Chapter Six-Petrification and Bletchley's Concern

"Next up for Keeper, Miles Bletchley! Get over here and show us what you can do!" barked the flying instructor and Quidditch coach, Madame Hooch. Soaring up to the goals, Miles awaited the numerous attempts he'd have to deflect. After breakfast, Colin wished him good luck and that's what Miles was hanging onto.

He practiced a lot over the summer but he liked having an extra confidence boost and boy, did it boost him! Quaffle after quaffle, the redhead knocked each one away from the goalposts for the next twenty minutes.

"Impressive, Bletchley. You've been practicing. Now go back and let me see if the others can stack up." Miles shrugged and left to the showers, grinning to himself the entire way.

Later that evening, Colin was sitting in the Room of Requirement. That became their new meeting spot since it was getting colder and Quidditch season was about to begin. Miles had something tell him. The door opened and Miles ran in with a wide grin on his lightly freckled face. "I made it! I'm the new Keeper!"

Colin cheered before getting a high-five from the fourth-year. "Yes! I knew you could do it! So, when's your first practice?"

Miles replied. "This Saturday." the Slytherin's face fell with his answer. Saturday was when they'd usually visit one another. Now that he's the Keeper, it's expected of him to show up at every practice, same for his friends who became the newest Chasers and Beaters since the latter graduated.

Colin sensed this too for his smile faded. "I won't get to see you anymore."

Thinking quickly, Miles chirped "No, no...we can still meet up but we'll have to try at different times. We can make this work." He narrowed his eyes at his last sentence. ''Ok, that sounded weird.''

Colin lightly laughed "Yeah, that kinda did...like we're dating or something."

Miles felt an unknown stirring in the pit of his stomach at the thought. He decided to ignore it for now. "Yeah...funny, huh?"

"Yep. Hm, I've been wondering, what's up with Higgs? He looked upset the first night of fall term."

Miles frowned "One word...Malfoy."

"I figured he had something to do with it but what happened?"

"That blonde little shit bought his way onto the team. Technically, his father Lucius did."

Colin retorted "Why didn't your captain say anything?"

"Flint couldn't do anything about since Terence was blackmailed."

Colin crossed his arms in a huff. "Over what?"

"I..I can't tell you the exact details but let's just say it was over Higgs seeing a certain sort of someone his father wouldn't approve of, and Lucius helped ensure Malfoy's placement by purchasing all of us a Nimbus 2001."

"Gotcha."

Bidding eachother farewell again, Miles leaned up against the wall of the corridor. This has been happening ever since last year. When he and Colin would meet up, hang out and go their separate ways...Miles always felt a clenching in his chest when Colin would leave. He thought it was nothing serious at first, mostly a normal reaction someone gets when they have to cut a visitation with their buddy short but when he started feeling this every time he saw the blonde, Miles eventually admitted to himself that something deeper was at hand.

He would feel all warm and bubbly inside when he was around him. Sometimes, he found it a little hard to speak when Colin asked him a question. Apparently, this is what was termed as a 'crush'. He confirmed it one night when he overheard Marcus confide in Graham about his feelings for Percy Weasley and interestingly...the bookish Weasley felt the same.

Sighing, Miles rubbed his forehead in thought. 'I do, don't I? I have a crush on my friend, Gryffindor and muggleborn...Colin Creevey. But he's a second year! Well, I'm not touching him, so I guess it's ok. Then again...damn it! I don't even think he feels the same or would consider it. Lots of people from the muggle world are intolerant about homosexuality. I truly hope he isn't. I haven't even bothered to see what he felt about the subject. I can't just ask him, he'll want to know why I brought it up all of a sudden, then he'll get suspicious and I could just kiss our friendship goodbye! And I don't want to lose him. I guess...I guess at this point in time, I should keep quiet. Maybe I'll tell him someday and I'll just admire him from afar for right now.'

During the next month, their secret visitations carried on as planned until Mrs. Norris was found petrified, hanging upside down in an empty corridor. Filch blamed Harry Potter for the misfortune that had befallen her until Dumbledore intervened. It turned out that she had indeed been petrified..and it would take a while for Professor Sprout and Madame Pomfrey to prepare the antidote.

Unfortunately, her petrification wasn't the only one to happen. Penelope Clearwater and Justin Finch-Fletchley also succumbed to the attacks. There was a pattern, it seemed as though that whatever was roaming the halls was targeting muggleborns. Regardless of that, it wasn't safe for the students to be out alone at night.

This night in particular, Miles was heading out to meet Colin again until Montague tapped him on his shoulder. "I know I can't stop you from going wherever you're going, but I ask you to be careful. It isn't safe out there...not now."

"Thanks for your concern, I'll be sure to keep that in mind. See ya later." The Snake lumbered his way out of the common room and down the hall to meet Colin.

"Miles, are you sure we should keep meeting like this right now? I mean, several other students were attacked and they're all muggleborn. What if I'm next?" Colin expressed worriedly, falling back onto the sofa beside the fireplace.

"Colin, don't worry. You won't be. You'll be fine."

"How do you know? It's not like you can walk me to the tower."

"You're right, I can't. What we can do though, is hope and not let our guard down."

