I don't own anything
I Love You
Chapter-10-Midnight Conversation
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Faith arrived back at the castle with an hour to spare before dinner. "How do learn your way around here?" Faith asked Hermione.
Hermione answered, "Don't worry about it. It'll come to you."
"Faith," Ron said, "if you want, Harry and I can teach you how to fly. You know, for Quidditch standards."
"You will?" Faith looked at Harry to confirm it with him. "Both of you?"
Harry shrugged then nodded. "Sure, why not?"
They walked on and talked happily, like old friends do, until they heard, "Harry!"
The three groaned, but Faith looked at all of them and asked, "What?"
"Don't look behind you," Ron began, but he was to late for that.
Faith turned and saw two pretty young women walking quickly up to them. "Who are they?" asked Faith.
"That," began Hermione, "would be Marigold Twit. And the one with black hair would be Cho Chang. The girls I told you about."
"Can we leave?" Ron asked everyone. "Better yet, let's hex'em right here right now."
Faith saw him raise his wand, had it not been for Hermione she knew he would have done it. "Ron, no!" Hermione nearly screamed. "I've got a better idea." She smiled at Faith who took two steps back and backed into Harry. She looked at him. "Sorry," she muttered quickly and quietly before looking back at the two girls.
"What do you plan on doing Herm?" asked Harry.
Hermione didn't answer. By now Cho Chang and Marigold were face to face with them. "Good evening Cho," Hermione said as politely as she could. "Marigold, how are you doing?"
The two girls completely ignored her, Ron and Faith. They looked at Harry and Marigold giggled. "Harry," Cho began, "I haven't seen you around, where ya been?"
Harry shifted his eyes. "It hasn't even been twenty four hours yet," he said.
Before this could any further with Marigold opening her mouth, Hermione cut into their conversation. "Marigold, Cho? Have you met Faith? Faith Feathergood." She pointed to Faith who stood next to Harry. "She's a transfer from the states. And she's really nice. Faith," Hermione said looking at her, "this Marigold Twit and Cho Chang. Cho Chang was on the Ravenclaw Quiditch team before her accident."
"What happened?" Faith asked, trying to be sincere.
Cho scowled at her. "Doesn't matter," she hissed.
Hermione looked at the way Cho Chang and Marigold studied Faith. She did feel a little guilty, but she liked the way Cho and Marigold knew Faith was prettier than them. She could tell by the way they looked at her. It was the same look they gave the girls in magazines they would look at together. And really, who could blame them for being, at least, a little jealous?
While Faith had full, pink, smooth lips, Cho had thin pink ones. And while Faith had long eye lashes that complemented her eyes, Marigold often reapplied eye liner and mascara to hide her dull own brown eyes. There was no doubt about it. Faith did have the better looking body. Besides the bigger breast Marigold had, which, by now, Hermione was sure she stuffed her bra. And Cho's body was a bit bigger than Faith's slim one.
After a few more seconds Hermione finally said, "We need to go put our things away." She heard Faith let out air that she didn't realize she was holding in.
"Then we need to go eat." Ron helped by putting a hand on Hermione's and Faith's shoulder and pushing them away from the other two girls who couldn't get a clue.
The four made their way back to Gryffindor tower, put Faith's things in their room and went back down to the great hall. "Have you been in the great hall yet?" Ron asked Faith.
"No," Faith answered. "Haven't had the chance."
"Get ready," Harry said smiling. "It is truly the most magnificent hall any of us has ever have seen."
They came upon two huge wooden doors like before. And by themselves, they opened! Faith quickly walked through following Ron and Hermione. She looked all around her. Harry was right. The great hall was truly the most magnificent hall anybody had ever seen. The floating candles entertained her the most. She could not wait for Monday and learn how to do her own magic.
"That's where the Slytherin's sit," Ron began to point out. "Huffelpuff is at the far end, and Ravenclaw is right next to us."
Faith nodded and took a seat next to Harry with Hermione and Ron across from them. "Dumbledore should be down in a few minutes," said Hermione. "Then we can eat."
"Who prepares the food?" Faith asked.
"The house elves," she answered. Then she added from the look on Faith face, "We'll have to introduce you to Dobby."
Before anyone could say anything else, Dumbledore walked into the hall. Faith noticed how not no one spoke when he walked into the room. They must of had a lot of respect for the man. And she could see why. He made his way to his spot on the head table. He waved his hands in the air and food appeared on the tables.
Faith gasped. Never had she seen so much food. She looked at everyone around her. They were all taking what they wished. "Go ahead," said Ron. "The house elves are pretty good at cooking. Besides, you would hurt their feelings if you didn't eat anything. And you don't want to upset them."
