Over the next day, I was greatly anticipating the quidditch notice and therefore began to, probably obsessively so, have regular checks on the notice board so that I could be one of the first to know whether or not I had made the team. Although Harry had specifically said evening, by lunchtime I was truly stressing which meant that I wanted to ask Harry as soon as I saw him. After a gruelling lesson with Professor McGonagall, where we had yet another lecture about how important this year was for the rest of our lives and then went on to attempt an equally as harrowing switching spell, however my mind was occupied by the much more pressing matter of the pending revelation of the Gryffindor Quidditch team for this year. I headed towards the Great Hall ready to badger Harry and eat some of the glorious food Hogwarts had to offer.
As I had predicted, making my way to the Gryffindor table I began to drool, disgustingly enough, over the piled high plates littering the long-length of the table all containing a mixture of sandwiches, different platters and any food you could ask for, from chicken legs to mini quiches. My stomach grumbled as I sat down, one eye on the food I was eating and the other on the door awaiting the arrival of Harry, Ron and Hermione who would more than likely accompany him. Eventually, I had sampled a bit of every food on the table and sat anxiously tapping my foot quicker and quicker whilst getting some funny looks from students sat nearby. Oh, COME ON! What were they doing?
And that was when the grand, golden Great Hall door opened once again to reveal just the people I wanted to see. Unfortunately, the seats surrounding me were all full so I had to politely but forcefully make them move. Obviously I did it in the nicest way possible but that did not stop them for sending some annoyed retorts in my direction as they resumed their eating further down the table, leaving three spaces for Harry, Ron and Hermione. They sat down.
"Sooo..... Harry, have you decided on the team then?" I pounced as casually as possible as soon as their bottoms have touched the bench. I could tell however that my attempt at casual had gone amiss as Harry had a smirk on his face as he opened his mouth to answer but Hermione bet him too it.
"Harry's not going to tell you, are you Harry? Because that would be unfair on the others and Harry has to stay unbiased in the decision process." Wow, way to be a Debbie-downer. Harry and Ron looked just as stumped as I felt as Hermione was always the one to give the speeches on equality and hard-work. Well, that was it for that plan, I would just have to wait for the bulletin notice and in the meantime enjoy the pleasantries of small talk as they finished eating and headed towards the next lesson.
Safe to say the day went excruciatingly slowly from then onwards but soon the time came and I was bursting will both excitement at the prospect of actually being on the Quidditch Team and the anxiety of whether or not I had made the squad. Pacing the dormitory, Emily and Alex followed me with their eyes adding in the odd protest, awaiting the results. After about half an hour of it, with Alex becoming more and more annoyed Hermione poked her head around the door to tell me that the results were in fact in.......
Keeper:
Ron Weasley
Chasers:
Ginny Weasley, Katie Bell, Demelza Robins
Beaters:
Jimmy Peakes, Ritchie Coote
Harry Potter, the Captain, will be resuming his previous position of Seeker and if you have any queries about the team then please see him.
AHHHHH! The excitement bubbled in my chest like a potion, rising up out of the cauldron and exploding out of me as I ran towards Harry who had just stepped away from the notice board and threw my arms around his neck. Without, even thinking about it I hugged him. This was what I had been waiting for ever since my brothers came to Hogwarts and began to play the wizard sport. Little did they know their little sister had been smuggling their broomsticks for years and building up skill and momentum to this moment. It was the start of a new challenge and I could not wait - bring on slytherin because this year would be the year the gryffindor finally won the house cup.
Pulling away from the hug I smiled up at Harry, thanked him for giving me the great opportunity and headed of to find Dean. I would not have to go far it seemed as I turned around to exit the Common Room there he was, with the largest scowl possible on his face. He did not look happy.
Dean had also tried out for the position of Chaser and it looked as if he had not been victorious on this occasion but hey, better luck next time. Well, that is what I told him anyway but it didn't seem to help as he was so angry and jealous of Harry for not picking him when they were supposed to be 'friends'.
