Aurora and the Boy Who Lived

Chapter 4 An encounter with Draco and Quidditch practice

The sounds of chirping birds greeted me when I woke the next morning. A quick glance around the room stated that the other girls were still asleep. Decision made, I hopped up, grabbed my things, and headed for the bathroom. I brushed my teeth quietly and dressed in a baby blue T-shirt and faded jeans.

"Adversum Abscissa," I said to straighten my hair. Next I applied a little mascara and lip-gloss with another charm. Finished, I headed down to the common room to watch the sun rise.

I sat in the cushy sofa in front of a large window overlooking the lake that surrounded the castle. This had always been my favorite time of the day. It was so peaceful. I watched as the soft golden rays of light gently pushed the night away. I felt, rather than heard, him walk up behind.

"Morning, Harry. You're up early."

"Yeah. Once I'm awake I can never go back to sleep. How'd you sleep?"

"Like a baby. That bed's so comfortable I fell asleep as soon as I laid down."

Harry sat down beside me.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Very. Do you do this often?"

"Fairly. There's something so calming and tranquil about a new day beginning. It rejuvenates me."

We sat in silence until a group of girls entered the common room. Upon seeing me with Harry, several glared.

"I think I'm upsetting your fan club."

"Well you're not the only one. Check out two o'clock," he said nodding over his shoulder.

Turning to confront no less than eight boys giving me the once over, I whipped back around and blushed. 'I may be willing to make friends but a boyfriend is asking a bit much of me don't you think?' I asked my Maker silently.

"So who's ready for breakfast?" Ron asked walking up holding hands with Hermione, Ginny and Neville trailing behind.

"I'm always up for food."

"My kind of girl," Harry said laughing.

'Really?'

Making our way to the Great Hall, I couldn't help but be conscious of the fact that everyone seemed to be watching me. When I mentioned this to Ginny she simply smiled and stated that Fred had warned me it would happen. A Hufflepuff 6^th year named Blake stumbled while trying to get another look at me. He flushed a brilliant red and nearly ran to his table. The girls held back their laughter but Harry and Ron let it burst out.

When the fit was over Ron remarked, "Not even here 24 hours and you've already got them falling at your feet."

'As if.' I sat and helped myself to a large plate of food before complaining, "Honestly, I don't know why you're blaming me for the poor guy being a klutz."

"You don't realize the effect you have on boys, do you?" Ginny asked.

"Let it go, Ron, Ginny. Can't you see you're embarrassing her?" Harry said, rescuing me from a tart response.

"What's on the agenda today?"

"How about we get the team together a bit later and see how you fit in?" Harry ventured.

"Awesome. Let me run back upstairs. I'll grab my broom and braid my hair real quick."

"Meet us down here in ten minutes and we'll show you around the grounds before practice," Ginny said.

I practically ran to the Gryffindor tower. I chanted a hair-braiding spell that twisted my long hair into a French braid and snapped up my new Cleansweep. Returning to the Hall, whom should I encounter but Draco Malfoy, alone. 'Damn.' I tried to walk past him, but he blocked the escape route.

"You're the American."

"Did you figure that out all by yourself?" 'Asshole.'

"I hear your father is an Auror."

"What do you want?"

"Just trying to make conversation. I can be civil occasionally. Was your mother a Pure-blood?"

"Yes, not that it's really any of your damn business. Now please move. I have to go," I firmly stated pushing past him. I could feel his eyes on me until I reentered the Great Hall.

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked when I sat heavily besides her.

I told them about the encounter with Draco.

"He's bad news. Stay away from that one," Ron said protectively.

"I can handle myself, Ron. But thanks for the warning."

"It's weird he singled you out and was actually nice, for him anyway," Harry pondered.

"Why do you say that?"

"He hates us Weasleys because we're friends with Muggle-born Witches and Wizards and we don't hate Muggles. The little prat actually believes all that 'Pure-blood' nonsense his father preaches," Ginny explained with a snort.

"How sad for him."

"Don't tell me you're feeling sorry for that git!"

"Ron, think about it. Your whole life you're told something is true every day. People who think the same things surround you. How can you not feel sad for someone who can't even form his own opinions and thoughts?"

