When Harry calmed down a bit, he sat near Alexandra. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders, her silky black hair lightly touching his face and neck.
"You love Hermione, don't you?" she broke the silence.
"Yeah..."
"Look, Harry, I understand that you are disappointed, but... uh... you...are you sure you love her?"
"What do you mean?" he asked astonished.
"Maybe you self-convinced yourself that you love her. She was the person closest to you after Sirius die. She tried to help you through... Maybe she just became a very close friend, and you took it for being love?"
"Dunno..."
"Did you dream about having children, kissing, making love? Marrying?"
Harry fell silent. Whenever he pictured himself near Hermione, it would imagine them talking, hugging, kissing on the cheek, smiling to each other... he never thought of the French kiss, or of making love to her. Maybe Alexandra was right, but why then was he jealous?
"Dunno... I thought of other things... like romantic walks, talking and stuff... But I am jealous. Very jealous."
"Well, then, you need time to understand your feelings. I'd suggest you give yourself time. C'mon, or we'll be late for breakfast. Will you help me?"
She stretched out her hand. He took it. With her other hand Alexandra took her stick. He led her in the Great Hall. He was much easier with her on his side.
"Alexandra..."
"It's Alex, Harry. Much shorter," she interrupted.
"OK, Alex, I wanna say..." he paused.
"What?"
"Thanks."
She smiled: "You are very welcome."
Their first class that day was double Potions. 'Great beginning of the week,' Harry thought. After breakfast he led Alex into the dungeons. Draco Malfoy was, of course, there:
"Well, well, Potter and his girlfriend. Blamez, don't you think you'd be better off with a real man, and not a dork?"
"You're right, I'm better off with a real man, not a ferret and show-off," she answered.
"Insulting me?"
"Take it as you want."
And with these words she turned her back on Draco, grabbed Harry's hand and proceeded into the class.
When Snape entered the classroom, everyone fell silent. Ron and Hermione stopped giggling. Harry, who was sitting near Alexandra, threw them a last sad look. They asked him to sit with them, but he mumbled something about not wanting to disturb them. He also said that Alex must need help. So, he sat with her.
Snape was furious that day. Harry thought that was due to the fact that he didn't have the DADA position. He decided to take it out on Alexandra (A/N: there was a very good reason, which will be revealed later).
"Miss Blamez, I don't know how you'll be able to brew potions if you can't see the ingredients, but I warn you that I will not give you any help and nor will anyone from this class. Even Potter and Miss Granger."
"Don't worry, professor, I'll manage."
"I believe you archived O's in your Potion OWL?"
"Yes, Sir, I did."
"Well then, let's check how deep your knowledge is. Tell me, what do I get by mixing Moonstones and Sunny-white-flowers?"
"Nothing sir, they don't react."
"Good, well then, tell me the sensations you have when you drink the Polijuice Potion?"
"The person feels sick. He sees his body change. The Potion has an awful taste." Snape was disappointed.
"Lucky for you we have a class to start, or I would have found something you didn't know."
Alexandra smiled, but said nothing.
"Today we'll be brewing the Draught of Peace. The instructions are on the blackboard. Please proceed."
Harry wondered how Alex was going to brew the potion if she couldn't see the instructions and the ingredients. He saw she began lightly touching and then smelling the ingredients, and then began putting them in the cauldron and mixing them. He thought he would ask her after classes how she did it.
By the end of the second lesson Snape said:
"Your potions should be finished by now. Please take a sample and bring them to me."
Alexandra asked Harry:
"Could you poor my potion into the jar, please?" When he did so, he helped her reach the teacher's table without being knocked down by anyone. They both handed in their potions. Snape sneered.
"I see miss Blamez that you have succeeded and without talking during my class. Well then, make it clear that if you ever ask Potter anything, I will deduct House Points from you. We'll see if you can brew every potion without asking Potter one single thing. Class dismissed."
When Harry was out of the classroom, he couldn't master his rage:
"How can he be so cruel! If he didn't get the DADA post, doesn't mean he has to take it out on you!"
"You say he wants the DADA post?"
"Yeah, why?"
"That explains it."
"Explains what?"
"Oh nothing, just forget it," Alexandra smiled.
"By the way, how did you manage to brew the potion and to distinguish the ingredients?"
"Oh, about the ingredients... well, first I touched them, then smelled them. Every ingredient has a
different smell and the poisonous plants feel different. So, when I know they are not poisonous, I start smelling them to know which ingredient is which. And about the recipe... I know all the potions he can ask me to brew, so...it's easy."
"You know Potions well?"
"And Charms, Transfiguration and DADA too."
"Wow... you must have studied a lot..."
