Love of the Irish

Walking out onto the Quidditch field, the draft rippling his hair and robes, Harry beamed up at the sky. Soaring though the heavens with the greatest of ease was Riley Malone, the girl who had recently stolen Harry's heart like a snitch. Spotting Harry, she waved and touched back down onto the pitch.

"Hiya Harry. I was up early and the Quidditch pitch was calling me," she replied with a slight laugh in her voice.

Harry watched as her breathtaking azure eyes light up her stunning pale, yet freckled face. Her waist-length auburn hair fluttered in the light autumn breeze, as she stood there with one hand tightly gripping her Nimbus 2003 and the other hand in her back pocket shyly. Harry loved to watch her perpetual charm and style in even the littlest of actions.

"'Ullo Riley," Harry said flushing. "You seem to have a knack for flying. I'd better watch out or I could be out of my spot on the team."

"Are you mad? YOU off the team? No one admires what you do out there on the field more than I do and I think you're the greatest Seeker of our time," Riley blurted immediately, the color rising to her cheeks.

"Thanks, that's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me and it means even more coming from you," Harry replied, his cheeks quickly matching Riley's.

Her eyes twinkling with bliss, Riley broke the awkward silence. "So are ya hungry?"

Harry chuckled casually and began walking towards the castle side-by-side with Riley, a new beat in his heart and the sudden wanting of the hand swaying next to his to be intertwined with his own.

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Hermione looked up from her porridge and toast and caught sight of Harry and Riley walking into the Great Hall together, all grins. She could easily see in their eyes that they enjoyed each other's company much more than they let on. For not too long ago, she had been in that same situation with her now boyfriend. Hermione had not been far from head over heels with the adorable vision of redness, Ron Weasley. And she'd only recently learned that he felt the same way about her and they have been together ever since.

Harry and Riley came over to the Gryffindor table and sat down across from Hermione, caught up in one another, and looking frightened at the thought of separation. The teasing and flirting was interrupted by a pull on Riley's sleeve. Her steel-colored owl Apollo was the culprit, holding out his leg waiting for her to receive her letter.

Riley pulled the rolled parchment from her impatient owl's leg and began to unroll it. Her bright eyes began to water as they scanned each line.

Rubbing her back comfortingly Harry questioned, "What's wrong Love?"

With tears tumbling silently down her speckled cheeks she responded, "My father was injured while doing spy work for the Order. He's being treated for his jinx injuries at St. Mungo's."

A sob escaped her pink-tinged lips as she buried her moist face in Harry's shoulder. Running his hands through her velvety copper hair while whispering tenderly in her ear, Harry tried soothing Riley for nothing felt better in the world than to hold her.

Harry took hold of Riley's feeble chin, brilliant emerald eyes meeting turquoise and began delicately kissing away her salty tears.

"There's no other place I would rather be than here with you during this difficult time," Harry answered breathlessly.

Riley responded with a precious yet long desired kiss full of wanting and passion. After pulling away, a smirk came across her face.

"Harry Potter, you truly are amazing in everything you do."

"Riley, you are the amazing one. That was more than anything I'd ever dreamed." A great smile burst out onto his tanned face.

Harry's dream had finally come true, for the rest of the breakfast Harry and Riley were tied to each others' sides, hands and hearts conjoined as one.

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That night Riley was allowed to leave Hogwarts to visit her father in the hospital so Harry went to look for Ron and Hermione in the common room. Spotting them sitting in front of the fireplace cozy in each others' company, and talking quietly to each other, Harry walked over and sat down. They exchanged greetings and began chatting amongst themselves.

"I don't see Riley, where is she off to?" inquired Hermione.

"She went to St. Mungo's to visit her father. She'll be back tomorrow," answered Harry with a hint of sorrow creeping into his voice.

"I just wanna say Harry that we're very happy for the both of you. Although I don't understand why this didn't happen sooner, I mean it was quite obvious your feelings for Riley. But nonetheless, I couldn't be happier for you than I already am," explained Hermione.

