A Harry Potter Love Story: Annie's Way

Chapter 16

Oh no, oh no, oh no. We are going to die. We are GOING TO DIE! I had heard of rumours and things that the twins told me that if there was one person at Hogwarts who's bad side you didn't want to get on, it was Professor McGonagall's. I was preparing myself for my imminent death and my the look on Harry's face, we were going to have a joint funeral.

His face was pale and his eyes were wide behind his circular shaped glasses. He had run his hand through his hair so many times out of stress that it was sticking up in random tufts. To be fair, though his hair was normally so wild it didn't make much of a difference. His hands were clenched at his sides and his knuckles were white as he was digging his finger nails into his palms.

I lifted his hand that was closest to me and I unfolded his fist. There were deep grooves in his palm from where he dug his finger nails in. I grabbed his hand and held it as we walked down the corridor after Professor McGonagall. If I didn't there was a chance that the two of us would have gone insane from the fear.

There was a light blush on his cheeks and I smiled to myself as we turned corner after corner, journeying deeper into the castle. We finally came to a stop outside a classroom that was one floor up from the dungeons and we waited as McGonagall knocked on the door and entered. We peaked around the door frame to see a class of fifth years staring wide eyed at us and the Professor as she interrupted their class.

Whisperings were exchanged between McGonagall and Professor Quirrel who stuttered a reply and nodded. She grabbed a boy by the arm and led him out o the classroom with her. He stared at the three of us, his brown eyes wide.

"Annie, Harry, I would like you to meet Oliver wood. He's the captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team," We rarely ever saw McGonagall smile but her mouth twitched up at the corners as she looked between the three of us with pride. We shook Oliver's hand and my fear subsided a bit. At least our murders were not going to occur that day.

"Wood, you mentioned that you were down a chaser and a seeker now that Weasley and Burns graduated a few years ago. I have found you replacements that beat the others that you have put in the last three years," Oliver's eyes lit up at the mention of quidditch and he looked over the two of us.

"I thought first years couldn't play on the house team?" He asked and I held back a grin and resisted the urge to jump up and down. Harry looked as confused as ever but then I smiled at him and he guessed that there was something to be happy about.

"I am sick of Severus' smug face every year that we lose to him. He has a surprise coming his way," The way she said Professor Snape's name surprised me as I thought that they were friends. She was better at hiding her emotions than I thought.

"So what do you say? Would you like to be on the team?" Oliver asked and I grinned, nodding my head frantically. Harry nodded his head as well and Oliver punched the air. McGonagall looked on at him in disapproval and he muttered an apology before shaking our hands once again. "I'll see you two at practice on Thursday evening, sharp." He said before he went back into class.

McGonagall led us back up to the Gryffindor common room as flying was the last class for the day and we missed the rest of it. He climbed the stairs and said goodbye to our professor before we entered the common room. I realised that Harry and I were still holding hands and I dropped his immediately in case anyone would have noticed, my face burning.

"Where were you two?" Ron quizzed as he and Hermione bounded fro the sofa over to us, their faces concerned.

"Did you get expelled? Did you come back to pack up your things? How will we survive without you?" Hermione babbled but she stopped when she noticed the smile on my face. "This isn't funny, Annie. What happened?"