Chapter 3

It was late in the afternoon that Saturday and Eliza had just gotten back from her football match. She quickly slumped into her favorite armchair and closed her eyes smiling. She was exhausted but extremely happy since her team had won, putting them in place for the league championships. Her teammates kept trying to tell Eliza that they always won because of her willingness to put herself out there and wasn't afraid of flying through the air or a rouge kick. Eliza chuckled to herself at how little they knew and that this game was for children when you compared it to the violence of quidditch. She missed the game dearly but was happy settling with football in the muggle world.

The clock in the kitchen chimed 5 o'clock and Eliza suddenly jumped up from her chair. She need to leave to meet Dylan for their date in an hour! She ran into her bathroom and quickly showered so she wouldn't be so sweaty and gross for her new boyfriend. While she could wash up rapidly, choosing her clothing was a different matter. No matter how sporty Eliza was, she always fell into the girly trap of wanting to look amazing. She had done it for Harry as well and she could feel herself acting the same way towards Dylan as she used to for Harry. The thought scared her. She was afraid to feel anything towards another man after she left the wizarding world.

In front of her lay five different outfits. Eliza frowned at them and pulled out her wand to change her appearance to the one that Dylan knew. She wasn't really sure why she had gone in disguise to the speed dating event and blamed it on paranoia even though it was clearly a muggle event and no one there would have recognized her as Ginny. Eliza's hair changed from red to brown and slowly became more and more curly while her face became softer and rounder hiding her prominent cheekbones. She knew where her inspiration for her look came from but pretended to herself not to realize that her past friends had an influence on her still.

Just as Eliza was slipping on the outfit she finally decided on, her phone rang. Her heart sank thinking it was Dylan and he would have to cancel their date for an unknown reason. But she looked at the caller ID and smiled at her team's captain's name. Eliza always had an overactive imagination, there really wasn't any reason why Dylan would cancel their date.

"Hello there Bridget."

"Eliza!!! We are in the championships!" Bridget squealed loudly like a teenage girl. If Eliza didn't know better from being her teammate, she would have thought that Bridget was the 'damsel in distress' type who loved makeup and pedicures a little too much. But truly, Bridget was one of the strongest women she knew, even if she did like to indulge herself in girly things.

"Oh yeah, I kinda remember what happened this afternoon… we won right?" Eliza said making fun of Bridget's obvious statement.

"Oh shove it. Anyway, most of the team is getting together tonight at the pub on Perdue Road. Come." Eliza knew it was meant to be an order.

"Sorry Bridg, I have a date in 15 minutes that I leaving for soon."

"Ooo is it with that guy you are always day dreaming about? Well, after the date come join us at the pub and make sure you bring him along!"

"Ok, I'll try," Eliza lied. "Have fun and don't challenge too many men to a game of darts. It's not their fault you always win!"

"Damn, you know me too well… Alright, see ya."

As Eliza hung up the phone and climbed in her car to meet Dylan at the play they were going to be seeing all she could think about was the hole she had dug herself into. She could never introduce Dylan to her friends unless she told Dylan that she was a witch and that she charmed her appearance. And she wouldn't tell Dylan until she had come to terms with her past, including telling Lily. Eliza suddenly felt extremely guilty. She had promised Lily that she would introduce Dylan to her at Christmas! She didn't know how she was going to get out of that one without telling Lily everything… Eliza even played with the idea of standing Dylan up and then breaking up with him just because she was afraid to face her past.

Fortunately for Dylan, and Eliza's conscience, Eliza arrived at the theatre before she could make a decision.

Harry stood under the large marquee that said "Wicked, the musical" in bright green letters and watched as Eliza walked towards the entrance to the theatre. He smiled and held out his arm to Eliza so could wrap her own arm around his. As they both walked up the stairs to their seats they were independently having the same thought of how ironic it was that the play was about a witch and wizard.

"Have you read the book?" Eliza asked Harry making him realize that this was another situation where his lack of being in the muggle world causes problems.

"I didn't know there was one," he answered honestly.

"Oh yes, although I've heard that it is completely different than the play. But I did see the movie first, of course."

Harry gulped. "Movie? This is based on a movie?"

Harry could see Eliza stare at him in amazement for a moment before answering "You know, 'The Wizard of Oz'? Its an old Hollywood classic." After Harry shook his head she launched into a brief summary of the play that turned out to be not so brief as she was cut short by the darkening of the house lights. He loved how she got so passionate about her favorite things, like football and cooking and movies. He supposed that was why her daughter was in theatre.

As the play progressed Harry felt himself being amazed at how magical muggles could make it seem. The Dursley's certainly never made anything seem magical. But it wasn't until the second act where he really felt connected with the words they were singing.

"Kiss me too fiercely, hold me too tight. I need help believing you're with me tonight."

Harry looked over towards Eliza and saw that she was enthralled by the play as well. He did need help believing that he was so lucky as to find someone like her. Yes, he still missed Ginny, but Eliza just seemed so perfect and filled the void in his heart.

Just after Harry looked back to the stage, Eliza looked over at Dylan wondering how she ended up with someone so perfect from some silly speed dating.

