I don't own anything
I Love You
Chapter-9-Diagon Alley
Faith's mouth dropped open. Although she wasn't sure why. Gryffindor? She had no idea what to expect. And she still wasn't sure what everyone meant by "house." Dumbledore took the hat off her and set it back on the shelf. He took out a sheet of paper and wrote something down. Then he gave it the huge red bird in the room, who flew out of the window.
She looked at him and said, "Gryffindor? So. . .what happens now?"
"Well, we still have an hour," he told her, "would you like something to eat?"
Faith nodded. "Please."
Dumbledore waved his hand over his desk and a plate of sandwiches, along with two goblets of some odd juice that Faith had never seen, appeared. Faith went for one of the turkey ones. She listened as Dumbledore told her a few things about the school and her house. He told her about the house prefects. Faith was sure that Hermione Granger was the one who had called her name earlier. He explained Quiditch, and the idea of such a dangerous game excited her. He told her a little bit about the other houses. Not much about Huffelpuff though. Faith guessed there wasn't really anything to say. She smiled when Dumbledore told her so.
"It truly is a boring house," he said with a smile. "Don't tell them I told you so."
"What about the ghost?" Faith asked. She wasn't sure if she believed him on this. Ghost? She had never seen one. Let alone talked about them.
"Each house has its own ghost," he told her. "Hermione Granger, who will take you to Diagon Alley tomorrow, will tell you more."
Faith nodded. They talked a bit more until finally, Dumbledore escorted her to Gryffindor tower. "Why is Gryffindor so important?" Faith asked they walked.
"What makes you say that?" Dumbledore asked her.
"It's the way you talked about the houses and compared them," she answered.
"No house is more special than the other," he told her. "Although, the majority of great wizards and witches were once in Gryffindors house."
They walked a long time. Finally, what felt like it took forever, they arrived at a portrait. Dumbledore turned to Faith and said, "Remember, I have already owled Hermione Granger about taking you to Diagon Alley and I have already given her the money."
"Why give it to her?" asked Faith.
"Muggle money and wizarding money are completely different. For now, if anyone asks, just tell them you are a sixth year. Like I said before, I will be giving you a test. It will be easy."
"But I've never done anything like this before," she said. "How will I know the answers?"
Dumbledore didn't answer her. "Would you like to speak the password?"
"What is it?"
He told her simply, "Hershey disc."
"Hershey disc?" asked Faith.
"It a new kind of chocolate they came out with," Dumbledore answered with a smile. "I am now very fond of them. But I still do enjoy lemon drops." He looked at the portrait of the fat lady before them. "Wake up!" he demanded but was gentle about it.
Faith's eyes grew as big as saucers. The fat lady in her pink dress moved! She looked at Dumbledore and complained, "With all do respect headmaster it is very late."
"I understand, and do apologize."
The fat lady nodded. She turned to Faith who had her jaw hanging open. It took Faith a moment to realize the painting was really looking at her. She quickly shut her mouth. The fat lady looked back at Dumbledore who said, "Don't ask, then certainly do not tell." He turned to Faith and said, "Go ahead, give her the password."
"Hershey disc," said Faith.
"Welcome to Gryffindor tower," the portrait said as she swung open.
Faith looked at Dumbledore and said, "Goodnight. And thank you."
"Goodnight," he said back. "And you are most certainly welcome. Before you go to bed tonight, try and figure out that book. Now, just walk in, go to the hall on your right and up. The third door you see is your room."
"I am about to close sir," said the portrait.
"Of course, forgive me. There is set of pajamas that the school has given you. Sorry, they may be a little old fashioned."
Faith nodded and thanked Professor Dumbledore again before disappearing. Her mouth opened in awe as she looked around the common room. A fireplace, a couple of couches, a love seat a red cushioned chair and windows all about the room. Faith threw herself onto the couch. She smiled. This was even better that on the train. She almost fell asleep right there, had it not been for the voices she heard outside.
