. Harry could only watch her ascend the stairs and smile.