Disclaimer- Yeah, like I'd be smart enough to think of Harry Potter but the
plot (cough cough) is actually mine.
Authors Note: This is going to, I think, take an unexpected twist and people may not like it. Still going to be Harry & Ginny though.
Also, just seen Comic Relief Night with a Harry Potter spoof- did you see Hagrid!!! Hee Hee- there's about two people who understand that and I suppose all the rest of you are wondering about my sanity.
Does anyone watch Cold Feet here? *Sniffle* Rachel.
As you may have guessed my life consists of Harry Potter, television and the odd bit of cheeryade. Not a healthy combination.
Thank you everyone who reviewed. This'll sound crude but more reviews=more updates. Oh yeah, I meant to say- the last chapter just WOULD NOT FLOW. This chapter is way better.
This chapter is kind of short though but ACTION PACKED!!! YEAH BABY!!!
Note: Any crap romance I apologize for right now. I hope I didn't give anything away!
Chapter 8: 5...4.3.2.what the?
"C'mon Paige!"
Knocking on the door as fast and as hard as he could, he yelled to the person in the room that had used all the hot water. He didn't do cold showers until now.
His roommate was in her bedroom taking what seemed forever to get ready to go out. She had been in there since, well, she had never came out that day. On the day of the Yule ball, just under ten years ago (Harry being 24 and Ginny 23), he remembered Hermione going off a couple of hours earlier.
But all day?
Patience was not one of Harry's virtues.
"Paige," he yelled hoarsely at the door, "It's gone seven- do you have any idea what London traffic is like?"
"No,"
Paige's voice came floating through the door, slightly muffled, but totally relaxed despite his hour-long attempt to get her to come out of her room, "Enlighten me,"
He pushed his fingers through his hoar for the tenth time making it stand up more than it usually did- quite an achievement. It had been a long time since he had lost his temper and if this kept up he was going to loss it again.
Kicking the door in exasperation, he called out to her one more time,
"I'm going go without you,"
A giggle reached his ears as he pressed his forehead against her door.
"You do that then,"
Now he was really glad that controlling your anger had been part of basic Auror training but even he couldn't help a kick of the door.
"I mean it," he said exasperated,
"Of course you do,"
He didn't know what she was doing in there but anything could not take this long. Battles had been started and finished in this time, Quiddich matches had been over in this stretch so why was he still out here?
"Paige!" his voice rising unnaturally,
He slid down the wall and decided to wait here. It was better than standing up and losing his voice.
"Yes?"
He didn't time to reply because the buzzer on his intercom went. Shooting her door with one last glare, he stood up and walked, he had shoes on and therefore couldn't *slide*, and answered the call,
"Hello?"
On the other end he heard someone sniff loudly before answering,
"James Redwood?"
"That's me,"
The person downstairs coughed for a few moments,
"Taxi,"
It was due to come at half seven but according to Harry's watch it was only.
"EIGHT!"
"Yea, sorry about that mate- traffic was a nightmare,"
They were later than he thought,
"Excuse me would you,"
He strode across the apartment determinedly, leaving the man down stairs to mutter about how he doesn't have all day, jumped over the couch and banged on Paige's door,
"I hate to interrupt you Majesty," he spoke into the door, his voice oozing with sarcasm and faked calmness, "but the TAXI is here,"
He heard a cross sigh and the sound of a couple of cases being knocked about,
"I'm coming, Jesus"
Harry walked back over to the door and grabbed his jacket muttering something along the lines of 'Finally' and waited by the door. Leaning on the wall he checked he had his wand with him and looked in his reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall. Eyes still were brown and his scar, well; so long as it didn't rain he'd be fine.
"PAI."
The door opposite him creaked open and left Harry speechless mid sentence. Now he understood why she had been in there all day- the only exception was to demand a cup of coffee and all he saw then was a hand and half of her forearm before the cup was snatched away.
Over the week he had know her, her hair was always up but now, she had it curled slightly and had little white things stuck in here and there like blossom.
She was wearing a knee length, sliver dress with spaghetti straps that seemed to be made out of liquid as it flowed around her knees.
He didn't realise he was staring until Paige's voice interrupted his daydream,
"Damn it we're out of washing up liquid,"
Rolling his eyes he joined her in the kitchen were the sound of doors being opened hastily then slammed shut- each time an exasperated sigh followed the bang. Of all the times to wash up, this was not one of them,
"Surely not," he commented leaning on the doorframe and looking on at the scene in his kitchen with amusement "-not with 20% extra bubbles"
She stooped momentarily to narrow her eyes at him before continuing on her search making even more noise than she did before.
