The library was always quiet - it was a well known rule in all libraries.
Because of its continual peace, it was the ideal place for a student with
weighing thoughts on their mind to take refuge. Jamie sat alone at an empty
table with her Charms book in front of her - unopened. There really was
nowhere else to go.
Harry entered the library quietly, and without a word, took the seat next to Jamie. He remained quiet, and Jamie wondered if he was at all convinced that she was fine. Obviously, he hadn't been convinced since he sought her out.
After a few eternally prolonged minutes, Harry finally spoke, "You can't be fine if you felt you had to hide in the library." he said, looking at her.
Jamie didn't look up, and decided that she could tell him - he knew she was an orphan, too. "I saw my parents."
Harry inhaled sharply, "You can see them?" he asked with a pained look on his face.
Jamie nodded her head.
"Isn't that a good thing?" he asked sadly.
Jamie shook her head.
Harry hesitated for a moment in confusion, and then when the thought finally struck him, he took a deep breath, and nodded his head in understanding.
Jamie began to chip away at the desk with her fingernails as she considered telling him more. "They were killed. My mother and my f- and my stepfather."
Harry gave a small nod, and much to Jamie's relief, didn't ask about Jamie's father. "Was it a Death Eater?"
Jamie exhaled - her breath shaking from her anger. She considered this question carefully. "Actually, it was." (*the author gasps*)
With a little bit of thought, Jamie decided to add a little more - lowering her voice, "But not on Voldemort's orders." she added bitterly.
Harry was somewhat relieved she used his name. Not many did, and he would get slightly annoyed when people refused to say it. Especially when they had less to fear than Harry did. They hadn't seen him, and they weren't being sought out by him. But despite this, they still hid in fear while there was no reason to. Harry was the one who should be afraid. He had to kill or be killed - and still, he said the name.
Jamie finally looked up from her empty gaze at the desk in front of her. "I'm sorry. I know that you have to defeat him on your own, and I. I just can't imagine - I. I'm just so sorry." she whispered, not really sure what she was saying.
Harry closed his eyes and nodded.
Jamie was still trying to find out what in the world she was trying to say. "I wish I wasn't so useless." she whispered. She had to whisper since anyone could be listening.
Harry shook his head. "No, you don't" he whispered back.
Jamie considered this. Was she really lucky that she didn't have to fight the Dark Lord herself? "You shouldn't have to do this by yourself. I know that you have to do this alone and everything. But really, I don't feel lucky - or relieved for that matter, because I just can't in any clear conscience let myself feel relieved that *you* have to take on this burden."
Harry looked into her eyes and said quietly, "You shouldn't feel guilty because it isn't your fault."
"It isn't yours, either." Jamie wasn't sure what she meant by this, and had no idea why she said it.
Harry looked down as he considered this. Apparently, it had made somewhat of an impact on him. Jamie considered the idea that maybe the reason she had said this was because it was exactly what he needed to hear. She hoped that that was the case.
Harry looked back up and glanced left and right before speaking. "I'm sick of having to whisper." he whispered. "Come on, we can talk outside."
Jamie nodded.
~~~~~~~~~~
The sun was setting, but you couldn't see the colors behind the dull gray overcast. It was absurdly cold, and Jamie was starting to wish she had brought her coat - or at least that they had stayed in the warm library.
It was completely empty outside - probably because everyone was at dinner. Neither Harry nor Jamie were very hungry. They walked along in the snow in silence. both lost in their own thoughts.
After a while of just walking, Harry turned to Jamie and asked, "What was your mother like?"
Jamie smiled reminiscently and looked back in her mind for the image. "I have her brown hair, and her brown eyes." she strained harder to see her mother. ".and the same stupid freckles." she added with a grin.
Harry laughed, "I like your freckles."
Jamie smiled awkwardly, "I don't think they'll ever go away, though." she thought out loud miserably.
Harry frowned, "Why should they? They were your mother's, after all. "
Jamie smiled as she considered this point of view. She nodded, amazed at how he always kept a positive outlook on things. *Heck,* she thought, *he keeps a positive outlook on his LIFE - and that's saying something.*
She smiled at him, and looked into his eyes. Immediately she saw her mistake. They were so warm, and happy, and friendly, and. and so captivating. She found she couldn't look away.
Harry was numbly aware they had stopped walking - but he didn't know why. He couldn't see anything around him - all he could see was her warm face, and her eyes - locked on his.
She was so close, he could just reach out and touch her cheek, but knew he didn't have the right to. She shivered, and Harry - quite unaware of himself - pressed his lips against hers. It was innocent enough, and yet, so powerful.
Jamie caught a fleeting vision of Harry running his hand along his brand new Firebolt - just as he ran his hand through her hair. Another brief memory came to her of Harry soaring through the air - at the moment they pulled apart.
