"Nicolle?!" I fumed for an instant, and then said in a hushed, secretive voice, "We've got news to tell you!"
Nicolle flicked her hand in a girlish way with an "Ah! Of course!" and edged closer. We huddled our three heads together and Hermione began telling her about Harry Potter.
"-and there's something totally extraordinary he did, you know! He-" Hermione said excitedly, unfortunately rudely interrupted by me, because I wanted to tell Nicolle that part.
"Well, uh, he, uh," I couldn't talk properly, not with Hermione shooting me annoyed glances non-stop. So I elbowed her in her ribs and picked up from where she stopped, trying to seep myself into the memory of the paper flying.
Nicolle nodded her head slowly, and I waited for a surprised reply like Hermione, but her eyes just darted up and to the right, the attitude of remembering. I stared at her, the surprise that was supposed to be on her came on me. "I've heard that name before..."
Hermione and I stared at her intensely, wondering what could be floating about in her head.
Nicolle snapped her fingers, cutting the silence. "AH! I know! My aunt and uncle seemed kinda secretive of late, talking in confined rooms, having those, you know, worried expressions. Well, you know me!" She winked largely at us.
" I couldn't stand it. I decided to know their secret. So I sneaked in their room and hid behind a cupboard. But later my butt" - I shook my head - "About a few weeks ago, they were rattling about Harry Potter, how he might start school soon. I think my aunt actually said the school's name, and my uncle yelped as if the school's name were needles and pricked into his ears. It must be bad. Well, maybe.
Then they started grumbling how people always bowed in front of Harry Potter, because he was the... The Boy Who Lived. Vol-der-mor, a bad person I suppose, tried to kill him but vanished. That's how Harry got his name." Nicolle smiled proudly as she finished.
"How on earth do your aunt and uncle know sooo much about Harry Potter?" I wondered, amazed my Nicolle's speech.
Nicolle shrugged. "Maybe... I don't know."
"Wow, Harry! You're amazing!" Hermione held out a hand in front of her, looking forward to handshaking with a ghost. I rolled my eyes at her childishness while Nicolle laughed and stepped into the invisible person's space, shaking Hermione's hand wildly.
"Okay, Okay!" I said loudly as the handshake got crazier, the duo both trying to crush the other's bones.
"I know what Shelby wants to do," Nicolle said slyly, dropping Hermione's hand which seemed like a limp, dead fish now. "Talk to Harry Potter!"
"Yes, yes... Do it, Shelby!" Hermione said feebly, trying to put in some enthusiasm in her voice between moans of pain in her squashed hand.
I opened my mouth to argue, but I couldn't think of anything to say. We need questions answered, don't we? I nodded my head reluctantly, keeping up a nonchalant, indifferent attitude.
"Hail, the Boy Who Lived!" Nicolle beamed brightly, shifting Harry Potter's attention from a swaying leaf to her. She bowed low. Hermione and I jammed our lips tightly, refusing to let a sound escape our mouth, because our laughter at Nicolle's behaviour would never stop.
"Hello, Shelby! You are...?" He said uncertainly, smiling happily.
"Nicolle Creshen." replied Nicolle, extending a hand automatically to shake. I hope she didn't crush his bones. "And the girl next to Shelby is Hermione Granger." She said everything confidently, her head held high, and even her actions were prim and proper.
I didn't care if I was rude anymore, the bubbly feeling in me was exploding. "Is she trying to impress a boy?" I gushed to Hermione in an undertone.
"Sweet! Lovely pair!" Hermione giggled as Nicolle batted her eyelashes. Harry looked embarrassed, however. We laughed loudly and for what seemed like eternity, until Harry cast me an encouraging look to go on laughing and Nicolle scowled at me.
We kept on exchanging looks and pinching each other if one made too loud a laugh. But then the laughter froze in my throat. Nicolle was getting nearer the questions. I did a "shushing" gesture to Hermione.
"You... called me a Boy Who Lived?" Harry mumbled.
"The boy," Nicolle corrected smoothly.
"The boy," Harry repeated, dazed.
"Indeed The Boy Who Lived!" Nicolle thumped him on his back, and Harry's glasses became perched o the tip of his nose. "And where are your parents, lil' boy?" I wanted to cringe in embarrassment.
"They died in a car accident," said Harry shortly.
"Ah, I think you're mistaken, The Boy." Nicolle smiled reassuringly, like she knew something he didn't. "They-"
"My aunt Petunia's here," Harry said quickly, turning his back on us and looking longingly at me, before I found my trainers interesting. "Better go!"
"Oooh, do let me accompany! My aunt's also called Aunt Petunia!" squeaked Nicolle, jumping up and down gaily.
"I don't think Aunt Petunia will - I mean, yes, do, come." He hastily changed his mind and I knew why: Nobody argued with Nicolle, because in the end you lose. I was glad Harry worked that out right after seeing her for only one time.
So Hermione and I tagged along after them, grinning wickedly, knowing full well that excitement was on the way. Would Nicolle gush and flirt with him? And tell Aunt Petunia about what a great "lil' boy" he's been?
But when we saw Aunt Petunia, it was the complete opposite of the excitement we were expecting.
"Nicolle- Harry-?!" Aunt Petunia gasped, wide-eyed.
"Aunt Petunia?!" Nicolle and Harry said together, eyes as wide as saucers. Nicolle's radiant smile had disappeared, and shock had replaced it.
"How did the two of you meet?!" spluttered Aunt Petunia.
"We share the same aunt?!" Nicolle spluttered.
"I never knew we were related," spluttered Harry.
"Leave now, Nicolle, please!" Aunt Petunia said pleadingly.
"BOY! Don't give your aunt any trouble!" A new, deep voice full of contempt rang out. And a fat face popped out.
"No...look, Vernon!" whimpered Aunt Petunia, pointing a bony finger at Nicolle, then Harry.
Thanks to the reviewers: PhoenixAgent97, Guest. :D
Guest: Hermione doesn't know she's a witch yet..