A/N: Moving on along, I'm determined to get this fanfic done. I must! Anyways, here's the next chapter ).
Chapter 9 – So It Starts
It was eight o'clock on Halloween night and Marty and Ryan went into the Three Broomsticks to meet up with everyone else. Ron and Hermione arrived last, but nonetheless in time for Butterbeer. Three Broomsticks eventually had more students coming in.
"Quite a Halloween." Said Hermione as she arrived with Ron. "Excuse me I'll be in the bathroom."
"Come on Marty, use it before having Butterbeers." Kyra implied. Marty agreed and went to the Ladies' Bathroom.
"Girls..." Ron shook his head.
"Ah. The lovely bathroom excuse." Kyra chuckled as they stood before the mirrors and sinks in the bathroom.
"Marty has to thank me." Hermione grinned.
"Oh shut up you two." Marty shook her head.
"So how's Ryan?" Kyra asked.
"Well..." said Marty. "He's really nice, considerate, and sweet."
"And...?" Hermione looked at Marty.
"He told me he fancies me." Marty fixed her hair in front of the mirror.
Kyra gasped. "He just told you like that? What did you say?"
"Well at first I didn't know what to say." She said. "But then as time passed, I told him I fancy him as well."
"So this it?" Hermione wondered. "You're over Malfoy?"
Marty gave it some thought. "I guess?"
"Well Marty," said Kyra. "If you're going to go out with him then it's pretty much assumed that you're over Malfoy. You can't go out with a guy if you also have minor feelings for someone else."
"Yeah I know." Marty nodded. "Well I don't know if he's going to ask me out so I wouldn't know."
"Well we're just telling you Marty." Hermione assured her. "Don't do something that you know you'll just hurt yourself. Honestly Marty, as much as I didn't like the fact that you and Malfoy were going out, you two were happy. When you told us you two broke up, I wasn't sure if you'd be okay with it, even though you called it quits."
"Hermione's right Marty." Kyra agreed. "You can't afford to hurt yourself. This is our last year in Hogwarts, be as happy as you can! There's no time to go through pain this year."
"Yeah you're right." Said Marty. "But whatever I choose to do, I'm fully aware of what I'm putting myself through."
"Good girl." Hermione smirked. "Now come on, our Butterbeers should be ready."
"Do they have to always take forever?" Harry wondered.
"I guess it's a girl thing." Ryan shrugged.
"Sorry about that." Said Kyra as they came back to the table and took their seats.
"Butterbeer's not ready?" Marty asked.
"Probably another five minutes." Said Harry. "So when do we actually have to go back to Hogwarts?"
"At 11 o'clock." Replied Hermione. "We've still got a little less than 3 hours."
"I heard there's going to be a fireworks show by the lake." Said Kyra.
"You've got that right." Said Madam Rosmerta with the Butterbeers. She gave each of them their Butterbeers. "I heard from other people that the fireworks are going off at 10, so you'd might want to get everything done before that."
"Thanks Madam Rosmerta." Thanked Ron. "Wow, Butterbeer's really good today."
"I agree." Said Harry.
"I'm so glad Dumbledore decided to do this Halloween at Hogsmeade thing." Said Hermione. "It's perfect for our last year at Hogwarts."
"I just wish he would've started it sooner though." Said Kyra.
"So when does Hogwarts have their finals?" Ryan asked.
"You're asking about finals already?" Marty wondered.
"Glad you asked!" Hermione gasped. "I need to get a start on my studying. December's just around the corner!"
Ryan looked confused. "She's like this every year." Kyra assured him.
"So what are you guys doing after this?" Ron asked.
"Well there's always the Shrieking Shack..." Kyra rolled her eyes.
"NO." Hermione's eyes widened. "No thank you I'll be waiting outside."
"What's so bad about the Shrieking Shack?" Ryan asked.
"It's haunted." Said Marty.
"Some students find it really scary, some just see it as plain fun." Harry shrugged.
"Hmm, maybe I want to check it out." Ryan thought.
"Are you serious?" Marty dropped her mug of Butterbeer. "You want to go in the Shrieking Shack."
"Yeah." Ryan nodded. "Is that a problem? I mean, I just want to check it out."
"It's not a problem." Marty gulped. "It's just I've never been there."
"Come to think of it," said Kyra. "I've never been there either."
"Well, maybe we could just check it out." Harry thought. "Well in your case Ron, Hermione wouldn't want to go."
"Oh um, it's fine." Ron nodded.
"Really?" Hermione said surprisingly giving Ron a look.
"No really Ron, are you sure?" Harry raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah." Ron exhaled. "I'm sure."
Kyra and Marty looked at each other with clueless looks but just ignored it. After half an hour in Three Broomsticks, they all headed to the Shrieking Shack except for Ron and Hermione.
"Harry, don't you think that was weird?" Kyra asked.
"What was?" He wondered.
"You know, Ron." She said. "I mean, he looked kind of tense after saying no to the Shrieking Shack. Sure he's afraid of spiders but you know, it's like he was hiding something."
"Oh don't worry about it." He assured her. "So this is it?"
"I guess." Marty stood frozen next to Ryan. They were standing in front of the Shrieking Shack. "Uh, are you sure you want to go in?"
"Yeah, just for a little while." Said Ryan.
"It's a lot colder here..." Kyra shivered. "It's quiet too."
"Well come on, let's get it over with." Harry pushed through the partially broken door.
"Haven't they even thought of putting on some lights?" Kyra was holding on to Harry's arm.
"It is pretty dark..." said Marty.
"Lumos!" Harry pulled out his wand. "There's a bunch of portraits." They were soon in a dark hallway with portraits on the walls.
"I don't like this one bit." Marty said worriedly. "It scares the bloody wits out of me."
