What Does This Feeling Mean

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Nine - Flowers, Match Making, and Anticipation

The morning after, I awoke to find a crimson rose with a note on the floor in front of my bedroom door. It was the first of many that I would receive.

Today is my last day as a professor, and I am glad. Between teaching, tutoring, lecturing, and the long hours reviewing everyones journals, I was looking forward to becoming a normal student again.

I opened my bedroom door to find yet another rose and note waiting for me. I smiled and read the note like I had every morning since it had first arrived, and every note, said the same:


Thinking of you.


Love,

Draco


Everyday I would add the rose with the rest that now occupied four full vases in my room. Bewitched by Draco, these flowers stayed as fragrant and beautiful as the day they bloomed. I was told that he had bribed a first year Ravenclaw to deliver the flowers everyday. I was somewhat surprised by that. I would've figured he would threaten, before he would bribe.

I pocketed my note for the day, and headed for the hall for breakfast. Again I sat with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The two lovebirds were back to talking normally, but still hadn't hinted of their feelings for each other. During breakfast, I gave my usual glance at the Slytherin table to find Draco. He was never too hard to find, because he always seemed to know when I was looking for him. Now, I would just feel where his eyes were, and lock on. When I found his wink and seductive smile, I gave him what my mom used to call, a scintillating caress. I kissed the end of my wand, and gently blew on the tip at Draco. A continuous stream of red shimmer blew off my wand, and danced it's way to my target. As it approached, the glittering stream formed to the shape of my lips, and since he didn't look away, it kissed him, like I kissed my wand. He happily smirked while his jealous friends conversed around him.

The trio and I walked to my classroom together for the first class.

"Are you sad that today is your last day as a professor?" Harry asked.

"No, not at all. I'm actually looking forward to getting back to normal school life," I responded.

When we arrived, I handed back the graded journals to the students as they all found their seats. Hermione was the most anxious to get hers back. I couldn't imagine why, considering she was the only student that managed to fill two books full of material.

"Everyone did exceptionally well! All of you found out a little about yourself that you might not have known before. Through all of your exercises, your ability to focus, analyze, and understand what life throws at you will only make you stronger. Some of you have gotten past some huge road blocks that have stayed with you until now. For those of you who still have issues that you couldn't get passed, remember this. Everything in life happens for a reason. Each of your experiences, good or bad, were meant to teach you something. Don't worry if you haven't found the answer yet, because it will let itself be known, when the time is right.

"Now, I have a few more last readings to do for some of you, but before we do that, we have to flex our new muscle."

Everyone was excited as I lead my class out of the classroom and up to the end of the hall. Everyone took a spot on the edge of the balcony that overlooked many stairs.

"If everyone does what I believe you can do, we're going to fill this place up with magic!" I said standing back. "Now everyone focus. Bring out your inner concentration. Focus on your ability to bring out the full power of this spell. Relax in confidence, and let it flow," I smiled. The mind power of this group was radiating around me, and I stood back even more. Everyone spoke the words and the entire school became engulfed in the shine of color. The sparkling magnitude of the wondrous splendor made my heart swim with joy. "Now that's what I'm talking about!"

When the spell ended, I led the group of smiling faces back to the classroom. I called the few people left for readings for the rest of the class. Hermione was one of them. Her reading was pretty normal, and just had a few new concerns that she had already detailed in her journal. One concern that stayed, was that of Ron.

"So Ron is still lingering in your mind?" I asked after her reading concluded.

"Yes. I don't know what to do about it. What if he doesn't like me like that? I don't want to tell him, and it become embarrassing. That would be a big step to tell a friend that you want more than that," she replied, rubbing her hands together in nervousness.

I wasn't going to let them do this anymore. His reading from the day before told me that I was the only one who might get them past this. Her reading just confirmed it. Putting my gloves back on, I walked to the curtain and stuck my head out.

"Ron?"

He looked up, and made his way toward me. Hermione sat still in her seat as she realized who I had called. I invited Ron inside, and had him sit in my chair.

"Nobody out there is thinking anything unusual. The only one who even notices that you both are in here is Harry, and even he doesn't care why."

Their eyes gave a relieved blink. This was really worrying them.

"I brought both of you in here together, because you both seem to be going through the same thing," I looked at my gloved hands, and shook my head. "You guys are lucky. Everything that has slipped through my fingers, these fingers." I held my hands up as they looked at them. "Naked, my hands see everything. I can't touch someone's face without directly reading their thoughts. I can't touch someone's hands without being thrown into their head. I can't fall for someone, without knowing how they have loved everyone before me. I don't know if I'll ever be able to willingly feel the warmth of someone's skin, other than my own. I don't wear these gloves for protection, I wear them to keep me from my pain. Ron, you asked me how I can like Draco Malfoy. Well, I'll tell you why. He knows more about me than anyone has ever stuck around to know. He also knows that I might never be with him, but yet he still wants to stay close to me. That alone tells me of the person he really is, and has made me the happiest I have been in years. Now you two..."

They looked at each other as though they already knew what I was going to say.

"The only thing that's stopping you two from being happy are yourselves. What I wouldn't give to be where you guys are. I know both of you respect each other enough to stay friends throughout life, but what is that life, if it's not the one you want. Life is too short to be worrying about what other people might think, or even second guessing yourselves after all of this time. What if one of you dies tomorrow, then what? Will you go through life obsessed by what could have happened? You both feel the same way about each other, and now is the time to talk about it. Even if nothing becomes of it, at least you will be able to get past the wall that you both have built."

I stood, quietly waiting for one of them to tell me to leave them alone or something. They just sat looking at each other. Hermione's thoughts were searching for the right words to say. I looked back at Ron, and smiled.

"Hermione. Sometimes actions speak louder than words."

She looked at me, and I nodded at her. She got up from her seat and sat on Ron's lap. As if they were both thinking the same thoughts, they brought their lips together in a longing embrace of emotion and pure passion. I smiled at the amazing release of pent up lust that I was feeling. After a good amount of time, they finally came up for air.

"That... was bloody.... brilliant," Ron whispered to his new squeeze. They floated out of the room, together, walking on a cloud. I walked out behind them and nobody but Harry really noticed the couple. The bell rang for the end of the period, and Hermione ran up to hug me before leaving.

I sat back at my desk and started getting the journals for the next class organized. So far, this was turning out to be a pretty good day.

The rest of my classes before lunch were spent filling the school with color, and reading the people I had left. My second and third class had Ravenclaws in it, and to my surprise, I received small gifts from each group as a thank you.

I sat with Harry and the 'item' at lunch. They were surprisingly quiet, but gave each other looks that told enough. I had to end my time with them early when Sibyll called me to her seat. I excused myself, and went to talk to her.

"Hello Sibyll," I said standing by her. She motioned me to come closer.

"Your potion," she began in a low tone. "I believe we had the time wrong. From what I can tell, it should be ready within the next week."

"Really?!" I squeaked.

"Yes, come by my classroom next Friday if you don't hear from me before then. I don't believe it will be any later than that," she said smiling up at me.

I ran out of the hall in excitement, and back to my classroom. I wondered aloud if I was going to be able to tell ahead of time if the potion worked or not. I guess it didn't matter, I wasn't going to mind testing it out.

As my last class of the day approached, I started feeling a little funny. I needed to read a few students from the last class, which included Draco, and I started feeling anxious. It was weird, as though my body was telling me it was nervous, but wasn't telling my brain why. I took a deep breath as my last class made it's way into the classroom.

TBC...