She gasped in a little air and stood up to go to her room. Quickly she threw her bag on a bed that had nothing on it. Unlike the others that did. She crept back down and listened to the same voice that had called her when Professor McGonagall was looking for her. She looked behind the stone wall and sure enough, Faith had guessed the girls name by now, Hermione Granger was giving her speech to at least one hundred other kids. Faith guessed they were all knew. Like her. Only, they were in the right year and they understood Hogwarts better.
She went back up to her room hoping to change. But when she saw the old nightgown and how hot it looked like it would make her, she decided on wearing her own clothes. She changed into something different. Old pants that she hadn't worn in a year, and an old blue t-shirt. She quickly brushed her teeth and put up her hair.
She went back to her bed, closed the curtains around it and pulled out the black book. She opened it and began flipping through the pages hoping for some sort of direction or clue on how to use the book. But there was nothing she could find. Not even an ink drop. She threw back into her bag hard. She didn't know what she could accomplish by that, but it did help some how. Faith looked again in her bag and pulled out the stick, which she now knew was a wand, and waved it about in the air. She was about to say, "Abracadabra," just to see what would happen, when her room door opened.
"Someone in here?" Faith was sure that was Hermione Granger's voice.
She wasn't sure what to say. But she really didn't have to say anything. She heard someone walking closer to her bed and then finally open up her curtains. Sure enough, it was Hermione Granger. Her brown eyes starred at Faith with a hint of anger and frustration. But then, very quickly, they softened.
Hermione turned back to the others girls and said, "It's alright. The rest of you get to sleep." The girls did as they were told. Hermione stayed where she was. She looked at Faith and began, "Sorry about that."
"It's fine," Faith told her quietly.
Hermione stuck out her hand, "I'm Hermione Granger. The Gryffindor House Prefect. And you must be Faith Feathergood."
Faith shook Hermione's hand. "I am."
Faith examined Hermione. Mainly her uniform. The one she would be wearing soon. One she wished she didn't need to wear. Faith had never worn a uniform before, the idea seemed a bit too farfetched. For her anyway.
"Well," Hermione began in a very business like matter, "I have been given specific instructions to take you to Diagon Alley and help you get your school things."
Faith wasn't sure if she liked this girl. She seemed so persistent. Organized. Strict. Stern. Not to mention a little too bookish. Faith could tell by the three heavy books she now carried.
"We'll leave at around. . .noonish?" Hermione wondered. Faith nodded. "Good. Just so you know, breakfast is at eight. Good night."
As soon as Hermione left and closed the curtains behind her tightly, Faith fell into a deep sleep.
A man rushed into an old hospital room. In fact, it didn't seem that people used this hospital at all. It had no lights. Only candles. There was one large window in which you could see a forest. But even as anyone examined the room closer, you could see that it wasn't a hospital room at all, it was an old colonial house. The blood and a crying baby gave it away as a hospital.
"Where is she?" cried the man, who seemed oddly familiar.
Another, hooded figure pointed to the bed in front of him. The man rushed over to a woman holding onto a bundle of blankets. She was very pretty. Slim, long chestnut hair and full lips. She had a pointy nose and her face was shaped perfectly.
"No!" she cried suddenly and pulled the bundle closer to her breast. "Leave us alone! Steven, do something!"
The man just stood there. He shook his head then looked back at the cloaked figure. "Our debt is payed. Please, let us go!"
The hooded figure shook its head.
"What?" cried the man. "Why? We're done. Over with. Our dept is payed. Please enough of this torture. Let us go on in peace. For our daughter."
"I can not do that," said the figure. "You'll be leaving us and Lord Voldemort with too much power. More than you had before. Enough to destroy us." The figure walked up to the man. "We can not have that now can we?" he asked as he drew closer and closer. . . .
Faith shot up in her bed opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out. She quickly pulled away her curtains and got out of her bed. She glanced out the window and noticed the sun was barley up. She guessed it was around five in the morning, maybe earlier. A good time for Faith to squeeze in a quick shower. It took Faith five minutes to wash, ten to dress, and fifteen to dry her hair.
