DISCLAIMER: Me? Own Harry Potter? Ha...I wish.

A/N: Yaay! You guys are somewhat interested! So, I decided to update early. I hope you know I'm ignoring my homework right now to take the time to update. I actually have drama rehearsal later tonight, so I do have to do my homework SOMETIME tonight...which means there won't be another update tonight...or even tomorrow. Maybe Friday if you're lucky. The again, I always say that and update five seconds later. Lol. Anyways, please enjoy the next chapter.

Chapter 3: "Do You Still Love Me?"

Maddy stowed the bloody napkin in her dresser drawer and raced downstairs to join the party once again. The women were gathered around the small tables in the back yard and the men were gathering for a game of horseshoes.

Harry and Ginny were not too far from one of the tables. They were joined by Mrs. Wormwood who appeared to be talking animatedly. Maddy could see Ginny glance at her out of the corner of her eye.

She wasn't sure what came over her at that moment, but she wanted to do something everyone would notice.

"Do you mind if I join you fine gentlemen?" she asked loudly as she approached the horseshoe pit.

"Miss Maddy? Are you feeling up to it?" Mr. Wormwood asked in a worried tone.

She reached out for a set of horseshoes and smirked. "Are you feeling up to it, Mr. Wormwood?"

Mr. Wormwood chuckled and a few other men exchanged glances. Women were not known to play horseshoes. At least not with them. Maddy approached the end of the line of men.

"Oh, and don't go easy on me…I know what I'm doing…"

Truthfully, she had never played a proper game in her life. She had played an odd game or two in the U.S. but she never learned how to hold the shoe properly…or what the whole point of the game was. However, Maddy felt the men didn't need to know this small bit of information.

"Well…you heard the lady…" A younger man in his mid-twenties spoke up, "Let's play…"

The other men turned out to be very skilled in the game. Maddy wasn't sure what she was getting herself into, but she decided that she wasn't going to back out. When it was her turn, she approached the standing point. She knew she was holding the horseshoe wrong, because it felt awkward when she threw it. The horseshoe flew through the air past the other horseshoe pit, and landed near the edge of the woods.

The men roared with laughter. Mr. Wormwood didn't look at Maddy, but instead seemed to be closely inspecting the ground. The young man who had spoken earlier wasn't laughing either. His expression was unreadable.

Maddy flushed, and grabbed her other horseshoe. Before she could toss it, the young man appeared behind her.

"Here…" he said.

He grabbed her hand and showed her how to hold the shoe. Slowly, he brought her hand back and mimicked tossing it.

"Make sure you can get it into the air…"

"Duke! No cheating!" a portly man said from the sidelines.

Maddy, if possible, went ten shades redder. This man was the Duke Elizabeth had been madly in love with. She hoped Elizabeth wasn't anywhere near them.

"Wouldn't dream of it…" the Duke said shortly. "Now…" he whispered to Maddy, "Pull your arm back, and bring it forward…and let it fly…"

Maddy, with the help of the Duke, tossed the horseshoe with extreme accuracy. It landed with a small thump and a loud clink right beside the metal post in the ground that was their target.

Maddy shrieked happily and clapped her hands. The Duke patted her shoulder, and headed back to where the rest of the men were standing. She had clearly won this round.

The rest of the game went swimmingly, at least for Maddy. She wasn't necessarily in the lead, but she wasn't doing too badly. The Duke on the other hand, was doing wonderful. He won almost every single round, with the exception of the handful Maddy won.

On the last round, Maddy was the last to go. She tossed the shoe, but it scraped her finger and snagged on her glove. She yelped in pain.

"What's the matter, Miss Maddy?" a mocking voice from the tables called out, "Break a nail?"

"Mr. Potter, do not speak to a lady in such a manner!" the Duke said loudly.

Maddy turned, "If I did, Mr. Potter, it would only be in the event that I smacked you for making such a comment."

Angry, Maddy turned back to the game, and grabbed her final shoe. She remembered what the Duke had told her to do, and she let it fly. It landed right up against the pole.

Mr. Wormwood hurried over to judge who had won the final round. "It appears," he announced, "that Miss Maddy has won this round!"

A few of them clapped.

"Now…" Mr. Wormwood examined the scores. "This was a very close game…our winner for today is the Duke! Miss Maddy with a close second."

Everyone cheered loudly. The men congratulated the Duke, and shook his hand. A few of them congratulated Maddy as well, but most of them ignored her. They were embarrassed that they had lost to a woman.

"Miss Maddy, it has been wonderful playing against you this afternoon…" the Duke said, taking her hand and kissing it gently.

Maddy felt her cheeks grow hot, "Please, dear Duke…I couldn't have done it without your help. Thank you very much."

The Duke smiled, "You can call me Charles…and it was my pleasure…"

Maddy wasn't sure how to reply. The Duke seemed very interested in Maddy, and didn't seem to notice Elizabeth at all. Maddy also took into consideration that she was twenty-four, which was much closer to the Duke's age, while Elizabeth was still fifteen.

