Chapter 10: Nina's Secret (Part 1)
Ron and Harry came down the staircase to the Gryffindor common room. Suddenly, Ron noticed Nina and Hermione coming from the girls' dormitories. Unknowingly, he started to blush.
"Oh dear, she's up early too! I must not stare . . . anyway, why should I stare? I don't have a crush on her remember? Yes . . . that's it . . . I don't have a crush on her. I will only think of her as a friend. Now I WILL NOT blush again when I see her. I must look up and wave to her." Ron was thinking to himself.
* * *
"Oh no!" Nina thought as she spotted Ron coming down the staircase that led up to the boys' dormitories with Harry. "He's up early too! And he's with Harry . . . I hope it doesn't look obvious that I like him . . . Harry should not know . . . even he should not know . . .I must try and get over him, I know I must. It is the right thing to do. Well, I might as well start convincing myself now. I DO NOT have a crush on him and so I WILL NOT blush when I see him and I will now raise up my head and wave at both of them." Nina said to herself and looked up. Trying very hard to keep her feelings hidden, she waved.
"Hi, guys!"
"Hi, Nina, Hermione!" Ron said simultaneously.
* * *
Hermione looked up and waved. She was thinking, "Nina sure does a good job, keeping her emotions in check." She decided not to say anything about it as Harry and Ron were approaching.
"So, do you all want to go down for breakfast now or later?" she asked, as it was only 8 a.m. and as it was a Saturday, the students usually came late for breakfast.
* * *
Harry looked at his watch.
"I think it would be better if we go now. Then after breakfast we can start on whatever we want to do today." He saw the others nod their approval and they went down together, waving at some of their friends in the common room as they went past.
* * *
Nina saw Harry, Ron and Hermione waving at their friends. She tried not to look at the people in the common room but she couldn't help noticing that they were all staring at her and she knew only too well why.
She followed the others as they exited the common room and headed towards the Great Hall. They entered the Great Hall and walked past the other house tables. As they passed the Slytherin table . . .
"Hey look guys!" Draco Malfoy shouted to the Slytherin table. "The Rotter's found himself a faithful little girlfriend . . . hey, Holland! Looking for some attention by hanging around with the Rotter?" The Slytherins roared with laughter.
Nina stopped dead in her tracks. "Control girl . . .control . . ." she muttered under her breath.
* * *
Harry stopped and whipped around. "Watch that mouth of yours, Malfoy. It may land you someplace you rather not be . . ."
"Are you threatening me, Potter?" Malfoy spat. The Slytherins had stopped laughing.
"Well now that you mention it, maybe . . ." Harry walked off with Ron, Hermione and Nina towards a group of sniggering Gryffindors.
*** IN DUMBLEODRE'S OFFICE ***
"Minerva, I must leave immediately. This is urgent."
"But, Albus, Mr. Potter and his friends?"
"I will talk to them when I return. I will not be long. In the meantime, please keep me informed of whatever happens in Hogwarts. I fear the safety of this place once I am gone. Of course, I will try and maintain the protection, but you must understand that it will be very difficult to do. The protection will lessen. The students must be very careful. They must abide by the new rules that we put in. I trust that you will be able to manage while I am gone?"
"Yes, yes of course, Albus."
"Then I shall leave now. Goodbye."
**** **** ****
*** THAT NIGHT ***
Harry got up from the Gryffindor table. He had just finished his dinner. All of a sudden, he saw Professor Macgonagall rushing towards him.
"Ms. Holland!" she called to Nina. "Please come with me. The three of you might want to come along too." She signaled to Harry, Hermione and Ron. Confused, Harry stared. Ron nudged him and he started to walk after Nina, who was following Macgonagall.
They climbed up the stairs and Harry was surprised to see them heading towards the hospital wing. Macgonagall entered.
"Madam Pomfrey, I have brought Nina." Harry heard her say. The four of them entered the hospital wing and saw a girl around their age lying on the bed, unconscious.
* * *
UH OH . . . now what? Who's the unconscious girl on the bed?
Find out in Chapter 10:Nina's Secret (PART 2)!