She was about to walk out of the bathroom, dry and smelling good, when an idea crossed her mind, One, that this time she was going to do. She was going to look at herself in the mirror. She locked the door behind her and began to take off her clothes. She thought of her dream and of the woman she saw. The woman who seemed so oddly familiar. Oh, she was so beautiful. Her hair, her lips, her slim body, but those eyes. They were so green, like Faith's. But so sad, and scared looking. Much like her own when she had lived with her father.
After taking off her clothes she looked into the full length mirror. Her mouth dropped open. No way could her body look like that after her father had nearly starved her to death. Honestly, what kept the meat on her bones? Maybe it was all the nights he had gone to Pops' house to eat. Somehow, he had always found a way to feed her. Even if it was only rice for dinner. Her green eyes examined her body. From the top of her head to the very bottoms of her feet. Literally.
Her hair was a chocolate color. It was wavy and flowed past her shoulders almost reaching her mid back. It was soft, fluffy, light, all those good things. And it wasn't too hard to notice the only two Carmel strips she had that clung to her cheeks. Her cheeks. . .they were rosy, and the rest of her complexion couldn't look better for someone who never got a lot of sun. Her skin was darker than someone with a fair complexion. Her eyes, those green eyes had never been so bright. Her nose was pointed, and since she had put vaseline on her lips, they had never seemed so fuller and pinker. Indeed, her's were the fullest lips she had ever seen.
She knew girls at school who would spend what little time they had applying makeup to their faces to enhance themselves. As Faith studied her lips and eyes she realized, with her long eyelashes, she didn't need mascara, eyeliner, or even lip gloss. Her face was neatly shaped.
Next, her middle. The part that was always bruised and hurting the most. Not only did her father beat her there most of the time, but she had endure monthly cramps which were made worse when ever her father hit her there during that time. But now, she could see her stomach. And she could look at her breast and curves with no shame. Because she always wore baggy clothes she never knew what they looked like underneath. But no doubt about it, they were beautiful. Her breast made her think she was very gifted for a girl her age. They were lifted and now had no bruises what so ever. Making them even more seductive. Her waist slim and no trouble showing itself as she stood there naked. And down to her hips. Not wide, small, but still noticeable, with the right kind of jeans on.
Faith couldn't help but smile to herself. A word crossed her mind that never did before when her father called her "ugly," "worthless," and "skinny."
Seductive.
That was the word that came to her mind. Any girl in her school could use slim waist and extremely gifted breast to get any guy they wanted. Last, her legs. Faith decided that those were the best thing about her. Besides her full pink lips that is. They were long, a healthy color, and, right now smooth. All those years of always running had done something to them.
Faith looked at her body one more time before throwing her clothes back on and opening the door. "Oh!" someone squealed.
"Oh," Faith repeated.
"I am so sorry," said Hermione. "I didn't realize you were up."
"It's fine," said Faith. Something about Hermione on this morning made Faith think that she really wasn't that bad after all. Maybe it was the way she laughed at herself just now.
"I didn't think you were up," Hermione went on, "I heard you had a long night."
"No really," Faith repeated, "it's fine."
Hermione nodded. She then sighed and said, "No, it's not." Faith frowned. "Listen Faith, about last night, I'm sorry. It's just, I'm a prefect, and last night was just hectic. I felt really bad when I went to bed last night thinking that you thought I was a total jerk. Really, I'm not. At least I try not to be." She laughed and that made Faith smile. "Harry and Ron would tell you different."
"Harry and Ron?" Faith questioned.
Hermione pulled Faith over to her bed and they both sat down. "My two best friends. Ron's a prefect this year. And Harry's on the Quiditch team." Hermione gave Faith a questioning look. "Odd."
"What?" Faith asked with the same look Hermione was giving her.
"Well, you didn't jump up and down and squeal and ask, 'Harry Potter?! THE Harry POTTER?!' Like most girls would."
"Why would I do that? Is he famous or something?"
