Part 5: A Fright in the Night

The match between Gryffindor and Slytherin went on as planned. That Saturday at the Quidditch pitch it was drizzling lightly, sprinkling everyone with tiny droplets of water. My fellow Ravenclaws and I shuffled out of the castle and towards the pitch. I was careful to avoid Cho because of the fight we had had the previous week. I still hadn’t made up my mind about dating Neville, but my gut said to say yes. I was bound to follow it, but then there were my feelings for Harry. I wasn’t even entirely sure if he felt the same way or not.

Many thoughts clogged my head during my walk. I had my black umbrella raised over my head. It was one of the many Muggle objects I found quite useful. Some kids were pointing at the umbrella and me but I took no notice, for my head was bent. I looked at the browning ground. I didn’t know what to think. Things were so horrible already…or at least they seemed like it. Everything was just so damn confusing. Sometimes, at certain moments like this, I absolutely despised my life.

Kids from other houses, mostly Slytherin and Gryffindor, choked the entranceways. The only I was here was to see Harry at his best. I had heard among the other students that Harry was the youngest Seeker in a century. I wanted to see if it was true for myself.

As I made my way up to the Ravenclaw booths, I saw someone out of the corner of my eye. One detail about them caught my attention: a head full of slicked back bleached blonde hair. I walked faster in order to get away from Draco Malfoy, ignoring him as best as I could. I felt a hand on my shoulder twist me around.

Then, I found myself facing Malfoy himself. His eyes sunk into mine, glittering menacingly, along with his pure white teeth.

“Well, well, well, look what we have here! How have you been, lovely?”

“Malfoy! What-How in the world did you get up here?”

“I followed you, of course. Wanted to see you once more before I played in the match. What’s wrong? Aren’t you happy to see me?” His face went all pouty as he jutted out his lower lip, still somehow managing to smirk at the disgust on my face.

“I would never…Did you say that you’re playing in the match?”

“Why yes, of course. Didn’t you know? I’m Seeker for Slytherin. And very good, too, if I might add. What’s so interesting about it, beautiful?” Malfoy encircled his arm around my waist, nuzzling my neck gently. I pushed him away; he slammed into the wall.

“Ugh. Good for you. Should I be proud or something?”

Instead of waiting for a reply, I stomped away and up into the tent. For one second, I thought I had spotted Cho, but once I turned to look for her, she was gone.

            The cloths of the tents were decorated with the emblem and colors of Ravenclaw. I took a seat on one of the many benches near the front. Barely anyone was seated there except for one person…Cho. I sat down as far from her as possible. I took a look around and saw mostly everyone piled in the back. I wonder why everyone’s back there?

            A rogue Bludger that was headed straight for me soon answered my question.

            “Drea, look out!” shouted a voice from beside. Before the Bludger could even scratch me, Cho had slammed me against the wooden clothed wall. I felt my heart beating wildly as blood throbbed in my eyes. I noticed then that I was panting. Cho opened her eyes and looked at me for the one time this week with concern.

            “Are you all right?” she asked breathlessly. I couldn’t blame her. That was one hell of a fright.

            “Yeah, thanks to you,” I said smiling at her with kindness in my eyes. She smiled back with all the warmth she had. Cho hugged me tight as I embraced her right back.

            Once we had pulled away, Cho’s countenance turned serious. She looked hard on into my eyes.

            “Let’s not fight again, okay? I hate not having to talk to you.”

            “Okay.”

            We both smiled and hugged.

 

            Sitting on the bench, I talked about the kiss.

            “Was it long and passionate or short and sweet?” she asked desperately.

            “Cho!”

            What? I just want to know, that’s all.”

            “I know, but…it’s my business.”

            “Oh fine, keep secrets from your best friend,” Cho said playfully, pouting in a silly way.

            “Oh, alright. Well…”

            I closed my eyes and relived the moment. I felt myself gazing into Neville’s eyes. I could feel the tension radiating from his body. I smiled sweetly. I could feel that he felt unsure. I leaned into him and tenderly gave him the sweetest kiss I ever had in my life. Neville hesitated at first, but his will grew stronger as he deepened the kiss. I felt myself sinking into an ecstasy of happiness. It almost felt as if I was drowning in a way, but in a good way. I enjoyed the memory a while longer.

            “…Drea? Drea? Hellooooo? Anybody hoooommmmeee?”

            I opened my eyes to find her waving her hands in front of my eyes. I shoved them away playfully. I was glowing like a lamp from within my soul.

            “What are you smiling about?”

            My grin just stretched wider. Her mouth formed a giant “O.”

            “I get it. It was that good, huh?”

            “Absolutely heavenly,” I said, still stuck in a dream-like state.

