p class="MsoNormal"strongOliver/strong/p
p class="MsoNormal"I glance at my watch, then up the stairs again. Dinner started 15 minutes ago. Where is Rose? Tonight was important. She was supposed to meet me before we go into dinner so that I could tell her how I feel./p
p class="MsoNormal"I'm about to go up those stairs and find her myself when I see a purple turban race past me out of the corner of my eye. I frown, then make a split second decision to follow Professor Quirrell. I can find Rose in a minute. This might be important./p
p class="MsoNormal" style="background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"I get into the Great Hall with enough time to hear "Troll, in the dungeon!" before he passes out and I smell the distinctive stink wafting into the Great Hall. Panic ensues with Quirrell's announcement before Dumbledore yells out to calm us all down. He sends us to our common rooms, and even though I am desperate to find Rose, I am not allowed to. Professor McGonagall promises that I will be able to see her tomorrow morning, so I am reduced to pacing the floor in front of the fireplace while everyone jokes around me. span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;"Before long, Harry, Hermione, and Ron walk in, looking thick as thieves. I quirk an eyebrow, wondering what they got up to when Hermione spots me and walks over to me. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;""Oliver, you're going to want to go to the Hospital Wing. Rose was with me when the troll came into our bathroom and it hit her." /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;"I gasp, then rush out of the common room without so much of a thank you or a goodbye. I take the stairs 2 at a time, racing to see Rose. I was going to tell her how I feel tonight and I didn't get the chance. What if I never do? /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"emspan style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;"That's insane, Oliver, /span/emspan style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;"I scold myself. emShe couldn't have died. I'm sure she's fine. /emI try to convince myself of this as I get closer to the hospital wing, but even still my heart is pounding and I can't take deep enough breaths to calm me down as I push open the door to find… /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;"Rose. Sitting on a bed, just fine. I breathe a sigh of relief, releasing a breath I hadn't known I was holding. Rose has her back to me as Madam Pomfrey is healing a wound on her head from the club. As Madam Pomfrey looks up, she sees me and waves me in. Rose turns around and sees me, smiling. I smile back and walk over to her. When she pats the bed next to her I sit down and stare at her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;""What?" she asks, a puzzled look on her heart-shaped face. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"emspan style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;"Do it now, Oliver! /span/emspan style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;"I take a steadying breath, getting ready to tell her how I feel, but chicken out at the last moment. "Nothing. I'm just glad you're okay." I lean over and give her a tight hug, trying to ignore the quickening of my heart. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;"Rose hugs me back, and we hold that hug until Madam Pomfrey comes over to interrupt us. "I hate to interrupt the two of you," she says, though something about how she says it makes me think she doesn't hate it at all. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;""Visiting hours are now over, and Miss Bell, you are plenty healthy and can return to your common room." Rose nods, and stands up. I stand up as well, offering my arm to her. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;""Can I escort you to your dorm?" I ask, and she nods. We walk out of the hospital wing together and Rose guides me towards the Slytherin common room. When we get to the entrance to her common room, she winces as she gives the muggle born-hating password and then turns towards to me. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;""Thanks for checking on me, Oliver. It means a lot," she says before she waves, then turns around and walks into the Slytherin Common room. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;"I stare at the door to the common room for a minute, debating entering and trying to talk to her, but I decide against it. It's Thursday and we also have Muggle Studies together tomorrow, and then we can spend the weekend together. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;"span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; color: #1a1a1a;"I turn around and head towards the Gryffindor common room, and by the time I've climbed the stairs again, I'm too exhausted to think of anything. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; background-image: initial; background-position: initial; background-size: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial;" /p