Colin licked his lips in thought. "You have a point."

"Of course I do. How about we enjoy the rest of our evening?"

"Sure thing. What are you doing for winter holiday?"

"Well, my parents were thinking of heading to our vacation home in Germany.."

Monday afternoon, Colin was alone in the boys' bathroom, fiddling with the lens on his spare classic camera. He accidentally had cherry jam smudged on it and he was carefully dabbing it off, praying it wasn't ruined. Thankfully, his digital camera was back in his trunk. "Please work...please work...please work..yes!"

He peered through his camera facing the mirror. "Huh?" Colin saw a mass moving in the mirror glass. When he turned to see what it was, all faded to black.

Miles was heading down the corridor with Cassius and the others in tow, laughing about the funniest thing that transpired in Charms when they saw a flock of robes surrounding the bathroom door.

"Bloody hell, what's with the crowd?" Bole queried as the commotion continued.

Terence tilted his head to get a better view. "Not sure, though there are a few professors in the doorway. It looks like they're carrying someone out. I think someone else got attacked."

"Clear the halls, there's nothing more to see here." Snape ordered as he and Flitwick hauled a blonde-haired Gryffindor out of the bathroom. Miles's heart stopped when saw who it was.

"Oh no, Colin!" Hannah squeaked as her friend was floated past the crowd. One random Ravenclaw whispered to his mates "I told you guys. No muggleborn is safe."

Bletchley steadily fought the expression of worry that sure to spread over his face but it was getting harder with every second.

'This is my fault. I told him there was nothing to worry about and that he'd be ok...now look at him. He's frozen stiff. I just pray he's not mad at me for providing false hope when he wakes up.'

"Bletchley? You ok?" Warrington nudged his ribs.

"Yeah, I'm fine...just wondering how many more will be next." he replied in an near-solemn tone before moving onward. Warrington and Montague shared a look as they followed.

Graham and Cassius were talking in the dorm the next afternoon over yesterday.

"You think Creevey's the one Miles has been sneaking off to?"

"Well, Graham...I can't say no. You heard how he sounded earlier after watching Creevey be taken to the wing."

"Honestly, I must admit that I'm impressed that he's kept this from us as long as he has." Montague retorted, leaning onto his pillow.

"No, shit. Miles is my best mate and he's smarter than what people give him credit for."

"True...and-" they silenced, watching Miles creep out from his fourposter bed and slither out of the dorm. "Follow him?"

"Follow him."

Entering the hospital wing, Miles saw no other visitors were present. Padding silently over to Colin, he took a seat next to the petrified Lion. To his left, the small nightstand was covered in small gifts and a vaseful of flowers. He smiled, thankful to see Colin has such wonderful friends that care about him just as much as he does. Reaching into his pocket, Bletchley pulled out a small red velvet box, opening it. Inside was a gold necklace with a lion as the centerpiece. Its shining, round-cut ruby eyes glinted in the sunlight through the window.

Miles had wanted to give this to him as a Christmas present but thought it would be well-suited as a 'Thank-Merlin-You're-Awake' gift. Also, it's a 'I-Secretly-Have-A-Crush-On-You-And-I'm-Not-Sure-How-Else-To-Say-It' kind of gift as well, but he was not gonna let him in on that tidbit. Miles allowed his forest green eyes to roam over Colin's frozen form. His face was a tad scrunched up, as if to shield himself from something. His eyes were also shut. He noticed Colin's old camera was missing, only to see the melted metal scraps lying on another table.

'Yeah, there's no way you're fixing that.' Miles mused, returning his soft gaze to Colin. Slowly yet hesitantly, he reached his hand to Colin's head, brushing silky golden strands off his forehead before placing a gentle kiss on his lightly warm skin. Behind Miles, two Slytherins were eyeing him through the crack of the Hospital Wing door. Graham and Cassius's jaws dropped.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Graham hissed in astonishment.

"Oh yeah, I see it. You know, that was the sweetest I've ever seen him act in years, ever since he had that puppy."

Graham nodded in agreement, remembering it quite well. Bletchley's sweetness faded once that puppy ran away and never came back. "You think they're dating?"

Warrington responded "I don't believe so. He would have confided in me. I don't understand why he didn't in the first place."

"Think about it, mate. Colin's muggleborn and look how they're treated half the time."

"You're right. Well, we know now. Let's head back to the dorm. We can talk to Bletchley later."

Miles was petting Colin's head, whispering "I'm so sorry this happened to you. I said you were gonna be ok and...you're lying here. I know this sounds bad, but I'm glad it's only petrification. I couldn't stand it if it were far worse." Clenching Colin's frozen hand, he continued "When you open those beautiful blue eyes, I want to be the first person you see. I want to be here when you wake up. And when you do, I'll give you a big bearhug...I just hope I don't accidentally suffocate you from being overwhelmed with joy. When you get out of here, I'll keep protecting you, I promise." Giving Colin one last kiss on the forehead, the Snake traversed back to his dorm.

Yep, I remembered Colin was a victim of petrification in the 2nd book...like I said, I've altered several details. Anyway, your thoughts? I hope this gave you more of an insight as to how Miles is growing a stronger attachment to Colin. Colin will feel the same...you'll see. :)