CHAPTER 8

I looked at Harry in stunned admiration for a minute before he turned around to walk away.

I finally looked down to inspect my arm and heard a strangled cry. I looked up hesantly to find that Blaise had gotten up and jumped on Harry. I watched them both hit the floor, with punches flying and wands forgotten.

"No," I shouted, but for all the good it did I could have shouted at the wall.

I was about to go get someone when Mrs. Norris came around the corner, shortly followed by Filch. He looked at his cat and she ran away, most likely to get Professors McGonagall and Snape.

I stood a few feet away from the fighting boys, and so did Filch, obviously waiting for magical help.

"Stop it," I tried desperately to stop them, but again, it was like yelling at a wall for all the good it did.

I stood, feeling despertely helpless, while they attacked each other. When the Professors got here and pulled them apart I didn't know what to do.

I was thankful when Professor McGonagall told all three of us to follow her and Professor Snape to Professor Dumbledore's office. I followed silently, lost in my own thoughts. I was only dimly aware of what Professor Dumbledore was going to say when we got there.

I sat down where I was told, in between Harry and Blaise and, I assumed, they each gave their explanations as to why they were fighting.

Professor Dumbledore dismissed the heads of houses, telling them to take Harry and Blaise and give them whatever punishment they saw fit for the student in their house.

I didn't take notice while Professor Dumbledore was staring at me, with his clear blue knowing eyes.

It was only when he tapped my shoulder lightly did he bring me back to the here-and-now. I wiped my tear-stained cheeks and wondered if Dumbledore knew what had happened. I figured he probably did, 'He probably knows why, too,' I thought.

I finally could not take the intensity of staring back at him anymore and looked around for a clock on the wall. I found none, but he assumed, correctly, my reason for looking around.

"It is 10:00 now Miss Bradshaw."

"Thank you Professor," I hesitated, "I don't mean to be rude or anything, but why am I still in here?" I asked, taking note of the emptyness in my stomach.

He waved his wand and a plate of sandwiches appeared. He seemed to read my mind as he offered me one. I took it hungrily and took a bite.

"Do you have anything you would like to tell me? Anything you would like to discuss? I heard both accounts from Mr. Potter and Mr. Zabini, but would you like to add anything to that?" Dumbledore's intense stare bore into me.

"No, nothing in particular," I said quickly.

"Alright, then, I guess you can go," he said calmly.

'If I can't even talk to my parents or anyone else about this how can I talk to Proffessor Dumbledore about my suspisions that my father is really alive and a wizard,' I thought, getting up to leave, 'Because he's Dumbledore,' I answered myself, not even sure of what I meant.

I realized the bruise on my arm on the walk back to the common room, when my arm lightly hit the wall and it hurt.

I held my arm as I walked the rest of the way, careful to avoid anything else that might hurt.

When I got to the common room I saw Harry sitting, waiting anxiously.

"You didn't have to wait for me," I said to him, glad to see him, but just wanting to go to bed.

"It's fine," he said standing, "I just wanted to make sure you made it here Ok. You're probably tired so I'll let you go to bed," he said turning to go up the stairs to the boys dormatory.

I couldn't resist. I ran over, grabbed his arm, and when he turned hugged him. I stood there for a minute in his warm embrace, before whispering thank you in his ear and going up to my bed.

I found Hermione sitting up in her bed.

"What are you doing up?" I asked her.

"Waiting for you, are you Ok?"

"I'll live, I suppose," I paused, "eventually," I said with finality.

She seemed to accept that answer and layed down and went to sleep. I followed her lead, after changing into my pajamas, and fell, almost instantly, into a deep and peaceful sleep.

I woke early the next morning and went down to the common room, like I did every morning for the past two months, with a quill, ink and some parckment.

I wrote my letter to Isabella and sent it. I decided to wait a while for breakfast because I didn't want to run into Blaise, so I sat in my favorite chair and decided to wait for Harry to come down.

It was so comfortable in the chair and I was so tired that I fell asleep.

