Surviving Love

Chapter Three

An Interesting Encounter

Harry was running through the halls trying to get to the dungeons as quickly as possible. He was running late for detention with Snape for destroying a cauldron in class that day. He was just grateful that Violet hadn't been there to see it happen. He turned the corner and promptly collided with something. He could tell it was a person by the loud "oomph!" that followed as whoever it was went flying backwards. Harry staggered a little but remained upright. He looked down to see Violet sprawled on the floor. His eyes widened as he noticed her outfit. Today she wore black, knee high black leather boots, a v-neck long sleeve that clung in all the right places, and a black pleated skirt that stopped just above the knees. Harry's eyes traveled up her boot clad calves to the expanse of skin that he could now see since her skirt had ridden up when she hit the floor. Her firm thighs tempted him to distraction. Her hair was down and some had fallen into her face when she had flown backwards. All in all she looked far too delectable for Harry's peace of mind. He noticed her move to get up and instantly bent down, hooked his hands under her arms and picked her up. He gently placed her feet on the ground, making sure she was steady.

Her hands rested on his broad shoulders as she got her bearings. She shook her hair back from her face and looked up into his eyes. She gasped as she was slowly pulled into those verdant green eyes.

"Are you okay? I wasn't paying attention to where I was going. Sorry about that."

Violet blinked quickly to clear her head. She cleared her throat to answer him but before she could Harry let out a curse.

"Damn! I'm late for Snape. He's going to kill me."

"Don't worry about that. I can escort you and tell him that you were helping me with something. I'm sure he'll understand," she assured him.

"Alright. Thanks." They started walking towards the dungeons, Harry automatically shortening his steps so that she could easily keep up. They walked in silence a little ways before he cleared his throat.

"So...I was wondering...no offense or anything, but... you don't look old enough to work at the Ministry. I mean you don't look a day over twenty." He blushed slightly as if he thought she would be upset by his statement. Violet giggled and smiled up at him. Everyone had always wondered about so young a woman in the Ministry.

"That's probably because I'm only seventeen." Harry looked at her in shock. "I started school very early and graduated a few years ago. I instantly got a job at the Ministry working undercover and it just went from there."

"You're only seventeen? How is that possible? When did you graduate? How old were when you started? Did you go all seven years here or did you just skip some?" Harry asked incredulously. Violet smiled again and proceeded to answer his questions.

"I'm only seventeen, yes. I graduated when I was ten. I started when I was three and yes I did go all seven years here. And it's possible because when I was a baby by some strange twist of fate when Voldemort was defeated the first time and his spirit thing was flying around, it went through my parents' car. I soaked up some of the magic and became... smarter...more powerful...I don't know something like that. Anyway, my parents were stunned and terrified when the spirit came through the car and they swerved or did something and the car went out of control. They were killed instantly but somehow I survived. So I guess you could say I was the Girl-Who-Lived. Funny huh?" Harry's eyes widened as she got to the end of her tale. She smirked a little at the shocked expression on his face. He had stopped walking by that time, so Violet tugged on his hand to get him moving again. He started walking and then looked down at her.

"Wow...that was...interesting. I can't believe that happened to you. I'm so sorry about your parents. What happened after that?"

"Well, Dumbledore sensed something different about me. A few days after the accident, I started talking and walking and basically freaking people out because no child was supposed to be able to do that. I wanted to learn and so Dumbledore arranged for me to be at the school. I was in Gryffindor you know. But I had friends in pretty much all the houses. The years went by and I graduated. Then I started at the Ministry and now I'm here. Making sure this school is running perfectly." They had just arrived outside of the potions lab when she finished her story. They stopped and stared at each other again and Violet could feel herself be slowly sucked back into those eyes. They both jumped when the door slammed open and Professor Snape came out.

"Potter! Where on earth have you been? Your detention started ten minutes ago and if you think that I'm going to let you take those ten minutes off you are sorely mistaken," Snape snapped.

"Oh I'm so sorry, Professor. Harry was with me. I was carrying a large stack of heavy books and asked Harry for his assistance. I didn't know that he had detention with you or I never would have asked him. Do you forgive me?" Violet asked, looking up at Snape with wide eyes. She knew that this look worked every time on the professor and used it to her advantage.

"Of course I forgive you dear. Very well Mr. Potter. You only have to stay for the rest of the remaining part of the hour since you so kindly helped Ms. Velocity here." Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Violet who grinned at him in return.

"Ok, then. I'll leave you all to it. Good bye, Harry. See you in class." And with that she turned around and walked off very aware of the eyes that were watching her walk away.

This could be a very interesting school year, she thought, her mind wandering back to a pair of beautiful green eyes. Very interesting indeed.