He sighed and walked over to her. Just as she was opening another cupboard next to the window he held it shut. He looked up at him and for the first time he noticed that she wasn't that short,
"We have got to go," he said slowly, pointing at the clock that now read five minutes past eight, as he held her wrist and moved her hand from the handle and away from any cupboards.
She just looked up at him, not moving or speaking, and Harry became painfully aware that he was still holding her hand.
"Hello?"
The voice of a now irritated taxi-driver floated into the kitchen and woke him up. He dragged her out of the small kitchen into the hallway where he answered the telecom while Paige silently pulled her jacket on.
"Yeah we're coming," and he disconnected before anymore moaning could be cut off there.
Paige was now checking her appearance in front of the hall mirror, Harry raked his fingers through his hair- not helping the fact it was already messy.
He slid the bolt back on the door and he opened it soundlessly and waited- just wondering how long it would take for Paige to wake up.
~*~
Just under half an hour later, Harry and Paige sat in the motionless taxi in the sea of cars all of them honking for the traffic lights to change.
It had been a while since either one of them had spoke, they had run out polite conversation a while ago so now the alone sounds to be heard were the drivers cursing and the honks of other cars. Harry was sitting in the little pull down chair while Paige took up all of the seats in the back with herself and her small bag.
She huffed and turned to look out of the window thought it was dark outside. He could see the yellow glow of the streetlights reflecting on her face as she scowled at all the other drivers around them like this was their entire fault.
He glanced at his watch, it was half past eight and they should be there. He was supposed to go there strictly for work- there had been almost no attacks over the past two months. Somebody was planning something big and with such a small space with a high concentration of Muggle's. It was such an easy and irresistible target for Deatheaters that a group of Aurors were assigned to watch for any suspicious behaviour.
So instead of going Billy-no-mates like he was used to for the past two years, he took the most pleasant route for himself and invited his roommate.
The light on her face went from a soft yellow to a green and the taxi started with a jolt sending Paige flying forward into his lap.
Stunned for a moment, he didn't move for a second just looked at her until he woke up when she was trying to haul herself up. He took her arms in hands and helped her back into her seat and she gave him an appreciative smile and look back outside.
Harry couldn't help but notice the colour rising in her cheeks.
~*~
The atmosphere was contagious here.
Everyone was smiling, dancing and having a good and over the sound of music rings of laughter could be heard. He had a grin on his face as he sipped on a bottle of Budweiser as he watched the crowds as lights flashed revealing a different scene every time.
A Deatheater would stand out like a sore thumb here. He doubted if any of them ever took Muggle Studies and knew what a 'Pop Band' was. He was hoped rather then believed all of this but it had been an excuse to get him out of the house.
Paige had disappeared into the crowds a couple of minutes ago and hadn't come back yet. He scanned the crowds, now cursing the strobe lighting, but still saw no sign of her dark brown- almost black hair. It was, he thought, kind of stupid to look for black hair in the middle of the night.
The music had now finished only to be replaced by some D.J's voice announcing that it was only forty-five more minutes until the New Year. Flashes of the New Year celebrations in Australia, Italy, Greece and more places around the world played on the massive windscreen surrounding the stage.
Taking a long draft out of his bottle he placed the now empty beer on the bar and rooted around in his pockets for his wand.
Midnight, if any time, was when the Deatheaters were most likely to attack.
Unconsciously he glanced over the mass of people now filling up the square. His gaze rested on the muggle police standing around the statues of Nelson and Queen Victoria keeping the people from climbing on them.
'You'll have bigger problems later on mate,' he couldn't help thinking as he followed an officer take a very drunk man into a police car with his eyes. What a way to spend new years- filling a report on the drinking habits of the average under twenty-one year old.
As his eyes watched the car drive away, minus the siren he noticed, he saw a flash of white blonde hair and he stood up. It could be nothing but he had been told to follow anything remotely unusual and there was only one person that he knew with hair like that- muggle or wizard- Malfoy.
He stalked of over to the place where he had saw him last and just as he came round the corner he saw the back of this persons head. He followed the person for a while, taking care not to be seen, but still had no sign of their face.