Faith bit into a piece of chicken. her eyes lit up and everyone couldn't help but smile from the look on her face. "Ever had anything so good?" asked Hermione.
Faith shook her head. "Never!"
Faith would of eaten everything on all four tables, but she was careful and kept what she put in her mouth to a minium. She noticed Harry do what the same as she. They each had about four servings. Although Faith piled a bit more onto her plate.
"Looks like you two have a lot in common," Ron commented. He got himself a piece of pie.
"What do you mean by that Ron?" asked Harry.
"That's Faith third helping of dessert, and yours to!" he told him.
"Ron!" Hermione hissed. "You shouldn't point those things out!"
"I was just"- he began before a voice interrupted him.
"How are you and your little mudblood girlfriend doing?"
Faith heard the three sigh. She turned around and what she saw made her go white. The same blonde from the plane! She could recognize those eyes and that hair from anywhere.
"Nice to see you to Draco," Hermione said sarcastically.
Draco? Faith thought. So that was his name.
"You shouldn't talk to people like that you are higher than you mudblood!" Draco spat.
Faith had no idea what "mudblood" meant. But she was pretty sure it meant something ugly. Right now she hated herself for thinking Draco was so good looking. She couldn't help but take a quick glance at his lips. But she was sorry she had.
"Who are you?" he asked Faith in the ugliest way possible.
"Faith Feathergood," Faith told him as politely as she could. She stood up and stuck out her hand, "And youare?"
"Malfoy," he said, "Draco Malfoy." He smacked away her hand. "I don't give any skin to any Gryffindors!"
Faith lowered her hand. She saw the way Draco studied her. Did he remember her from the plane? Probably not. Faith was still vulnerable to anyone. Not to mention the fact that she was wearing the worlds ugliest clothes and her smelled like rotten milk.
"You don't give skin to a Gryffindor but you are willing to talk to them?" Faith wasn't trying to be rude. She was serious and was trying to understand Draco Malfoy.
Faith felt someone tug on her wrist and sit her back on the long bench. When she felt that tingling sensation go up her arm she knew exactly who it was. But before she could give Harry a quick glance, Draco said, "That's right Potter." Faith looked at him, as did everyone else. "Let this girl know where her place is as a Gryffindor. Below a Slytherin!"
Harry and Ron got up quickly. Faith didn't like the look she saw in both their eyes. She had seen it many times before. Apparently Hermione knew the look to. She grabbed Ron by his shoulders and Faith grabbed Harry's hand and held it firmly. Other people were now watching. Harry looked down at Faith. How could a girl her size have so much strength? Or maybe it was the tingling sensation he felt go up his arm and nearly to his neck that made him sit down and Ron follow. Draco snickered before turning away.
Faith looked at Harry. "You would of hurt the others," she whispered. "Behind us. And a few first years."
Harry looked into her now saddened eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered back.
The two went back to their meal but didn't eat it. Harry didn't like the way Faith sat their, still as a rock. He looked at her and studied her eyes. They were dark and distant. What was she thinking? Again, he thought about her legs and the scars and cuts on them. Then he thought about that fine cut on her lip which he could now see very clearly.
He heard someone say in the distance, "Come on Ron."
"What about Harry, and Faith?"
"Leave them."
"Faith?" Harry mumbled quietly. Faith turned to him, her eyes were back to their normal color. "I'm sorry. Really. I didn't mean to upset you."
Faith nodded. "I know. I was just concerned about the younger ones. If you had hit Draco you would of knocked him into the others."
Harry nodded. "I know. Just not then. How do you know so much about fights? I mean, how do you know what will happen and who will get hurt."
Faith bit her lip. Should she tell him? Not everything. She opened her mouth to respond but a teacher said first, "Miss Feathergood, Mr. Potter," It was Professor McGonagall, "You two need to be getting to your rooms."
"Yes mam," they said and stood up together.
"I'll tell you as we walk," Faith suggested. And that she did. "I'm from Chicago," she began, "and believe me, that was one area where you do not want to live. People there are always getting into fights. Including some of my friends. And I've seen so many I just started predicting them. My friends knew this so they would always ask me where the best place to fight would be."
"Did you tell them?" Harry asked in disbelief. Faith just seemed so innocent, like nothing ever went wrong in her life. But he knew that was a lie.
Faith answered, "I did at first. I was young. Around ten."
"You were ten?! And living like that? All your life?"
"Yes, and you don't even know the half of it. Anyway, I thought I was doing them a favor at first. There were many gangs in my area, and by saying what I knew. . .I don't know. I just thought I was helping them."
"What made you change your mind?"
Faith snorted. "That's simple. I just realized I wasn't helping them at all and stopped giving them what I knew. They were angry at me. But these people helped raise me, we were like family and they couldn't just abandoned me."
