Together (A Harry Potter love story) 3

54

"Ron!" I screamed, going to go after him, but another branch whipped down at me, twigs clenched like knuckles, forcing me backwards. I couldn't imagine why Snuffles was acting like this - he'd been perfectly fine on the night of the party...

"We've got to go for help!" Mione cried; she was bleeding, too; the Willow had cut her across the shoulder.

"No!" Harry panted, looking lost without his best friend. "That things big enough to eat him, we haven't got time-"

"We're never going to get through without help!" Mione sobbed, sending me a desperate look. "Millie, tell him-"

"If that dog can get in, we can," I said fiercely, darting here and there, trying to find a way through the vicious, swishing branches, but I couldn't get an inch nearer to the tree-roots without being in range of the tree's blows.

"Oh, help, help," Mione whispered, dancing uncertainly on the spot, "please..."

Crookshanks darted forwards. He slithered between the battering branches like a snake and placed his front paws upon a knot on the trunk.

Abruptly, as though the tree had been turned to marble, it stopped moving. Not a leaf twitched or shook.

"Crookshanks!" Mione exclaimed uncertainly, grasping my arm painfully hard. "How did he know-?"

"He's friend with that dog," said Harry grimly, his eyes fixed on the cat.

"Friends?" I repeated, raising my eyebrows disbelievingly.

"Mmm," he muttered, running his tongue over his bottom lip and glancing at me. "I've seen them together. Come on - and keep your wands out-"

We covered the distance to the trunk in seconds, but before we had reached the gap in the roots, Crookshanks had slid into it with a flick of his bottle-brush tail. I went to go next, but Harry grabbed my waist and pulled me backwards, mumbling something about, "skirts", before crouching down and crawling forwards. I raised my eyebrows at Mione, then followed him, head first, and slid down an earth slope to the bottom of a very low tunnel. Crookshanks was a little way along, his eyes flashing in the light from Harry's lit wand. I looked to my side to find him staring at me, his green eyes darting all over my face. My heart felt like it was about to explode as he slowly leant forwards and placed a soft kiss right on the corner of my lips. My eyes widened as I instinctively reached up and placed my hand on the back of his head, running my fingers through his messy hair.

Harry grunted softly, as I whispered, "What was that for?"

He smiled, tilting his head adorably. "Incase we die."

"I - incase we what?" I said, freezing. He sighed, taking my hand from his head and bringing it to his lips.

"We always nearly die in situations like this, don't we?" he breathed, his mouth pressed against my knuckles.

My mind dazed with love, I blurted, "Then kiss me."

He dropped my hand in surprise, his lips hardly moving as he whispered, "What?"

"Please, Harry," I muttered desperately, leaning my face closer to his...our eyes moved down to each other's lips...I could feel his warm breath against my mouth...his lips curved upwards...

"Ouch, Mione!" I moaned, as she landed directly on top of me.

"Sorry!" she whispered, looking between Harry and I suspiciously. "Why are you both red?"

"Nothing," Harry muttered, very clearly avoiding my eyes. "This way." And he set off after Crookshanks.

"Okay, what really happened?" she said quietly to me, staring after him.

But annoyance, disappointment, confusion, embarrassment, anger and sadness were all coursing through me now, so I only mumbled a small, "Nothing."

She looked extremely unconvinced, but said nothing as I followed after Harry.

I moved as fast as I could, bent almost double; ahead of me, Crookshanks's tail bobbed in and out of view. I tried not to look at Harry, which was hard considering he was directly in front of me. I couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. I honestly felt the most confused I ever had in my life. One second he was flirting and hugging me, next second he was acting like we weren't even friends. It had to stop. I made a mental note to myself to talk to him seriously the next chance I got.

On and on went the passage, my emotions building with every step. I kept thinking of Ron and what Snuffles might be doing to him...I was drawing breath in sharp, painful gasps, running at a crouch...

And then the tunnel began to rise; moments later it twisted, and Crookshanks had gone. Instead, I could see a patch of dim light through a small opening.

I paused, gasping for breath, as Harry edged forwards. I raised my wand to see what lay beyond.

It was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up.

Harry glanced back at me, and before he could say anything, I pushed past him and pulled myself out of the whole, staring around. The room was deserted, but a door to my right stood open, leading to a shadowy hallway. Harry and Mione appeared either side of me; Harry had his eyebrows furrowed, his green eyes shining intimidatingly; Mione's wide eyes were travelling around the boarded windows, and she suddenly grabbed my arm again.

"I think," she whispered, "I think we're in the Shrieking Shack."