ORIGINAL: The Amour
A First Look
[Chapter Two]
He and Cho parted at the grand staircase once they’d gotten back to the school.
“Are you sure that you don’t want me to help you to the Gryffindor Tower?” she asked with a concerned crease on her brow.
“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Thanks though.” Harry smiled and wave. “So I guess I’ll see you later?”
Cho sighed. “Yeah, I’ll see you later Harry.” She waved back and turned in the opposite direction.
Harry watched her disappear around the corner with a weighing heart. he was just too confused right now. The things he’d felt when Cho had kissed him had not been quite what he’d expected. Or rather the things he hadn’t felt and bluntly, he’d felt nothing.
Why was this? Cho as the girl he’d wanted ever since third year. Perhaps he was so startled that his nerves had frozen and shut down completely.
He nodded to himself. Yes, that would probably be it.
Feeling a bit more cheered, he climbed three sets of moving staircases and into the Portrait hole of Gryffindor Tower.
Hermione and Ron were already in the common room, lounging in front of the fire and chewing on their Honeydukes’ sweets.
They looked up when Harry came in and Ron narrowed his eyes. Hermione on the other hand, jumped up and clapped her hands over her mouth.
“Oh my god Harry! What happened?” She ran over to him and fingered his open cuts gingerly. “Harry this is awful! You should go see Madam Pomfrey immediately!”
“I’m fine, really.” he said.
Ron gave a loud and distinctive snort. “What, did things get a little vicious when you were out snogging Cho?”
Harry’s eyes widened at Ron’s remark and then he frowned irritably.
“I wasn’t out snogging Cho for your information. I just got into a little fight with someone at Hogsmeade.”
“A little fight?” Hermione said disbelievingly. “Doesn’t look too little to me. Who was it?”
Harry considered for a moment not telling them. He expected that Ron would make another snide remark but gave in to Hermione’s pleading look.
“Malfoy and Zabini.” he said.
“I knew it would have something to do with Malfoy.” Hermione said bitterly. “I’m just surprised that he didn’t jinx you instead of muggle fighting.”
“Well, Malfoy wasn’t the one that punched me. Actually, I punched him and then Zabini attacked me.” Harry explained. “And right in front of Cho too. God I must’ve looked like a complete idiot.”
Ron grinned derisively but moaned wen Hermione gave a sharp kick to his shin.
“Shut up Ron.” she hissed.
“I didn’t say anything! God Mione!” he cried out, rubbing his sore leg. “Break my leg why don’t you?”
“Well if you weren’t acting like such and evil prick, then I wouldn’t have to!” she snapped. “And why are you acting so cold toward Harry? Has he done anything to you? You’re supposed to be best friends for crying out loud!”
“Oh I get it. You fancy Harry don’t you Hermione? That’s it isn’t it? You like him and so you’re trying to protect him from me!” Ron said threateningly, his voice growing louder with each word.
Hermione’s face burned red with rage. “No! I don’t fancy Harry, in that way! You’re such a thick and arrogant jerk! I can’t believe that you-” she paused and then with a deep breath she closed her eyes and pursed her lips. “you know what? Nevermind. I don’t care anymore Ronald Weasley. You can just rot in Snape’s dungeon for all I care!”
And with that, she turned on her heel and stormed up the girl’s staircase to her dormitory.
Harry didn’t like Ron’s new attitude at all. He’d been normal toward Harry until this morning, and he was sure that he hadn’t done anything to upset Ron. Ron was definitely jealous about something. Was it Cho? No, Ron had never mentioned having a crush on her and so that couldn’t be it. The fact that he’d gone on a date? Well, Ron hadn’t been having the best of luck with girls...
With a frustrated sigh, Harry slumped down in an empty sofa and tried to forget the whole ordeal.
******************************************************************
A long while later, Harry was being shaken awake by Hermione.
“Harry, wake up. It’s dinner time.”
Harry’s eyes snapped open.
“Wh-wha?” Dinner? I slept for that long?”
Hermione smiled sympathetically. “You must have been worn out from the fight with Malfoy and Zabini. You’ve been asleep for nearly five hours.”
“Shit!” Harry said, sitting up. “I didn’t even mean to fall asleep.” He got off the couch and looked at his watch. Hermione was right, it was almost six o’clock.
They made their way quickly down to the Great Hall where nearly everyone had gathered already and took their seats at the Gryffindor table.
Ron was ignoring him and Hermione completely and was chatting with Seamus about tomorrow’s match.