"I don't have anything else to do, do I?" she laughed.
And they proceeded into the Great Hall to have lunch.
After lunch Harry and Alexandra were off to their double Charm class. Harry preferred to be near Alexandra, and not to stick to Ron and Hermione. When they asked him why, he said he didn't want to interfere in their relation. He also said that Alexandra needed his help, so he would be near her. The real reason was that he couldn't bear to see Hermione with somebody else when he loved her so much.
When Harry and Alex were on their way to Charms, they ran into somebody in the corridor. Cho. "Well, Harry, is this your new girlfriend? What does she have to deserve the attention of the Boy-Who-Lived? I mean, I was good at Quidditch, Granger was the best in her year... Or are you near her just because you pity her?"
Alexandra was close to tears, and Harry felt he would like very much to hex Cho.
"No, she is my friend because she really cares for me and doesn't cry at every word I say!" he snapped angrily.
And he dragged Alexandra with him, leaving an open-mouthed Cho behind.
When they got to class, Harry was shaking with rage. But what Parvati said was the last drop. Parvati and Lavander were speaking loud, without acknowledging Harry's presence: "I mean she is nothing special. She is good looking and maybe has a nice body, but she is blind. What normal boy would go out with a blind girl who needs nursing every second, when he could have every girl he wanted? He is just near her 'cause he pities her. But soon he'll want a normal girl, and he will leave her. I'm telling you, by the end of this year, I'll be dating the Boy-Who-Lived. He asked me out in our fourth year, didn't he? It's just a matter of time..."
Parvati continued talking, but Harry wasn't listening anymore. He was looking at Alex. Her eyes were slowly filling with tears. She turned away briskly, snatched her hand out of Harry's and went away as fast as her stick allowed her. Harry was beyond himself:
"If I ever date a girl, it won't be you! And if I had to choose between her and you, I would surely date Alexandra!" he shouted. Both of the girls were astonished. The whole class was staring at him. He turned his back on them and ran out to catch Alexandra. It wasn't too difficult, considering that she couldn't run. "Alex," he said, grabbing her hand and turning her in that way so she would be facing him. "Alex, you are very special to me," he said, not knowing why. The most special girl was Hermione, but she... He noticed that she was crying. He wanted to kill everyone who harmed her. They had no right to do it. She was such a special person. He caressed her cheek. "I care for you so much. I don't care that you can't see. Vice-verso, I feel that someone needs me. And I know you can manage on your own. Don't listen to them, they are just jealous."
"Harry, this is the problem. You feel mercy for me. I hate that," she said sadly.
"No, not true. I wanna help, but I also need you. I care for you. You are my friend. I need you too much to be apart from you even a second. You are my friend. This is what matters."
And he pulled her into a warm embrace. They stood like that silently for some seconds, and then he looked into her eyes, which were still sad, but now there was a spark of joy.
"You are my friend, Alex. I need you. And you know that. Please, never reject me. I won't survive loosing you too."
"I need you too, Harry," she said silently and then proceeded to their classroom.
In the classroom all the pupils stared at Harry and Alexandra, but they ignored everybody. They sat together at the last bench and seemed not to notice that the others were making slide comments of them. Charms were rather interesting. They learnt the Disillusion Charm, but by the end of the class only Harry, Alex and Hermione could do it. They were given 2 feet of parchment on the topic "Disillusion Charm: where we need them and how to perform them". When the class ended, Ron called Harry:
"Harry, could we please have a word."
"Yeah, sure. Hermione, will you help Alex get to the DADA classroom? She doesn't know where it is."
"Of course. Alex?" she asked, offering Alexandra her hand. Alexandra took it and they both went out of the classroom.
"So what is it, Ron?" Harry asked.
"What is between you and Alexandra?" Ron asked straightly. Harry was astonished.
"Nothing, we are just friends."
"Oh, c'mon," Ron said in disbelief, "you are always around her. You even went to the Girls' Dormitories for her. I mean, she is good looking and stuff, but you barely even know her. Besides, she is blind, helpless. You'll always have to nurse her. You deserve better, mate."
By the time Ron finished, Harry was shaking with rage. How could they all think so low of Alex? She could take care of herself, but Harry loved to help her. He knew that at least somebody needs him. How could they all reject her just because she was blind? She was clever, cleverer that Ron. She managed in Potions, without seeing the ingredients. She hit her target with the spell even if she couldn't see it. She knew when somebody was around. She noticed more than all the rest altogether. It was not her fault that she was blind. They didn't have the right to push her away just because of it.
"At least she needs me, unlike you and Hermione. And she understands me. And she cares for me. I don't have anyone else except her. I didn't notice you and Hermione talk to me too much today." And with these words he stormed out of the classroom, leaving an open-mouthed Ron behind.