Everyone headed back inside, where there was to be dancing and talking amongst the guests. Maddy figured she'd be able to avoid the Duke in there.

The music was already in full swing when Maddy entered the room. In one corner, she could see Mrs. Edgar standing looking very reserved. She did not notice Maddy enter the room, which was a relief to Maddy herself.

Talking to her mother, Elizabeth stood on one side of the room, eyeing the Duke secretly. Harry and Ginny were not too far from him, chatting with an older man and his wife. Maddy wondered if the two of them were ever apart.

Mr. Wormwood spotted her immediately, and sauntered over to meet her.

"Not a bad turnout, eh Miss Maddy?" he said cheerily, waving a hand toward the guests.

"No, sir…I believe that it is a complete success…" Maddy said politely. She could tell that Mr. Wormwood had had a tad too much to drink. She had never seen him look so giddy. She carefully took the wine glass from his hands, "Here, Mr. Wormwood…I believe you may have had too much wine…"

Mr. Wormwood laughed, but let her take the glass. "Me? I never drink too much, Miss…Never…"

Maddy highly doubted it, and she set the glass down on the bar. As she turned back around, she came face to face with the Duke.

"Duke!"

"Charles, Miss Maddy…I thought I told you to call me Charles…" he said with a smile.

Maddy smiled weakly, "C-Charles, then…I-I didn't see you…"

Charles offered her his hand, "Would you care to dance?"

Maddy looked in Elizabeth's direction and could tell that Elizabeth was refusing to look at her. "Charles, I don't think I should…I'm feeling a touch woozy…"

"Some dancing would do you some good, then…" He would not give up.

Maddy sighed and nodded, "Very well…"

It turned out, Charles was a wonderful dancer. He told Maddy that he traveled a lot, and he told her of the many places he'd been. He even asked her if she wanted to come with him one time. She declined politely, saying that she could not possible leave the children behind without their schooling.

A few of the older men were standing off to the side discussing many topics. One was life lessons.

"I have learned," said the old man with the horn-rimmed glasses, "that you should never take anything for granted…I never did…and look at me!"

Some of the other men laughed. Another man in a pinstriped suit lifted his glass high.

"I believe that life is too important to be taken seriously…" his face was turning red from the wine, "Live life to the fullest…and drink as much as you can!"

"Hear, hear!"

"Dear Duke…you're young in life…" said another balding man, "What do you believe is the greatest life lesson you've learned so far?"

Charles didn't answer immediately. He glanced down at Maddy and smiled. "Love…" he said simply. There was nothing more to it. Just 'love'. Some of the men exchanged glances and others raised their glasses again, 'Hear, hear!'

"How about a woman's opinion? Miss Maddy, what about you?" the same man asked.

Maddy didn't even have to think about her answer, it just sort of tumbled out of her mouth. "Never date a warlock."

The room roared with laughter. Mr. Wormwood appeared to have retrieved his wineglass, and had succeeded in slopping half of the wine in it, down his front. Charles chuckled lightly. Maddy could see Harry glaring in her direction. She knew he knew she was talking about him, and she found it rather funny how he was acting.

Elizabeth, too, was glaring in Maddy's direction. Maddy could see jealousy burning in her bright blue eyes. Without warning, Elizabeth excused herself from her conversation, and stormed out the door. Mrs. Wormwood stared after her, confused.

Maddy and Charles ended their dance, and Maddy curtsied graciously. She glanced at the clock on the wall, and decided that now was a good time to check on the children.

"Excuse me, Charles…I have to go and check on the children…I'll be back…"

He caught her arm, "Why not have their Nanny do it?" he motioned to Mrs. Edgar, who had not moved an inch. "She doesn't look like she wants to be here anyway…"

Maddy shook her head, "No, no…they won't listen to her…they'll only listen to me…I must go…"

"When can I see you again?"

Maddy was hoping he wouldn't ask her that. She didn't want a relationship right now. Especially not with a man whom she knew one of her students was in love with.

"I'll be right back…" she said simply.

"No…" he said shortly, "I'm leaving…but I want to see you again…are you free anytime?"

Maddy shook her head, "I don't know, sir…I'm very busy at the moment…with the children and their lessons and pretty much doubling as their Nanny…I'm quite busy…"

"I'll come and visit then…I love children, I can help you…"

"No, really, Duke…I-"

"Charles…"

"Charles…I really don't know…I'll have to get back to you on that…I really have to go…"

Charles sighed, "Very well…but do not attempt to hide from me…" he said with a small smile, "I'll be able to find you…"

Maddy nodded, "Good night, dear Charles…"

"Good night, Miss Maddy…"

And she left the room. She was a little shook up with his last comment. He sounded a bit stalkerish and it scared her. She did want to see him again, but she never wanted to betray Elizabeth's trust. Just when they were beginning to speak to each other normally again.