Then suddenly they just disappeared into thin air. Harry stood on the spot just looking around dumbfounded- vaguely aware that a voice was saying it was only half an hour until the New Year and the music started up again. This made things harder as people streamed out of nowhere to what just looked like jumping up and down.
Kicking a can angrily he looked around for any sign of some one he knew. He spotted someone standing in the shadows of a statue and recognised it as a colleague from work- Mark.
He walked over to him inconspicuously and leaned against the wall with him.
They glanced at each other.
"You've got brown hair tonight," he stated eyeing Harry's hair with a grin. He usually changed his hair from brown to dirty blonde before he got to work. He couldn't do magic at home, Voldemort had been joined to him through each other's wands back in his forth year and now if Harry didn't any magic alone Voldemort could feel it. Trace him.
It was the same with Harry, he knew whenever Voldemort killed anyone or was planning it. Time went on and it turned out Voldemort was back to getting other people to do his dirty work.
But Mark didn't know any of this. The reason why Harry was such a good friend with him was because he was a student form Drumstrang- he didn't have a clear mental image of Harry Potter.
He glanced up and down Mark who just looked like a very smartly dressed Muggle with a white shirt with the top couple of buttons undone- no doubt his tie was stuffed in his pocket- black trousers and a black jacket thrown on the floor on top of some unused barricades.
Harry didn't say anything only looked at him wondering if that last comment of Mark's was even worth saying.
"Point taken," Mark said looking back onto the square. He had a pretty good vantage spot, he could see almost all of the crowds with only a couple of blind spots where several tents were placed that served food.
"How long have you been here?"
Whenever they were on duty at work together, their talk was almost always to ease their nerves with a joke but there was something different about tonight- it was strictly business. Harry knew that Mark was Muggle born and any attack tonight would almost certainly strike a nerve as his family lived in the suburbs.
"A couple of hours,"
Mark must have seen the surprised look on his face as Harry heard this,
"Just can't feel anything below my knee caps though,"
Harry grinned, realising that he hadn't smiled for a while. The air had changed, it was colder and the weather was moodier. Even the Muggle music had stopped and gone into a sort of slower beat for the countdowns build up.
"Seen anything?" he asked
It was Harry's turn to talk but unusually he didn't want to joke. He still hadn't found Paige and if there was an attack. He still didn't know if Voldemort knew about his disguise and if he even got a whiff of him having a roommate.
"No," came his partners curt reply sensing Harry's agitation, "You?"
Harry thought about the best way to put this without sounding like he was making a mountain out of a molehill,
"I think Malfoy junior may been checking out the sights of London,"
Silence from the person standing next to him, everyone knew about Draco Malfoy and whether the rumours were true or not- him possibly being here wasn't good.
"Ah,"
"Exactly,"
When no more came from his partner, Harry's eyes looked around for Paige and strangely he found her.
She was dancing with some muggle boy with her arms round his neck and smiling up at him. He had his arms round her waist and holding her close and dancing with her to the beat, he felt something in his chest go as he saw this scene in unreal closeness.
His fists clenched as he realised he was jealous. But there was something different about Paige- she reminded him of Ginny. It was an impossible coincidence that she almost had the same history as Ginny. Bu Ginny wasn't stupid enough to reveal herself after all these years.
He could just hearing things but her laugh made him dizzy with memory.
"Five more minutes James," his friends voice brought him back to reality and he tore his eyes off her and onto him, "Do you think we're here for no reason?"
Harry didn't even have to think twice about his answer- it just slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it,
"No," he said firmly his eyes once again returning to the perfect party below them. "I don't,"
Mark seemed slightly taken a back by this but didn't question it for a moment,
"Why?"
"I don't know," he answered still searching for any sign of blonde hair but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. His eyes rested on Paige again that was a standing alone sending a glare at someone walking away from her.
Then he left his friends without another word and set off down the slope and onto the square to find Paige. To his revile the crowd seemed to be thinning out- it seemed about half of the people were going onto their friends shoulders.
He spotted her standing alone looking slightly nervous and looking around for someone, and he noticed how her face brightened up when she saw him.
"Oh my god where the hell were you?" was his greeting, he smiled wearily at her question.
"Looking for you," he answered with a little white lie- it wasn't completely right nor was it completely wrong.
There was an eerie silence between them as Harry glanced up at the stage and saw that there were huge numbers either side were counting down from twenty.
From ten.