"I feel the same way. I mean c'mon, Riley is sure an awesome catch Mate," Ron said smiling and Hermione elbowed him in the ribs.

"OY! C'mon Hermione, you know I love you more than anything else in this world. You're MY awesome catch Love," he said reassuringly, stroking her cheek with a long, pale finger dotted with freckles.

Hermione flushed and quickly whispered something in his ear before standing up and pulling him away by the hand. "I'm sorry Harry, but we'll talk later. We've got...er...other things to do," she said, a bright shade of magenta.

Harry sat and continued to stare into the fire until finally getting up and heading off to bed. After climbing the stairs up to his dormitory, he started to change out of his robes when he heard a slight pecking on the window. He quickly walked over, letting a familiar steel-colored owl in and watched it fly across the room where it landed on Harry's four poster bed.

He stroked Apollo and asked the owl, "Whatcha got for me Apollo?"

He quickly untied the piece of parchment from the owl's leg and came across familiar handwriting, his heart pounding with excitement. It was a letter from the main affection in his life, Riley.

Harry closed the letter with a deep tinge of want and opened the window to watch Apollo soar away into the ink black sky for a good nights sleep in the owlery. He changed into his pajamas, thoughtlessly took off his glasses, and set them upon the nightstand, climbing into his warm bed. With the memory of Riley's speckled cheeks becoming closer and the taste of salty tears on his lips still in mind, Harry drifted off to sleep...

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Harry awoke, his spirits soaring for today he would be able to spend time with his sweetheart, Riley. Harry treasured every moment they spent together and felt pain when they were apart. He claimed himself to be the luckiest guy in the world in being able to call Riley HIS girlfriend and hold her in his arms. She was the sunshine that brightened his day, the strength that kept him going, and the beat of his heart. Harry loved Riley with every breath he took into his body but hadn't yet found the courage to tell her his deep feelings. With all that had happened to her lately, he thought he should wait a little while.

Riley wouldn't be back until around dinnertime that evening so Harry tried to focus on getting dressed and heading to breakfast before the long torturous day ahead of him. After getting dressed, he packed his messenger bag and headed down to the Great Hall. When he arrived, Ron and Hermione were chatting animatedly to one another and both looked up when Harry arrived, looking pleased to see him.

Harry sat down opposite the charming couple and helped himself to some sausage and porridge.

"Well Harry, looks like we have a wonderful day ahead of us with double potions and only our FAVORITE teacher in the world," Ron announced, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Rolling his eyes Harry replied, "I know! I mean c'mon you know how much I fancy Snape!" The trio erupted into laughter.

"I'm just anxious to see Riley this evening. I've been in misery since she's been gone," Harry chimed in.

"If you survive Snape's class first you mean," answered Ron smirking.

"Ya, IF I survive. Hey and tonight after class don't wait up for me. I'm going to spend some quality time with Riley," proposed Harry.

"I'm sure that it'll be just the books you'll be hitting tonight Harry!" cried Ron snorting with fits of laughter.

"Very funny Ron. Now let's get to class," alleged Hermione.

But right when her back was turned Harry and Ron exchanged winks. The History of Magic classroom door suddenly came into view as the students sulked to their desks, dragging their feet behind them.

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After what seemed to be the longest day of his life, Harry finally reached his dormitory, dropped off his books, and changed out of his school robes. He decided on wearing his forest green sweater that brought out the color in his eyes and a pair of dark jeans. Then walking quickly up to the mirror, he attempted to adjust his hair. He ran a long, tanned hand through his untidy raven locks demanding to make it lie down, finally giving up altogether. Walking out of his dormitory, he hastily sprayed a few sprays of cologne before sprinting down to the Common Room.

Harry walked into the Great Hall, "strutting" his natural walk down to the Gryffindor table. Spotting Hermione and Ron, he sat with his two best friends during the long awaited dinner.

"Wow! Someone sure looks sexy tonight," said Ron cat-calling.