"You. . ."Hermione stopped to collect her thoughts. "You really don't know him." But before Faith had time to answer Hermione shook her head and said, "No, of course you do. Everyone does. Everyone loves him."
Faith shook her head, and for the first time, spoke to Hermione like a friend. "Hermione," she began, "I really don't know who this Harry Potter guy is. Well, besides his name."
"Honest?"
"Honest." Faith couldn't figure out why she was acting this way, when suddenly, Hermione's face lit up with a huge smile. "What?"
"Oh, nothing!" Hermione nearly busted out laughing. "How would you like to meet them later today. We could meet them in Diagon Alley for some lunch? Around one-thirty-ish? I know it's late but trust me, we'll all the time we can get at Diagon Alley before then." she suggested.
Faith nodded. "Sure."
"Well, I am going to go get dressed," Hermione said standing up. "Would you rather leave at ten? It won't be very crowded then."
Faith nodded. "Okay."
"Alright then. By the way, do you want seething for that cut on your lip?"
Faith put her hand to her mouth. "I'm fine," she said.
Hermione nodded. She went back into the bathroom but quickly came back out though. "You know what Faith," she said walking back over to her trunk.
"Yes?" Faith asked walking over to her.
"Here."
Hermione threw Faith one of her shirts and a pair of her jeans.
"What's this for?" Faith asked.
"You have a huge hole in your shirt," said Hermione. "I'm not trying to be rude," she said in her own defense quickly. "It's just, you looked like you could use them."
"No, it's fine," Faith assured her.
Hermione smiled and went once more into the bathroom. Faith went to her own bed and changed into the new clothes. She couldn't help it. She sniffed the clothes and sighed. Never had she had anything that smelled so good. Except for the stolen perfume, which now, she wanted to throw away out of guilt. The shirt Hermione had given her was plain white and fit around her body nicely. The blue jeans were a little big, but still fit well around her waist.
Hermione came out very soon saying, "Let me just owl Harry and Ron. We can meet at the ice cream parlor. That okay with you?"
Faith smiled. "Ice cream?!" she gasped without thinking. "Real ice cream?"
Hermione starred at Faith but quickly laughed. "What?" she asked. "Don't they have ice cream in the states." She laughed again and began her writing.
Two minutes later they left. They walked through the portrait and out into the halls. "We can eat at Diagon Alley for breakfast?" Hermione suggested.
"Sure," Faith agreed.
They walked in silence. Hermione felt very edgy. She didn't know if Faith was mad at her or not and since Faith was in her house, she wanted to make things right. So she stopped walking, knowing Faith would follow the same act. And, she did.
"What?" Faith asked.
"Listen," Hermione began as gently as she could, "I'm sorry abut last night, and I'm sorry if I insulted you in any way about the clothes. Really, I wasn't trying to be rude, or ignorant."
Faith smiled. "Really, Hermione," she said, "it's no big deal. I really don't mind." Still seeing that look on Hermione's face made Faith smile and say, "Come on." She grabbed Hermione's wrist and led her forward. "Tell me all about Hogwarts. And don't you dare leave one detail out."
Hermione laughed and told Faith all she knew. It was good to get things from a students point of view about the school. It was different than what Dumbledore had told her. As they walked through the halls Hermione pointed out some of the secret passages and classes Faith would be taking with her.
"How exactly are we going to get there?" asked Faith.
Hermione smiled. "Glad you asked. Look. . ." Her and Faith turned a corner and came upon a dead end. Hermione said to Faith, "You have your wand?" Faith nodded. "Take it out. Okay, now tap the three bricks up there, and tap this one twice and that one once. I figured this would be something good for you to remember."
Faith nodded and tapped the bricks in the pattern that she was told. Right before her very eyes the wall opened into a doorway. Her mouth opened with a smile. Hermione looked at Faith and smiled.
"I take it they don't have things like this where you come from, eh?" asked Hermione. Faith could only shake her head no. "Well, let's be off."
