Disclaimer: You know the drill...

Author's note: All right, now, here's the next chappie. I'm getting better at updating, so I hope that you'll continue to read, or at least put this fic on your story watch or whatever it's called. Suggestions are welcome, as well as questions, blah, blah, blah, blah, BLAH!

NOW! In this chapter, you'll find out who Ron saw in his cauldron, Harry's secret hobby is revealed, and Gwen rides a broom for the first time. It's LOADS longer than my last few chapters, and I PROMISE to fix chapters three and four soon! (Why didn't anybody TELL ME that they were the same?!?!!?) Oh, and Harry gets a boner. Read on...

Chapter Nine: A Sketchpad and a Broom Ride

"Are you sure it was her?" Harry asked. He and Ron were sitting under their favorite tree, a few yards away from the shore of the lake.

"Yup. Plain as day, there was Hermione, staring up at me from my cauldron," Ron replied, his face buried in his hands. He looked up at Harry, panic stricken. "What am I going to do?" Ron asked, his voice low and slightly hoarse. "Dunno, mate," Harry replied shrugging, "At least you know who your true love is"

After a moment, Ron asked, "Really working hard on that thing, aren't you? What're you drawing now?" "The girl I saw in my cauldron," answered Harry, turning back to the sketch he was working on, determined to finish it before he forgot what his subject looked like. Ron leaned over for a look. His eyebrows rose. "Fetching, isn't she?"

Harry admired his work, and smiled as he said, "Yeah...She's gorgeous."

"Don't break my heart and say you weren't talking about me!"

Harry and Ron looked up and did a classic double take. Walking toward them were two girls. One was Gwen, but they didn't know the other girl. It was the stranger that had spoken. She was wearing satin and silk green and yellow robes similar to Gwen's, her hair was as elaborately coiled braided, curled, and ornamented as the princess' and she wore a dark green veil. Had she worn a diadem on her forehead like Gwen, the two could have been twins. Maybe they were. As the two walked closer, Harry spotted bejeweled silken slippers on the new girl's feet.

"What are you gawking at?" she asked in a familiarly brusque voice as the girls sat in front of the boys. "H-Hermione?" Harry asked, "Is that you?"

"Nooooo......." Ron breathed disbelievingly, his eyes wide. Hermione pulled down her green veil for a moment and grinned. "I love these clothes! Gwen lives very well!" Hermione exclaimed exuberantly.

"The colors really suit you, Hermione," Gwen complimented, "You can have them."

The group turned to her

"What?!?!?" they all gasped

Those sorts of robes were sensational, and probably very expensive. Harry doubted if his Firebolt had cost as much as that dress, and Gwen was just going to give it away?

"The robes. You. Can. Have. Them. Those robes don't fit me, and they look good on you. Besides," Gwen added, "I was hoping you would be one of my ladies in waiting. If you accept, you will need something other than your school robes to wear."

"Ladies in Waiting?" Ron asked

"Yes. I am turning 17 this Christmas. I am growing up, and I will need Ladies in Waiting. A Lady in Waiting is a sort of...hm...a maid if you will. She doesn't really do anything while the princess is alive, but she gets to live in just about the same station of living as the princess. She tends to the princess, perhaps fetching her some tea or placing an order for robes or jewels, but usually the princess and her Ladies are very good friends, and become the other's most trusted confidant. A Lady must be very compatible and intelligent, for if the princess dies before she ascends the throne-which happens a lot more than you'd think-the first Lady in Waiting will take her place as Queen. So, if she accepts, and I get assassinated, she will be the next Queen of Aliyone."

The trio gaped at one another. Though her face was shielded somewhat by her veil, Harry could see how wide Hermione's eyes had gotten. What surprised Harry was the off-hand sort of way Gwen talked about her own death, as though it were quite the common subject.

"I-I hardly know what to say!" Hermione said surprised.

Gwen laughed

"Say yes!" Gwen picked up Hermione's hand and stroked it soothingly. "I wouldn't've asked you unless I knew you could do it! Please Hermione. You've been so kind to me since I've been here- you all have- and you've become my closest friends. I wanted to show you how much that means to me."

"Well...alright. I-I accept." Hermione answered smiling.

Gwen clapped. "Excellent! Now...let's see.... What did we come out here to do....hm...Oh, yes!" she snapped her long, manicured fingers and books, quills, and parchment appeared. Hermione turned to the boys and said, "We came out here to do our homework while you flew. What are you working on there, Harry?" she added, noticing the notebook and pencil he had on his lap. He shut the book with a snap and said, "Nothing!", his voice a lot higher than he would have liked. Gwen and Hermione shared a look over their veils.

"Shall we?" Gwen asked.

"I think we shall," Hermione agreed.

Harry and Ron exchanged worried glances at this peculiar conversation. While he was caught unawares, Gwen snapped her finger- the tablet flew out of Harry's hands before he could reach out and grab it back.

Gwen caught it in mid-air and ran across the lawn. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed. Sketching was a secret pleasure of Harry's, and he wasn't sure if he wanted a girl ha possibly had feelings for to think he was namby-pamby. She ran fast, but Harry caught up with her. For a split second that lasted an eternity, Harry forgot the sketch. All he noticed was how gracefully Guenivere ran, her robes billowing out behind her. When she saw he had caught up, she picked up her skirts to race faster, and Harry caught a very long look at her legs, long, olive skinned and slender. She surpassed him, laughing triumphantly, and hurried to a weeping willow tree. Balancing the book on her head, Gwen reached up and vaulted herself up into the tree. By the time Harry arrived at the smooth trunk of the tree, Gwen had shimmied up a ways, and sat comfortably on a rubbery, bending branch, the book propped open on her lap.