            Just then, a voice boomed from the teacher’s box.

            “Hello, everyone, and welcome to the first Quidditch match of the season. Today, we have Slytherin vs. Gryffindor.” The Slytherins hissed as the Gryffindors cheered. “Though, I myself wouldn’t be cheering for the Slytherins, the dirty maggots-”

            “JORDON!” boomed another voice from behind Lee.

            “Sorry, Professor. Here come the Slytherins and the Gryffindors!”

            Each house cheered and appaulded their own teams. The Slytherins came soaring out on Nimbus 2001s. Their emerald robes glowed dully in the light, and the fronts were decorated with small silver snakes. Just as they settled themselves on their side, the Gryffindors flew out, but with mesmerizing scarlet robes instead of glowing emerald ones. It was mostly the same with them, but only they had golden lions instead of snakes. The Slytherins and Gryffindors glowered at each other with hatred in their eyes. I looked my hardest, but I failed to find Harry.

            “Drea! If you’re looking for Harry, he’s down there!” She pointed at the field. I craned my neck downward in order to see him. Harry was on the left side of Madame Hooch while…Malfoy was on her right. He was right about playing, but I had no idea that he was Quidditch Captain. Harry, though, came as no surprise. Just as the other players were doing, they glared at each other.

            “Captains, shake hands,” Hooch barked. Harry and Malfoy did so, but very stiffly, their gaze not leaving each other’s faces. After that, they headed to their brooms and boarded them. Madame Hooch released the Quaffle, the two very hazardous Bludgers, and finally the infamous Golden Snitch.

            Both Harry and Malfoy soared high into the sky. Malfoy was watching Harry intently. I guess he’s a Seeker, too. It makes a lot of sense for him to also be Quidditch Captain. I didn’t really expect that, though.

            As I watched them, a red-haired girl blocked my view, flying everywhere.

            “Drea, why does she keep preventing me from watching Harry?”

            “Her? Oh, that’s Ginny Weasley. I think she used to like Harry. Still does, I believe. I’m not sure.”

            “Weasley, huh? I know Ron Weasley. He’s nice.”

            “Ronald Weasley? He hangs out with Harry, right?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Oh. I know that the Weasleys are a big family; really nice, but really poor. Ginny’s the only girl in the family. The rest are brothers.”

            “Really? I didn’t know that. How many?”

            “Let’s see…I think about…mmm…six? Including Ron, of course.”

            “Wow! That’s a lot!”

            “I used to play against Fred and George Weasley (twins, you know). They were Chasers and real funny pranksters. They practically lived off of them!”

            “What happened to them?”

            “Dropped out of Hogwarts to start a jokeshop, I think. And then there’s Percy Weasley. Used to be Head Boy for Gryffindor and a Prefect. I never knew Charlie or Bill Weasley, though. Don’t know what they’re like.”

            “Still, that’s a lot of kids. I wonder how they manage.”

            “Me, too.”

            Jealousy was surging through me all the while we were chatting. Did Ginny really have feelings for Harry? And, if so, would she act on them? I pondered this as I watched Harry swoop and swerve around, keeping watch for the Snitch. The sun began to come out and shone on everything. Harry looked even better in the sun then in the rain. His messy black hair glowed ebony in the light. I had to admit that he was, in fact, gorgeous.

            “What are you staring at?”

            Instantly, I felt my cheeks go red. “Oh…um…nothing, nothing at all…heh heh heh…”

            “You’re staring at Harry again, aren’t you?”

            “Well…uh…yeah…I am…”

            “Drea, what is with you? First you kiss Neville, but you really like Harry! Seriously, something has made you mental.”

            “Whatever…”

            I listened to Lee Jordan’s commentary, which was getting dull (all except for the parts McGonagall had to yell at him!). I peered around the field and saw Chasers throwing the Quaffle around, Beaters keeping a Bludger in line, and a keeper protecting the goals. I didn’t see Harry anywhere, until…

            “There he is! There’s Harry!” Cho pointed farther down the field. I saw faint specks, presumably Harry and ugh…Malfoy, zooming around after an incoming golden speck. It was the Snitch. The Snitch was heading straight for me. And, apparently, so were the two Seekers.

            “Drea! DREA! Get out of the way! DREA!!”

            I knew what to do exactly at that moment. I called upon my soul, which immediately began to deliver energy to my palms. Magic hummed at my fingertips and grew. Time seemed to almost stand still as I was lifted into the air. My hair swirled around my head and shoulders. The humming grew louder. I felt my eyes glowing silver. Balls of magic formed in my hands.