He couldn't help it; he had to smile at the sight of everyone having a good time. The threat of an attack now out of his mind because he was back in the crowd and away from any remainder- such as Mark.
"Nine!"
Paige was yelling with the people as the giant clock on the screen went down with agonising slowness.
"Eight!"
Something in the air caught his eye.
"Seven!"
It didn't come back. It was probably a pigeon- they had nowhere to go no that they had been evicted by the masses of people.
"Six!"
He dismissed the idea of a broomstick.
"FIVE!"
The crowd was getting louder with anticipation and he was getting some funny look with just standing there from Paige,
"C'mon" she hollered over the deafening four that blasted out of the loudspeakers and smiled at him, grabbing his hand. Harry felt her relax and drew her closer, fighting the urge to kiss her as she moulded into the contours of his body.
"THREE"
Harry couldn't help feeling excited and joined in now and compared to last years new years eve this was a dream.
"TWO!"
He faced Paige and grinned not knowing how the hell they we going to get home,
"ONE!"
He didn't hear the crowds roaring and the fireworks going off. He didn't hear the screams of joy being replaced by screams of terror as he leaned forward and cupped Paige's face in his hands kissed her on the lips.
He had no idea why he was doing this. He didn't want Paige- she was just a replacement for Ginny and he knew he would feel bad about it later on.
That was just a small voice in his head; the other, and much larger, voice was urging him to go on.
She didn't respond for a moment before she wrapped her arms around his neck deepening the kiss. Harry ran his hands through her silky hair, drawing her closer to him.
He would have stayed there, just with her, if it wasn't until he saw her eyes widening with horror and pushed him away.
She had her hand on her mouth and for one horrible moment he thought she regretted it but she was looking behind him- skywards.
Spinning round, he looked up at the sky and felt a spasm of terror jolt through his scar as he clutched it- his eyes still fixed on the heavens.
It seemed that the Dark Mark floating above the stage, which was now lightless and lifeless, transfixed both him and Paige.
"Oh crap,"
Authors Note:
I like the word crap- that's a future warning people. One more thing- do you think this could pass for a drama? And has anyone noticed I haven't put any comments half way through? I was SO tempted sometimes!!!
Two words people
*Cue scary music*MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Review
I'm going to get my assed kicked for this though but- support COMIC RELIEF
Authors Note: This is going to, I think, take an unexpected twist and people may not like it. Still going to be Harry & Ginny though.
Also, just seen Comic Relief Night with a Harry Potter spoof- did you see Hagrid!!! Hee Hee- there's about two people who understand that and I suppose all the rest of you are wondering about my sanity.
Does anyone watch Cold Feet here? *Sniffle* Rachel.
As you may have guessed my life consists of Harry Potter, television and the odd bit of cheeryade. Not a healthy combination.
Thank you everyone who reviewed. This'll sound crude but more reviews=more updates. Oh yeah, I meant to say- the last chapter just WOULD NOT FLOW. This chapter is way better.
This chapter is kind of short though but ACTION PACKED!!! YEAH BABY!!!
Note: Any crap romance I apologize for right now. I hope I didn't give anything away!
Chapter 8: 5...4.3.2.what the?
"C'mon Paige!"
Knocking on the door as fast and as hard as he could, he yelled to the person in the room that had used all the hot water. He didn't do cold showers until now.
His roommate was in her bedroom taking what seemed forever to get ready to go out. She had been in there since, well, she had never came out that day. On the day of the Yule ball, just under ten years ago (Harry being 24 and Ginny 23), he remembered Hermione going off a couple of hours earlier.
But all day?
Patience was not one of Harry's virtues.
"Paige," he yelled hoarsely at the door, "It's gone seven- do you have any idea what London traffic is like?"
"No,"
Paige's voice came floating through the door, slightly muffled, but totally relaxed despite his hour-long attempt to get her to come out of her room, "Enlighten me,"
He pushed his fingers through his hoar for the tenth time making it stand up more than it usually did- quite an achievement. It had been a long time since he had lost his temper and if this kept up he was going to loss it again.
Kicking the door in exasperation, he called out to her one more time,
"I'm going go without you,"
A giggle reached his ears as he pressed his forehead against her door.
"You do that then,"
Now he was really glad that controlling your anger had been part of basic Auror training but even he couldn't help a kick of the door.
"I mean it," he said exasperated,
"Of course you do,"
He didn't know what she was doing in there but anything could not take this long. Battles had been started and finished in this time, Quiddich matches had been over in this stretch so why was he still out here?
