I Want to be Your First Choice, Harry Potter

Chapter Twenty Three

"Anyways let's get out of here now." Harry says. I'm glad to be leaving the shack. When we leave it's getting dark out and we don't want to get lost so we take out our wands and cast Lumos to use as flashlights. We walk slow on purpose so we can spend more time together before getting back to the group.

"Gab?" Harry asks.

"Yeah Harry?" What could he possibly have to tell me?

"I just wanted you to know that I would protect you from anything whether it be a dementor or Malfoy's insults." He says.

"Thanks but I think I can fend for myself." I say sarcastically.

"Mhm, if I wasn't there to save you from the dementor you wouldn't be standing here right now." He says, his facial expression changes from joking to very serious suddenly.

"What?" I ask.

"Nothing that just made me realize how much of a close call that was." I can't see that well now since it's gotten darker but I think I see him start to tear up. He hugs me, I rub his back while hugging him back. His shoulders start to shake, he pulls me in tighter sort of crushing me but I won't ruin the moment, "I wanted to tell you that I worry about you too." He says. I notice he left out the friend part. He lets go of me and wipes his nose with his sleeve, "sorry for being a baby." He says.

"You're not." I say. He reaches for my hand again and we walk back to Three Broomsticks.

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"Where were you too? We have been waiting." Hermione says impatiently the second we walk through the door.

"Sorry we uh...got lost." Harry says. Everyone exchanges looks.

"We were at the Shrieking Shack." I blurt out. Hermione and Ron's eyes widen.

"Idiots." Ginny mutters.

"Why would you go there?" Hermione demands more than asks.

"Because the shops are boring, I'll bet we had more fun than you." Harry says.

They continue to argue the whole way back to Hogwarts. Hermione scolding us about how dangerous it is in the shack, Harry and I defending our point saying that we are fine and nobody got hurt or anything.

After dinner Hermione and I are getting ready for bed in our room.

"Hermione this is going to sound crazy but I think Harry might have tried to kiss me." I blurt out. She gasps. "Well what do you think? Am I just crazy or what?" I ask.

"I don't think you are crazy, but I also don't want to get your hopes up." She begins, "Gabriella, I think it might be time to tell him how you feel." She suggests. I'm not ready for that, I like our relationship right now I can't risk ruining it. Plus if he felt the same he would tell me, right? Well I haven't told him.

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A few more days go by and I need to know if I was just imagining him trying to kiss me or not, but what am I supposed to ask him? I could just bring it up and see if he seems nervous when I do or if he gives it away.

Lately the professors have been giving so much work and exams are coming up since it's almost winter break. I have been really stressed trying to get my work in and get good grades at the same time. I am trying to get all of my work done in the common room but I keep getting distracted and I have quidditch practice. There's not enough time between quidditch and dinner to do anymore work and I don't want to do it after dinner because that stresses me out even more. Maybe I could skip quidditch. No I can't miss quidditch, lately it's the only good part of my day. I am almost done with Transfigurations then I have potions and DADA. Harry walks in. Great, that's just the distraction I need right now. He just says hi then sits down. He saw all of the notes and textbooks and probably knew to leave me alone.

"We have quidditch in an hour." He says.

"Yeah I know I just have a lot of work." I say. "Sorry I'm really stressed because of exams and homework." I apologize.

"It's ok, you'll get good grades. You don't even have to study, you already know almost everything by heart." He says. It may seem that way but I really don't, I know most things by memory but not all of it. He leaves so I can get the rest done. I keep checking the clock but it's not doing me any favors, everytime I look it's like I'm expecting the clock to go backwards giving me more time. I end up getting through all of my work before quidditch. Looks like I had nothing to worry about.
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