"What do you mean by 'helped raise you'?"
Faith pretended not to hear. She asked him, "What do you and that Draco kid have against each other?"
"Long story."
"I've got time."
"Alright."
The two climbed through the portrait hole together and sat down on one of the couches near the dim fire. "It started in our first year," Harry began. . .
"Look," Hermione nudged Ron in the side and pointed over to Harry and Faith.
"Well," Ron smiled, "looks like Harry finally found someone."
"What do you mean by that exactly?" asked Hermione.
"I mean he as so much doesn't mind talking to the girl that he doesn't even bother to come over and say hi to us," he explained. "I mean, every girl we have ever set him up with"-
"Correction Mr. Weasley. Every girl you tried to set him up with."
Ron laughed. "Point taken Miss Granger. Alright. Every girl I've tried to set him up with has always failed. He always wanted to bring her over to us hoping we could start conversation with her 'cause he was so bored."
Hermione and Ron heard Faith laugh. They looked at Harry and saw how his green eyes lit up with delight from her laughter. "I don't think a girl has ever had that type of effect on him," Hermione pointed out.
Ron shook his head. "No. She hasn't. Hopefully tonight I'll get some pretty good details."
"Ronald Weasley!" Hermione nearly screamed.
"What?"
"Remove your hand from my thigh and get back to work. I want this to be the best Yule Ball ever! And then, tell me what Harry told you," she added with a twinkle in her eyes.
Ron smiled. "Anything you say."
He kissed her lips and the two went back to work.
"So Draco was stuck in the tower until Dumbledore came and connected it back to the castle," Harry finished telling Faith about one of his pranks.
Faith's mouth was open but she was still smiling. "Did you get into trouble?"
"Of course," said Harry. "Though I'm sure Dumbledore would have skipped giving me detention if he could. You can always tell when that man enjoys a really funny prank."
Faith finished laughing and the two talked a bit more. It was really nice to talk to someone who didn't know the one thing that drew everyone to him. He was glad that her wanting to talk to him wasn't just because he was 'the boy who live.' She was actually interested in the things he had to say. And he was interested in what she told him. Though it wasn't that much. But either way, he liked the fact that she wasn't already talking about going steady with him or trying to kiss him.
Every time Faith laughed he would laugh to and take a quick glance around the room. He saw the way the other girls looked at Faith with such envy. He wanted think they envied her smile and her laugh, but he knew better. They hated her because she got to sit with him.
Hours went by and Faith and Harry hadn't realized that soon, the common room was empty. "So, after you get out of school, what is it you want to do?" Faith asked. She was leaning her head on the palm of her hand and Harry like the way the light from the small fire cast shadows over her and enlightened her eyes.
He was really happy when Faith asked him that question. Never, in all the girls he had ever talked, besides Hermione who already knew what he wanted to be, have asked him this. It made him smile and answer, "I actually want to be an arura." (Sp?)
Faith frowned and lifted her head from her hand. "What's that?"
"It's like a muggle detective," he answered, not really believing that she didn't know what he was talking about. "Only we have the advantage 'cause we'd get to use magic." Faith smiled. "How about you?"
"Not sure. But I did always want to be a detective myself, or maybe even a lawyer."
"Why those?" At this point Harry couldn't really see Faith as any of those things. But thinking of the way she acted when Draco was around made him think a little different. Not to mention the fact that he still didn't really know as well as he wanted to before he could make such judgements. Whoa! Did he just think that?
"I really like to help people and give out my opinions."
Now when she said that, Harry could defiantly see her doing wither of those things.
"Where did your scar come from?" Faith asked without realizing it was the last thing Harry wanted to talk about. Harry straightened up. Sensing his discomfort, Faith said quickly, "Wait, was that something I shouldn't of asked. Sorry!"
"No. . .no, it's fine really."
Faith relaxed a little after he did. Harry thought about where to begin. He thought about even telling Faith the truth. He smacked himself mentally. This girl really did have no idea who he was. Or what he had been through. If she did know, Harry knew for certain that she would have groveled at his Faith begging for his attention. Besides, she had asked all the right questions in wanting to know more about him. Not once had she mentioned his scar, going steady, or Voldemort. Then again, Faith didn't seem to know much about the wizarding world.
Either way, he began, "When I was younger, my parents were both killed by the same man. Or, wizard I should say."
Faith gasped and put her hand to her mouth. "They were? By who? I mean, if you know."
"Voldemort," he told her.
Faith felt a cold shiver go down her spine. Harry noticed the way her teeth chattered and the way she clung to one of the red pillows.
Harry guessed that she must of knew something about Voldemort form her reaction. But he went on. He was waiting for her to give some sort of clue that she really did know who he was and was just playing him right now.