The last of these unfamiliar memories came to Jamie as one of Harry grabbing the golden snitch, winning the quidditch cup - and at the same moment, Harry smiled and grabbed Jamie's hand. They walked along through the castle grounds - all their troubles forgotten.
~~~~~~~~~~
Jamie walked into the Slytherin common room in high spirits. Not even the Slytherins could get her down today. *Not a chance.*
Pansy Parkinson sneered, "Don't even try to talk to us, you filth."
Jamie kept smiling.
Milicent Bulstrode stepped up, her ugly face inches away from Jamie's, "I don't like the looks of this smirk. I'd say she hasn't gotten the message that she isn't welcome here."
Another Slytherin - boy or girl, she couldn't tell - muttered furiously something about blood. Of course it was always about blood to them.
Jamie merely walked past them - vaguely wondering if they had said something. As pointed out before, nothing could make Jamie come down from her cloud at all today. She was completely surrounded by an untouchable joy that could not be broken so easily.
She lay back in her bed - without changing her clothes - wondering whether Harry liked her better than quidditch. It was a rather stupid thought, but it was becoming somewhat of a worry to her - she couldn't tell why. She never worried about little things like this - but lately, all that would enter her mind was Harry. nothing else.
She quickly fell asleep, and for once, she had no dreams. She didn't have any life-changing prophecies or foreseen events. No visions of the past, or of the future for that matter. It was a peacefull, dreamless sleep - and Jamie was incredibly grateful for it.
When she awoke, she looked around her to see that it was early - the sun had just risen. It was the first of February. Not necessarily a holiday, but a day just like any other. Jamie wished she could be like February first. Simple, passing, forgotten but still appreciated. She was sick of being the fourth of july. She was sick of her life going rapidly by like fireworks - every moment being so significant that nothing stood out. Today was February the first, and today Jamie would celebrate February the first. A simple day.
*She should be let out of school for this, too,* she thought with a grin. *After all, it was a holiday.*
~~~~~~~~~~
Breakfast smelled better than it ever had. Lisa was - once again - sitting next to Ron at the Gryffindor table. The amusing thing was that Hermione was seated on Ron's other side - desperately trying to get more attention than Lisa was from Ron.
Jamie thought it was funny. She sat next to Harry. He politely passed her a plate of eggs (.and sausages, and bacon, and toast, and orange juice, and pancakes.)
*A little too polite.* Jamie thought. This, as did everything else in the world, also appeared funny to Jamie. Her spirits lifted even more - if it were at all possible.
~~~~~~~~~~
Harry entered the library quietly, and without a word, took the seat next to Jamie. He remained quiet, and Jamie wondered if he was at all convinced that she was fine. Obviously, he hadn't been convinced since he sought her out.
After a few eternally prolonged minutes, Harry finally spoke, "You can't be fine if you felt you had to hide in the library." he said, looking at her.
Jamie didn't look up, and decided that she could tell him - he knew she was an orphan, too. "I saw my parents."
Harry inhaled sharply, "You can see them?" he asked with a pained look on his face.
Jamie nodded her head.
"Isn't that a good thing?" he asked sadly.
Jamie shook her head.
Harry hesitated for a moment in confusion, and then when the thought finally struck him, he took a deep breath, and nodded his head in understanding.
Jamie began to chip away at the desk with her fingernails as she considered telling him more. "They were killed. My mother and my f- and my stepfather."
Harry gave a small nod, and much to Jamie's relief, didn't ask about Jamie's father. "Was it a Death Eater?"
Jamie exhaled - her breath shaking from her anger. She considered this question carefully. "Actually, it was." (*the author gasps*)
With a little bit of thought, Jamie decided to add a little more - lowering her voice, "But not on Voldemort's orders." she added bitterly.
Harry was somewhat relieved she used his name. Not many did, and he would get slightly annoyed when people refused to say it. Especially when they had less to fear than Harry did. They hadn't seen him, and they weren't being sought out by him. But despite this, they still hid in fear while there was no reason to. Harry was the one who should be afraid. He had to kill or be killed - and still, he said the name.
Jamie finally looked up from her empty gaze at the desk in front of her. "I'm sorry. I know that you have to defeat him on your own, and I. I just can't imagine - I. I'm just so sorry." she whispered, not really sure what she was saying.
Harry closed his eyes and nodded.
Jamie was still trying to find out what in the world she was trying to say. "I wish I wasn't so useless." she whispered. She had to whisper since anyone could be listening.
Harry shook his head. "No, you don't" he whispered back.
Jamie considered this. Was she really lucky that she didn't have to fight the Dark Lord herself? "You shouldn't have to do this by yourself. I know that you have to do this alone and everything. But really, I don't feel lucky - or relieved for that matter, because I just can't in any clear conscience let myself feel relieved that *you* have to take on this burden."
