After waking up the morning after the dance, Harry could only faintly remember what happened after seeing Hailey with Malfoy. It seemed like such a blur. Ginny asking what was wrong: Ron helping him up to his room: the dream had last night…
The dream!
Harry sat straight up in his bed, struggling to remember.
Then he remembered. Remembered the cold stone around him, the black, cloaked figures rustling around him, the sound of cruel laughter. No, Harry thought to himself, it couldn't be. Hadn't Dumbledore said Voldemort had stopped invading his dreams?
After getting dressed, Harry headed downstairs, only to find out it was past noon. People are probably at lunch, Harry thought to himself as he looked around the empty Common Room.
Harry sat down on his favorite armchair and stared into the fire thoughtlessly.
Half an hour later, Ron and Hermione emerged from the portrait hole, walked across the room, and soundlessly sat down next to Harry. All of them stared blankly into to the fire. It wasn't until a few minutes later did Ron say something:
"Did someone slip some fire whiskey into your pumpkin juice last night, Harry?" Ron said. That sentence normally translated to, "Were you stoned last night?"
"Huh? What do mean?"
"Well, were you drunk last night?" Ron asked his voice now timid." You were pretty out of it, mumbling somebody about Malfoy. Did he do something?"
Some many things, Harry thought, like breaking my heart.
"No, he didn't" Harry said dully, trying to disguise the hurt in it voice.
Ron looked suspiciously at Harry, and then turned back to the fire. The trio sat there silently, again, for what seemed like an eternity, when Hermione finally piped up.
"Did you that poor soul with Malfoy last night?" Harry groaned inwardly. "Didn't recognize her, did you?"
Both of them shook their heads
For the third time that day, the three of them slipped into awkward silence. Finally, Hermione had enough sense to take out the homework they had been ignoring all week.
Harry woke with a start the next morning. He had just had the same dream as the night before. He blinked a few times, trying to process what he had seen in the dream. The cloaked figures again, the laughter, the stone walls pressing him in. Same as last night.
Harry sighed as he got up. He was going to have to tell Dumbledore about these dreams. But he couldn't today. Nope, it was their second Hogesmade trip of the year today. Harry needed something to distract him from the dream, school, and Hailey.
After getting dressed and washed, Harry headed down the stairs and found Hermione and Ron waiting for him.
"Finally," Ron said in an exasperated tone," I was just about to get you. Hurry up, we'll be the last ones out."
They hurried down to the grounds and started to walk to Hogesmade. They were silent the whole trip.
Hogesmade wasn't as much fun as Harry thought. In fact, it was extremely dull. Most of the shops had closed, including Zonko's and Honeydukes. After a very short while of looking around, the three of them headed back to the school.
When they got to the entrance door, they saw four figures already there. Two were immensely bulky; one was standing as if it owned the world, its arm around another figure. Harry dreaded what he was about to see. When they got closer, they saw Crabbe, Goyle, Malfoy, and Hailey. Harry felt Ron and Hermione stop in their tracks, while Harry quickened his pace, desperate to get away as fast as possible.
"Hello, Potter." Malfoy practically spat out the last word. Harry turned around and faced Malfoy with a look of deepest disgust. When Harry saw Hailey smiling at him, though, the look weakened. Harry turned back around, looked at the ground, and, with Hermione and Ron, who seemed to have recovered from their shock, right behind him, he practically ran into the school.
Once safely back in the Common Room, Ron and Hermione looked at each other and at Harry, who suddenly took a great liking to staring at the floor.
"Bloody hell…" said Ron, sounding extremely shocked. "Wasn't that the girl we sat with on the train?"
"Hailey?" Hermione said, looking at both of the boys with a wrinkled brow. "Yes, it was Hailey. I just can't believe it. She was so nice, so practical. I mean, Malfoy? What is wrong with her?"
"Maybe…" Ron said. "Maybe Malfoy put an Imperius Curse on her!"
"And why would Malfoy do that to Hailey?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows rose in an amused fashion."
"I…. don't know." Ron said, looking put down.
Hermione rolled her eyes and sighed. "Hailey's a smart girl; she won't let Malfoy get the best of her."
Harry didn't quite believe that. Yet he still didn't say anything.
A week later, you could find Harry getting dressed for their second Quidditch game. Harry knew Quidditch was going to take Hailey off his mind. They were playing Hufflepuff today. It was an easy win, seeing as they didn't have Cedric anymore. His mind flashed back to the graveyard. There was a flash of green light.
Harry shook the picture out of his head. He suddenly didn't feel very excited about the game anymore.
Harry finally got dressed and called the team over to him, and after his pep talk, they marched out to the field.
It was a cloudy day, and you could see that rain was about to fall. Harry sighed. What lousy weather!
(A/N: I'll list the Hufflepuff Team….
Keeper: Lupe Davis (Captain)
Seeker: Emily Fredrickson
Beater: George Wallus
Beater: Derek Avalon
Chaser: Gabrielle Dally
Chaser: Robert Nicholson
Chaser: Thomas Attwood)
Harry went up to Lupe Davis and shook his hand. Unlike the Slytherins, the Hufflepuff's captain didn't try to break his hand.
Madam Hooch blew her whistle and the game started. Harry flew up in the air, enjoying the way the wind blew through is hair. He flew upside down and did a couple of flips for his own entertainment, while closely watching the game. Nicholson had the ball, but Ginny stole it just as he was aiming for the Gryffindor's goal post, where a pale Ron was bobbing up and down.
Harry sighed. Was Ron ever going to get over his fears? Probably not, he answered to his own question. There was a sudden wave of screaming and booing from the crowd below. The same unfamiliar voice from the first match boomed "And Attwood scores! Ten to zero, Hufflepuff!"
Harry groaned outwardly and inwardly. Great, just great, he thought. A loss for Gryffindor to add onto the horrible experience he has been going though for the past week.
For the next ten minutes, he watched as Hufflepuff scored 5 goals, while Gryffindor only scored one, making the score 60-10, Hufflepuff.
Just then, Harry saw a glint of gold fly by, and it wasn't Dean's watch. Harry raced towards the snitch, but unfortunately, Hufflepuff's seeker, Fredrickson, also saw the snitch. Harry strained his Firebolt to go as fast as it could, and stretched out his hand. He could feel his eyes water from the wind blowing on his face. He also felt his hand close around the snitch. Yes, he thought, we won!
Harry landed and raised the hand that held the snitch up in the air. The crowd cheered on one side and booed on the other side. Harry grinned as the team cheered.
Yet, his smile faded as he saw Hailey leaving the pitch with Malfoy. She was wearing the Slytherin's scarf.