Hermione led the way as Faith followed behind her trying to eat up all she saw at once. The stores the few people dressed in those robes. Hermione pointed out the different stores to Faith. "That's where we'll get your supplies. You know, your caldron, your quills, simple things like that. Over there is where you get your dress robes. For balls and dances and things like that. And right next to it is where we'll grab your school robes and uniform. That store there is like a muggle store. Makeup and all those other things girls put on their faces."
Faith laughed. "The tall building there is the bank. Don't worry, Dumbledore gave me some money. Down there is where we'll go for the ice cream." Hermione tugged on Faith's arm. "Here's where we'll grab something to eat."
They stopped a small food store. Faith had no idea what to get. Everything on the menu had a strange name. Hermione finally had to order for her and assure Faith that there were no real owl kidneys in the pie she had gotten for the both of them.
Faith took a bite if the pie. Her lips widen in shock and she quickly took another bite. She looked at Hermione who was smiling. "This is great!" Faith laughed and took another bite. "I never had anything like it."
"Glad you like it," Hermione said to her. In no time at all the two had finished and were off to the stores. "How about we go and get you robes first? They'll probably take the longest. Then we can get some of your quills, your books, and we'll grab your caldron last. Okay?"
Faith laughed. "Okay. Show the way."
Faith was soon standing in front of a mirror. A tape measurer took down her height, length, and some how her weight. During this time in when Faith was getting her robes, and a few dress robes, her and Hermione drew a little closer together. They could say each others names without feeling awkward. They laughed whenever Hermione told Faith some of her stories with Harry and Ron.
By the time they were getting Faith supplies and books they were talking to each other non stop and laughing like they were old friends. Faith was very interested in the stories Hermione told her about herself, Harry and Ron. She learned a lot about a girl named Marigold Twit, and another girl called Cho Chang. And from what Faith heard about them, she didn't think she would like either of the girls. They sounded too much like the girls at her old normal school.
"Anyway," Hermione went on as she helped Faith look for her books, "Cho and Marigold can never get enough of Harry. They're always hanging on him. You should seem them during Quiditch games." She rolled her eyes. "Harry gets more than a hundred letters from them each all the time later in the evening."
"Hermione," Faith said grabbing a book from the shelf and looking through it. After realizing it was the wrong one she put it back and looked at Hermione. "I don't understand. What is so big about your friend? Don't get me wrong, he seems like a really nice guy. I just don't understand why he has to put up with everyone acting like that."
"Here's another one of the books you need," Hermione said before answering.
"Thanks," Faith took it.
Hermione looked at Faith and sighed. She could not understand her. How could she not have heard of the Harry Potter? Everyone knew about him. Everyone in their world anyway. One thing was for sure to Hermione though, Faith Feathergood had no knowledge of the wizarding world. Well, not a much as you would think she should have. Just like Harry didn't have any when he first discovered it. Even now he was still learning.
"Hermione?" Faith repeated.
"Huh? Oh sorry Faith." As much as Hermione wanted to question Faith about why she didn't know anything, she decided not to. "Why don't we talk later tonight? It could be like. . .girl talk. . .I guess."
"Okay," Faith agreed. She had never had any girlfriends to have any "girl talks" with. But this was defiantly a very nice change. Finally, things were going her way. Nobody thought she was a freak. So far anyway.
"Come on," said Hermione suddenly. "Let's pay for this. I'm pretty sure it's everything, and if not, just sit next to me in classes and we'll share books."
Hermione had to pay for the books because Faith had no idea how to count the strange money. She watched Hermione count it all out and had no idea how she came up with what she did. She knew for a fact though that the really big gold coins were galleons. And the small ones were sickles. . .snikles?. . . something like that.
When they were out of the store Hermione said to Faith, "Let's make our way towards the parlor. We'll still have time and I'll show you to use the money."
Faith nodded and in ten minutes they sat outside. The money wasn't that hard to comprehend. It was just like regular, or "muggle" money. As Faith had learned "muggle" was the term everyone used around here. She quickly put the word into her brain and just started to use it.