Harry chanced a look at Cho, who was looking at him too. She grinned and blew a kiss at him. He blushed furiously and managed a meek smile. He shifted his gaze and next, his eyes caught somebody else’s. Malfoy’s.
For a split second, both seemed surprised at the sudden eye contact, but Malfoy was the first to recover. He smirked and mimicking Cho, blew a
kiss in his direction too.
Oddly, a shiver went up and down his spine and he continued to stare at Malfoy. Malfoy’s smirk faded and he raised one perfectly shaped eyebrow, mouthing, ‘What?&#.
Harry, kicking himself inwardly, turned back towards his table without replying.
‘Asshole’, he muttered under his breath.
“What Harry?” Hermione asked, looking up from her plate.
“Oh, nothing.” he said hastily.
Hermione gave him a weird look and then went back to her mashed potatoes.
************
Later that night, when he was sure that everyone had fallen asleep, he quietly slipped out of his four poster and draped his beloved Invisibility Cloak around his shoulders. He had to make sure about something. He had to know....
Taking care not to bump into anything through the darkness, he stealthily tiptoed down the stairs and through the dim common room. The embers in the heart were glowing weakly, announcing that they’d long since been extinguished of flame.
Checking the Marauder’s Map as he went along, he finally got to the doors of the school Library.
Holding his breath, he pulled open the heavy doors and slipped in.
“Lumos” he whispered. He ran the wand light over the peeling signs on the shelves and came to one that read:
Nonfictional books on
Romance,
Love
&
Relationships
Feeling an involuntary lump forming in his throat, he inched closer to the shelf.
If anyone caught him here... he didn’t think that he could stand the humiliation.
His palms were moist as he scanned his eyes over the dusty spines.
Tragic Loves and Reasons Behind Them
120 Ways To Hex an Ex
The Side-Effects of Magical Love Potions
The Book of Famous Pick-Up Lines Most Commonly Used By the Wizards of the 12th Century
On and on went the names of useless and pathetic books on love. Harry was beginning to feel stupid about ever coming down there when he came upon a book by the title:
“Love for Giddy Wizards: How You Know When You’re In Love With a Witch”.
He took the book off the shelf and opened the first page.
Table of Contents
Chapter One: Love or Lust?
Chapter Two: Signs That You’re In Love
Chapter Three.......
He flipped through the pages quickly until he came to chapter two. Signs That You’re In Love.
Perhaps this might.....
Ever wonder how you can tell that you’re in love? Or if what you feel for a certain someone is really love?
Don’t feel embarrassed about the uncertainty of your heart. Witches aren’t the only people that have these problems. Wizards suffer from them too.
Most often, doubtful emotions are caused by past experiences, first-timers, or just from the fact that you’re insecure about yourself. You feel nervous and giddy around her but at the same time you feel unsure. It might keep you from making commitments to her about love.
You’re dang and bloody tired of going through the same quarrel with her about not being ready yet, both physically and emotionally.
Don’t fret though. For that is what this book is for, to clear your doubts once and for all and to make you see the naked truth of your heart.
Just go through the questions on the next page and jot your answers down somewhere. At the end of the quiz, you’ll find your analysis based on your answers.
Furrowing his brow, he lowered his eyes to the first question.
“You get nervous and start to sweat whenever she’s around. Yes or No.”
“Erm- not anymore. But that’s just because I’ve gotten over first level jitters, right?”
“Whenever you try to cast a spell in front of her, you end up setting fire to your desk.”
“What? No!”
“You have endless dreams about her, whether they be friendly or arousing.”
“NO.”
“You’ve tried to turn you hair blue just so she would notice you.”
“Uh, no.”
“You tend to find yourself staring at her luscious breasts and realizing moments later, a bulge forming in your slacks.”
“NASTY! No!”
“Her eyes send erotic shivers up and down your spine, making you melt into oblivion.”
“Erotic shivers? No.”
“You’ve kissed her before and enjoyed every second of it.”
“Well it was more of a shock then anything....”
“And you went back for seconds.”
“No, bloody Ferret Boy and to interrupt.”
“You have a nickname for her.”
“No.”
“You love her.”
“What kind of question is that?”
“You just asked what kind of question that was.”
“What the-”
Bravo. To be honest, only the last two questions were highly significant. But what the heck, let’s analyze the first goddamn nine anyways.
If you answered mostly “yes” than there’s a good chance that you really do love her.