He managed to get to their DADA lesson just a minute before the bell rang. He threw himself on the seat and his bag flew to the floor. He snatched the books out of his back and with a loud 'Bang!' they landed on the table.
"What's the matter, Harry?" Alex, who was sitting near him, asked.
"Oh, I'm sick of them all telling me what to do. They all think they know what's best for me," Harry yelled, not caring that the whole class was staring at them. Alex put her hand on his to calm him down.
"That has something to do with me, doesn't it?" she asked in a whisper.
He simply nodded, not wanting to reply. Then a thought stroked him. Yes, they would all shut up.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked her in a low voice.
She opened her mouth. This was not what she expected to hear. She expected to hear something like: "Our friendship is over", but instead...
The door near the blackboard burst open before Alexandra could reply, and professor Ivy Crystal emerged into the class. She was, indeed, beautiful. Her hair was now curly. Harry thought she has arranged it with magic. It was chin-length, but suited her fine. Her emerald eyes were shinning. She wore little, barely observable make-up. Her black robes gently outlined her figure and emphasized the color of her eyes and hair. Her smile lightened her face. She had a childish gaze. She was gorgeous.
"Good afternoon, class," she said, smiling to them.
There was a murmur across the class. One could deduct the general message: "Good afternoon". Her smile widened and she said in a cheerful voice:
"Good, that will do. As you all know, the dementors are on Voldemort's..." the class jumped when they heard his name. Harry was astonished to hear her pronounce it without any fear at all. She continued firmly: "...side. So, you will need to know how to defend yourselves. This is why today we are studying the Patronus Spell. I know some of you have already mastered it. So you will have to rehearse it. The rest repeat the incantation after me: Expecto Patronum!"
"Expecto Patronum! " the class echoed.
"Once more, please!"
"Expecto Patronum!"
"Very well. Now, take out your wand. That's it. Now, think of the happiest moment in your life and say the incantation. The others please join us."
Harry noticed that Alexandra did nothing of what the teacher told to do those, who couldn't perform the spell, but now she took out her wand and, together with the others, said: "Expecto Patronum!" A silver unicorn erupted from her wand, along with Harry's stag and Hermione's otter. Most of the class couldn't do it, but till the end of the lesson there were some successful attempts. When the bell rang, Professor Crystal gave them their homework:
"You will practice the incantation for the next lesson. Also, I want a foot of parchment on the topic: "Why dementors fear Patronuses". Class dismissed."
Harry put Alexandra's books in her bag and offered her his hand. She threw her schoolbag over her shoulder, took her stick with one hand, and with the other she took Harry's hand. They exited the classroom and went to their Common Room. On their way there, Harry asked:
"You still haven't answered my question. Do you wanna be my girlfriend?"
"Why are you proposing me that?"
"Because in this way they will all leave us alone. They think that I am just playing with you, but this will show them that there is something special between us. It doesn't imply kissing or anything. Just for them to leave us alone. I want to be near you. I won't let you face this world alone. I care for you."
"Don't you think they will just hate me more for dating you?"
"I don't care. I wanna show them that you are the best, that you are above them. Do you agree to date me?"
"Uh... yeah, sure... when do we start?"
"Right now," he firmly said. She smiled. They both proceeded to the Great hall to have dinner.
After dinner they went to the Common Room. They had to do their homework. But in the Common Room there was Parvati, discussing loudly the relationship between Harry and Alexandra.
'There is nothing serious between them. They are not really dating. I mean, they have never kissed. She is just using him, and he loves to play the hero who helps the blind, helpless girl. But he will soon get sick of it. He will need a girl, not a bookworm near him. This will soon be over."
"What!" Harry yelled in disbelief. All the people present in the room jumped when they realized that Harry and Alexandra were present. Parvati looked horrified. "Again? Well, for your information we are dating, and about kissing..." The next second his hand was around Alexandra's waist. He pulled her closer. She was shocked at first, but then she put her hands around his neck and...
When Harry released Alexandra, she was trembling. But she was not the only one. Parvati was shaking with rage. The rest were staring blankly at those two. Harry and Alexandra were holding hands, and, without addressing anyone a single word, exited the room. They ran through the corridors, until they were sure that they were alone.
"Harry..." said Alexandra, shaking as she spoke, "I... was it right what we have done?"
"I don't know and I don't care. I just want you to know that nobody will ever offend you. I shall always be by your side."
"Thanks, Harry," she smiled weakly.
Suddenly, they heard voices. As they had to be in bed by this time, they hid behind a statue. From a corner emerged Professor Snape.