"He was the darkest wizard of that time. . ." And he went on abut how he had to live with his abusive aunt and uncle and annoying cousin. When he finished Faith asked, "How old were you?"
"One year old," he answered.
"I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry for."
Faith felt a little more at ease with Harry. Now that she knew she could share some of her dark secrets with someone. But not all of them. Not yet.
"Want to hear my story?"
Harry wasn't sure what she meant by this, but nodded for her to go on.
"The same thing happened to my mom," she said.
Harry straightened up again.
"Well, I mean- I can't say for sure. All my life, since I was little my dad always used to tell me that my mother left. But," she shook her head, "ever since I got here, I thought differently." She added from the look of confusion on his face, "As far as I know, she left after a few days I was born. After that, life has been complete chaos."
"I don't understand," said Harry.
Faith took in a deep breath. "You think you had it bad?" But she regretted saying that. "My dad and I had money problems. My dinner every night was nothing but cold fires. Sometimes old lettuce and a few old tomatoes. So I could make a salad. Other nights I got really lucky and could make mac and chess or tuna casserole. There were other nights when I went to bed hungry. And even worse nights when my dad came home drunk."
Harry was pretty sure he knew what she meant by this.
"My friends were the only people who kept me alive," Faith went on. "Literally. Had it not been for them I would've died. I went over to their houses every night to eat. Well, almost every night. Would you believe me if I told you that I couldn't get a shower in except for twice a month. No lie."
Okay, so she was giving more information than she intended to give.
"Like you, I had no friends at school. Besides the people who I did know, but they were three or four or even five to seven years older than me. They knew why I always went to school smelly and gross looking. My hair was always oily. I was afraid to take a shower, because if my dad came home while I was in, he would yell at me for looking at my body in the wrong way. So I started using perfume in kindergarden. But here's the worst part, I didn't even pay for the perfume."
Harry's eyes widen in shock. Did this innocent looking girl really do that? She couldn't of.
"I didn't want to do it. But what choice did I have? My teachers didn't even like to be around me." Tears formed in her eyes. "I hate to admit it but I don't think my mother ran away from me." Her voice came out in choked sobs. The tears ran freely down her cheeks. "I even stole money from my father. But those were the times when I hated him so much. Then there was the time with this kid, Jose."
Harry really didn't want to hear anymore. When he saw her mouth open, ready to say more, he quickly shut her up by embracing her tightly. Faith cried freely in his arms. Harry wiggled closer to her so they weren't so far apart. She cried in his shoulder. Her hands turned into fist on his blue shirt as she held onto him tightly. Not wanting to let go.
Harry couldn't help himself. He dug his face in her neck and cried silently with her. As much as he hated to admit it at the moment, he loved the fact that he had someone to cry with. Someone to hold on to. Someone who understood what he was going through. He knew there was more to the story, but right now, that was way to much. She had told him that she had lost her mother and that her father beat her, that was enough to make him understand. He didn't need the extras.
Faith kept on crying. Harder now. Did she really have that much pain? Harry wondered. What else happened to her? What else could have been so bad? He didn't really care right now. Faith was comfort to him. And he hoped he was comfort to her. And he was. Faith had never hugged anyone before. One of the reasons why she cried was because of all the thoughts she had about missing out on a parent who could show her the right kind of love.
Damn did it feel good to be held by someone who she knew cared. Who she knew she could talk to. Damn it felt good to have arms wrapped around her to. Sure her friends had hugged her before. But those were friendly hugs. This one went deeper. It was amazing how someone could describe one single hug.
In a few minutes they both let go and looked at each other. More tears spilled from Harry's eyes when he saw the sad face of Faith Feathergood. He wished he could erase those blood shot eyes and see her bright green ones.
"Those scars," he began quietly. "On your leg. Are they from your father?"
Faith nodded.
"I'm sorry."
"There's nothing to be sorry about. I'm here at Hogwarts, away from him. Although Dumbledore made it sound like it wouldn't be so easy for me. And, by the way, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry. That is, if I did."
"There's nothing to be sorry about."
Although Harry was sorry he had ever doubted her.
Faith sniffed. "Understand this, there are still a lot of things I would like to have answers to. Like how my mother died, and why my dad hated her so."
"You know this for a fact?"
Faith nodded. "I knew ever since I talked to Dumbledore and my first night here." Determined to make them both happy, Faith said, "Harry, you never did tell me about how you got onto the Quiditch team in your first year."
"I didn't did I?"
"Nope."
Harry began his story. Neither he nor Faith realized they still had their arms wrapped around each other. Not even after they went up to their separate rooms at two-thirty in the morning.