If you answered “no” to all the questions except the last two, and the answer to number eleven was “yes”, then you should just ditch the concept, dude.
uu’re very likely NOT in love with her.
So what should you do now?
Easy, Find another chick- or rooster in that matter. You might never know how queer you just are...
Harry gaped disgustedly at the book. This was NOT the answer he’d been looking for. He’d expected it to tell him that he was a hopeless case, main lin love, and that this relationship was undergoing positive improvements.
He practically threw the book back into the shelf, as if it were burning his hands and turned to head back to the tower when he came face to face with someone who had been standing a few feet behind him.
“AAAAHHH!” he yelled, crashing into the shelf behind him. “MALFOY! What the fuck are you doing here?”
“I would keep it down if I were you Potter.” Malfoy smirked. “That is, unless you want Filch to come barging in here to catch you.”
But Harry ignored him. “I said, what the fuck are you doing here!”
“oh, I fancied a bit of bedtime reading. And it seems like I wasn’t the only one. At least I came here for a useful book.” he glanced up at the sign above Harry’s head. “Romance section Potter? You must be fucking desperate. Things not going well with emotional sponge?”
“Shut up Malfoy, before I curse you so that you’ll stay the little twitchy ferret you so well resemble.”
Malfoy’s eyes glinted amusedly. “I’d like to see you try and turn a fucking needle into a pin Potter. no granger here to be your brains.”
“Well no Zabini here to be your loyal savior Malfoy.” Harry spat back.
Malfoy studied Harry’s face silently before frowning.
“Oh yes, he did do a bit of damage didn’t he?” he stepped forward and ran his well manicured and icy fingers over a gash in Harry’s left cheek.
Harry’s stomach did an uncomfortable flip.
“Don’t touch me with your filthy hands Malfoy.”
“Does it hurt much?”
“Ye-no! What?” Harry blinked, taken aback.
“I could make the pain go away, if you want, Potter.”
Harry snorted. “Right, like I’m going to drink any kind of Healing Potion of yours. You’d love to have the chance to poison me wouldn’t you?”
Malfoy gave a weak smile. A smile in other words, that took Harry completely by surprise.
“If only, Potter. If only.”
Harry noticed that his own breath was becoming shallow and quick and that their faces were mere inches away from each others.
“I could make you forget all your troubles Potter. All your worries. I could give you the right answers to all your questions.” Harry could feel Malfoy’s warm breath on his lips.
“M-Malfoy... what the hell-” Harry’s voice trailed off as Malfoy’s pale silver eyes looked deep into his emerald ones.
“What do you say?” his archenemy whispered.
Harry opened his mouth but no sound fame out. His throat had gone dry and he felt that his knees would give out at any second.
Finally, after what seemed like ages, he cleared his throat nervously and stepped back.
“I don’t need any help from you, thanks.” he said coldly, his voice shaking slightly.
And with that, he hurried away from Malfoy and out of the Library trying to shake the eerie feeling out of his body.
‘What was Malfoy playing at?’ he thought angrily as he once again concealed himself in his invisibility cloak and made his way back to his dormitory. Was he trying to make and ass out of Harry? Completely ruin his face? make him crawl on his hands and knees and kiss his goddamn robes? no, he wasn’t going to let Malfoy do any of that. He wasn’t going to let a ferret get the better of him.
When he returned to the boy’s dormitories, the circular room was pitch dark. Relieved that no one had woken up to see he’d been gone, he climbed into his four poster bed and closed his eyes.
“Had a nice night with your love?” a familiar voice said quietly.
Harry sat bolt upright and yanked his hangings open.
He hadn’t noticed Ron sitting on his bed and watching him with narrowed eyes.
“Why are you spying on me like that?” Harry snarled. “Why are you even awake?”
“You woke me up making a racket on you way out. Obviously you don’t care a rat’s ass about anyone other than yourself and your uncontrollably urge to go and shag.” Ron said, crossing his arms.
“Fucking hell to you Ron! I was not anywhere near Cho tonight!” Harry had to practice all of his self control not to walk over to Ron and slap him smartly across the face.
“Oh I get it, so now you’re going around bedding all the girls you can? Who was it tonight? Hermione?”
Harry took a deep breath and tried to compose himself.
“You know what? I think Hermione was right. I don't fucking care anymore. And forget Snape’s dungeon, you can go and rot in hell.”
He threw himself onto his bed with his back towards Ron.
Ron muttered something that sounded like, “You can go rot in you-know-who’s lair.” and the room fell silent.