Maddy entered the room where the children had been playing. It was a disaster, but there was no sign of a child anywhere. She figured that they had all headed outside to play.

She started to pick up some of the toys that were strewn across the floor, when the door opened suddenly. Maddy turned to see Harry standing behind her. He shut the door quickly.

"I want to talk to you Maddy…"

Maddy turned away from him and continued with her cleaning. "Funny…I don't."

He grabbed the blanket she had just picked up out of her hands, "Maddy, listen to me…look at you. A tutor? I thought you were destined for things much greater than this…"

Maddy looked at him sharply, "I think this is one of the greatest jobs there is…I am paid very well…and I absolutely love those children to death…"

"But what are you going to do when they are all grown up and they don't need you anymore?"

Maddy scoffed, "Why do you care?"

"I'm worried about you Maddy…you wanted to become and Auror, but instead you became a tutor…you're cleaning! Look at this! Your room used to look like a bomb hit it…"

"I wasn't interested in becoming an Auror after Hogwarts…I only wanted to, because that's what you wanted to be…" she said matter-of-factly, "And I take it you have pursued that career?"

"Yes, I have…"

Maddy nodded and fixed a couple chairs that were upside down. Harry continued to watch her. She felt uneasy.

"Mr. Potter I don't like it when you watch me like that…"

Harry laughed harshly, "And what…now I'm Mr. Potter? You'd never have called me Mr. Potter if you had any choice, so don't start now…"

She turned to him, her eyes flashing again; "So what do you want me to call you?"

"Harry."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"It would mean that you are actually here. I don't want to believe that…"

"But I am here!" Harry insisted, "You can see me, hear me, feel me!" He grabbed Maddy's arm.

"Harry, don't!"

A shiver went up Maddy's spine. She had not felt it earlier when she shook his hand, for he had only touched the glove. His hands were now, enclosed around the bare skin of her arm. For this first time in years, she felt those soft, slightly rough and worn, fingers that had once caressed her. She felt as if she would faint on the spot.

Harry could see her swoon a little. She wrenched her arm from his grip and hurried to the other side of the room, busying herself with the thing closest to her. He smirked lightly.

"So…what's the deal with Mr. Duke?"

Maddy refused to answer him. She knew he was going to bring him up.

"You gonna see him again?"

"Why? You jealous?" Maddy asked sarcastically.

"No." Harry answered quickly. A little too quickly.

Maddy looked up at him, curiously. He stared back at her, though his expression was quite vague. She couldn't tell what was going through his mind, which was strange because she used to be able to read him like a book. She feared he was no longer the boy she fell in love with. Feeling uncomfortable, she turned away from him, hoping he would leave. Or so she would tell you, if you were ever to ask her. Secretly, she hoped he would walk over to her, grab her arms, spin her around and kiss her passionately.

But, that only happens in the movies.

"Do you still love me?"

Maddy stood up straight. She looked at him over her shoulder, "Excuse me?"

"Do you still love me?"

Maddy shook her head in disbelief, "I can't believe you have the nerve to be asking me this question!"

"It's a simple question, Maddy. Do. You. Still. Love. Me?"

Maddy headed for the door, not answering him. She knew she could never lie to him. She had to avoid it. He stepped in front of her, blocking her way. She stared at him for a moment. She remembered him much skinnier. He was much more muscular than she could ever have imagined him to be. It made him very attractive…

NO! Her mind screamed. DON'T YOU EVEN DARE THINK THAT!

"Harry, MOVE!" she bellowed.

"Ha!" Harry laughed, "Got you to call me Harry!"

"This is ridiculous. Move."

"No."

"Don't make me hex you."

Harry stood his ground, "You wouldn't have the guts."

"Yeah? Try me." Maddy retaliated.

"You haven't done magic in years, admit it."

"It doesn't matter," Maddy replied trying to make herself look taller and more fierce. "I am still more powerful than you'll ever be!"

"Really?" Harry smiled smugly, "Prove it…"

Maddy opened her mouth as if to say something, but closed it quickly. She could feel tears welling up inside her eyes, but she would not allow herself to cry in front of him. Sniffing loudly, she glared at him.

"Listen Harry, I told you a long time ago I want nothing to do with you. Now, the party is almost over, please go home…and never think of me ever again…"

Without another word, Maddy forced herself past him, and hurried through the door. Harry stood for a moment, not sure of what to do.

A/N: Yes, I know this is a sad ending to leave you with, but please contain yourselves for a while. I want to fix up the next chapter a little, cause it just doesn't sound right to me anymore. I think the next chapter moves way too fast...so I'm gonna slow it down a tiny bit. A teeny tiny...eensy weensy little bit. Anyways, Please REVIEW! I don't care if you already have, I still want to see if you're interested! Thanks a lot! Oh and if you haven't, please check out I Dated The Chosen One. It might help you understand Maddy a little more. THANKS!