spellbinding

3

with Harry still holding Caitlin's hand he steered her through the long way of getting back into the castle. "Why do you let him talk to you like that?"  Harry questioned her. His green eyes shining with concern and what Caitlin thought was empathy. "There's no point in standing up for myself I guess". She answered. "I mean he's right I don't belong in gryffindor house and I'm just a nobody that not even my parents cared about". Harry stopped walking abruptly. Looking into her brown eyes as if he was trying to convince her of something. "Caitlin you are so wrong. You wouldn't be in gryffindor if you weren't meant to be. The sorting hat knows what it's doing". Harry assured her. Caitlin sighed. "I guess you're right, thanks".

They continued their walk back inside in silence. Harry no longer holding Caitlin's hand. They both silently decided to return back to the common room. Before they entered the common room Harry pulled Caitlin back. "You know what you said earlier about nobody caring for you. You're wrong. I know one person at least who cares for you... me" Harry said quietly. He then walked into the common room leaving Caitlin outside stunned. 'He cares' she repeated.

Seconds later she too claimed through the portrait of the fat lady.  Only then to. Be dragged to the corner by two other gryffindors in her year. Yvette and Adam. "What we're you doing out with Harry Potter?" Adam questioned her a smug grin plastered on his face. Adam and Yvette were both cousins to the weasley family, which shone through in their appearances. "Come on tell us" Yvette pushed looking for answers. "I- umm..." Caitlin started. Her eyes wandering over to Harry Potter where he was sitting with his friends hermoine and Ron. The two gingers looked at her intently still waiting. "He was just walking me back inside" Caitlin explained.  "Just walking you inside" Yvette questioned. "After he had stupifyed draco malfoy for me when he was making fun of me"Caitlin finished. Adam let out a small scream of excitement. A wide smile spreading across both of their faces. "He totally likes you" they gushed together. Caitlins face painting itself red at the thought of Harry Potter liking her.

Yvette and Adam walked away talking and laughing to each other after Caitlin excused herself to go back to her dorm. When she got there she remembered how Ginny stood her up at the lake. Caitlin's mind flooded with reasons to why it could have been so. She shut them down trying not to overthink too much. She closed her eyes and began to breathe deeply to ground herself from these thoughts. She walked over to the dorm window to see something that made her mind spin.

Ginny was out with CHO CHANG. Caitlin felt horrible knowing she'd been stood up for one of the popular girls that Ginny had always said she wanted to be friends with. And now she was. Caitlin felt like she had been replaced.