"Maybe I'm brainless, maybe I'm wise, but you've got me seeing through different eyes. Somehow I've fallen under your spell."

Unknowing to each other, they both laughed to themselves at that last line. If only the other knew how real spells really were and how important they were to their lives. Harry held Eliza's hand tightly reveling in the fact that he was able to touch her, even if just her hand.

The play ended and Harry led Eliza out of the theatre and over to her car, both passionately discussing how much they loved the play until it was time to part ways.

"How did you get here, Dylan?"

Harry thought quick on the spot replying smoothly, "On the Underground."

"Oh, no, let me drive you home at least!"

At this, Harry stuttered a little bit not knowing how to get around the fact that he apparated here from Hogsmeade. "Um – I – You don't have to do that. I – I was hoping that maybe we could still do something tonight?" Harry surprised himself, he was planning on being careful and not wanting to let things get to far in an attempt to protect himself. But it was true, he wanted to spend time with Eliza no matter what his mind was trying to tell him.

Eliza giggled "Ok that sounds good to me. Why don't you come back to my house and I can make you something to eat?"

Silently, Eliza cursed herself. She didn't mean to invite Dylan back to her place like that. It sounded awfully suggestive. Plus, she had pictures all over the place of what she really looked like and what Lily looked like. Even if Dylan was a muggle he would notice that something was out of place there…

"Ok, that sounds great. I've been dying to taste this food you claim to be so talented in making." Harry teased her.

Eliza stuck her toungue out at him and the both climbed into the car. She chatted animatedly the entire drive to her house and Harry was so busy watching her eyes light up at the things she was talking about that he didn't notice where they were going or what her house looked like. In fact, it wasn't until she pulled into the garage that he realized that they were no longer in the city. He didn't really care though since he was with her.

"Dylan, can you wait here for one minute so I can clean up my place real quick? I just need to put a few things away…"

Harry laughed "You don't need to clean up for me! You should see what my flat looks like!"

Eliza seemed to look rather anxious though and practically begged him to stay here and she would be right back. Harry agreed although he was curious as to what she seemed to be so embarrassed about. She couldn't be that messy or it would take more than a minute to clean up. She must need to hide something. Harry decided he didn't care, though. After all, he was definitely hiding something big from her.

When she came back to bring him into the living room, he noticed that it was very comfortable and homey, although there was a distinct lack of personal pictures on the wall. He shrugged it off and sat down on the sofa with her.

Harry was scared of sitting so close to her in such a private setting. All of their previous dates had been in fairly public places like restaurants or football matches or even a carnival. He smiled at the memory of them snogging on the ferris wheel. He broke out of his memories when she talked quietly.

"Are you actually hungry?"

Harry smiled and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. "No" he whispered into her ear.

The locked eyes and both saw love in each other's eyes. But there was also fear of getting hurt and what their future may hold. Both Harry and Eliza understood each other and they slowly moved towards each other ending in a gentle kiss.

If there was any part of the play they saw that night that could explain their feelings, it would be from the same song that Harry felt so connected with.

"Say there's no future, for us as a pair. And though I may know… I don't care!"

They nervously walked upstairs together to the master bedroom that was also strangely devoid of photographs. Both Harry and Eliza were scared for what was going to happen but they were so lost in the moment with each other that they really did not care about the consequences. Both passionately and gently, they stripped each other of their clothing and pulled each other onto her bed.

The next morning, Eliza woke slowly and smiling remembering the night before. She rolled over to see Dylan and her heart dropped when he wasn't there. After she panicked for a minute, Eliza noticed a note on the pillow next to hers.

"Eliza,

I am so very sorry to leave you this morning but I have to get back to the school. I really am not even allowed to spend a night away from the school without getting permission first! But I'm glad I did. I'll miss you and what do you think about going ice skating next Sunday since everything is becoming decorated for the holidays? I'll give you a call later in the week.

Truly yours,

Dylan"

Eliza smiled at his letter. True, she was disappointed that he had to leave but she understood why he had too. And he said that he was hers! Barely any thoughts went through Eliza's mind other than Dylan as she walked to the kitchen and slowly made herself breakfast. When she undid the charms to hid the photographs of her and Lily, though, a feeling a dread returned. What had she gotten herself into!? What was going to happen when Lily, the most important person in her life, insited on meeting Dylan, the man that she was falling in love with?

A/N: Oh my goodness, I cannot stress how amazing the play "Wicked" is! I wasn't planning on advertising it in my play or even turning this chapter into a semi-songfic as I generally despise them, but it just worked too perfect with the way my story was going… And seriously, I have seen Wicked twice already, both with the Broadway cast in San Francisco and the Los Angeles cast, and I want to see it a third time, in addition to me listening to the soundtrack over and over again… so if you can, go see it! If you want to hear what this song sounds like, go to http:// youtube. com/ watch?vQw8B2f1bfbM (without the spaces...) and it is a minute into the video… the ending of the song was kinda my inspiration for how Eliza and Dylan's night ended as well hehe

And let me know what you think of this chapter of course! Thanks :) I'm thinking about five more chapters for my story lines… but we'll see how that goes.