CHAPTER 3

I woke up and looked for Lily, but it was no use, there was no way Isabella's reply would be back this fast. I still checked at breakfast when the mail owls came in though. As I looked around I saw Harry's owl, Hedwig and realized that Harry hadn't come into breakfast yet. Ron and Hermione were there, but Harry wasn't. Just then Harry rushed into the room. He walked right by Ron and Hermione, though they didn't seem to notice. They looked to be deep in conversation. It was a few minutes before I realized he was headed straight for the spot next to me.

"Mind if I sit here?" he asked politely.

"No, not at all," I replied.

"Did McGonagall come by with the schedules yet?"

I looked behind him and my eyes widened when I saw McGonagall there. She had on one of her sternest looks. I was afraid he did something. I couldn't believe he was going to get in trouble this early in the year. He had done it before, but still, he didn't do anything this time.

He followed my gaze, but didn't need to because she cleared her throat.

"Um, h-hi Professor," he stuttered. "Nice morning, isn't it?"

"Yes it is Potter. Do you plan on continuing with the same classes as last year?"

"Yes, of course," he replied.

She waved her wand and handed him the schedule. Then she moved on to me.

"Miss Bradshaw, I trust you want to take those same classes as well," she said.

"Yes Professor."

She waved her wand and handed me the schedule.

"Very good, I'll see you both in Tranfiguration then," she said and moved on.

"Let me see your schedule and I'll let you see mine," Harry said.

"Yeah, sure," I said trading with him.

I was interested in which classes he had.

"You have the same classes I do!" he exclaimed.

"Oh my gosh, you want to be an Auror too?" I had figured that that was the most likely thing he would be.

"Yeah, so, do you wanna walk to class with me?" he asked.

"Yeah, but aren't you leaving Ron and Hermione?" I couldn't believe I said that.

"It's OK, I think they need alone time anyway."

"Alright then lets go."

We walked and talked and about halfway down to the dungeons (we had potions first) we ran into Peeves the Poltergiest, who always loved to pick on, well, anybody really.

"Hey, look, it's Potty with a girl," Peeves screeched.

"The girl has a name," Harry said back.

"Leave him alone Peeves," I said at the same time.

"Potty's got a girlfriend, Potty's got a girlfriend!" Peeves cackled as he zoomed down the hall.

I got extremely red in the face and, though I didn't look, I assumed Harry did, too.

We walked the rest of the way to the dungeons without a word, but Ron and Hermione had a few words to say to Harry when they arrived a few minutes later.

"Harry, where did you go? We were looking for you everywhere!" Hermione said, quite loudly, when she arrived.

Ron was about to say something but he was interrupted by Snape. "Miss Granger, keep your voice down and get into the classroom before I take five points from Gryffindor. That goes for the rest of you as well."

We all hurried into the classroom.

Harry and his friends sat down at the table closest to the door and Harry motioned for me to sit next to him, so I did.

"We will begin with a basic today, a Sleeping Drought. I trust you all know how to do this, or can at least find the instructions in the book, so I won't write the instructions. This is for extra credit, but that doesn't mean you don't have to do it," he looked straight toward Harry and Ron. "The people who do it the best get the most credit. Now, pick someone to work with and go."

He walked closer to our table, "Potter, Weasley, choose different partners, if you even talk to each other once in my classroom today you both get zeros for the day and detentions. Is that clear?"

"Yes, sir," they replied in unision.

As he walked away, seemingly satisfied, Ron made an extremely rude hand gesture toward him.

Hermione grabbed his hand, "Ron don't, it's not worth it," she mouthed more than talked.

Harry just glared at Snape. His glare was full of hatred and made almost made me cringe just looking at it. I would hate to be at the recieving end of that glare.

"Hey Amy," Hermione took my attention from Harry's glare.

"Yeah?"

"You can work with Harry and I'll work with Ron. Is that OK?"

"Yeah that's fine," I replied.

Ron was still trying to make the hand gestures and Harry was still glaring.

"Ronald stop it, now," Hermione gave Ron a very Professor McGonagallish glare and he stopped.

I started getting out the supplies. Harry finally stopped glaring and started helping.

By the end of the class we had made a very good looking Sleeping Drought.

Ron and Hermione's looked good, too, so I knew all four of us had got at least decent grades.

We walked Hermione to her next class because all of us had free time.

"I can't believe he did that," Hermione said once we had gotten out of earshot of his classroom.