I opened my eyes to see Harry above me and almost thought it was a dream, then I remembered that I was in the common room.

"What time is it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"10:00, did you sleep down here?" he asked, amused and seemingly concerned at the same time.

"No," I explained to him that I had wrote the letter then stayed down here to wait for him and I must have fell back to sleep.

He thought about it a few seconds, "Do you wanna take a walk around the lake with me? I have toast," he added, showing me the pile of toast on the napkin he had.

"Sure," I smiled and followed him. We walked all the way to the lake in silence. He looked like he wanted to talk many times but he never did. Whe I had finished a piece of toast I finally decide to break the silence.

"How much trouble did you get in last night?" I asked hesitantly.

"Oh I got a weeks worth of detentions."

"I'm sorry."

He shrugged off my apologies, "Don't be, it wasn't your decision."

When we had made it another time around the lake in silence. I didn't really mind though. Being in his presence was enough for me.

"You wanna continue the flying lesson we never got to start yesterday?" he asked finally when we had finished the toast.

I smilled, "Yeah let's."

As we walked to the common room we found Hermione and Ron, who decided they would join us.

We also gathered Ginny, Dean, Luna and Neville. Once we had all made it to the pitch, each with a broom, we broke into teams. It was Ron, Harry, me, and Hermione on one team and the others on another team. We seemed to be split into two teams of two couples each, but Harry and I weren't a couple, no matter how much I wished we were.

Ginny, Luna, Hermione and I were chasers, Neville and Ron keepers, and Dean and (of course) Harry were seekers.

I got onto Harry's broom, he let me ride his because it was better than a school broom.

I was suprised at how good I was. I made 13 goals before we decided to make new teams.

"You say you've never played before?" Harry questioned as we were playing against each other.

"Not once," I replied. We swithched up positions too, except Harry.

I was the seeker, Ginny the keeper of my team, and Neville and Ron were the chasers.

On Harry's team he was the seeker, Hermione was the keeper, and Dean and Luna were the chasers.

I thouroghly didn't expect to win the first game. After he had one in a matter of a few minutes he taunted me. I made up my mind that I was not going to give up until I won. After nine more games I still hadn't won and it was getting dark.

"C'mon, let's go in," Ginny said.

I shook my head, "I won't give up. One more game c'mon ppl, we can still see."

"Why don't you just listen to her and give up. You'll never beat me," Harry said a bit too cocky.

Ginny looked at me, "Beat him," she said as she flew back to the goalposts, yelling at everybody to get ready to start.

We started the game and five minutes later I had captured the substitute snitch we were using.

"Ok, we can go now," I said, landing on the ground.

"Good job Amy, you beat the great Harry Potter," everybody laughed and congratulated me as they landed.

Well, everybody except Harry, he was still in the air, flying in circles. I threw the faux snitch to Hermione and motioned that I was going to find out what was wrong with Harry.

I flew up to him, he just flew higher. This continued for a few minutes before I gave up.

"Fine be a baby if you want to, I don't care," I said crossing my arms and staying still in the air.

He finally ventured closer.

"You weren't supposed to beat me."

I turned away, pretending to be offended, "I see how it is. Are you saying I'm not good enough to beat you?"

I heard him fly closer, "No, you're very good. I was just going easy on you."

"Are you saying you let me win?" I asked with my back still to him.

"Well, yeah, but you're a damn good flyer. I want you on my Quidditch team as chaser. Will you do it?"

I turned and flew closer, "Are you serious?" I couldn't believe it. Harry Potter actully though I was a good flyer.

"Dead serious." he said solemnly.

"Hell yes I'll take that position. It'll be an honor to fly with Harry Potter," I smiled at him and he blushed and flew to the ground.

As he flew I made my decision.

I followed him to the ground, but stopped him.

"Yeah," he said turning his attention to me.

"Harry, I have to tell you something," I stopped to swallow the lump forming in my throat.

"Shoot."

"Harry, I love you," I said quickly, but he understood.