            Instinctively, I threw them out. I knew that the two wouldn’t be hurt, just stunned for a few seconds. My magic was thrusted upon them. Their eyes rolled back into their heads and they hovered on their brooms. The Snitch fluttered around innocently. Meanwhile, I descended to the ground. I felt drained and exhausted. I had used too much power this time. If I overused it again, I knew I would surely die. My eyes felt two weights. I heard murmuring around and I heard Cho’s voice calling my name faintly.

            I tried to get up, but a voice from somewhere told me to lay down and rest. So, I did.

 

            When I woke up on the bench, I found myself in some kind of hospital. I realized that there was an ice pack on my forehead and a pillow underneath my head. Cho was holding my head. There were tears in her eyes. Suddenly, she threw her arms around me and sobbed wildly.

            “Oh…D-Drea! I-I thought y-you were g-g-gone f-for…sure!”

            “Come, come, now! Let Miss Vela get some rest!” scolded an older woman, who was towering over me.

            “Who are you?”

            “Madame Pomfrey. School nurse. You’re not hurt, just very exhausted. That’s why I need Miss Chang here to leave you.”

            “What happened?” I asked Cho, turning to her.

            “Well…um, Gryffindor won and Harry did an amazing Wronski Feint. He duped Malfoy so badly!”

            “No, I mean what happened to Harry!”

            “Harry came by to see you, but was shooed off by Madame Pomfrey because you were sleeping. He wanted me to give you this.”

            Cho handed me a beautiful black silk handkerchief. It had my initials “D. F. V” hand-sewed in red thread in the lower right-hand corner, and it was neatly sewn into curly cursive. I was left breathless by this, but by even more so when Cho also handed me a fancy black card which read inside:

 

            Dear Drea,

 

            Cho told me about how you were at the game. Thanks so much for coming. I thought you wouldn’t. But then again, who knows? Anyway, thanks. I needed the support besides from Ron and Hermione. As you see, I got you a handkerchief. Purchased especially for you from an expensive shop in Hogsmeade. I sent in for it, but…I wasn’t sure to give it to you or not, so I gave it to you in this.

            About the accident: I didn’t know the Bludger was heading for you. Personally, I would have stopped it myself, but I never got the chance. I really hope you’re not hurt or anything, because I seriously didn’t mean to.

            Also…thanks for stopping the Bludger from hitting Malfoy and me. I personally don’t think he deserved to be stunned. He’s such a git!

 

                        Thanks once again,

 

                        Harry

 

            I blushed beet red. Questions began to pop up in my head. Did Harry really like me? Or was he just being nice? Did he think of me as a friend? Or maybe more? I thought it kind of obvious that he liked me because every time I was around him, he smiled like crazy. It was cute, though. Really cute. I had no choice but to smile at this gesture, anyway, because it really had made my day.

            “So…did he say…anything else? Like, about how he got the handkerchief from Hogsmeade?”

            I glared at her. “You read my card, didn’t you?”

            “I couldn’t help it! It was just lying there innocently by your bedside. It was practically begging to be read!”

            I shove her playfully. I smiled. “You and your excuses!”

            We laughed. I felt much better that day. Everything just seemed to be going so right since Cho and I made up (besides the Bludger accident).

 

__________________

 

            Tons of people came to visit me that day after the game was over. They had all heard of how I was supposedly hurt at the game and heard the rumors that were spread around. I was so pleased at this, but Madame Pomfrey wasn’t that thrilled, though. She kept trying to shoo everyone out as they piled in from the doorway to ask me all sorts of questions. She finally gave up after at least a hundred began to bombard me.

            Finally, at the end of the day, the crowd thinned until there was only about five people left. They, too, said their good-byes as the sun set. It glowed beautifully through the glass windows of the white stone walls. A few paintings covered the wall, the figures inside moving about and attending to their own patients.

            Suddenly, the door creaked open softly, and I turned my head at the noise, curious to see whom it was. Warmth filled me immediately. It was easy to know who it was.

            A mass of messy black hair poked through. It turned this way and that.

            “Drea?” called the boy’s voice ever so softly.

            “Harry! Over here!”

            Upon hearing my voice, he cocked his head my way. Harry immediately lit up at the sight of my face. But I noticed something else…that a slight look of worry furrowed his brow.

            “Are…are you okay?”

            “Besides a few bruises and scratches, yeah, I’m just peachy,” I joked. At that, Harry smiled a genuine smile, even laughing a little. It made me smile even more.

            He sat down on the cot, carefully trying not to move me in any way. He placed his hand on mine. Almost instantly, a spark of electricity shot up my hand and down my spine. I shivered at the sensation. It felt almost like magic, although I knew it was much different than that.

            It was the magic of love.

            I felt my cheeks turn a light shade of pink. Harry’s face became serious.

            “Seriously, are you okay?”

            “Yeah, I’m fine, but…uh…”

            “But what?”

