Him - A Harry Potter Love Story

Chapter Nine

Madame Pomfrey releases me only when she's confirmed that someone will walk with me at all times. I want so badly to complain, and try to protest, but I shut my mouth when she suggests Harry. When he comes to see me before dinner, I explain the situation. He lets out a yell as I stand up only to stumble back onto the bed after a couple steps.

"Relax, Potter!" I joke, waving him away. "I got up too quickly."

He rolls his eyes, taking my arm as I stand up again, slower this time. He wraps his arm around my waist as we leave the wing, and although I obviously don't need help walking, I don't stop him.

At first, Ron and Hermione seem to act normal, but it all changes when Harry asks why I'm not eating. The others begin freaking out.

"Cassie, you haven't eaten in over two days," Harry points out. "It's not healthy."

"It doesn't look good," I whine, poking at the mashed potatoes with a fork.

"Since when does food not look good to you?" Ron scoffs. "Either eat, or go back to the hospital wing."

"Do you feel sick?" Hermione asks, staring at me.

"No," I mutter, dropping the fork. "I just need to wait a bit. I'm not hungry."

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?" Harry slips his hand into mine under the table. I hesitate a moment before responding.

"I feel good. I just don't want to eat...I don't know what's wrong with me."

"Give her today," Ron says to Harry. "If she gets hungry later, we know it's fine. But if this is still going on tomorrow..."

"You're going back to the hospital wing. Alright?" Harry says. I nod, squeezing his hand a little.

"Okay."

"Hey, guess what?" Hermione says to me. I smile a little.

"What?"

"You know how they told us in our letter to bring nice dresses?" Hermione asks. I nod, wondering if she knows why. "Today at breakfast, they announced that there's going to be a ball!"

Ron and Harry simultaneously groans, Harry going as far as to lean forward and bang his head against the table.

"That's amazing! But...why are these two so upset about it?" I ask, glancing at them.

"You need to find a date for it," Ron sigh, frowning.

"You don't need to, Ron," Hermione says.

"But I need to," Harry complains. "Who would go with me?"

I blush a little as Hermione sends a smirk at me.

"Well, um...I'm sure a lot of girls would want to go with you," I say, immediately wishing I could take the words back. Why do you sound so awkward all the time?

"Apparently a lot of people had heard about this and knew already. Almost half the girls here are taken," Hermione explains. "And that's just the Hogwarts students."

"Do you reckon I could get one of the French girls?" Ron asks, staring down the table at one of the girls from Beauxbatons. I let out a snort, causing Harry to laugh. Ron sends a glare back at us.

"I'm sure you'll both find someone," I say. "And Hermione and I have to get dates too."

"Easy for you," Ron scoffs. "Girls never have to ask guys, the guys ask more often than the girls."

"That doesn't mean we'll get asked," Hermione argues.

"Why wouldn't you both?" Harry asks, his eyes trained on me. "Any guy would be lucky to have you."