"It's probably nothing personal. Harry wouldn't so that!"
"Oh yes, of course you would think that" He argued, practically spitting the word 'you' like a venomous snake, the poison dripping from his tongue.
"What's that supposed to mean!" I did not like what he was insinuating one bit, my feelings for Harry were confusion, nothing more and I would be able to work to forgetting it once and for all. Anyway I could try! Dean, on the other hand, looked like he immediately regret it and grabbed my hand as I made to turn away.
"I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean that." Did I. "Because I love you, and I know there is nothing going on between you and Potter."
I nodded and we learned in for a kiss, my brain frozen having heard the huge revelation. The kiss itself was warm and gentle but ignited no passion within me, no fireworks, no explosion that I dreamed of. That did not seem like a sufficient response. A boy, a nice, friendly, caring boy had told me that he loved me and my only acknowledgment had been to nod. I had heard it, I had thought about it and I don't think I love him. Do I? No. For that I am certain, but the question is what do I do now? Maybe I should talk to Hermione she seems to have all the answers these days.
All Dean seemed to want to do from then on was kiss and I willingly complied for a while before the thoughts buzzing around in my head were close to bursting. I did not want to reveal all my feelings to Dean now, not now of all moments. Besides, I wasn't even sure of them myself just yet, hence why I needed Hermione, she would tell me what to do and make sure that I was one hundred percent certain before I progressed from here.
Excusing myself, with lies of homework I went back to the Common Room, leaving Dean to go find Seamus Finnegan – one of his best friends. Once I arrived, however, unluckily for me Hermione was sat having a discussion with Harry. How was I supposed to talk to her now! I couldn't exactly tell her in front of Harry because that would just completely give the game away and I wasn't ready for that just yet. Finally, after much deliberation, by which I mean having ten different scenarios zooming around my mind all at once, I decided to just head over anyway and try and get her to come up to the dormitories with me, so I could save repeating the conversation twice over with both Hermione and Emily and Alex. However once I got closer I realised that they were not just having a casual conversation they were in fact having a very heated argument. I hung back, staying a few metres away from them eavesdropping on what they were saying.
"You don't even know who the book belongs to! It could be anyone!" Hermione said, growing more agitated as she went on, "It could be really dangerous."
"Could, Could, Could but it isn't. I just know it Hermione."
"Let me have a look!"
"What, no!"
With that Harry began backing away from Hermione, heading straight for where I was standing, the book held down by his side. It was common knowledge that I didn't have the best experience with unknown books as during my first year I had put my trust into the wrong person. I say person but it was in fact an object, a book that was once owned by You-Know-Who himself. I don't know all the details because apparently I was too young and naive to fully understand the complexity of the situation. All I know is that I devoted all my thoughts and feelings, expressing my love for Harry amongst other things into a diary which bit by bit took over a part of my body, possessing me into doing activities which were monstrous and inhumane. In the end it was Harry who saved me from the depths of the Chamber of Secrets, killing the basilisk which lived within and battling a mere memory of You-Know-Who. These thoughts and the need to find out what this mysterious book was drove any problems and thoughts of my love life from my mind. They could wait until tomorrow.
This was my chance. Whilst his back was turned I grabbed the book straight out of his hand. He whipped around, ready to attack the thief but upon noticing it was me his retort faded from his lips, the annoyance fell from his face. Instead they were replaced by a look, a look which I couldn't label. It was part way between sympathy and something else and I just couldn't put my finger on it.
"Gin....." he whispered and I could tell from his face that he was thinking about those fateful events back in my first year. The anguish and sadness embedded onto his features was too much for me to handle and I could do nothing but look away.
"Property of the Half-Blood Prince" I enquired, "Who's the Half-Blood Prince?"
I could tell that my question would not be answered because I wasn't sure Harry knew either but the look on Hermione's face told me that she would not rest until she did.