The group sat quietly, hopefully considering what I had said. Finally Harry broke their musings. "Let's go show Aurora around, guys."

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville spent the next hour pointing out favorite haunts and entertaining me with stories about their adventures in previous years. The gang ended up standing outside the Quidditch stadium.

They laughed when I ran in, yelling over my shoulder, "Are y'all gonna stand there all day or are we going to play some Sky Ball?"

By the time the others had caught up, I'd already mounted my broom and was zooming back and forth between the 2 sets of goals, ducking and weaving to avoid imaginary Bludgers. Oh, delightful bliss! Being high in the sky I always feel so free.

The Gryffindor team walked onto the pitch a few minutes later. Harry called me over and introduced the team. He told everyone I had been a Lead Chaser at my old school and how he and Ron had asked me to join the team after playing at the Burrow over the summer.

Dean Thomas said a bit excitedly, "Wow, you must be good if Harry didn't even make you try out."

"I can hold my own."

We mounted up. Harry told the team that today, we were just going to see if I could click with the team.

Practice went very well. Dean and Seamus, the other Beater, lobbed Bludger after Bludger towards me. As usual I avoided them easily.

The training continued for another hour before Ron told the team to go get cleaned up for lunch. When I hopped off my broom, Harry asked if he could talk to me in private. He led me over to a secluded area near the stadium stands.

"Was I okay?" 'I thought it had gone well.'

"You were great out there. You have an instinct for where the Bludgers are when you're playing. How?"

I didn't bother to pretend to not understand. "I can feel them in the air around me. I'm connected to the wind, remember?"

"That's why you worked so good with the others. You know exactly where they were!"

"Mmm hmm. Kind of an unfair advantage, wouldn't ya say?" I said mischievously.

"Oh I can't wait to play Slytherin," Harry remarked slyly. "They won't know what hit 'em."

Harry and I returned to the castle, showered and changed, and rejoined the others. Over lunch Ron told anyone who'd listen how good practice had gone. He kept going on and on about how good I was. It was kinda embarrassing.

Ginny said, "I hope you'll be giving her the Lead position, Harry. I really don't care for it. Last season was more than enough to make me realize that."

"Brilliant idea, Gin, if you're sure."

"Definitely."

"We'll start you tomorrow, Aurora."

"But?" I didn't want to just take her position.

"Think of it as a favor to your favorite cousin. I didn't want to be Lead to begin with. I only did it because no one else would."

"Only if you're sure."

"Fine, it's settled."

After we had finished lunch, the group went to sit in the common room. Hermione led Ron over to a secluded sofa on the right side of the room while Ginny curled up with Neville in an oversized chintz chair. The lovebirds became engrossed with each other in a matter of seconds, leaving Harry and me to sit down awkwardly in front of the unlit fireplace.

"So."

"So."

"Would you like me to show you the castle? I can take you to the classrooms." He then whispered, "I know where all the secret passages are."

"Show the way!"

Harry led me through the portrait hole and for the next two hours showed me every nook and cranny of the entire school. I saw where I would be attending Transfiguration, Charms, and even Potions. We talked as we wandered and found we shared some of the same dislikes: pepper flavored Bertie Botts Beans, bullies (Dudley for Harry, Jared for me), and neither of us liked Draco Malfoy. We both loved the book 'Quidditch Through the Ages' and The Weird Sisters' newest single 'It's the Witch in Me'. And of course we shared an obsession with Quidditch, or as we Americans call it, 'Sky Ball'.

Eventually we ended up at the Great Hall where students were filing in for supper. Neither Harry nor I paid much attention to the looks thrown our way. Ignoring them, we sat with our friends and ate, animatedly talking through the entire meal. Ginny and Hermione exchanged a happy grin at one point leaving me to wonder what they were smiling about.

After dinner, most of the Gryffindors retired to the common room. I decided to get some studying in so I sat at a table with my Potions book. I wanted to be well prepared in class tomorrow. The others lounged quietly, I assumed contemplating their last day of freedom before term started. Too soon it was time for bed. As the room slowly emptied, I pulled Harry aside.

"I just wanted to say thank you again for showing me around today. I had fun."

"Yeah, me too."

"Well, goodnight."

"Night."