"Paige!" his voice rising unnaturally,
He slid down the wall and decided to wait here. It was better than standing up and losing his voice.
"Yes?"
He didn't time to reply because the buzzer on his intercom went. Shooting her door with one last glare, he stood up and walked, he had shoes on and therefore couldn't *slide*, and answered the call,
"Hello?"
On the other end he heard someone sniff loudly before answering,
"James Redwood?"
"That's me,"
The person downstairs coughed for a few moments,
"Taxi,"
It was due to come at half seven but according to Harry's watch it was only.
"EIGHT!"
"Yea, sorry about that mate- traffic was a nightmare,"
They were later than he thought,
"Excuse me would you,"
He strode across the apartment determinedly, leaving the man down stairs to mutter about how he doesn't have all day, jumped over the couch and banged on Paige's door,
"I hate to interrupt you Majesty," he spoke into the door, his voice oozing with sarcasm and faked calmness, "but the TAXI is here,"
He heard a cross sigh and the sound of a couple of cases being knocked about,
"I'm coming, Jesus"
Harry walked back over to the door and grabbed his jacket muttering something along the lines of 'Finally' and waited by the door. Leaning on the wall he checked he had his wand with him and looked in his reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall. Eyes still were brown and his scar, well; so long as it didn't rain he'd be fine.
"PAI."
The door opposite him creaked open and left Harry speechless mid sentence. Now he understood why she had been in there all day- the only exception was to demand a cup of coffee and all he saw then was a hand and half of her forearm before the cup was snatched away.
Over the week he had know her, her hair was always up but now, she had it curled slightly and had little white things stuck in here and there like blossom.
She was wearing a knee length, sliver dress with spaghetti straps that seemed to be made out of liquid as it flowed around her knees.
He didn't realise he was staring until Paige's voice interrupted his daydream,
"Damn it we're out of washing up liquid,"
Rolling his eyes he joined her in the kitchen were the sound of doors being opened hastily then slammed shut- each time an exasperated sigh followed the bang. Of all the times to wash up, this was not one of them,
"Surely not," he commented leaning on the doorframe and looking on at the scene in his kitchen with amusement "-not with 20% extra bubbles"
She stooped momentarily to narrow her eyes at him before continuing on her search making even more noise than she did before.
He sighed and walked over to her. Just as she was opening another cupboard next to the window he held it shut. He looked up at him and for the first time he noticed that she wasn't that short,
"We have got to go," he said slowly, pointing at the clock that now read five minutes past eight, as he held her wrist and moved her hand from the handle and away from any cupboards.
She just looked up at him, not moving or speaking, and Harry became painfully aware that he was still holding her hand.
"Hello?"
The voice of a now irritated taxi-driver floated into the kitchen and woke him up. He dragged her out of the small kitchen into the hallway where he answered the telecom while Paige silently pulled her jacket on.
"Yeah we're coming," and he disconnected before anymore moaning could be cut off there.
Paige was now checking her appearance in front of the hall mirror, Harry raked his fingers through his hair- not helping the fact it was already messy.
He slid the bolt back on the door and he opened it soundlessly and waited- just wondering how long it would take for Paige to wake up.
~*~
Just under half an hour later, Harry and Paige sat in the motionless taxi in the sea of cars all of them honking for the traffic lights to change.
It had been a while since either one of them had spoke, they had run out polite conversation a while ago so now the alone sounds to be heard were the drivers cursing and the honks of other cars. Harry was sitting in the little pull down chair while Paige took up all of the seats in the back with herself and her small bag.
She huffed and turned to look out of the window thought it was dark outside. He could see the yellow glow of the streetlights reflecting on her face as she scowled at all the other drivers around them like this was their entire fault.
He glanced at his watch, it was half past eight and they should be there. He was supposed to go there strictly for work- there had been almost no attacks over the past two months. Somebody was planning something big and with such a small space with a high concentration of Muggle's. It was such an easy and irresistible target for Deatheaters that a group of Aurors were assigned to watch for any suspicious behaviour.
So instead of going Billy-no-mates like he was used to for the past two years, he took the most pleasant route for himself and invited his roommate.
The light on her face went from a soft yellow to a green and the taxi started with a jolt sending Paige flying forward into his lap.