"Yes Harry, you do clean up quite nicely," approved Hermione, scooting closer to Ron making room for Harry. Ron put his arm around her shoulder, Hermione all grins.

Harry grinned, striking a catwalk model pose for the two amused Gryffindors.

"Very shagadelic Potter. You busy later?" laughed Malfoy.

Harry laughed and retorted, "Is 8 alright?"

No one understood how two boys with so many differences and an adverse past together could have patched up their history, becoming chums. They accuse their love of Quidditch to have brought them together from insufferable enemies to newfound friends. Now, in their seventh year, they proved to the other students of the two house rivals that Gryffindors and Slytherins could really be comrades.

Just then Riley walked into the Great Hall, her reddish-brown locks floating heavenly around her. Just then Harry stopped laughing, the world started spinning around him. His breath caught in his throat as he watched the Irish angel ascend towards him. Riley spotted him, responding with a wave and grin, unaware of the effect she left on the young Seeker's heart.

Harry winked back with a smirk, on cloud nine at the spectacle of the girl who made his heart leap like a chocolate frog. They embraced in a much awaited hug, hearts bursting with fondness.

"I missed you so much Love," Harry uttered, his face buried in her cascades of hair.

"Me too Hun," replied Riley. She took hold of Harry's bronzed hand and placed it over her rapidly pounding heart. "You're the only person who can make my heart go crazy," she answered, lost in his emerald eyes.

He responded with a delicate kiss on her luscious lips, entranced in her splendor. Their lips broke apart and Harry, beaming, took Riley's freckled hand into his own and led her to the Gryffindor table.

The two couples sat together, smiling and laughing and just appreciating each other's company. Ron and Hermione got up, Ron's stomach bursting at the seams, and decided to walk along the castle for some alone time. Harry and Riley soon decided to head to the Common Room, hands together as one, walking along the corridors.

When they reached the Common Room most people had already gone up to bed so the pair headed over to the warm place in front of the fire. After sitting down, they carried on their conversation, a thick silence following.

Harry looked up at Riley, flames dancing on her soft face. Feeling those piercing eyes resting on her face, Riley looked up and stared into his startling eyes. She then reached over and set her silky lips over Harry's, thirsty with passion. Riley's hand came up to rest behind his head making it capable to pull him closer with Harry's hand resting on her waist. After coming up for breath, Riley pulled away wearing a mischievous smirk.

Harry gazed into her passionate eyes, his heart pounding with love and excitement.

"Riley, I want to vanish inside your kiss. I never knew I could feel this way but I love you Riley Malone. I love you more and more every day and I don't feel like I can go on without your love. I love you Riley Malone," he responded his eyes never leaving hers.**

Riley answered, "Harry, from the first time I layed eyes on you, I knew my life would never be the same again. You aren't just the "Boy-who-Lived" you are the boy who stole my heart. Harry I love you."

His heart began racing loudly, Harry was sure that Riley could hear his heart beating. He leaned forward and Riley's lips brushed against his once again. Harry had never felt so happy in all of his life, and continued sitting in front of the fire with Riley, his world, his love, his everything. He looked down upon the sleeping angel in his arms and kissed softly along her face, breathing in the scent of lavender. Harry wanted this moment to last forever, for this was surely the greatest day of his life.

He carried her into her dormitory, laying her on her bed. Remembering something, he ran off to his dormitory hurrying back with a daisy in his hand. He tucked her in, grinning and quietly left the dormitory.

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The sun crept through the clouds, waking Riley from her slumber on this beautiful Saturday morning. Rolling over, her eyes spotted something on her night side dresser. A piece of parchment and a daisy. She sat up, picking up the flower raising it to her nose, breathing in the fresh scent. She opened the note and read:

As she closed the letter, Riley felt like she couldn't stop smiling if she tried. She then got up and dressed into her clothes, tucking the daisy behind her ear. She felt the need to tear out of her dormitory and run into Harry's arms, but shook the thought and went down to breakfast. She breathed heavily and thought this was the beginning to a great day.

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