"Don't worry." Said Ryan. "I'm right behind you."
"Do you want to go upstairs?" Harry asked.
"Harry, don't you think we should just stay downstairs?" Kyra asked still holding on to his arm.
"It's okay, I'm right here. Just hold on to me." Harry smiled. "Come on."
They all walked up the stairs and suddenly, they heard a glass breaking in the hallway, which seemed like some portraits fell off the wall. They walked deeper down the upstairs hallway filled with doors. Suddenly, there was a huge fog.
"Hold on to me Kyra." Marty heard Harry say. All of a sudden Marty couldn't see anyone. She began to become worried and pulled out her wand and lighted it.
"Ryan?" She called as she walked in any direction within the fog. She still didn't see anyone. She then saw someone standing next to the window. "Draco? What are you doing here?"
He didn't respond. Instead, he disappeared into the fog. Once again, she didn't see anyone. She couldn't even hear anybody's voice. In an instant, the fog disappeared and she found herself in an empty dark room. Then all of a sudden, the windows blasted open with the shutters banging on the walls. She headed to the only door in the room and found it locked.
"Not now..." Marty tried turning the knob. Suddenly portraits started appearing on the walls and instantly shattered. Marty panicked and screamed. "Alohomora!" She ran out into the hallway and down the stairs and through the hallway of portraits. Without even thinking, she busted open the door and into arms of a person.
"Marty?" It was Draco, and surprisingly not with Stacey.
Marty was breathing hard and her heart was beating fast. It took her some time to realize she had run into him and immediately broke from the lock. "Sorry...it's just...I'm NOT going in there again."
"Calm down Marty, where's Ryan?" Draco wondered.
"I don't know, where's Stacey?" Marty accidentally said the wrong thing. "I mean, why are you here?"
"Marty!" Ryan called as he walked out of the Shrieking Shack, followed by Harry and Kyra, who was still holding on to Harry. "What happened?"
"I'll see you later." Draco walked away before Marty could say anything.
"Where'd you go?" Ryan asked. "I swore I heard you screaming or something."
"Oh it's just...I don't know." She exhaled. "The Shrieking Shack, it's not for me."
"Yeah I think we've been here long enough." Kyra agreed. "Come on, let's get good places by the lake so we can see the fireworks."
"Are you okay?" Ryan asked.
"Yeah." Marty nodded. "Here's a good spot." They came to a clean spot of grass where they all laid down to look up at the sky.
"When is it going to start?" Kyra wondered. Hogwarts students began to gather by the lake for the fireworks display.
"Has it started?" It was Cho. She was with Dean once again.
"Cho what are you doing here?" Marty wondered.
"Oh Madam Hooch said I can go to Hogsmeade as well, so I went." Cho smirked.
"Uh huh." Marty said sarcastically.
"Marty! Kyra! Can I talk to you two for a second?" Hermione called.
"Why? What's wrong?" Kyra wondered as they headed towards a secluded tree.
"I just found out why Ron has been turning up late for dinner." Hermione whispered.
"Oh come on Hermione give it a rest." Marty suggested.
Hermione sighed. She then rolled up her sleeve and revealed a silver bracelet that read 'R&H'. Marty and Kyra gasped. "Also...he wants me to go with him back to the Burrow for Christmas."
"For Christmas?!" Kyra said surprisingly.
"Hermione, that's great!" said Marty. "What's the matter?"
"It's just, I don't know. I've been thinking a lot lately." Said Hermione. "What's going to happen after Hogwarts? What if we break up before school even ends?"
"Hermione you shouldn't even think that." Marty assured her. "If anything, you should be thrilled about everything. He loves you."
"Marty's right." Kyra agreed. "Why be so worried? Just be as happy as you can."
"I guess you're both right." Hermione sighed. "Well I better get back to Ron before he starts looking for me."
Marty and Kyra returned to their spot where Harry and Ryan were. Soon the fireworks began to light up the sky. Many students were awed by the images the fireworks displayed. There were images of pumpkins, stars, moons, witch's and wizard hats, and much more. Marty sat up next to Ryan enjoying the lights. Ryan looked at Marty as she gazed at the images on the sky.
"What's wrong Ryan?" Marty wondered.
"Nothing." Ryan looked into Marty's gray eyes that reflected the fireworks in the sky. He began to lean closer to Marty and before their lips could touch, Marty turned and instead he kissed her cheek. She pretended like nothing was supposed to happen and watched the rest of the fireworks.
"Well I guess that's it." Said Harry as he put his arm around Kyra.
"Yeah. We better get to the train if we want an empty cabin." Said Marty. Marty and Ryan remained silent the whole time until they arrived back at Hogwarts.
"Um, Marty?" Ryan called before she followed the others back to Gryffindor Tower.
"Um, I'll catch up with you guys." Marty told them. Kyra nodded with approval as they walked on. "Yeah?"
Soon the entrance hall emptied as students returned to their common rooms. "Um, I'm so sorry about that there in Hogsmeade. I wasn't thinking."
"No don't apologize. I should be the one saying sorry." Said Marty. "It's just, I'm not used to it."
"I see." Ryan nodded.
"I better get going." Marty suddenly felt nervous that she had to get away. She gave a little smile and started to walk away.
"Marty." Said Ryan as he looked down at the ground.
"Yeah?" Marty wondered.
"Does this mean, that you'll give me a chance?" Ryan looked at her. "To you know, be your boyfriend?"
Marty froze. She didn't know what to do or say. She stood there looking at Ryan, who was waiting for an answer. She then thought that she had to move on. She's been trying her best to move on and forget about Draco. If she do something now, she may never get over him. "Yeah...I guess so." She smiled.
Ryan smiled. Marty went over to Ryan and kissed him in the cheek. She walked away with a smile on her face all the way back to the common room.