Stunned for a moment, he didn't move for a second just looked at her until he woke up when she was trying to haul herself up. He took her arms in hands and helped her back into her seat and she gave him an appreciative smile and look back outside.
Harry couldn't help but notice the colour rising in her cheeks.
~*~
The atmosphere was contagious here.
Everyone was smiling, dancing and having a good and over the sound of music rings of laughter could be heard. He had a grin on his face as he sipped on a bottle of Budweiser as he watched the crowds as lights flashed revealing a different scene every time.
A Deatheater would stand out like a sore thumb here. He doubted if any of them ever took Muggle Studies and knew what a 'Pop Band' was. He was hoped rather then believed all of this but it had been an excuse to get him out of the house.
Paige had disappeared into the crowds a couple of minutes ago and hadn't come back yet. He scanned the crowds, now cursing the strobe lighting, but still saw no sign of her dark brown- almost black hair. It was, he thought, kind of stupid to look for black hair in the middle of the night.
The music had now finished only to be replaced by some D.J's voice announcing that it was only forty-five more minutes until the New Year. Flashes of the New Year celebrations in Australia, Italy, Greece and more places around the world played on the massive windscreen surrounding the stage.
Taking a long draft out of his bottle he placed the now empty beer on the bar and rooted around in his pockets for his wand.
Midnight, if any time, was when the Deatheaters were most likely to attack.
Unconsciously he glanced over the mass of people now filling up the square. His gaze rested on the muggle police standing around the statues of Nelson and Queen Victoria keeping the people from climbing on them.
'You'll have bigger problems later on mate,' he couldn't help thinking as he followed an officer take a very drunk man into a police car with his eyes. What a way to spend new years- filling a report on the drinking habits of the average under twenty-one year old.
As his eyes watched the car drive away, minus the siren he noticed, he saw a flash of white blonde hair and he stood up. It could be nothing but he had been told to follow anything remotely unusual and there was only one person that he knew with hair like that- muggle or wizard- Malfoy.
He stalked of over to the place where he had saw him last and just as he came round the corner he saw the back of this persons head. He followed the person for a while, taking care not to be seen, but still had no sign of their face.
Then suddenly they just disappeared into thin air. Harry stood on the spot just looking around dumbfounded- vaguely aware that a voice was saying it was only half an hour until the New Year and the music started up again. This made things harder as people streamed out of nowhere to what just looked like jumping up and down.
Kicking a can angrily he looked around for any sign of some one he knew. He spotted someone standing in the shadows of a statue and recognised it as a colleague from work- Mark.
He walked over to him inconspicuously and leaned against the wall with him.
They glanced at each other.
"You've got brown hair tonight," he stated eyeing Harry's hair with a grin. He usually changed his hair from brown to dirty blonde before he got to work. He couldn't do magic at home, Voldemort had been joined to him through each other's wands back in his forth year and now if Harry didn't any magic alone Voldemort could feel it. Trace him.
It was the same with Harry, he knew whenever Voldemort killed anyone or was planning it. Time went on and it turned out Voldemort was back to getting other people to do his dirty work.
But Mark didn't know any of this. The reason why Harry was such a good friend with him was because he was a student form Drumstrang- he didn't have a clear mental image of Harry Potter.
He glanced up and down Mark who just looked like a very smartly dressed Muggle with a white shirt with the top couple of buttons undone- no doubt his tie was stuffed in his pocket- black trousers and a black jacket thrown on the floor on top of some unused barricades.
Harry didn't say anything only looked at him wondering if that last comment of Mark's was even worth saying.
"Point taken," Mark said looking back onto the square. He had a pretty good vantage spot, he could see almost all of the crowds with only a couple of blind spots where several tents were placed that served food.
"How long have you been here?"
Whenever they were on duty at work together, their talk was almost always to ease their nerves with a joke but there was something different about tonight- it was strictly business. Harry knew that Mark was Muggle born and any attack tonight would almost certainly strike a nerve as his family lived in the suburbs.
"A couple of hours,"
Mark must have seen the surprised look on his face as Harry heard this,
"Just can't feel anything below my knee caps though,"
Harry grinned, realising that he hadn't smiled for a while. The air had changed, it was colder and the weather was moodier. Even the Muggle music had stopped and gone into a sort of slower beat for the countdowns build up.
"Seen anything?" he asked
It was Harry's turn to talk but unusually he didn't want to joke. He still hadn't found Paige and if there was an attack. He still didn't know if Voldemort knew about his disguise and if he even got a whiff of him having a roommate.
