Fire of the Phoenix
Chapter16 Questions and Transfiguration.
Harry came back to Gryffindor Tower after talking with Draco. It was late when he quietly said the password to the fat lady and crept into the Gryffindor Common Room. As he tried to sneak toward his dorm, he heard a slight rustle. He turned and saw Ginny slowly getting up off the couch. Her robes looked all rumbled. Her hair was in disarray, but Harry could not think when she ever looked more beautiful.
Ginny crossed the room to where Harry was standing. She wrapped her arms around him, and pulled him into a warm comforting hug. Ginny looked up into his eyes before speaking "So, how did it go with Malfoy?"
Harry brought his hands up, and began to caress her face. "Everything is fine, don't worry." She was looking at him imploringly so he continued. "Draco isn't as evil as everyone thinks, but I can't tell you what he said to me. Please understand that he will tell you guys when he is ready. Draco's starting to trust me and I don't want to break that trust."
Ginny looked at him in a way, that Harry felt that she was searching into his soul. "Its okay, I wouldn't want you to betray anyone's trust, even if it is Malfoy's." Ginny put her arms around his neck and began to play with his hair.
Harry felt shivers run down his spine. He wrapped his arms around her and started kissing her lips. At first, it was lightly, and then it became more passionate and earnest. Ginny responded to him with the same intensity and passion. Harry felt a panic button go off inside him. He was not ready for this yet. Just when he was about to break away from her, Ginny pulled her head back.
She looked up into his emerald eyes, "Harry, I don't think I'm ready yet."
Harry looked her and began laughing. "You know Gin, I was about to tell you the same thing." She looked at him with amazement and began laughing too.
Their laughter soon died down. Ginny turned to Harry with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Well I guess we better get off to bed. She gave him a hard, passionate kiss, and then walked off. "Oh by the way, sweet dreams," she called out to him lightly.
Harry groaned silently, he needed a cold shower.
The next morning Harry woke up to the sunlight shining directly in his eyes. He saw Ron sitting on his bed looking expectantly.
"So, how did it go with Malfoy last night? Are you guy's best mates now," Ron asked, with a tinge of jealously in his voice.
Harry groaned, it was going to be a long morning. He gave a long pause to gather his thoughts on what to say to Ron before speaking. The last thing he needed right now was a fight with Ron! "No Ron, Malfoy and I aren't best mates. I also cannot tell you what he said to me. Malfoy might be a bit dark, but he is not the pure evil that he leads everyone to believe. Please, that is all I can say to you right now. Just trust me?" Harry asked Ron pleadingly.
There was silence for a few moments then Ron spoke. "I trust you, but Malfoy has to earn my trust." Ron said grudgingly.
"That sounds fair to me," Harry replied. "Now go away so I can hurry up and get dressed. The last thing I need is for McGonagall to get on my case for being late!"
Ron's face turned red and he hurried out.
Harry chuckled silently to himself as he pulled on his robes. Ron was so predictable. Harry hurried down to the great hall for breakfast; all he had time for was toast and pumpkin juice. He ate quickly and ran down the corridors to the Transfiguration Classroom.
Harry burst through the doors of the classroom. Everyone turned their heads to look at him and a few snickered. Professor McGonagall gave them a stern look and all went quiet. "Mr. Potter, five points from Gryffindor for your tardiness. Don't let it happen again," she said in her usual no nonsense voice. "Now take your seat."
"Yes Professor," was all Harry could reply before sitting down next to Ron and Hermione.
"Today in class we are going to try our animagus transformations, if you're capable of it. If you are not capable of it, you can begin practicing transfiguring beetles into forks. The better it looks, the better the grade. You may all begin." Professor McGonagall said in her usual dignified voice.
Harry was concentrating on his Phoenix form. He began feeling changes in his body. There were gasps from the classmates around him. He looked down at himself and saw his body was no longer there, only golden feathers. When he tried to speak, he let out a trill instead.
"Well, congratulations Potter, you've completed your transformation into a phoenix. Oh, and also take ten points for Gryffindor too." Professor McGonagall seemed actually excited, as a rare smile broke out upon her face.
Harry looked over at Hermione and saw she was sorely disappointed at not being the first one to transform. When he looked at Ron, he had to either laugh or squawk. Ron had whiskers, a long nose, red paws and the long tail of a niffler, but the rest of him remained the same.
As Harry continued to gaze around the class, he saw Neville was partially transformed. He had the head of a wolf and he had a gray bushy tail. Professor McGonagall walked over to Neville. He looked up at her and howled.
The whole class busted out in laughter.
"QUIET," professor McGonagall magically raised her voice. She looked over at Neville and gave him a kind smile. "That was an excellent try for you first time 5 points to Gryffindor. You may be better at transfiguration, and then we originally thought."
Neville let out another howl and looked delighted. Even Professor McGonagall had to smile at that.
As the class continued, Harry practiced turning himself back and forth into a phoenix. Minutes later Hermione's transformation was also now complete. She could turn herself into a bushy brown owl. Hermione had a very pleased look on her face.
Ron and Neville were still having problems with their transformations, but they were getting better.
Harry became bored popping back and forth and he quickly began to find his thoughts wandering to a certain red headed witch. He played back their conversation from last night in his head.
He wanted Ginny, body, heart and soul. Harry was thinking about her body mostly. He could not betray her parents like that or her brothers. They expected him to protect and love her, but not sleep with her. He loved her too much to disappoint her family.
Harry silently vowed that he would not push her into anything she was not ready for. Until then he would just have many cold showers and settle for her heart instead.
Transfiguration ended. Ron and Harry went to Divination class, while Hermione went to Arithmancy Class.
All during Divination Harry felt his thoughts wander. Professor Trewlawney and Firenze were battling it out about what the stars have predicted for that week. He heard a snore he looked over and saw Ron slumped over on his desk. Harry was tempted to do the same thing, but he had dreams about Voldemort everytime he fell asleep in that classroom.
Slowly he felt himself nodding off. He jerked himself up again, but five minutes later, he repeated the process all over again.
Finally, Harry looked at his watch, and it was time to go. Harry bolted out of the classroom, not even wait for Ron, to meet up with Ginny in the Great Hall for lunch. He raced down the stairs that seemed endless, and the corridors that seemed to last forever. Harry finally reached the Great Hall breathlessly. He saw Ginny with her glorious red hair, and warm smile. She patted the empty seat next to her. Harry did not need any further invitations.
Thanks for everybody's reviews they are much appreciated. Please keep on reviewing. I would like to say thanks to Jim my beta-reader. Thank you so much.