            “Oh…ah…nothing…”

            “Drea…”

            “Alright, well…you know the first day I came here? When I performed that bit of magic for you all?”

            “Yeah…go on…”

            “Well…that was just a small part of my magic. The bigger display you just saw today used up a part of my soul.”

            “What do you mean?” he asked, looking confused.

            “It means if I ever put on another show like that again, I may…” I practically choked out the last word.

            “May what? Drea, please, tell me! What?!

            “…I may…die.”

            His eyes went wide just then. Harry squeezed my hand so hard that I grimaced in pain.

            I groaned as my bones began to crack from the pressure.

            “Har…Harry…do you think you could let go? Please?”

            “Sorry,” he mumbled.

            He pulled away his hand, but I quickly caught it with mine. Harry seemed very concerned by this piece of news.

            “It’s okay…”

            “Are you serious that y-you might die?”

            “Only if I use a big burst of magic like that again. The normal rate of magic I use is fine.”

            “I just…want you be safe.” He glanced down.

            I nodded my head solemnly. “I understand. Well…you better go before Madame Pomfrey gets any more pissed than she already is.”

            He grinned and pulled away his hand, his Quidditch glove sweeping across my skin. The brown dragon hide of it was rough and worn, but somewhat soft.

            I waved to him, but he didn’t appear to notice as he stepped out of the room and disappeared.

            Madame Pomfrey appeared from out of nowhere and spooned some medicine into my mouth. I didn’t utter a sound.

            “By tomorrow you should feel as good as new. Then, you’ll be able to leave.”

            I whispered a grateful “thanks” to her and pulled the sheet over my shoulders and closed my eyes. That night I had a very fitful sleep because of yet another nightmare…

 

            Yet again, I found myself walking through the Dark Forest. Night had appeared to have fallen and a heavy, damp mist hung on the air. I was panting and thought I had been running before. A crackling of underbrush sent chills of fear up my spine.

            I swerved around and called out.

            “Who’s there? Answer me!”

            Just then, a whisper as light as a breeze, blew through the trees. I don’t know how I could have heard it, but the silence was heavy, so that I could even hear the slightest squeak or chirp.

            “Drea…Drea Vela…Drea…come to me…follow my voice…I know you’re there…Drea…”

            The voice was filled with the utmost evil and greed. I felt an aura somewhere grow stronger. I could tell. It wanted me.

            “Where are you?” My voice echoed. The slick whisper rasped quietly through the silence and reached my ears.

            “I am all around you, Drea…you cannot escape me again…your parents would want you to come willingly…I know who and where you reside…Drea…”

            My eyes widened in fright as my back stiffened. I felt a tingle on the back of my neck. The hairs on my neck rose as goose bumps erupted all over my arms.

            The last thing I saw before I awoke to the early morning were yellow, narrowed snake eyes glaring into my own.

 

_____________________

           

            I awoke with a gasp and shut my eyes hard, hot tears streaming down my cheeks. He’s back! But how…how does he know where I am? Who I am? Will he come after me?

            “Drea,” a soft voice whispered aloud. The sound of my own name willed me to look up and stare into the kind eyes of Albus Dumbledore himself.

            “Professor…what are you-?”

            He held a withered hand up, cutting me off.

            “You know.”

            “Know what?”

            “You know what I mean.”

            I then realized what he was talking about.

            “Yes…how does he know? Where I am, I mean.”

            “Voldemort has great powers beyond imagine. He can do anything he pleases.”

            “Yeah, I know. He…”

            “…killed your parents.”

            “Yeah…that.”

            Dumbledore’s youthful eyes sparkled with sincere understanding. I looked away, the horrible memories of my past flooding my mind.

            “I know you don’t want to talk about it. I understand…”

            The kindness in his voice drew me to his eyes once more. I locked mine into his.

            “What did you see?”

            “I’m walking in the Dark Forest. I’m alone and some robed figure follows me. In the second dream he spoke to me…whispering in my ear…telling me that he wants me…that he knows ‘where I reside.’”

            Dumbledore broke his gaze with mine and gazed into space. His expression was thoughtful. The rays that spilled in through the windows made his beard glow a pure white. It was almost blinding.

            “What…is it?” I asked softly, barely the slightest whisper, but Dumbledore heard me.

            Without looking straight at me, he rubbed his knuckles gently, examining them closely.

            At last, he spoke, but in a very low tone, though.

            “Drea…it is hard to tell you that…you may very well be in danger.”

 

Reviews

[KisuKimmi]

In paragraph 3: "The only I was here was to see Harry at his best." I believe that you meant to have "reason" between only and I.

"Cho opened her eyes and looked at me for the one time this week with concern." Maybe change "one" to "first."