"No," came his partners curt reply sensing Harry's agitation, "You?"
Harry thought about the best way to put this without sounding like he was making a mountain out of a molehill,
"I think Malfoy junior may been checking out the sights of London,"
Silence from the person standing next to him, everyone knew about Draco Malfoy and whether the rumours were true or not- him possibly being here wasn't good.
"Ah,"
"Exactly,"
When no more came from his partner, Harry's eyes looked around for Paige and strangely he found her.
She was dancing with some muggle boy with her arms round his neck and smiling up at him. He had his arms round her waist and holding her close and dancing with her to the beat, he felt something in his chest go as he saw this scene in unreal closeness.
His fists clenched as he realised he was jealous. But there was something different about Paige- she reminded him of Ginny. It was an impossible coincidence that she almost had the same history as Ginny. Bu Ginny wasn't stupid enough to reveal herself after all these years.
He could just hearing things but her laugh made him dizzy with memory.
"Five more minutes James," his friends voice brought him back to reality and he tore his eyes off her and onto him, "Do you think we're here for no reason?"
Harry didn't even have to think twice about his answer- it just slipped out of his mouth before he could stop it,
"No," he said firmly his eyes once again returning to the perfect party below them. "I don't,"
Mark seemed slightly taken a back by this but didn't question it for a moment,
"Why?"
"I don't know," he answered still searching for any sign of blonde hair but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. His eyes rested on Paige again that was a standing alone sending a glare at someone walking away from her.
Then he left his friends without another word and set off down the slope and onto the square to find Paige. To his revile the crowd seemed to be thinning out- it seemed about half of the people were going onto their friends shoulders.
He spotted her standing alone looking slightly nervous and looking around for someone, and he noticed how her face brightened up when she saw him.
"Oh my god where the hell were you?" was his greeting, he smiled wearily at her question.
"Looking for you," he answered with a little white lie- it wasn't completely right nor was it completely wrong.
There was an eerie silence between them as Harry glanced up at the stage and saw that there were huge numbers either side were counting down from twenty.
From ten.
He couldn't help it; he had to smile at the sight of everyone having a good time. The threat of an attack now out of his mind because he was back in the crowd and away from any remainder- such as Mark.
"Nine!"
Paige was yelling with the people as the giant clock on the screen went down with agonising slowness.
"Eight!"
Something in the air caught his eye.
"Seven!"
It didn't come back. It was probably a pigeon- they had nowhere to go no that they had been evicted by the masses of people.
"Six!"
He dismissed the idea of a broomstick.
"FIVE!"
The crowd was getting louder with anticipation and he was getting some funny look with just standing there from Paige,
"C'mon" she hollered over the deafening four that blasted out of the loudspeakers and smiled at him, grabbing his hand. Harry felt her relax and drew her closer, fighting the urge to kiss her as she moulded into the contours of his body.
"THREE"
Harry couldn't help feeling excited and joined in now and compared to last years new years eve this was a dream.
"TWO!"
He faced Paige and grinned not knowing how the hell they we going to get home,
"ONE!"
He didn't hear the crowds roaring and the fireworks going off. He didn't hear the screams of joy being replaced by screams of terror as he leaned forward and cupped Paige's face in his hands kissed her on the lips.
He had no idea why he was doing this. He didn't want Paige- she was just a replacement for Ginny and he knew he would feel bad about it later on.
That was just a small voice in his head; the other, and much larger, voice was urging him to go on.
She didn't respond for a moment before she wrapped her arms around his neck deepening the kiss. Harry ran his hands through her silky hair, drawing her closer to him.
He would have stayed there, just with her, if it wasn't until he saw her eyes widening with horror and pushed him away.
She had her hand on her mouth and for one horrible moment he thought she regretted it but she was looking behind him- skywards.
Spinning round, he looked up at the sky and felt a spasm of terror jolt through his scar as he clutched it- his eyes still fixed on the heavens.
It seemed that the Dark Mark floating above the stage, which was now lightless and lifeless, transfixed both him and Paige.
"Oh crap,"
Authors Note:
I like the word crap- that's a future warning people. One more thing- do you think this could pass for a drama? And has anyone noticed I haven't put any comments half way through? I was SO tempted sometimes!!!
Two words people
*Cue scary music*MUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Review
I'm going to get my assed kicked for this though but- support COMIC RELIEF