"The boys'll be here in about five minutes," Hermione said paying for their orders. "Knowing them they'll probably be late."
"What do they like?" Faith asked. She was eager to know every single little detail about everyone and everything in this world. Right down to what color a professor's eyes were. She didn't know why, she just did.
"Ron Weasley has extremely red hair," Hermione told her. "Trust me, you'll be able to see him easily. He comes from a family of seven. He's the sixth child."
Faith choked on her strawberry. "Seven? From one set of parents?" Hermione nodded. "Wow!" Faith breathed. "That's a lot." Pops had six in his family, but she wasn't sure why seven had come as a big surprise.
"Harry," Hermione went on, "might be a little harder to find. Unless he's with Ron. He's got black hair that helps him blend in. Well. . .when he can. People always notice his facial features and they know it's 'the boy who lived'!"
"The boy who lived?" Faith repeated. "Is that why he's so famous?"
Hermione nodded. "His parents were killed when he was a year old by an evil wizard, and he survived the attack some how."
"What evil wizard?"
"I won't tell you around here."
Faith wanted to ask "why" but she had the feeling she was getting on Hermione's nerves. Hermione looked at her watch. "One thirty. They should be here soon."
Meanwhile, Harry and Ron were having a little trouble. "Harry!" someone squealed.
"Go away," Harry muttered.
"I here," said Ron pulling Harry into the Quiditch supplies store. "They both hate it in here."
Ron and Harry watched through the window as two sixteen year olds past the store. Harry looked at Ron and said, "I know this is wrong, but I'm glad Cho had that Quiditch accident. Now we won't have to deal with her coming in here."
"Don't forget," Ron began, "she's still got that muscle and could use it any way she wants." He smiled slyly.
Harry punched him in his arm. "You're so gross. Come on, we can't keep Hermione and that other girl waiting. What was her name again?"
"Faith," Ron answered. "Faith Feathergood." He put on a dreamy look on his face.
"Come on Ron," said Harry. "Hermione sent you a letter. It's not like you two made out last night or anything."
"How would you know."
Harry stopped walking. "Did you?"
Ron shook his head. "No. Hermione is the prefect and so am I. She'd rather do it over a holiday when no one is around. Her exact words were, 'As long as we are in this school, we can not do anything like that. We're prefects. The younger ones look up to us and we can't have them think that sneaking down at night is the right thing to do!'"
Harry patted his shoulder. "Sorry mate," he said. "Look at the bright side Christmas is only what. . .?. . .eighteen weeks away? I'm sure you'll last until then."
"I doubt it. By the way Harry, you never did tell me about the one girl you saw in the halls on the train."
Harry looked at his feet. So he had lied a little about the girl he saw in the bathroom. This was Ron after all. If Harry mentioned a bathroom who knows what he would think? As Harry thought about the girl right now he wondered about her legs and where she had gotten the scars and cuts from. Even the one on her lip. How could someone get a cut that fine?
"Harry?"
Harry's head snapped back to him. "Sorry, Ron. Yeah, about the girl, she was"-
"Harry! Ron!" someone shouted.
"Hermione!" they shouted in unity.
Faith watched as Hermione ran up to the boys. She hugged the boy with the dark hair. Faith guessed that was Harry Potter. She wasn't sure what she would say when they finally meant. Although she felt like she had already talked to the boy, or, young man, as he was. Faith's eyes widen. That was the same thing she thought when she took care of the boy in the bathroom on the train.
Then she saw Hermione kiss the red head gently on his lips. She guessed they were dating. She saw the way, she guessed, Ron Weasley, look at her and couldn't help but hope that one day, someone would look at her the same way.
She stood up when she saw them all coming her way. "Harry, Ron," said Hermione, "I'd like you to meet, Faith Feathergood."
Faith smiled. It didn't take much when she shook Ron's hand. But then she grabbed Harry's hand and felt that familiar shock. Her eyes widen. He was the same boy from the train that she had taken care of. So this was Harry Potter? The young man who had every girl after him but wouldn't take any of them? She let go of his hand.