"Neither can I," I said.

"Hes a fucking arse."

"Ronald! Watch your mouth!" Hermione looked shocked.

"Sorry Hermione, but I have to agree with Ron on this one," Harry said.

"Well, it's true, but no one needed to say it," I said

"Yeah, but," Ron started.

"No buts Ronald, it didn't need to be said."

We stopped at the classroom in which Hermione had her next class.

"See you later, Hermione," Ron said.

"Bye guys," she replied.

"Bye," Harry and I said in unision.

"I'm gonna go to the library, study my potions book," Ron said.

"You're starting to sound like Hermione. Ron, are you okay?" Harry asked.

"Ha ha," Ron pretended to laugh, "You should be studying, too."

I had a few things I wanted to say, but I kept them to myself.

"Whatever, go ahead, I'll see you in Tranfiguration," Harry said starting to walk away.

"Don't we have Charms next?" I asked, catching up with him.

"We do, but Ron doesn't."

"Oh, so what do you wanna do?"

"I dunno..." I followed his haze as he trailed off and realized Cho was motioning for him to come sit next to her.

He started walking toward her and I just stood there, about to start walking away.

Then he turned, "Are you coming?"

"Oh, I guess so."

I followed him over to Cho.

"Hello Harry," she greeted him, then looked at me. She didn't say it outloud, but her eyes said, 'Who is she?'

"My name's Amy," I said to her, then I turned to Harry, "I think I'm going back to the common room. I'll see you in Charms?"

"You don't have to leave."

"Oh, no, it's fine. I have a letter I have to write anyway. I'll see you later?"

"Yeah, of course."

I walked back to the portrait of the fat lady thinking of Harry and Cho. I instantly imagined them kissing and hoped against hope that wasn't what was happening. I got to the fat lady and realized I didn't know the password.

"Password?"

"Umm, please?"

"Nice try, but no."

"Darn it! C'mon, can't you just let me in? You know me."

She didn't respond.

I sat by the wall, defeated. I pulled my knees to my chest and burried my face in them, feeling stupid for coming without the password and wishig I knew what Harry and Cho were doing.

"I thought you were going in," I heard a familar voice from above me.

I looked up and, sure enough, Harry was standing there.

"I forgot the password," I muttered, somewhat incoherantly. He understood though, I guess.

"Well, would you like help up?" he held his hand out to me.

"Yeah, thanks," I grabbed his hand and he pulled me to my feet. I wanted to ask what Cho wanted, but I resisted the urge. I didn't want to seem nosy.

He seemed to read my thoughts, "Cho asked me to be her boyfriend."

I stopped, "What did you say?" I could barely force the words out of my mouth.

"I said no."

"Oh," I started walking again. I just couldn't resist the urge, "You don't have to tell me, but why?"

"I like someone else this year," he didn't make eye contact with me.

"Do I know her?"

"Yeah, I think so," he replied, keeping his gaze elsewhere as we walked, not really sure where we were going.

"Oh look, it's Potter," I knew this voice also, but wasn't so happy when I looked up at Malfoy.

"Go away Malfoy," Harry said putting his hands inside his robes and, I knew, onto his wand.

"Make me Potter. Or are you going to make you're little girlfriend do it?"

"Shove off Malfoy," I probably shouldn't have opened my mouth.

"Oh look, Potters got a girl to defend him now. Is that the mudbloods replacement?"

Harry looked speechless for a moment and I didn't say anything either.

"Oh Potter, did I touch a soft spot?"

I put my hand on my wand, I figured Malfoy had his hand on his.

"Speaking of defenders, Malfoy, where are Crabbe and Goyle? Traveling alone these days?" I asked him sarcastically.

"They aren't here this year," he shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, how bad for you, they were the only things protecting you," Harry said putting emphasis on the word 'things'.

"I'd be careful if I were you Potter, they weren't the only things protecting me," Malfoy said with a sneer.

"I can take care of myself, thanks. And tell your master that he won't be around much longer. I know many more things than he knows."

"Well, excuse me Potter, I'll be leaving now. I don't want to waste my time in the company of a mudblood."

Before I knew what had happened Harry had brought out his wand and Malfoy had brought his out in defense. I brought out mine.

"Malfoy, you can't win. Do you think you can take out both of us?" I asked.

Harry and Malfoy both let out a curse at the same time.

I felt Malfoy's curse hit me and I'm not sure what it was, but I blacked out.