PLZ read and review..thanx a lot.
Ron and Harry came down the staircase to the Gryffindor common room. Suddenly, Ron noticed Nina and Hermione coming from the girls' dormitories. Unknowingly, he started to blush.
"Oh dear, she's up early too! I must not stare . . . anyway, why should I stare? I don't have a crush on her remember? Yes . . . that's it . . . I don't have a crush on her. I will only think of her as a friend. Now I WILL NOT blush again when I see her. I must look up and wave to her." Ron was thinking to himself.
* * *
"Oh no!" Nina thought as she spotted Ron coming down the staircase that led up to the boys' dormitories with Harry. "He's up early too! And he's with Harry . . . I hope it doesn't look obvious that I like him . . . Harry should not know . . . even he should not know . . .I must try and get over him, I know I must. It is the right thing to do. Well, I might as well start convincing myself now. I DO NOT have a crush on him and so I WILL NOT blush when I see him and I will now raise up my head and wave at both of them." Nina said to herself and looked up. Trying very hard to keep her feelings hidden, she waved.
"Hi, guys!"
"Hi, Nina, Hermione!" Ron said simultaneously.
* * *
Hermione looked up and waved. She was thinking, "Nina sure does a good job, keeping her emotions in check." She decided not to say anything about it as Harry and Ron were approaching.
"So, do you all want to go down for breakfast now or later?" she asked, as it was only 8 a.m. and as it was a Saturday, the students usually came late for breakfast.
* * *
Harry looked at his watch.
"I think it would be better if we go now. Then after breakfast we can start on whatever we want to do today." He saw the others nod their approval and they went down together, waving at some of their friends in the common room as they went past.
* * *
Nina saw Harry, Ron and Hermione waving at their friends. She tried not to look at the people in the common room but she couldn't help noticing that they were all staring at her and she knew only too well why.
She followed the others as they exited the common room and headed towards the Great Hall. They entered the Great Hall and walked past the other house tables. As they passed the Slytherin table . . .
"Hey look guys!" Draco Malfoy shouted to the Slytherin table. "The Rotter's found himself a faithful little girlfriend . . . hey, Holland! Looking for some attention by hanging around with the Rotter?" The Slytherins roared with laughter.
Nina stopped dead in her tracks. "Control girl . . .control . . ." she muttered under her breath.
* * *
Harry stopped and whipped around. "Watch that mouth of yours, Malfoy. It may land you someplace you rather not be . . ."
"Are you threatening me, Potter?" Malfoy spat. The Slytherins had stopped laughing.
"Well now that you mention it, maybe . . ." Harry walked off with Ron, Hermione and Nina towards a group of sniggering Gryffindors.
*** IN DUMBLEODRE'S OFFICE ***
"Minerva, I must leave immediately. This is urgent."
"But, Albus, Mr. Potter and his friends?"
"I will talk to them when I return. I will not be long. In the meantime, please keep me informed of whatever happens in Hogwarts. I fear the safety of this place once I am gone. Of course, I will try and maintain the protection, but you must understand that it will be very difficult to do. The protection will lessen. The students must be very careful. They must abide by the new rules that we put in. I trust that you will be able to manage while I am gone?"
"Yes, yes of course, Albus."
"Then I shall leave now. Goodbye."
**** **** ****
*** THAT NIGHT ***
Harry got up from the Gryffindor table. He had just finished his dinner. All of a sudden, he saw Professor Macgonagall rushing towards him.
"Ms. Holland!" she called to Nina. "Please come with me. The three of you might want to come along too." She signaled to Harry, Hermione and Ron. Confused, Harry stared. Ron nudged him and he started to walk after Nina, who was following Macgonagall.
They climbed up the stairs and Harry was surprised to see them heading towards the hospital wing. Macgonagall entered.
"Madam Pomfrey, I have brought Nina." Harry heard her say. The four of them entered the hospital wing and saw a girl around their age lying on the bed, unconscious.
* * *
UH OH . . . now what? Who's the unconscious girl on the bed?
Find out in Chapter 10:Nina's Secret (PART 2)!
PLZ read and review..thanx a lot.