Harry looked into her eyes and said quietly, "You shouldn't feel guilty because it isn't your fault."
"It isn't yours, either." Jamie wasn't sure what she meant by this, and had no idea why she said it.
Harry looked down as he considered this. Apparently, it had made somewhat of an impact on him. Jamie considered the idea that maybe the reason she had said this was because it was exactly what he needed to hear. She hoped that that was the case.
Harry looked back up and glanced left and right before speaking. "I'm sick of having to whisper." he whispered. "Come on, we can talk outside."
Jamie nodded.
~~~~~~~~~~
The sun was setting, but you couldn't see the colors behind the dull gray overcast. It was absurdly cold, and Jamie was starting to wish she had brought her coat - or at least that they had stayed in the warm library.
It was completely empty outside - probably because everyone was at dinner. Neither Harry nor Jamie were very hungry. They walked along in the snow in silence. both lost in their own thoughts.
After a while of just walking, Harry turned to Jamie and asked, "What was your mother like?"
Jamie smiled reminiscently and looked back in her mind for the image. "I have her brown hair, and her brown eyes." she strained harder to see her mother. ".and the same stupid freckles." she added with a grin.
Harry laughed, "I like your freckles."
Jamie smiled awkwardly, "I don't think they'll ever go away, though." she thought out loud miserably.
Harry frowned, "Why should they? They were your mother's, after all. "
Jamie smiled as she considered this point of view. She nodded, amazed at how he always kept a positive outlook on things. *Heck,* she thought, *he keeps a positive outlook on his LIFE - and that's saying something.*
She smiled at him, and looked into his eyes. Immediately she saw her mistake. They were so warm, and happy, and friendly, and. and so captivating. She found she couldn't look away.
Harry was numbly aware they had stopped walking - but he didn't know why. He couldn't see anything around him - all he could see was her warm face, and her eyes - locked on his.
She was so close, he could just reach out and touch her cheek, but knew he didn't have the right to. She shivered, and Harry - quite unaware of himself - pressed his lips against hers. It was innocent enough, and yet, so powerful.
Jamie caught a fleeting vision of Harry running his hand along his brand new Firebolt - just as he ran his hand through her hair. Another brief memory came to her of Harry soaring through the air - at the moment they pulled apart.
The last of these unfamiliar memories came to Jamie as one of Harry grabbing the golden snitch, winning the quidditch cup - and at the same moment, Harry smiled and grabbed Jamie's hand. They walked along through the castle grounds - all their troubles forgotten.
~~~~~~~~~~
Jamie walked into the Slytherin common room in high spirits. Not even the Slytherins could get her down today. *Not a chance.*
Pansy Parkinson sneered, "Don't even try to talk to us, you filth."
Jamie kept smiling.
Milicent Bulstrode stepped up, her ugly face inches away from Jamie's, "I don't like the looks of this smirk. I'd say she hasn't gotten the message that she isn't welcome here."
Another Slytherin - boy or girl, she couldn't tell - muttered furiously something about blood. Of course it was always about blood to them.
Jamie merely walked past them - vaguely wondering if they had said something. As pointed out before, nothing could make Jamie come down from her cloud at all today. She was completely surrounded by an untouchable joy that could not be broken so easily.
She lay back in her bed - without changing her clothes - wondering whether Harry liked her better than quidditch. It was a rather stupid thought, but it was becoming somewhat of a worry to her - she couldn't tell why. She never worried about little things like this - but lately, all that would enter her mind was Harry. nothing else.
She quickly fell asleep, and for once, she had no dreams. She didn't have any life-changing prophecies or foreseen events. No visions of the past, or of the future for that matter. It was a peacefull, dreamless sleep - and Jamie was incredibly grateful for it.
When she awoke, she looked around her to see that it was early - the sun had just risen. It was the first of February. Not necessarily a holiday, but a day just like any other. Jamie wished she could be like February first. Simple, passing, forgotten but still appreciated. She was sick of being the fourth of july. She was sick of her life going rapidly by like fireworks - every moment being so significant that nothing stood out. Today was February the first, and today Jamie would celebrate February the first. A simple day.
*She should be let out of school for this, too,* she thought with a grin. *After all, it was a holiday.*
~~~~~~~~~~
Breakfast smelled better than it ever had. Lisa was - once again - sitting next to Ron at the Gryffindor table. The amusing thing was that Hermione was seated on Ron's other side - desperately trying to get more attention than Lisa was from Ron.
Jamie thought it was funny. She sat next to Harry. He politely passed her a plate of eggs (.and sausages, and bacon, and toast, and orange juice, and pancakes.)
*A little too polite.* Jamie thought. This, as did everything else in the world, also appeared funny to Jamie. Her spirits lifted even more - if it were at all possible.
~~~~~~~~~~