Harry starred at the set of green eyes that looked almost like his but not quite. Faith Feathergood. That was her name. The same girl who had taken care of him on the train after the fight. Damn, he didn't realize how much he missed her touching his cheek, it felt so good.
Hermione looked at Ron who was looking at her with a questioning look. "What?" she mouthed.
Ron shifted his eyes at Harry and Faith then looked back at Hermione. She smiled. "Later," she mouthed again. She kissed him quickly before saying in a loud voice, "Okay, let's party!"
For the remainder of the day the four ate ice cream, talked, laughed and exchanged stories. Faith made sure to keep herself off as the main topic. She didn't want anyone to ask her questions about her past. She talked a lot about Quiditch with Ron and Harry. But mostly Ron. It was hard for Harry to look her in the eye and talk to her at the same time.
"Did you stop in at the Quiditch store?" Ron asked her.
"No," Faith answered. "But I have seen it. And it did look interesting."
"Have you ever played before?" Hermione asked.
"No. But from what I've heard, it does sound like a very exciting game." Oops! Wrong thing to say.
"Heard?" asked Ron.
Faith opened her mouth to say the lie that was on her lips but was stopped by the owner of the parlor who came up to the four saying, "You four really need to leave. You've been here for three hours. Not that I don't like you business or anything. Do come again." With a flick of his wand the table was clear and the four stood up to head for the Quiditch store.
It was the most Faith had heard out of Harry since she had met him on the train. He knew a lot about the sport and Faith was glad he was finally talking. "How long have you been playing?" Faith asked him.
"Since my first year."
"I didn't know first years were allowed to play," Faith commented.
Harry set the book he was looking at and set it down. He turned to Faith and answered, "They're not."
"Then. . .how did you. . .get to play?"
Harry noticed how broken up her voice had just became since they had been talking like they knew each other forever. He noticed that he couldn't find his own voice. He didn't know why, but he suddenly liked the way Faith's lips were slightly parted since her breathing had become a little heavier. He couldn't help but notice the way her chest was rising and falling. And as bad as he knew that this sounded, he liked it. Of course, he wasn't aware of his own body language.
His own lips were slightly parted and Faith, for some reason could not tear herself away from his eyes. They were so dark now. Darker than they had been on the train. They starred at her. They seemed to go right through her. And she knew, for a fact, that if everyone in the store were quiet for only a second, she would hear his rapid beating heart.
But she was desperate to keep him talking. Even though she liked what was happening right now. "I mean. . ." her voice failed her.
"It's a long story," Harry said quickly. He was afraid his voice would fail him just as Faith's had just now.
"Could you tell me later?" she asked. "I mean. . .during dinner. . .or. . .wait, that didn't. . ."
Harry laughed and Faith smiled. Finally, something to break the tension. "I know what you mean. Sure, tonight while we eat."
Faith nodded. They were back to their old selves. . . .Almost.
"Do you think you might want play this year?" Harry asked Faith not looking at her.
"Maybe. Depends on the position," she answered.
Harry dared to look at her eyes again and Faith did the same. "I heard that there is a beater position open." It took all he had to say this next. "Not to mention. . .the skills you have in-in. . .first aid."
Faith couldn't help but blush. And he noticed this. "What does that have to do with anything?" she asked him.
"Well," Harry began, a bit more calm now that she was, "there's usually an accident on the field. Sometimes people have injuries that have to be taken care of right away and they can't wait to be taken to the hospital wing."
Faith nodded. "I get what your saying."
There was silence between them. Harry broke it again by saying, "By the way, thank you."
"For what?"
"For. . . the help you gave me. I mean, after the fight."
"No problem," she smiled. "Just don't let that jerk get to you again. Or the other way around."
Before Harry could protest to this Hermione came up to them a little while later saying, "Faith, I got your caldron. We should be getting back to the castle now. Are you two ready?"
"Yes," they answered togther.