"Let's see...," she said smiling, "What does the famous Harry Potter like to draw?"

She started to flip through the drawings very much to her leisure. She wasn't too far up, just high enough so Harry couldn't snatch the book back. Her triumphant grin slowly changed to a look of wonder. "Harry!" she said softly, "these are magnificent!"

Harry blushed. He knew that she was looking at pictures of flowers and animals and sunset, and was quite unnerved by it. What would she think of him now?

"These angels! They look alive!" she said awestruck. No! She's already at the angel picture! Harry thought horrified. The next drawing would be of the girl! She slowly turned the page, and when she looked upon the paper, her eyes grew wide and her face paled. "NO!" Harry exclaimed, grabbing handfuls of her dress and pulling down. He had only meant for her to drop the sketchpad. Instead, she fell. Harry went to catch her, but he wasn't ready, and he ended up on top of her instead.

Time

Stood

Still.

Harry's mind went completely blank. All he could realize- the most he could fathom- was that he was lying on top of Gwen. Her eyes looked deeply into his- her wide hazel eyes. He found his face drawing closer and closer to hers.

"Harry!" a faraway voice sounded. An instant later, Harry was standing, and helping the princess to her feet. "I-I'm so sorry!" Harry apologized quickly, "Are you alright?"

She smiled, and placed her smooth palm on his cheek. He put his hand over hers, not wanting her to move it. It felt so cool and refreshing. "I'm fine," she answered serenely. She handed over the sketchbook. "You're very talented, Harry. I'm impressed." He felt his face grow warm under her gaze and her touch.

"H-H-Harry," wheezed Ron, who had just run up to them. The redhead placed his hands on his knees and gulped for air. Gwen and Harry turned round, Gwen's hand dropping from his face and back to her side. "We- saw- you fall," Ron continued, still gasping for breath. However, Hermione was nowhere in sight. Harry looked over, and saw a minute yellow figure sitting under the beech tree. Ron followed his gaze and said, "Oh, she ran a few steps, then turned back. But are you guys alright?"

"Oh, we're fine," Gwen replied, "No worse for wear, but I have homework to be doing." The three of them walked back to the tree and Harry and Ron picked up their brooms. "Gwen," Harry said, "Why don't you fly with Ron and me? We'll teach you Quidditch." Gwen laughed. Harry loved her laugh. It wasn't the silly giggle that most girls had, and when she laughed, Harry never felt like she was laughing at him; more like he had said a funny joke.

"Oh, Harry, I couldn't!" she declined. Harry and Ron kicked off smoothly, but Harry hovered for a minute.

"Sure you can! Just for a while!" he called down. "But Harry!" she shouted up to him, "I haven't even got a broom!"

At this, Harry got quite an idea and acted immediately.

He went into a dive, scooped Gwen into his arms, and pulled up. She squealed, but not from fright. No, she shrieked in delight and surprise. He stopped the broom high in the air so she could situate herself. But right then, Harry enjoyed the feeling of having her in his arms. He thanked the heavens that he had exercised over the summer; otherwise he was sure he could never have lifted her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked about wide-eyed. "Oh, Harry! This is beautiful!" she said mesmerized, trying to take it all in. However, when she looked down, she let out a soft "Eep!" and clutched him close. With her head buried in his chest, he felt he would melt. He had never before felt so...masculine. Instantly he felt stronger and faster.

"Here," he told her gently, turning around on his broom and placing her behind him. She straddled the broom and quickly wrapped her arms around his middle. "Ready?" he asked. "Ready when you are!" was the excited reply. He took off, and heard a victorious "Whoooo Hooooo!!!" from Gwen. Harry's face broke into a huge grin at the sound. He was showing her a good time, and he was glad that she was not afraid. He was happy that she trusted him.

Harry felt a slight pressure between his shoulder blades and gave a small start. But when he turned around, he smiled. It was just Gwen, laying her head on his back, and she looked truly pleased. "Hold on!" he said. Feeling her grip tighten, he went into a loop. She emitted a loud "Wheeeee!" and Harry went in for the landing. He hopped off the broom, and turned around to help her down. She put her hands on his shoulders, and Harry gripped her waist, and she hopped down as well.

Shaking the wrinkles from her robes she exclaimed, "That was wonderful, Harry! Just brilliant! Thank you so much!" She seized his hand and placed it over her heart, saying through her ruffled veil, "Can you feel my heart racing? Can you? I love flying! And the way you just carried me off, it was so- so- amakashikai!"

He heard what she said, and it was all very sweet, but all he was really considering just then was that He. Was. Touching. Her. Breast.

Leaning forward a bit so his robes covered the new bulge in his trousers, he smiled, and asked in his most casual voice, "What does akkarashimishsosi mean?"

She looked down and her cheeks went tinged with pink. "It means exciting or fantastic or-"-she looked him straight in the eye-"romantic."

Removing his palm from her chest, but holding onto the hand that placed it there, Harry kissed the back of her hand and replied, "It was an honor...princess."

With that, he leapt back upon his broom, winked at Gwen, and soared high into the air, his heart fitting to burst with joy. This day just keeps getting better and better...

Author's note: Just so you know, amakashikai really does mean exciting or fantastic or romantic. However, akkarashimishsosi means, "You get me so horny" Just an inside joke for the few of us who know Farsi! Don't forget to review!